Rev. David Holwick B Abraham #2
First Baptist Church
Ledgewood, New Jersey
January 9, 2005
Genesis 12:10-20
ENDING UP IN EGYPT
I. New Jersey politicians - fine moral examples.
A. Last Sunday's "Star Ledger" main article on corruption in 2004.
December alone:
On the 6th, following an eight-month investigation by the
NJ Attorney General, the former vice president of the state
commerce commission is indicted.
So was her sister. So was her 65-year-old mother.
All of them conspired to funnel state money through no-show
jobs and falsified records to cover up the scam.
That same day, Lesly Devereaux, longtime adviser to the former
commerce secretary, who was the REV. William Watley, is
charged with 16 counts of public corruption.
Dec. 7 - Edison Councilman William Kruczak announces he will
quit if the state will close its investigation into whether
he attempted to use his position to avoid a
drunken-driving arrest.
Dec. 8 - A federal judge postpones sentencing for developer
Charles Kushner when prosecutors complain Kushner is
stifling their ongoing investigation into his companies.
The defense, meanwhile, submitted more than 700 letters and a
150-page sentencing memorandum highlighting Kushner's
accomplishments and charity.
Dec. 17 - Governor Codey's office announces that McGreevey's
troubles cost taxpayers nearly $159,000 in legal bills.
Dec. 22 - A federal judge sentences former Hudson County
Freeholder William Braker to 41 months in prison.
He was convicted of taking kickbacks in a medical fraud scheme.
Braker told the judge:
"I know I MIGHT have made a terrible mistake here." [1]
B. The solution!
"The Amazing Kreskin," an entertainer who says he can read minds
and mentally bend spoons, volunteered to sit in on
government meetings.
Because of his extraordinary abilities, he will be able to
identify which officials are secretly up to no good.
That way corruption will be solved and our great state will
shed its image of unethical deals. #28949
C. It's not just New Jersey.
1) All of us are prone to give in to our dark side.
2) You may be a politician, a teacher, an electrician,
or a preacher. Sin is no respecter of persons.
3) Even the greatest heroes of the Bible caved in.
a) This is no excuse for us, but a warning.
II. An obscure passage, again and again.
A. Genesis contains three episodes with the same scenario.
1) Wives are passed off as sisters.
2) Cultural issues which are unknown to us may be at play.
3) Also an overlying theological theme - God's promise to
his people is endangered.
B. What is the moral issue here? Interpretations:
1) Abram pulls a quickie over on Pharaoh. (all positive)
2) Abram was wrong to go to Egypt and wrong to lie. (all negative)
3) It was OK to go to Egypt, but wrong to deceive. (mixed)
a) This is how I interpret the passage.
III. The story unfolds.
A. Abram's situation.
1) He is starving in Promised Land.
a) Common occurrence due to Israel's dryness.
b) All the patriarchs had to go to Egypt. Jesus too.
2) Famine is stressed by being mentioned twice - Abram was
not at fault in going to Egypt.
a) He is not abandoning the Promised Land, but only intends
to live there "for a while." (sojourn)
b) Some say he is showing a lack of faith in God's ability
to provide, others say he is using his noggin.
1> At any rate, he is not criticized for it.
B. Dilemma of a beautiful wife.
1) Abram is concerned about how he will be treated there.
a) Of course, he is an alien in Canaan, too.
b) But at least Canaan had a Semitic culture and
language. Egypt was REALLY foreign and scary.
c) Abram is concerned for his own skin, not his wife's
chastity.
2) He is afraid his beautiful wife will draw deadly attention.
a) Can a 65-year-old woman be that beautiful?
1> Many commentators doubt it.
2> Possible explanation:
John Calvin, the founder of Reformed Christianity
(Presbyterianism) thought he knew why -
childless women preserve their beauty longer than
mothers.
Apparently having a child just shrivels you up.
