Genesis: Lesson 7

Overview

Grace Amid Repeated Sin (Genesis 20)

Genesis 20 finds Abraham repeating an old failure. Just as he had done years earlier in Egypt Genesis 12:10–20, he again passes Sarah off as his sister—this time before King Abimelech of Gerar. The fear that drove him before drives him again, and yet God intervenes, protecting Sarah, warning Abimelech in a dream, and preserving the promised line. The lesson for us is neither presumption ("God will forgive me anyway") nor despair ("how can I still be a Christian?"), but honest confession. Scripture is clear that planned sin is no repentance, but it equally promises that genuine repentance—even of repeated sins—meets with the grace of God. We remain, this side of glory, both saint and sinner.

The Promise Fulfilled, the Family Tested (Genesis 21)

Then comes the quiet, glorious fulfillment: "The LORD did for Sarah as he promised." Isaac—"laughter"—is born in Abraham's hundredth year, and the lifeline running from Seth to Shem to Abraham now passes to him, the line that will lead to the Messiah. Paul holds this up as the very pattern of saving faith: Abraham "did not weaken in faith… being fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised" Romans 4:18–22. Yet joy is soon shadowed by jealousy, and Hagar and Ishmael are sent away. Even there, God's grace extends beyond the covenant family: He hears the boy, opens Hagar's eyes to a well, and promises to make a nation of him as well. The God who keeps His promise to Isaac does not forget those on the margins.

Test, Not Temptation (Genesis 22)

The climactic moment comes when God commands Abraham to offer Isaac—"your son, your only son, whom you love"—on Mount Moriah. Scripture carefully calls this a test, not a temptation. As James teaches, God tempts no one James 1:12–13; rather, trials refine faith like gold 1 Peter 1:6–7. Temptation aims to destroy faith; testing aims to strengthen it. Abraham appears caught in a divine contradiction—the promised son must die—yet he tells the servants, "we will come back to you" Genesis 22:5. Hebrews explains why: he reasoned that God could raise Isaac from the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive him back Hebrews 11:17–19. When circumstances seem to contradict God's word, faith clings to the promise rather than the circumstance. This is the difference between happiness, which depends on what happens, and joy, which rests on who God is.

The Lord Will Provide

At the decisive moment, God stops Abraham's hand and provides a ram caught in the thicket Genesis 22:13–14. The shadows here point unmistakably to Christ: as Isaac was laid on the wood, so Jesus was laid upon the wood of the cross; as the ram died in Isaac's place, so Christ is our substitute; as Abraham did not withhold his only son, so the Father did not withhold His. If God has already met our deepest need—reconciliation with Himself through the death of His Son—He will surely be faithful to every lesser promise. Hold fast.

Transcript

Blessed we pray now, this study to your glory and to your praise in Jesus' name. 3s

Amen. 9s

Well, last week we studied chapter 17 to 19, and you'll notice that God had changed the 10s

name of Abram to Abraham and Sarah to Sarah, the change of names indicated that which 17s

God had promised in that which God would do, Abraham now meaning the Father of many, 25s

and Sarah meaning the Princess and Mother. 32s

He continued to affirm his promise of what he would do in maintaining and creating this 38s

line. 44s

We took a look at the three men that showed up in chapter 18, and we saw that one of those 45s

men was the Lord Jesus and two angels, the whole story of Sodom and the Gomorrah, and 50s

we saw the contrast between God's grace to those that perceived it, and also his judgment 60s

upon those that spurned it. 66s

Well, today I want to look at chapters 20 to 22 with you, and we're going to see a time 69s

of great testing, great testing in Abraham's life. 73s

So, let's start in Genesis chapter 20, Genesis chapter 20 verse 1. 78s

From there, Abraham journeyed toward the region of the Nagib and settled between Kadesh and 89s

Shur, while residing in Gharar as an alien, Abraham said of his wife, Sarah, she is my sister, 96s

and King Abimelec of Gharar sent and took Sarah, a little backdrop, in the ancient near east, 106s

what you would have when a treaty would be established, is you would often have the 116s

person of prominence, the leader, the king, that they would marry then someone that they 122s

had made the treaty with. 129s

This was believed to ensure that the treaty would be lived out, it was believed there that 132s

this would ensure peace here between the two territories or to nations there. 138s

