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Subject: Genesis 26 vss. 7-11 Post 133 Author: Hillbilly [ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ] Date Posted: 20:24:31 07/08/10 Thu Genesis 26:7-11 And the men of the place asked him of his wife; and he said, She is my sister: for he feared to say, She is my wife; lest, said he, the men of the place should kill me for Rebekah; because she was fair to look upon. 8 And it came to pass, when he had been there a long time, that Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out at a window, and saw, and, behold, Isaac was sporting with Rebekah his wife. 9 And Abimelech called Isaac, and said, Behold, of a surety she is thy wife: and how saidst thou, She is my sister? And Isaac said unto him, Because I said, Lest I die for her. 10 And Abimelech said, What is this thou hast done unto us? one of the people might lightly have lien with thy wife, and thou shouldest have brought guiltiness upon us. 11 And Abimelech charged all his people, saying, He that toucheth this man or his wife shall surely be put to death. To quote the illustrious Yogi Berra: "It's deja vu all over again" Following in his daddy's footsteps Isaac finds himself in a similar situation that Abe and Sarah did. Rebekah is a "looker" and the Philistines were looking. Rebekah was turning heads and Isaac, forgetting God promises, was getting worried. There must have been something about the Egyptians and the Philistines that caused Abraham and Isaac to fear for their lives over their wives. The text says that "when he had been there a long time" he was found out. How long that time was is not mentioned but it seems to me that if Isaac had anything really to fear in the men they would have already been standing in line to try to marry Isaac's "sister". What strikes me is how the Bible never tries to sweep man's failings under the rug. Whether it be king or pauper the Bible always shows the sin nature of man. God didn't hide David's failures, Moses' failures, Isaac's, Elijah's, Peter's nor any others person. God included them all in sin just as he does you and I. One thing that is different about Abraham and Isaac's sin is that at least Abraham did not technically lie. Sarah was his half sister (Gen. 20:12). Isaac could not say that at all. He just flat out lied about the relationship he had with Rebekah. It is a sad commentary when an idol worshiper is found more honorable than a worshiper of the one true God. Abimelech fears punishment at the hand of Isaac's God more than Isaac fears punishment for lying and being willing to give his wife to another to save his own skin. Abimelech does the right thing and forbids any of his subjects to touch Rebekah or Isaac in order to be free to take Rebekah. The seriousness of touching another man's wife is made apparent in the charge of Abimelech to his people. Any one harming Isaac or his wife would be put to death. The moral code of those in the middle east is as a rule far stricter than that of the western world. While the western world as a whole finds it commonplace and many times acceptable for a person to have relations with another man's wife or husband in Asia Minor it often means death to one or both of the transgressors. The penalty under the law as given to Moses was death for adultery. Both the man and the woman were to be stoned (Leviticus 20:10, John 8:3-5). Today, it is so commonplace, that people scarcely give it second thought. The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob said "For I am the LORD, I change not;"(Mal. 3"6). Those who think so lightly of treading underfoot these commandments of God will one day face their folly as they stand in judgment before a just and righteous God. [ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

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[> Subject: It is so unfortunate.... Author: dori [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 11:28:59 07/10/10 Sat That in our attempt in the 60s to bring about freedom from sexual repression (as seen in the eyes of the progressives and touted on all the TV shows and movies of the time) and come to a more open sexuality and lessening of guilt, we went too far the other way--to decades of promiscuity, debauchery on TV, 40 million abortions on demand, and a lessening of respect for women. Women wanted to be free to control their own bodies, and boy did they get it! In the past, when this country went to one extreme and then to the other end of the spectrum, a middle ground was reached. There is no middle ground anymore. To you, Hillbilly, there is no ground but the high ground, I know, but to someone who has two daughters who lived with their husbands before marrying them, there is a middle ground. Neither daughter was raised with loose morals and neither slept around in high school or college, but they are of a generation where this is accepted and they have seen so many failed marriages, that they wanted to be sure. Was it my duty as a Christian mother to drive them out of my house because of this? I don't think any parent should. I didn't want to drive my beloved daughters away, so I counseled them that if they were going to take up residence with their boyfriends, they must first and foremost be assured of an equal commitment from them. They were and they're both legally married--not in the church, but by law and I believe by God. I don't know if we'll ever see a return to the Donna Reed years, and in many cases I'm glad, but it sure would be nice to get back to some sort of middle ground between the Scarlett Letter and the MTV generation.

