Q5. God's Promise and Sarah's Deliverance

[Seeking His Face]

Q5. (12:2-3) What relationship does God's promise to Abraham in 12:2-3 have to do with the incident of Sarah's abduction in 20:10-20?

God is always faithful to His word (promises,covenant). God stood by His word to Abraham,and he blessed those who blessed him , and cursed those who cursed him.

[hanks]

Q5. (12:2-3)

What relationship does God's promise to Abraham in 12:2-3 have to do with the incident of Sarah's abduction in 20:10-20?

All the promises God made to Abraham would still be fulfilled, irrespective of the detour Abraham and Sarah had to take

[Foofee's Nana]

What relationship does God's promise to Abraham in 12:2-3 have to do with the incident of Sarah's abduction in 20:10-20?

God promised to make Abraham the father of many nations, to bless those who bless him and to curse those who curse him. With Sarai's abduction and the lies ( half-truths) told God still worked this to show His mercy and grace. He closed the wombs of the household of Abimelech....and made him have a dream to protect him from committing adultery. In doing this Sarai was also vindicated and Abram acquired wealth because he was given a great many gifts. I think this shows that even in the midst of things that we try to take into our own hands.....God is still the one in control. He turned this to glory, and restored the ability of Abimelechs household to bear children, and gave Abram back the wife that would provide him the heir to become the father of many nations.

[Pearl]

(12:2-3) What relationship does God's promise to Abraham in 12:2-3 have to do with the incident of Sarah's abduction in 20:10-20?

God told Abraham that He would make him a blessing. After Abimelech restored Sarah to Abraham, Abimelech gave Abraham sheep, oxen, and male and female servants. Abimelech also told Abraham that he could dwell in the land wherever it pleases him. He also gave Abraham Silver. Abraham then prayed for Abimelech and God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his female servants. Then they were able to bear children. Therefore God blessed Abraham and made him a blessing. Ambemelech was also cursed until he made things right with Abraham.

[Alan8]

Q5. (12:2-3) What relationship does God's promise to Abraham in 12:2-3 have to do with the incident of Sarah's abduction in 20:10-20?

When both kings took Sarah there were negative consequences as a result. Sarah was not just Abraham's but God's as well. As a result there were negative consequences (i.e. sickness, closing of the wombs, etc). When God revealed to the kings that Abraham and Sarah were husband and wife, although the kings were angry that Abraham did not reveal this to them, the kings sent them on their way with the gifts anyway so they became richer than before the incidents happened. We do not see in Scripture what happened to the kings after Abraham was sent away but because the kings blessed them I believe the kings received a blessing as well.

[Spen]

Q5. (12:2-3) What relationship does God's promise to Abraham in 12:2-3 have to do with the incident of Sarah's abduction in 20:10-20?

The relationships established by God with Abraham to make Abrah a great nation and to bless those who blessed Abraham or curse those who cursed Abraham.The Lord kept His word when the Lord intervened with Abimelech

[pastor neal]

Q5. (12:2-3) What relationship does God's promise to Abraham in 12:2-3 have to do with the incident of Sarah's abduction in 20:10-20?

The relationship established between God and Abraham was a promise to protect him from those who would curse him and that all of the families of the Earth shall be blessed. This promise would also prove invaluable since God had not punished Abraham for his deceiving the Kings by portraying Sarah as his sister.

Had it not been for this promise to be valuable to to the families of the Earth things may have worked out differently.

Genesis 12:3 (ASV)

3 and I will bless them that bless thee, and him that curseth thee will I curse: and in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed.

Genesis 20:10-18 (ASV)

10 And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What sawest thou, that thou hast done this thing?

11 And Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely the fear of God is not in this place. And they will slay me for my wife's sake.

12 And moreover she is indeed my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife:

13 and it came to pass, when God caused me to wander from my father's house, that I said unto her, This is thy kindness which thou shalt show unto me. At every place whither we shall come, say of me, He is my brother.

14 And Abimelech took sheep and oxen, and men-servants and women-servants, and gave them unto Abraham, and restored him Sarah his wife.

15 And Abimelech said, Behold, my land is before thee. Dwell where it pleaseth thee.

16 And unto Sarah he said, Behold, I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver. Behold, it is for thee a covering of the eyes to all that are with thee. And in respect of all thou art righted.

17 And Abraham prayed unto God. And God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maid-servants. And they bare children.

18 For Jehovah had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah, Abraham's wife.

[mc'el4life]

Q5. (12:2-3) What relationship does God's promise to Abraham in 12:2-3 have to do with the incident of Sarah's abduction in 20:10-20?

The relationship of God's promise in Gen 12:2-3 to the incident of Sarah's abduction in 20:10-20 is that the promise of God in the former text (12) came to manifestation in the later text (20) by the King blessing Abraham with cattle, sheep, slaves and shekels of silver for Sarah's sake.

[wifee]

They both show that God is faithful, even when we are faithless. Abraham had to trust God.He does protect us when we put our trust in him. God honours promise to Abraham to make name great. great nation, and curse those who curses you..We should humbly honour God grateful enough to obey him. Even when we make mistakes we can run to God.He is our rock of comfort and safety.

[SISMONZICA]

The relationship that God promise Abraham is that he will make of him a great nation, make his name great and he will also be a blessing, also he said to him that he will bless them that bless him and curse them that curseth him (Abraham) and that in him all families of the earth will be blessed.

[royk]

Q5. (12:2-3) What relationship does God's promise to Abraham in 12:2-3 have to do with the incident of Sarah's abduction in 20:10-20?

God protected them by causing the dream to 'scare' the pagan king. The result was a great profit for Abraham, God's will, God's promise. He has plenty for us also, we just need to pay attention, praise, thank, and tell others that is by His grace we get what we get.

I think God in advnace for the grace and blessing in store for me, and I long for all of us to be close to Him, and witness to His GLory every day, every moment.

Amen,

[royk]

Q5. (12:2-3) What relationship does God's promise to Abraham in 12:2-3 have to do with the incident of Sarah's abduction in 20:10-20?

God protected them by causing the dream to 'scare' the pagan king. The result was a great profit for Abraham, God's will, God's promise. He has plenty for us also, we just need to pay attention, praise, thank, and tell others that is by His grace we get what we get.

I think God in advnace for the grace and blessing in store for me, and I long for all of us to be close to Him, and witness to His GLory every day, every moment.

Amen,

[royk]

Q5. (12:2-3) What relationship does God's promise to Abraham in 12:2-3 have to do with the incident of Sarah's abduction in 20:10-20?

God protected them by causing the dream to 'scare' the pagan king. The result was a great profit for Abraham, God's will, God's promise. He has plenty for us also, we just need to pay attention, praise, thank, and tell others that is by His grace we get what we get.

I think God in advnace for the grace and blessing in store for me, and I long for all of us to be close to Him, and witness to His GLory every day, every moment.

Amen,

[joy irowa]

God promised Abraham a relationship of love

[Old Jerry]

The relationship that God promises to Abraham in 12:2-3 is that he is going to make a great nation out of him and that he will curse those who curse him and will bless those who bless him. Since God said that he was going to make a nation out of him Abraham should have had the faith that God was going to carry out his promise.

[Craig]

Q5. (12:2-3) What relationship does God's promise to Abraham in 12:2-3 have to do with the incident of Sarah's abduction in 20:10-20?

 

 

God said that Abraham would be the father of a great nation and through this nation all the families of the earth would be blessed.  So through Abraham and Sarah's marriage and prospective family all the world would be blessed.  So, if this was to happen with Sarah  as wife and mother to Abraham and their children, Sarah could not remain in the house of anyone else.  She could not be a part of some ruler's harem.  God had plans for her.  God did not permit Sarah to be separated from Abraham despite their decision making.  God is always faithful to his promises despite our imperfect decision making.  So God intervened with the rulers to make sure Sarah was released back to Abraham to fulfill their purpose and God's covenant with them fulfilled.

[Ernie's Son]

It's easy to think in terms of "What were they thinking?"  Had they lost sight of the promise?  To think in these terms would be to bring their ethics/faith into the picture while God's fulfilling His promises would be left out.

 

God fulfills His promises supersedes Sarah's abduction.  Regardless of 20:10-20, 12:2-3 has the precedence.

 

" . . . but with God all things are possible" (Mt. 19:26).

 

"For with God nothing shall be impossible" (Lk. 1:37).

 

God still fulfilled His promises in Abraham and Sarah.

 

 

 

[lighthouse2014]

Q5. (12:2-3) What relationship does God's promise to Abraham in 12:2-3 have to do with the incident of Sarah's abduction in 20:10-20?

God's relationship and promises to Abraham in Genesis 12:2-3 is that Abraham had faith that God would do as he promised but in Genesis 20:11, Abraham realizes there is no fear of God at this place and they would kill him so the king could marry Sarah. After Sarah was released from king Abimelech, Abraham prayed for the king and God healed Abimelech and his household. Now his wives and slaves could have children again for the Lord had made them barren. The king gave money and silver to Abraham to cover offenses against Sarah.   

[Rosesam]

Q5. (12:2-3) What relationship does God's promise to Abraham in 12:2-3 have to do with the incident of Sarah's abduction in 20:10-20?

