"And the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day; And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground" (Gen. 18:1,21And the Lord appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day; 2And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground, (Genesis 18:1‑2)).
This we believe to be the highest point in the experience of the pilgrim Abraham in his path of faith with its accompanying blessings. Here he shone brightly as the friend of God. The time of high noon indicated the brightest event to make up the ultimate of faith's journey to the city that has foundations. He at last reached the summit where, unbelief having dropped off, faith opened as a flower to the sun. It was maturity in purpose and obedience.
The Lord appeared, not in vision, but as a Man walking among men. Abraham sat in his tent door; his wife was within. Where will the Lord find me when He comes; where will He find you? Hope deferred had made Abraham's heart sick, but the time of this was well nigh over; tears of joy would soon flow freely in sure hope of the promised destiny.
Three men stood nearby. Abraham ran to meet them and bowed himself. He said, "Pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant: Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree: And 1 will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye come to your servant" (Gen. 18:3-53And said, My Lord, if now I have found favor in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant: 4Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree: 5And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye come to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said. (Genesis 18:3‑5)).
And they said, “Pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant: Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree: And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your heart; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye come to your servant” (Gen. 18:3-53And said, My Lord, if now I have found favor in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant: 4Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree: 5And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye come to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said. (Genesis 18:3‑5))
What mutual confidence and joy! Were we to experience such a visitation, would it quicken our steps in loving service to our Lord? Would our tasks of faith gather an air of liberty and joy to be able to spread a feast of a pilgrim character for Him?
Apparently there was no outward indication of which one of the three was the Lord, but Abraham waited with propriety for the Lord to reveal His identity, and there was no fear, though Abraham knew which one was the Lord. Years of communion had brought clarity of spiritual vision and confidence.
Naive hospitality was afforded this heavenly company beyond all of man's civilization and works religious or otherwise.
Most surely God valued Abraham's friendship. No great works seemed evident, yet Abraham's life as one of faith in its broad outlines has gone down in history through the ages for men to witness.
Would it be easier for God to call a world into existence than to form an Abraham? This bespeaks God's greater works, more than physical creation.
"And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth. And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetch a calf tender and good, and gave it unto a young man; and he hosted to dress it. And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat" (Gen. 18:6-86And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth. 7And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetcht a calf tender and good, and gave it unto a young man; and he hasted to dress it. 8And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat. (Genesis 18:6‑8)).
The number three speaks of completeness in God's ways and purposes on the earth, fine meal speaks of Christ in His perfection in His service to His Father unto death, the calf sets forth communion on the ground of the death of Christ, and butter (cheese) and milk are pilgrims' fare.
Abraham stood by them under the tree while they did eat. All was completely acceptable and refreshing. "They did eat." These were heavenly guests at formal conference in an informal, pastoral, natural setting.
Abraham did not soon forget that visit. The great spreading oak to shadow them from the heat of noonday sun speaks of the cross, our protection from the coming wrath, removing the bitterness from life's pathway. The children of Israel murmured because the waters of Marah were bitter, but the tree cast into the waters made them sweet. (See Ex. 15.) Christ on the cross took all of the bitterness.
The ways of God are strange, yet rich. This was a taste of heaven on earth. Is not heaven the Person of Jesus and wherever He is? Was not this the city that Abraham looked for? The Lord's words must have burned within the hearts of Abraham and Sarah as He spake to them by the way. Such are felt, enjoyed, and cherished in the heart but cannot be told out.
Precious fellowship, heaven coming down to earth for a visit with a friend, confirmed and comforted Abraham's heart, practically, a display depicting happier days for both earth and heaven when all of God's works are finished. Then there will be communion between the heavenly and earthly inhabitants.
The Lord asked, "Where is Sarah thy wife?"
"And he said,... Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him.... Sarah laughed within herself... And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old? Is anything too hard for the LORD" (Gen. 18:1014)?
Unbelief characterizes the natural heart and must be rebuked.
Lying also must be rebuked.
The Last Night of Sodom.
While Abraham's blessing was forthcoming, Lot was about to lose all. His enchanted ground was to be his ruin, a bitter end to a noble beginning. To sacrifice integrity for career is fatal, and to make an idol of talents is eternal loss.
Two angels went toward Sodom while Abraham stood yet before the Lord from the heights of Mamre and Hebron, pleading for Lot and any righteous in the city. Weakness lays the strongest claims to God. Abraham asked no blessing for himself, but, on a higher plane, interceded for others. There were not ten righteous left in Sodom.
Abraham had led Lot down into Egypt. Sodom's valley appeared as the garden of the Lord to him, but ripened iniquity was to bring its judgment from heaven. Lot and Sodom had been warned previously, but they did not repent, and Lot himself sat in the gate of the city after being rescued during the battle with the kings.
The destruction of Sodom was complete, picturing the fall of Christendom.
Charity would veil the remainder of Lot's life.