Caution—God At Work

Genesis 11

Man proposes, but God disposes." That familiar statement is almost a religious cliche. Many people who use it don't even know what it means. It was written by the Augustinian monk Thomas a Kempis (ca. 1380-1471) in his classic book On the Imitation of Christ. An expanded version is the proverb, "Man does what he can, God does what He will." Solomon used more words but said it best: 'There are many plans in a man's heart, nevertheless the Lord's counsel—that will stand" (Prov. 19:21, nkjv).

Few chapters in the Bible illustrate this truth better than Genesis 11. When you read the narrative about Babel and then read the genealogies that follow, your immediate impression is that God is at work in His world and is accomplishing His purposes in spite of the plans and projects of sinful people.

God stops a revolt (Gen. 11:1-9)

Four great events are recorded in Genesis 1-11: the creation of the universe, the fall of man, the Flood, and the attempted construction of the Tower of Babel. These chapters reveal that where mankind disobeys God, the Lord judges sin, and then in His grace makes a new beginning.

Adam and Eve sinned, but God clothed them and promised to send the world a Redeemer. Cain killed Abel, but God sent Seth to carry on the godly line. The Sethites intermarried with the godless Cainites, and God had to wipe the earth clean with a flood; but Noah and his family believed God's Word and were spared. After the Flood, the descendants of Noah's three sons repopulated the earth. But the new beginning with Noah eventually led to one of the most arrogant revolts against God recorded anywhere in Scripture.

Rebellion (vv. 1-4). It's likely that the events in chapter 11 occurred prior to those in chapter 10 and that the scattering described in chapter 10 was the consequence of God's judgment at Babel. Perhaps the story was placed here in Genesis so it could lead into the genealogy of Shem which leads into the genealogy of Abraham, the founder of the Hebrew nation. The arrangement, then, is literary and not chronological.

God had commanded the peoples to be fruitful and multiply and to scatter across the earth, but they decided to move to Nimrod's city of Babylon and settle there (11:8-12). This move was blatant rebellion against God's command that the people scatter. Apparently Nimrod wanted them in his cities and under his control.

The "tower" that they built at Babel was what is known as a "ziggurat." Archaeologists have excavated several of these large structures which were built primarily for religious purposes. A ziggurat was like a pyramid except that the successive levels were recessed so that you could walk to the top on "steps." At the top was a special shrine dedicated to a god or goddess. In building the structure, the people weren't trying to climb up to heaven to dethrone God; rather, they hoped that the god or goddess they worshiped would come down from heaven to meet them. The structure and the city were called "Babel," which means "the gate of the gods."

This infamous project was an arrogant declaration of war against the Lord, not unlike the revolt described in Psalm 2:1-3. To begin with, the people were resisting God's edict to scatter and repopulate the earth. Motivated perhaps by fear as well as pride, they decided to build a city and a great ziggurat and stay together. But even more, they wanted to make a name for themselves so that others would admire them and perhaps come and join them. Their purpose statement was the devil's lie in Eden: "You will be like God" (Gen. 3:4, niv).

The people had several things in their favor. They were truly a "united nations," one people (11:6) speaking one language and using one vocabulary and dictionary. They were motivated by one spirit of pride and one compelling desire to make a name for themselves. The only thing missing was the approval of God.

God's response (vv. 5-9). "Whom the gods would destroy," wrote historian Charles Beard, "they first make drunk with power." From Babel to Belshazzar (Dan. 5), and from Herod (Acts 12:20-25) to Hitler, God has demonstrated repeatedly that it doesn't pay to rebel against His will. "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall" (Prov. 16:18, nkjv), and Jesus warned that those who exalt themselves will be abased (Matt. 23:12).

God in heaven is never perplexed or paralyzed by what people do on earth. Babel's conceited "Let's go up!" was answered by heaven's calm "Let's go down!" "He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; the Lord shall hold them in derision" (Ps. 2:4, nkjv). Of course, God doesn't have to investigate to know what's going on in His universe; the language is used only to dramatize God's intervention.

