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Abraham receives the LORD and two angels

Chapter 18

It seems that, although Abraham lived in tents, he had remained among the terebinth trees of Mamre since splitting with Lot (13:18). Sitting at the entrance of the tent in the heat of the day, he suddenly saw three men standing before him. Did he recognize the LORD as one of them, for his invitation was addressed to “my Lord”?

He immediately proved to be hospitable: he ran up to meet them (and he was an old man of nearly one hundred years!), bowed himself to the ground and begged them to stay a little: he would provide water to wash their feet (they would have been barefoot or using sandals), shade under the tree, and bread.

More than that, he still gave them a barbecue of beef, with sour cream and milk. Concerning this episode we read in Hebrews 13:2 “Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels".

Christian hospitality is not like receiving socially, where social activity is focused on the hosts who will seek to show themselves relaxed and friendly and the food has to be well prepared and plentiful. Christian hospitality is the reverse: the guests are the centre of attention and their needs come first: accommodation, nutritious food, attention to what they have to say, or simple acceptance; it can be exercised even in a messy house, on a table where the only food might be just canned soup. We must never cease to be hospitable just because we are tired, too busy, or do not have the necessary resources to receive socially ("Life Application Bible Notes").

In those days, as it still happens in some cultures today, it was not right for a woman to sit among the men to eat. Sara stayed in her tent listening curiously as they talked, without being seen.

They enquired about her, and one of them, who had his back to her, said he would return there after one year, when Sara would certainly have a son. According to the laws of nature it was impossible, and she laughed inwardly (not audibly) - and maybe she was still unaware of the promise made to Abraham. Maybe she thought it was too good to be true!

The same man, revealing he had divine omniscience, for he knew the thoughts of Sarah, is identified as the LORD, and rebuked her disbelief, saying these famous words, "is anything too hard for the LORD?”

Sarah, surprised and fearful, yet hardly able to believe he knew her thoughts, tried to deny it, but He confirmed that He knew what had happened in her heart.

The details of the meeting recounted here indicate that this was not a vision or a dream.

The verses that follow, until the end of this chapter, give the reason why Abraham is called the friend of God (2 Chronicles 20:7, Isaiah 41:8, James 2:23).

When they rose and left looking toward Sodom,  Abraham went with them for a bit. From the high place where they were, the plain where Sodom and Gomorrah were located is still visible, as well as Jerusalem. Sodom was the most important city in the region and maybe the scenery was quite beautiful at that time.

Considering the significance that Abraham and his descendants would have in the world (their influence on each of us continues today), the LORD revealed to Abraham the judgement over Sodom and Gomorrah because of their notorious transgressions.

God had chosen Abraham for him to teach his descendants to keep His way, and to do righteousness and justice, so that God in turn might fulfil His promises: it was necessary, therefore, for him to know God well in order to be able to inform his offspring correctly about Him.

The LORD then tells Abraham that He is aware of the situation in those cities. He is now getting evidence before bringing upon them their correct judgement. He had sent his two angels there with that purpose (they would be His witnesses as in a trial).

With this explanation, Abraham (and we) saw that God's justice is serene and comes at the appropriate time. The defendants' guilt is proven in front of witnesses, although God is sovereign and does not need to satisfy anybody for His actions. The patience and compassion of God is also evidenced by the long time during which He bears the iniquity of his creatures before bringing due punishment upon them.

The two angels went on their mission, but the LORD continued there and Abraham remained in His presence.

Then Abraham, with great courtesy and humility, sought to discover just how many righteous men there would have to be in the city for God to spare it. He certainly was concerned because Lot was there. In the manner of easterners, he did not go straight to the point. The LORD, in turn, knew what was going on within him and also knew He would save Lot and his family, but he allowed Abraham to keep on arguing with him, so that he might learn to fully trust in the righteousness of God.

The LORD finally promised Abraham that, if there were ten righteous people within the city He would not destroy it, for the sake of the ten. This reminds us that today´s world is to be judged for its iniquity, similarly to what happened to Sodom, but because of the righteous (the Church of Christ), judgement has not yet come. As happened with Lot, the LORD will provide for the rapture of the church from this world, which may happen at any time. Only then will He unleash his wrath on the rebellious world, beginning at the time when He gives authority (a crown) to the rider of the white horse (the Antichrist), for him to go out conquering and to conquer (Revelation 6:2).

R David Jones

1 Then the LORD appeared to him by the terebinth trees of Mamre, as he was sitting in the tent door in the heat of the day.
2 So he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing by him; and when he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them, and bowed himself to the ground,
3 and said, "My Lord, if I have now found favor in Your sight, do not pass on by Your servant.
4 Please let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree.
5 And I will bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh your hearts. After that you may pass by, inasmuch as you have come to your servant." They said, "Do as you have said."
6 So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah and said, "Quickly, make ready three measures of fine meal; knead it and make cakes."
7 And Abraham ran to the herd, took a tender and good calf, gave it to a young man, and he hastened to prepare it.
8 So he took butter and milk and the calf which he had prepared, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree as they ate.
9 Then they said to him, "Where is Sarah your wife?" So he said, "Here, in the tent."
10 And He said, "I will certainly return to you according to the time of life, and behold, Sarah your wife shall have a son." (Sarah was listening in the tent door which was behind him.)
11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age; and Sarah had passed the age of childbearing.
12 Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, "After I have grown old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?"
13 And the LORD said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh, saying, 'Shall I surely bear a child, since I am old?'
14 Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son."
15 But Sarah denied it, saying, "I did not laugh," for she was afraid. And He said, "No, but you did laugh!"
16 Then the men rose from there and looked toward Sodom, and Abraham went with them to send them on the way.
17 And the LORD said, "Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing,
18 since Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?
19 For I have known him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the LORD, to do righteousness and justice, that the LORD may bring to Abraham what He has spoken to him."
20 And the LORD said, "Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grave,
21 I will go down now and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry against it that has come to Me; and if not, I will know."
22 Then the men turned away from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the LORD.
23 And Abraham came near and said, "Would You also destroy the righteous with the wicked?
24 Suppose there were fifty righteous within the city; would You also destroy the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous that were in it?
25 Far be it from You to do such a thing as this, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be as the wicked; far be it from You! Shall not the 26 So the LORD said, "If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes."
27 Then Abraham answered and said, "Indeed now, I who am but dust and ashes have taken it upon myself to speak to the Lord:
28 Suppose there were five less than the fifty righteous; would You destroy all of the city for lack of five?" So He said, "If I find there forty-five, I will not destroy it."
29 And he spoke to Him yet again and said, "Suppose there should be forty found there?" So He said, "I will not do it for the sake of forty."
30 Then he said, "Let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Suppose thirty should be found there?" So He said, "I will not do it if I find thirty there."
31 And he said, "Indeed now, I have taken it upon myself to speak to the Lord: Suppose twenty should be found there?" So He said, "I will not destroy it for the sake of twenty."
32 Then he said, "Let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak but once more: Suppose ten should be found there?" And He said, "I will not destroy it for the sake of ten."
33 So the LORD went His way as soon as He had finished speaking with Abraham; and Abraham returned to his place.

Genesis chapter 18