Gênesis 18
Bob Utley · Citado em PreceptAustin
Gênesis 18
Utley - It is interesting how the primary wives of the Patriarchs were all unable to have children without the help of the Lord. It was one way He showed His power, purpose, and eternal plan. It points toward the virgin birth of the Davidic Messiah. YHWH has an eternal redemptive plan, person, and lineage which He will develop and protect! Steven
Gênesis 18
Utley - Now the Lord appeared to him" The VERB "appeared" (Niphal IMPERFECT with waw) is used several times in Genesis (cf. Ge 12:7 [twice]; Ge 17:1; Ge 18:1; Ge 26:2,24; Ge 35:1,9). It denotes a personal physical manifestation. Since YHWH is an eternal spirit, this physicalness is hard to explain. It is interesting to me that the rabbis say that chapter 18 is directly connected to chapter 17 and the reason for the visit from the Lord was to see if Abraham had recovered from his circumcision. As a matter of fact, the rabbis understand all three of these visitors to be angels who simply represented the Lord. They assert that (1) one angel came to help Sarah conceive, (2) one came to heal Abraham, (3) one came to destroy Sodom. (ED: ARE WE SURPRISED AT THE RABBINICAL INTERPRETATION? THEY SIMPLY CANNOT EXPLAIN JEHOVAH APPEARING AS ONE THE THREE MEN DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE SCRIPTURE LEAVES NO DOUBT ONE OF THE MEN WAS GOD!) ESV Study Bible (borrow - see page 80) on Mamre -- Although Ge 13:18+ reports that Abram settled at the oaks of Mamre many years earlier, he is still dwelling in a tent (cf. Heb. 11:9+). Bob Utley - "by the oaks of Mamre" The same place is mentioned in Gen. 13:18 (see note) and Ge 14:13. It is very important for us to recognize the significance of trees in semi-arid areas. They were almost seen as having a holy sense because they represented the presence of underground water. Also they provided shade which, in this area of the world, can mean a 60 degree difference in temperature. In reality it was probably not an oak, but a terebinth (cf. See UBS, Helps For Translators, Fauna and Flora of the Bible, pp. 154-155). The rabbis say that it was not a single tree but an orchard, which may be true. See note at Gen. 13:18. "he was sitting at the tent door in the heat of the day" This is so realistic to the culture of that day, for the tent flap would have been open during the hot time of the day. The people would have been relaxing quietly at this time of day in order to avoid heat stroke. Source: Abraham: Following God's Promise Mamre - Important oak grove near which Abraham lived, and named for an Amorite (ED: a grove of terebinth trees that were owned by Mamre who was chief of the Amorites who was allied with Abraham) who helped him defeat Chedorlaomer and rescue Lot (Ge 14:13, 24). Abraham erected an altar under the oak of Mamre (Ge 13:18). Abraham was sitting by the sacred tree when he welcomed three mysterious guests (ch 18). Mamre is also a possible site for the scene of Abrahamic covenant ceremonies (ch 15). Isaac and Jacob also lived there (35:27). (ED: Mamre is about 19 mi. SW of Jerusalem at Hebron whose elevation exceeds 3,000 feet) While Mamre is not mentioned in the Bible outside of Genesis, it continued to be an important place of worship and many legends remain about the sacred tree. In the 1st century AD. pilgrims journeyed to Mamre for ceremonies venerating the tree. According to Sozomenus (Hist. Eccl. 2.4), Jews, Christians, and pagans performed devotions at the site, each in their own way. In all probability, unorthodox worship was practiced at Mamre. Jerusalem tended to ignore such cults; therefore, it is not mentioned outside of Genesis and even there the location of the site is confused. The oak(s) of Mamre are identified as near Hebron (Gn 13:18) and Machpelah where the patriarchs and their wives were buried (23:17, 19; 25:9; 49:30; 50:13). Eventually, the younger city of Hebron over-shadowed the older sanctuary at Mamre. Mamre has been excavated by archaeologists on a hill 1⅔ miles north of Hebron named Ramet el-Khalil. E.H. Mader cleared a Herodian enclosure wall and a well into which pilgrims threw gifts and money. In the eastern part of the area, Constantine built a basilica with a double narthex indicating that this site remained a place of prayer. It also may have been the site of the infamous “Fair of Terebinthos,” where Hadrian sold the captives of the Bar Kochba war (AD 135) into slavery. Pottery from the 9th and 8th centuries BC. indicates earlier Israelite occupation. (Borrow Baker Encyclopedia page 1384) (See also Wikipedia Article on Mamre) Rod Mattoon - Tents of the Desert In the heat of the day, Abraham saw the three men approaching. Noon is the siesta time among desert dwellers. The heat is very intense this time of day. Some Arabs would eat by the door of their tent in order to notice travelers in the area and invite them to dinner. Abraham may have been doing this. Tents were made of goat’s hair and were black or brown in color. Goat’s hair was an ideal material to use for the tents because it was easy to acquire. The nature of the material helped the tent to breathe and not be stuffy because it was porous when dry. After the first rain, the hairs in the tent would shrink and make the tent waterproof. These tents were sometimes called “the house of hair”. The goat’s hair was the same material as sackcloth. It was prickly and coarse and worn by those in mourning. The goat’s hair was made in strips of cloth five to six feet wide. These strips were used to patch the rotted and torn areas of the tent and add on new sections to the tent in the event more room was needed. Most tents were oblong in shape and had about nine poles for the three basic sections it supported. The front section was the men’s quarters, the second was for the women, and sometimes the livestock was put in the third section. A sackcloth curtain was hung between each section for privacy. Only the father was allowed to enter the women’s quarters. Any other man entering these quarters could be punished by death. Arabs that dwelt together would form their camp in a circle with the tent of the sheik in the middle of the circle. His tent could be identified by the spear stuck in the ground outside his door and the tent was usually large in its size. When weather permitted, the livestock were put in the center of the circle area at night for protection from predators. Mats were placed on the floor of the tents for comfort. At the center of the tent was a hole dug for a fire and skins filled with wines and milk were hung around the tent poles. Skip Heitzig - How to be a friend of God -- James 2:23 2Ch 20:7 Isa. 41:8. Heat of the day, people resting, and the Lord appeared God can suddenly change directions in your life The 3 men Trinity (view of the Church of England) Best to see this as the Lord and two angels Be flexible Humility Abraham was a sheik, but he bowed down - shachah - bow down In God's presence I'm not important (who He is, who we are) Isaiah 6 Abraham called him my Lord, Adonai Ministry Personally Abraham didn't have his servants do the work, he did it personally Every Christian has a ministry Serving God's people is serving Him Immediately (Abraham was hot, old, and had servants, but he served) Generously Give the best Don't give leftovers Serving God costs something D. Conformity Abraham believed God, walked in God's will You are a friend if you do whatever Jesus commands you John 15:14-15 “If we are beset by an unseen foe, we are also befriended by an Unseen Friend. Great is our adversary but greater is our Ally.’’ -- Vance Havner, David Reed in Jehovah's Witnesses Answered Verse by Verse page 24 (borrow) - Genesis 18:1–2 Yahweh appeared to him.… He looked up, and there he saw three men.… (JB) Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that it is impossible for the one true God to exist as three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Yet, the Bible, in Genesis 18 and 19, shows God appearing to Abraham as three men. This account can be used to help JWs see that even the impossible (from a human viewpoint) is possible with God. Discuss it with them, as suggested here: In the Watchtower Society’s own New World Translation, at Genesis 18:1–2, God appears to Abraham as three men (or angels). Abraham addresses the three as “Jehovah” (v. 3). When the three men respond, the episode is described interchangeably as “they” speaking (v. 9) and “Jehovah” speaking (v. 13). When two of the three men depart to visit Lot in Sodom, Abraham continues to call the remaining one “Jehovah,” but Lot addresses the other two as “Jehovah” (Gen. 18:22, 30 and 19:1, 18). By itself, this account does not prove the Trinity doctrine. But, at the very least, it demonstrates that it is possible for God to manifest himself as three-in-one. The fact that this concept is beyond the full grasp of human intellect should not cause Jehovah’s Witnesses to rule it out. As the apostle Paul wrote: “ … we can see and understand only a little about God now, as if we were peering at his reflection in a poor mirror; but someday we are going to see him in his completeness, face to face. Now all that I know is hazy and blurred, but then I will see everything clearly, just as clearly as God sees into my heart right now” (1 Cor. 13:12, LB). The discussion above may help a Jehovah’s Witness to reconsider the concept of one God in three persons. For further help, see also Isaiah 9:6; John 1:1; John 16:13; 1 Corinthians 6:19; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Colossians 2:9; and Revelation 1:7–8. Genesis 18:2 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, When he lifted up his eyes and looked: Judges 13:3,9 Heb 13:2 three: Ge 18:22 19:1 Heb 13:2 1Pe 4:9 he ran: Ro 12:13 bowed: Ge 23:7 33:3-7 43:26,28 44:14 Ru 2:10 2Ki 2:15 Genesis 18 Resources - Multiple sermons and commentaries Abraham Prostrate Before the 3 Visitors ABRAHAM GREETS SPECIAL TRIO BY RUNNING & BOWING When he lifted up his eyes and looked, behold (hinneh; Lxx = idou) - Note 3 descriptions relating to seeing (lifted...eyes...looked...behold). Behold is like a divine highlighter, a divine underlining of an especially striking or important text. It says in effect "Listen up, all ye who would be wise in the ways of Jehovah!" In this case it has caught Abraham's attention.
