seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Genesis 18:1 The Lord appeared to Abraham near the great trees of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent in the heat of the day. 2 Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he hurried from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground.
3 He said, “If I have found favor in your eyes, my lord,[a] do not pass your servant by. 4 Let a little water be brought, and then you may all wash your feet and rest under this tree. 5 Let me get you something to eat, so you can be refreshed and then go on your way—now that you have come to your servant.”
“Very well,” they answered, “do as you say.”
3 He said, “If I have found favor in your eyes, my lord,[a] do not pass your servant by. 4 Let a little water be brought, and then you may all wash your feet and rest under this tree. 5 Let me get you something to eat, so you can be refreshed and then go on your way—now that you have come to your servant.”
“Very well,” they answered, “do as you say.”
a. Genesis 18:3 Or eyes, Lord
This is from the blueletterbible.org site.
Apparently, this happened a short time later. In Genesis 17:21, God said Sarah would give birth one year later, and at this time, she is not yet pregnant. So this couldn't be more than three months after the events in Genesis 17.
Then the LORD appeared to him by the terebinth trees: Here again, the LORD came to Abraham in human appearance. This is another presentation of Jesus in human form before His incarnation.
We can assume that this was God, in the Person of Jesus Christ, appearing to Abraham before His incarnation and birth at Bethlehem. We assume this because of God the Father it says, No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him (John 1:18), and no man has ever seen God in the Person of the Father (1 Timothy 6:16). Therefore, if God appeared to someone in human appearance in the Old Testament (and no one has seen God the Father) it makes sense the appearance is of the eternal Son, the Second Person of the Trinity, before His incarnation in Bethlehem.
We don't know if Abraham immediately recognized who these visitors were. Though the LORD (in the Person of Jesus Christ) appeared to Abraham twice before (Genesis 12:7, 17:1), we don't know if Jesus looked the same each time, or if Abraham could just know who this was.
He ran from the tent door to meet them: According to his godliness and the customs of that culture, Abraham offered the hospitality of his house to these travelers.
Then the LORD appeared to him by the terebinth trees: Here again, the LORD came to Abraham in human appearance. This is another presentation of Jesus in human form before His incarnation.
We can assume that this was God, in the Person of Jesus Christ, appearing to Abraham before His incarnation and birth at Bethlehem. We assume this because of God the Father it says, No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him (John 1:18), and no man has ever seen God in the Person of the Father (1 Timothy 6:16). Therefore, if God appeared to someone in human appearance in the Old Testament (and no one has seen God the Father) it makes sense the appearance is of the eternal Son, the Second Person of the Trinity, before His incarnation in Bethlehem.
We don't know if Abraham immediately recognized who these visitors were. Though the LORD (in the Person of Jesus Christ) appeared to Abraham twice before (Genesis 12:7, 17:1), we don't know if Jesus looked the same each time, or if Abraham could just know who this was.
He ran from the tent door to meet them: According to his godliness and the customs of that culture, Abraham offered the hospitality of his house to these travelers.
However, this is how the easy English site discusses these verses.
Abraham had rested during the hottest part of the day. However, he gave a very friendly welcome to the three visitors. It was the custom to be kind to all visitors.
Abraham did not know that one visitor was the Lord. And he did not know that the other visitors were special too. He looked up and he saw them near him.
They ‘appeared’. That shows that they were special. Abraham thought that he was slow to give them a welcome. So he ran to them and he bowed down. When someone bowed low, that action showed great honour. People may also bow down when they worship God.
Abraham respected his visitors greatly. He did not know that his visitors were special. But he spoke to them as if they were special.
Abraham offered things that would make travellers feel much better on a hot day. He offered water for them to drink. He offered water for them to wash their feet. And he invited them to rest under a tree that gave shade.
Abraham did not know that one visitor was the Lord. And he did not know that the other visitors were special too. He looked up and he saw them near him.
They ‘appeared’. That shows that they were special. Abraham thought that he was slow to give them a welcome. So he ran to them and he bowed down. When someone bowed low, that action showed great honour. People may also bow down when they worship God.
Abraham respected his visitors greatly. He did not know that his visitors were special. But he spoke to them as if they were special.
Abraham offered things that would make travellers feel much better on a hot day. He offered water for them to drink. He offered water for them to wash their feet. And he invited them to rest under a tree that gave shade.
The first few times I read this, I disagreed with the commentaries siting the Jewish tradition of being kind to strangers in their land. But the commentaries point out that the strangers "appeared". Out in the desert... no one just appears near you. You can see a long long long long way in the desert. There aren't a lot of trees or structures to obstruct the view.
