Did Jesus Visit Abraham? – Genesis 18

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. 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, and said, “My lord, if now I have found favor in your sight, please do not pass your servant by. “Please let a little water be brought and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree; 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.” So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah, and said, “Quickly, prepare three measures of fine flour, knead it and make bread cakes.” 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. 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. Then they said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” And he said, “There, in the tent.” He said, “I will surely return to you at this time next year; and behold, Sarah your wife will have a son.” And Sarah was listening at the tent door, which was behind him. Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in age; Sarah was past childbearing. Sarah laughed to herself, saying, “After I have become old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?” And the LORD said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Shall I indeed bear a child, when I am so old?’ “Is anything too difficult for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, at this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.” Sarah denied it however, saying, “I did not laugh”; for she was afraid. And He said, “No, but you did laugh.” (Genesis 18:1-15 NASB)

In Genesis 18 is the record of a unique visit by God in the form of a man.  Regardless of your particular view of “Pre-Incarnate Appearances of Jesus”, this visit is rather startling.  After walking with Adam and Eve in the Garden in the cool of the day, this is the first record of a conversation face to face with the Creator of the universe and one of His human creatures.  The closest between these two recorded conversations is Enoch who walked with God, but no record of a conversation between them.  This event is special.  But it is not the first time God has appeared to Abraham.

God spoke to Abraham to call him to Canaan in Chapter 12 and then “appears” to him after he arrives.  In Chapter 15 God binds Himself to Abram in a covenant, and then in 17 the sign of the covenant is given as circumcision and Abraham binds himself to God.  It is in 17 that the promise of great nations is said to come through Sarah rather than Hagar.  Here Abraham laughs, asking that Ishmael might live before God.  So God blesses Ishmael as well, but not with the promise.  That makes four conversations with God having taken place before the three men show up, and it has already been established that Isaac will be the “one”.

There seems to be a two-fold purpose for this visit.  The first purpose is to establish a time for the promised child.  The second is to discuss the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.  I want to focus on the first purpose because it is here that I find a very interesting picture of my Master’s character (not that I don’t with the second purpose, but it’s different).  Here I see the Great I AM again taking a personal touch with His human creatures to make something crystal clear, but gently.  Why not leave things as they have been with the coming of Isaac being established?  Why this visit?

This visit shows me a few things about my Master.  I see the close intimacy that Adam and Eve had in the Garden once again in this encounter.  I see that Abraham’s familiarity with his Master enabled him to respond properly to the visitors.  I notice that my Master enjoys the preparations of His servant permitting him to provide cultural hospitality.  There is a camaraderie that maintains the Master – servant relationship.  The Holy Creator of all matter sits in the heat of the day under an oak with two other men, and eats beef and curds while His human host stands in attendance.  I wrestle with what I read here because I want it for myself.

But look at this scene again.  I notice that the impression of the Almighty Yahweh of Armies into my world is a gentle person.  He asks about Sarah, and then, as the King James Version puts it, He mentions that when he returns “according to the time of life” she will have a son.  The absurdity of this is explained in the passage; Sarah has stopped her cycles, she and Abraham are too old.  But she also describes it as “pleasure”; she still has the ache of her desire for a child.  In response to what she hears Yahweh say, she laughs internally to herself (it’s specific about that).  Yet the God of all comfort hears her silent laugh.

I believe, because I choose to believe, that my Master hears the silent laugh because He also hears the ache of desire, the fear to hope, the despair in herself that she could not be for her husband what she most desired.  I believe my Master hears it all.  He points out the laugh, and asks, “Is anything too difficult for Yahweh?”  I need to ask that question repeatedly.  When despair threatens me, I must ask, “Is anything too difficult for Yahweh?”  When my hope ebbs then I must ask, “Is anything too difficult for Yahweh?”  When I’m confronted by my failures as a husband and a father I must ask, “Is anything too difficult for Yahweh?”

In fear, Sarah denies falsely that she laughed.  He heard what she knew made no sound.  The one sitting being served by her “lord” was his Master, and the Master of all.  How else could He have heard?  And if He heard that, what else did He know?  She was right to fear.  She was wrong to be false though, and the Master of the universe gently rebukes her.  He doesn’t slam her, He doesn’t get angry, He doesn’t reject her.  He gently corrects, and moves on.  He has let her know that, knowing all He does about her, He accepts her and intends to use her.  She is included by the Almighty of Holy Armies in His plans.  I sit in awe of the grace of my Master.

This is the One who calls me.  This is the One who has chosen me for a purpose.  He sits with me and eats, and permits me to serve Him.  He sees the depths of my heart with all the pains and fears, and loves me anyway.  The One forming stars is gentle with me.  He isn’t surprised by me and doesn’t reject me for my many failures.  He is patient with me, but does not leave me in the condition He finds me.  He has chosen to live within me in the most bizarre interaction imaginable.  And yet being that close in intimacy with me, He still is gentle and waits for my submission to Him.  How can I not be in awe of my Master?  From all this, I learn love.