Yahweh
Promised To Open Sarah's Womb
Genesis 17:15-21 reads,
17:15God
said to Abraham, "As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name
Sarai, but her name will be Sarah. 17:16I
will bless her, and moreover I will give you a son by her. Yes, I will bless
her, and she will be a mother of nations. Kings of peoples will come from
her."
17:17Then
Abraham fell on his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, "Will a
child be born to him who is one hundred years old? Will Sarah, who is ninety
years old, give birth?" 17:18Abraham
said to God, "Oh that Ishmael might live before you!"
17:19God
said, "No, but Sarah, your wife, will bear you a son. You shall call his
name Isaac. I will establish my
covenant with him for an everlasting covenant for his seed after him. 17:20As for Ishmael, I have heard you. Behold,
I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him
exceedingly. He will become the father of twelve princes, and I will make him a
great nation. 17:21But my covenant I
establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you at this set time in the
next year."
Isn't it clear that it is indeed Yahweh who facilitates a woman conceiving, bearing and giving birth? Didn't Yahweh make clear that he would facilitate Sarah conceiving, bearing and giving birth even though she was 90 years old and her husband 100 years old? Doesn't Yahweh have power to facilitate conception, bearing and giving birth even to human beings who have apparently lost the ability to conceive, bear and give birth? Isn't Yahweh the Omnipotent One - the All-Powerful One?
Yahweh
Reiterated His Promise To Make Sarah Fruitful
Genesis 18:9-15 reads,
18:9They
said to him, "Where is Sarah, your wife?
He said, "See, in the tent."
18:10He
said, "I will certainly return to you when the season comes round.
Behold, Sarah your wife will have a son."
Sarah heard in the tent door, which was behind
him. 18:11Now Abraham and Sarah
were old, well advanced in age. It had ceased to be with Sarah after the manner
of women. 18:12Sarah laughed within herself,
saying, "After I have grown old will I have pleasure, my lord being old
also?"
18:13Yahweh
said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Will I really bear a
child, yet I am old?’ 18:14Is
anything too hard for Yahweh? At the set time I will return to you, when
the season comes round, and Sarah will have a son."
18:15Then
Sarah denied, saying, "I didn’t laugh," for she was afraid."
He said, "No, but you did laugh."
Nothing
Is Too Hard For Yahweh
Is anything too hard for Yahweh? Doesn't Yahweh show that nothing is too hard for him? Doesn't he show that he is capable of doing even what is apparently impossible, even facilitate the conception, bearing and giving birth of humans apparently past that phase in their lives?
It Is A
Pleasure To Conceive, Bear And Give Birth To A Child
Don't Sarah's words in 18:12 show that it is indeed a pleasure to conceive, bear and give birth to a child?
Why is it that some humans think it not a pleasure to conceive, bear and give birth? Why is it that some human beings act to prevent their receipt of the pleasure of conception, bearing and giving birth?
The
Sexual Wickedness Of The Men Of
Genesis 19:1-17 reads,
19:1The
two angels came to
They said, "No, but we will stay in the
street all night."
19:3He
urged them greatly, and they came in with him, and entered into his house. He
made them a feast, and baked unleavened bread, and they ate. 19:4But before they lay down, the men of the
city, the men of Sodom, surrounded the house, both young and old, all the
people from every quarter. 19:5They
called to Lot, and said to him, "Where are the men who came in to you this
night? Bring them out to us, that we may have sex with them."
19:6Lot
went out to them to the door, and shut the door after him. 19:7He said, "Please, my brothers,
don’t act so wickedly. 19:8See now,
I have two virgin daughters. Please let me bring them out to you, and do you to
them as is good in your eyes. Only don’t do anything to these men, because they
have come under the shadow of my roof."
19:9They
said, "Stand back!" They said, "This one fellow came in to
sojourn, and he appoints himself a judge. Now will we deal worse with you,
than with them!" They pressed hard on the man, even Lot, and drew near to
break the door. 19:10But the men put
forth their hand, and brought Lot into the house to them, and shut the door.
19:11They struck the men who were at
the door of the house with blindness, both small and great, so that they wearied
themselves to find the door.
19:12The
men said to Lot, "Do you have anybody else here? Sons-in-law, your
sons, your daughters, and whoever you have in the city, bring them out of the
place: 19:13for we will destroy
this place, because the cry of them is grown great before Yahweh. Yahweh has
sent us to destroy it."
19:14Lot
went out, and spoke to his sons-in-law, who were pledged to marry his daughters,
and said, "Get up! Get out of this place, for Yahweh will destroy the
city."
But he seemed to his sons-in-law to be
joking. 19:15When the morning arose,
then the angels hurried Lot, saying, "Arise, take your wife, and your two
daughters who are here, lest you be consumed in the iniquity of the city."
19:16But he lingered; and the men
laid hold on his hand, and on the hand of his wife, and on the hand of his two
daughters, Yahweh being merciful to him; and they took him out, and set him
outside of the city. 19:17It came to
pass, when they had taken them out, that he said, "Escape for your life!
Don’t look behind you, neither stay anywhere in the plain. Escape to the
mountain, lest you be consumed!"
The Men
Of Sodom Sought To Sexually Defile The Angels And Lot
Isn't it the case that the two angels who came to Sodom looked like men?
Isn't it clear that the men of Sodom sought to sexually defile the angels who looked like men through homosexuality? Isn't it also clear that they also sought to sexually defile Lot through homosexuality?
Homosexuality
Is Very Wicked, Worse Than Adultery
Isn't it clear from Lots words in 19:7 that homosexuality is a very wicked deed? Didn't it also seem to Lot that homosexuality was a more wicked a deed than adultery? For wasn't he prepared to give his two virgin daughters, already pledged as wives though not yet married, to the wicked homosexual Sodomites rather than see the angels sexually defiled?
In-Law
Relationships Are Created Prior To Marriage
Isn't it clear that in-law relationships are created prior to marriage, seeing that Lot had sons-in-law, pledged to marry his virgin daughters? Isn't it therefore clear that a woman indeed becomes a man's wife prior to her marriage - prior to the time she is to loose her virginity in sex with her husband? Doesn't it seem clear that a woman becomes a man's wife at the time that she is pledged to him as his wife - at betrothal? And isn't the one who pledges her as a man's wife her parents, the ones with authority over her? Therefore isn't it clear that a woman becomes a man's wife at the time her parents pledge her to a man to be his wife, even though she may still be a virgin?
When A
Woman Becomes A Man's Wife
Isn't it clear from Genesis 2:24 that a man is to leave his parents and sexually join with his wife, implying that the woman he sexually joins with is already his wife at the time of that sexual union? Isn't it now seen that she becomes his wife at the time her parents pledge her to him, even while she is still living with her parents? Doesn't she become married to him at the time she is released from her parents household for marriage, at the time of sexual union with her husband pledged to marry her? Isn't it clear then that a woman becomes a man's wife when her parents pledge her to him as his wife, but is only married when she is released for marriage and has sex with her husband, the man pledged to marry her? Isn't it therefore clear that a man is to have sex only with a woman who is his wife - a woman pledged to him for marriage in their first sexual union, and subsequently with that woman after their first sexual union - their marriage?
Abimelech
Unwittingly Took Another Man's Wife
Genesis 20 reads,
20:1Abraham
journeyed from there toward the land of the South, and lived between Kadesh and
Shur. He sojourned in Gerar. 20:2Abraham
said about Sarah his wife, "She is my sister." Abimelech king of
Gerar sent, and took Sarah. 20:3But
God came to Abimelech in a dream of the night, and said to him, "Behold,
you are a dead man, because of the woman whom you have taken. For she is a
man’s wife."
