Fear of Man | Genesis 20
“It is only the fear of God that can deliver us from the fear of man.”
--John Witherspoon
It is easy to sit back and ask the question: “Why would Abraham make THE SAME MISTAKE TWICE!”
We must remember what Abraham just witnessed.
“Now Abraham arose early in the morning and went to the place where he had stood before Yahweh; and he looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah, toward the land of the valley, and he saw, and behold, the smoke of the land went up like the smoke of a furnace. Thus, it happened, when God destroyed the cities of the valley…”
--Genesis 19:28-29
The Hebrew word for “look” here is: שָׁקַף shâqaph, shaw-kaf'; a primitive root; properly, to lean out,
Abraham was simply looking on as he watched Sodom and Gomorrah burn to the ground because of God’s wrath.
- Fear of Man Leads to Disobedience of God.
“And Abraham journeyed from there toward the land of the Negev and settled between Kades and Shur; then he sojourned in Gerar. And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, ‘she is my sister.’ So Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah.”
--Genesis 20:1-2
Abraham lied about Sarah being his sister (not wife) in Genesis 12:10-20. Why does Abraham keep doing this? We even see Isaac (Abraham’s son) will do this with Abimelech in Genesis 26:6-17.
“So Isaac lived in Gerar. Then the men of the place asked about his wife. And he said, ‘she is my sister,’ for he was afraid to say, ‘my wife,’ thinking, ‘lest the men of the place kill me on account of Rebekah, for she is beautiful in appearance.”
--Genesis 26:6-7
Now, Abimelech is a general term which means “the Father King” in Hebrew. This is a monarchal, patristic system and Abimelech was more of a title given to different kings who ruled over time (similar to calling someone “Pharaoh.”)
“The king of Gath before whom David played the madman is also called “Abimelech” in the title of Psalm 34; however, 1 Samuel 21:11 identifies the king of Gath as Achish. This has led many scholars to believe that, among the Philistines at least, Abimelech was a title given the king, rather than a personal name—much as the Egyptians always called their king ‘Pharaoh.’”
--GotQuestion.org
But the most well-known Abimelech in the Bible is the headstrong and murderous son of Gideon in the book of Judges.
The Philistines were not the massive, regional superpower yet as we see later in the story of David and Goliath (1 Samuel 17), but they were a localized city kingdom which was strong and influential. Some scholars even argue these Philistines are different than the Philistines later in 1 Samuel 17.
In Genesis 26:16-17, Abimelech, catches Isaac in a lie about his wife, Rebekah (same lie as Abraham with Sarah) and the King commands Isaac to leave Gerar.
“Then Abimelech said to Isaac, ‘Go away from us, for you are too mighty for us.’ And Isaac departed from there and camped in the valley of Gerar and settled there.”
--Genesis 26:16-17
The point is simple: This Philistine Kingdom was intimidating, and Both Abraham and Isaac were given enough fear of them to sin, to lie about their wives being their sisters to preserve their safety. Abraham also has a lapse in his faith in God—if someone loves God, if someone has faith in God they will obey God’s commands—they will stand for God’s truth even in the face of men, governments, kingdoms and laws who come against God.
“The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”
--Proverbs 9:10
“Fear” in Proverbs 9:10: יִרְאָה yirʼâh, yir-aw'; feminine of H3373; fear (also used as infinitive); fear, terror, fearing morally, reverence:—× dreadful,
Who is more powerful in this world? Kingdoms of Men? Or God’s Kingdom? Who is more merciful, more loving, more gracious, more wise than the kingdoms of Men/world?
“Thus says Yahweh, ‘Heaven is My throne, and the earth is the footstool of My feet… For My hand made all these things, Thus all these things came into being,” declares Yahweh. ‘But to this one I will look, To him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word.’”
--Isaiah 66:1-2
- God Rules the world. God controls the world. God extends His Amazing Grace to Abraham and Abimelech.
Genesis 20:3-8
God gives Abimelech a dream (vs. 3-4) and he becomes afraid to go near Sarah. God intervenes and protects Sarah, and even protects Abimelech’s integrity and causes him to not sin against God.
“Then God said to him in the dream, ‘Indeed, I know that in the integrity of your heart you have done this, and I also held you back from sinning against Me; therefore I did not let you touch her. So now, return the man’s wife, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you, and you will live. But if you do not return her, know that you shall surely die, you and all who are yours.’ So Abimelech arose early in the morning and called all his servants and told all these things in their hearing; and the men were greatly afraid.’”