Gênesis 18
Utley - "bowed himself to the earth" This can be seen as (1) an Oriental custom of greeting (i.e., Ge 23:7; 33:6-7; 43:28), (2) an act of reverence (divine visitors, i.e., Gen. 19:1+; or YHWH Himself, Ge 24:26,48,52) (3) an act of fear (Abraham was a sojourner in a foreign land, NET NOTE - The reader knows this is a theophany. The three visitors are probably the LORD and two angels (see Ge 19:1). It is not certain how soon Abraham recognized the true identity of the visitors. His actions suggest he suspected this was something out of the ordinary, though it is possible that his lavish treatment of the visitors was done quite unwittingly. Bowing down to the ground would be reserved for obeisance of kings or worship of the LORD. Whether he was aware of it or not, Abraham’s action was most appropriate. Bob Utley has an interesting comment - This is a very anthropomorphic section (speaking of God in human terms). This type of literary form has always made Jewish commentators very nervous. However, to many of us in the Church, this is the pre-incarnate Christ who physically manifests the very presence of God (cf. SPECIAL TOPIC: THE ANGEL OF THE LORD)" Genesis 18-19 bring into vivid reality both sides of God's nature: love and judgment. It is uncertain at what point in chapter 18 if Abraham recognized the three visitors as being supernatural. Much of what is recorded is simply Oriental custom. he bowed himself to the earth (cf. Gen. 23:7; 33:6-7; 42:6; 43:26) he washed their feet (cf. Gen. 19:2; 24:32; 43:24) he offered a meal (cf. Gen. 18:5) he stood while they ate (cf. Gen. 18:8) he called them Adonai, but in the sense of "Sir" (cf. Gen. 18:3) On the other side of the coin (ED: THIS IS THE SIDE OF HE COIN I AGREE WITH - I THINK ABRAHAM RECOGNIZED VERY QUICKLY THAT THESE WERE DISTINCTLY UNUSUAL MEN!) there seems to be some indication that he understood very early that they were of supernatural origin. he hurried and ran (cf. Gen. 18:2,6, and 7), which was an unusual act for the Patriarch in the heat of the day the meal he prepared was very large in quantity (cf. Gen. 18:6) he even prepared an animal from his flock, which was unusual (Gen. 18:7) It is obvious from Gen. 18:9 on that he recognizes the Lord as being personified in one of these visitors. Behold (02009) hinneh is an interjection meaning behold, look, now; if. "It is used often and expresses strong feelings, surprise, hope, expectation, certainty, thus giving vividness depending on its surrounding context." (Baker) Hinneh generally directs our mind to the text, imploring the reader to give it special attention. In short, the Spirit is trying to arrest our attention! And so hinneh is used as an exclamation of vivid immediacy (e.g., read Ge 6:13)! Hinneh is a marker used to enliven a narrative, to express a change a scene, to emphasize an idea, to call attention to a detail or an important fact or action that follows (Isa 65:17, Ge 17:20, 41:17). The first use of hinneh in Ge 1:29 and second in Ge 1:31 - "And God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day." Hinneh is oftn used in the idiom "Here I am" in Ge 22:1, 7,11 Ge 27:1,18, Ge 31:11, Ge 46:2 Ex 3:4 1Sa 3:4, 3:16, 12:3, 2Sa 1:7, Isa 52:6, Isa 58:9. Hinneh is used most often to point out people but also to point out things (Ge 31:41, 17:4). God uses hinneh to grab man's attention before He brings destruction (Ge 6:13, 17). God uses hinneh when He establishes covenants (Ge 9:9, 15:12, 17 [when Jehovah cut the Abrahamic covenant], Ge 17:4, cp Ge 28:13, 15), when He provided a sacrificial substitute for Isaac (foreshadowing His giving us His only Son!) (Ge 22:13). Hinneh marks the "chance (The Providence of God)" arrival of Boaz at the field where Ruth was gleaning (Ru 2:4-read about this "chance romance" - Indeed, "Behold!"). Hinneh is used to announce the Lord’s sending of a child as a sign and a prophecy of Immanuel-Emmanuel, the Messiah (Isa. 7:14+). In fact W E Vine says that it is notable that when behold (hinneh) is used in Isaiah, it always introduces something relating to future circumstances. Hinneh is translated in the Septuagint with the interjection idou (strictly speaking a command in the second person aorist imperative, middle voice) a demonstrative particle (used 1377 times in the Septuagint and NT) which is found especially in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke "and giving a peculiar vivacity to the style by bidding the reader or hearer to attend to what is said: "Behold! See! Lo!" (Thayer) The command is calling for urgent attention. Do this now! Don't delay! It could be loosely paraphrased "Pay attention!" or "Listen up!" to arouse attention and introduce a new and extraordinary fact of considerable importance. Bowed (prostrate, worship) (07812) shachah means to bow down, to prostrate oneself, to crouch, to fall down, to humbly beseech, to do reverence, to worship. The idea is to assume a prostrate position as one would in paying homage to royalty (Ge 43:28) or to God (Ge 24:26, Ps 95:6). To bow down (Qal) to bow down; (Hiphil) to depress (fig); (Hithpael) to bow down, prostrate oneself, before superior in homage, before God in worship, before false gods, before angel. It describeS Joseph's brother's sheaves which "bowed down to my sheaf.” (Ge 37:7) When God told Abraham to sacrifice his son, he told his men to remain for they would go to "worship (bow down) and return to you." (Ge 22:5) Joshua bowed down to the "Captain of the host of the LORD," (Joshua 5:14) a preincarnate appearance of Messiah. In Josh 23:7, 16 Joshua warned Israel NOT to bow down to the idols of the land, but in Jdg 2:12, 17, 19 but tragically that is exactly what they did when Joshua died! The English word prostrate is defined as being stretched out with one's face on the ground in adoration or submission. It is not just that the person has fallen down but pictures them lying at length or with their body extended on the ground and so lying in a posture which is reflective of genuine humility and/or adoration. Septuagint of Genesis 18:2 is proskuneo (from pros = before + kuneo = kiss or adore) means to prostrate oneself in homage before another in the full sense of worship, not mere reverence or courtesy. When Jesus Christ was born into this world, He was attended and worshipped by angels. (Lu 2:13f). Proskuneo represents the most common Near Eastern act of adoration and reverence and also carries the idea of profound awe and respect. Some believe that the root word kuneo may be related to kuon which is the Greek word for dog and which then could be picturing a dog licking his master's hand. The word proskuneo literally means to kiss toward someone, to throw a kiss in token of respect or homage, to prostrate oneself in homage, to do reverence to, to adore and so to worship and show respect. In the ancient Oriental (especially Persia) the mode of salutation between persons of equal rank was to kiss each other on the lips. When the difference of rank was slight, they kissed each other on the cheek. When one was much inferior, he fell upon his knees touched his forehead to the ground or prostrated himself, and as he was bowing down he would be throwing kisses toward the superior. It is this latter mode of salutation that is intended by the Greek writers in the use of the verb proskuneo . Vine says "This word is found in modern Hebrew in the sense of "to bow or stoop," but not in the general sense of "to worship." The fact that it is found more than 170 times in the Hebrew Bible shows something of its cultural significance. It is found for the first time in Gen. 18:2. The act of bowing down in homage is generally done before a superior or a ruler. Thus, David "bowed" himself before Saul (1Sa 24:8). Sometimes it is a social or economic superior to whom one bows, as when Ruth "bowed" to the ground before Boaz (Ru 2:10). In a dream, Joseph saw the sheaves of his brothers "bowing down" before his sheaf (Ge 37:5, 9-10). Shāḥâ is used as the common term for coming before God in worship, as in 1Sa 15:25 and Jer. 7:2. Sometimes it is in conjunction with another Hebrew verb for bowing down physically, followed by "worship," as in Exod. 34:8: "And Moses made haste, and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshiped." Other gods and idols are also the object of such worship by one's prostrating oneself before them (Isa. 2:20; Isa. 44:15, 17).(Vine's Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words) ''There is a dangerous absence of awe and worship in our assemblies today. We are boasting about standing on our own feet, instead of being broken and falling at His feet. For years Evan Roberts prayed:''Bend me! Bend me!'''God answered finally in the form of the GREAT WELSH REVIVAL!!! Shachah in the Pentateuch - Gen. 18:2; Gen. 19:1; Gen. 22:5; Gen. 23:7; Gen. 23:12; Gen. 24:26; Gen. 24:48; Gen. 24:52; Gen. 27:29; Gen. 33:3; Gen. 33:6; Gen. 33:7; Gen. 37:7; Gen. 37:9; Gen. 37:10; Gen. 42:6; Gen. 43:26; Gen. 43:28; Gen. 47:31; Gen. 48:12; Gen. 49:8; Exod. 4:31; Exod. 11:8; Exod. 12:27; Exod. 18:7; Exod. 20:5; Exod. 23:24; Exod. 24:1; Exod. 32:8; Exod. 33:10; Exod. 34:8; Exod. 34:14; Lev. 26:1; Num. 25:2; Deut. 4:19; Deut. 5:9; Deut. 8:19; Deut. 11:16; Deut. 17:3; Deut. 26:10; Deut. 29:26; Deut. 30:17; James Freeman - Borrow Manners & customs of the Bible page 24 - BOWING - In biblical times bowing was a method of showing respect, the lesser bowing to the greater, or a method of demonstrating humility or showing acquiescence. In certain Asiatic countries it is a way of salutation, just as shaking hands is in Western countries. Bowing is also used to express an attitude of deference or homage. Abraham bowed before the Lord to show respect and reverence. In Genesis 23:7, “Abraham rose and bowed down before the people of the land, the Hittites” to express thankfulness. In Genesis 33:3, Jacob bowed to Esau seven times—the bowing was undoubtedly to express respect and humility, and the seven times may have been to express repentance and seek forgiveness. This would be in keeping with what the Lord said as recorded in Luke 17:4, “If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, ‘I repent,’ forgive him.” And in Genesis 43:28, the brothers of Joseph bowed before him to honor him as the governor of the land: “They replied, “Your servant our father is still alive and well.” And they bowed low to pay him honor." Norman Geisler - from When Cultists Ask - GENESIS 18:2—Does the Oriental custom of bowing before a person of position justify the Roman Catholic practice of bowing before images? MISINTERPRETATION: Genesis 18:2b informs us that “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.” Does this justify the Roman Catholic practice of bowing before images? CORRECTING THE MISINTERPRETATION: The Catholic argument that religiously bowing down before an image is not wrong because there are many cases in the Bible where such bowing down is approved, as in Genesis 18:2, confuses two very different contexts. First, they were bowing out of respect, not out of reverence. Second, bowing was understood as a social practice, not a religious rite. Third, the Bible condemns even bowing before an angel in the worship of God (Rev. 22:8–9). Fourth, the Bible clearly condemns bowing before any image in religious veneration (see, for example, Exod. 20:4). Finally, God acted at one point to avoid this very practice. Knowing that devout Israelites might be tempted to venerate the remains of Moses, God buried him where no one knows (Deut. 34:6). His apparent aim was to prevent idolatry that the devil desires to encourage (Jude 9). QUESTION - Who were the three men who visited Abraham in Genesis 18? ANSWER - Abraham was visited by three men one day; the men turned out to be unusual guests, to say the least, and the visit was life-changing for Abraham and Sarah. Genesis 18:1–2 says, “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. 