Chapter 12.
Farewells, Famine, Fear & Pharaoh

THE CALL OF SEPARATION—12:1

At the sunrise of chapter twelve, God is calling Abram to separate from his country, kindred, and father's house. Why? Some have suggested the idolatry of Abram's hometown and household to be a reason for separation, and rightly so. Yet, the land God called him to was a land of wicked people. I believe God wanted Abraham in Canaan, away from his father's influence, in order to learn vital lessons. The Lord knew Teras's influence would be a hindrance to Abram. His delay in Haran proves this very point. God's call is sometimes difficult to obey, but it must be done. It is apparent that it was very difficult for Abram to separate from his father, for his departure did not occur till after his father's death.

In the East, the father is revered by his children. His word is law and carries great power. Among the Arabs, it is very rare to hear of a son being disrespectful to his father. One custom of honoring the father was to kiss his hand upon rising in the morning and in humility wait for his commands or permission to be dismissed. With this great power, it is possible Terah insisted upon going with Abram to Haran and requiring him to stay with the family.

God's call is to leave the bad, and cleave to the good. He calls us to do His will in our life. Christians are admonished to leave the ungodly, worldly lifestyle and to cleave to holiness, godliness, and purity. Paul in his epistle to the Colossians gives a list of sins we are to forsake and a list of traits to put on in our life (Colossians 3:8-12). The word saint in the New Testament reflects the teaching that Christians are to be separated from the ungodly lifestyle of the world. The Greek word for saint is hagios and it means "different ones". We as believers are to live a different lifestyle than an unsaved world, holy as unto the Lord.

The Separation of the Believer

The Bible gives us examples of things that we are to be separated from in our lifestyle.

• Devices that are unclean—2 Corinthians 6:17
• Defilement of the heathen—Ezra 6:21
• Doers of evil—Psalm 119:115; Exodus 23:2
• Deeds of darkness—Ephesians 5:11
• Disorderly brothers—2 Thess. 3:6
• Degenerate living—1 John 2:15; Romans 12:2
• Disbelievers in matrimony—Ezra 9:1, 2; 2 Corinthians 6:14

God was asking Abram to surrender everything to Him and totally trust His leading. Have you surrendered your life to the Lord? Are you living a godly life? Do others know you are a Christian by the way you live? If not, dedicate your life to the Lord and separate from the sin that so easily besets and hinders you in your walk with God.

PROMISES, PROMISES, PROMISES—12:2, 3

Usually when the words promises, promises, promises are stated in a sentence, someone is being sarcastic. The promises of men are sometimes very empty. Such is not the case with God's promises for His word is true and sure. Abram is offered some motivation by the Lord in this chapter. God makes some strong commitments to him if he will obey God's will. What are they?

• Abram's people will be great—I will make a great nation.
• His provision will be girded—I will bless you.
• Abram's preeminence will be glorious—I will make a great name
• His purpose and pursuit is grand—The Hebrew reads, be a blessing.
• God's protection and pledge is grave—I will bless... and curse.
• The planet will gain—All the families of the earth are blessed.

God does keep His word and will perform everything He claims He will do. The greatest thing we can do for the Lord in our life is to promise Him that we will live for Him, serve Him, do our best for Him, and keep that promise daily just like the Lord promises to keep His promises with us. What God says He will do, HE WILL DO!!!

The I Will's of God in Genesis

• Destroy—The Lord will destroy mankind. 6:7
• Douse—It will rain for forty days. 7:4
• Duplicate—The ground would not be cursed anymore. 8:21
• Decree—His covenant would be established with Noah. 9:11
• Dwell Upon—The Lord will remember His covenant by the rainbow. 9:15, 16
• Dedicate—The Lord will bless and make a great nation. 12:2
• Distribute—The land will be given to Abram's descendants. 13:15
• Devise—The Lord will make a nation of Ishmael. 21:13, 18
• Duplicate—God will bless and multiply the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Sarah. 22:17; 26:3; 16:10.
• Defend—God will protect Jacob and not leave him. 28:15
• Dictate—God will make His covenant with Abraham. 17:2-8
• Descend—God will go down to Sodom. 18:21

LEAPING INTO THE DARK—12:4-7

After the death of Terah, Abram obeyed the Lord and departed for a country, not knowing exactly where he was going. He was leaping into the dark, yet trusting the Lord by faith (Heb. 11:8). The Christian life is a life of faith. The principles of God's Word can seem illogical sometimes and difficult to obey. For example, God says we are to love our enemies instead of hating them. For some folks, tithing can be very frightening for they feel they cannot afford to tithe and give to God what really belongs to Him. Yet, God promises to bless us even though we may not fully understand His Word or logically agree with it.

Abram was a man of faith, as well as a man of great courage. Courage inspires one to obey the Lord in spite of our fear, doubts, or the ridicule and scorn of an ungodly world. Courage says, "I am going to serve the Lord even though know one else wants too." Courage says, "Though none may join me, still I will follow. I have decided to follow Jesus!" Courage enables a person to face fear, opposition, obstacles, and hardship. It is the ability to act rationally in the face of fearful consequences. My father-in-law, Dr. Sylvester Matthews taught me that courage was trembling obedience to the Lord. People who have courage are many times people of conviction and commitment to a cause. Their conviction gives them the courage to do what is right and what they believe in.

