I believe those are 3 separate events. I just finished a study of Genesis in our local Community Bible Study group, (CBS) and I believe we talked about "Abimelech" being more of a royal title rather than a particular person. And yes old Abe did tell the same lie twice, once to Pharoah and once to "Abimelech."

From what I remember in the study, Isaac kept up the family trait of lying about his wife being his sister to a decendent of the "Abimelech" that Abraham lied to.

God was blessing the lineage of Abraham and keeping his promise INSPITE of ABE and IZZY screwing up continually. God's grace in the Old Testament.

I think it shows that Abraham and Isaac were not that special. They were screwups just like us. These stories show that God caused his will to be done, even though the ones he was doing it for didn't deserve it. The very epitome of grace.

**edited for spelling**

Once could be a mistake.  But 3 times?  And after God bailed him out the first time? 

That seems intentional.

Was Abraham a pimp?

Abimelech must not have been a very bright guy, falling for the same thing twice.

Abimelech means "my father is the king" and would be the title of a crown prince who is ruling as coregent with his father.

But, if he's ruling concurrently with Daddy, don't you think Daddy might clue him in?

OK...time for me to be unpopular...

Abraham didn't lie...it was his sister.

Isaac wasn't guilty of lying either..his "sin" was deception...in the ANE this wasn't percieved equally as lying...a very slight slight...kinda like bumping someone when there isn't room to move.

These stories are as much prophesy as they were history.
Like the parable of the Pearl of great value or the parable of the hidden treasure and the man sells everything he has to purchase the land it is in.

God's "treasure" being "hidden" and often in the hands of another....but it is still his and He claims it and comes out with riches in the end.

The story in Genesis was told three times...Isaac's tale being the disturbing one for many people...considering the multitude of churchs about.
Abimelek/Abimelech is a hebrew word meaning "leader of the angels"

It is one of those "Hebrewism" thingies. The poetry and idioms of speech make the prophesy of it clear...as does the history that has occurred. English isn't a very good receptor language for many of these truths and prophesies.

Where what you are saying here as a theological truth is correct...it isn't what is revealed by the scripture being discussed.

As I have discovered by looking at the Hebrew, the Hebrew manners and customs, and the associated teachings of the Jews and have become familiar with their idioms and poetry I changed from the opinion you just gave to another one.

These scriptures speak to the fact that often we feel (and indeed the reality does seem to point in that direction) that we are abandoned and forgotten about by God.
But the truth is that we are one of his most prized possessions...and He is coming for us.