It's your fault!

From Genesis 12 - 16:

1. It is interesting that God promised Abram to bless him, and yet he was afraid of Egypt and the Pharaoh to the point that he was willing to lie about his relationship with Sarai.

2. I wonder what kind of diseases Pharaoh experienced as a result of taking Sarai into his palace? And how did he find out that Abram had lied about the relationship of Sarai to him?

3. Sarai must have been extremely beautiful, because the officials noticed Sarai and recommended her to Pharaoh.

4. Lot selected the more pleasing area, but it was full of sinful men. I hope that I select things based upon what God wants and not what looks pleasing to my eyes. (Looks can be deceiving.) It is interesting that Lot gets the chance to realize his mistake in choosing this area when the kings allied with Kedorlaomer take him and all of his stuff into captivity. Then Abram rescues him and his stuff! I am not sure why he did not see at that point that it was time to find another place to live.

5. It is really amazing that Abram and his 318 trained men were able to overcome the opposition when five kings could not do it. I am sure that this was due in part to the timing of the attack, because it was at night and the four kings were not expecting any attack at the time. However, I believe that the reason that the five could not overcome the four is because of the evil within their kingdoms, whereas Abram was living a righteous life before God.

6. In Genesis 15:16, it says that the sin of the Amorites had not yet reached its full measure, and that is why God did not give the land into Abram's control. (Read between the lines - There were likely still some followers of God in this nation at the time. Later God commands the Israelites to destroy them due to their sinfulness.)

7. It's your fault! In chapter 16, Sarai decides that she will not be able to have children, so she tells Abram to sleep with her maidservant to produce a child. Then when the maidservant gets pregnant and starts to despise her mistress, Sarai blames the consequences on Abram. "You are responsible for the wrong I am suffering..." I wonder how Abram felt. I can just hear the fight now. - "What??!! You were the one that told me to do this, and now its MY fault??!!! Whose idea was it anyways??!!" Abram was very wise in his response.

Reminds me of another time - "Adam, try this juicy, delicious fruit I picked for you. I think it tastes really good, and you should try a little. Never mind where I got it from."

I am very thankful that my wife is not this way.