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15 - Commentary on The Book of Genesis · Commentary on The Book of Genesis

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Chapter twelve, The pedigree and family of Abram we had an account of in
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the foregoing chapter. Here the Holy Ghost enters upon his story, and henceforward
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Abram and his seed are almost the only subject of the Sacred history. In
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this chapter we have numeral one God's call of Abram to the land of Canaan
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Verses one through three, Numeral two. Abram's obedience to this call Verses four
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and five, Numeral three. He is welcome to the Land of Canaan Verses
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six through nine, Numeral four. His journey to Egypt, with an account
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of what happened to him there. Abram's flight and fault Verses ten through thirteen.
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Serie is Danger and Deliverance Verses fourteen through twenty. The Call of Abram
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b. C. Nineteen twenty one. Now the Lord had said, unto
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Abram, get THEE out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and
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from from thy father's house, unto a land that I will show THEE,
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and I will make of THEE a great nation, and I will bless THEE
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and make thy name great, And thou shalt be a blessing. And I
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will bless them that bless THEE and curse him that curses thee, and in
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THEE shall all families of the earth be blessed. We have here the call
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by which Abram was removed out of the land of his nativity into the land
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of Promise, which was designed both to try his faith and obedience, and
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also to separate him and set him apart for God and for special services and
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favors, which were further designed. The circumstances of this call we may be
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somewhat helped to the knowledge of from Stephen's speech Acts seven two, where we
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are told number one, that the God of Glory appeared to him to give
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him the call appeared in such displays of his glory as left Abram no room
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to doubt the divine authority of this call. Appeared in such displays of his
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glory, as left Abram no room to doubt the divine authority of this call.
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God spoke to him afterwards in divers manners, But this first time,
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when the correspondence was to be settled, he appeared to him as the God
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of Glory and spoke to him Number two, that this call was given him
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in Mesopotamia before he dwelt in Tcheheran. Therefore we rightly read it. The
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Lord had said unto Abram, namely in err of the Chldis and in obedience
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to this call. As Stephen further relates the story, Acts seven four,
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he came out of the land of the Chaldeans and dwelt in Tcheheran or Haran,
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about five years, and thence, when his father was dead, by
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a fresh command pursuant to the former, God removed him into the land of
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Canaan. Think that Haran was in Chaldea and so was still a part of
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Abram's country, or that Abram, having stayed there five years, began to
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call it his country and to take root there till God let him know this
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was not the place he was intended for. Note. If God loves us
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and has mercy in store for us, he will not suffer us to take
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up our wrist anywhere short of Canaan, but will graciously repeat his calls till
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the good work begun be performed, and our souls repose in God. Only
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in the call itself, we have a precept and a promise numeral one,
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a trying precept get thee out of thy country verse one, now number one.
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By this precept he was tried whether he loved his native soil and dearest
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friends, and whether he could willingly leave all to go along with God.
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His country had become idolatrous. His kindred and his father's house were a constant
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temptation to him, and he could not continue with them without the danger of
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being infected by them. Therefore, get thee out, Get thee gone with
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all speed, escape for thy life. Look not behind thee Chapter nineteen,
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verse seventeen. Note those that are in a sinful state are concerned to make
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all possible haste out of it. Get out for thyself, so some read
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it, that is for thy own good. Note those who leave their sins
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and turn to God will themselves be unspeakable gainers by the change. Proverbs nine
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twelve. This command which God gave to Abram is much the same with a
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gospel call by which all the spiritual seed of faithful Abram are brought into covenant
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with God. For subscript one, natural must give way to divine grace.
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Our country is dear to us, our kindred dear, and our father's house
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dearest of all, and yet they must all be hated. Look fourteen twenty
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six. That is, we must love them less than Christ hate them in
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comparison with Him. And whenever any of these come in competition with them,
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they must be postponed, and the preference given to the will and honor of
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the Lord Jesus. Subscript IWO. Sin and all the occasions of it must
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be forsaken and particularly bad company. We must abandon all the idols of iniquity
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which have been set up in our hearts, and get out of the way
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of temptation, plucking out even a right eye that leads us to sin Matthew
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five twenty nine, willingly parting with that which is dearest to us when we
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cannot keep it without hazard of our integrity. Those that resolve to keep the
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commandments of God must quit the society of evildoers nineteen Verse one, fifteen and
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Acts two forty. Subscript three. The world and all our enjoyments in it,
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must be locked upon with a holy indifference and contempt. We must no
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longer look upon it as our country or home, but as are in,
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and must accordingly sit loose to it and live above it get out of it.
