Gen 19-25

I've fallen behind here.  It's sometimes hard to stay up to date on the writing despite the best intentions.  There is that little thing about the spirit being willing but the flesh being weak.

The main thing that I remember about this these sections of the BKC is just how hard it is on Abraham.  I mean apparently Abraham did nothing right except offer Isaac as a sacrifice.  I went to lunch with a Christian friend John MacDonald, and I asked him what he thought about Abraham.  Then I read this section from the BKC to him.  This is from Gen 23.  It's the story about Sarah being taken by Abimelech and the Lord warns Abimilech not to touch Sarah.  Abraham again says that he didn't really lie that Sarah is his half-sister.  Anyway here is what the BKC says

"God's promised blessings demands separation from worldly corruption.  Sinfulness and weakness of faith created a threat to the promised blessing.  It is a sad commentary on one's lack of faith if God had to deliver him again and again."

This is a bout Abraham.  You know the "Friend of God", the Abraham that the Hebrews were reffering to when the said "The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob", the man who walked, talked and had picnics with God.  He may not of been perfect, after all who is except the Savior of the World, but come on.  John thought it was a little harsh as well.  It sounds like they're going to take the same track with Jacob as well.

I was talking with John and I explained that the LDS people have extra scripture that talk about Abraham so we consider him a real hero.  In our scriptures the Lord commands Abraham to say that Sarah is his sister.  Our question that we discuss then is, "Why did the Lord command Abraham to lie." but after reading and thinking about this I now wonder if it was a lie in reality.  Maybe it was just a shift in emphasis.  Also, I've been reading Nibley's book "Abraham in Egypt" and he says that there are new apocryphal stories, that of fairly recent discovery, that says that Sarah in the pharaoh's house was Sarah test to see if she would stay with the promises made to her.

Anyway the real problem I've had, if I have one, it why would Abimilech be interested in an 80 year old women for his wife, or harem, or whatever anyway?  I can think of some answers but I've never heard a really great explanation for that anyway.  I think my answers are way better than the Lord needed to save the sinful Abraham once again.