Series: Gods First Patriarch
Second Test: A Famine In The land
Genesis 12:10-20 (Sunday Feb 2, 2003)
Intro:
I found an Illustration, which asked, “How you can tell when it’s going to be a rotten day:”
You wake up face down on the pavement.
You call Suicide Prevention and they put you on hold.
You see a "60 Minutes" news team waiting in your office.
Your birthday cake collapses from the weight of the candles.
You turn on the news and they’re showing emergency routes out of the city.
Your twin sister forgot your birthday.
Your car horn goes off accidentally and remains stuck as you follow a group of Hell’s Angels on the freeway.
Your boss tells you not to bother to take off your coat.
The bird singing outside your window is a buzzard.
You wake up and your braces are locked together.
You call your answering service and they tell you it’s none of your business.
Your income tax check bounces.
You put both contact lenses in the same eye.
Your wife says, "Good morning, Bill", and your name is George.
Without a doubt we all have had problems and trails in our lives. The question is how do we handle or problems and trials.
Last week we learned of Gods call to Abram and of the blessings he would receive by being obedient. Today we are going to look at Abrams second trial or test and see how well this patriarch of God responded. The first test of Course was Abram being asked to leave all to follow God in which he paseed.
1. Abrams Test (Vv.10-11)
A. Problem One. (V.10a)
12:10a Now there was a famine in the land. A famine was a time in which food became scarce. This sounds like it would be a direct contradiction of the promise God had made Abram in 12:2 “I will bless you.” One idea we can point out is even though God was blessing him the elements of weather were still in effect.
I believe this may have been a literal test God was putting Abram through. Not necessarily one God caused, but allowed to happen. Even though God had promised to bless him and his family, this did not mean God would not continue to test his faith.
One of the greatest illustrations of testing comes from the life of Job. Job 1:8 say’s He was “…a blameless and upright man, one who fears God, and shuns evil.” Yet in just one day, His Ox and Donkey’s were stolen, his Sheep were burned up, all of his servants were killed, but one, His sons and daughters were in a house and the house fell in and killed them all. On another day the Bible say’s Satan struck Job with painful boils from the soil of his feet to the top of his head. His wife asked, “Do you still retain your integrity?” ‘Curse God and Die. (Job 2:9) Job responded with the classic response and question “Thou speaks as one of the foolish women speaks, Shall we not receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive the evil? In all this Job did not sin with his lips. If you read Job 1:12, and 2:6, we find God did not cause the trails, but God allowed them to happen.
This leads to a question: Why does God allow trails and test to come to his children? The answer if found in James 1:2-3 “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience Test and trails are used to build us stronger in our faith.
Warren Wiersbe stated, “A faith that can’t be tested can’t be trusted.”
Ill. On December 29, 1987, a Soviet cosmonaut returned to the earth after 326 days in orbit. He was in good health, which hasn’t always been the case in those record-breaking voyages. Five years earlier, touching down after 211 days in space, two cosmonauts suffered from dizziness, high pulse rates, and heart palpitations. They couldn’t walk for a week, and after 30 days, they were still undergoing therapy for atrophied muscles and weakened hearts. At zero gravity, the muscles of the body begin to waste away because there is no resistance. To counteract this, the Soviets prescribed a vigorous exercise program for the cosmonauts. They invented the "penguin suit," a running suit laced with elastic bands. It resists every move the cosmonauts make, forcing them to exert their strength.
We often long for days without difficulty, but more often than not, the easier our life the weaker we are spiritually. For our faith to Grow, God knows we need trails and test in our physical lives to keep our spiritual lives in perspective.
B. Problem 2 (v.10b)
10b “and Abram went down to Egypt This trip would have been around two hundred miles, the reason for going to Egypt was because of the Nile River. The Nile River was dispersed through irrigation canals, which helped the Egyptians have a plentiful food supply. Abrams family went to Egypt to dwell there, for the famine was severe in the land.”
Abram was going to Egypt were the people, the customs, and laws were different than he was accustomed too. But the major problem was he was going into the land of Pharaoh, I will deal with why he was problem in the second point of the outline.