Confirmation from Debby McMullin, who had Lianah on
Friday - "Don't take any pictures of me!"
b) Better explanations:
1> The long-lived patriarchs and their wives aged
differently
2> They had a different assessment of what is
beautiful and put more emphasis on character,
wealth, etc.
C. Abram's deception.
1) He will pass himself off as Sarai's brother.
a) Technically half-true, but also half-false.
b) Scheme has advantage that brothers are ones who give
permission for marriage.
1> Perhaps he can fend off any boyfriends.
c) Sarai's silence suggests she agrees to the plan.
2) Wrench in the plan.
a) Pharaoh hears of her beauty and adds her to his harem.
1> It is hard to fend off a Pharaoh.
b) Lots of stuff is given to Abram - perhaps her bride
price.
D. God's intervention.
1) God sends plagues on Pharaoh.
2) Pharaoh gets the message, and rebukes Abram.
3) Abram and Sarai are expelled from Egypt.
IV. Echoes of the past and future.
A. Sarai provides an echo of the Garden of Eden.
1) Both were attractive.
2) Both are seen.
3) Both are taken.
a) Note that Pharaoh's question to Abram, "What have you
done?" echoes what God says to Eve. Gen 3:13
b) We are not enticed by what we don't want, but by what
is attractive, even if it is forbidden. [Especially
when it is forbidden!]
B. Parallels with the future Exodus.
1) Famine drives them to Egypt.
2) The Jews come under the control of Pharaoh.
3) God sends plagues.
4) The Jews are sent back to Israel with lots of good stuff.
a) Big difference: at Exodus, Pharaoh opposes God.
b) In Gen. 12, Pharaoh respects God and even acts like God!
V. Lessons to be learned.
A. Even people of great faith can have great fears.
1) Abram's deception is shown in a bad light.
a) When Pharaoh rebukes, Abram says nothing in response.
2) Many great heroes have feet of clay.
a) Almost 100 years ago, Dr. James Strahan wrote:
It is recorded in history that Scotland's Edinburgh Castle was
supposed to be inaccessible on one side due to a cliff.
There the defenses were feeble and the guards were careless.
However, on the more vulnerable sides the fortifications were
strong and the watch was strictly kept.
But it was at the strongest and inaccessible, not the vulnerable
point that the enemy broke through and the castle was captured.
It is also on the strongest side that the castle of the human soul
is often captured.
The weakness of God's servants is most conspicuous where their
strength lies.
. Abraham, the most faithful of men, sinned by unfaithfulness.
. Moses, the meekest of men, by anger.
. Solomon, the wisest, by folly.
. Elijah, the most valiant, by fear.
. John, one of the gentlest, by vindictiveness.
. Peter, one of the boldest, by cowardice.
Unguarded strength is double weakness.
"We are not to walk in all the footsteps of the saints,
but only in the footsteps of their faith."
#23336
3) We can learn a lot from their mistakes.
Humorist Sam Levenson once said:
"You must learn from the mistakes of others.
You can't possibly live long enough to make them all
yourself." #18241
a) Paul on lessons from Old Testament: 1 Cor 10:6,11
1 Cor. 10:6
"Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our
hearts on evil things as they did."
1 Cor. 10:11
"These things happened to them as examples and were written down as
warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come."
4) What are your strengths - and weaknesses?
B. Deception doesn't work.
1) Abram made a logical scheme that blew up. Most do...
2) But it doesn't seem to keep people from trying.
This is a description of services offered by the Alibi Agency
Ltd., a company based in Lancashire, England:
Many of us have occasion to stray from our long-term partners,
to dally in a brief sexual relationship with a third party.
But with modern communications, it has become increasingly
difficult to do so without risk of detection.
Public knowledge of such a relationship can put an incredible
strain on all parties concerned: family life, the home, the
business, and your children's welfare can all be put on
the line.
The Alibi Agency was established to provide a way out of this
situation.
