Genesis Chapter 18
“Abraham's Character"
Context:
Chief People:
- God
- Abraham
- Sarah
Choice Verses:
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.
- It is not known yet if Abraham even knows God had appeared. What this may tell us though is always be ready for God to appear, we never know when that may be.
GENESIS 18:2
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.
- Perhaps they just appeared, or Abraham hadn’t noticed them walking closer, but he appears startled. With the prior verse stating the ‘LORD appeared”, one of those three men may have been God, and perhaps by two angels. The fact that Abraham bowed low to his feet shows an action of great respect, which reinforces the thought that this is how God appeared, in human form.
GENESIS 18:3
He said, 'If I have found favor in your eyes, my lord, do not pass your servant by.
- Abraham’s greeting more or less confirms this is indeed God. He is very gracious in his greeting, and sees himself as a servant. Although some can suggest this was just a normal greeting to a stranger, I believe it was God himself.
GENESIS 18:4
Let a little water be brought, and then you may all wash your feet and rest under this tree.
- Here, Abraham urges them to rest under the shade of the tree, to have some water and have their feet washed. Foot washing was not only a sign of politeness and respect, but also of hospitality.
GENESIS 18:5
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.
- Abraham did everything in his power to make these 3 men comfortable, including giving them water, food, providing shade, and washing their feet. Abraham is a wealthy and powerful man with many servants, yet he refers to himself as the servant of these men.
GENESIS 18:6
So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah. 'Quick,' he said, 'get three seahs of the finest flour and knead it and bake some bread.
- By ancient measurement standards, this is a sizable amount of flour. That would make an extravagant amount of bread for just three men.
GENESIS 18:7
Then he ran to the herd and selected a choice, a tender calf and gave it to a servant, who hurried to prepare it.
- Abraham doesn’t stop with just bread, he instructs a servant to select a calf for this feast. He is going above and beyond being a gracious host. Abraham is both eager to serve the Lord and eager for them not to leave. Abraham behaves as the Lord's servant, exhibiting both the warm hospitality of a good host and an attitude of submission. His passion is revealed in the terms used in this passage: Abraham "went quickly" (Genesis 18:6), he "ran," and the young man prepared the meat "quickly."
GENESIS 18:8
He then brought some curds and milk and the calf that had been prepared, and set these before them.
- While they ate, he stood near them under a tree. All of this must have taken some time, and after serving everything to these three men, Abraham does not eat with them, he stands near them under a tree. What is interesting is Abraham served them both meat and milk, which in latter Jewish law is forbidden. This serves as an example to the accuracy of the Bible. Had this verse been written after the Jewish law had been written, it’s likely this verse may very well have been written differently, and in accordance with Jewish law.
GENESIS 18:9
Where is your wife Sarah?' they asked him. 'There, in the tent,' he said.
- Although we do not know for sure if any other conversation between these men and Abraham had occurred, these men knew Sarah’s name. Also a possibility is that Abraham was a very wealthy man, and no doubt known in the area. Someone else may have spoken of Abraham and his wife Sarah prior to arriving. The last option is, once again, that one of those men were God, and naturally he’d know of Sarah. God has a habit of using questions, rather than statements, in order to force man to acknowledge his situation.
GENESIS 18:10
Then one of them said, 'I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son.' Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was behind him.
- Prior to this verse God has promised Abraham a son with Sarah, but there is no verse that states Abraham shared this news with Sarah. Abraham’s silence is striking, in that he knew how important this news would have been to Sarah. Perhaps Abraham thought this Promise from God was meant to be him and God, no way of knowing. What is important here though is these men know of the promise, and the timeline. The real intention was not so much what had been confirmed to Abraham, but that it was to tell Sarah, as she was surely listening.
GENESIS 18:11
Abraham and Sarah were already very old, and Sarah was past the age of childbearing.
- Confirming the obvious here, while pointing to a miracle through God.
GENESIS 18:12
So Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, 'After I am worn out and my lord is old, will I now have this pleasure?
- Not surprising, Sarah laughs too, as Abraham had, and ironically knowing the son will be named Issac. Issac translated in Hebrew is “He laughs”. That being said, it is understandable her reaction, she is well up in her years, and has never been able to conceive a child.
GENESIS 18:13
Then the LORD said to Abraham, 'Why did Sarah laugh and say, 'Will I really have a child, now that I am old?
- This confirms that one of these three men were God, “the LORD’ said; LORD is God’s personal name (YHWH -Yahweh of Jehovah). At this point, all had to know this was God, and his question of Sarah’s reaction could be more about questioning Sarah’s faith than her likelihood of giving birth to a son. Either way, this would have been an awkward question for Abraham to answer, since his response to this same news was similar. What else is confirmed here is Sarah was indeed listening from within the tent, as she laughed to herself, an acknowledgement she was listening.
GENESIS 18:14
Is anything too hard for the LORD? I will return to you at the appointed time next year, and Sarah will have a son.
- God makes clear that nothing is impossible through him. The question was more of a rhetorical question. The Lord's question is one that resonates for every person who struggles to trust God in difficult times. God gives great and precious promises to those who trust in Christ (2 Peter 1:4).
GENESIS 18:15
Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, 'I did not laugh.' But he said, 'Yes, you did laugh.
- Now, oddly, Sarah chooses to deny that she had laughed. This verse says Sarah was afraid. Perhaps she thought the Lord may punish her in some way for her unbelieving laughter. Or, for listening in on a conversation in which she was not explicitly involved. Either way, God does not condemn her actions, he just sets her straight by replying “yes you did laugh”.
GENESIS 18:16
When the men got up to leave, they looked down toward Sodom, and Abraham walked along with them to see them on their way.
- It had already been established in (Genesis 13:13) that Sodom was a wicked place, and by mentioning it alone, it implies God was unhappy with what he saw. In closing, Abraham continues to be the good host, he escorts them partly on their way. What is important to note is not that God noticed Sodom, and not that Abraham was such a great host, I believe that since it’s been established these three men were God, and two angels, they did not need to walk anywhere, and they did not need an escort. The meaning I believe is God has plans for the evil in Sodom.
GENESIS 18:17
Then the LORD said, 'Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do?
- One has to wonder if this was in reference to the fate of sodom, or the fate of the Israelites and their enslavement in Egypt for 400 years? It is more likely his question was in regards to sodom, as it was highlighted in their walk as they were leaving, and looked down towards Sodom.
GENESIS 18:18
Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him.
- This is a reaffirmation that Sodom will not continue as it has, and Abraham will be an intricate part in God’s plan to rule over Sodom at some point. Righteousness will prevail over evil, and through Abraham, and will prove that God's judgment on sin is unmistakable.
GENESIS 18:19
For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just, so that the LORD will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him.
- God explains exactly what “the way of the LORD” is: doing what is right and just. God is moral, God demands moral behavior, for all human beings and God will judge them according to His Moral law. This is the first mention of Abraham's responsibility to command and train each following generation to keep the way of the Lord. Within this verse we see God is a moral God, and He is telling us He cares more about how we treat others than how we treat Him.
GENESIS 18:20
Then the LORD said, 'The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous.
- The language used is similar to what God said to Cain in (Genesis 4:10), "Your brother's blood cries out to me from the ground." In the same poetic sense, the cries of the victims of the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah had reached the ears of God Himself. He was about to execute justice.
GENESIS 18:21
that I will go down and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached me. If not, I will know.
- With all the evil and wickedness in Sodom, this verse implies that God is obviously not present there, but there must be some good. He hears outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah, which would imply they are coming from those good asking for God’s help. The fact that he has to go there to see for himself also tells us he’s not present there. Another lesson here is God does not immediately pass judgment in Sodom simply on the outcry that reaches him, he is going there to verify. Too often we have judged before having all the facts, we must not condemn before without knowing all.
GENESIS 18:22
The men turned away and went toward Sodom, but Abraham remained standing before the LORD.
- Like a parent who already knows what has happened, God asks rhetorical questions and speaks of "investigation" for the sake of His children.
GENESIS 18:23
Then Abraham approached him and said: 'Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked?
- Abraham is aware of God’s plan, and begins to question Him. Abraham is also aware that his Nephew Lot lives within the city, and perhaps his reason for the question. At this point we do not know if Lot is part of the outcry, or wrapped up in the sin and wickedness the city represents?
GENESIS 18:24
What if there are fifty righteous people in the city? Will you really sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous people in it?
- Abraham is making a case to God, but he knows of the city's reputation. Perhaps an optimist, perhaps hoping to Spare his nephew and his family, but Abraham is viewing this through the lens of mercy. This is a question we often struggle with today: when, and why, does God allow those we perceive as "innocent" to suffer for the actions of those who we perceive as "guilty?"