One of the great needs today in Christendom is courageous Christians. The Roman senator, Cicero, said, "A man of courage is full of faith." Many believers are weak in their faith today, and thus, weak in courage to stand up for Jesus Christ. Someone else said, "Courage is fear that has said its prayers." The prayer life of many Christians is pretty anemic thus affecting their courage to live for God.

As you glean through the pages of Genesis you will find many examples of courageous people who did great things for the Lord. Andrew Jackson put it this way, "One man with courage makes a majority." Many characters in Genesis demonstrated this truth.

Courage in Genesis

• Courage to Remain upright—Enoch walked with God. 5:22
• Courage to Resist wickedness—Noah lived for God in a wicked society. 6:11
• Courage to Raise the ark—Noah built the ark amidst the mockery of his world. 6:22
• Courage to Respond to God's leading—Abram left his home to go to an unknown place. 12:4
• Courage in Rescuing Lot's family—14:14
• Courage in Releasing a husband—Sarah shows courage in giving another woman to Abraham. 16:3
• Courage in Returning home—Hagar returns to an angry Sarah. 16:8
• Courage in Rebuking wicked people—Lot rebukes Sodomites. 19:7
• Courage in Reproving a ruler—Abraham reproves Abimelech. 21:25
• Courage to Rely on God—Abraham takes Isaac to be offered. 22:3
• Courage to Respond to a marriage proposal—Rebekah shows courage in returning with Abraham's servant. 24:58
• Courage to Run from possible danger—Jacob leaves Laban without telling him good-bye, knowing this would anger him. 31:17, 18
• Courage to Refund that which was deceitfully taken—Jacob returns and brings many gifts to a possibly dangerous Esau. 32:4, 5
• Courage to Replace one who is in danger—Judah pleads to take Benjamin's place. 44:33

Shechem

When Abram arrived in Canaan, he came to a place called Sichem or Shechem, of the plain of Moreh. This was a significant place in the life of the patriarchs and throughout the history of Israel. Shechem was located between Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal, the mountains of blessing and cursing. Ebal means "heap of bareness". In Arabic, it means the mountain of white stones. It was the mountain of cursing. Gerizim means "cutters down or fruitful place". It was the mountain of blessing. Much of our life is spent in this area spiritually speaking. When we live for Jesus Christ we are blessed and when we live in sin and for ourselves we pay a price for our sin and spiritually hurt and barren. We have our days of victory and fruitfulness and our days of defeat and barrenness. There is a constant tug of war taking place in our soul for control. A battle between our selfish, sinful nature and the Holy Spirit. Whomever we yield to gets the victory and the other loses. May we each day yield our life to the control of the Holy Spirit of God so that we may be consistently victorious in our walk with God.

As we look close at Shechem's history, we find it was a place of blessing and barrenness. It was a place of comfort and cursing.

It was a place of Direction and Development.

The words "plain of Moreh" are translated "Oak of Moreh or Oak of the Teacher" in the Hebrew. It was a maqom or holy place to the people of the land. To the Canaanites, certain trees were symbols of fertility and were associated with fertility goddessess. For example, the cypress tree was consecrated to Astarte. The heathen worshiped their gods in these groves (Isaiah 1:29; 57:5).

Abram was developing and drawing closer to the Lord as he worships the Lord in this place. God was Abraham's teacher and the Lord had many valuable lessons for him to learn in this land. When we let the Lord Jesus Christ direct our lives and teach us through His Spirit and His Word, we will continue to drawer closer to Him.

It was a place of Dedication.

Abram builds his first altar in the land at this place and worships the Lord. No altar was built by Abraham in Ur or Haran. Abram takes his stand and separates from the world before he builds his place of communion and worship. We need to follow the same pattern. The true worship of our holy God is an outcome from separating from evil in our lives. Separation from sin and dedication to God are vital for spiritual growth.

It was a place of Durability.

Shechem means "upper back or shoulder". This is the place of strength or durability. We get strength from the Lord when we cast our burdens upon the shoulders of the Lord. Strength comes from spending time in worship with our Lord. God told Abram that He would give the land to him. God's promises give us strength.

It was a place of Debut.

The Lord appears unto Abram in this place.

It was a place of Duplication.

When Jacob returned from Laban, he camped outside of Shechem and bought land from the sons of Hamor and he too sets up an altar and worships the Lord. Gen. 33:18-20

It was a place of Denouncement.

The idols of Jacob's family were buried under an oak tree near Shechem. The burying of idols symbolized an abandoning of pagan practices (Gen. 35:4). Do you have idols in your life you need to abandon? Money, women, men, jobs, possessions, popularity, etc., all can become idols in our lives if we are not careful.

It was a place of Decision.

Joshua exhorts the people to choose the Lord and follow Him only (Joshua 24:25-28). God's people are not to straddle the fence. They cannot serve God and the worldly crowd (Matt. 6:24). Many Christians are lukewarm and ineffective because they are trying to live like the lost and live for God at the same time. It does not work! Choose you this day whom ye will serve!

