Genesis 20:12–Reconciling Abraham’s Marriage: Scripture, Culture, and Moral Evolution

Welcome back to the Bible Difficulties and Answers podcast! I'm your host, Lance Smith, and in today's episode, we delve into one of the Bible's most perplexing narratives—Abraham's marriage to his half-sister, Sarah.

We explore how this union challenges our understanding of Scripture, moral development, and God's progressive revelation to humanity. How do we reconcile Abraham's marriage with later biblical laws that condemn incest? Is this a clash of ancient cultural norms with modern sensibilities, or does it reveal a deeper understanding of God's interaction with humanity over time?

Join us as we unpack Genesis 20:12 and examine the historical, cultural, and theological contexts of this complex issue. We'll discuss the absence of incest laws during Abraham's time, the flexible use of familial terms in ancient cultures, and the concept of moral evolution in the Bible.

This episode offers fresh perspectives on how to approach these ancient texts, emphasizing that not every action recorded in the Bible is a model for us to follow. Instead, these stories challenge us to ask deeper questions about morality, context, and God's relationship with humanity.

Don't miss our next episode where we explore another fascinating question: Did the Bible mistakenly place the Philistines in Palestine during the time of Abraham? We'll dive into Genesis 21:32-34 as we continue our series on Abraham.

Thank you for joining us on this journey through one of the Bible's more difficult passages. Remember, studying the Bible isn't just about finding answers—it's also about learning to ask the right questions.

If this episode sparked any thoughts or discussions, we'd love to hear from you. Reach out to us at BibleDifficultiesAndAnswers.Podbean.com or email us at BibleDifficultiesAndAnswers@gmail.com. Don't forget to like, subscribe, and share this podcast. Your support helps us spread the word about the most amazing book ever written.

Until next time, I wish you good luck, good health, and God bless. So long, everybody!

References to items discussed on this podcast may found at the following:

The Bible Difficulties and Answers Website

Email Address: bibledifficultiesandanswers@gmail.com 

1. https://a.co/d/7shn4hI (The Big Book of Bible Difficulties from Amazon)
2. https://www.ligonier.org/learn/devotionals/abrahams-sister 
3. https://religionnews.com/2016/04/08/how-to-deal-with-the-old-testaments-regressive-sexual-standards/
4. https://atheistpapers.com/2014/01/22/bible-contradictions-15-is-incest-ok/