Gospel Light Christian Church Thru-The-Bible Series (18.5)

The Book of Genesis

Genesis Chapter 18 - Read this Bible passage once through before referring to the notes below.

The Birth of Isaac is Promised

v.1 Our introduction to the scene is brief but effective.  “The LORD appeared” to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre (in the vicinity of Hebron) when the patriarch was resting quietly in front of his tent on a typically hot day for that region.  The oak trees grew freely and made the area attractive enough for Abraham to spend considerable time there.  Though he received God’s marvelous promises, his sojourn in the land of Canaan was characterised by tents and altars, not palaces and temples.

v.2-4 At the onset, Abraham may not have known who his visitors were but sensed that they were worthy of honourable treatment.  If so, that he “bowed himself toward the ground” was nothing more than his expression of humility to all his visitors.  He even granted them the respect that is due to those higher in rank, “My Lord [adonay, or Master, not Yahweh], if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant”.  His concern that his visitors not pass him by is typical of oriental hospitality.  Abraham may have suspected that these were messengers of the LORD, but only with the conversation would he know it was the LORD Himself.

v. 4-8 The invitation to eat a meal in Abraham’s tent was meant to convey intimate fellowship.  On the basis of such a close relationship, the LORD would guarantee the imminent birth of the child of promise.  Eating together was important for peaceful agreements in covenant and treaties in the ancient world (cf. 26:28-30; Ex. 24).  In the worship experience of Israel, the peace offering signified that the worshipper enjoyed a peaceful relationship with the LORD (Lev. 3; 7:11-21).  It was not simply a communal meal but a holy meal shared by the people together who had one thing in common – peace with God.  The church’s celebration of her union with Christ takes the form of eating and drinking at the Lord’s table (cf. Jn. 6:53-58; Matt. 26:26-30).  This outward confession of Christians’ acceptance of Christ’s death on their behalf is parallel to Israel’s peace offering – for only those at peace with God may eat and drink.  Our Lord Jesus also used the picture of eating together to represent intimate fellowship with Him (cf. Rev. 3:20; 19:7).  There is therefore great significance when the LORD personally made a special visit to Abraham’s tent and accepted the offer to eat in Abraham’s presence.  Nothing more could effectively communicate the close relationship upon which the promises were based – Abraham was the “Friend of God” (Ja. 2:23 cf. 2 Chr. 20:7; Is. 41:8).

v.9-12 The Visitor’s question, “Where is Sarah?” was out of keeping with oriental custom, since strangers would neither know nor use a wife’s given name.  The fact that He knew Sarah’s name indicated that He is not a mere man and that the purpose of the visit has to do with her, whose new name spoke of the promise (cf. 17:15-16).  Sarah was “in the tent” but in another section and out of view.  Oriental women were commonly seated close to a partition, near where men and guests were but not visible, listening to the conversation between the men in the other section. 

The Visitor’s promise to “certainly return unto thee according to the time of life” can mean that He would return in 1 year or in 9 months (i.e. the normal period of pregnancy).  In either case, it means that Sarah would have given birth by then.  But they were now old, and Sarah was beyond childbearing (“ceased…after the manner of women”).  From Sarah’s point of view (“After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure [conception]”), the thought of bearing a child was not unlikely, it was impossible!  Therefore, her natural reaction to God’s specific Word of promise to her was – laughter.

v.13-15 The ability of the Visitor to discern Sarah’s inner laughter when He could not even see her proved conclusively that He was the LORD Himself.  The immediate rebuke “Wherefore did Sarah laugh?” is kind but forceful (in the Hebrew construction).  What made the laughter “amazing” to the Visitor was the ability of the One making the promise.  The LORD’s response to Sarah, “Is anything too hard for the LORD?” indicates that Sarah’s laughter expressed disbelief.  Sarah has not renounced the LORD in unbelief but, like Abraham (cf. 17:17), she had found His specific Word incredible.