As with Adam and Eve in the Garden (Gen. 3:22-24), God's judgment at Babel not only dealt with the immediate sins but also helped to prevent future problems. The unity of mankind would only give people a false sense of power that would lead them into even greater rebellion against God. By confusing their language and scattering them over all the earth, God graciously spared their lives and gave them opportunity to return to Him. He could have destroyed the builders, their city, and their tower; but He chose to let them live.

The word "babel" sounds like the Hebrew word balal which means "confusion." Because of God's judgment, the "gate of the gods" became the "the door to confusion." Instead of making a name for themselves, God gave the project a new name! In His church, "God is not the author of confusion" (1 Cor. 14:33); but in the world, God sometimes uses confusion to humble people and keep them from uniting against His will.

The word "Shem" means "name" in Hebrew; and Abraham, a descendant of Shem, was promised that God would make his name great (Gen. 12:2). The people of the world depend on their own wisdom and efforts, and yet they fail to achieve lasting fame. Who knows the name of anybody who worked on the famous Tower of Babel? Yet the name of Abraham is known around the world and revered by Jews, Muslims, and Christians. There's a vast difference between mankind's "We will make our name great!" and God's "I will make your name great!"

The Book of Genesis emphasizes names; and in this book, God changes several names. For example, Abram becomes Abraham, Sarai becomes Sarah, Esau becomes Edom, Jacob becomes Israel, and so on. What God calls a thing is far more important than what we call it. When He was creating the world, God gave names to things; and He even asked Adam to name the animals. The word "babel" would convey "gates of the gods" to very few people today; most of them would think "confusion."

Our reply. The story of Babel isn't just a part of ancient history, because Babel and Babylon present a spiritual challenge to every believer today.

Babylon eventually became a great city and a great empire. In 606-586 B.C., the Babylonian armies attacked and captured the kingdom of Judah, burned the temple and the city of Jerusalem, and took thousands of Jews captive to Babylon for seventy years. God used the cruel and idolatrous Babylonians to chasten His own disobedient people.

But in Scripture, Babylon symbolizes worldly pride, moral corruption, and defiance against God. The biblical contrast is between the earthly city of Babylon that rebels against God, and the heavenly city of Jerusalem that brings glory to God. You will want to read Jeremiah 50-51 and Revelation 17-19 to appreciate the contrasts between these two cities. Babylon represents the world system that opposes God, hates Jesus Christ, and appeals to the baser appetites of human nature. Babylon is the opposite of the heavenly Jerusalem which is the city of the saints (Heb. 12:18ff).

In the original Babel, the people wanted to build a tower that reached up to heaven; but in the Babylon of Revelation 17-18, Babylon's sins reach up to heaven (18:5). The original worldwide unity that Nimrod desired for the Genesis Babylon will one day be achieved by Satan's godless world system (vv. 3, 9, 11, 23). Earthly Babylon is called a prostitute, while the holy city from heaven is called bride of Christ (17:1; 21:9ff).

"Every generation builds its own towers," writes psychotherapist Naomi H. Rosenblatt, and she is right. Whether these are actual skyscrapers (the Sears Tower and Tribune Tower in Chicago, the Eiffel Tower in Paris, the Trump Tower in New York City), or mega-corporations that circle the globe, the idea is the same: "We will make a name for ourselves." God's people can't escape being in the world, because it's in the world that we have our ministry; but we must avoid being of the world. We're not here to build the arrogant towers of men; we're here to help build the church of Jesus Christ.

What humanity can't achieve by means of its "proud towers," Jesus Christ has achieved by dying on a humiliating cross. All who trust Jesus Christ are one in Him (Gal. 3:27) and will share heaven together, regardless of race, nation, language, or tribe (Rev. 7:9). While the world system is outwardly producing uniformity, inwardly it's tearing things apart. What social scientists are now calling "technopoly" is controlling people's lives.

But the Holy Spirit is using the church as an agent of reconciliation to bring things together in Jesus Christ (Eph. 1:10; 2 Cor. 5:14-21). In one sense, Pentecost was a reversal of Babel, for the people present in Jerusalem at Pentecost heard the praises of God in their own languages (Acts 2:1-12). The day will come when people from every tribe and nation will worship Jesus Christ (Rev. 15:4) and the judgment of Babel will be done away (Zeph. 3:9).