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.” Abraham showed immediate hospitality to the three men, inviting them to rest under a tree and preparing a big meal for them (Genesis 18:3–8). During their visit with Abraham, the three men warned him that God’s judgment was about to fall upon Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 18:20–21; 19:12–13). They also promised that Abraham’s wife, Sarah, would have a baby by the same time next year (Genesis 18:10). Some have suggested that all three of these “men” were angelic beings who appeared to Abraham in the form of men. However, Genesis 18:1 says that it was “the LORD” (Yahweh) who appeared to Abraham. It is the LORD who speaks in verses 13, 20, 26, and 33. Abraham stands “before the LORD” in verse 22. So, one of the three “men” must have been God Almighty taking on the appearance of a man. We call such an appearance a “theophany.” When Jesus appears in His pre-incarnate body in the Old Testament, we call it a “Christophany.” Whether God’s appearance to Abraham in Mamre was a theophany or a Christophany, we don’t know. But it does seem clear from the context that one of the visitors was God Himself (Genesis 18:22) and the other two were the angels who later visited Sodom and spoke to Lot (Genesis 19:1). Abraham’s response to the appearance of the three men also suggests that he instinctively knew that he was in the presence of God. A typical response to visitors in that culture was to rise and wait for them to approach the home. But Abraham ran to meet them and “bowed low to the ground,” a prostrate posture reserved for royalty or deity. Abraham was well acquainted with the LORD and would have instantly recognized Him, because the Lord had spoken and/or appeared to him many times before. Those appearances include the following occasions: • when God first called him (Genesis 12:1–3) • when Abraham parted ways with Lot (Genesis 13:14–17) • possibly when he met Melchizedek (Genesis 14:18–20) • when God made a covenant with him (Genesis 15) • when God restated His covenant (Genesis 17) These three visitors whom Abraham entertained were heavenly, and Abraham and Sarah were in the company of God Himself. The story teaches us that God is aware of what is happening on earth, and He is involved. God can even visit or send His heavenly messengers to help fulfill His plans (See Heb 1:14). We may not always realize whom we are speaking with, so we should treat everyone as though they were on special assignment from God. Hebrews 13:2 reminds us, “Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.” GotQuestions.org QUESTION - What is a theophany? What is a Christophany? ANSWER - A theophany is a manifestation of God in the Bible that is tangible to the human senses. In its most restrictive sense, it is a visible appearance of God in the Old Testament period, often, but not always, in human form. Some of the theophanies are found in these passages: 1. Genesis 12:7-9 – The Lord appeared to Abraham on his arrival in the land God had promised to him and his descendants. 2. Genesis 18:1-33 – One day, Abraham had some visitors: two angels and God Himself. He invited them to come to his home, and he and Sarah entertained them. Many commentators believe this could also be a Christophany, a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ. 3. Genesis 32:22-30 – Jacob wrestled with what appeared to be a man, but was actually God (vv. 28-30). This may also have been a Christophany. 4. Exodus 3:2 - 4:17 – God appeared to Moses in the form of a burning bush, telling him exactly what He wanted him to do. 5. Exodus 24:9-11 – God appeared to Moses with Aaron and his sons and the seventy elders. 6. Deuteronomy 31:14-15 – God appeared to Moses and Joshua in the transfer of leadership to Joshua. 7. Job 38–42 – God answered Job out of the tempest and spoke at great length in answer to Job’s questions. Frequently, the term “glory of the Lord” reflects a theophany, as in Exodus 24:16-18; the “pillar of cloud” has a similar function in Exodus 33:9. A frequent introduction for theophanies may be seen in the words “the Lord came down,” as in Genesis 11:5; Exodus 34:5; Numbers 11:25; and 12:5. Some Bible commentators believe that whenever someone received a visit from “the angel of the Lord,” this was in fact the pre-incarnate Christ. (ED: SEE MY DISCUSSION ON Angel of the LORD) These appearances can be seen in Genesis 16:7-14; Genesis 22:11-18; Judges 5:23; 2 Kings 19:35; and other passages. Other commentators believe these were in fact angelophanies, or appearances of angels. While there are no indisputable Christophanies in the Old Testament, every theophany wherein God takes on human form foreshadows the incarnation, where God took the form of a man to live among us as Emmanuel, “God with us” (Matthew 1:23).GotQuestions.org Related Resource: Has anyone ever seen God? | GotQuestions.org Ray Pritchard's sermon related to HOSPITALITY - Confessions of a Xenophiliac They say that true confession is good for the soul, and in that spirit, I want to begin my sermon with a simple confession. Although I am preaching a series of sermons on spiritual gifts, I am not entirely sure that what I am preaching about this morning actually is a spiritual gift. I think it is, I believe it is, but I’m not totally sure that it is. I know that it’s biblical, but I’m not sure it’s a spiritual gift. And after you hear this sermon, some of you may wonder why this particular gift wasn’t on the Spiritual Gifts Inventory. Well, it was in one way but it wasn’t in another because we weren’t really sure. It’s biblical—you don’t have to worry about that—but I’m not totally sure it’s a spiritual gift. After you read this sermon, you can make up your own mind. Is It Or Isn’t It? With that as a background, let’s take things step by step. We begin by looking at a very special Greek word—philoxenia. The word shows up in one form or another in the New Testament about 10 times. Philoxenia is a compound made up of two other Greek words—philos, which means “kind affection” or “love” and xenos, which means “stranger” or foreigner.” Literally, philoxenia means “one who loves strangers.” It is translated as the English word “hospitality.” That’s the first step. We’re talking about philoxenia, which is translated “hospitality,” (ED: In NT hospitality is philoxenos) which is the act of showing kindness to strangers. It is clearly biblical (a fact we will get to in a few moments) and is in fact mentioned in many different places in the New Testament. But is it a spiritual gift? I think the answer is yes, but there is some uncertainty because it is not clearly listed as a spiritual gift in the major passages on the subject—Romans 12, I Corinthians 12 and Ephesians 4. But—and this is the key to the whole sermon—it is mentioned in I Peter 4, the last New Testament passage on spiritual gifts. Here is how the New International Version translates 1 Peter 4:9-10+: Offer hospitality (The Greek word is philoxenia - ED: THE WORD IS ACTUALLY philoxenos) to one another without grumbling. Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others. It would appear from this translation that Peter is talking about two different things here—that in verse 9 he is talking about hospitality and then in verse 10 he shifts to spiritual gifts. It appears that there is no connection between these two subjects. But in the Greek there is a connection which the NIV obscures. Verse 10 actually begins with the word kathos, which means “just as.” It is a connective which joins verse 9 to verse 10. You could very legitimately translate it this way: Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling just as each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others. That is, it appears that Peter is using hospitality as an example of how to use your spiritual gifts to serve others. Verse 9 is the example; verse 10 is the principle. Showing hospitality is one way you can use your spiritual gifts to serve others. That’s the biblical basis for the spiritual gift of hospitality (as opposed to the general command to hospitality—a command which everyone recognizes). If that seems a slender base on which to build this sermon, I can only mention that such a conservative stalwart as Bill McRae (BORROW Dynamics of Spiritual Gifts, p. 45) agrees that the Apostle Peter probably considered hospitality to be a spiritual gift. Peter Wagner (BORROW Your Spiritual Gifts Can Help Your Church Grow, pp. 69-70) says the same thing as does Kenneth Gangel (BORROW You and your spiritual gifts) (ED: David Hubbard - Unwrap Your Spiritual Gift, p. 100) and Leslie Flynn (BORROW Leslie Flynn, 19 Gifts of the Spirit, pp. 108-115), who devotes an entire chapter to the topic. Therefore, I feel quite confident in suggesting that we ought to add hospitality to our traditional list of spiritual gifts. It is a specimen gift used by Peter as an example of the ways we can use all our gifts to serve others. Surveying The Biblical Landscape What else does the New Testament have to say about hospitality? Let’s answer that question by taking a quick survey of some key passages. The first one is Romans 12:13+. “Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.” Some translations say it this way—Pursue hospitality. Not just “practice” hospitality, but diligently “pursue” philoxenia—the love of strangers, which is biblical hospitality. That is a command of Scripture. It is clearly not talking about spiritual gifts. It is a command given to every man, woman, boy and girl who claims the name of Jesus Christ. If we are Christians, we are to earnestly practice showing love to those who are strangers to us. It is a non-optional command of God. The second passage is 1 Peter 4:9+. I mention it again because we passed over a crucial phrase earlier: “Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling”. That’s crucial because it is all too easy to open your home only to those who are your close personal friends. Peter isn’t talking about having your pals over for a game night. That’s good and you ought to do it, but Peter isn’t thinking about that. He’s thinking about those times when you show kindness to people you don’t know very well. How easy it is in those cases to mumble and grumble and gripe under your breath. And when you do that, you miss the blessing God wants you to receive. We’ve all done that. We meet some new people and say, “Drop by anytime.” So one night we’re eating supper and a knock comes at the door. Who can it be? We open the door and it’s those new people—all six of them—standing on the porch with big smiles. So what do we do? We smile right back and say, “Good to see you. Come on in.” But in reality our fingers are crossed when we say it and in our hearts we don’t mean a word of it. God knows whether we mean it or not. We aren’t fooling him a bit. That’s why he said our hospitality must be done without grumbling. The third passage offers us a very unusual encouragement to practice hospitality. Hebrews 13:2+ says, “Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.” The word translated “angels” simply means “messengers.” It could mean the literal angels of God or it could mean human messengers. In this case, the writer to the Hebrews is thinking about the possibility that the literal angels of God might come to visit us. In the back of his mind is the story in Genesis 18 where Abraham welcomed three strangers who came to visit him. Without knowing their identity, he served them veal and milk and curds and fresh bread. One turned out to be the Lord himself and the other two turned out to be angels. The writer is suggesting that such a thing might someday happen to us. By definition, philoxenia means showing kindness to people you don’t know very well. Since you don’t know them, you don’t know in advance who they might turn out to be. Some people we help, we will never see again. Others may become good friends. Others may turn out to be greatly-used servants of God. And who knows? Some may turn out to be angels of God. When you show love to those who are not your close friends, sometimes you are going to be blessed in ways you don’t expect. Since you can’t know in advance, make it a practice to show Christian love to as many strangers as possible. The fourth passage tells us something about the importance of hospitality in the life of the church. 