Ever wonder about God’s dealings with the unbelievers? Today’s text is God’s response to Abimelech, king of Gerar which was a Philistine city-state. Abraham had come into his territory and had Sarah, Abraham’s wife, identify herself as his sister. Abimelech did what kings did and ‘acquired’ her into his covey of women with the intent of relations with her.
“But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night and said to him, “Behold, you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is a man’s wife.” Now Abimelech had not approached her. So he said, “Lord, will you kill an innocent people?” 1
Godly Abraham has lied to the Philistine king in fear of being killed so the king could take Sarah as a wife. The king takes Abraham and Sarah at their word and begins the process of adding her to his wives. Abimelech is visited by God in a dream and warned of the deceit and the consequences. The king responds to God that he is innocent and God, in the dream, explains to Abimelech that God recognized the king’s singleness of heart and, because of that, God has kept Abimelech for sinning against God by keeping him from ‘touching’ Sarah.
This was the dream given by God, experienced by the Philistine and then acted upon by the king. It wasn’t enough to have the dream and start with integrity—now Abimelech must act upon what God has revealed to him. So Abimelech rose early in the morning, called his servants who were appropriately ‘very much afraid’ and then set it straight with Abraham by giving him back Sarah.
Integrity of heart doesn’t save us from the consequences but God honors us acting upon the truth we know until He gives us more.
Then He gave us more, the Bible, everything we need to read to know.
FOOTNOTE:
1 Genesis 20:3-4 (ESV) – https://www.blueletterbible.org/esv/gen/20/3-4/s_20003