Each person must make a choice. Will we identify with. Babylon or Jerusalem, the worldly prostitute or the heavenly bride?

Bible Exposition Commentary - Old Testament - The Bible Exposition Commentary – Pentateuch.

A New Beginning

Genesis 11:27-12:9

"If the other planets are inhabited," quipped George Bernard Shaw, "then they must be using the earth for their insane asylum." We may chuckle at that statement, but it reminds us of a sad fact: The world is in a mess, and it does not seem to be getting any better. What is wrong?

It all goes back to events recorded in the Book of Genesis. Except for the account in chapters 1 and 2, the first eleven chapters of Genesis record one failure of man after another, failures that are being repeated today. The first man and woman disobeyed God and were cast out of the Garden (chap. 3). Cain murdered his brother Abel and lied about it (chap. 4). Humanity became so corrupt that God cleansed the earth with a flood (chaps. 6-8). Noah got drunk and exposed himself to his son Ham (chap. 9). In their defiance of God, men built a city and a tower; and God had to send confusion to end the rebellion (chap. 10).

Disobedience, murder, deception, drunkenness, nudity, and rebellion sound pretty up-to-date, don't they? If you were God, what would you do with these sinners, men and women you had created in your own image?. "I'd probably destroy them!" you might reply; but that's not what God did. Instead, God called a man and his wife to leave their home and go to a new land, so that He might give humanity a new beginning. Because of God's call and their obedient faith, Abraham and Sarah ultimately gave to the world the Jewish nation, the Bible, and the Savior. Where would we be today if Abraham and Sarah had not trusted God?

Consider the elements involved in their experience.

A call (Gen. 12:1a)

When God called. Salvation comes because God calls in grace and sinners respond by faith (Eph. 2:8-9; 2 Thes. 2:13-14). God called Abraham out of idolatry (Josh. 24:2), when he was in Ur of the Chaldees (Gen. 11:28, 31; 15:7; Neh. 9:7), a city devoted to Nannar, the moon-god. Abraham did not know the true God, and had done nothing to deserve knowing Him, but God graciously called him. "Ye have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you" (John 15:16).

Abraham was 75 years old when God called him, so age doesn't need to be an obstacle to faith. He trusted God for 100 years (Gen. 25:7); and from his experience, we today can learn how to walk by faith and live to please the Lord.

Abraham was married to Sarah, his half sister (20:12), and they were childless. Yet God used them to found a great nation! "I called him [Abraham] alone, and blessed him, and increased him" (Isa. 51:2). Why would God call such an unlikely couple for such an important task? Paul gives you the answer in 1 Corinthians 1:26-31.

God called Abraham after the Gentiles had failed and turned away from the true and living God. That process of devolution is described in Romans 1:18-32. Man originally knew the true God, but he would not glorify Him or give thanks to Him for His gracious provision. Man substituted idols for the true and living God. Idolatry led to immorality and indecency; and before long, the Gentile world was so corrupt that God had to give it up (vv. 24, 26, 28). Then He called Abraham, the first Jew, and made a new beginning.

How God called. "The God of glory appeared unto our father, Abraham" (Acts 7:2). How God appeared to Abraham, we are not told; but it was the first of seven communications to Abraham recorded in Genesis. The revelation of God's glory would have shown Abraham the vanity and folly of the idol worship in Ur. Who wants to worship a dead idol when he has met the living God! First Thessalonians 1:9-10 and 2 Corinthians 4:6 describe this salvation experience.

But God also spoke to Abraham (Gen. 12:1-3), and the Word brought about the miracle of faith. "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God" (Rom. 10:17). It was a call to separate himself from the corruption around him, and Abraham obeyed by faith (Heb. 11:8). True faith is based on the Word of God and leads to obedience. God could not bless and use Abraham and Sarah unless they were in the place of His appointment (2 Cor. 6:14-7:1).

