Bible verse: Then God said to him in a dream, “Yes, I know you did this with the purity of your heart.” Genesis 20: 6.
Background of genesis 20:6 God sees the situation of our heart:
Abraham made a mistake again. Fearing for his life, he introduced the people of Gerar to his wife, Sarah, as his sister. So Abimelech, king of Gerar, brought Sarah home to be his wife. Then God told him in a dream that she was the wife of a prophet. Leave her safely to her husband, or your destruction is inevitable. Abimelech begged God, saying, “Lord, you know he called her his sister, so I have brought her to be my wife with a pure heart.” So I know God said to him, ‘I warn you not to sin against me.’
Reflection on Genesis 20:6:
Here, we should note how God understood Abraham and Abimelech in this situation. The second time Abraham made a mistake in this matter; he had expressed disbelief in God’s protection. Yet God was not angry with him; He understood Abraham’s fleshly limitations. God is always gracious to man. Although Abimelech had taken Sarah on purpose, it was his fault, but he did it because he was not fully aware of the truth.
Therefore, God made Abimelech aware of the situation so that he would not sin. From this, his love and grace for human beings became clear. Think about how people would have viewed this. Of course, they may have come up with different ideas from different perspectives, because man can only see superficially or not understand more than we can say. His understanding and arguments cannot lead him to the truth. God, however, can see everything, even the innermost situation of our hearts. So he can make the right decision in every situation or he can handle every situation correctly. So stay in his hands, keep hope in him. He is always gracious to humble and pure-hearted people.
conclusion and application:
Abraham and Abimelech both made mistakes, but both were God-fearing, humble and pure-hearted so they become eligible for forgiveness and restoration.
What we would have to understand from this pondering? do nothing out of lust, anger, and pride. So we may not get punishment.
Understand that God is our Father. fear him and live a fearless life. God likes the purity of our hearts!
PRAYER:
Lord Jesus, I thank you for your grace and love. Please forgive me for my mistakes and restore my life. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
Rev Kailas (Elisha) Sathe