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In Affection number two. By this precept he was tribed whether he could
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trust God further than he saw him. For he must leave his own country
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to go to a land that God would show him. He does not say
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it is a land that I will give thee, but merely a land that
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I will show thee. Nor does he tell him what land it was,
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nor what kind of land. But he must follow God with an implicit faith
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and take God's word for it. In the general, though he had no
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particular securities given him, that he should be no loser by leaving his country
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to follow God. Note those that will deal with God must deal upon trust.
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We must quit the things that are seen for things that are not seen,
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and submit to the sufferings of this present time in hopes of a glory
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that is yet to be revealed Romans eight eighteen. For it doth not yet
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appear what we shall be one John three to two, any more than it
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did to Abram when God called him to a land he would show him,
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so, teaching him to live in a continual dependence upon his direction and with
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his eye ever towards him Numeral two. Here is an encouraging promise. Nay,
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it is a complication of promises, many and exceedingly great and precious.
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Note all God's precepts are attended with promises to the obedient when he makes himself
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known, also as a reward. If we obey the command, God will
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not fail to perform the promise. Here are six promises. Number one,
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I will make of thee a great nation. When God took him from his
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own people, he promised to make him the head of another. He cut
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him off from being the branch of a wild olive, to make him the
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root of a good olive. This promise was Subscript one, a great relief
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to Abram's burden, for he had now no child. Note God knows how
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to suit his favors to the ontes and necessities of his children. He that
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has a plaster for every sore will provide one for that first which is most
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painful. Subscript two a great trial to Abram's faith, for his wife had
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been long barren, so that if he believe, it must be against hope.
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And his faith must build purely upon that power which can, out of
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stones spraise up children unto Abraham, and to make them a great nation.
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Note God makes nations by him. They are born at once Isaiah sixty six
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eight. And he speaks to build and plant them am I eighteen nine and
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some point two. If a nation be made great in wealth and power,
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it is God that makes it great. Some point three. God can raise
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great nations out of dry ground, and can make a little one to be
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a thousand. Number two. I will bless THEE, either particularly with the
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blessing of fruitfulness and increase, as he had blessed Adam and Noah, or
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in general. I will bless THEE with all manner of blessings, both of
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the upper and nether springs. Leave thy father's house, and I will give
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THEE a father's blessing better than that of their progenitors. Note obedient believers will
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be sure to inherit the blessing. Number three. I will make thy name
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great by deserting his country. He lost his name there care not for that,
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says God. But trust me, and I will make THEE a greater
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name than thou ever couldst have had. There. Having no child, he
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feared he should have no name. But God will make him a great nation,
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and so make him a great name. Note sub point one. God
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is the fountain of honor, and from him promotion comes. For Samuel two
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eight some point two. The name of obedient believers shall certainly be celebrated and
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made great. The best report is that which the elders obtained by faith Hebrews
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eleven two. Number four, thou shalt be a blessing, That is,
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some point one, Thy happiness shall be a sample of happiness, so that
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those who would bless their friends shall only pray that God would make them like
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Abram as at Ruth four eleven. Note God's dealings with obedient believers are so
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kind and gracious that we need not desire for ourselves or our friends to be
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any better dealt with to have God, for our friend is blessed this enough.
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Some point two. Thy life shall be a blessing to the places where
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thou shalt sojourn. Note good men are the blessings of their country, and
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it is their unspeakable honor and happiness to be made so. Number five,
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I will bless those that bless THEE, and curse him that curseth thee.
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This made it a kind of league offensive and defensive between God and Abram.
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Abram heartily espoused God's cause, and here God promises to interest himself in his
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sub point one. He promises to be a friend to his friends, to
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take kindnesses shown to him as done to himself, and to recompense them Accordingly,
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God will take care that none be losers in the long run. By
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any service done for his people, even a cup of cold water, shall
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be rewarded. Some point two. He promises to appear against his enemies.
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There were those that maid and cursed even Abram himself. But while their causeless
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curses could not hurt Abram, God's righteous curse would certainly overtake and ruin them
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Numbers twenty four to nine. This is a good reason why we should bless
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those that curse us, because it is enough that God will curse them.