Lost sinners today are not likely to receive a special revelation of God's glory as did Abraham and Sarah. But they can see His glory in the lives of His people (Matt. 5:16) and hear His Word of faith when they share their witness. God spoke to Abraham directly, but today we hear the truth of salvation through the witness of His people (Acts 1:8).

Why God called. There are at least three reasons why God called Abraham and Sarah. In His love, God was concerned about their salvation; so He revealed His glory and shared His gracious promises. But even beyond their personal salvation was God's purpose in blessing the whole world. This was accomplished when God sent His Son into the world through the Jewish nation. Christ died for the sins of the world (1 John 2:2; 4:14) and wants His church to tell the good news to the whole world (Mark 16:15).

But there is a third reason: The life of Abraham is an example for all Christians who want to walk by faith. Abraham was saved by faith (Gen. 15:6; Rom. 4:1-5; Gal. 3:6-14) and lived by faith (Heb. 11:8-19), and his obedience was the evidence of his faith (James 2:14-26). Abraham obeyed when he did not know where (Heb. 11:8-10), how (vv. 11-12), when (vv. 13-16), or why (vv. 17-19); and so should we.

Abraham and Sarah were not perfect, but their walk was generally characterized by faith and faithfulness. When they sinned, they suffered for it; and the Lord was always ready to forgive when they repented. "The victorious Christian life," said George Morrison, "is a series of new beginnings."As you study the life of Abraham and Sarah, you will learn what faith is and how to walk by faith. You will discover that, when you trust the Lord, no test is impossible and no failure is permanent.

A covenant (Gen. 12:1-3)

Faith is not based on feeling, though the emotions are certainly involved (Heb. 11:7). True faith is based on the Word of God (Rom. 10:17). God spoke to Abraham and told him what He would do for him and through him if he would trust and obey. "Great lives are trained by great promises," wrote Joseph Parker; and this was certainly true of Abraham and Sarah. God's covenant gave them the faith and strength they needed for their lifelong pilgrim journey.

We are not saved by making promises to God; we are saved by believing God's promises to us. It was God who graciously gave His covenant to Abraham and he responded with faith and obedience (Heb. 11:8-10). How you respond to God's promises determines what God will do in your life.

The Bible records God's many covenants, beginning with the promise of the Redeemer in Genesis 3:15 and climaxing with the New Covenant through the blood of Jesus Christ (Luke 22:20; Heb. 8). The Hebrew word translated "covenant" has several meanings: (1) to eat with, which suggests fellowship and agreement; (2) to bind or fetter, which means commitment; and (3) to allot, which suggests sharing. When God makes a covenant, He enters into an agreement to commit Himself to give what He promises. It is purely an act of grace.

God did not give Abraham reasons or explanations; He simply gave him promises: "I will show thee... I will make of thee... I will bless thee...I will bless them that bless thee" (Gen. 12:1-2). God promised to show him a land, make him into a great nation, and use that nation to bless the whole world. God blesses us that we might be a blessing to others, and His great concern is that the whole world might be blessed. The missionary mandate of the church does not begin with John 3:16 or Matthew 28:18-20. It begins with God's covenant with Abraham. We are blessed that we might be a blessing.

Notice the contrast between Genesis 11:1-9 and 12:1-3. At Babel, men said, "Let us!" but to Abraham, God said, "I will." At Babel, men wanted to make a name for themselves; but it was God who made Abraham's name great. At Babel, the workers tried to unite men, only to divide them; but through Abraham, a whole world has been blessed, and all believers are united in Jesus Christ. Of course, Pentecost (Acts 2) is the "reversal" of Babel; but Pentecost could not have occurred apart from God's covenant with Abraham (Gal. 3:14).

It must have seemed incredible to Abraham and Sarah that God would bless the whole world through an elderly childless couple, but that is just what He did. From them came the nation of Israel, and from Israel came the Bible and the Savior. God reaffirmed this covenant with Isaac (Gen. 26:4) and Jacob (28:14) and fulfilled it in Christ (Acts 3:25-26). In later years, God amplified the various elements of this covenant; but He gave Abraham and Sarah sufficient truth for them to believe Him and set out by faith.