1 Timothy 3:2+ and Titus 1:8+ list hospitality as one of the marks of spiritual maturity required of overseers or elders in the local church. The men who lead the church must be “given to hospitality.” It is not some sideline issue. The ability to show love and affection to strangers is to be a visible mark of those who lead the people of God. Biblical elders know how to welcome new people into their hearts, into their lives, and into their homes. And we are to actively seek out leaders who meet that qualification. What does this brief biblical survey teach us? It tells us that … 1. Hospitality is a non-optional command of God. Romans 12:13 2. Hospitality must be performed without grumbling. 1 Peter 4:9+ 3. Hospitality often brings us unexpected blessings. Hebrews 13:2+ 4. Hospitality is a mark of spiritual maturity required of those who lead the people of God. 1 Timothy 3:2+; Titus 1:8+ Hospitality Across The Centuries If you read the commentaries, it soon becomes clear why there is such a strong emphasis on hospitality in the New Testament. Back then, they didn’t have Holiday Inns, they didn’t have Red Roof Inns, they didn’t have Executive Suites, they didn’t have Ramada Inns. When Paul came to Corinth, he couldn’t check into the Hilton Inn. It hadn’t been built yet. They didn’t have all these high-rise fancy hotels and motels that we have today. The few inns they did have were ill-kept and dangerous. F. F. Bruce points out that many of the inns in the Roman Empire were little more than brothels and havens for brigands and robbers. So as Christians traveled from place to place across the Empire, they didn’t have the option of staying in a motel. The only way the Christian message could spread would be for Christians to open their homes to others. The only way an evangelist from Antioch could make it in Ephesus would be for a family in Ephesus to open their home to him. The only way a teacher from Caesarea could visit Cyprus would be for someone from Cyprus to open his home and say, “My Brother, you are welcome to stay with me.” Gaius And Diotrephes The little book of III John offers a clear example of how this worked out in the early church. John addresses his friend Gaius with these words: Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers, even though they are strangers to you. (The “strangers” are traveling Bible teachers who have come to town. Gaius has shown them hospitality even though he didn’t know them personally.) They have told the church about your love. You will do well to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God. It was for the sake of the Name they were sent out, receiving no help from the pagans. (When God’s servants go out, they can’t depend on the world to pay their way. The world isn’t going to support God’s people in their missionary activity. God’s people must support God’s ser-vants when they go out to spread the gospel. If we don’t, no one else will.) We ought therefore to show hospitality (philoxenia again) to such men so that we may work together for the truth. (3 John 5-8+) Please take note of this. In the early church, hospitality was one of the key reasons the gospel spread so rapidly. From a tiny beginning in Jerusalem the message reached to the heart of the Roman Empire in just one generation. It happened in large part because of philoxenia. It happened in Philippi and Athens and Sardis and Miletus and Laodicea and Jerusalem because ordinary believers opened their homes and said to their brothers and sisters, “Come on in. You can stay with us while you are spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ.” Back to III John. The next few verses give us another look at the importance of hospitality. I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will have nothing to do with us. So if I come, I will call attention to what he is doing, gossiping maliciously about us. Not satisfied with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers. (The same “brothers” mentioned above. They were Christian workers from other cities who had come to spread the gospel.) He also stops those who want to do so (that is, those who want to welcome these brothers from out-of-town.) and puts them out of the church. (3John 9-10+) “what is evil” means refusing to show Christian hospitality “what is good” means offering hospitality to those who need it. It’s very clear what he is saying. Gaius welcomed the brothers, and that’s good. Diotrephes didn’t, and that’s bad. Notice how he puts the matter in 3Jn 1:11+, “Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good.” In this context, “what is evil” means refusing to show Christian hospitality and “what is good” means offering hospitality to those who need it. Here’s the capper at the end of verse 11. “Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God.” That is to say, showing hospitality is a mark that you know God. And refusing to open your home and refusing to share your resources is an evidence that you’ve never seen God at all. You say, “Pastor, is it really that big a deal?” It’s a lot bigger than I’m making it. It’s all the way through the New Testament. The issue of hospitality is no small thing. Opening your home, your heart and your resources to others is a mark that you know God. Hospitality In Practice You support God’s work by supporting God’s workers as they travel from place to place. Let’s take a look at one final passage to see how hospitality worked out in the earliest days of the Christian church. Acts 21 tells of Paul’s final trip to Jerusalem before he was arrested and sent to Rome. In the first few verses he is traveling by boat from Ephesus to Caesarea, where he will stay briefly before going on to Jerusalem. Listen as Luke tells the story: We found a ship crossing over to Phoenicia, went on board and set sail. After sighting Cyprus and passing to the south of it, we sailed on to Syria. We landed at Tyre, where our ship was to unload its cargo. Finding the disciples there, we stayed with them seven days. (That’s the first example.) Acts 21:2-3+ We continued our voyage from Tyre and landed at Ptolemais, where we greeted the brothers and stayed with them for a day. (That’s the second example.) Acts 21:7+ Leaving the next day, we reached Caesarea and stayed at the house of Philip the evangelist … . We (were) there a number of days. (That’s the third example.) Acts 21:8, 10+ We got ready and went up to Jerusalem. Some of the disciples from Caesarea accompanied us and brought us to the home of Mnason, where we were to stay. He was a man from Cyprus and one of the early disciples. (That’s the fourth example.) Acts 21:15-16+ This is the secret of Paul’s great ministry. He didn’t do it alone. This is the secret of Paul’s great ministry. He didn’t do it alone. Everywhere he went he relied upon the help of God’s people to open their homes to him. In these sixteen verses it happens four times—in Tyre, in Ptolemais, in Caesarea and in Jerusalem. He stayed seven days, one day, a number of days, and then many days in Jerusalem. Thus did the gospel spread in the first century. The principle is this: You support God’s work by supporting God’s workers as they travel from place to place. Your Home, A Hospital For The Weary Leslie Flynn gives us this helpful background on the meaning of the English word “hospitality.” The main part of the word hospitality is the word hospital. Ancient travelers, whether pilgrims or businessmen, fared poorly when venturing beyond their own country. Thus religious leaders established international guest houses in the fifth century. These havens were called hospices from hospes, Latin for “guest.” With the coming of the crusades, the importance of the hospice increased greatly. Pilgrims, crusaders and other travelers found hospices, by this time run by religious orders, the only reputable guest houses of the era. Soon after the crusades, most of these institutions began to specialize in the care of the poor, the sick, the aged and the crippled. During the 15th century secular interests took over most entertaining of travelers. So the hospital restricted its function to care and treatment of the sick and handicapped. But originally, hospital meant “a haven for guests.” (BORROW Leslie Flynn, 19 Gifts of the Spirit, p. 109.) Too many of us have lost that concept today. We’ve taken what was meant to be a “haven for guests” and we have turned it into a “haven from guests.” Too often, our homes are places where we can go to get away from people. In modern urban America, your home is your final line of defense against the world. At the end of a hard day, you rush through the maddening crowds to get home by nightfall. Once inside your castle, you grab the rope and begin pulling up the drawbridge. You push a button and water fills the moat around your house and out come the piranhas. Then we dare our neighbors to try and get close to us. We build walls and fences and elaborate electronic security systems. It’s not just to scare off the criminals. It’s also to scare off anyone else who might need a meal or a place to stay. Our homes to us are places to get away from other people. But it was not so in the beginning. Back then, your home was meant to be a hospital for the weary and a haven for the hurting. Oh, how we need to recapture that emphasis today. What a difference it would make if we viewed our homes not as refuges from the world, but as tools given by God for ministering to the world. What a difference it would make if out from this church there would go hundreds of families determined not to hide in their homes, but who would say, “Oh God, you have given me this home and now I give it back to you. With your help, I’m going to use it to minister to people in Jesus’ name.” The Church In Your Home And let’s be honest and admit that sometimes our beautiful church buildings work against this great principle. After all, we spend so much money building enormous sanctuaries and vast educational facilities that it stops us from doing philoxenia, because we think all the ministry takes place here. But where was the church in the first century? It was in the home. “The church that is in your house.” We need to get back to that, back to the concept of open heart, open home. And back to the concept of philoxenia as a mark of Christian maturity. Back to the idea that hospitality is something that Christian leaders are to demonstrate. Back to the idea that showing kindness to strangers is a non-optional command of Scripture. A Taste Of Haiti Does it still work today? Or has hospitality gone out of style? You could make a good argument that it doesn’t work today. But you would really be arguing that it doesn’t work because we don’t make it work. Hospitality works when we break out of our 20th century fortress mentality. In just a few weeks our young people will be taking a mission trip to Haiti, the poorest country in the western hemisphere. I am going with them along with Bob Boerman and several other leaders. We’re going to one of the most remote places in Haiti, a village called Pignon. It’s a town of 30,000 people tucked away in the north central region of the country. It’s about as far away from Oak Park as you can get. There is no electricity, no running water, no radio, no TV, no air conditioning. There are no paved roads and no newspapers. The unemployment rate hovers around 90%. The annual per capita income in Pignon is approximately $150. We’re going to visit a church with 1000 people every Sunday. Their annual budget is around $2000. That’s right. Two thousand dollars. And somehow they run an orphanage and a school and they have built an open-air sanctuary. They have nothing. The poorest person at Calvary is rich compared to the richest person in the church in Pignon. And they are going to take care of the rich kids from Oak Park for two weeks. And let me tell you, we’ll eat better down there than we do up here. (And we eat just fine up here!) How do they do it? I don’t know. But I do know this. Hospitality is not just a theory with them; it’s a way of life. And believe it or not, they don’t regard our visit as a burden. To them, it’s a blessing for us to come. Philoxenia In Leningrad A few days after we get back from Haiti, another group leaves for Leningrad. They will spend two weeks renovating an evangelical church in the heart of that great Russian city. Our people will be staying in the homes of Russian believers. They will work in the church during the day and stay in homes each night. Have you seen what’s been happening in Russia lately? How they are running out of food and how they have to wait in long lines to get into the grocery stores? How it’s hard to find staples like milk and sugar and butter? They don’t have much, but they are going to take us in. We have a lot more than they do but they are going to take us in. We’re coming over to help them and while we are there they will open their homes to us. We don’t know them and they don’t know us. Our people don’t speak Russian, they don’t speak much English. But it doesn’t matter. They are going to take us in. They are going to feed us and give us a place to stay, and on Sun-day, they will share their worship service with us. That’s philoxenia, showing kindness to strangers. Yad Vashem (from Isaiah 56:5) (Means in essence - "A Memorial and a Name" = "Enduring Remembrance") To them I will give in My house and within My walls a memorial, And a name better than that of sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name which will not be cut off. If you ever visit Jerusalem, your tour guide will probably take you to a museum called Yad Vashem. It’s a museum dedicated to the Holocaust. Inside are unspeakable reminders of how the Nazis systematically killed six million Jews during World War II. You cannot visit the museum and go away unchanged. But to get there, you have to walk along a sidewalk that goes from the parking area to the front doors of the museum. It is called the “Avenue of the Righteous of the World.” It looks like a garden because there are olive trees everywhere. At the base of the olive trees are little plaques. On each plaque is the name of a Gentile who at great personal risk gave shelter to the Jews during World War II and spared them from the death camps. If you search long enough, you will find a plaque with the name Corrie Ten Boom. An olive tree grows by the plaque. You remember her, don’t you? She and her family hid seven Jews for several months in their attic in Holland. The Jews escaped but she and her sister were sent to a concentration camp. They knew when they did it that they might someday be caught. But they did it anyway. That’s philoxenia, love for strangers, love for those so far away from us. Back To The Spiritual Gift There is a spiritual gift of hospitality and I don’t doubt that Corrie Ten Boom and her sister had this gift. Here is how I would define it: It is the special ability God gives to certain members of the body of Christ which enables them to provide an open home and a warm welcome to those in need of food and lodging. (As I mentioned earlier, there is no separate category for “Hospitality” on the Spiritual Gifts Inventory. We did, however, put several questions about hospitality in the section on “Service” so if you scored high on “Service” you probably also have the gift of “Hospitality.") We have several people at Calvary who clearly have this gift. For instance, this weekend two fellows from Paragon Productions are coming in to set up the “Winners” presentation for our Day in the Village celebration. Ron and Brenda Larkin volunteered to give them a place to stay. In fact, Ron and Brenda told us that when they bought their house, they deliberately bought one with an extra bedroom so they could open their home to others. When we moved to Oak Park last August, we stayed with Fred and Erlene Hartman (and with Anthony and Danny) in their home in River Forest until our home in Oak Park was ready. Like the Larkins, they deliberately bought a house with an extra bedroom so they could use it to show hospitality to those needing a place to stay. (When Bob and Jean Boerman came to Calvary in 1988, they stayed with the Hartmans just like we did.) Most of you know Glen and Pam Carley. They opened their home for a whole year to Emi Oh Kubo, a foreign exchange student from Japan. She’s going back to Japan in just a few weeks. And during these months the Carleys have taken her in. While she was here, she accepted Jesus Christ as her personal Savior. I know someone else who is keeping a Concordia student this summer. The funny thing is, the student just put up a notice on the board and my friend called her and said, “You can stay with me for the summer.” My friend didn’t meet the student until the night she moved in. I am happy to say they are getting along just fine. I’m thinking of another distinguished family at Calvary. They have a wonderful, elegant home here in Oak Park. I’ve been in it—it’s beautifully decorated. For more than 25 years, this couple has been opening their home to people who need a place to stay. And many of the people have stayed for months and some have stayed for years. I think they are keeping somebody right now. That’s philoxenia—love for strangers. How To Spot A Xenophiliac What are the characteristics of a person with this gift? People who practice hospitality come in all shapes and sizes and ages and colors and economic backgrounds. But they usually share a few common traits. If you have this gift … 1. You Enjoy Having People In Your Home. You like the sound of many voices around your table and you enjoy the hustle and bustle of many people coming and going. In fact, you are probably happier when your house is full of people than when it is empty. You would rather be with people than be by yourself. 2. You Look For People You Can Help. When you come to church, your radar naturally homes in on new people who look like they need to be taken under someone’s wing. Sometimes it seems like you just stumble into people who need a place to stay. Actually, it’s not a coincidence at all; it’s your gift manifesting itself wherever you go. 3. You Don’t Feel You Have To Apologize For Messy Rooms. This is one of the clearest evidences of the gift. Not that you put a premium on messiness. But if someone needs a place to stay, you are glad to offer it to them even though some parts of your house may not be in perfect shape. The rest of us who don’t have this gift feel like we have to apologize if things aren’t perfect. But the people gifted in philoxenia open their homes, invite strangers in, and do their cleaning right in front of their guests. (Or they give their guests a broom and invite them to join right in!) 4. You Aren’t Shocked When People Show Up On Your Doorstep At Any Hour Of The Day Or Night. You expect it, it doesn’t bother you, and you don’t feel imposed upon. 5. You Have The Knack For Making People Feel At Home. Let me show you how this works. I found the following quote from the May issue of the Calvary Messenger (p. 9): There are lonely international students at our local colleges and universities who desire American friends. These are immigrants. You can make a difference in their lives … Those involved with “International Friends” are excited about what God is doing in the lives of inter-national students. Here are a few examples: Xiaochung—a Chinese student—was befriended by Mark and Brenda Thompson. They invited him to their home and on family outings. With him, they prepared a Chinese dinner. Later, Xiaochung was thrilled to attend a retreat where international Christians presented the gospel. (Lord, help Xiaochung to become a Christian and reach his people.) Chung and Maojium—Taiwanese students—met Don and Joyce Krumsieg in September and by January transferred to other universities. Yet, during the time they were here, a friendship blossomed as they shared their family times and Thanksgiving together. Now they continue their friendship by phone and through letters. For Mother’s Day, Joyce received two lovely cards from Chung and Maojium. (Lord, continue the good work you have begun in the lives of Chung and Maojium.) What do you need to begin showing hospitality? You need a home or an apartment or a dorm room or a bed or a mat or a cot. And you need a willingness to share what you have with others. That’s all you need to begin—just a place to stay and an open heart. Roadblocks To Hospitality I wouldn’t be fair with you if I made it sound like all this is extremely easy. It isn’t, and there are some road-blocks you will have to overcome in order to begin practicing hospitality. Let me list several of the most obvious ones. Roadblock # 1: Confusing Hospitality With Entertainment. The two could not be further apart. Hospitality is at one end of the spectrum and entertainment is at the other end. Unfortunately, we think hospitality is what happens when we get all dressed up and invite our friends over for a party. That’s nice, and it’s good, but it’s not hospitality. The difference is this. Entertainment is what happens when you invite your friends over to amuse them; hospitality is what happens when you invite people into your home in order to minister to them. When you entertain, your focus is on the setting; when you show hospitality, your focus is on the people. Please understand. Entertainment is not bad. But hospitality is better. Hospitality is broader and deeper. Entertainment is quickly