The Pulpit Commentary — Genesis — Section 334

HOMILETICS. Vera. 1-18.-Auraluzm in Cerar, or two royal sinners. I. THE BIN ?F 1_'IIE HEBREW PATRIARCH. 1. An old S'in repeated. "A?rnham said. of S~rah !us wife, She is my sister." Twenty years before the same miserable equivocation _had _be.en circulated in Egypt. A sin once committed is not difficult to repeat, especmlly_1£ its legitimate consequences, as in the case _of ~braha_m an? Sarah, ~ave beei:i _merc1fully averted. One is apt to fancy that a hke 1mmumty will attend its repetition. 2. 1, ,oorthless lie propagated. "Abimelech, king of G_erar, sent a~d took Sarah •. Designed for protection in both Egypt and Gerar, the 1gn?hle expedient ?f _the patn- arch was in both places equally i~eff~ct~nl. ~o does all sm t~nd to outwit itself,,and i11 the end generally proves abortive m its designs. 3. A. deliberate fra'!f,d practised. As Abraham explained to Abimelech, it was no sudden nnpulse on which he acted, but a preconcerted scheme w}iich l~e had put in op_eration.. ln_tended for the ex~en_u• ation of his fault this was in reality an aggravation. Sm leisurely and know1!1gly gone about is ever'more heinous than that into which the h_enrt ~nd will ar~ surpr!se~. 4. ..4 n imjustijiable suspicion entertained. All the prc-ceclmg sms hnd their origm Ill en. xx. 1-18.J THE BOOK OF GENESIS. 267 ----------·------------------------ what the event proved to be an altogether nnwarranted e!ltimate of Abimelech and his people. The )?.atriarch said to himself, "Surely the fear of God is nut in this place, and they will slay me for my wife's sake," without reflecting that he was not only deciding without evidence, but doing an injustice to the monnrch and the people into whose land he was crossing. Leilrn-1. How hard it is to lay aside one's besetting sin. The character of the patriarch, othenvise so noble, appears to have had a natural bias towards deception. 2. How difficult it is to lead a life of faith. One would have thought that by tl1iH time every vestige of carnal policy would have been eliminated from the walk of Abraham. 3. How possible it is for an eminent saint to relapse into great sin. If Abraham illustrated the virtues, he likewise remarkably exemplified the weaknesses of God's believing people. 4. How wrong it is to cherish and act upon uncharitable views of others. True religion always leans to the side of charity in judging of the characters of men. II. THFJ SIN OF THE HEATHEN PRINCE. 1. A common sin. The popularity of an action, though not sufficient to make it good, may serve, in some degree, to extenu- ate its guilt where it is wrong. 2. An unconscious sin. The narrative distinctly represents Abimelech as a prince who feared God and shrank from incurring his displeasure-a character which all kings should study to possess. Abimelech him- self claimed to have perpetrated no offence against the law of God in acting as he did, which shows that the voice of conscience always speaks according to its light. The avowal which be makes of his integrity is ndmittcd by Jehovah as correct-n proof that God judges men nccording to their privileges. Yet it was-3. A weat sin. Implied in the Divine direction to seek the friendly intercession of the patriarch, it was admitted by Abimelech when once his mind was enlightened as to the true character of the deed he had committed. See here-1. A lesson of charity concerning peoples nnd individuals outside th~ visible Church. 2. A proof that men are not necessarily free from guilt because their consciences fail to accuse them. 3, A good sign of true contrition, viz., the acknowledgment of sin when it is pointed out. III. Goo's DEALINGS WITH TH:E PRINCE AND _WITH THE PATRIARCH. 1. With the prince. (1) Restraining grace. God withheld him from proceeding to further sin by doing injury to Sarah, the means employed being disease which was sent upon both the monarch and his house. So God frequently interposes by afflictive dispensa- tions to prevent those who fear him from running into sins of which perhaps they - are not aware. (2) flluminating grace. Appearing in a dream, Elohim disclose,! the true character of his offence, and quickened his conscience to apprehend the guilt nnd danger which had been incurred. Sincere souls who fear God and are faithful to the light they have are never left to wander ih darkness, but in God's time and way are mysteriously guided to the path of safety and duty (Ps. xxv. 12-14). (3) Direct- ing grace. Finding the heathen monarch's heart susceptible of good impressions, God further counselled him how to act in order to obtain forgiveness, viz., to solicit tl,e mediating services of Abraham, who in thii; matter wns a type of hen Yen's great High Priest nnd Intercessor (Heb. vii. 25 ). Cf. God's way of dealing with errin ~- men (Job xxxii. 14-33). 2. With the patriarch. (1) Protect-ion. A second timJ he shield11d his erring servant from the consequences of his own folly. A mark o~ God's tender pity towards sinful men. (2) Reproof. Besides being much needed, it wns exceedingly severe, and must have been deeply humiliating. God often per- mits l1is people to be rebuked by the world for their good. (3) Hon01tr. God i, ever better to his people than their desnrts. Not only did he direct Abimelecl1 to ask the help of Abraham, but he constituted Abraham the medium of bestowing blessing-, on Abimelech. So does God honour Al:iroham's seed, Christ, by exalting hiru in 1.hc world's sight as the one Mediator bctw,ien God and man; and Abruhum's children, the Church, by making them the instnments of drawing down blessings on 1.ho world. I.earn-I. That God's dealings with sinning men nr alwnys'adapted to the pccuuor <l,aracters of their respective sins. 2. That God neYer chastises men, either by nflliction or rebuke, for his pleasure, but for their profit, 3, That God never pardu11~ ein without bestowing- blessing on the sinner.  Tm: DOOR OF GF.NESfS. (en. u. 1-1~