It was a place of Depravity and Death.

Abimelech proclaims himself king after murdering heirs to the throne. Judges 9:6

It was a place of Dumbness and Dullness.

Reheboam meets the northern tribes here and in his stupidity chooses to be harsh to the people. They separate and reject his leadership. 1 Kings 12:1-19

It was a place of Deceit.

Simeon and Levi deceive the men of Shechem and murder them. Gen. 35:1-4

It was a place of Drunkenness.

In Jesus time, it was called Sychar denoting the drunkenness of the people. Sychar comes from the Hebrew word shakhar which means "to get drunk". Today it is known as Nablus.

It was a place for the Deceased.

The bones of Joseph are buried in Shechem. Joshua 24:32

The Appearance of the Lord in Genesis

God appears unto Abram for the first time at Shechem. He makes several other appearances throughout Genesis.

• He appears to a 99 year old Abraham. 17:1
• He appears to Abraham in the plains of Mamre. 18:1
• The Lord visits Sarah. 21:1
• He appears to Isaac and warns him not to go to Egypt. 26:2
• The Lord appears to Isaac at Beersheba. 26:24
• He appears to Jacob in a dream at Bethel. 28:13
• He appears to Jacob when he leaves Pandanaram. 35:1-9

Altars in Bible Times

The Hebrew word for altar is mizbeah. It is from a verbal root word meaning "to slaughter" with a view to sacrifice. The altars were mainly built of stone and were not to be trimmed by chisels (Ex. 20:24-26). Rabbi's explain that the altar was for forgiving and that iron was for punishing. The altar was to be natural and not to be tampered with by man.

In the Mesopotamia area where Abram was from, the altar was considered the table of the gods. The blood of the animals was used in a minor way. In an ordinary sacrifice, no part of the victim was burnt on the altar. To ward off demons or sickness, animals or a model of an animal made of reeds, mud, and paste was mutilated by a priest on an altar. This model acted as a substitute and they believed the demons would vent their anger against the substitute and not towards them.

The Mesopotamians had a custom known as the substitute king. Each year at the New Year's Feast, a man was chosen to take the place of a king and be put to death. The purpose was to ensure renewal of life for the king and prosperity for the kingdom. If a dangerous omen was seen like an eclipse of the sun or moon, a substitute for the king exercised royal power to ward off danger from the real king and draw any possible danger towards himself. The reign of the substitute king would last about one hundred days. After the hundred day reign, this substitute would sometimes be put to death.

When viewing the book of Genesis, you will find altars were constructed by Noah (8:20), Abram (12:8; 13:18; 22:9), Isaac (26:25), and Jacob (33:20; 35:7).

Living Between the House of God and the Heap of Ruins—12:8, 9

Abram was leaving his mark in the land God had sent him to. The altars were a testimony to the Canaanites of his love and devotion to the Lord. The next altar was built between Bethel and Ai. Bethel means "House of God" and Ai means "Heap of Ruins". Ai is formed from the root word avah which means "to sin, subvert, bend." Bethel is a type of our new nature in Christ and Ai is a type of our old sinful nature. We spend much of our life battling the pull of these two natures. We enjoy the blessings of fellowship with the Lord and endure the burden of the ruin and stings of sin. As Christians, we can choose how we want to live by the grace and power of the Holy Spirit. Where are you today in your spiritual life? Are you at the house of God, in fellowship with the Lord or is your life a heap of ruins? Abram was a testimony for God among the Canaanites. Are you a good testimony for Jesus Christ where you live, work, or go to school? Are you leaving a mark for Christ?

Looking Down the Road at BETHEL

Bethel played an important part in the history of Israel. The Scriptures reveal what happened at Bethel throughout Bible history.

• It was a place of Calling on God. Gen. 12:8
• It was a place of Comeback. Gen. 13:3, 4
• Abram returns from Egypt to the altar and calls again upon God.
• It was a place of Commitment and Contemplation. Gen. 28:10-22 Jacob vows to serve God if He will care for him.
• It was a place of a Court. Samuel judged here. 1 Sam. 7:15, 16
• It was a place of Communion. 1 Sam. 10:3 It was the site of worship and sacrifice.
• It was a Center for Corruption. 1 Kings 12:28-33
• It was a center for idolatry under Jereboam's leadership.
• It was a place of Cultivation. 2 Kings 2:1-3
• A school of the prophets was located here where young mens lives were cultivated.
• It was a place of Contempt. 2 Kings 2:23, 24
• The young people mocked Elisha and were punished by bears.
• It was a place of Courage. Josiah destroys false altars. 2 Kings 23

GETTING AHEAD OF GOD—12:10-16

Everything seemed to be going well in this new land for Abram till one of life's unexpected obstacles interfered. The path of God is littered with obstacles that the Lord has allowed so that we will learn to trust Him to remove those obstacles or help us overcome them. A famine was in the land of Canaan that the Lord had allowed. What should Abram do now? Can God take care of him now? At this point it appears that Abram gets ahead of the Lord by going down into Egypt instead of staying in Canaan. Egypt had food but also filthy follies. We do not read of Abram consulting the Lord before he travels to Egypt. Judging by what happened in Egypt, it does seem that Abram did get ahead of the Lord. Abram makes an alliance with the world and puts reliance in his flesh and reasoning. This is the first appearance of the word Egypt in the Scriptures. We find Abram going here and his character being corrupted. Egypt in the Bible is a type of this sinful world.

