TLDR: A guide for having a family discipleship time on Genesis 20 based on the ACT Bible Study Method.
Act 3: God Promises Jesus
Scene 8: Abraham and Abimelech
Genesis 20:1–18
Analyze the Passage
Step 1: Introduce the Passage
Genesis was written by Moses sometime between 1445–1405 BC to help the Israelites leaving Egypt understand their history with God. It’s one of the five books of the Law that Moses wrote, which we also call the Torah, or the Pentateuch, which means “five books.”
Today’s true story might sound familiar, because many of its details are. It shares much in common with Genesis 12:10–20, when Abraham and Sarah lived in Egypt for a time. This story is in Act 3: God Promises Jesus.
Step 2: Read the Passage
Step 3: Summarize the Passage
Abraham and Sarah went to live in Gerar. There, he said that Sarah was his sister, so Abimelech, the king of Gerar, took Sarah from him. God, though, gave Abimelech a dream saying he would die because he took someone’s wife. Abimelech asked why God would do that since Abraham said Sarah was his sister and Sarah had said the same. God told him that he knew that, which is why he wasn’t dead yet. Instead, if he gave Sarah back to Abraham, Abraham would pray for him and spare his life.
The next morning, he called for Abraham and asked why he had done this to him. Abraham responded that it was because he thought that no one feared God there and they would kill him and take Sarah. Furthermore, Abraham said she was his half-sister, so they hadn’t lied.
Abimelech gave Abraham Sarah back, along with possessions and silver. Abraham prayed to God, and God spared Abimelech and healed the people.
Step 4: Interrogate the Passage
Questions you and your family ask might include:
- Why did Abraham and Sarah go to Gerar?
- Why would God have killed Abimelech if he didn’t know Sarah was Abraham’s wife?
- Why did Abimelech give Abraham possessions and silver after he had been wronged by him?
Step 5: Wonder about the Passage
Wonder statements you and your family make might include:
- I wonder why people kept trying to take Sarah, even though she was older.
- I wonder what Abimelech’s dream was like.
- I wonder how Sarah felt about saying she was Abraham’s sister.
- I wonder what it was like for Sarah to be taken by someone like this.
Connect the Passage to Christ
Step 6: Find the World in Front of Text
This is another story where we see a mixture of what is wrong with God’s world and hints of what it’s supposed to be like. This one is interesting in that the roles seem to be reversed—the unbelieving king Abimelech shows us more of how things are supposed to be and the believing Abraham shows us more of how things aren’t supposed to be.
King Abimelech shows amazing hospitality to Abraham—before his dishonesty is exposed and even after. Abimelech, it seems, welcomes Abraham and Sarah to live in his land at first, and then after confronting Abraham, gives him possessions, silver, and allows him to live anywhere he’d like. We might expect him to have expelled Abraham. But he didn’t.
Meanwhile, Abraham once again seems to lack faith in God. God had promised him and Sarah that they would have a son within a year—that couldn’t happen if one or both of them were dead, or if Sarah were taken by another. While God’s promises don’t mean we can live recklessly, here, we see Abraham make the opposite mistake and not live with confidence. As such, Abraham shows us a lack of obedience.
Step 7: Find the World of Jesus of the Text
Abimelech’s hospitality reminds us of Jesus’. Jesus extended friendship to others, even when they were not the best of friends to him and even though their sins would lead him to the cross. He still does the same, pursuing friendship with us even though, at least at times, we aren’t the best of friends in return.
Abraham’s disobedience points to the obedience of Jesus. Jesus obeyed, not just at risk of his life, but knowing his obedience would surely cause his death, as dying on the cross was an act of obedience. Unlike Abraham and like Jesus, we are to live in obedience in big and small ways despite the risk—real or perceived.
Translate It to Your Context
Step 8: Connect the World of Jesus of the Text to Your World
How can you show someone hospitality this week? How can you treat someone with friendship, love, and kindness? Think about people who you know of or barely know, especially anyone who seems like he or she might need a friend. What will you do to be a friend to them?
How can you obey God this week, in big ways and small ways, so that people might see Jesus in you? Think about all the places you will be this week and what you will do. How can you obey God and people he has placed in authority with joy?
NEXT: Act 3: God Promises Jesus; Scene 9: Isaac Is Born (Genesis 21:1–21)
Learn more about this family discipleship method here.
brian dembowczyk 