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Psalm thirty eight, Verses thirteen through fifteen, Number six. In thee shall
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all the families of the earth be blessed. This was the promise that crowned
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all the rest. Forward points at the Messiah, in whom all the promises
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are yea and Amen. Note sub point one. Jesus Christ is the greatest
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blessing of the world, the greatest that ever the world was blessed with.
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He is a family blessing by him. Salvation is brought to the house Looke
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nineteen nine. When we reckon up our family blessings. Let us put Christ
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in the impromus the first place, as the blessing of blessings. But how
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are all the families of the earth blas blest in Christ, when so many
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are strangers to him? Answer? Sub point one. All that are blessed
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are blessed in Him. Acts four twelve. Sub point two. All that
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believe of what families soever they shall be, shall be blessed in Him.
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Sub point three. Some of all the families of the earth are blessed in
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Him. Sub point four. There are some blessings which all the families of
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the earth are blessed with in Christ. For the Gospel salvation is a common
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salvation Jude three, sub point two. It is a great honor to be
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related to Christ. This made abrams name great, that the Messiah was to
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descend from his loins, much more than that he should be the father of
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many nations. It was Abram's honor to be his father by nature. It
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will be ours to be his brethren by grace. Matthew twelve fifty. Arrival
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of Abram and Canaan b. C. Nineteen twenty. So Abram departed as
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the Lord had spoken unto him, and Lot went with him, and Abram
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was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran. And Abram
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took Seraei, his wife, and Lot, his brother's son, and all
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their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in
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Haran. And they went forth to go into the land of Canaan. And
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into the land of Canaan they came here is numeral one. Abraham's removal out
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of his country, out of er first and afterwards out of Haran, in
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compliance with the call of God. So Abram departed. He was not disobedient
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to the heavenly vision, but did as he was bidden, not conferring with
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flesh and blood Gladians one, fifteen and sixteen. His obedience was speedy and
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without delay, submissive, and without dispute, for he went out, not
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knowing whither he went Hebrews eleven eight, but knowing whom he followed and un
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or whose direction he went. Thus call him to his foot Isaiah forty one,
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verse two, numeral two. His age when he removed he was seventy
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five years old, an age when he should rather have had rest and settlement.
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But if God will have him to begin the world again now in his
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old age, he will submit. Here is an instance of an old confort
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Numeral three, The company and the cargo that he took with him. Number
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one He took his wife his nephew Lot with him, not by force and
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against their wills, but by persuasion. SIRII, his wife would be sure
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to go with them. God had joined them together, and nothing should put
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them asunder. If Abram leave all to follow God, SIRIEI will leave all
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to follow Abram, though neither of them knew whither. And it was a
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mercy to Abram to have such a companion in his travels, a help meet
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for him. Note it is very comfortable when husband and wife agreed to go
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together in the way to heaven. Lot, also his kinsmen, was influenced
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by Abram's good example, who was perhaps his guardian after the death of his
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father, and he was willing to go along with them too. Note those
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that go to Canaan need not go alone. For though few find the straight
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gate, blessed be God, some do. And it is our wisdom to
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go with those with whom God is Zachariah eight twenty three, wherever they go.
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Number two, they took all their effects with them, all their substance
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and movable goods that they had gathered four sub point one with themselves, they
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would give up their all to be at God's disposal, would keep back no
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part at the price, but venture all in one bottom, knowing it was
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a good bottom. Some point two, they would furnish themselves with that which
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was requisite both for the service of God and the supply of their family in
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the country. Whether they were going to have thrown away his substance because God
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had promised to bless him would have been to tempt God not to trust him.
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Some point three, they would not be under any temptation to return.
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Therefore they leave not a hoof behind, lest that should make them mindful of
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the country from which they came out. Number three, they took with them
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the souls that they had gotten, that is sub point one, the servants
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they had bought, which were part of their substance, but are called souls
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to remind masters that their poor servants have souls, precious souls, which they
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ought to take care of and provide food convenient for. Some point two.
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The proselytes they had made and persuaded to attend the worship of the True God,
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and to go with them to Canaan, the souls which, as one
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of the Rabbit expresses it, they had gathered under the wings of the Divine
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Majesty. Note those whose servant followed God themselves should do all they can to
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bring others to serve and follow him too. These souls they are said to
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have gained. We must reckon ourselves true gainers, if we can but win
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souls to Christ Numeral four. Here is their happy arrival. At their journey's
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end, they went forth to go into the land of Canaan. So they
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did before chapter eleven, verse thirty one, and then took up short.
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But now they held on their way, and by the good hand of their
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God upon them to the land of Canaan they came, whereby a fresh revelation
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they were told that this was the land God promised to show them. They
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were not discouraged by the difficulties they met with in their way, nor diverted
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by the delights they met with, but pressed forward. Note Number one,
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those that set out for heaven must persevere to the end, still reaching forth
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to those things that are before. Number two, that which we undertake in
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obedience to God's command and a humble attendance on his providence will certainly succeed and
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end with comfort at last Abram's devotion b. C. Nineteen twenty one.
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And Abram passed through the land unto the place of saichum unto the plain of
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Mora, and the Canaanite was then in the land. And the Lord appeared
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unto Abram and said, unto thy seed, will I give this land?
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And there builded he an altar unto the Lord who appeared unto him. And
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he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched
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his tent, having Bethel on the west and Hai on the east. And
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there he builded an altar unto the Lord and called on the name of the
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Lord. And Abram journeyed, going on still toward the south. One would
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have expected that Abram, having had such an extraordinary call to Canaan, some
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great events should have followed upon his arrival there, that he should have been
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introduced with all possible marks of honor and respect, and that the kings of
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Canaan should have immediately have surrendered their crowns to him and done him homage.
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But no he comes not with observation. Little notice is taken of him.
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For still God will have him to live by faith and to look upon Canaan
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even when he was in it as a land of promise. Therefore, observe
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here numeral one, how little comfort he had in the land he came to
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four. Number one, he had it not to himself. The Canaanite was
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then in the land. He found the country peopled and possessed by Canaanites,
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who were likely to be but bad neighbors and worse landlords. And for aught
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that appears, he could not have ground to pitch his tent on, but
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by their permission. Thus the accursed Canaanite seemed to be in better circumstances than
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blessed Abram. Note the children of this world have commonly more of it than
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God's children. Number two, he had not a settlement in it. He
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passed through the land. Verse six he removed to a mountain. Verse eight
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he journeyed going on still verse nine. Observe here sub point one. Sometimes
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it is the lot of good men to be unsettled, and obliged often to
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remove their habitation. Holy David had his wanderings, his flittings Psalm fifty six
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eight sub point two are removes in this world are often into various conditions.
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Abram sojourn first in a plain verse six, then in a mountain verse eight.
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God has set the one over against the other sub point three. All
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good people must look upon themselves as strangers and sojourners in this world, and
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by faith sit loose to it as a strange country. So Abram did Hebrews
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eleven, verses eight through fourteen sub point four. While we are here in
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this present state, we must pay journeying and going on still from strength to
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strength, as having not yet attained Numeral two. How much comfort he had
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in the God he followed, when he could have had little satisfaction converse with
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the Canaanites, whom he found there. He had a bundance of pleasure in
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communion with that God who brought him thither and did not leave him. Communion
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with God is kept up by the word and by prayer, and by these
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according to the methods of that dispensation, Abram's communion with God was kept up
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in the land of his pilgrimage. Number one. God appeared to Abram,
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probably in a vision and spoke to him good words and comfortable words. Unto
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thy seed, will I give this land. Some point one. No place
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nor condition of life can shut us out from the comfort of God's gracious visits.
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Abram is a sojourner, unsettled among Canaanites, and yet here also he
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meets with him that lives and sees him. Enemies may part us and our
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tents, us and our altars, but not us and our God Nay.
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Sub point two. With respect to those that faithfully follow God in a way
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of duty, though he lead them from their friends, he will himself make
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up that loss by his gracious appearances to them. Sub Point three. God's
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promises are sure and satisfying to all those who conscientiously observe and obey his precepts.
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And those who, in compliance with God's call leave or lose anything that
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is dear to them shall be sure of something else, abundantly better in lieu
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of it. Abram left the land of his nativity will, says God,
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I will give thee this land Matthew, nineteen twenty nine. Sub Point four.
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God reveals himself and his favors to his people by degrees before he had
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promised to show him this land, now to give it to him. As
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grace is growing, so is comfort sub point five. It is comfortable to
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have a land of God's giving, not by providence only, but by promise.
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Sub Point six. Mercies to the children are mercies to the parents.
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I will give it not to thee, but to thy seed. It is
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a grant in reversion to his seed, which yet it should seem. Abram
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understood also a grant to himself of a better land in reversion of which this
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was a type, for he looked for a heavenly country Hebrews eleven sixteen,
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Number two. Abram attended on God and his instituted ordinances. He built an
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altar unto the Lord who appeared to him, and called on the name of
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the Lord Verses seven and eight. Now consider this sub point one as done
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upon a special occasion when God appeared to him. Then and there he built
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an altar with an eye to the God who appeared to him. Thus he
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returned God's visit and kept up his correspondence with Heaven as one that resolved it
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should not fail on his side. Thus he acknowledged with thankfulness God's kindness to
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him in making him that gracious visit and promise. And thus he testified his
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confidence in and dependence upon the word which God has spoken. Note an active
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believer can hardly bless God for a promise the performance of which he does not
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yet see. And built an altar to the honor of God, who appears
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to him, though he does not yet appear for him some point two as
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his constant practice, whethersoever, he removed as soon as Abram had got to
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Canaan, though he was but a stranger and sojourner there, yet he set
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up and kept up the worship of God and his family. And wherever he
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had a tent, God had an altar, and that an altar sanctified by
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prayer. For he not only minded that the ceremonial part of religion, the
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offering of sacrifice, but made conscious of the natural duty of seeking to his
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God and calling on his name that spiritual sacrifice with which God is well pleased.
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He preached concerning the name of the Lord. That is, he instructed
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his family and neighbors in the knowledge of the True God and his holy religion.
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The souls he had gotten in Haran, being discipled, must be further
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taught. Note those that would approve themselves. The children of faithful Abram would
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inherit the blessing of Abram. Must make conscience of keeping up the solemn worship
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of God, particularly in their families. According to the example of Abram,
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the way of family worship is a good old way. It is no novel
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invention, but the ancient use of all the saints. Abram was very rich
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and had a numerous family, was now a unsettled and in the midst of
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enemies. And yet wherever he pitched his tent, he built an altar.
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Wherever we go, let us not fail to take our religion along with us.
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Abram's removal into Egypt b. C. Nineteen twenty and there was a
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famine in the land, and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there.
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For the famine was grievous in the land. And it came to pass when
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he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said, unto Seraaei,
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his wife, behold, now I know that thou art a fair woman
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to look upon. Therefore it shall come to pass when the Egyptians shall see
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thee that they shall say, this is his wife, and they will kill
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me. But they will save THEE alive. Say I pray THEE thou art,
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my sister, that it may be well with me for thy sake,
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and my soul shall live because of THEE. Here is nuer I a famine
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in the land of Canaan, a grievous famine. That fruitful land was turned
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into barrenness, not only to punish the iniquity of the Canaanites who dwelt therein,
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but to exercise the faith of Abram, who sojourned there, and a
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very sore trial. It was it tried what he would think Number One,
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of God that brought him thither, whether he would not be ready to say,
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with his murmuring seed, that he was brought forth to be killed with
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hunger exit the sixteen three. Nothing short of a strong faith could keep up
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good thoughts of God under such a providence. Number two of the land of
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Promise. Whether he would think the grant of it worth the accepting and valuable
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consideration for the relinquishing of his own country when for aught that now appeared it
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was a land that ate up the inhabitants. Now he was tried whether he
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could preserve an unshaken confidence that the God who brought him into Canaan, would
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maintain him there, and whether he could rejoice in Him as the God of
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his self when the fig tree did not blossom. I back at three verses
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seventeen and eighteen. Note sub point one. Strong faith is commonly exercised with
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divers temptations, that it may be found to praise and honor and glory one
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Peter one, Verses six and seven. Sub point two. It pleases God
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sometimes to try those with great afflictions who are but young beginners in religion.
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Sub point three. It is possible for a man to be in the way
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of duty and in the way to happiness, and yet meet with great troubles
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and disappointments. Numeral two Abrams removal into Egypt upon occasion of this famine.
