- Genesis 20:1-7 - And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the south country, and dwelled between Kadesh and Shur, and sojourned in Gerar. And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah. But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she is a man's wife. But Abimelech had not come near her: and he said, Lord, wilt thou slay also a righteous nation? Said he not unto me, She is my sister? and she, even she herself said, He is my brother: in the integrity of my heart and innocency of my hands have I done this. And God said unto him in a dream, Yea, I know that thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart; for I also withheld thee from sinning against me: therefore suffered I thee not to touch her. Now therefore restore the man his wife; for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live: and if thou restore her not, know that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that are thine.
- Psalm 81:12 - So I gave them up unto their own hearts' lust: and they walked in their own counsels.
- Genesis 20:6 - And God said unto him in a dream, Yea, I know that thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart; for I also withheld thee from sinning against me: therefore suffered I thee not to touch her.
- 1 Corinthians 10:13 - There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
- James 1:17 - Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
- 2 Corinthians 1:20 - For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.
God can respond to sin in various ways, but His character never changes. Yesterday, we discussed the origin of sin. Today, let’s look at how our sovereign God responds to it. His response reveals much about His character. Sometimes, the Lord allows sin to continue to its natural consequences. After the exodus from Egypt, He promised blessings to Israel if they obeyed. But when they stubbornly disobeyed, God “gave them over to their stubborn hearts” (Ps. 81:12). God remained in control, but He allowed them to experience the consequences of their rebellion. At other times, God intervenes to protect the innocent and defenseless. For instance, when Abraham lied about Sarah, claiming she was his sister (out of fear of telling the whole truth), the king of Gerar unknowingly took her into his house. God intervened—not to force a change in the man's will, but to protect someone who did not deserve the consequences of Abraham's deception (Gen. 20:6). For believers, God also promises during times of temptation that He will provide a way of escape (1 Cor. 10:13). We may not always understand why the Lord allows the consequences of sin to continue in some cases and intervenes in others. However, we can trust that His character never changes (James 1:17) and that He always keeps His promises (2 Cor. 1:20). God’s responses to sin may vary, but His goodness remains the same.
Reflection
Has there been a situation in your life where you felt God was allowing the consequences of sin to run their course, or when He intervened to protect you? How does this impact your trust in His character?
