Can we be punished for a sin we may not realize we are committing? I ask this as I have been reading Genesis, and came across a particular story of Abraham which incensed me just a bit. Genesis 12: 11-20 and then Genesis 25:7-11. In which God punished the pharoh of Egypt for looking at Sarai because she was Abraham's wife. But the man had told Pharoh that Sarai was his sister. So obviously Pharoh did not realize what he was doing. But God still brought plagues down and made sure none of the wives in his household could bear children. In this case I cannot help but feel that maybe, just maybe Abraham was in the wrong for lying in the first place. I know he was afraid of being killed for her, but I cannot understand the reasoning of this. Then, Issac does the same thing with his wife Rebekkah in the Phillistines with Ablimech, and he too is punished. Does this mean that even if we are doing something wrong that we can be punished for it? I personally found this to be very troubling. :read:
Hi Serafina
The Pharaoh wasn't merely looking at Sarai. Pharaoh himself admits:
"Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I was about to take her as my wife?" (Gen 12:19)
Pharaoh was about to marry her! That is why God plagued Pharaoh and his household.
Yes, Abram was partly to blame for this plague, but he had reasoned that the Egyptians would kill him if they knew she was his wife.
The Bible isn't an account of perfect people who never sin, it's an account of imperfect people who, despite themselves, are used by God.
This account demonstrates, in my opinion, that Abram was also a man, subject to the same human weaknesses - in this instance, fear of the Egyptians.
I guess he got his reward, because the Egyptians escorted him out of Egypt pretty sharpish. Fair enough, really.
Hi Serafina
The Pharaoh wasn't merely looking at Sarai. Pharaoh himself admits:
"Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I was about to take her as my wife?" (Gen 12:19)
Pharaoh was about to marry her! That is why God plagued Pharaoh and his household.
Yes, Abram was partly to blame for this plague, but he had reasoned that the Egyptians would kill him if they knew she was his wife.
The Bible isn't an account of perfect people who never sin, it's an account of imperfect people who, despite themselves, are used by God.
This account demonstrates, in my opinion, that Abram was also a man, subject to the same human weaknesses - in this instance, fear of the Egyptians.
I guess he got his reward, because the Egyptians escorted him out of Egypt pretty sharpish. Fair enough, really.
I understand that he wasn't merely "looking", by looking I meant interested. But Pharoh's punshment of pain and a bit of suffering doesn't seem to really match with an escort out. Pharoh still didn't realize what he was doing.:read: