Genesis 18.1-8-Abraham's Hospitality to the Lord and Two Angels
Wednesday January 25, 2006
Genesis: Genesis 18:1-8-Abraham’s Hospitality to the Lord and Two Angels
Lesson # 88
Please turn in your Bibles to Genesis 18:1.
This evening we will begin a study of Genesis 18, which is one of the most fascinating chapters in the Bible.
Actually, Genesis 18-19 constitutes one integrated story but we will study it a section at a time and like the stories of the Flood in the days of Noah and the Tower of Babel rebellion, it has a chiastic structure this time focusing on the announcement of the destruction of Sodom (19:12-13).
This evening we will study Genesis 18:1-8, which records the appearance of the preincarnate Christ and two elect angels before Abraham and in turn, Abraham showing hospitality to them.
Genesis 19:1 clearly indicates that there were two elect angels who accompany the Lord in His visit with Abraham.
Abraham’s treatment of his visitors recorded in Genesis 18 is in direct contrast with the Sodomites treatment of the angels recorded in Genesis 19.
This chapter demonstrates that Abraham was indeed the “friend of God” as stated in James 2:23 since the Lord does not withhold from Abraham His intention to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah and Abraham debates this intention with the Lord.
James 2:23, “and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, ‘AND ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS,’ and he was called the friend of God.”
Genesis 18 reveals that Abraham was experiencing intimacy with the Lord.
Intimacy is a close, familiar and usually affectionate or loving, personal relationship with another person or group and in relation to people, intimacy is a close association with or detailed knowledge or deep understanding of a person.
Abraham has a close, familiar and affectionate personal relationship with the Lord, and possessed a detailed knowledge of His will and deep understanding of Him.
Jeremiah 9:24, “but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things, declares the LORD.”
Genesis 18:1, “Now the LORD appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, while he was sitting at the tent door in the heat of the day.”
“Appeared” is the verb ra’ah (har), which is in the causative-reflexive niphal form meaning that the Lord “caused Himself to appear” to Abraham.
The “causative-reflexive” scheme in Hebrew is usually “hithpael” but in some cases the “niphal” is used.
In these verbs the subject causes the action to happen to himself, thus the causative-reflexive niphal form of the verb ra’ah in Genesis 18:1 indicates that the Lord “caused Himself to appear” to Abraham.
This same form of the verb appears in Exodus 6:3 in relation to this passage.
Exodus 6:3, “and I appeared (causative-reflexive form of the ra’ah, “to make myself to be seen, or appear”) to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as God Almighty, but by My name, LORD, I did not make Myself known to them.”
The fact that the Lord “appeared” to Abram is a “theophany,” or “Christophany,” which is a theological term used to refer to either a visible or auditory manifestation of the Son of God before His incarnation in Bethlehem.
“Lord” is the proper noun Yahweh (hw *hy+), which is the personal covenant name of God emphasizing the “immanency” of God meaning that the Lord was involving Himself in and concerning Himself with and intervening in the life of Abraham and Sarah and reconfirming His covenant promise to Abraham.
The Lord visits Abraham to confirm the promise recorded in Genesis 17:19 to give Abraham and Sarah a child and pronounce its swift fulfillment.
According to Genesis 13:18, “the oaks of Mamre” were a grove of terebinth trees that were owned by Mamre who was chief of the Amorites who was allied with Abraham helping him defeat the Eastern kings (cf. Gen. 14:13, 24).
They were located in “Hebron,” which was located nineteen miles southwest of Jerusalem, on the way to Beersheba and was 3,040 feet above sea level, dominating a beautiful and fruitful area and ancient oaks (terebinths) filled the area.
The circumstantial clause “he (Abraham) was sitting at the tent door in the heat of the day” indicates that Abraham had finished his morning’s work and is resting during the hottest part of the day as was common among the Orientals since the midday heat was dangerous, especially for a man Abraham’s age.
Genesis 18:2, “When he lifted up his eyes and looked, behold, three men were standing opposite him; and when he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed himself to the earth.”
In Genesis 18:2, the storyline switches to describing events through Abraham’s eyes.
“He lifted up his eyes,” indicates that Abraham was either taking a nap or was in prayer.
When Abraham initially looked up, he observed what appeared to him to be simply three men who were standing opposite him at a distance, which is the Oriental equivalent of knocking at the door.
This is why the narrator describes these three visitors as “three men.”
The fact that they were standing at a distance opposite Abraham is indicated in that he ran to them.
“Looked” is the verb ra’ah, which means, that initially Abraham “observed” what appeared to be simply three men standing opposite of him at a distance.
“Behold” is the interjection hinneh, which marks Abraham’s surprise at seeing these three since he did not notice them approaching.
“Saw” is once again the verb ra’ah, which means that that after initially observing what appeared to be three men standing opposite him at a distance, Abraham took a closer look or we could say he looked again and this time noticed that it was the Lord.
This means that at first Abraham did not notice it was the Lord but after looking again, he did and this indicated by the repetition of the verb ra’ah.
The fact that Abraham noticed it was the Lord after looking a second time is indicated by his response to these three visitors and his addressing only one of them.
The fact that Abraham ran to meet what appeared to be three men indicates that Abraham has recognized someone special and significant.
In the ancient world, it was normal to extend hospitality to strangers but not to the extent that one would run to meet one’s guests and fall prostrate before them.
Abraham is not displaying the normal hospitality towards these three visitors but rather an extraordinary and unusual form of hospitality because he senses that he is in the presence of the Lord.
Though it was not unusual in Abraham’s day to bow before those who possessed authority and power, it was unusual to run to meet strangers since usually one would only do so to meet a loved one.
When Abraham encountered Melchizedek, he did not bow to him or address him in such a manner as we see Abraham doing in Genesis 18:2-3, even though Melchizedek was superior to him in rank and authority due to his position as priest of the Most High God.
All this would indicate that Abraham recognizes that the Lord Himself came in human form to pay him a visit.
The fact that Abraham runs to greet these three visitors and in particular one of them, the Lord, indicates that Abraham recognized that the Lord came in human form to pay him a visit.
Prior to this encounter with the Lord in Genesis 18, Abraham had experienced being in the presence of the Lord on three different occasions as recorded in Genesis 12:7, 15:1-18 and 17:1-22 and if so, then it seems likely that he would have recognized Him.
“Bowed himself” is the verb shachah (hjv) (shaw-khaw), which means, “to worship, to bow down” and in the hithpalel (causative-reflective) stem indicates the subject is willingly bowing to the ground.
When the verb is used with reference to God, it means, “to worship” (Gen. 22:5; 24:26, 48, 52) and when used with reference to men, it means, “to bow down” in order to show honor and respect.
Therefore, since we have determined and given evidence that Abraham recognized and was aware that he was entertaining the Lord, the verb shachah in Genesis 18:2 should be translated “worshipped.”
Genesis 18:3, “and said, ‘My lord, if now I have found favor in your sight, please do not pass your servant by.’”
Further indicating that Abraham recognizes that the Lord Himself has paid him a visit is that Abraham addresses only one of these three men.
If Abraham did not recognize the Lord, he would have addressed all three but he doesn’t, which indicates that he recognizes one to be superior to the other two.
The phrase “your servant” further indicates that Abraham recognizes that the Lord has paid him a visit since the pronomial suffix translated “your” is in the singular indicating Abraham is calling himself the servant of only one of the three.
If the pronomial suffix was in the plural, it would mean that Abraham is calling himself the servant of all three but this is not the case.
Also, the verbs in Genesis 18:3 are all used in the singular rather than the plural further indicating that Abraham is addressing only one of the three.
The fact that Abraham singles out one of the three indicates he recognizes the superiority of this one over the others and the reason that he does is that he recognizes that the Lord has paid him a visit.
The fact that Abraham addresses only one of the three and calls only one of the three `adhon, “Lord” indicates that Abraham recognizes the authority of only one of them who is the Lord Himself and appropriately addresses Him with the noun `adhon (/w)da*), which denotes the idea of authority or lordship.
Therefore, it should be translated not in a lower case “lord” but with an upper case “Lord.”
Now, there are those who teach that Abraham did not recognize that the Lord had paid him a visit until the Lord predicted Sarah’s pregnancy the following year and they use Hebrews 13:2 to support this claim.
Hebrews 13:2, “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.”
Hebrews 13:2 could have reference to Lot, Jacob and Joshua, who also entertained angels and furthermore, this passage is used with reference to angels and not the Lord, the passage does not say that some entertained the Lord without knowing it but rather angels!
Genesis 18:4, “Please let a little water be brought and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree.”
The washing of feet was the first offering of hospitality, which provided much appreciated comfort to the traveler who had walk dusty roads in sandal footwear.
Abraham has the Lord and the two angels rest under the famous terebinth trees that were in Mamre in Hebron.
Genesis 18:5, “and I will bring a piece of bread, that you may refresh yourselves; after that you may go on, since you have visited your servant. And they said, ‘So do, as you have said.’”
Genesis 18:6, “So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah, and said, ‘Quickly, prepare three measures of fine flour, knead it and make bread cakes.’”
Genesis 18:7, “Abraham also ran to the herd, and took a tender and choice calf and gave it to the servant, and he hurried to prepare it.”
Notice how rapidly Abraham moves from task to task, personally selecting the best calf from his flocks and every step of its preparation.
Genesis 18:8, “He took curds and milk and the calf which he had prepared, and placed it before them; and he was standing by them under the tree as they ate.”
“Curds” are the coagulated state of the fatty part of the milk, corresponding to the modern leben or yogurt.
“Milk” was highly esteemed in the ancient Near East because of its energy and that it was easy to digest.
The urgency in which Abraham serves his guests further indicates that Abraham is aware that he is entertaining the Lord and two of His angels.
Notice that initially, Abraham told his guests that he would bring them a “piece of bread” but instead he prepares a banquet for them.
The fact that Abraham stood by his guests while they ate in order to respond to their wishes was the Bedouin custom of the day, and which is still practiced today.
Therefore, we see in Genesis 18:4-8, the great hospitality of Abraham, which serves as an example for us as believers here in the church age who are commanded in Scripture to practice hospitality.
1 Peter 4:9, “Be hospitable to one another without complaint.”
Since believers are members of the body of Christ according to 1 Corinthians 12:12-27, Ephesians 3:6 and Colossians 3:15 of which body, Christ is the head according to Ephesians 4:15, 5:23, Colossians 1:18, then when believers practice hospitality towards one another, they are in fact doing it to Christ.
Matthew 25:40, “The King will answer and say to them (those Gentile believers who identified with Jewish believers during the Tribulation period), ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’”