"Who can have that kind of blind faith?!"
This is what comes to my mind. Yet, the next two passages serve to show that Abram is not this plastic, mechanic saint who does everything right all the time. These next two passages show that faith is always a battle. In these next two passages, two questions emerge: "Will this God keep his OUTLANDISH promises?" and "Will this sojourning man and woman be able to trust the promise?"
The first passage shows Abram and Sarai not trusting and risking the promise, the second passage shows the opposite. Each passage begins with a problem (famine and overcrowding of flocks); both end happily (Abram is rich and journeys off to a fresh promised land); and in the middle of both of these passages, God intervenes and transforms our apparent problems into happy endings.
The overwhelming answer to the first question in these two passages, "Will this God keep his OUTLANDISH promises?" is YES, HE WILL. God is faithful The second question: "Will this sojourning man and woman be able to trust the promise?" is the question that we are left with. God will keep his promise, that is a guarantee, you can take it to the bank. The question that is left is, will you trust the promise? Let's dive in:
10 Now there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a while because the famine was severe. 11 As he was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, “I know what a beautiful woman you are. 12 When the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ Then they will kill me but will let you live. 13 Say you are my sister, so that I will be treated well for your sake and my life will be spared because of you.”
14 When Abram came to Egypt, the Egyptians saw that she was a very beautiful woman. 15 And when Pharaoh’s officials saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh, and she was taken into his palace. 16 He treated Abram well for her sake, and Abram acquired sheep and cattle, male and female donkeys, menservants and maidservants, and camels.
17 But the LORD inflicted serious diseases on Pharaoh and his household because of Abram’s wife Sarai. 18 So Pharaoh summoned Abram. “What have you done to me?” he said. “Why didn’t you tell me she was your wife? 19 Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her to be my wife? Now then, here is your wife. Take her and go!” 20 Then Pharaoh gave orders about Abram to his men, and they sent him on his way, with his wife and everything he had.
In this story, Abraham is faced with an opportunity to trust God and bless the nations, which include Egypt at this point. But this blessing to the nations always begins with trusting God to carry out his promise here on earth. Look what happens, specifically to the nations, when Abram does not trust God.
10 Now there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a while because the famine was severe. 11 As he was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, “I know what a beautiful woman you are. 12 When the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ Then they will kill me but will let you live. 13 Say you are my sister, so that I will be treated well for your sake and my life will be spared because of you.”
14 When Abram came to Egypt, the Egyptians saw that she was a very beautiful woman. 15 And when Pharaoh’s officials saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh, and she was taken into his palace. 16 He treated Abram well for her sake, and Abram acquired sheep and cattle, male and female donkeys, menservants and maidservants, and camels.
17 But the LORD inflicted serious diseases on Pharaoh and his household because of Abram’s wife Sarai.
Instead of Abraham blessing the nations, they blessed him because he lied about his wife. Next thing you know, the nations, Egypt, is inflicted with serious diseases. Death comes to the nations instead of life, curses and instead of blessings, and all because Abram did not trust that God would carry out his promises here on earth.
How many times has this happened to us? God has called us to bless the nations by making disciples of all the nations, yet we shrink in fear. We do not trust that God will carry out this promise that he will "be with us" in this great commission. So we lie, we sin, we don't live by faith, carrying out God's promise. And because of this, people go hungry, the homeless don't have a roof over their head, our coworkers at work are our friends but will ultimately go to hell because we don't want to risk their friendship. Death and curses come to the nations when we, the people of God, don't trust God and step out in faith. But even when we fail, God still is faithful. This does not give us an excuse to not trust God, it should inspire us to live faith-filled lives.
So what about you? Will you not trust God and allow death to come to the nations? Or will you step out in faith, trusting that God will carry out his promises through us to bless the nations?
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