How often have you been in Egypt

Genesis 12:10-20

Have you ever gone through a famine?  I bet not; a famine is a food shortage that affects a nation and causes starvation, malnutrition and death.  If you find yourself in a country or nation that is in the middle of a famine is it wise to travel to any place that has food, this is what Abram and Sarai did. 

When you are traveling, especially to a country you’re not familiar with, it is important to protect your stuff, and it is a must to keep your good stuff out of sight.  But what if that is impossible, then most likely you need a game plan on how to protect your valuables.  That is Abram’s problem as he enters Egypt, so he comes up with a plan and that plan will require Sarai to lie.  “When he was about to enter Egypt, he said to Sarai his wife, “I know that you are a woman beautiful in appearance, and when the Egyptians see you, they will kill me, but they will say, ‘This is his wife.’  Then they will kill me, but they will let you live.  Say you are my sister, that it may go well with me, because of you, and that my life may be spared for your sake.”  Genesis 20:12, tells us that she was his half-sister, so Abram is only asking for a half-truth.

Now that he has left Haran, Abram faces a severe trial of faith; can he trust God or will he depend on his common sense, and the answer is clear, the land of Egypt is prosperous, so he makes a decision without calling on God for guidance, and now he is asking his wife to lie.  Egypt is often used as an example of our flesh, Egypt is not trusting God, it’s total reliance on self, and Egypt always brings conflict. 

Henry M. Morris gives this account on page 298, the third paragraph of “The Genesis Record,”  “This is what happened to Abram.  As he entered the mighty land of Egypt, he became aware of an unforeseen danger.  The Egyptians, like the Canaanites, were descendants of Ham (through Mizraim, rather than Canaan) and were also polytheistic, cruel, and immoral.  Polygamy and sexual promiscuity were common.  As they entered Egypt, Abram Probably noted the admiring glances being directed by the inhabitants toward his beautiful wife, Sarai, and he realized that it was not at all beyond them to kill him and his servants in order to have Sarai for themselves.”

Egypt was Abram’s plan, it was not God’s best, it was not God’s plan, but Abram was God’s plan and God used Egypt and Abram’s disobedience to teach him how to begin a walk by faith.  We all have tried Egypt at some point of our Christian life, it is always full of surprises, full of bought lessons, and it often leaves scars.  It is trying to live life independent from God.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice