The women in the house of Abimelech could not bear children. Why did they bear children again when Abraham prayed and God healed them? Others could have prayed for this, but Abraham's own wife had never borne a child. How could he pray for the women in the house of Abimelech? This was indeed a difficult thing to do. But in this matter, the root which Abraham had planted in Mesopotamia was dug out by God. He realized that for his wife to bear children was something entirely up to God. While he was praying for the house of Abimelech, probably he did not have any confidence at all in himself. His confidence was in God and not in himself. Now Abraham was fully delivered from himself. He did not have a son, yet he could pray for others to bear children. His flesh had truly been dealt with.

This is the second test Abraham went through concerning his son. He learned the lesson from this test that God is the Father. Although his wife and the women in Abimelech's house were the same and could not bear children, he prayed for the women of Abimelech's house. He did it because he knew that God is the Father. He knew that power comes from God and not from himself. If God wants to do something, He can do it. With Him nothing is impossible. Abraham had to pay a price to pray for the women of Abimelech's house. The price was himself. What he prayed for was what he himself sought after. God was asking him to pray for something that he had not had for his whole life. God was touching him on this matter. Hence, in praying for the women of Abimelech's house, Abraham ceased all activities of his self. Only one who did not think about himself and did not consider himself could have prayed for the women of Abimelech's house on that day. Thank the Lord that God brought Abraham to the point where he could truly look away from himself. He could do this because he knew God as the Father.

We have to remember that there are two meanings to the name Father. God is our Father, and His relationship with the believers is a father-son relationship; this is very intimate. This is something which many Christians realize at the time of their regeneration. But there is still another lesson we have to learn. God is the Father in the persons of the Trinity; everything is of Him. This is the meaning of God the Father. He is the Father of everything, the Father of all things. This is the other meaning of God the Father. Abraham learned this lesson. He could pray for the women of Abimelech's house, not because he had clusters of children in his house, but because he saw that God is the Father. Through the begetting of Ishmael, Abraham learned to know God as the Father. In this incident with Abimelech, he learned to know God as the Father once again. Therefore, after this incident, God fulfilled His promise to Abraham and brought forth Isaac.