Genesis 12:10-13:4.

Abram (Abraham) has traveled from the North, middle and South of the land of Canaan. In the
north God told him that this is the land He will give to him. We saw Abram build altars as he went
from the North to the South. In vs9 he journeyed on towards the Negev. Later the people of Israel
and Jesus as well go through trials and testing in the desert. It is here as well for Abram that he
faces a trial. In vs10 we read there is a famine in the land.
A. Abraham journeys to Egypt
A. Famine = “famine, hunger, starvation. Life in the ancient Near East was unpredictable, and
people faced drought and famine with some regularity..”1 Facing a famine in the land of
Canaan, Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there.
B. Sojourn = "to sojourn," means "to stay for a while." The "stranger" (traditionally
"sojourner") is one who is a temporary resident, a visitor, one who is passing through.
Abram had no intention of settling down in Egypt or owning property. He was only there to
wait out the famine.2
C. Did he do wrong to go to Egypt for food? The next time there is a famine in the land, God
will tell Abram’s son Isaac ‘don’t go down to Egypt’ in Genesis 26. But Abram does not
have that word here. What does Abram have? He has his calling, God said, ‘go to the land
that I will show you’, that is, the land of canaan. Abram is traveling outside of his calling
here. He might not have a rule that he is breaking like Isaac if he goes, but, to go outside
of God’s calling de nitely cannot be called good or safe. It is asking for trouble.
A. There are many things in the world which the Bible does not call ‘sin’. So we cannot
condemn everything we don’t like. But that doesn’t mean that everything is good and
spiritually safe. We are called to follow Christ as Christians.
B. Paul said to his disciple Timothy “So ee youthful passions and pursue righteousness,
faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.”3
C. If we walk outside of our calling, if we pursue the passions of the world, do not be
surprised if you nd yourself spiritually weak and compromised. What does Abram do
when he gets close to Egypt looking for food? He acts deceitful.
B. Say you are my sister
A. In vs13 Abram asks his wife Sarai to tell the Egyptians she is his sister. It is a half-truth.
Sarai is Abram’s half sister. Yet even saying half of the truth can still be a deception. A
deception is not simply saying something false but includes the intention.
B. Why does he say this? He is fearful of being killed because of his wife’s beauty, and he
wants things to go well in Egypt for him.
C. It is good to take a moment consider this. This man of faith is full of fear. He has left the
place God called him to and to survive he has made a deception.
D. The fear of man has two parts. A fear of being hurt and rejected by others, but also, a
desire to be accepted and liked by others. To avoid rejection and to receive acception we
will say half truths, and do things we know are not good.
E. The majority of my students desire to be accepted to the point that they will not say the
truth if it might be uncomfortable to their friend. Yet this is not something only high
schoolers face. It happens in the work force and even in the gathered church. Are we living
in a deception to be accepted?
F. But what is our calling? To follow Christ, to pursue righteousness, love, faith, and peace.
Haven’t we forgotten about this? Surely this is not good. Surely it isn’t spiritually safe or
healthy. Surely this will lead to trouble.
C. And the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house.
A. House = The word "house" refers to the household in general, more speci cally to the
royal harem.4
B. Abram’s wife was praised to Pharaoh and he took her into his house, his royal harem.
Abram’s wife was to become Pharaoh’s. Pharaoh gave lots of animals and servants to
Abram because of Sarai. Abram was treated very well in Egypt.