forgotten; hospitality is remembered for a lifetime. Roadblock # 2: Hospitality Is Inconvenient Because We Are Too Busy. This is no doubt the main reason we don’t practice hospitality more than we do. At least it’s my main reason. I confess that I use this excuse all the time. But if you are too busy to show hospitality, then you are too busy. If you are too busy to obey the Bible, then your life (and mine) is out of order. Roadblock # 3: You Have To Be Rich To Show Hospitality. Fortunately, this is not true. Some of the most hospitable Christians I know live very modestly. Some are middle-income families and some are lower-income families. In fact, I know plenty of wealthy Christians who don’t seem to practice hospitality much at all. We say, “If I just had a bigger house.” Hey, I say that one myself. But who are we kidding? That’s like the man who says, “If I ever won a million dollars in the lottery, I would give $100,000 to the church.” But that’s not the issue. It’s not what you would do with what you don’t have, it’s what you are doing with what you do have. The same is true with hospitality. Having a larger house won’t change anything without an open heart to go with it. If you aren’t showing hospitality in the two-room apartment you’ve got today, what makes you think you’re going to show hospitality when you have a three million dollar mansion tomorrow? L’Abri Many of you recognize the name L’Abri. It means “shelter” in French. L’Abri was the name Francis and Edith Schaeffer chose for the Christian community they established in Switzerland. During the 1950s and 60s students by the hundreds came to L’Abri from all over the world seeking solid answers to their deepest questions. They came and stayed in the chalets which made up the community. Hundreds of those students found Jesus Christ in the process. In his excellent book The Church at the End of the 20th Century (BORROW BOOK), Francis Schaeffer describes what it cost to practice hospitality at L’Abri. These words are from the chapter entitled “Revolutionary Christianity” (pp. 107-108): Don’t start a big program. Don’t suddenly think you can add to your church budget and begin. Start personally and start in your homes. I dare you. I dare you in the name of Jesus Christ. Do what I am going to suggest. Begin by opening your home for community..... L’Abri is costly. If you think what God has done here is easy, you don’t understand. It’s a costly business to have a sense of community. L’Abri cannot be explained merely by the clear doctrine that is preached; it cannot be explained by the fact that God has here been giving intellectual answers to intellectual questions. I think those two things are important, but L’Abri cannot be explained if you remove the third. And that is there has been some community here. And it has been costly. In about the first three years of L’Abri all our wedding presents were wiped out. Our sheets were torn. Holes were burned in our rugs. Indeed once a whole curtain almost burned up from somebody smoking in our living room. Everybody came to our table. Blacks came to our table. Orientals came to our table. Everybody came to our table. It couldn’t happen any other way. Drugs came to our place. People vomited in the our rooms, in the rooms of Chalet Les Melezes which was our home, and now in the rest of the chalets at L’Abri. How many times has this happened to you? You see, you don’t need a big program. You don’t have to convince your session or board. All you have to do is open your home and begin. And there is no place in God’s world where there are no people who will come and share a home as long as it is a real home. First Steps Toward Philoxenia Where should we begin? I want to give you some simple steps you can do today. Here are four ways you can begin practicing hospitality right now: 1. Go out of your way to meet five new people today. Every Sunday we have dozens of visitors to our services. Will you take some time to meet them? But it doesn’t have to be just the visitors. You can say hello to people you’ve seen before but haven’t met. That’s a simple step but it is so important. Hospitality begins by being willing to meet people you haven’t met before. 2. Talk to some of our international students. We have a lot of them here at Calvary. Some are from Cambodia, some from Japan, some from Africa, some are from Europe. They are in the Chicago area studying for a few months or a few years. Eventually they will be going back to their own countries. But each Sunday they come to Calvary. What a marvelous opportunity to show biblical hospitality. They are truly “strangers” to us. We don’t know them and they don’t know us. But here they are. We pass each other in the hallways like ships passing at night. Will you care enough to get to know someone from the other side of the world? 3. Invite someone to your home. They don’t have to come today, but why don’t you issue an invitation for someone to come to your home this week or the week after that. Invite them over for ice cream or for hamburgers. After all, it’s biblical for Christians to eat together. 4. Call someone you haven’t talked to in a long, long time. It could be an old friend you haven’t called in years. It may be someone who used to be a close friend but somehow you’ve lost touch with each other. It might be someone you need to call in order to clear up some past misunderstandings. It could be a mother, a father, a brother or a sister, a hometown friend, or someone else whose name comes to mind. The Original Xenophiliac As you know, I entitled this sermon “Confessions of a Xenophiliac.” I began with a confession and now I end with one. There is no such word as xenophiliac. I just made it up by switching around philoxenia, the actual Greek word for hospitality. But I like xenophiliac because it sounds like it ought to be a word even if it’s not. Just before the first service this morning the pastoral staff was praying in my office. When Bill Miller’s turn came, he said something like this: “O God, we thank you that you are the original xenophiliac.” At first it sounded odd. And then in a flash it hit me. It’s true. God is the original “lover of strangers.” For while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. While we were estranged from God, he sent his Son to the earth. And we who were once strangers and aliens on the earth have now been brought near to God by the blood of Jesus Christ. We are no longer strangers, no longer aliens, no longer orphans, no longer far away from God. We are now as near to God as his own Son is, for through the blood of Jesus we are brought into his family. Because he loved us when we were strangers, we are strangers no more. Hospitality Pays Off In The End That same thing happens today when we show hospitality to others. We are only doing for others what God did for us. And in the end we won’t be disappointed. Consider these words of Jesus: When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory… . He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left… . Then the King will say to those on his right, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father, take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you took me in.” The righteous will answer him, “Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in?” The King will reply, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it for me.” (Mt 25:31, 33, 34-35, 37-38, 40+) That’s the bottom line. When you open your home to strangers, you are opening your home to the Lord Jesus. When you welcome them, you welcome him. No one will ever be sorry they opened their home. No one will ever be sorry they said, “Come on in and have a meal with us.” No one will ever be sorry they put up with the inconvenience. No one will ever say, “I wish I hadn’t helped those people.” Hospitality has its rewards, both now and in the world to come. Who’s that knocking at your door? It might be Jesus. Rod Mattoon - Examples of Hospitality in Genesis 1. Abraham invites the angels into his tent. 18:5 2. Lot invites the reluctant angels into his home. 19:2 3. Abimelech invites Abraham to dwell in the land. 20:15 4. Laban receives Abraham’s servant. 24:31–33 5. Laban invites Jacob into his house. 29:13 6. Joseph cares for his brothers in his home. 43:24 7. Pharaoh invites Joseph’s family to live in Egypt. 45:18–20 James Freeman - Borrow Manners & customs of the Bible page 25 and page 26 - FEET WASHING - Where the soil is dry and dusty and sandals or similar footwear is worn, frequent washing of the feet is not only a luxury, but a necessity for comfort and health. It is, also, extremely refreshing, as anyone knows who has bathed their feet in cool water when they’re dusty and hot. Under such circumstances, it’s great hospitality and consideration to see that the feet of guests are washed with cool water. Just as important as feeding them when they’re hungry, or giving them a place to rest when they’re tired. Not to do so would be discourteous and even insulting. In Genesis 24:32, it tells how Rebekah’s family gave Abraham’s servant and the men who were with him water to wash their feet, “So the man went to the house, and the camels were unloaded. Straw and fodder were brought for the camels, and water for him and his men to wash their feet.” In Genesis 43:24 it tells how Joseph’s servant gave water to Joseph’s brothers, “The steward took the men into Joseph’s house, gave them water to wash their feet and provided fodder for their donkeys.” It is this courtesy of providing water for washing that Jesus refers to when He mildly reproves Simon the Pharisee, at whose house He was a guest, for not giving Him water to wash his feet: “Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair” (Luke 7:44). When the apostle Paul wrote to Timothy about the qualifications necessary for a widow be provided for by the Church, he listed foot washing among them: “… and is well known for her good deeds, such as bringing up children, showing hospitality, washing the feet of the saints, helping those in trouble and devoting herself to all kinds of good deeds” (1 Timothy 5:10). All of these were signs that the person had committed her life to serving others. If she had done this, then it was the responsibility of the Church to provide for her. These signs of a servant give force to the beautiful symbolic action of our Lord, Who washed the feet of His disciples, so that His disciples might see how they were to act toward each other after He was gone. No one was to be master or lord it over another, each was to be a servant of the other. (John 13:4–15) Genesis 18:1-19:1+ - Angels Unaware - "Old Bill" was hired to sweep streets in a small town. During the hot days of July and August, Mrs. Brown on the corner got into the habit of taking him a glass of lemonade and a slice of cake. He thanked her shyly and that was all. But one evening there came a knock at the back door of her home. Bill was there with a sack of apples in one hand and a handful of roasting ears in the other. He said, "I brought you these, Ma'am, for your kindness." "Oh, you shouldn't have," exclaimed Mrs. Brown. "It was nothing." "Well, no," the street sweeper agreed, "maybe it wasn't much, but it was more than anyone else did." Abraham was equally aware of the needs of those around him. When three strangers appeared in front of his tent, he was more than eager to extend hospitality to them. He could have thought, Surely