The Gospel According to Moses - Genesis Lesson 42 Gen. 20:1-18 LIE AND SAY YOU ARE MY SISTER!

Abraham and Sarah now travel to the area of Gerar in southwestern Israel.  You can see where this is in the map below.  It is probably named this after the wadi Gerar that flows east into the sea.  It is a wadi, a dry river bed in that it only has water during the rainy season in Israel.  This would be roughly November through March.

 

We immediately encounter some issues.  One is the king Abimelech.  Is he a Philistine?  It is an interesting question with no complete final answer.  Consider …

 Gen_26:1. Philistines in Palestine. Large numbers of Philistines entered Canaan after the invasion of the Sea Peoples (1200 B.C.) broke Egyptian control over the area. In this context they are mentioned in the records of Ramses III (1182-1151 B.C.). They established a pentapolis of five major city-states (Gaza, Gath, Ashdod, Ekron, Ashkelon) along the southern coastal plain and quickly gained political control over nearby regions as well (Jdg_15:11). Their mention in Genesis may reflect an earlier group that settled in Canaan prior to 1200 B.C., or it may be an anachronism based on their presence in the Gerar region in later periods (see Gen_21:32), earlier people of the vicinity being referred to by the name known to later readers. Archaeological evidence of their presence is found in the introduction of new pottery types, grave goods (such as the sarcophagi with human features) and new architectural designs. (The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament. Copyright © 2000 by John H. Walton, Victor H. Matthews and Mark W. Chavalas).

However, that’s not the only question.  Sarah was 90 when she gives birth to Isaac and she dies when she is 127.  This means Isaac is 37 years old or more when he marries Rebekah.  In Gen. 26:1 Isaac encounters Abimelech.  Is this the same guy his dad encountered in Gen. 20:1?  It is nearly 40 years later.  Consider …

... and Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines, unto Gerar; where his father Abraham had sojourned before he was born; and therefore the present king of this place can scarce be thought to be the same Abimelech that was king of it in Abraham's time; but it is highly probable that this Abimelech was the son of the former king, and that this was a common name to the kings of Gerar or the Philistines, as Pharaoh was to the kings of Egypt. Isaac came to this place from Lahairoi, where he had dwelt many years, see Gen_24:62; which was at or near Beersheba, and was about eight miles from Gerar. (“John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible.” Dr. John Gill (1690-1771)

We will explore this further in the lesson. 

Once again we are confronted with a critical theological question.  The question is can one lie to save a life or to prevent something bad or evil or not?  In the Ten Commandments we say God commanded us not to lie.  Sorry.  He never said that in the Ten Commandments. He said ...

 לא תענה ברעך עד שׁקר

Lo Ta'ahneh VayReckaka Ed Shaker

Not Testify to Your Neighbor Falsely

This is legal stuff meaning in court or in any legal proceeding you are not to testify with false statements against your neighbor.  This a commandment as related to legal proceedings.  (See the "Jerusalem Publication Society Torah Commentary Exodus," by Nahum Sarna, 1991).  The actual commandment of God not to lie is found in Lev. 19:11 - "You shall not steal, nor deal falsely, nor lie to one another."  So, we need to revise things gang!  We need 11 commandments to cover all the bases!  

So, do not lie.  Some teach that no matter what you must not lie.  In a TV program there were three religious men, an orthodox rabbi, a protestant pastor and the priest.  The moderator, Dennis Prager, set up a situation to have the rabbi and pastor and priest comment on.  The situation was that a woman was being chased by a sadistic rapist in a lonely park.  She runs past you and asks you to help her.  She hides and thus you have a choice when the evil rapist finally reaches you.  You can lie and not tell him where she is hiding or you can not lie and thus put her in danger and perhaps serious injury and death.  The pastor and priest said you can not lie and must tell the truth.  They said you can tell the truth in such a way that perhaps will not give up her hiding place.  The rabbi, however, said he'd lie through his teeth to save her and protect this innocent women.  ("Torah Commentary Exodus," MP3 file, Dennis Prager, Part 14 of 57.  This is part of Dennis Prager's teaching series on the Torah available at the website store at https://pragerstore.com/product-category/the-torah/complete-torah).  

So, we see a dilemma.  What would you do?  We are not to lie according to the opinion of Christian theologians.  Godly rabbis see it quite differently.  But, in this lesson we find that Abraham lies.  Sarah lies.  And yet God does not discipline them.  Moreover Abraham and Sarah do it twice! Then later Isaac and Rebecca.  They are not punished.  God nevers say BOO to them. What's going on?  Who is right?  The rabbi says he'd lie to save her.  The Christians say no, we can't lie.  God is silent when Abraham and Isaac lie through their teeth.  On top of that in Jesus' day the rabbis said that ALL LAWS in the Torah do not need to be kept in order to save a life.  Consider ...

Pikuach nefesh (Hebrew: פקוח נפש‎ 'watching over a soul') is the principle in Jewish law that the preservation of human life overrides virtually any other religious rule. When the life of a specific person is in danger, almost any negative commandment of the Torah becomes inapplicable. (See ... www.myjewishlearning.com/article/pikuach-nefesh-the-overriding-jewish-value-of-human-life/)

What would you do?

Rev. Ferret - who is this guy?  What's his background?  Why should I listen to him?  Check his background at this link - click here for the teacher's background