1 Mounce’s Complete Expository Dictionary

2 NET Bible Translation Notes
3 2 Tim 2:22
4 NET Bible Translation Notes
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 C. Abram you are in trouble! Is this the position you wanted to be in? Treated well in Egypt
but at the cost of your wife?
D. Some people Abram was trying to protect his wife by saying she was his sister. If someone
was interested in Sarah they would need to negotiate with Abram rst. If that is true I
guess Abram couldn’t say no, or perhaps Pharaoh doesn’t listen to no.
E. When the serpent came temping Eve Adam didn’t protect his wife. Now Pharaoh has
captured Sarah and Abraham isn’t doing anything. He is receiving gifts.
F. Our deceptions lead to situations like this. Abram is between a rock and a hard place. If he
speaks like he should he might be killed. Yet how can he rescue his wife? Will he reveal
who he really is? Will he end the deception?
A. When we have messed up the rst step forward is confession. More deceptions, half-
truths, only make things more messed up and complication. We need to say the truth.
As Christians we are called to walk in the light.
D. The LORD a icted Pharaoh
A. Literally "he plagued with great plagues," meaning the Lord in icted numerous plagues,
probably diseases (see Exod 15:26). The adjective "great" emphasizes that the plagues
were severe and overwhelming.5
B. God is judging Pharaoh because he has taken Abram’s wife Sarai. This is the mercy of
God, breaking Abram’s deception and freeing Sarai from Pharaoh.
C. In the ancient world disease was often thought to come from sin and a gods displeasure.6
During the Corona-Virus pandemic I remember how we were all very careful about
traveling and visiting other people. I wonder if the ancient world was also careful with
visitors. Either way, Pharaoh understands that Abram has deceived him and returns Sarai
to him. He quickly sends him away with all that he has.
D. Why is God judging Pharaoh and helping Abram?
A. Abram’s deception does not deserve God’s help. God is keeping his promise to
Abram. In Gen 12:3 God said ‘I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors
you I will curse.’
B. God is faithful to His promise to take care of Abram. He judges those who mistreat him
and rescues his wife. At the same time, God has ended Abram’s deception. Everyone
knows what Abram did. This also is God’s mercy. God is bringing Abram to walk in the
light again.
C. If we are walking in a deception it will cause trouble. Perhaps we may need even God’s
help to get out of it. If you can end it now it may be better than if you wait for God to
end it. I don’t think Abram and Sarai will be welcome back into Egypt after this.
E. Why is this story in the Bible?
A. In this story we have seen Abram leave the land to look for food in Egypt. He fears death
and his wife is captured. God judges Egypt and Abram’s wife is freed. They leave Egypt
with many more animals and servants.
B. Does this ring any bells? It should. It is the story of the Exodus. What happens to Abram in
this story will also happen to his descendents.7 This is Abram’s Exodus and it foreshadows
Israel’s Exodus. At that time Jacob will move his family to Egypt during a famine. While
Joseph is alive they are well taken care of. But after a hundred years or so they become
captured and forced to work for the Egyptians. Moses is called by God to lead Israel out of
Egypt. Pharaoh refuses to let them go and as a result God sends plague after plague in
judgment. When they nally leave they take with them gold from the Egyptians as well.
C. We can see this same story play itself out again and again throughout Scripture. In
Genesis 26 Isaac will do something similar. In 1 Samuel the ark will be captured by the
Philistines and as a result God will judge them with plagues. The ark is sent back to Israel
with gold from the Philistines. In Ezra and Nehemiah Israel is captive in Babylon. When

5 NET Bible Translation Notes

6 IVP Bible Background Commentary note on 12:17
7 NET Bible Translation Notes: The Abrahamic narrative foreshadows some of the events in the life
of the nation of Israel. This sojourn in Egypt is typological of Israel's bondage there. In both
stories there is a famine that forces the family to Egypt, death is a danger to the males while the
females are preserved alive, great plagues bring about their departure, there is a summons to
stand before Pharaoh, and there is a return to the land of Canaan with great wealth.
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 they are released to go back to their land, the kings who let them go also pay for the
temple and Jerusalem’s reconstruction.
D. The Bible is again and again the story of God’s redemption of His people. God takes
captive the captors and sets his people free.
E. Speaking of Christ Ephesians 4:8 will say “When he ascended on high he led a host of
captives, and he gave gifts to men.”
F. Again speaking of Christ Hebrews 2:14-15 will say “Since therefore the children share in
esh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he
might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those
who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.”
A. It is us who were captive. We were walking in the darkness. Many of us didn’t know we
were captive until we tried to leave. Then we realised our sin had chains. We were ruled
by our passions. Sin, death, and the devil ruled over us.
B. But God came to us. Jesus Christ came into our world. He saw our chains, He fought
our passions and lusts, He died our death, rising again victorious. He frees us from the
rule of sin, death, and the devil. He gives us the gift of His Spirit, of forgiveness, and
eternal life. He is the husband who ghts for His captured bride, He is the greater
Moses who calls us out of Egypt. He shares the spoils of His victory with His people.
C. Are you in darkness? Follow Christ into the Light, He is the light!
D. Are you in chains? Has deception and sin bound you? Look to Christ who breaks the
chains! Free in Christ, live in the freedom of truth!
E. God remembers his people, God remembers his promises, He will save all who place
their hope in His Son.
F. God kept his promise and rescues Abram and Sarai from Egypt. We see them return to
the land of Canaan. Look at 13, 1-4.

Chapter 13:1-4.
F. Abram returns to the land of his calling and worships.
A. Freed from Egypt with His wife in chapter 13 he will return to the altar he built at the
beginning. There he calls upon the name of the Lord. He worships.
B. When Israel is freed from Egypt they travel to Mt Sinai and worship the LORD. God renews
the covenant, their relationship with Him.8
C. When we are freed from our sins we are called to Mt Zion. Hebrews 12:22 says “But you
have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to
innumerable angels in festal gathering…” and again vs28 “Therefore let us be grateful for
receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us o er to God acceptable
worship, with reverence and awe…”
D. Freed from our chains how should we now live? Let us not walk back into Egypt again, let
us not go back to the chains again, rather, let us turn our lives towards worship. Let us
walk toward Mt Zion, God’s city, the heavenly Jerusalem. Let gratefulness shape our lives
and give our worship and praise to our creator and saviour.

Let’s Pray.

8 Exodus 3:12, and Chapter 19

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