So, that's the backdrop here of what is happening. 146s

Let's go back to Genesis chapter 20. 151s

I remember here in verse 2, Abraham said of his wife, Sarah, she is my sister, and 155s

King Abimelec of Gharar sent and took Sarah. 160s

Let's go back to Genesis chapter 12, verse 12, Genesis chapter 12, verse 12. 164s

Let's go back into verse 10, gives us more of a context. 173s

Genesis 12 verse 10. 178s

Now, there is a famine in the land, so Abraham went down to Egypt to reside there as an 179s

alien for the famine was severe in the land. 185s

When he was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife, Sarah, I know well that you are 188s

a woman beautiful in appearance. 193s

And when the Egyptians see you, they will say, this is his wife, then they will kill me, 196s

but they will let you live. 203s

Say you are my sister so that it may go well with me because of you, and that my life may 205s

be spared on your account. 211s

When Abraham entered Egypt, the Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful. 214s

When the officials of Pharaoh saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh. 219s

And the woman was taken into Pharaoh's house. 222s

And for her sake, he dealt well with Abram, and he had sheep, oxen, male donkeys, male 226s

and female slaves, female donkeys, and camels. 231s

But the Lord afflicted Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarah, Abram's 234s

wife. 240s

So Pharaoh called Abram and said, what is this you have done to me? 241s

Why did you not tell me that she was your wife? 247s

Why did you say she is my sister so that I took her for my wife? 250s

Now then, here is your wife, take her and be gone. 255s

And Pharaoh gave his men orders concerning him, and they sent him on the way with his wife 260s

and all that he had. 266s

Sound a little familiar here. 270s

Why did Abram do this again? 273s

Why did he do this? 276s

Why did he return to his old sins? 278s

Why does return to his old sin? 282s

Let's go back to chapter 20 of Genesis, verse 3. 284s

But God came to Obamalek in a dream by night and said to him, you are about to die because 295s

of the woman whom you have taken, for she is a married woman. 302s

Now Obamalek had not approached her, so he said, Lord, will you destroy an innocent 307s

people? 312s

Did he not himself say to me, she is my sister? 313s

And she herself said, he is my brother? 318s

I did this in the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands. 321s

Then God said to him in the dream, yes, I know that you did this in the integrity of your 327s

heart. 332s

Furthermore, it was I who kept you from sinning against me. 332s

Therefore, I did not let you touch her. 337s

Now then, return to man's wife for he is a prophet and he will pray for you and you 341s

shall live. 347s

But if you do not restore her, know that you shall surely die, you and all that are yours. 348s

Jump down out of verse 10 please. 356s

And Obamalek said to Abraham, what were you thinking of? 360s

Can't you just say him that? 365s

What were you thinking of that you did this thing? 367s

Abraham said, I did it because I thought there is no fear of God at all in this place 371s

and they will kill me because of my wife. 377s

God intervenes, however, even though Abraham has once again returned to his old ways, 384s

God intervenes, and has compassion on Abraham even when the sin is repeated. 392s

When we look at our own lives, instead of excusing ourselves by thinking, well, God will forgive 404s

me anyway, or condemning ourselves in saying, how can I be a Christian? 411s

If I have once again returned to the sin, to boldly confess your sins to God and ask you 417s

to help him overcome whatever is the weakness of the sin that you continue to turn to. 426s

We see God's grace extended. 433s

Now, we know that planned repentance is no repentance, right? 438s

We know that Scripture tells us that shall we sin so that grace may abound, no. 443s

But we do know that as we come to the Lord repenting even yet of a repeat of a sin, 451s

and a repeat of a sin that indeed his forgiveness and grace is for us. 459s

And we see the grace of God extended to Abraham. 465s

We have moved into chapter 21. 470s

Chapter 21 opens up with a beautiful, almost understated assertion that God's promise had come to pass. 474s

So Genesis chapter 21, the Lord dealt with Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did for Sarah as 485s

he promised. Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the time of which God had 493s

spoken to him. Abraham gave the name Isaac to his son whom Sarah bore him. 501s

And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old as God had commanded him. 509s

Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. 517s

Now Sarah said, God has brought laughter for me. 521s

Everyone who hears will laugh with me. Remember what the meaning of Isaac is? 527s

It's the one who laughs. And she said, who would ever have said to Abraham that Sarah would 531s

nurse children, yet I have borne him a son in his old age. And the lifeline, the lifeline that ran 538s

from Seth to Shem to Abraham, that line now runs to Isaac. And it's this line here that God 549s

preserves this line here that he creates that is going to lead to the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ. 563s

Let's turn over into Romans chapter 4, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, and then Romans. 574s

Romans chapter 4 verse 18. 590s

He believed that he would become the father of many nations according to what was said. 604s

So numerous shall your descendants be. He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own 610s

body which was already as good as dead for he was about a hundred years old. Or when he considered 616s

the Baroness of the Holy Spirit, he believed that he would become the father of many nations according to what was said. 623s

No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to 626s

God, being fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. Therefore his faith was 634s

reckoned to him as righteousness. We see here Paul attesting to the faith of Abraham, attesting to 644s

the faith of this couple, but we also see the author here of the Pentateuch, which is Moses, the first 654s

five books, Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy. We also see Moses lifting up here the 662s

faults and the sin of Abraham and Sarah. If God used such as Abraham and Sarah, so also we know 670s

that he will accomplish his will through us, because we are at the same time, aren't we? Saint and 683s

sinner. And that struggle with that sinner part does not go away until the Lord takes us home. 692s

Isaac is born and there is laughter, but suddenly and sadly jealousy appears and jealousy splits the 702s

family. Let's go back to Genesis chapter 21, Genesis chapter 21, verse 9, Genesis 21, verse 9. 714s

But Sarah saw the son of Hagar, the Egyptian, whom she had born to Abraham, playing with her son 735s

Isaac. So she said to Abraham, cast out this slave woman with her son, for the son of this slave 744s

woman shall not inherit along with my son Isaac. Verse 11, the matter was very distressing to Abraham 753s

on account of his son. But God said to Abraham, do not be distressed because of the boy and because 766s

of your slave woman, whatever Sarah says to you, do as she tells you, for it is through Isaac that 773s

offspring shall be named before you. As for the son of the slave woman, I will make a nation of him 779s

also, because he's your offspring. So Abraham rose early in the morning and took bread and skin 786s

of water and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder along with the child and sent her away, 792s

and she departed and wandered about in the wilderness of Bershiva. When the water in the skin was 798s

gone, she cast a child under one of the bushes. Then she went and sat down opposite him a good 805s

way off about the distance of a bowshot, before she said, do not let me look on the death of the child. 812s

And as she sat opposite him, she lifted up her voice and wept and God heard the voice of the boy 820s

in the angel of God called the Hagar from heaven and said to her, what troubles you Hagar? 826s

Do not be afraid. For God has heard the voice of the boy where he is. Come, lift up the boy and hold 832s

him fast with your hand, for I will make a great nation of him. Then God opened her eyes and she saw 840s

well of water. She went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink. God was with the 847s

boy and he grew up. He lived in the wilderness and became an expert with the bow. He lived in the 855s

wilderness of Perran and his mother got a wife for him from the land of Egypt. At that time, 859s

Abimelek with Philical, the commander of his army, said to Abraham, God is with you in all that you 868s

do. Here we see God's grace extended here. As you remember, Abraham and Sarah when they were 875s

doubting the promise, they concoct this plan here that through the slave woman, Hagar, 882s

there will be the birth. Now that's the line that God has promised. Even though they rejected 889s

God and went on their own plan, even though God had to bring them back on the course, 898s

here God is caring for Ishmael and Hagar. It's a beautiful expression once again of God's grace. 902s

Do you hear that theme keeps coming back all throughout the chapters that we're studying, 912s

that theme of God's grace, that theme of God's commitment, that theme of God's promise? I'm going to 917s

make a people of you and out of this line is going to come to Messiah and God keeps coming back to 924s

that promise and amidst all of the sin of the sinners, there is that grace that continually 929s

is extended by God. We come to 22 now and there comes a test of Abraham, a test. After these 935s

things, God tested Abraham. He said, him Abraham and he said, here I am. He said, take your son, 948s

your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Mariah and offer him there as a 956s

burnt offering on one of the mountains that I shall show you. Most of the words here, take your son, 965s

your only son, Isaac, whom you love. See the progression here where Abraham knows exactly, 977s

exactly, who is being talked about, but what is being highlighted here is the only son, 992s

the one he loves, Isaac, Isaac, and he is to sacrifice Isaac. There's a difference. There's a 999s

difference between a test and a temptation. Notice the word here, very first verse of chapter 22, 1011s

after these things, God tested Abraham. Abraham went through a test. Now what's the distinction 1022s

between test and temptation? Let's go to James chapter 1 in the New Testament. James chapter 1, 1032s

good way it is just to go to Revelation, work your way backwards. You'll hit James right after 1040s

you cross over the the Peters. If you hit Hebrews, you've gone too far. James chapter 1, 1048s

and we'll pick up in, let's pick up in verse 12. Blessed is anyone who endures temptation. 1061s

Such a one has stood the test and will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those 1071s

who love him. That's an interesting phrase there where it says, blessed is anyone who endures 1077s

temptation and then it's associated with a test. I'll come back to that in a second. Verse 13, 1084s

no one when tempted should say, I am being tempted by God. For God cannot be tempted by evil 1093s

and he himself tempts. No one. No one when tempted should say, I am being tempted by God, 1105s

for God cannot be tempted by evil and he himself tempts. No one. Okay, let's go to first Peter, 1115s

chapter 1, first Peter, chapter 1, 1123s

verse 6. 1131s

In this you rejoice even if now for a little while you have had to suffer various trials, 1140s

so that the genuineness of your faith being more precious than gold that though perishable is 1148s

tested by fire may be found to result in praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is reveals. 1154s

God tempts no one. God tests. Temptation is intended to destroy faith. Testing, 1164s

testing is given to strengthen faith. If the test becomes too severe that it leads to temptation, 1174s

and that first verse I highlighted, God promises a way of escape. Temptation meant to destroy faith, 1186s

testing meant to strengthen faith. Abraham is being tested for what purpose to strengthen him, 1198s

to strengthen his faith. Abraham appears to stand in this incredibly divine contradiction, 1209s

doesn't he? Where God says, I'm going to make of you a great nation, this line of people here, 1216s

this multitude of people, nope you and Sarah are going to have a son and then they have a son 1222s

Isaac and then God says now sacrifice Isaac. That seems to be a divine, divine contradiction, 1229s

doesn't it? Let's go back to Genesis chapter 22. Genesis 22, picking up in verse 3. 1238s

So Abraham rose early in the morning, 1253s

settled his donkey and took two of his young men with him and his son Isaac. He cut the wood 1258s

for the burnt offering and set out and went to the place in the distance that God had shown him. 1263s

On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place far away. The neighbor 1268s

said to his young men, stay here with the donkey, the boy and I will go over there, we will worship 1272s

and then we will come back to you. Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, laid it on his son Isaac 1278s

and he himself carried the fire and the knife. So the two of them walked on together. Isaac said to 1286s

his father, Abraham father and he said, here I am my son. He said the fire on the wood are here 1293s

but where's the lamb for a burnt offering? Abraham said God himself will provide the lamb 1300s

for a burnt offering my son. So the two of them walked on together. 1306s

When they came to the place that God had shown him Abraham built an altar there and laid the wood 1315s

in order, he bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar on the top of the wood. 1319s

The neighbor him reached out his hand and took the knife to kill his son. 1326s

But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, Abraham Abraham and he said, here I am. 1332s

He said, do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him. For now I know that you fear God 1338s

since you have not withheld your son, your only son from me. 1344s

And Abraham looked up and saw a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. Abraham went and took the 1349s

ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called the place. 1355s

The Lord will provide as it is said to this day on the mount of the Lord. It shall be provided. 1362s

The angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven and said, by myself I have 1372s

sworn, says the Lord, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 1377s

I will indeed bless you. And I will make your offspring as numerous as the stars of heaven and 1382s

as the sand that is on the seashore. In your offspring shall possess the gate of their enemies. 1388s

And by your offspring shall all the nations of the earth gain blessing for themselves, 1394s

because you have obeyed my voice. So Abraham returned to his young men and their rose and 1399s

went together to bearchiba and Abraham lived at bearchiba. Now go back into verse 5 here for a 1406s

second place, chapter 22. Then Abraham said to his young men, stay here with the donkey, 1415s

the boy and I will go over there, we will worship and then, caches, then we will come back to you. 1423s

You didn't say, I'm coming back. He says, we will come back to you. 1440s

Well let's let Scripture interpret Scripture. Let's go back to the book of Hebrews, chapter 11, 1450s

and it gives us the reason why he could say this. So Hebrews chapter 11 verse 17. 1457s

By faith, Abraham, when put to the test offered up Isaac, he who would receive the promises was 1480s

ready to offer up his only son of whom he had been told it is through Isaac that descendants shall 1490s

be named for you. Here comes. He considered the fact that God is able even to raise someone 1497s

from the dead and figuratively speaking, he did receive him back. Catch that again. He considered 1509s

the fact that God is able even to raise someone from the dead. Why does Abraham turn and say, 1519s

wait here, we'll be back because he believed that even if he killed his own son that God would 1529s

raise him. Why? Because of the promise. Because God will not go back on his promise. There he was amidst 1541s

this absolute divine, it seemed like divine contradiction between the promise and also the call 1558s

for him to kill his son Isaac, the son he loves. And yet he's faithful to do that as God tests him. 1568s

What to destroy his faith? No, that's temptation. He tests him to strengthen faith because he believes 1583s

if God promised that it's still going to come this line through Isaac, then God, then if I killed him, 1591s

will raise him from the dead. You see, the Lord here calls us amidst those times in which we stand 1599s

amidst what seems to be divine contradiction here, where we say, you have promised this, 1609s

but yet this is what I am facing. You promise that you will be with me always, you promise that you 1618s

are sovereign and you are in control, but it seems like you are absolutely absent and silent and 1624s

nowhere around and my life is spinning totally out of control. And that is God's promise that 1630s

continues to come to us amidst the test as God strengthens our faith by His grace, amidst the 1637s

test so that we cling to His promise and we live by His promise and not by His, by our circumstances, 1646s

by our circumstances. Remember what the difference between happiness and joy is? 1661s

Happiness is based upon circumstance. Happen stance. Joy is a part from circumstances. 1668s

One can have joy amidst circumstances that are absolutely terrible and falling apart. Why? 1679s

Because the joy of the Lord is my strength and the promise of who God is and what He has promised. 1685s

That's what we cling to amidst whatever test we may be going through as the Lord is strengthening 1693s

our faith because we will discover that God is faithful and God is true to His promises. 1701s

And God will accomplish then what He wants accomplished through the test. 1709s

Lastly, there's an important image in the story. Let's go back to Genesis chapter 22 again. 1717s

Genesis 22 and we'll pick up in verse 11. 1725s

But the angel of the Lord called to Him from heaven and said, Abraham Abraham and He said, 1731s

here I am, He said, do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him. Now I know that you fear 1736s

God since you've not withheld your son, your only son from me. And Abraham looked up and saw a 1742s

ram caught in the thicket by its horns. Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt 1751s

offering instead of his son. Just as Isaac was laid on the wood, so also the Lord Jesus Christ 1760s

was laid upon the wood of the cross. Just as the ram died in the place of Isaac, so also Christ 1773s

is our substitute. Just as Abraham would not withhold his only son, so also the son was not withheld 1786s

as God provided the lamb. If the Lord provides for the deepest need that we have, the deepest need 1802s

and that is reconciliation with Him, redemption to be bought back from our slavery into sin, 1816s

if God provides for the deepest of our needs, which is restoring a broken relationship because of 1826s

sin with Him, won't he fulfill all the rest of his promises? If he's dealt with the biggest need 1832s

that we have, the Lord will provide God as faithful to his promises. Hold fast. 1846s

Hold fast. We'll continue on, chapters 23 to 25 next Sunday. 1858s