someone who is less busy than I am will have compassion on them. But he didn't. Instead, he ran to meet them and begged for an opportunity to show hospitality to these travelers. Few people ever traveled when the sun was so hot, so Abraham was immediately both curious and courteous. Hospitality is the first law of the East, and Abraham faithfully obeyed it. The Bible says that hospitality is to characterize the Christian life. In fact, it's so important that it's listed as one of the qualifications for anyone desiring a position of leadership in the church (1Ti 3:2, Titus 1:8+). The writer of Hebrews said, "Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels" (He 13:2+). Do yourself a favor: when you have opportunity to open your home to a troubled teenager or to host a foreign student while the dorms are closed, do it! You never know when you might come across an angel. Some may have the gift of hospitality, but we all have the responsibility. Back to the Bible THOUGHT - The Lord did not come to Abraham's tent and say, 'I am Yahweh. I'm coming in! Open that tent flap--I'm coming in.' He waited for Abraham to show hospitality and Abraham invited Him in. That's how God works. The Lord works by invitation. He will never force Himself on you. He waits for you to invite Him in. Do you feel far from God today? Guess who moved? Invite Him to come fellowship with you again, returning to that joy and excitement you had when you first fell in love with Him (cf Rev 2:4-5+). The Restaurant Napkin - A pastor sat alone at a small-town café. A homeless man walked in, cold and hesitant. The pastor invited him to sit, handed him the menu, and bought him lunch.The waitress whispered, “You just changed the atmosphere in this place.” Hospitality isn’t just given to a person—it's given to a watching world, which sees the gospel lived out in real time. The Good Samaritan Today - A man had a flat tire on a deserted road. Dozens of cars passed. Finally, a stranger stopped, changed the tire, refused payment, and said, “Someone once helped me.” The rescued man said later, “I saw Jesus on the side of the road.” Hospitality often looks like inconvenience embraced for Christ’s sake. The Elderly Man at the Back Pew - A new widow visited a church on a Sunday morning and said she sat “in the back so I wouldn’t be noticed.” An older couple saw her, invited her to lunch, and befriended her. She later said, “Your kindness saved my life. I had no one.” Hospitality in the pew is often more powerful than hospitality in the home. The Storm Refuge - During a winter storm, a woman opened her garage to neighbors whose power was out. She handed out blankets, soup, and Scripture cards. A neighbor later said, “I didn’t step into a garage—I stepped into the love of God.” Hospitality turns ordinary spaces into holy spaces. The Man at the Airport Gate - A Christian overheard a soldier being told he didn’t have the money to fly home for a funeral. Quietly, he stepped forward and said, “I’ll take care of it.” The soldier whispered, “Why would you do that?” The man replied, “Because Christ has been generous to me.” Hospitality is generosity guided by grace. The Coffee Shop Conversation - A believer noticed a college student crying in a corner booth. She felt the Spirit’s nudge and ordered a coffee “for a friend I haven’t met yet.” A conversation followed, opening the way for prayer, comfort, and the gospel. Hospitality begins with availability, not ability. The Motel Lobby Bible - A traveling businessman saw a frightened woman with two children stranded in a motel lobby, abandoned by a broken promise. He quietly paid for their room. The next morning the woman told him, “My son opened the Bible in the room and read, ‘God is our refuge.’ I think God sent you to prove it.” Hospitality opens the door for Scripture to enter wounded hearts. The Table with an Empty Chair - One missionary family always kept an empty chair at their table “for whoever the Lord brings.” Over the years, that empty chair hosted widows, students far from home, lonely soldiers, and wandering souls. Many came to know Christ simply because someone had space for them. An empty chair can preach the gospel louder than a sermon. Hospitality is love in motion toward someone you’ve never met. A warm welcome can thaw a cold world. Hospitality is the gospel with hands and feet. When you serve a stranger, you serve your Savior. (Mt 10:42) Make room at your table—God may be sending an angel to dinner. Kindness to strangers is often God’s chosen doorway to dispensing His Gospel of grace. A stranger’s need is a believer’s invitation from God. Your home may be ordinary, but God can make it a sanctuary for a stranger. Hospitality turns interruptions into divine appointments. Generosity to a stranger is a sermon without words. Love for strangers is love for God in its purest form. (Because we too were once "strangers" to Him!) You may be the first kindness someone has experienced in years. Open doors can open hearts. Hospitality is "grace served warm." The Pastor Who Missed an Angel A pastor confessed that one Sunday he brushed past a homeless man sitting near the church door because he was “too busy preparing to preach.” After the service, the man was gone. But an usher approached with tears: “Pastor… I think you missed Jesus today.” Those words cut through him like a sword. He vowed that from that day on, he would never again hurry past the hurting. Hospitality begins when we stop seeing interruptions as obstacles and start seeing them as opportunities from God. The Refugee Family and the Empty Room A Christian couple heard about a refugee mother and child with nowhere to go. They had a guest room but had never used it. That night, the mother and child slept safely under their roof. Months later, the mother became a believer and said: “I saw the love of God before I ever heard the message of God.” Hospitality often preaches the gospel long before a sermon does. The Stranger at the Funeral At a funeral for a young believer, a man no one recognized kept weeping. Later he explained, “I was her Uber driver. On the way to the doctor she prayed for me, bought me lunch, and gave me the only Bible I own. I came today because she was the kindest stranger I ever met.” Hospitality has a long reach—often far beyond what we ever see. The Church That Grew Because of One Meal A tiny rural church began to decline. One woman suggested hosting meals every Sunday—open to anyone in town. They fed the lonely, the poor, the widowed, and the drifting. Within two years, the church doubled—not because of programs, but because of tables. When asked the secret, the pastor said: “We opened our doors, and God opened hearts.” The table is one of God’s most powerful evangelistic tools. TODAY IN THE WORD - The Gift of the Stranger: Faith, Hospitality, and Foreign Language Learning, by David Smith and Barbara Carvill, proposes hospitality as the foundation for our “encounters with strangers,” that is, for cross-cultural relationships. We should view a short-term missions trip, for instance, as an opportunity to receive hospitality, and getting to know an immigrant neighbor as a chance to offer hospitality. Biblical hospitality includes a pattern of showing humility and respect when interacting with others, and Smith and Carvill apply this pattern to foreign language learning in ways that should encourage and convict both students and teachers. The virtue of hospitality doesn't get much attention today, yet it is in the list of qualifications for eldership. Neither this list nor the one we'll study tomorrow are exhaustive or definitive. Both were written to pastors at relatively new churches— Titus in Crete and Timothy in Ephesus—so they could organize the local congregations and develop godly leadership teams. One interesting principle that emerges is that marriage, parenting, and home life are seen as proving grounds for church leadership (v. 6). Elders must be faithful and monogamous (if married), not engaging in any form of sexual immorality. They must have obedient, believing children whose characters have been shaped by their parents' godly training and discipline. And they must practice hospitality, which literally means “loving strangers” (cf. Lev. 19:34). Those who do so might even entertain angels unaware (Heb. 13:2). Another key principle is the importance of character. Most of the other attributes on this list, whether stated positively or negatively, have to do with moral actions and habits (vv. 7-8). This is instructive, given our culture's emphasis on abilities and achievements. Elders should be upright and self-controlled, not proud, angry, hurtful, dishonest, greedy, or self-pleasing. Spiritually speaking, their faith should be strong and they should be able to teach and defend sound doctrine (v. 9). APPLY THE WORD - Are you aware of the leadership policies and procedures at your church or in your denomination? If not, try to find out how leaders are chosen. Who is eligible? Is there any kind of leadership development program? How are leaders held accountable or disciplined when necessary? What authority, responsibilities, and privileges do leaders have? What is the history of the leadership structure currently in place? What are its strengths and weaknesses? Finally, commit to pray for the leaders in your church, and for their families. WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT HOSPITALITY Biblical Theme Description Key Verse Commanded virtue Christians are told to practice hospitality Reflects God’s nature God welcomes us into His family Supports ministry Early church used homes for gospel work Required for leaders Elders must be hospitable Expression of love Hospitality is a way to love others QUESTION - What does the Bible say about hospitality? Gotquestions.org ANSWER - Hospitality can be defined as “the quality or disposition of receiving and treating guests and strangers in a warm, friendly, generous way.” In the New Testament, the Greek word translated “hospitality” literally means “love of strangers.” Hospitality is a virtue that is both commanded and commended throughout Scripture. In the Old Testament, it was specifically commanded by God: “When an alien lives with you in your land, do not mistreat him. The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt” (Leviticus 19:33-34, emphasis added). During His public ministry, Jesus and His disciples depended entirely on the hospitality of others as they ministered from town to town (Matthew 10:9-10). Likewise, the early Christians also depended on and received hospitality from others (Acts 2:44-45; 28:7). In fact, travelers in ancient times depended heavily on the hospitality of strangers as traveling could be dangerous and there were very few inns, and poor Christians could not afford to stay at them, anyway. This generous provision to strangers also included opening one’s home for church services. Hospitality was indeed a highly regarded virtue in ancient times, especially for Christian leaders (Titus 1:8; 1 Timothy 3:2). The writer of Hebrews reminds us not to forget to “entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it” (Hebrews 13:2). Indeed, in the book of Genesis we read of Abraham’s humble and generous display of hospitality to three strangers. Wealthy and aged, Abraham could have called on one of his many servants to tend to the three unannounced visitors. Yet the hospitable and righteous Abraham generously gave them the best he had. And, as it turned out, he had entertained the Lord and two angels (Genesis 18:1-8). Christians are “God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works” (Ephesians 2:10). As followers of Christ, we emulate His love and compassion when we show hospitality, not only to fellow Christians, but even more so to strangers and the less fortunate. In fact, we honor God when we are kind to the needy (Proverbs 14:31; 19:17). As Jesus said, “When you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed” (Luke 14:13). Christ also taught us the second greatest commandment, to “love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39), and the Parable of the Good Samaritan teaches us that “neighbor” has nothing to do with geography, citizenship, or race. Wherever and whenever people need us, there we can be neighbors and, like Christ, show mercy. This is the essence of hospitality. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus discusses the hospitable behavior of those who will inherit the kingdom: “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me” (Matthew 25:34-36). In these days we often don’t think much about entertaining strangers, but hospitality is still an important part of Christian ministry (Romans 12:13; 1 Peter 4:9). By serving others we serve Christ (Matthew 25:40) and we promote the spread of God’s truth (3 John 5-8). Related Resources: Who were the three men who visited Abraham in Genesis 18? gotquestions.org Illustration - Gordon M. Ferguson tells of meeting a Filipino Methodist bishop on a European-bound ship. The bishop told of his experience when he came to North America as a student years before. The first Sunday his roommate appeared in the doorway, an umbrella under each arm. He offered to show him the way to his place of worship and then planned to go on to his own church. As they started down the street he thought, “If this man has this kind of faith and interest in my spiritual life, surely I should find out what his faith is like.” He asked his friend to take him to his church and he attended it all four years. As a result he entered Drew Theological Seminary, and years later became a bishop in the Methodist church. (Sermons Illustrated) Ray Pritchard - Somewhere I read about St. Benedict’s first rule for his followers: hospitality. They must always show kindness to strangers because in so doing they are showing kindness to Christ himself. The story is told about an old Benedictine monk who was about to lock the monastery door at the end of a very exhausting weekend. There had been so many guests and some of them had proved quite difficult to handle. He was secretly glad to see them all go so he could have a bit of rest. Just as he was closing the door, a new group of pilgrims walked up the path and asked for admittance. Under his breath, he said to himself, “Lord Jesus Christ, is it you again?” These words of Jesus offer a liberating perspective because it is easy to feel overwhelmed or perhaps resentful at the intrusion of others into our well-planned agendas. And sometimes, consciously or not, we can give off an air of condescension, of pride and superiority, of smugness because “We’ve found the truth and you haven’t, you poor, benighted pagans.” And don’t think those “poor, benighted pagans” can’t sense it. They’re not stupid. They know when Christians talk down to them. The words of Jesus help us see things in a new light. We know that when we go “in his name,” he goes with us. We know that we are going “with him” and “for him.” But now we know that we are also going “to him.” He’s on the receiving end of the mercy transaction. He is there in the face of the Afghan refugee. He stands with the homeless at the Harlem Avenue exit. He is there with the single mother struggling with three young children. He has a cell inside every prison in the world. He walks the halls of the cancer unit at the hospital. He hears the cries of abused children. He is there in the assembly of Sudanese believers. (A Cup of Cold Water) Ray Pritchard - I traveled to Russia not long after the fall of Communism. Upon my return to America, many people wanted to know about the food. I never ate better in my life. It seemed like we had three or four meals every day. Wherever we went, we enjoyed the hospitality of Russian believers. The average Russian family has much less than most Americans have of this world's goods, and yet when you go there, they open the cupboards wide, and they keep bringing it out. During my visit I was greatly blessed by a particular custom we followed in almost every home. At the beginning of the meal, we all stood and bowed our heads and thanked God for the food. Then we sat down and shared our meal together. At the end of the meal, we stood up again and we prayed, thanking God for what we had just received. That made a powerful impact on my life. That is what Jesus is talking about. That's what it means to say that God has given you daily bread—to be truly thankful and truly content with what he has provided. (Daily Bread Living) Ray Pritchard in A Tale of Three Men... Gaius 3Jn 1:1-8 excelled in this gift of hospitality even though these men were strangers to him. That leads me to remark that many of us have underestimated the New Testament command to practice hospitality. The Greek word literally means “love for strangers.” Too many of us think that hospitality means that we buy some chips and hot sauce and invite our friends over to watch Monday Night Football. Now I’m all in favor of watching football with your friends, but that’s not what biblical hospitality is all about. True hospitality involves opening your heart and home to those in need. It means sharing your time and resources with those people whom you may not know very well. QUESTION - What does it mean to be given to hospitality (Romans 12:13)? GOTQUESTIONS.ORG ANSWER - If 1 Corinthians 13 is the Bible’s “love chapter,” Romans 12 is its twin sister. In Romans 12:9–13, the apostle Paul focuses on our relationships with others, asserting that genuine love ought to permeate all our interactions: “Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them . . . with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other” (Romans 12:9–10, NLT). If we truly love others, we will show kindness and generosity to people in need, and we will be “given to hospitality” (Romans 12:13, NKJV). Hospitality, in the biblical sense, goes beyond merely entertaining guests. It refers to having a welcoming, gracious, and generous disposition toward others, particularly strangers and those in need. The Greek phrase for “given to hospitality” (NKJV) in Romans 12:13 is alternately translated as “seek to show hospitality” (ESV), “be eager to practice hospitality” (NLT), and “pursue hospitality” (CSB). Paul used the Greek word philoxenian, translated as “hospitality”; it literally means “love to strangers.” This love is not just a feeling but an action—a deliberate effort to make strangers feel welcome, cared for, and valued. Even if we don’t possess the spiritual gift of giving (see Romans 12:8), all believers have the responsibility to practice hospitality and meet the needs of others. The Bible uses vivid images and parables about hospitality to paint a picture of salvation (Isaiah 25:6; Psalm 23:5–6; Matthew 22:1–14; John 14:2–3; Revelation 3:20). As God’s redeemed children, we show hospitality in gratitude for the salvation we have received from God (see Isaiah 58:6–7; John 13:12–15). Paul frequently mentions the importance of showing hospitality to Christian ministers (see Romans 16:1–2; Colossians 4:10; 3 John 5–10). He taught that spiritual overseers should be particularly given to hospitality (see Titus 1:8; 1 Timothy 3:2). The apostle Peter urged, “Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay” (1 Peter 4:9, NLT). In Hebrews, Christians are reminded “to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it!” (Hebrews 13:2, NLT). The concept of being given to hospitality is rooted in the Old Testament (see Exodus 22:21; Isaiah 58:6). Abraham, the great patriarch of faith, is a prime example of one who practiced hospitality. In Genesis 18:1–8, he welcomed three strangers into his home, generously offering them food, water, and rest. This act of hospitality was later revealed to be a divine encounter with God. Similarly, the Law of Moses commanded the Israelites to be hospitable: “When a stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt” (Leviticus 19:33–34, ESV). Jesus exemplified what it means to be given to hospitality. He dined with tax collectors and sinners (see Luke 19:1–10), welcomed children (see Matthew 19:14), and healed the sick (see Matthew 14:14). His parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25–37) is perhaps the most striking illustration of hospitality. In this story, a Samaritan helps a wounded man, providing him with care and shelter despite the societal enmity between Jews and Samaritans. The early Christian church continued in this tradition of hospitality, sharing everything they had and partaking of the Lord’s Supper and eating meals together in their homes with joyful and sincere hearts (see Acts 2:44–46). It involves a lifestyle of generosity and openness. Being given to hospitality means more than offering a pat on the back or hosting an occasional dinner party. It involves a lifestyle of generosity and openness. Here are some practical ways to embody this virtue: • Opening your home to new neighbors, visitors, or those who need a place to stay. • Meeting needs such as providing a meal, offering transportation, or simply listening to someone’s troubles. • Fostering a sense of belonging and community through small group gatherings, community events, or regular, intentional acts of kindness. • Treat everyone with dignity and love, regardless of background or circumstances. Romans 12 begins with a call to offer our bodies as “a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God” (Romans 12:1). Hospitality is a tangible expression of this sacrifice. It is an act of “true and proper worship” (Romans 12:1), a way to honor God by serving others. Being given to hospitality reflects the heart of God, who welcomes all to His table. In Matthew 25:35–36, Jesus describes the righteousness of those who will inherit the kingdom by pointing to their hospitality: “For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me” (Matthew 25:35–36, NLT). By practicing hospitality, we honor Christ Himself. We love others as Jesus loved us and live out the gospel in practical ways. Genesis 18:3 and said, “My Lord, if now I have found favor in Your sight, please do not pass Your servant by. favor: Ge 32:5 Genesis 18 Resources - Multiple sermons and commentaries ABRAHAM ENCOURAGES THE THREE TO REMAIN And said, “My Lord ('Adonay; Lxx = kurios) - This mode of addressing the three men could simply represent the customary respectful address of a host to a visitor but as the NET NOTE says the use of 'adonay is usually reserved for God. In addition, Abraham uses this designation 4 times later in this chapter, clearly after he knows he is speaking with Jehovah. NET NOTE on LORD - The Masoretic Text has the form אֲדֹנָי (’Adonay, “Master”) which is reserved for God. This may reflect later scribal activity. The scribes, knowing it was the LORD, may have put the proper pointing with the word instead of the more common אֲדