Pastor John,
I was listening to Genesis 20 tonight, and it struck me what it really means when God instructs Abimelech to submit to Abraham and he “will pray for you so that you will live.”
The back story, in Genesis 20:2-7, is that Abimelech had taken (but not touched) Abraham’s wife, Sarah, but he had taken her only because Abraham lied to King Abimelech about the nature of his and Sarah’s relationship. Abraham had told the king that Sarah was his sister, not his wife, and Sarah told the king the same, at Abraham’s request. Everything about that situation, as it is described in the bible, says that Abraham was in the wrong. Yet, God required King Abimelech to submit to Abraham for the preservation of his very life.
I then considered suffering Job and all his mockers, and how God scolded Job near the end of the story, challenging Job to defend himself for voicing a complaint as an insignificant human. God put Job through the ringer, so to speak, knocking him down flat. Then God told Job’s mockers to submit to Job, so that he might pray for them so THEY would live (excerpt below).
Job 42
- And it came to pass, after Jehovah spoke these words to Job, that Jehovah said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “My wrath is kindled against you and your two friends, for you have not spoken what is right about me, as my servant Job has.
- So, take now for yourselves seven bulls and seven rams, and you go to my servant Job, and offer them as a burnt offering for yourselves, and then Job, my servant, will intercede for you, for his face will I accept. Otherwise, I will deal with your folly, for you have not spoken what is right about me, as my servant Job has.”
I then considered the Apostle Paul and how he murdered the saints of God in his zeal to rid the world of followers of Jesus. But after Jesus touched Paul, God required all creation to submit to Paul’s gospel or spend eternity in the Lake of Fire mentioned in Revelation 20:14–15.
I then considered our own brother Paul, who, after God wiped his slate spotless, you asked to sit in the middle of the room so that anyone feeling they still had a concern with Paul could take it to Paul, and that “he and Jesus will help you with it.” You then laughed and said, “That is just like God!”
What that means is whoever God has forgiven is sinless. Whoever God has cleansed is spotless. Whoever God has justified is perfect. It means God’s majesty and glory make all things (all people) new, no matter what they have done in the past. It means the washing away of sins that happens at one’s New Birth is the most glorious and important thing happening on earth when it comes. It means when God shows up to restore a soul who has gotten off the path, that THAT is just as glorious as the new birth. It means God is everything and that his touch makes all the difference, and it is all that we need, no matter the situation. My, that is good!
What a glorious meeting in Jesus yesterday.
Jerry
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