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See how wisely God provides that there should be plenty in one place when there
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was scarcity in another, that as members of the Great Body, we may
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not say to one another, I have no need of you. God's providence
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took care there should be supply in Egypt, and Abram's prudence made use of
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the opportunity. For we tempt God and do not trust him, if in
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the time of distress, we use not the means He has graciously provided for
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our preservation. We must not expect needless miracles. But that which is especially
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observable here to the praise of Abram is that he did not offer to return,
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upon this occasion to the country from which she came out, know so
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much as towards it. The land of his nativity lay northeast from Canaan.
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And therefore, when he must for a time quit Canaan, he chooses to
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go to Egypt, which lay southwest, the contrary way, that he might
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not so much as seem to look back see Hebrews eleventh, fifteen and sixteen.
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Further observe, when he went down into Egypt, it was to sojourn
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there, not to dwell there. Note number one. Though providence for a
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time may cast us into bad places, yet we ought to tarry there no
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longer than needs must. We may sojourn what we may not settle. Number
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two. A good man while he is on this side Heaven wherever he is,
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is but a sojourner Numeral three. A great fault which Abram was guilty
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of in denying his wife and pretending that she was his sister. The scripture
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is impartial in relating the misdeeds of the most celebrated saints, which are recorded
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not for our imitation, but for our admonition that he who thinks he stands
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may take heed lest he fall. Number one, his fault was dissembling his
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relation to Serie, equivocating concerning it, and teaching his wife and probably all
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his attendants to do so too. What he said was in a sense true
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Chapter twenty, verse twelve, but with a purpose to deceive, he so
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concealed a further truth as an effect to deny it, and to expose thereby
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both his wife and the Egyptians to sin. Number two, that which was
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at the bottom of it was a jealous, timorous fancy he had that some
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of the Egyptians would be so charmed with the beauty of SERAEI, Egypt producing
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few such beauties, that if they should know he was her husband, they
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would find some way or other to take him off that they might marry her.
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He presumes they would rather be guilty of murder than adultery. Such a
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heinous crime was it then accounted, and such a sacred regard was paid to
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the marriage bond. Hence he infers without any good reason, they will kill
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me. Note the fear of man brings a snare, and many are driven
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to sin by the dread of death Luke twelve, Verses four and five.
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The grace Abram was most eminent for was faith, and yet he thus fell
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through unbelief and distrust of the divine providence, even after God had appeared to
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him twice. Alas what will become of the willows when the cedars are thus
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shaken? Abram's denial of his wife b. C. Nineteen twenty. And
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it came to pass that when Abram was coming to Egypt, the Egyptians beheld
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the woman, that she was very fair. The prince is also a pharaoh,
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saw her and commended her before Pharaoh. And the woman was taken into
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Pharaoh's house, and he entreated Abram well for her sake. And he had
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sheep and oxen and asses, and men servants and maid servants, and she
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asses and camels. And the lord plagued Pharaoh in his house with great plagues
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because of SIRIEI, Abram's wife. And Pharaoh called Abram and said, what
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is this that thou hast done unto me? Why didst thou not tell me
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that she was thy wife. Why saydst thou she is my sister, so
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I might have taken her to me to wife. Now therefore behold thy wife,
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take her and go thy way. And Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him,
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and they sent him away and his wife in all that he had.
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Here is Nuer I. The danger, SERIEI, was in having her chastity
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violated by the King of Egypt. And without doubt, the peril of sin
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is the greatest peril we can be in Pharaoh's princess. His pimps rather saw
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her at observing what a comely woman she was. They commended her before Pharaoh,
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not for that which was really her praise, her virtue and modesty,
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her faith and piety, these were no excellencies in their eyes, but for
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her beauty, which they thought too good for the embraces of a subject.
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They recommended her to the king, and she was presently taken into Pharaoh's house
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as esther into the seragulo of Hazuaris esther two eight, in order to her
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being taken into his bed. Now we must not look upon Syrie as standing
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fair for preferment, but as entering into temptation. And the occasions of it
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were her own own beauty, which is a snare to many, and Abram's
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equivocation, which is a sin that commonly is an inlet to much sin.
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While Serai was in this danger, Abram fared the better for her sake.
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Pharaoh gave him sheep oxen and so forth for sixteen to gain his consent,
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that he might the more readily prevail with her, whom he supposed to be
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his sister. We cannot think that Abram expected this when he came down into
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Egypt, much less that he had an eye to it when he denied his
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wife. But God brought good out of evil, and thus the wealth of
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the sinner proves in some way or other to be laid up for the just
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Numeral two the deliverance of Serai from the stanger. For if God did not
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deliver us many a time by prerogative out of those straits and distresses which we
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bring ourselves into by our own sin and folly, and which therefore we could
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not expect any deliverance from by promise, we should soon be ruined. Nay,
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we should have been ruined long before this. He deals not with us
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according to our deserts. Number One, God chastised Pharaoh and so prevented the
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progress of a sin. Note those are happy chastisements that hinder us in a
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sinful way and effectually bring us to our duty, and particularly through the duty
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of restoring that which we have wrongfully taken and detained. Observed not Farah only,
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but his house was plagued, probably those princes, especially that had commended
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SERAAEI to Pharaoh. Note partners in sin are justly made partners in the punishment.
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Those that serve others lust must expect to share in their plagues. We
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are not told particularly what these plagues were, but doubtless there was something in
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the plagues themselves, or some explication added to them sufficient to convince them that
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it was for Serae's sake that they were thus plagued. Number two Fbro reproved
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Abram and then dismissed him with respect some point one. The reproof was calm,
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but very just. What is this that thou hast done? What an
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improper thing? How unbecoming a wise and good man. Note if those that
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profess religion do that which is unfair and disingenuous, especially if they say that
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which borders upon a lie. They must expect to hear of it, and
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have reason to thank those that will tell him of it. We find a
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profit of the Lord justly reproved and upbraided by a heathen shipmaster. Jodah won
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verse six Febro reasons with him, why didst Thou not tell me that she
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was thy wife? Intimating that if he had known this, he would not
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have taken her into his house. Note it is a fault too common among
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good people to entertain suspicions of others beyond what there is cause for. We
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have often found more of virtue, honor, and conscience in some people that
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we thought they zest and ought to be a pleasure to us to be thus
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disappointed. As Abram was here who found Pharaoh to be a better man than
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he expected, charity teaches us to hope the best. Sub point two.
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The dismission was kind and very generous. He restored him his wife without offering
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any injury to her honor. Behold thy wife, take her verse nineteen.
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Note those that would prevent sin must remove the temptation or get out of the
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way of it. He also sent him away in peace, and was so
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far from any design to kill him, as he apprehended that he took particular
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care of him. Note we often perplex and ensnare ourselves with fears would soon
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appear to have been altogether groundless. We often fear where no fear is.
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We fear the fury of the oppressor, as though he were ready to destroy,
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when really there is no danger Isaiah fifty one thirteen. It would have
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been more for Abram's credit and comfort to have told the truth at first,
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For after all, honesty is the best policy. Nay, it is said
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verse twenty. Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him, that is sub point one.
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He charged them not to injure him in anything. Note it is not
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enough for those in authority to do no hurt themselves, but they must restrain
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their servants and those about them from doing hurt or sub point two. He
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appointed them, when Abram was disposed to return home after the famine, to
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conduct him safely out of the country as his convoy. Probably he was alarmed
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by the plagues verse seventeen, and inferred from them that Abram was a particular
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favorite of heaven, and therefore, through fear of their return, took special
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care he should receive no injury in his country. Note God has often raised
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up friends for his people by making men know that it is at their peril
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if they hurt them. It is a danger thing to offend Christ's little ones
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Matthew seventeen, verse six. To this passage, among others, the Psalmus
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refers Psalm fifty five thirteen to fifteen. He reproved kings for their sakes,
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saying, touch not my anointed. Perhaps if Pharaoh had not sent him away,
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he would have been tempted to stay in Egypt and to forget the land
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of Promise. Note sometimes God makes use of the enemies of his people to
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convince them and remind them that this world is not their rest, but that
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they must think of departing. Lastly, observe a resemblance between this deliverance of
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Abram out of Egypt and the deliverance of his seed. Thence, four hundred
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thirty years after Abram went into Egypt on occasion of a famine, they went
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thither on occasion of a famine. Also, he was fetched out with great
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plagues on Pharaoh. So were they as Abram was dismissed by Pharaoh and enriched
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with the spoil of the Egyptians, so were they for God's care of his
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people is the same, yesterday to day and forever. End of Chapter twelve.