"And God said to him (Abimelech) in a dream, Yes, I know that you did this in the integrity of your heart; for I also withheld you from sinning against me: therefore suffered I you not to touch her.” (v.6)
God gave Abimelech notice of his danger of sin, and his danger of death for his sin in verse 3. Abimelech then pleads ignorance of his sin in verses 4 and 5. Is ignorance an excuse? What if one has been mislead into a trap?
Here in our text we are shown how God can restrain men from doing the ill they would do; either by His influence on men’s minds, or checking their inclination to sin, by His providence, or by taking away the opportunity of committing a sin, as we see here with Abimelech.
It is a great mercy to be withheld from sinning, in which God must have the glory. But if we have ignorantly done wrong, that will not excuse us, nor if we knowingly persist in it unless we repent, and even then there are always consequences.
Have you ever experienced His hand of protection from sin? Have you ever been turned away from potential harm by second thoughts? If so, give Him the glory.
The Truth: “In the Lord’s hand the king’s heart is a stream of water that He channels toward all who please Him.” (Proverbs 21:1)