We all have problems that we have to deal with in life, but it is said “Problems = Opportunities.”
In the book of Philippians, which is letter Paul wrote to the church at Philippi. We find Paul imprisoned most likely in Rome. You would think Paul would realize this was a problem for him and his ministry, but instead of complaining, instead of questioning God, Paul say’s in Philippians 1:12-18 “But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel,
Mother Teresa said, “Everything is a problem. Why not use the word gift.”
I like the Poem that Goes “Lord, I’ve never moved a mountain and I guess I never will. All the faith that I could muster wouldn’t move a small ant hill. Yet I’ll tell you, Lord, I’m grateful for the joy of knowing Thee, and for all the mountain moving down through life You’ve done for me.
When I needed some help you lifted me from the depths of great despair. And when burdens, pain and sorrow have been more than I can bear, you have always been my courage to restore life’s troubled sea, and to move these little mountains that have looked so big to me.
Many times when I’ve had problems and when bills I’ve had to pay, and the worries and the heartaches just kept mounting every day, Lord, I don’t know how you did it. Can’t explain the wheres or whys. All I know, I’ve seen these mountains turn to blessings in disguise.
No, I’ve never moved a mountain, for my faith is far too small. Yet, I thank you, Lord of Heaven, you have always heard my call. And as long as there are mountains in my life, I’ll have no fear, for the mountain-moving Jesus is my strength and always near.
C. Problem 3 (v.11)
V.11a “And it came to pass, when he was close to entering Egypt, he said to Sarai his wife, As Abrams name would be changed to Abraham in Genesis 17:5 Sari name will not changed to Sarah until Genesis 17:15. At this point she is 65 years of age with no children. “Indeed I know that you are a woman of beautiful countenance.”
Sarai must have really been a beautiful lady. Only rarely does the Bible refer to ones appearance. When the Dead Sea Scrolls were found one of the scrolls was called “The Genesis Apocryphon.” This scroll praised the beauty of Sari.
I told earlier Pharaoh was a major problem and we now find her beauty to be a problem, these two problems go hand to hand. When I told you the Pharaoh was a major problem; this was because if a Pharaoh wanted to he could call a woman to his court, murder her husband and than take her as his wife.
You will see in v.12 this is a concern for Abram ““Therefore it will happen, when the Egyptians see you, that they will say, ‘This is his wife’; and they will kill me, but they will let you live.
So no doubt Abram would have to work out a solution
To often we try to take our problems on ourselves, we go on in our own strength, many people turn to drugs, alcohol, But I want you to know that Drugs and alcohol will just cause you more problems and more sickness. The solution to our problems and trails is to put them into the hands of God.
God has promised to “Never leave us nor forsake us” (Hebrews 13:5)
Isaiah describes Christ as “great rock in a weary land. (Isaiah 32:2)
Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.
Psalm 18:2 “The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer;
My God, my strength, in whom I will trust;
Isaiah 58:11 “The LORD will guide you continually, And satisfy your soul in
drought, And strengthen your bones; You shall be like a watered garden,
And like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.
The Psalmist wrote in Psalm 95 1-3: Oh come, let us sing to the LORD!
Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving;
Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.
For the LORD is the great God,
Thank God for his never failing promises
2. Abrams Solution (v.13)
A. Sacrifice Sarai’s honor
12:13a “Please say you are my sister, Sarai was actually Abrams half sister (20:12) What Abram has just done was ask Sarai to perform two evils.
1. Deception:
Ill. You have all heard of the Southern Parents who had a son that was locked up in the penitentiary, but his mother told all friends and relatives, that he was off serving in the war.
Proverbs 20:17 “Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man, But afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel.
Abraham Lincoln said “You can fool some of the people all the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time.”
But there is another truth I would add, you can’t fool God any of the time.