By handling "alibis" for you, we can help protect your loved
ones from undue anxiety, ensuring the financial security and
stability of a long-term relationship.
We offer a full and professional alibi service:
. We'll send invitations for corporate events, seminars, or
sporting events to your home, then telephone you or your
wife to confirm bookings.
. If someone tries to contact you, our receptionists will take
the call as a hotel receptionist, for example.
. We will let the caller hear us try to page you, then offer to
take a message when you can't be found.
. If we know where you are, we can even ring you while the
caller is on hold, then patch the call through as if it
were to your "room."
Most sexual affairs are inconsequential to your long-term
relationships.
Our aim is to provide total peace of mind for you and your
family.
The Alibi Agency donates a portion of its profits to charities
benefiting children from broken homes.
(No doubt to assuage their guilt at their tacky business.)
#4821
Such a service is probably quite expensive and I don't doubt
that it "works" - for a while.
But there is always the glitch that isn't covered up.
Numbers 32:23 - "...you may be sure that your sin will find
you out."
3) Honest is a much better policy. Try it, even when it hurts.
VI. God will fulfill his promises - maybe in spite of us.
A. If God has made a promise, he will keep it.
1) Some of his promises are unrestricted.
2) But note that some are conditional.
a) His blessings may require our obedience.
Postal worker Douglas C. Yee, 50, was indicted in 1996
in San Mateo, California, for pulling off bulk-mail
scams that grossed him $800,000.
Found in Yee's garbage were notes he had written to
God expressing gratitude for His continued help in
evading police.
Read one:
"Lord, I am having a difficult time myself seeing you
as a God who hides crime,
yet your Word says that it's your privilege (or
glory) to do just that."
#28039
It may be his "privilege" but it is not his obligation.
I imagine it was the police who found those notes and I
am sure they were used effectively by the prosecutor.
b) If your life suddenly blows up, it is not because
God has failed.
c) You have, and will face the consequences.
B. Fortunately for us, God is gracious in his goodness.
1) He will give us many good things in spite of ourselves.
2) And we don't have to scheme to get them - he offers them
freely.
C. One of his greatest promises is found in John 10:28-29:
"I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish;
no one can snatch them out of my hand.
My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all;
no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand."
=========================================================================
SOURCES FOR ILLUSTRATIONS USED IN THIS SERMON:
[1] "New Jersey's Year of Corruption and Scandal," by Jonathan
Schuppe and John P. Martin, Star-Ledger newspaper of Newark,
New Jersey, January 2, 2005, page 1.
# 4821 "The Alibi Agency," Harper's Magazine article entitled "It Takes
A Village," October 1999, page 24.
#18241 "Learning From Mistakes," Our Daily Bread, November 11, 1996.
From the Nick Lica Illustration collection.
#23336 "It Fell At Its Strongest Point," Dr. Strahan, Hebrew Ideals,
quoted in Genesis, Vol. 2, The Daily Bible Study Series, by
John C. L. Gibson, 1982, page 36. Wording is modified by me.
#28039 "Hide My Crime," by Chuck Shepherd, News of the Weird newsletter,
July 31, 2004.
#28949 "The Amazing Kreskin Takes On New Jersey Corruption," by Chuck
Shepherd, News of the Weird newsletter, January 2, 2005.
These and 25,000 others are part of a database that can be downloaded,
absolutely free, at http://www.holwick.com/database.html
=========================================================================
Commentaries
Expositor's Commentary
I. Recurring theme: threat to God's promise.
A. Descendants, land, blessing put in danger.
B. God shown to be faithful to his promise.
1) He enters the arena and safeguards the promise.
2) Purpose:
a) Shows that only God can bring about the promise.
b) Man's failure cannot stand in the way of his promise.
