Old Llantrisant Hill
- Last week:
- Hagar and Ishmael had to leave
- Now:
- Abimelech comes up again - circumstances change
- 5 years have changed between these times
- There had been a rift in the relationship between Abraham and Abimelech
- A truce was brought
- Time can change things
- It is good when things change in relationships for the better
- Peace with God
- Peace with one another
- Abraham has an opportunity to put things right with Abimelech
- Abraham came from the Ur of the Chaldeans
- It is likely the family worshiped the moon god
- God had called him and Abraham came into the land of Canaan
- Abraham did not own the land but was a nomad and pilgrim
- He had gone down into Egypt and lied to Pharaoh and brought trouble to Pharaoh's Household
- He did a similar thing in Gerrah and lied to Abimelech and brought trouble to Abimelech's Household
- He had known times of great victory
- He interceded for Sodom
- Times of great weakness and failure
- The biggest failure was listening to his wife telling him to take her maid servant - this was not God's promised son
- A tremendous sadness when Hagar and Ishmael had to leave
- Abimelech comes with his commander Phichol and recognises that God is with him
- Abimelech is courting Abraham
- Abimelech is fearful of Abraham
- Abraham is now rebuking Abimelech (v25)
- Things will not always remain as they are
- Abraham is given an unexpected opportunity to make amends with Abimelech
- How Abraham and Abimelech make a truce
- Personal example
- v23 - repay the kindness
- v33 - Abraham has to settle a situation over a well
- Abraham was a man of courage, waiting on God's time
- He accepted Abimelech's word
- Abraham is willing to forgive and forget
- Abraham shows great kindness in v27
- We must be peacemakers and not respond with the arm of flesh
- We must be careful not to misinterpret things
- They made a definite agreement to peace
- Abraham gives Abimelech sheep as a tangible proof of the agreement
- They swore oaths together (v31)
- We need to be careful with oaths
- Our 'yes' should be yes and our 'no' no
- We should be people of integrity
- They were very serious about peace
- In later generations there was discord between the two families (Gen 26:20ff)
- The servants of Abimelech filled in the wells of Abraham and Issac had to dig them up again
- Abraham plants a tamarisk tree and calls on the name of the Lord - he is at peace (v33)
- Abraham accepted the word of Abimelech and made peace with him
- As Abraham called on God - this was a witness to Abimelech
- God is with you in all you do
- How can God be with us in all that we do?
- If we are not Christians we must pray Lord enter me
- If we are Christians we ask that Jesus stay close to us
- This covenant brought peace
- We have a better covenant that the Lord Jesus made with His Church
- This covenant can never be broken
- God will never leave us nor forsake us