20:4Now
Abimelech had not come near her. He said, "Lord, will you kill even a
righteous nation? 20:5Didn’t he tell
me, ‘She is my sister?’ She, even she herself said, ‘He is my brother.’ In the
integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands have I done this."
20:6God
said to him in the dream, "Yes, I know that in the integrity of your
heart you have done this, and I also withheld you from sinning against me.
Therefore I didn’t allow you to touch her. 20:7Now
therefore, restore the man’s wife. For he is a prophet, and he will pray for
you, and you will live. If you don’t restore her, know for sure that you will
die, you, and all who are yours."
20:8Abimelech
rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these
things in their ear. The men were very scared. 20:9Then
Abimelech called Abraham, and said to him, "What have you done to us?
How have I sinned against you, that you have brought on me and on my kingdom a
great sin? You have done deeds to me that ought not to be done!" 20:10Abimelech said to Abraham, "What
did you see, that you have done this thing?"
20:11Abraham
said, "Because I thought, ‘Surely the fear of God is not in this place.
They will kill me for my wife’s sake.’ 20:12Moreover
she is indeed my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my
mother; and she became my wife. 20:13It
happened, when God caused me to wander from my father’s house, that I said to
her, ‘This is your kindness which you shall show to me. Everywhere that we go,
say of me, "He is my brother."’"
20:14Abimelech
took sheep and oxen, men-servants and women-servants, and gave them to Abraham,
and restored Sarah, his wife to him. 20:15Abimelech
said, "Behold, my land is before you. Dwell where it pleases you." 20:16To Sarah he said, "Behold, I have
given your brother a thousand pieces of silver. Behold, it is for you a
covering of the eyes to all that are with you. In front of all you are
vindicated."
20:17Abraham
prayed to God. God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maid-servants, and
they bore children. 20:18For Yahweh
had closed up tight all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah,
Abraham’s wife.
Yahweh
Punished Abimelech And His Household For Taking Another Man's Wife
Isn't it clear that Yahweh punished Abimelech and his household for his having taken another man's wife as his own wife, even though he had yet to sexually lie with her? Isn't it also clear that Yahweh's penalty upon Abimelech and his household would have been death if he had not restored Sarah to her rightful husband? In other words, isn't the penalty for adultery - taking another man's wife as one's own and sexually lying with her - death?
Guilt
Is Borne Even For Unwitting Sin
Isn't it clear that Abimelech sinned unwittingly, seeing that he did not know that Sarah was another man's wife? Isn't it also clear that even though a person sins unwittingly he still bears the penalty for that sin?
Adultery
Is Sin Against Yahweh
Isn't it clear from Yahweh's word in 20:6 that taking another man's wife as your own is sin against Yahweh?
Yahweh
Prevented Abimelech From Fully Sinning Against Yahweh
Isn't it also clear from Yahweh's word in 20:6-7 that he prevented Abimelech from sinning against him, by not allowing him to sexually touch Sarah? Isn't it the case that Abimelech was not aware of Yahweh's command to him not to sexually touch Sarah prior to his conversation with Yahweh in the dream? Doesn't this show that sometimes Yahweh permits us or prevents us from taking courses of action without our being consciously aware of his word to us in those situations?
Two
Sins Involved In Abimelech Taking Another Man's Wife As His
Doesn't it appear that there were two sins involved in the matter of Abimelech and Sarah? Wasn't the first sin that Abimelech committed, the lesser sin, that of taking another man's wife as his own? Wasn't the second sin, the greater sin, which Abimelech did not commit because Yahweh prevented him from so committing, that of sexually lying with another man's wife?
Repent
Of Your Sin Once You Become Aware Of It
Doesn't Yahweh show that once a person becomes aware of his sin he should repent of it, by making reparations for the sin? Didn't Abimelech duly pay appropriate reparations to Abraham, against whom he had sinned on account of taking his wife Sarah as his own wife?
Yahweh's
Servants Should Pray For Repentant Sinners
Doesn't Yahweh also show that his servants should pray for repentant sinners, that Yahweh might heal them of the consequences of their sins? Didn't Abraham duly pray for Abimelech?
