Dear church,

Sin leads us into captivity. Our lies and deception open the door to the world of death, and it comes and takes us. The story Sarah’s captivity begins a pattern that is repeated elsewhere in the Old Testament. God’s people are taken captive, and God frees them by his own power. 

Abimelech was the second king who swept Sarah into his home (see Genesis 12). King Abimelech was not afflicted by plagues from God but by a dream from God. God’s people would continue to find themselves in captivity – think about Joseph and then the entire nation of Israel in Egypt – and God would bring dreams and plagues again in order to set his people free. 

Only God has the power to save. And only humans have the capacity to fall into sin again after we’ve seen the saving power of God. 

A common description of God in the Bible calls him “merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness” (Exodus 34:6). Again and again, he grants us mercy. Again and again, he is patient as we turn away. Again and again, his love holds onto us even as we try to pull away. Again and again, he frees us from our self-inflicted captivity. 

God’s people can expect the way of escape to appear in front of them. We ought not to fret in any circumstance because God will show us the way out. This is even the case before we fall into sin (1 Corinthians 10:13). God provides a way of escape.

Chris