2. Lying
Often times lying seems to be the easy way out. But the Bible has much to say about lying:
Proverbs 6:16-19 “These six things the LORD hates,
Yes, seven are an abomination to Him:
17 A proud look,
A lying tongue,
Hands that shed innocent blood,
18A heart that devises wicked plans,
Feet that are swift in running to evil,
19A false witness who speaks lies,
And one who sows discord among brethren.
Proverbs 21:6 “Getting treasures by a lying tongue Is the fleeting fantasy of
those who seek death.
Children and teenagers when you feel you need to lie to your parents or teachers,
Husbands and wives when you feel you can’t be honest, when we feel like we
must lie to friends we must remember, “Honest is the best policy” not just
Morally, but spiritually.
Rev 21:8 “…..and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with
fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”
B. Save himself
12:13b. that it may be well with me for your sake, and that I (My soul shall) live because of you.”
Abram was not seeking the Lord’s guidance nor relying on his protection, Abram was willing to sacrifice the honor of his wife to save his own life.
Ill. The story is told of four high school boys who couldn’t resist the temptation to skip morning classes. Each had been smitten with a bad case of spring fever. After lunch they showed up at school and reported to the teacher that their car had a flat tire. Much to their relief, she smiled and said, "Well, you missed a quiz this morning, so take your seats and get out a pencil and paper." Still smiling, she waited as they settled down and got ready for her questions.
Then she said, "First question--which tire was flat?"
Often this is the problem with getting out of Gods plan, we get ourselves deeper into a situation than we intended to go. There is an old song that stated, “Sin will take you father than you want to go.”
3. Abram Failing the Test
A. Abram seems to have passed the Test
12:14-16 So it was, when Abram came into Egypt, that the Egyptians saw the woman, that she was very beautiful. 15The princes of Pharaoh also saw her and commended her to Pharaoh. And the woman was taken to Pharaoh’s house.
This happened just as Abram had planned and notice because Pharaoh thought Abram was her brother 16He treated Abram well for her sake. He had sheep, oxen, male donkeys, male and female servants, female donkeys, and camels.
He gave Abram great wealth; to have a camel during this time signified an abundance of wealth. His life has been spared and it seems all is well.
B. Abrams Failure
12:17 “But the LORD plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues. A plague is a judgment or calamity God sends upon man. because of Sarai, Abram’s wife
One may ask why did God send the judgment on Pharaoh and not Abram? Pharaoh did not know sari was Abrams wife. This was because God had to get his plan in which Abram had messed up back on track If God would have plagued Abram rather than Pharaoh than this would have had no effect in aspect of Pharaoh taken Sarai as his wife.
What this illustrates to us is our sins can have a great effect on those around us more than what we realize. Abram had no clue God would plague Pharaoh.
And like wise the husband and wives never consider the hurt caused to children because of adultery, leaders in the church never realize the hurt that can be placed on their church because of sin, children never realize the hurt caused to parents when they rebel or get into drugs and alcohol or some other sin.
Fred Allen who was a comedian said “Most of us spend the first six days of each week sowing wild oats, then we go to church on Sunday to pray for crop failure.”
C. Abrams Testimony Hurt
12:18-20 “And Pharaoh called Abram and said, “What is this you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife? 19“Why did you say, ‘She is my sister’? I might have taken her as my wife. Pharaoh realizes Abram caused this judgment. Not only has Abram caused Sarai to loose her honor, but he also has damaged his testimony. Imagine what takes place in the mind of Pharaoh when he finds out that Abram was a servant of the Lord who had purposefully lied and tried to deceive him.
Now therefore, here is your wife; take her and go your way.” 20So Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him; and they sent him away, with his wife and all that he had. Pharaoh permits Abram and Sarai to leave, and he also allowed him to leave with the possessions that was giving to him earlier, But Abram had to leave with a damaged testimony as a man of God.
Conclusion:
.Von Rod remarked: “One must remember that the jeopardizing of the ancestress called into question everything that Yahweh (God) had promised to do for Abram. But Yahweh does not allow his work to miscarry right at the start; he rescues it and preserves it beyond all human failure.” (Wesleyan Bible Commentary Vol 1. 196 Eerdman’s publishing.)