In Genesis 12:2-3, we see God promising Abraham that he will become a great nation, his name will become great and that he would be a blessing. All those who bless him God will bless and all those who curse him will be cursed. Even though Abraham was promised to become a great nation, Abraham feared for his life. He cannot become a great nation if he died without an offspring. So in this situation, he forgot that God is in control and His promises will find its fulfillment no matter what the circumstances might be. Yet, we see how God is working this situation for Abraham’s good. God truly made his name great by saying to Abimelech that Abraham is a prophet and God’s chosen vessel to bring healing upon his household. Because He blessed Abraham, Abimelech was blessed with healing, but when he had abducted Sarah, his household was stricken by God. God truly blessed Abraham in this situation with wealth, recognition and security even in the enemy land.

[Godswriter]

Q5. (12:2-3) What relationship does God's promise to Abraham in 12:2-3 have to do with the incident of Sarah's abduction in 20:10-20?

God promised to make him a great nation through an heir and it would be through Sarah. The promise could not be fulfilled if she was the wife of another man. This shows that God remembers His promises and keeps them.

[Paula Price]

God promised Abraham that He would make him a great nation and that He would bless him; God promised to make Abraham famous and he would be a blessing to others; God promised Abraham that He would bless those who showed him favor and curse those who wronged him and that all the people of the earth would be blessed because of him and through him.  Sarah's abduction was the catalyst that God used to fulfill This promise...In each instanced, God revealed Himself to the kings and the people who were affected by Abrahams and Sarah's deception.Those people learned of Abraham's powerful and living God and came to fear Him.. they made Abraham rich and wealthy with more possessions and land which is to say they blessed him, and no doubt they spread the word of Abraham and his God making him famous throughout the lands.  Let us not focus on what Abraham and Sarah did but rather on how God manifested Himself and made His presence known because of what they did..  God did exactly what He promised to do...HE made Abraham a great nations...HE made Abraham famous. HE made Abraham blessed and HE made Abraham a blessing to others...HE made Abraham rich and famous....MOST of ALL... HE made His power and presence known to a land of unbelievers and idol worshippers....He showed them that HE is God and that there is no other...HE is the only true and living GOD....

 

[Irmela]

(12:2-3) What relationship does God's promise to Abraham in 12:2-3 have to do with the incident of Sarah's abduction in 20:10-20?
God promised Abram offspring. At the time of Sarah's abduction, this had not yet occured. God stopped Abimelech from interfering unknowingly with this promise. Fortunately Abimelech listened and restored Sarah to Abraham. His actions were actually because of a half-truth, viz. that Sarah was Abraham's sister. They did not reveal that she was also his wife. God kept His side of the promise. 

If we are faithless He will remain faithful. 

 

[Krissi]

What relationship does God's promise to Abraham in 12:2-3 have to do with the incident of Sarah's abduction in 20:10-20?

Here is the answer you are looking for:  God is faithful when we are not, and keeps His promises in spite of our misbehaviour and errant thoughts, or sin. 

Here's what bugs me:

1) I admire Abraham's faith. He obeyed what he understood, perhaps, and when he didn't, he still trusted God to keep his end of the covenantal promise. Faith becomes more difficult when you are the one constantly breaking the trust.

2) Abraham actually heard God speak. I would think that faith in what one hears audibly is less vulnerable to doubt that the subtle cues, still small voice and inner pressures in my mind and conscience, which is how I receive God. In other words, Abraham had it easier.

3) I do believe that God keeps his end of the bargain, usually, but there are times in the Bible when God seems to have changed his mind. He took Saul's kingship away from him after he was anointed. So I don't think that my fear of God breaking His end of the covenantal promise is totally unjustified. In theory, I could do something that so angers/grieves Him that he pushes me away, or turns to someone else, as he did with Saul and David. I don't think I can lose my salvation, but I do think I can lose His presence and promises.

4) Having said this, since I'm sincere and putting time and effort into my relationship with Him, I think He'll honour this and hold to His end of the covenant, which  now has Christ as the mediator. 

5) And now, the clincher -- how do I know what promises in the bible are for me? This question haunts me so much that I'm avoiding promises. I've seen so many people point to random verses and then look up with a glow in their face, completely convinced that this verse was God's revelation to them at that time/place. It's His rhema! Because I'm so afraid of making a mistake, I overthink and doubt any small revelation He may have meant for me to have. At this point, I've thrown my doubt back to Him and am asking Him to reveal Himself in ways I can't doubt. Though I want Abraham's faith but feel that God's revelation has to be as obvious as it was to Abraham for me to have Abraham's faith.