A compromise (Gen. 11:27-32; 12:4)

First steps of faith are not always giant steps, which explains why Abraham did not fully obey God. Instead of leaving his family, as he was commanded, Abraham took his father and his nephew Lot with him when he left Ur; and then he stayed at Haran until his father died.

Whatever you bring with you from the old life into the new is likely to create problems. Terah, Abraham's father, kept Abraham from fully obeying the Lord; and Lot created serious problems for Abraham until they finally had to agree to part. Abraham and Sarah brought a sinful agreement with them from Ur (20:13), and it got them into trouble twice (12:10-20; 20:1-18).

The life of faith demands total separation from what is evil and total devotion to what is holy (2 Cor. 6:14-7:1). As you study the life of Abraham, you will discover that he was often tempted to compromise; and occasionally he yielded. God tests us in order to build our faith and bring out the best in us, but the devil tempts us in order to destroy our faith and bring out the worst in us.

When you walk by faith, you lean on God alone: His Word, His character, His will, and His power. You don't isolate yourself from your family and friends, but you no longer consider them your first love or your first obligation (Luke 14:25-27). Your love for God is so strong that it makes family love look like hatred in comparison! God calls us "alone" (Isa. 51:1-2), and we must not compromise.

A commitment (Gen. 12:4-9)

The seventeenth-century Puritan preacher, Thomas Fuller, said that all mankind was divided into three classes: the intenders, the endeavorers, and the performers. Terah may have been an intender, but he never made it into the land of promise. Lot was an endeavor-er up to a point, but he failed miserably because he could not walk by faith. Abraham and Sarah were the performers because they trusted God to perform what He promised (Rom. 4:18-21). They committed their lives and futures to God, obeyed what He commanded, and received all that God planned for them. Faith brings us out (vv. 4-5). It may have been a son's love for his aged father that made Abraham delay (Luke 9:59-62), but the day finally came when he and Sarah had to leave Haran and go to the land God chose for them. Faith and a double mind never go together (James 1:6-8), and you cannot serve two masters (Matt. 6:24). Faith demands commitment.

I sometimes get the impression that commitment is a vanishing commodity in today's world. Many people don't want to be committed to their jobs, their marriage vows, or to one another. "I'm going to do my thing my way!" is the essence of today's philosophy, and this attitude has invaded the church. Many believers will not commit themselves to ministering in one church but move from church to church when pastors and music programs change. "Temporary" is a key word today: temporary Sunday School teachers and youth sponsors, temporary choir members, temporary church members, and even temporary pastors.

"It is a day of fading declarations," said Vance Havner. "Church covenants are found in the backs of hymn books, but they have faded in the lives of most of our members—if they ever meant anything. Declarations of personal dedication grow dim, and need to be renewed. It is a day of faded declarations!"

Where would we be today if Abraham and Sarah had not committed themselves to obey the Lord by faith? Where would we be if previous generations of Christians had not given themselves fully to the Lord? We who come along later must not take for granted the things that previous generations paid a great price to attain. May the next generation look back at us and say, "They were faithful!"

Faith brings us in (vv. 12:6-8). God brings us out that He might bring us in (Deut. 6:23). We know nothing about their long journey from Haran to Canaan, because it was the destination that was important. Centuries later, God would give that land to Abraham's descendants; but when Abraham and Sarah arrived, they were "strangers and pilgrims" in the midst of a pagan society (Heb. 11:13).

In spite of what the folk songs say, entering Canaan is not a picture of dying and going to heaven. It is a picture of the believer claiming his or her inheritance by faith. God has appointed a "Canaan" for each of His children (Eph. 2:10), and it is obtained only by faith. Claiming your inheritance involves tests and temptations, challenges and battles, but God is able to see you through (Phil. 1:6).

Obedience leads to new assurance and new promises from God (Gen. 12:7; John 7:17). What comfort it must have brought when Abraham and Sarah had this fresh revelation of God as they arrived in a strange and dangerous land. When you walk by faith, you know that God is with you and you don't need to be afraid (Heb. 13:5-6; Acts 18:9-10; 2 Tim. 4:17). God will work out His purposes and accomplish in and through you all that is in His heart.

Most of us are not commanded to pull up stakes and go to a strange country, but the challenges to our faith are just as real. Sometimes there are serious problems in the home, on the job, or in the church; and we wonder why God has permitted these things to happen. If you are to claim your spiritual inheritance in Christ, you must display faith in God's Word and obedience to God's will.

Wherever Abraham went in the land of Canaan, he was marked by his tent and his altar (Gen. 12:7-8; 13:3-4,18). The tent marked him as a "stranger and pilgrim" who did not belong to this world (Heb. 11:9-16; 1 Peter 2:11), and the altar marked him as a citizen of heaven who worshiped the true and living God. He gave witness to all that he was separated from this world (the tent) and devoted to the Lord (the altar). Whenever Abraham abandoned his tent and his altar, he got into trouble.

Abraham pitched his tent with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east (Gen. 12:8). Bible names sometimes have significant meanings, though we must not press them too far. Bethel means "the house of God" (28:19), and Ai means "ruin." Figuratively speaking, Abraham and Sarah were walking in the light, from east to west, from the city of ruin to the house of God! This world system is in ruins, but true believers have turned their backs on this world and have set their faces toward God's heavenly home. "The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day" (Prov. 4:18, niv).

Faith brings us on (v. 9). The life of faith must never stand still; for if your feet are going, your faith is growing. Note the verbs used to describe Abraham's life: he departed (12:4), went forth (12:5), passed through (12:6), removed (12:8) and journeyed (12:9). God kept Abraham moving so that he would meet new challenges and be forced to trust God for new "grace to help in time of need" (Heb. 4:16). Comfortable Christianity is opposite the life of faith, for "pilgrims and strangers" must face new circumstances if they are to gain new insights about themselves and their Lord. "Let us press on to maturity" is the challenge (6:1, nasb).

How did Abraham know where to go and what to do? He "called upon the name of the Lord" (Gen. 12:8). He prayed to the Lord, and the Lord helped him. Abraham's pagan neighbors saw that he had an altar but no idols. He had no "sacred places" but built his altar to God wherever he pitched his tent. You could trace Abraham's steps by the altars he left behind. He was not ashamed to worship God openly while his heathen neighbors watched him.

In the pilgrim life, you must go "from faith to faith" (Rom. 1:17) if you would go "from strength to strength" (Ps. 84:7). G.A. Studdert Kennedy said, "Faith is not believing in spite of evidence; it is obeying in spite of consequence." "By faith Abraham...obeyed" (Heb. 11:8). Faith without obedience is dead (James 2:14-26), and action without faith is sin (Rom. 14:23). God has wedded faith and obedience like the two sides of a coin; they go together.

This does not mean that sinners are saved by faith plus works, because Scripture declares that sinners are saved by faith alone (John 3:16-18; Eph. 2:8-9). Dr. H.A. Ironside, longtime pastor of Chicago's Moody Church, was told by a lady that she expected to get to heaven by faith plus her good works. "It's like rowing a boat," she explained. "It takes two oars to row a boat; otherwise you go around in a circle." Dr. Ironside replied, "That's a good illustration except for one thing: I'm not going to heaven in a rowboat!"

The faith that saves is the faith that proves itself in good works (Eph. 2:8-10; Titus 2:14; 3:8, 14). Abraham was saved by faith (Heb. 11:8; Gen. 15:6; Rom. 4:1-5), but his faith was made evident by his obedience (James 2:21-24).

Abraham is now in the place of God's appointment, doing what God told him to do. But this is not the end—it is the beginning! Even in the place of obedience you will face tests and trials, for that is how faith grows. But the same Lord who brought you out, brought you in, and brought you on in your pilgrim journey will also bring you through if you follow Him by faith.

Bible Exposition Commentary - Old Testament - The Bible Exposition Commentary – Pentateuch.

Famines, Flocks, and Fights

Genesis 12:10-13:18

"Life can be difficult," wrote Amy Carmichael, missionary to India. "Sometimes the enemy comes in like a flood. But then is the time to prove our faith and live our songs" (Candles in the Dark, p. 51).

A faith that can't be tested can't be trusted. Peter compared the Christian's trials to the testing of gold in the furnace (1 Peter 1:7), and the patriarch Job used the same image: "But He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold" (Job 23:10, nkjv). God's purpose in allowing trials is not only to verify our faith but also to purify it and remove the dross. God knows what kind of faith we have, but we don't know; and the only way to advance in the "school of faith" is to take examinations. Lake Abraham, as you progress in the "school of faith," you will face three special tests: circumstances (Gen. 12:10), people (12:11-13:4), and things (13:5-18).

Circumstances (Gen. 12:10)

In leaving his family and traveling to an unknown land, Abraham took a great step of faith. After he arrived, he saw God a second time and heard His word of promise. Abraham and Sarah probably expected to settle down and enjoy their new home, but God would not let them. Instead, God permitted a famine to come to the land. There is no record that Abraham ever faced a famine in Ur or Haran; but now that he was in God's land, he had to find food for a large company of people, plus flocks and herds (see 14:14).

Why did God allow the famine? To teach Abraham and Sarah a basic lesson in the "school of faith," a lesson you must also learn: Tests often follow triumphs. This principle is illustrated in the history of Israel. No sooner had the nation been delivered from Egypt than the Egyptian army chased them and cornered them at the Red Sea (Ex. 12-15). Triumph was followed by testing. God brought them through, but then they faced another test: no water (15:22-27). After that came hunger (Ex. 16) and an attack from the Amalekites (Ex. 17). Tests follow triumphs.

"I thought that getting saved was the end of all my troubles," a young believer said to me. "But now I know that faith in Christ has given me a whole new set of problems! But now there are two differences," he added with a smile. "I don't face them alone, because the Lord is with me; and I know He allows them for my good and His glory."

One of the enemies of the life of faith is pride. When you win a victory, you may feel overconfident and start telling yourself that you can defeat any enemy at any time. You start depending on your past experience and your growing knowledge of the Word, instead of depending wholly on the Lord. This explains why the promise of 1 Corinthians 10:13 is preceded by the warning of verse 12: 'Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall" (nkjv). God did not want Abraham to become proud and self-confident, so He put him and his faith into the furnace of testing.

After you have won a great victory of faith, expect the enemy to attack you or the Lord to test you, or both. This is the only way you can grow in your faith. God uses the tough circumstances of life to build the muscles of your faith and keep you from trusting something other than His Word. Don't try to run away from the problem. It won't work.

Instead of remaining in the land and trusting the Lord to help him, Abraham went "down into Egypt" (Gen. 12:10). In the Bible, Egypt is a symbol of the world system and its bondage, while the land of Israel is a picture of the inheritance of blessing God has for you (Deut. 11:10-12). When people went to Jerusalem, they went up; but when they went to Egypt, they went down. Spiritually speaking, "going down to Egypt" means doubting God's promises and running to the world for help. (See Num. 11; 14; Isa. 30:1-2; 31:1; and Jer. 42:13ff.)

When circumstances become difficult and you are in the furnace of testing, remain where God has put you until He tells you to move. Faith moves in the direction of peace and hope, but unbelief moves in the direction of restlessness and fear. "He that believeth shall not make haste" (Isa. 28:16). In times of testing, the important question is not, "How can I get out of this?" but, "What can I get out of this?" (See James 1:1-12.) God is at work to build your faith.

God alone is in control of circumstances. You are safer in a famine in His will than in a palace out of His will. It has well been said, "The will of God will never lead you where the grace of God cannot keep you." Abraham failed the test of circumstances and turned from the will of God.

People (Gen. 12:11-13:4)

Once in Egypt, Abraham faced a new set of problems; for if you run away from one test, you will soon face another. Once you enroll in "the school of faith," you are not allowed to "drop out" just because of one failure. God has purposes to fulfill in you and through you, and He will do all that is necessary to make you succeed (Ps. 138:8; Phil. 1:6).