As Abram approaches Egypt, he begins to fear for his life. His problem is his wife. She is too pretty. Abram and Sarah devise a story which makes Sarah his sister instead of his wife. Satan attacks Abram where he has been the strongest and most successful. He had been so strong in his faith and now he is unfaithful and overcome by fear. There is a tendency to become too secure and overconfident in the areas where we are strong and that is when Satan makes his move. Moses was a meek man but fell through his anger. Solomon's folly destroyed his wisdom. Elijah was known for his boldness, courage, and faith, yet, he weakens in fear and runs for his life. Peter was very bold, but stumbled in cowardice. Abram worries, hurries, scurries, and deceives.

Abram's first recorded words are words of scheming and deception. Sarah was his first half sister but also his wife. When they arrived in Egypt the princes of Egypt were hooked on Sarah's beauty and she was taken into Pharaoh's court just as Abram predicted. Physical desires were very important in Egypt. Pharaohs had been known to kill men to get their wives. In the British Museum there is an ancient Egyptian papyrus which records the story of a Pharaoh advised by his counselors to send his army to take away a man's wife by force and murder the husband.

Abram probably wished he had never come to Egypt. Events in his life have gone from bad to worse. This is the price we pay when we get ahead of God.

The Egyptians based the importance of a good woman on physical features. The world has not changed. God desires that we also develop spiritual beauty in our life by letting Christ live through us day by day. There is nothing wrong in looking nice or pretty as long as we place the same or more value on our spiritual beauty and growth in the Lord.

Egypt was bringing out the worst in Abram. The worldly crowd has a way of doing this to believers. This man has been seen as courageous and of great faith. Now we see him in a new light as deceptive, fearful, and callous towards Sarah and her feelings in the matter. If Abram was afraid, think how Sarah might have felt being separated from her husband and now dwelling in Pharaoh's court. Abram should have never put Sarah into this predicament. His lying and deception only led to more complications and it set a trend for his descendants. Abram's son and grandson struggled with deception also.

Deception in Genesis

In chapter twelve we find the first recorded words of Abram in the Bible (12:11). Unfortunately, they are words of deception as Abram plots with his wife to tell the men of Egypt she is his sister and not his wife.

The trait of deception rears its ugly lying head over and over throughout Genesis. There are a number of examples of deceptive people in this book.

• In Results—Satan lies to Eve about the results of sin. 3:4
• In Relationships—Abram lies about his true relationship with Sarah. Isaac lies to Abimelech about Rebekah. Sarah deceives Abimelech too. Jacob deceives Isaac. 12:13; 20:2; 26:7; 20:5; 27:19
• In Rejoicing—Sarah lies about laughing. 18:15
• Concerning Rachel—Laban lied to Jacob about Rachel, giving him Leah for a first wife. 29:18-24
• In Remuneration—Laban deceives Jacob, changing his wages ten times. 31:7
• Concerning Rules or Restriction—Rachel deceives Laban by not rising in the tent so she can hide the idol. 31:35
• In Resolve and Revenge—Jacob's sons destroy the men of Shechem by challenging them to be circumcised. 34:14-17
• Concerning the Ruin of Joseph—Jacob's sons lie to their father about the ruin of Joseph. 37:20-32
• In Reclaiming a Right—Tamar deceives Judah by dressing as a harlot in order to have children by him and possibly to take revenge for not giving her a kinsman husband. 38:14
• Concerning Reprobation—Potiphar's wife lies about Joseph trying to rape her. 39:14

Callousness in Genesis

Abram was not only deceptive, but callous in his treatment of Sarah and the Pharaoh of Egypt. He seemed unfeeling and numb about what she might be going through in the palace of the Pharaoh. There are several other incidents of callousness in the book of Genesis.

• With a Spouse—Abram lies to Pharaoh and seems callous towards Sarah's predicament and feelings. Jacob is cold and cruel towards Leah. 12:13; 20:2; 29:31
• With a Sovereign—Abram still continues the lie though Pharaoh and his people are plagued. 12:17
• Of a Servant—Hagar is cold to Sarah. 16:4
• With the Seed of his family—Lot offers his daughters to the Sodomites. 19:8
• With a Supervisor—Jacob leaves Laban without saying farewell to him. 31:20
• With Siblings—Joseph's brothers throw him in a waterless pit while they ate a meal and then later sell him. 37:24, 25

The Harems of Egypt

The large harems of the Middle East were a sign of wealth and power and were usually the property of kings or pharaohs. In Egypt, the Pharaoh had one great royal spouse, and many other wives. These women served the king's pleasure and his policy to other countries to which many of them were from. Those in the harem cheered Pharaoh by singing, dancing, and playing games with him. These women would also weave on an industrial scale.

The harem was a place of high security with doorkeepers at the exits. The word for harem is synonymous with the Egyptian word for prison. The wives of Pharaoh's harem were called "the secluded".

Marriages with the Pharaoh set a seal on alliances with other countries and maintained good relations and loyalties of subject countries. These harems, however, could be places of jealousy, tension, resentment, and stress. Assassinations of Pharaohs have been known to be plotted in the harem of the king. In Israel, the harem of the king would pass to the next king. Absalom approached the concubines of David in public to assert his right to the throne (2 Sam. 16:21, 22).

Among the ancient Arabs, wives formed part of the inheritance.

In Israel, usually one woman held the king's preference (Bathsheba/David; Jezebel/Ahab; Athaliah/Joram). This favor did not give her the title of queen. The Old Testament uses the word queen once. It is the feminine of melek, the word for king.

Important Choices in Genesis

Life is full of choices which determine the destiny of our life. Abram's choice of going to Egypt without consulting the Lord affects the world even today. This is where Hagar was acquired most likely and it was Hagar who gave birth to Ishmael, the child who became the father of many Arab nations that are enemies of Israel today. A look at the choices made in Genesis impacted the lives of the people that made them in a big way many times.

• The choice to Disobey—Adam and Eve choose forbidden fruit. 3:6, 7
• The choice to Dishonor—Ham chooses to dishonor Noah. 9:22
• The choice to Decency—Shem and Japheth cover Noah. 9:23
• The choice to Desert—Abram goes to Egypt without praying to the Lord. 12:10
• The choice of a Dwelling—Lot chooses to live with the wrong crowd. 13:12, 13.
• The choice to Deny—Abram refuses the wealth of Sodom after rescuing Lot. 14:21-23
• The choice of Drunkenness—Lot's daughters choose drunkenness and incest to solve their problems. 19:30-38
• The choice of Deference—Abram chose to obey God and offer Isaac to God. 22:10
• The choice to Draw together—Rebekah chooses to follow Abram's servant and be Isaac's wife. 24:58
• The choice of Deception—Jacob chooses to deceive his father. 27:14
• The choice of Declaration—Jacob vows to serve the Lord. 28:21, 22
• The choice of Depravity—Judah chooses to sin with a harlot. 38:16
• The choice of Devoutness—Joseph refuses sexual temptation and determines to keep himself pure. 39:7-10
• The choice of Degradation—Reuben commits adultery with Bilhah. 35:22

Notes About Famines

Famines were not uncommon in this part of the world in Bible times. There are thirteen famines mentioned in Scripture with three of them taking place in the book of Genesis alone. One of the main causes of famine was drought. Israel depended on two rainy seasons. The first season was called the Early Rains which took place in October and November. These showers would lead into the heaviest time of rain in December and January. Rain that might fall in March and April was called the season of the Latter Rains. The very dry times of the year were from May to September.

Other factors of famine were plant destroying insects and invading armies which would destroy or eat the crops or prevent the planting of crops. The wealthy would usually survive these times of famine by purchasing food from foreign countries. The poor, however, would have to forage and beg from the rich.

Fear in Genesis

A study on fear in Genesis reveals that people back in Bible times were afraid of the same things that we are afraid of today. May you and I learn to overcome our fears with the Lord's help and learn from the fears of these individuals in Genesis.

• The fear of Discovery—Adam is afraid to face God. 3:10
• The fear of Destruction—Cain is afraid of being slain. 4:14
• The Dread of man—The fear of man will be upon the beasts of the earth. 9:2
• The fear of Death—Abram fears death because of his beautiful wife (12:13). Abram and Isaac lied about their wives for fear of being killed for them (20:11; 26:7).
• The fear of a Dwelling Place—Two angels feared to stay in Lot's home and Lot feared to dwell in Zoar. 19:2, 30
• The fear of being Deceived—Abimelech's men were afraid when they heard about Abram's lie and what might happen to them. 20:8
• The fear of the Divine—Abram proves he fears God by offering Isaac on the altar (22:12). Joseph professes to fear God (42:18).
• The fear of a District—Jacob was afraid after wrestling with the Lord in a certain place. 28:17
• The fear of Discipline—Jacob leaves Laban without notice because he feared what Laban might do to him or his family. 31:31
• The fear of a Dispute—Jacob is afraid when he hears of Esau and his men approaching. 32:7, 11
• The fear of Doom—The surrounding cities fear Jacob's God. 35:5
• The fear of Detention and Death—Jacob's sons were afraid because their money was still in their bags. 43:18
• The fear of Dignity and Domination—Jacob's sons are terrified when Joseph reveals himself to them. They fear his position and his power to destroy them. 45:3
• The fear of a Dose of one's own medicine. Jacob's sons fear Joseph's revenge when Jacob dies. 50:15

THE STINGING REBUKE OF A LOST MAN—12:17-20

Pharaoh's house was plagued and he figures out that the problem is with Sarah. Pharaoh confronts Abram and rebukes him. Pharaoh asked, "What have you done unto me?" Pharaoh warns his men to stay away from Sarah and sends him away. He shows more integrity than Abram. What a shame that this pagan king has to rebuke a follower of God. There is no limit to the depths we can go when we get out of God's will. Christians are to live their lives in such a way that no one can point a finger at them because of sin and have not made it right. Unsaved people are asking today, "What are you doing? I thought you were a Christian? Why are you living this way?" We are to guard our testimonies for the sake of Jesus Christ. Our life is our most powerful message because our walk talks louder than our talk talks. If we lose our credibility as a Christian, people that we try to win to Jesus Christ will not listen to our message if they see hypocrisy and inconsistency in our life.

Notes on the PHARAOH OF EGYPT
The Pharaoh's Youth and Early Training

Much of the childhood of a Pharaoh was carefree and fun. The child would play with his friends, brothers and sisters out in the hot sun most of the time being unclothed and barefooted. As he got older, he would get an apprenticeship in the military and be trained by mighty men till the day he became Pharaoh.

The Pharaoh's Name

The name of the Pharaoh is derived from two words, "per aa" which means "Great House". Similar titles were given to the Sultan of Turkey who was called "Sublime Porte" meaning "Great Door". Five different names were used to refer to the Pharaoh of Egypt.

1. Horus—This name is derived from the Egyptian religion. It was Horus, the son of Osiris, that avenged the death of his father. Horus bequeathed the throne of Egypt to Pharaoh. When the Pharaoh died, he ceased to be a guardian, a Horus, and became an Osiris, while another Horus took his place.
2. The Two Ladies or Nebty—This signifies the two lands of Egypt united into one kingdom. It also refers to the vulture goddess of Upper Egypt and the cobra goddess of Lower Egypt.
3. Golden Horus—This name revealed the divine nature of Pharaoh.
4. The Prenomen—This is the king's principal name employed on his monuments and documents. It was compounded with the name of the sun god Ra.
5. The Nomen—The nomen was preceded by the epithet "Son of Ra and Lord of Diadems". The nomen consisted of the family name of the dynasty or personal name of the king before his accession to the throne of Egypt.

These names were used for it was unlucky to use the Pharaoh's real name. The king's name was considered sacred. When his name was written, it was too sacred to write as an ordinary word and therefore was enclosed in an oval ring to separate it from other secular words.

Pharaoh's Power

The Pharaoh was a man of great power. In fact, this man was considered as a god, as the incarnation of the sun god Ra. He alone was believed to be the one who could combat cosmic powers. The word of the Pharaoh was LAW. Justice was defined as what the Pharaoh loved. Whatever the Pharaoh hated was considered criminal or wrong.

All the properties of the Pharaoh belonged to him by right. His subjects belonged to him and he could kill them at will. Fortunately, most of the Pharaohs were gentle men, kind, yet, very firm. The people had great respect and reverence for him, fearing his shadow. The Egyptians believed if they accidentally touched Pharaoh's staff, that it was a bad omen unless the Pharaoh apologized. If you were allowed to kiss his foot, it was considered as a special mark of favor.

Pharaoh's Fears

As powerful as this man was, even the Pharaoh had his fears. He was very concerned about offending the powerful people in his kingdom lest a conspiracy be formed and he be assassinated. His minister had sensitive feelings and had to be handled carefully. The ambitions of his generals also had to be gratified without endangering Egypt and the favor of his priests had to be nurtured. The people he worried about the most and were considered his most dangerous enemies were his nearest relatives. There was almost always a brother or uncle who imagined he had a better claim to the throne of the reigning king. The wives of the late ruler considered it an injustice that the child of their rival rather than their own son should inherit the crown of Egypt.

Ramses III was a powerful king and brought great peace to his nation. Yet, a conspiracy broke out in his harem headed by a woman named Tey who was of royal blood. She was a mother or step mother. Her brother was a commander in Egypt and asked him to fight the king. The outcome of the conspirators is not exactly known. Nevertheless, being a Pharaoh was not always a rose garden.

Pharaoh's Friends

The Pharaoh had many friends. The Egyptians loved him. However, approach to the king was difficult. He remained remote even in foreign military campaigns. If you were a friend of the Pharaoh, you were able to approach him frequently. You would be considered as part of the ranks of the "Honored Ones". The "Honored Ones" were intimate advisors. This small circle of men had served the king with distinction over a long period of years. Their greatest privilege was to receive a tomb and tomb furniture from their master. The position of fan-bearer on the kings right side was given to princes, judges, high treasurers, or generals. The Egyptians would display their affection for the Pharaoh by building him a beautiful and proper sepulcher for his death.

Pharaoh's Marriage

The future Pharaoh was married in childhood to the most suitable of his small sisters, half-sisters, or cousins. He could have many wives, yet, his immediate heir should possess the strongest strain of royal blood. The spiritual power of the king was enhanced by purity of breeding. This was the reason for marrying near relatives. It was believed in the veins of the Pharaoh flowed the blood of Ra, the sun god, and it was important that his blood not be diluted. The religious warrant for incestuous marriages was the marriage of Osiris with his sister Isis, who gave birth to Horus. The Pharaoh would marry every woman who could lay claim to the throne because the queen or crown princess had an equal inheritance in the throne of Egypt. In the ancient clan system of pre-dynastic times, the tracing of the family tree, the making of a will, and property inheritances were transferred in Egypt through the female line by marriage rather than through parental descent.

