Date | Version | Reading Plan |
---|---|---|
January 20, 2025 | ESV (2016) | OT/NT Plan 2025 – 2027 |
Genesis 20
Abraham relocated to Gerar and, as he sojourned there, said that Sarah was his sister. The king of Gerar, Abimelech, was oblivious to the fact that Sarah was Abraham’s wife who then sent and took her. These events replay closely to those of Gen. 12:10-17 in which Abram and Sarai sojourned in Egypt due to a famine in the land, claimed Sarai as his wife and her being taken by Pharaoh. The parallels continue in that while Gen. 12:17, God afflicted Pharaoh with great plagues because of Sarai, here in Gen. 20:3 God confronted Abimelech in a dream and told him that he was a dead man for taking a man’s wife. Abimelech defended himself to God, claiming innocence of taking Sarah wrongly. The LORD again came to Abimelech in a dream and confirmed that Abimelech had done this with integrity in his heart and that He had kept Abimelech from touching her. As the TGCBC points out, “This excludes the possibility that he might be the father of the son that Sarah will soon bear (21:1–2).”
Abimelech called Abraham and questioned him on his deception regarding Sarah. Abraham told Abimelech that it was because he perceived that there was no fear of God in the place and that he would be killed because of his wife. This again echoes Abraham’s fearful position in Gen. 12:13 that his life would be spared by claiming Sarai as his sister. To bring equitable resolution, Abimelech gave Abraham sheep, oxen and male servants, 1000 shekels of silver and allowed Abraham to settle in the land of Gerar. Abraham then prayed to God who healed Abimelech, his wife and female slaves. They were now able to have children whereas before the LORD had closed the wombs of the house of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham’s wife.
Key Takeaways and Application
As the TGCBC rightly notes, “Abraham’s actions strongly imply that he fails to trust God for protection.” It seems as though Abraham had not learned his lesson from the previous encounter with Pharaoh and the result played out much the same. Let it be for us to see the error of not placing our full trust in the LORD, to rest in His promises and align ourselves with His Word in obedience.
Matthew 20
Of the events depicted in the chapter, the encounter of the mother of Zebedee’s sons with Jesus seemed particularly worthy of reflection. The mother boldly asked Jesus that one of the sons be placed at His left and the other at His right in the kingdom. The ESVEC says that, “The question is foolish and selfish, yet it is born of faith. She asks for positions of honor in Jesus’ kingdom because she believes he is the king and will reign.” Jesus told her that she did not know what she was asking and asked in reply if they were able to drink the cup He was to drink. Confidently, they said, “We are able.”, to which Jesus said that they will drink of His cup but to sit at His right hand or left is not His to grant. Jesus makes clear that only the Father possesses this ability and that it will be to those for whom it has been prepared.
Key Takeaways and Application
It is important to see in this exchange that Jesus did not tell His disciples that He would withhold His cup from them, but rather confirmed that they would drink of it. The “cup” refers to suffering and, as the ESVEC says, “To share in Christ’s glory is to participate in his suffering.” To follow Christ is to both expect and embrace suffering to the degree that we should neither be surprised nor question God’s sovereignty in its occurrence. As our Lord Jesus was obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross—so we are called to take up our cross and follow Him into suffering as His ambassadors.