Make
Appropriate Disclosure To Prevent Unwitting Sin
Doesn't the encounter between Abimelech and Abraham show that to prevent a person committing sin appropriate disclosure of the circumstances of a situation should be made? Such as disclosing to other men that a particular woman is indeed wife to a man, that each such man may desist from sexually lying with her?
Yahweh
Punished Abimelech And His Household With Barrenness
Isn't it clear that for Abimelech's sin of taking another man's wife as his own Yahweh made barren both Abimelech and his household - his wife and his maidservants (concubines)? Isn't it clear that a person's sin can indeed bring about a curse affecting not just that sinner, but also his entire household?
Did Yahweh punish Abimelech's wife and maidservants (concubines) because they were one flesh with Abimelech, and therefore one entity as far as Yahweh was concerned?
Barrenness
Is A Curse For Sexual Sin
Isn't it clear that barrenness is a curse that Yahweh has inflicted upon a household that has sexually sinned against him? Isn't it therefore the case that the barrenness suffered by some people arises on account of sexual sin in their family?
Yahweh
Reproved Abimelech For Adultery, Not For Polygyny
Isn't it clear that Yahweh did not reprove Abimelech for taking an additional wife, seeing that he already had his own wife and maidservants (concubines)? Isn't it clear that the reproof was for adultery - taking another man's wife as his own, and not for polygyny - taking more than one woman as one's wife? Isn't it clear that polygyny is not adultery?
Do Not
Condemn What Yahweh Has Not Condemned?
Why do human beings condemn those who practise polygyny when Yahweh does not condemn them? Why do human beings call polygyny sin yet Yahweh does not call polygyny sin?
Did Not
Yahweh Concur With Abimelech That Polygyny Is Part Of Righteousness?
Isn't it clear that when Abimelech called his nation a righteous nation Yahweh did not dispute this word of Abimelech? Isn't it clear that at this time Abimelech was indeed practising polygyny, having a wife and maidservants (concubines)? Isn't it clear that while Abimelech understood adultery to be a great sin, he understood polygyny not to be sin, seeing that the women he sexually took to himself were not the wives of other men?
Follow
Yahweh's Example Concerning Polygyny
Shouldn't we follow Yahweh's example, of not condemning those who practise polygyny? Shouldn't we accept that polygyny is indeed within the bounds of Yahweh's word, and is therefore not sin?
Ascertain
That A Woman Is Free For Marriage Before Taking Her As Your Wife
Shouldn't we also, learning from Abimelech's example, take precautions before taking a woman as a wife or otherwise taking her sexually? Shouldn't we first ascertain that she is not a man's wife, checking with a person in authority over her, or otherwise privy to the information? And where we cannot find a human in such stead, shouldn't we seek Yahweh and obtain from him both the answer and his will for us in that matter?
Yahweh
Fulfilled His Promise Of Making Sarah Fruitful
Genesis 21:1-7 reads,
21:1Yahweh
visited Sarah as he had said, and Yahweh did to Sarah as he had spoken. 21:2Sarah conceived, and bore Abraham a son in
his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him. 21:3Abraham called his son who was born to
him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac. 21:4Abraham circumcised his son, Isaac, when he
was eight days old, as God had commanded him. 21:5Abraham
was one hundred years old when his son, Isaac, was born to him. 21:6Sarah said, "God has made me laugh.
Everyone who hears will laugh with me." 21:7She
said, "Who would have said to Abraham, that Sarah would nurse children?
For I have borne him a son in his old age."
Didn't Yahweh fulfil his word to Abraham and Sarah? Didn't Yahweh show that he indeed is the one who facilitates conception, bearing and giving birth?
Rely On
Yahweh In Matters Of Human Fruitfulness
Shouldn't we rely on Yahweh in matters of conception, bearing and giving birth, rather than take matters into our own hands? Shouldn't we allow Yahweh to give us the pleasure arising out of conception, bearing and giving birth at his own appointed times, rather than at times we in our puny wisdom think fit?
Hagar's
House Separated From Sarah's House
Genesis 21:8-14 reads,
21:8The
child grew, and was weaned. Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac
was weaned. 21:9Sarah saw the son
of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, mocking. 21:10Therefore she said to Abraham, "Cast
out this handmaid and her son! For the son of this handmaid will not be heir
with my son, even with Isaac."
21:11The
thing was very grievous in Abraham’s sight on account of his son. 21:12God said to Abraham, "Don’t let it
be grievous in your sight because of the boy, and because of your handmaid. In
all that Sarah says to you, listen to her voice. For from Isaac will your seed
be called. 21:13Also of the son of
the handmaid will I make a nation, because he is your seed." 21:14Abraham rose up early in the morning, and
took bread and a bottle of water, and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her
shoulder, and gave her the child, and sent her away. She departed, and wandered
in the wilderness of Beersheba.
Behave
Properly Towards Those Yahweh Has Blessed
Isn't it the case that Ishmael's mocking behaviour triggered the timing of his banishment from his father's household? Shouldn't human beings behave properly to those whom Yahweh has blessed?
Yahweh
Commanded Abraham To Listen To His Wife's Voice
Didn't Yahweh command Abraham to listen to the voice of his wife Sarah in all that Sarah had said? Doesn't this show that it is not necessarily wrong for a husband to listen to the voice of his wife? Doesn't this show that it is only wrong for a husband to listen to the voice of his wife if her word is contrary to Yahweh's word? But where her word is in harmony with Yahweh's word isn't it indeed right for him to listen to her, even as Yahweh commanded Abraham? Didn't Yahweh ratify Sarah's word, showing that the reason Sarah gave for her word was in harmony with Yahweh's word?
It Is
Sometimes Necessary To Banish An Errant Family Member
Doesn't Abraham's example show us that when a family member behaves inappropriately it is sometimes necessary to send that member away from the household? Doesn't this imply that all family members should behave in a manner in harmony with Yahweh's word?
Abraham
And Sarah Dwelt Apart At The Time Of Sarah's Death
Genesis 13:18 reads,
13:18Abram
moved his tent, and came and lived by the oaks of Mamre, which are in Hebron,
and built an altar there to Yahweh.
Genesis 22:19 reads,
22:19So
Abraham returned to his young men, and they rose up and went together to
Beersheba. Abraham lived at Beersheba.
Genesis 23:1-2 reads,
23:1Sarah
lived one hundred twenty-seven years. These were the years of Sarah’s life. 23:2Sarah died in Kiriath-arba (the same is
Hebron), in the land of Canaan. Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to
weep for her.
Genesis 23:19 reads,
23:19After
this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah
before Mamre (the same is Hebron), in the land of Canaan.
Genesis 24:67 reads,
24:67Isaac
brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent, and took Rebekah, and she
became his wife. He loved her. Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.
Genesis 35:27 reads,
35:27Jacob
came to Isaac his father, to Mamre, to Kiriath-arba (the same is Hebron),
where Abraham and Isaac sojourned.
Isn't it clear that Abraham at one time lived in Hebron, also known as Kiriath-arba? Isn't it also clear that at another time he also lived in Beersheba, subsequent to having lived at Hebron? Isn't it also clear that Sarah his wife continued to live in Hebron, and even died in Hebron, her tent being in Hebron, even where her son continued to live? Isn't it therefore clear that at the time of her death Abraham and Sarah were living apart, with Sarah living in Hebron and Abraham living in Beersheba? Didn't Abraham journey from his dwelling place in Beersheba to go to mourn for his wife Sarah in Hebron?
Why were Abraham and Sarah living apart at around the time of Sarah's death? Why did Abraham have another dwelling place in Beersheba, in addition to his dwelling place with Sarah in Hebron?
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