Day 17: Marriage , Abram & Sarah

The Readings for today are
Genesis 12
Genesis 20
1 Peter 2

I was astounded at the fact that on two occasions, Abram in fear of being killed for his gorgeous wife asks her to say that she is his sister. There are three things that amaze me here:
1) How God fiercely protects marriage
2) Abram's fear despite becoming the father of faith
3) Sarah's courage

1) Gods fiercely protects marriage
In the first case this happens in Egypt where Sarah is taken into the household of Pharoah. God however vociferously protects Abram-Sarah's marriage and casts plagues on the household of Pharoah. Give back Abram's wife! It wasn't long before Sarah, Abram and all they have are kicked out of the country.

In the second case, this happens in Gerar in Abimelech's kingdom. Consider this as a response from God as He comes to Abimelech in a dream: "Indeed you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is a man's wife". God inflicts disease on the household of Abimelech and closes the wombs of all the women.

This is definitely a show of God's fierce protection of marriage. If you mess with a man's wife, you are going to get messed by this God! It is a strong warning to us now today that what God has joined, let no man separate. Don't try. If however things have not gone well in this area, pray for God's forgiveness and repent - a 180 degree change of direction to see God's intended plan restored.

2) Abram's fear

Not long after Abram has set out from Haran he receives this promise from God:
"I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you...(Gen 12v2-3)"

A promise of this magnitude is something that should dispel all fear. God will fight for your protection and come against all who come against you. Yet, he is very fearful for his own life and being killed on account of his wife's beauty. In his fear, he asks Sarah to compromise her own safety, integrity and the security of marriage to live as a potential harlot in the house of Pharoah and Abimelech. His fear also causes other good people to sin/nearly sin before God and experience very negative consequences. See Abimelech's response to God in Genesis 20.

Let us learn from this situation and trust in God's promises that faith may dispel fear. Our fear can be very destructive not only for ourselves but for the lives of people around us.

Let us also consider however, that despite our fear God is still able to use us in his kingdom. It is quite remarkable really that despite this fear Abram is considered a father of faith. God is able to use our humanity and frailty and still work out something awesome to His glory and praise.

3) Sarah's courage
If I was Sarah I probably would have given Abram a klap on the head, a serious talking too and scolded him for his fear and unwillingness to be prepared to fight for my life and his own. In an era of woman's rights this really would not have gone too well.

However instead she holds her head up high, witnesses to Abram about the courage she has in God in contrast to his fear. She goes forward and claims 'sister' to these kings in submission to her husband's instruction even though she was probably questioning the validity of his idea. She trusts in God to protect her from abuse when her husband cannot. She was made even more beautiful in these two situations as she adorned herself with a gentle and quiet spirit, trusting in God and not being afraid of any terror.

Day 5-6: If you want to leave a legacy, fear God

Day 6 and 7: Reading Genesis 4-5

Okay, I am starting to move through this reading but not rigorously enough and was slightly derailed from the plan. I didn't miss day five as it may appear. There were just no readings for day five. I then got to day 6 readings on the terrible event of the killing of Abel by his brother Cain and I was a little stumped as to what to write  as I find it quite depressing...This story can be read in Genesis 4. However on further insight it has much to reveal to us. So here is my take home from these scriptures.
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Today I noticed a political poster drawing on a particular party's claim to 'stay true to the legacy of Madiba'. This got me thinking. What does it take to leave a legacy behind? The story around Cain and Abel and their genealogies provides some good clues.

The slaughter of Abel is the first recorded murder committed on earth. It is not one of of a good guy trying to protect himself from a bad guy or the murder of somebody unknown to the killer. This is blood of brother blood. The source of this murder is a lack of respect and fear of God as reflected in Cain's substandard offering which was not the best of what he had to offer. He then sins again in jealousy of his brother, Abel,  jealousy of God's favour on his life, jealousy of his character and standing before God. In the absence of a fear of God, sin accumulates upon sin to the point of murder and worst of all where Cain is waving a fist before his Maker in blatant disregard of the Lord's power. There he is lying and denying the killing before an omnipotent God. This truly is evidence that man had fallen in the chapter before, and how quickly he falls, how quick.

In the story of Cain and Abel we see a picture develop of the world versus the people of God. It is the picture of lasting legacy versus one enveloped by the temporal. Cain moves off, double accursed by God. From his line comes generations of sons and daughters who do not follow God's way. There is no mention of serving, fearing or bringing offerings before God in Cain's neighbourhood. No fear of God as "Cain went out from the Lord's presence (Gen 4vs15b)". What is interesting however is that Cains' descendants are still successful despite a rejection of God. In fact, on the surface they were considerably more successful than the descendants of Adam and Eve and his brother Shem, born in place of Abel.

For example, among Cain's descendants was Jubal, the father of music; Tubal-Cain, a successful weaponry maker  and a set of pretty ambitious architects and builders erecting self-glorifying cities. By contrast we have Adams descendants through Seth. They lived in mere tents, not fancy cities. But the condition of their hearts and standing before God is distinctly different. They started calling upon the Lord in vs. 7 for example. The distinction is also specifically seen in contrasting descendants with the same name across the two groups.

Enoch is born of Cain. From Enoch we have Irad, Mehujael and then Lamech. This Lamech was one arrogant guy who is the first recorded polygamist in the Bible (this was never God's design!) and  seems to think that he can murder people and not be avenged by God because he has been less evil than Cain of whom God said "if anyone kills Cain he will suffer vengeance seven times over (vs15)".

By contrast through Adams line, Enoch is born. This guy was so pleasing to God that after 375 years, God just takes him away. Vanished. Ca poof! His line is blessed, and his son Methuselah lives the longest of anyone one earth at 969 years. And then Lamech is born, the father of Noah, who prophesies so accurately of his son that "He will comfort us in the labour and painful toil of our hands caused by the ground the Lord has cursed". This Lamech is humble before his Maker and so mindful of his frailty and that of mankind.

Now when the push comes to shove, its is through Abel's replaced brother Shem that the geneology of man continues. In other words it is in those with hearts that fear God and live in His presence  that we see life in its fullest and not those that live in fancy cities with all their self-glorifying success. Despite all their wealth, cities and accomplishments, Cain's descendants were most certainly annihilated in the great flood while Noah, son of Lamech is the remaining father of mankind. It is through fearing God, not through our own success that we leave a legacy behind.

I am reminded again that if we are to leave an legacy on earth it starts with fearing God and fixing one's gaze on an eternal God and his plans. This is success. As we forfeit the temptation of the temporary in a race for the eternal, I have no doubt that we will leave something that lasts for the generations to come.