The lesson in this passage is that nothing is too extraordinary, impossible, or difficult for the LORD.  When we read the Bible and the Holy Spirit teaches us something we feel is “too hard”, we must remember, when what is declared comes from LORD, it is never “too hard”!  A true Christian point of view does not consider things from one’s own limited perspective.  What make something believable is not what is said but who said it.

Sarah’s denial of her laughter was probably an attempt to retract her laughter.  She would have preferred to cancel the laughter but the LORD’s “Nay, but thou didst laugh” preserved it.  The ending of this account on this note was especially instructive because Abraham and Sarah were to remember their response to God’s promise until the child Isaac was born – they both laughed.  The LORD chose to do the impossible because the promised child was to be known as the LORD’s gracious provision.

The Justice of the Righteous Judge

v.16-19 This account follows immediately the visitation at Mamre.  Abraham accompanied them in the direction of Sodom.  The LORD has two reasons for revealing His judgement to Abraham.  First, Abraham was going to be a blessing to the nations, so the reason for the complete removal of a nation from such an opportunity should be given to him (v.18).  God wanted to impress upon Abraham that His absolute holiness required Him to judge such unbridled wickedness and that His judgement was perfectly just.  It was also important for Abraham to learn that He responds to the intercession of others (cf. Ps. 106:23).  Second, Abraham would teach justice and righteousness to his descendants (v.19).  The statement, “For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him,” confirms that Abraham stood in a special relationship to the LORD and that, when he received further revelation of the righteousness of God, he would instill it in the way of his descendants.

v.20-22 The great “cry of Sodom and Gomorrah” could refer to the outcry against it or simply to the evil which was prevalent in the cities.  “I will go down now, and see…” is a very anthropomorphic description of the LORD.  It does not imply that God does not know about what is going on in the city but it emphasises the truth that He will handle the situation justly.  God already knew the city was wicked (cf. 13:13) but He wanted to demonstrate that His decision to destroy it was fully justified and not arbitrary.  Two of the visitors continued towards Sodom while the LORD remained with Abraham.

v.23-33 When Abraham “drew near,” he did more than draw close physically.  The Hebrew word “nagas” is often used in the Old Testament of the mind and heart reaching out toward God in worship and confession (cf. Ex. 30:20; Is. 29:13; Jer. 30:21).  Through the questions and answers that followed, Abraham probed the righteousness of the LORD in His judgement and interceded in behalf of the city on the basis of God’s justice.  God’s holiness required the judgment of the wicked but His justice would not permit the destruction of the righteous together with the wicked (v.25).

We should not get the impression that Abraham was merely haggling with God – his questions were explorative and perceptive.  Abraham was not totally familiar with the situation in Sodom.  His assumption that there might be fifty people in the city (v.24) might have been based on Lots’ potential influence.  Lot’s decision to live in Sodom had been a severe impropriety but 2 Peter 2:7 makes it clear that Lot was a righteous man.  Lot was a believer and Abraham had great concern for him.  Abraham continued to intercede, reducing the number to as low as 10.  Abraham wanted to know if God would spare an entire city for a mere handful of righteous men, and the answer was a wonderful “Yes!” (v.32).  As we shall see later, Abraham intercession was not fruitless – Lot and his immediate family were delivered by sovereign grace.  We must never under-estimate the spiritual power and effectiveness in witness of the Church today that comes through intercessory prayer.

The nature and context of Abraham’s intercessory prayer are highly instructive for believers today.  Very often we pray as if we must overcome God’s reluctance rather than to seize upon His willingness.  The fact that God was the One who brought up the situation in Sodom to Abraham is revealing (cf. 18:17).  It should always be remembered that God’s attitude is “As I live…, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live” (Ezek. 33:11).  And we must also remember that intercessory prayer is only effective when we realise how terrible the judgement of God is because it is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to pray effectively for lost souls if one is not convinced that the unsaved will ultimately result in literal, eternal punishment.

Read more devotionals on Genesis Chapter 18