Pharaoh's main wife was called the "Great Chief Wife". She was the only legal wife and of royal birth. She was usually a daughter of Pharaoh or the late king, or a sister of the Pharaoh.

Pharaoh's Appearance

Great care was given to the body of the Pharaoh. It was regularly shaved including the head. Cleanliness was very important in Egyptian culture. It was considered disgusting for an Egyptian to have a beard. The only time the men would have one is when they were mourning. Neglect of shaving was met with ridicule and reproach. The Pharaoh would wear a false beard that was usually squared at the end and he would wear different wigs for his head.

The Pharaoh was adorned with several different kinds of crowns. A high, cone shaped hat was the White Crown of Upper Egypt. A flat topped cap with a tall projection at the back and a long feather curling forward was the Red Crown of Lower Egypt. It was possible for the king to wear both of these crowns together to show unity of both parts of Egypt. These two areas of Egypt were united, yet, they were distinct. Each region contained its own palace, treasury, and granary. They never forgot their original independence. Another crown of the king was his blue war crown. Around this crown was placed the cobra snake symbol which rested in the front forehead of the king. It had a rearing up position as if ready to strike its enemy.

The symbols of the Pharaoh's sovereignty and power were his crook and flail. They symbolized his persuasiveness and compelling nature. Worn around his waist was a skirt with a lion's tail hanging down in the back. In the early empires of Egypt, the king's upper body was bare. Later in history, he would be clothed with a mantle.

Pharaoh's Schedule

The Pharaohs were very industrious, diligent, disciplined, hard working men. They would get up from their slumber at the rising of the sun. The first things on his agenda for the day would usually be the answering of letters and sending out dispatches. He would then bathe and robe himself in state garments and assist in the sacrifice at the temple. Before exiting the temple, he would listen to reading from the sacred books on deeds and maxims of famous men. The remainder of his day was laid out including his walks and meals which consisted of goose flesh, beef, and wine. Other responsibilities during the day would be to decree punishments for crimes and personal inspections of the conditions of buildings.

The Results of Abram's Trip to Egypt

1. God is Agonized by his sin. Our sin grieves God. Ps. 78:40
2. Abram's faith Ascends. His faith is weakened as he lies. 12:20
3. He Abuses his testimony with Lot. He had a poor testimony. Gen. 13, 19
4. Pharaoh is Afflicted. 12:17
5. Hagar is Acquired. Problems today exist because of Hagar.
6. He Adulterates his example for Isaac. Isaac lies about his wife. Gen. 26

Parallels Between the Two Trips to Egypt

1. There was a Shortage. Gen. 12:10 and 47:13
2. There was a Safari. They travel to Egypt. 12:10 and 47:27
3. There was a Struggle. An attempt to kill males and save females. Genesis 12:12 and Exodus 1:22
4. There was a Shock. Plagues were in the land of Egypt. Genesis 12:17 and Exodus 7:14-11:10
5. There was Spoiling in Egypt. Gen. 12:16 and Exodus 12:35, 36
6. There was Salvation. God's people were free to go. Gen. 12:19 and Exodus 15.
7. God's people Set out to the Negev. Gen. 13:1 and Numbers 13:17, 22
   God acted out Israel's future deliverance in Abram.

Parallels of the Lies About the Wives
Passage	Gen. 12:10-20	Gen. 20:1-18	Gen. 26:6-11
Plotters	Abram and Sarah	Abram and Sarah	Isaac & Rebekah
Problem	Famine	None mentioned except Sodom is destroyed.	Famine
Plot	Calling wife a sister.	Calling wife a sister.	Calling wife a sister.
Panic	Fear of being killed for wife.	Fear of being killed for wife.	Fear of being killed for wife.
Person Hurt	Pharaoh	Abimelech	Abimelech
Punishment	Plagues	Wombs closed	None mentioned.
Place	Egypt	Gerar	Gerar
Period	Abram is about 75 years old.	Abram is about 99 years old.	Isaac is 60 to 100 years old.
Perception	Source unrevealed	Revealed by God in a dream.	The king saw their love.
The Probing Questions	What have you done unto me? Why did you not tell me she was your wife?	What have you done unto us? How have I offended you that you have brought on us sin?	Why did you say she is your sister? What have you done unto us?
The Plea of the Offender	No excuse given.	The fear of God is not in this place. You will kill me for my wife.	I did not want to die for her.
The Product of the Offense	Abram is rebuked and is given gifts. He is free to go home to his own land.	Abram is rebuked and given gifts. He is free to live in the land.	Isaac is rebuked and is given freedom to live in the land.

Special Study on the False God's of the Middle East

In this chapter, we find three realms of heathen worship in the life of Abram. He encountered the worship of heathen gods in Mesopotamia where he used to live and the gods that were worshiped in Canaan and Egypt. What did these people believe? What gods and idols did they worship? I have always wondered about the beliefs in this region and decided to find out.

