Genesis 20 — Sketch

Liar, Liar

Big Idea:⁠

• Abraham returns to Canaan.⁠

• To protect himself, Abraham tells the people there that Sarah is his sister — for a second time.

• Abimelech, a local king, takes Sarah into his harem.

• God visits Abimelech and warns him that he deserves death for taking Sarah because she is Abraham's wife.

• God says that He prevented Abimelech from touching Sarah because He knew that Abimelech didn't know what he was doing.

• God makes it so that no one in Abimelech's household can conceive children while Sarah is there.

• Abimelech confronts Abraham, and Abraham confesses his lie.

• Abimelech returns Sarah and also gives gifts to Abraham.

• Abraham prays, and God allows Abimelech's household to conceive again.

Jesus in This Chapter:

• Here we see God inflict punishment on Abimelek’s household but then heal them. God is the God of both justice and mercy — and both are fulfilled in Jesus’ work on the Cross.

• God prevented Abimelech from touching Sarah, which also prevented her from conceiving a son by someone other than Abraham. This was to ensure that God's promise to Abraham would be fulfilled in God's way, producing a nation — and a Savior — through Abraham and Sarah.

(Originally drawn July 15, 2010)