GENESIS 18:25
Far be it from you to do such a thing--to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?
- Abraham not only argues with God, he declares God wrong. The lesson here is we are allowed to have a special relationship with him where we can question him, argue with him, and be mad at him. That does not need to change our relationship with him, we can still love him, and worship him. We may not always understand everything but we can not assume that we, not God, can define justice and righteousness, and criticize God when He does not meet our expectations.
GENESIS 18:26
The LORD said, 'If I find fifty righteous people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake.'
- What is amazing here is God does not get mad at Abraham, and his questioning of God. He listens, and offers a compromise. The Lord responds in the most gracious way we could imagine. He simply agrees.
GENESIS 18:27
Then Abraham spoke up again: 'Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, though I am nothing but dust and ashes,
- Having won an enormous concession Abraham humbles himself before the Lord. He recognizes, apparently, that he has no right to demand anything from God.
GENESIS 18:28
what if the number of the righteous is five less than fifty? Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five people?' 'If I find forty-five there,' he said, 'I will not destroy it.
- Knowing he just won a concession, Abraham goes for more. He strategically says “five less”, rather than the larger number 45. Sales tactic based on perception; the smaller appears to be less, even if they both are the same.
GENESIS 18:29
Once again he spoke to him, 'What if only forty are found there?' He said, 'For the sake of forty, I will not do it.'
- The negotiation continues, Abraham goes for less again, and God agrees. This is like a boss and an employee goal setting for work expectations. If the goals are set by the boss the employee never takes ownership of them. This is strategic on God's part, he is allowing Abraham to determine what is acceptable for the city’s destruction.
GENESIS 18:30
Then he said, 'May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak. What if only thirty can be found there?' He answered, 'I will not do it if I find thirty there.
- Abraham attempts to push God's standards further and further down. Abraham, however, believes himself to be bargaining for the very life of his nephew Lot and his family. If he can get God to agree to spare the city for the sake of the right number of righteous people, perhaps Lot can be saved from God's judgment.
GENESIS 18:31
Abraham said, 'Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, what if only twenty can be found there?' He said, 'For the sake of twenty, I will not destroy it.
- At this point some might ask, how many members of Lot's family are living in Sodom, surely the negotiation needs to conclude. This is not actually a bargaining process, however. God is playing the role of a patient parent, allowing a child to "talk out" a situation for their own benefit. Abraham is going to set the bar for righteousness in Sodom at a pathetically low level. Those of us that are parents know this process well.
GENESIS 18:32
Then he said, 'May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak just once more. What if only ten can be found there?' He answered, 'For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it.
- Knowing he is pushing the limits, Abraham makes one last plea for less, and God again agrees. There comes a point though that the negotiation has to end, as it can not end at one. One person can do enormous evil, we only need to look at Hitler, but just one doing good will fight near impossible odds when fighting evil on their own. Even a small group can have a fighting chance. Ten would appear to be the number Abraham was set on, perhaps he knew this was the number of Lot’s family.
GENESIS 18:33
When the LORD had finished speaking with Abraham, he left, and Abraham returned home.
- Through this chapter we are given insight into Abraham’s character, and perhaps some of the reasons God chose him. When the three men appeared, Abraham showed great respect and hospitality. With negotiating for Sodom, he showed great compassion for mankind. Although his nephew lived in Sodom, Abraham fought for the entire city, even though virtually all were not his people, or of his religion. He could have just as easily asked God to spare his nephew and his family, but he asked God to spare all those in the city.
Crucial Words
- Seahs - A unit of dry measure of ancient origin found in the Bible, it is equal to the capacity of 144 medium-sized eggs, or what is equal in volume to about 9 US quarts.
Cross Reference
- (2 Peter 1:4) “Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.”
- (Genesis 13:13) “Now the people of Sodom were wicked and were sinning greatly against the Lord.”
Questions:
Genesis 18:2
Who were the three men that appeared?
Genesis 18:15
Why did Sarah lie?
Genesis 18:17
Was God speaking to Himself, or the angels when he asked this question? Also, what exactly was he referring to?
Genesis 18:23
Was Lot part of the outcry, or part of the sin?
Genesis 18:28
Why is Abraham negotiating with God?
Christ seen (or mentioned)?
Central Lessons(s), and Timeless Truth(s):
- God is a moral and just God