Canaanite Gods
Name of God	Function of the god	Notes on the god
El	Father of gods and creator	He presides over all gods. His title is Bull.
Baal	Lord of earth, storm god	He was protector of mariners. Conqueror of the sea god. Forms of worship involved cutting self and burning children.
Hadad	The storm god
Dagan	God of fertility and vegetation.	Linked with the grain. Same as Philistine's Dagon.
Ashtar	god of war and love
Asherah	fertility goddess	The consort of El and creator of gods. Represented in the form of a wooden pole. Moses instructed Israel to cut down these poles. Jezebel had 400 prophets of Asherah. King Manasseh put her image in the Temple.
Mot	god of death and drought	God of underworld. Baal's enemy.
Ashtoreth	goddess of fertility, love, war	Same as Ishtar or Astarte.
Anath	goddess of nature and life	Symbols are shield, spear, axe, ostrich feathers.

Canaan was called the "Land of Purple" which was derived from the purple dye that is extracted from the murex shellfish that is found on the Mediterranean coastline. The word Phoenicia comes from the Greek word for "purple". The Canaanites are credited for inventing the alphabet.

Egyptian Gods
Name of god	Function of god	Notes about the god
Osiris	God of vegetation and fertility.	Son of Nut. He made the Nile flood. He was murdered by Seth and cut in pieces. His remnants were collected by Isis, his sister, and given new life so she could receive her son Horus. Symbols were a crooked staff and scourge. Orion constellation represents Osiris.
Hapi	Father of the gods.	He was the personification of the Nile River. Symbol was a well nourished man.
Heket	Goddess of childbirth	Took form of a frog, the symbol of life and fertility.
Hathor	Sky goddess; goddess of love, music, and dancing.	Name means House of Horus She gives food to the dead. Her symbol is the cow.
Apis	God of the dead	Symbol was a holy bull.
Imhotep	God of healing	Son of Ptah.
Ptah	creator god	Worship center in Memphis.
Nut	Sky goddess	She swallows the sun in the evening and ejects it in the morning. She is associated with resurrection.
Isis	Protector of the dead	Mother of the divine child.
Re or Ra	Sun god	Illuminator of the world and awakener of life.
Atum	Creator of the world, sky god	His symbols were the scarab or snake. Egyptians thought he was a formless, unseen being who might be anywhere. Worship center in Thebes.
Horus	Pharaoh	The name means "he who is above". His symbol was the falcon.
Anubis	God of the dead and embalming	He was in charge of mummifying and weighed the hearts of men in the last judgment. His symbols were the dog or jackal.
Maat	Goddess mother of world order, justice, and truth.	Symbols were a feather and vulture.
Nefertem	God of light.	Shown with a lion's head. He was a deified lotus flower.
Apophis	God of darkness	Enemy of divine and cosmic order. Represented by a snake.

Index Topics for Further Research

Altar, Ahead of God, Appearance of God, Curse, Command of God, Choices, Deception, Disobedience, Failure, Fear, Famine, I Will's of God, Egypt, Lying, Obedience, Prayer, Selfishness, Boldness, Courage, Callousness, Deception, Fearfulness, Faith, Faintheartedness, Generosity, Patience, Virtue.

Outlines That Teach
Genesis Chapter 12

1. The Call of God 12:1
   Abram was called to leave:
   1. His fatherland or country
   2. His father's house
   3. His family or relatives
2. The Consecration of God 12:2
   God promises to bless Abram with three great things:
   1. Name
   2. Nation
   3. Notion—Their purpose was to be a blessing to the world.
3. The Care and Conservation of the Lord 12:3
   God will bless those who bless them and curse those who curse.
4. The Compliance of Abram
   Abram obeys the Lord and leaves Canaan.
5. The Countenance of the Lord and the Construction of an altar. The Lord appears to Abram for the first time. 12:7
6. The Call to the Lord 12:8
   Abram builds another altar and calls upon the name of the Lord.
7. The Continuing Trip 12:9
8. The Complications in Canaan 12:10 There is a famine in the land.
9. The Couple's Conspiracy 12:11-13
   Abram and Sarah plan to lie in Egypt claiming that Sarah is only the sister of Abram, not his wife.
10. The Commendation of the Egyptians 12:14-15
    Sarah is commended to Pharaoh. Commend means to praise.
11. The Compensation for Abram. 12:16
    Pharaoh gives Abram animals and servants in exchange for Sarah.
12. The Calamity in Pharaoh's House 12:17
    Pharaoh and his house are cursed with great plagues.
13. The Cross-examination and Condemnation of Pharaoh 12:18, 19
    Pharaoh rebukes Abram for his behavior.
14. The Command of Pharaoh 12:20
    Pharaoh commands his men to leave Abram alone and sends him away.

Review
Chapter 12

1. List the things we should separate from as Christians.
2. What are eight things God said He would do in Genesis?
3. List ten examples of courage in Genesis.
4. Describe the altars in Bible times.
5. What were the harems of Egypt like?
6. What were the results of Abram's trip to Egypt?
7. Describe the important events that happened at Bethel.
8. Describe the life of the Pharaoh of Egypt.