In Canaan, all Abraham had to deal with was a famine; but in Egypt, he had to get along with a proud ruler and his officers. Pharaoh was looked on as a god, but he was not a god like Abraham's God, loving and generous and faithful. Abraham soon discovered that he had been better off dealing with the circumstances in Canaan than with the people in Egypt. Notice the changes that took place in Abraham's life because he went down to Egypt.

To begin with, Abraham moved from trusting to scheming. Abraham had no altar in Egypt, and you don't find him calling on the Lord for guidance and help. When I was ministering in Youth for Christ International, my friend and fellow worker Pete Quist often reminded us, "Faith is living without scheming." When you stop trusting God's Word, you start leaning on man's wisdom; and this leads to trouble (Prov. 3:5-6; 1 Cor. 3:18-20). Abraham and Sarah brought this "half-truth" with them from Ur (Gen. 20:13), used it in Egypt and Gerar (Gen. 20), and then their son Isaac adopted it (Gen. 26). When you find yourself scheming in order to escape problems with people, beware; worse trouble is coming!

He also moved from confidence to fear. When you are in the place of God's choosing, you don't ever need to be afraid; for faith and fear cannot dwell in the same heart (Isa. 12:2; Mark 4:40). The fear of God is the fear that conquers every fear (Ps. 112; Isa. 8:13); but "the fear of man brings a snare" (Prov. 29:25, nkjv). God had repeatedly said "I will" to Abraham, but now Abraham was saying "They will" (Gen. 12:12, italics added). He took his eyes off the Lord and started looking at people.

A third change took place: He moved from "others" to self. He lied so that it might "be well with me for thy [Sarah's] sake" (v. 13). As the husband, Abraham should have thought first of his wife and not of himself (1 Peter 3:7; Eph. 5:25, 28-29). In fact, he should never have taken his wife there in the first place! A husband out of the will of God can bring untold trouble to his wife and family.

This leads to a fourth change: He moved from bringing blessing to bringing judgment. God called Abraham to be a blessing to the nations (Gen. 12:1-3); but because of Abraham's disobedience, judgment fell on Pharaoh and his household (v. 17). This also happened years later in Gerar (Gen. 20). If you want to be a blessing to others, then stay in the will of God. Jonah ran from God's will and caused a storm that almost sank the ship. Like Jonah, Abraham lost his testimony before unbelievers and had to face embarrassment and rebuke.

God graciously watched over His servant and brought him out of a difficult situation. If Sarah had become one of Pharaoh's wives, what would have happened to the promise of the Redeemer? When we don't let God rule, He overrules and accomplishes His purposes; but we pay dearly for our disobedience.

Abraham learned his lesson, repented, and "went up" out of Egypt (13:1). When you disobey the will of God, the only right thing to do is to go back to the place where you left Him and make a new beginning (1 John 1:9). No failure is permanent in "the school of faith." Abraham went back to his tent and altar and the life of a "pilgrim and stranger."

A casual observer of this episode might conclude, "What happened to Abraham wasn't all bad. Pharaoh gave Abraham a lot of wealth (Gen. 12:16; 13:2), and Sarah was given her own maid, Hagar (16:1). God forgave Abraham's sin, and he started over again. So, what's the big problem?"

The "big problem" is that everything Abraham received in Egypt later caused trouble. Because of their great wealth, Abraham and Lot could not live together and had to separate (13:5-6). Hagar, the Egyptian maidservant, brought division and sorrow into the home (Gen. 16). Having had a taste of Egypt (the world), Lot started measuring everything by what he saw there (13:10-11); and this led to his downfall and the ruin of his family. There are no benefits from disobedience.

The practical lesson from all of this is simply never abandon your altar. Stay in fellowship with the Lord no matter what the circumstances may be. If you have disobeyed and God is disciplining you, go back to the place where you left Him and make things right.

Remember: "The victorious Christian life is a series of new beginnings." That is not an excuse for sin, but it is an encouragement for repentance.

Bible Exposition Commentary - Old Testament - The Bible Exposition Commentary – Pentateuch.