[> [> Subject: Dori, By clarification Author: Hillbilly [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 14:45:56 07/11/10 Sun The subject at hand was the willingness of, first, Abraham and then Isaac to take on the chance of letting his wife become an adulteress and fornicator just to save his own skin. As to your point on your daughters; I also have two daughters that I love dearly. While I was not placed in your situation to have to make a decision as you. I wouldn't let my daughter sleep together with their boy friends in my house. This is not in any way passing judgment on your decision. To take the high ground is the only acceptable way in God's eyes. That doesn't mean I have in all instances taken the high ground in my own life. All have sinned and certainly I have many times. To teach God's word in truth is to teach it as it is worded and not to compromise it in any way nor try to water it down. This does not mean I have always been obedient. As a teacher of God's word I find myself many times teaching condemnation on my own actions. I guess at those times it has been "Don't do as I do but do as I say". This truly is hypocrisy in a sense but I have never known the teacher or preacher who could honestly say he hadn't transgressed his own teaching or preaching. God doesn't ask us if we agree with His word he simply says obey it. Whether we do or not is our decision but we should realize that God will and does judge us on what we do with his word.

[> [> Subject: Thanks, Hillbilly, for the clarification Author: dori [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 16:54:05 07/11/10 Sun I know all that you say about yourself is true because you don't misrepresent yourself. And I surely didn't mean to imply you set yourself up above others in any way. I just know you to be a man who won't compromise your values in any way and I very much admire that in you. I'm sorry if I took the study in a different direction... grin. I got your point. I guess your words just struck a chord in me that came out in this way. Did I miss something that I should have taken from this lesson?

[> [> [> Subject: I don't think you missed Author: Hillbilly [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 19:15:36 07/11/10 Sun the point. I rather believe the situation you described was not in your control and you simply abided by the decision your daughters made. Teachings on relationships will probably always bring this to mind to you. In my case my son went against our advice and better judgment. We all have to live with his decision. I truly hope everything works out for your daughters and your sons in law.

[> [> [> [> Subject: And I wish the same for your son Author: dori [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 16:10:56 07/12/10 Mon It seems that we never totally stop worrying about them, do we? At least you have been given access to the twins and allowed to bring them up in the Lord as much as you can. Maybe THEY will bring your son back, eh?

[> Subject: On death for adultery Author: Marge [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 15:35:48 07/10/10 Sat Didn't Jesus teach us on the woman caught in adultery that only those without sin should stone her? He told her to go and sin no more. I also would have told the man the same thing. :-) Dori I like your comment "middle ground between the Scarlett Letter and the MTV generation." Yeah I agree. Somewhere in there is the right way to go. :-) The recent news in Iran of the woman sentenced to stoning for adultery is horrible and sad in this which shoulc be an era of love according to the N.T. My understanding of it anyway.

[> [> Subject: So true, Marge Author: dori [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 19:33:36 07/10/10 Sat In this day there should be no place on the earth where people treat others as if they have no worth. And the sad thing is, people who do these acts actually think they are doing it by God's dictate. God must be crying to watch us mess things up so badly.

[> [> [> Subject: This Author: Marge [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 11:43:53 07/11/10 Sun is where legalism get us. The Word tells us the letter kills but the Spirit gives life. I think this is an obvious example of the letter of the law killing. There are also a lot more less obvious problems legalism causes. I hope you are yours are happy and healthy today, Dori. :-) I have some good news. Both my sons, who had been unemployed, are now working! :-) Of course I've been praying for them...always do. God is good.

[> [> [> Subject: That is great news, Marge! Author: dori [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 16:48:16 07/11/10 Sun God is good, indeed! And he does answer our prayers. In this floundering economy, it is hard to find jobs, so you must have been offering up some mega prayers, honey. Big huggggs! And things are going great for Charlie and me. Did I tell you my youngest got married in March? We dearly love our new son-in-law. We're so fortunate to have two great sons in law.

[> [> [> [> Subject: As for being perfect Author: Sandy [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 00:54:32 07/12/10 Mon None of us are perfect. I believe if we were, we would not be in these bodies anymore. Which is why Paul said what he did about this in Phil. 3:13-21. IMO what he meant there by pressing on into the high calling of Christ Jesus was to be in that place he also wrote about in 1st Thess. 5:23 on that day. Meaning if we do press on walking in faith, believing for God to bring us into that place, we can be there on that day. But in doing so, we are going to make mistakes along the way. And some of those mistakes are going to be made in raising our children too, that is for sure. Remembering though, they are going to do the same thing too. We just need to pray for them consistently, believing the promises God has made to us about them ultimately. As no man is righteous within their own right at all. But HE is. Which is the only way we can be at all as well. What we need to remember, is what we cannot do, He is able. And often that is the most difficult for us to finally realize, or even be able to see. Luv Sandy

[> [> [> [> Subject: That's very true, Sandy Author: dori [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 16:27:49 07/12/10 Mon I believe each of us has had at least one loved one who has been set on making grave mistakes and we've tried to counsel, but were ignored. All we can really do in that situation is to pray that God will watch over them. I am so glad God was listening.

[> [> [> [> [> Subject: Just a couple of verses to round out the discussion. Author: Hillbilly [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 18:51:24 07/12/10 Mon Isaiah 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. Philippians 3:9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: I think we are all on the same page. :)

[> [> [> [> [> [> Subject: Yes, I think you are right, HB Author: dori [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 19:35:05 07/12/10 Mon We are all on the same page. We are all sinners who love God. 8-)