Genesis 18: the three visitors
Probably shortly after God appears to Abraham and deepens his covenant with him in Chapter 17, he appears to both Abraham and Sarah represented by three men. This time, it is Sarah's turn to hear the promise that she herself, at the age of 90, would bear a child, and, as Abraham did, laugh with incredulity (Genesis 17:17, 18:12).
However, before we get to that part, we see something inspiring as we watch the outworking of Abraham's faith and devotion to God. We are reminded of the words in the letter to the Hebrews, of which there is little doubt refers in part to this encounter: Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. (Hebrews 13:2). Abraham is overflowing with love for his fellow people. God's way is about connection, giving to each other, a community supporting each other so that no one may fall. The instructional text in the New Testament letters is littered with exhortations to show hospitality to one another, and it's always been this way. Abraham - the great man of faith that was credited to him as righteousness was one whose walk with God was characterised with regard for his fellow human beings, not just as equals, but putting others above himself in service: the very opposite of that which spiralled into sin and violence in the early chapters of Genesis.
How sure Abraham is at the point he greets the men is unclear, but perhaps it is deliberately so. Whilst it is abundantly clear in the passage that God himself was speaking to Abraham, what that looks like is impossible to wrap our heads around. We may note that Abraham flips between the singular 'My lord' in verse 4 and plural then you may all wash your feet in verse 5, acknowledging that the one Lord God was present. Is it maybe the case that the three men reflected the Trinity? Or was the one man who stayed behind while the two 'angels' went down to Sodom Jesus himself - God incarnate? What is clear is that in some mysterious way, the creator of the universe was there - he ate and drank with his friend Abraham, and as we read on into the rest of Chapter 18 we see that relationship deepen through God revealing his plans for Sodom to Abraham (but that will be the next instalment).
As I said at the beginning, it seems the first purpose of God's appearance here is to tell Sarah that she will bear the child of the promise. Here, as we have seen before, we find comfort and challenge in equal measure: the challenge as we see our own weak faith reflected, and the comfort of seeing how God's grace remains even when our faith is shaky. Both can be summed up in God's words to Abraham: Is anything too hard for the Lord? (Genesis 18:14). It seems so foolish for us to think, as we so often do, that anything is too hard for the one who is the author if life itself, and yet because our hearts and minds are stunted by sin, we do. And yet, we may take great comfort We come to him with doubts and fears, and stubborn hearts that think we know best, and yet nothing is impossible for him - the one who offers eternal life to all.
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