WHAT I LEARNED WHEN I READ THE BIBLE
When Abraham moved into the region of Negev, he told King Abimelek, King of Gerar, that Sarah was his sister. He believed if the king knew she was Abraham’s wife, he would kill Abraham and take Sarah as his own. The king took Sarah anyway, because he believed she was Abraham’s sister, not his wife. We already know God salvaged the situation, but what I want to focus on is this verse, “Besides, she really is my sister, the daughter of my father though not of my mother; and she became my wife.” (Genesis 20:12 NIV). Besides? How often have we heard someone try to justify their actions by starting the sentence with the word “besides?” Abraham thought he could tell a half-truth, and everything would be all right. Wrong! When we use the word “half-truth” what does that make the other half? A lie. A lie is a lie, whether it makes up 100%, 50%, or just 10% of a story. Abraham’s half-truth would have destroyed the promised New Covenant had God not intervened.