A Difficult Test (Genesis 12:10-20)

“How are you?  Not too bad under the circumstances.”

It’s a volley you hear sometimes.  Social etiquette seems to teach us that we don’t complain when asked, “How are you?” But we can acknowledge our difficulties without breaking this unwritten rule.  So we can answer, “Not too bad under the circumstances.”  Sometimes, life is going to take us through “Egypt.” 

There are places in Scripture where God commands or allows someone to enter Egypt. However, the general idea is that “Egypt” stands for worldliness and moving away from the Lord.  Generally speaking, God’s people are warned to avoid “Egypt.”  Still, sometimes, we all find ourselves there.

Here was another test—in a series of tests—in Abram’s life.  He was called to leave Ur and Haran.  He arrived in Canaan. And now this test.  Let’s see how Abram did as we continue our study of Genesis in Genesis 12:10-20.

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 Sarai 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, male and female servants, 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.  

Genesis 12:10-20, New International Version

The agricultural ecology of this region was fragile because it depended on the rains coming.  If they did, all was well.  If the rains didn’t come, then famine was around the corner.  It was not uncommon for drought and resulting famine to occur in this region.

Abram wasn’t used to this.  This was not how the land of Ur was.  Ur was fertile and rich.  The Negev where he was was very different.  The word “Negev” means “to be dry, parched.”  This was not Abram’s comfort zone!

What drove Abram to Egypt?  We’re tempted to point out the surface reason: drought.  And that’s true.  But the ultimate reason was fear.  Abram had a moment of weakness in his faith.

Abram was brought out of his homeland, where he wandered across the desert and lost his father (Terah). When he got to Canaan, he found these idolatrous people living there who were worse than those he left in Ur.  Abram had no home, and now, there was famine!

When Abram and Sarai enter Egypt, he tells his wife to say she was his sister.  Abram was afraid of two things as they entered Egypt.  Abram’s bet was that he would be taken care of if the Egyptians saw him as a caretaker of Sarai.

The genius of this ruse is it is half-true.  We know that Sarai was, in fact, Abram’s sister.  But she was his half-sister as they shared a father but not a mother.  Additionally, to save his own neck, he risked Sarai’s—the woman to be the mother of the promised son.  Furthermore, others suffered because of this decision.  Abram continued to struggle with unbelief, fear, and lack of faith.

Abram’s struggle also became Pharaoh’s when he took Sarai into his harem.  He gave Abram the price for a sister but not the bride price (because he hid this fact).  Then, the Lord stepped in and brought diseases and plagues on Egypt.

Abram’s lie now plagued Pharaoh and his household—which may have included his entire court!  Eventually, the truth came out (as it always does) and Pharaoh expelled him from the country.

Abram’s journey to Egypt could have gone better.  He relied on his plans instead of the Lord.

Before we throw too many stones at Abram, let us stop and look at ourselves.  Can you identify with Abram?  I can.  Does Abram’s reasoning seem so bizarre?  Doesn’t it sound a lot like how we reason?  When everything is going well, we assume we are being obedient. When things go wrong, then what do we tend to think?

Do we take matters into our own hands, or do we wait on the Lord?   Do we assume the Lord has messed up, and now we must act?

How do we feel “under the circumstances”?  Do we trust Him?  Walk with Him?  Feel His blessing?

Are we walking with Him through difficulties, or are we taking over?