--Genesis 20:5-8
God scares Abimelech with this dream; this pagan king, a heathen king, now has met the One True God of the Universe and he is terrified. God was so gracious to warn Abimelech and to hold back Abimelech from sinning against him—remember, Abimelech is technically an enemy of God YET God is extending His grace.
Why does God do this? Because He is fulfilling His covenantal promise to Abraham. He is preserving His family, saving Sarah so that Isaac can be born—so that Israel can be born.
When Abraham is asked by Abimelech on why he did this to Abimelech this is what he says:
“And Abimelech said to Abraham, ‘What have you seen, that you have done this thing?’ And Abraham said, ‘Because I said, surely there is no fear of God in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife.’”
--Genesis 20:10-11
God is in control. God rules the world. Remember, Abraham had just witnessed the wrath of God in action—he let the fear of Abimelech take over his action and it led to him disobeying God once again.
Abraham goes on to explain his situation, trying to justify his earlier lie, by stating that Sarah is his half sister. Remember, God called Abraham after he was already married, this is before the ten commandments were given. (Genesis 20:11-13).
Wander: תָּעָה tâʻâh, taw-aw'; a primitive root; to vacillate, i.e. reel or stray (literally or figuratively); also causative of both:—(cause to) go astray, deceive, dissemble, (cause to, make to) err, pant, seduce, (make to) stagger, (cause to) wander, be out of the way.
- God’s Glory Shines through this Situation—In the End God Wins.
“Abimelech then took sheep and oxen and male and female slaves and gave them to Abraham and returned his wife Sarah to him. And Abimelech said, ‘Behold, my land is before you; settle wherever it is good in your sight.’ To Sarah he said, ‘Behold, I have given your brother one thousand pieces of silver; behold, it is your vindication before all who are with you, and before all you are cleared.’ And Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech and his wife and his maidservants, so that they bore children. For Yahweh had utterly shut all the wombs of the household of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham’s wife.”
--Genesis 20:14-18
Because God’s grace worked in Abimelech’s life; Abimelech bless Abraham with more slaves, oxen and a place to settle. God also places Abimelech through Abraham’s prayer—and look, Abraham stops to pray to God on behalf of Abimelech. God blesses Abimelech with fertility because God was obeyed by Abimelech. This pleased God.
“So now, return the man’s wife, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you, and you will live. But if you do not return her, know that you shall surely die, you and all who are yours.’”
--Genesis 20:7
If we compare Abraham to Esther’s story; we see a start difference in how Esther approaches God verses how Abraham approaches God in Genesis 20. The law of going into the Persian king’s chambers unsummoned is punishable by death (Esther 4:11). Haman is plotting to kill the Jews because Mordecai wouldn’t bow to him. Esther becomes the Queen of Persia and has a choice—she can break the king’s law and inform King Ahasuerus of Haman’s plan, or she can be silent out of fear of breaking the king’s law.
“For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, and you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not reached royalty for such a time as this?’” --Esther 4:14
“Go, gather all the Jews who are found in Susa, and fast for me; do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my young women also will fast in the same way. And thus I will go in to the king, which is not according to the law; and if I perish, I perish.”
--Esther 4:16
“…because on those days the Jews obtained rest for themselves from their enemies, and it was a month which was turned around for them from sorrow into gladness and from mourning into a holiday; that they should make them days of feasting and gladness and sending portions of food to one another and gifts to the poor. Therefore they called these days Purim after the name of Pur. Therefore, because of the words in this letter, both what they had seen in this regard and what had reached them...”
--Esther 9:22, 26
“For I am the least of the apostles, and not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me. Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.”
--1 Corinthians 15:9-11
How do you stand before God? Esther knew her place before her earthly king and her heavenly King. Paul humbled himself and knew his place before the kingdoms of the world and the kingdoms of heaven. In both situations God worked for His glory, Paul works hard for God’s glory—ultimately, no matter what happens in this world, God will win, God will be glorified.
Don’t have the fear of man—rather fear God and become courageous for His gospel in this world even when you face persecution, ridicule, scoffers and even death. We have nothing to worry about. God has it. God’s will is going according to His plan.
“For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they… But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. ‘So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.’”
--Matthew 6:25-26, 33-34