II. Sojourn to Egypt.
A. Foreshadows Israel's exodus.
B. Whole of God's story is contained in this simple narrative.
Derek Kidner
I. Egypt is not forbidden territory.
A. Does not invalidate claim to Canaan.
B. However, Abram appears to have gone on his own initiative.
1) He did not take God into account.
2) Sudden transition from faith to fear.
II. Abram's deception.
A. Technically true that Sarai was his sister.
1) But using half the truth to conceal, the other half is a
lie.
2) He was unable to refuse his questionable earnings.
B. When challenged on it by Pharaoh, Abram attempts no defense.
1) Perhaps he learned from this, as is shown by his fine reply
to the king of Sodom.
III. Was Sarai beautiful at 65? (repeated in Gen 20)
A. Patriarchal longevity may play a part.
1) Probably a special providence. Deut 34:7
B. In chapter 20 her wealth and not her beauty is noticed.
IV. Main theme - Abram's promise is under constant challenge.
Gibson, Daily Study Bible (Barclay OT)
I. Requires lots of reading between lines.
II. Possible interpretations:
A. Positive.
1) Abram gets better of Pharaoh.
2) He makes his name great, and gets lots of stuff.
B. Negative.
1) Abram's deceit shows cowardice.
2) Perhaps he has his "seed" in mind, but his rationale is
that they will kill "me."
III. Pharaoh takes the initiative.
A. Abram has no answer for him.
B. Abram is summarily expelled.
IV. Meaning.
A. It is not about God saving his own and turning tables on enemy.
1) If anything, it is Abram's table that is turned.
2) Irony of Pharaoh angle is stressed.
B. Strong Abram's weakness comes through.
Allen Ross, "Creation & Blessing"
I. Implications of passage:
A. Threat to ancestress, and to Abram's promises.
1) Interesting that Abram endangered Sarai, and God delivered
her.
2) Three sister stories in Genesis.
B. Divine preservation of Sarai's purity for sake of the promise.
1) God protects the future of the covenant.
2) The promise is not relinquished through Abram's failure.
C. Deception is not condoned.
1) He gained wealth but could have lost his wife.
II. Parallels with the Exodus.
A. Famine.
B. Sojourn in Egypt.
C. Killing of males.
D. Bondage.
E. Great wealth.
F. Plagues.
G. Summons.
H. Journey to Negev.
III. Exposition.
A. God's people often resort to deception.
1) His scheme was born out of fear. It backfired on him.
2) "sojourn" indicates he had no intention of staying there.
3) Scheme came not from his faith, but his bedouin background.
B. Abram survived and even prospered.
1) No adultery on Sarai's part is implied.
C. Abram was rebuked - by Pharaoh.
1) It recalls God's rebuke of Adam and Eve.
D. Key points:
1) God can intervene graciously even when we sin.
2) It is foolish to try to deliver ourselves by deception.
Gordon J. Wenham, Word Biblical Commentary, vol. 1
I. Sojourn in Egypt.
A. Common for all patriarchs due to dry climate in Canaan.
B. Not an abandonment of Promised Land.
1) Severity of famine is stressed.
II. Sarai's beauty at age 65.
A. Calvin: childless women preserve their beauty longer than
mothers.
III. Abram's deception.
A. His rationale? Perhaps as Sarai's brother he could fend off
suitors, since brothers played this role back then.
B. Sarai's silence shows that she went along with it.
C. "was taken" - became a wife in the harem.
1) The plagues suggest she actually committed adultery.
2) Wealth given to Abram was probably bride money.
D. Sarai is described in terms similar to Garden of Eden.
1) Both are attractive, there is a "seeing," and the
attractive object is "taken."
IV. Explanation.
A. Abram's conduct is not condoned.
1) Pharaoh rebukes him with the same question God poses to
Adam.
B. Parallels with the Exodus show that Abram's experience
foreshadow that great event.
1) Contrast: In Exodus, Pharaoh opposes God; here, he
respects God and even acts like God.
2) Abram had no faith in God but Pharaoh did.
