Genesis 12

(Genesis 12:1-20): I am relieved that the Bible reveals men of great faith with flaws; men who loved God but made mistakes along the way. Trying to live like a stained glass saint is a “pane.” The great patriarch of the faith, Abraham, was such a man. Though very few could equal the excellent virtues of his character, he still possessed a sinful nature like all those that preceded him from Adam, Seth, Noah, and Shem.

What impressed me about Abram in this chapter was the simplicity of his faith - he believed in God and acted upon His promises. Abram was a righteous man. To pull up roots and leave country, family, and friends behind, and move to a strange land was no small feat in those days. There were no automobiles, airplanes, trains, landlines, cell phones, texting, emailing, or mail service. When people left, normally it was for good, never to see them again.

The LORD took the initiative and made a generous covenant with Abram (Gen 12:1-3). His instructions were simple, He was to leave his country and family behind, and God would make him unimaginably great. So Abram left Haran at the tender age of 75 with Sarai his wife, his nephew Lot, his servants, and all his possessions and headed for Canaan (Gen 12:4-5). 

When Abram reached Shechem the LORD showed Abram the land, To your descendants I will give this land (Gen 12:7). Abram built an altar to the LORD. From there Abram camped between Bethel and Ai and built another altar to the LORD and called on the name of the LORD (Gen 12:8). Abram journeyed toward the Negev and went down into Egypt to dwell (cf. Gen 13:10) because there was a severe famine in the land (Gen 12:10).

While journeying through Canaan, Abram left the place of blessing and blundered into Egypt because of the famine. What did God see in Abram for a great nation to spring from his loins, making his name great, and being a blessing to so many? He simply believed God and acted on His promises. God wasn’t looking for perfection from sinful man; He was looking for someone to simply take Him at His Word; Abram was that man. Egypt was a temporary lapse of faith that we all experience; because like him, we get our eyes off of God and onto the circumstances, making bad choices every time. In Abram’s case, a severe famine was in the land, and the oasis of Egypt looked like a good place to wait out the famine in the land of blessing.

Abram was taking a calculated risk going into Egypt, a symbol of the world, that Pharaoh might want Sarai as part of his harem because of her beauty (Gen 11-12), which he did. Abram coached his wife beforehand to say that she was his sister so he would not be killed because Pharaoh might desire her (Gen 12:13). Sarai was his half-sister (Gen 20:12) so this was partially true, but it was still a deception, a lie.

While in Egypt Pharaoh treated Abram well because of Sarai, and God allowed her to be taken to Pharaoh’s house though Pharaoh had no sexual relations with Sarai (Gen 12:19). The LORD troubled Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai.

Upon discovering the true relationship between Abram and Sarai, Pharaoh gave Abram a well-deserved scolding; Pharaoh had acted nobler in this matter than Abram. Abram was commanded to take Sarai and all that he had and leave Egypt (Gen 12:20). Abram headed back toward the Negev (Gen 13:1) and finally returned to where he first called on the name of the LORD between Bethel and Ai (Gen 12:8).

There is no record of God ever telling Abram to go into Egypt because of the famine, that was all on Abram. Abram undertook an unnecessary risk by going into Egypt and exposing Sarai to the Egyptian world because the famine was bigger than God; he needed to take matters in his own hands. Whether Abram understood it or not, Sarai would be the mother of a great nation (Gen 12:2). It would be from her womb that Isaac would come forth and the descendants of Abram would be as the dust of the earth in number (Gen 13:16). There is always a danger in seeking relief from the world even for a season. The LORD, not the world, is our exceedingly great reward (Gen 15:1).

Abram may have picked up an unintended hitchhiker in Egypt as well, Hagar, creating another faith issue in the future (Gen 16:1ff), a negative ripple effect of going down into Egypt. It is analogous to going to a website where you don’t belong, and you pick up a virus that infects your computer, causing you all kinds of problems. This is what happens to believers when they rationalize that the world has the answer to their circumstances.

How often, LORD, in times of famine (tough trials) the world looks lush and green, teeming with life, an oasis in the desert, and many decisions are made to go there but only for a season until famine lifts like the dew. When will we ever learn that our destiny is not determined by the circumstances of life but by the choices that we make? The world can offer nothing of lasting value, yet, we still choose to justify our visit to this mirage of hope because of some pressing circumstances.

Father, no matter how difficult the circumstances of life may be, give me the grace to keep myself nearer to You, the only true and lasting source of blessing. Abram learned a valuable lesson from visiting Egypt; it caused nothing but headaches and heartaches. 

When the circumstances of life encroach on my way, strengthen me, Yahweh, to choose your Word over the way of the world. Help me to keep my Christian walk plain and simple by believing in You, obeying Your commands, and enjoying the promises.  <><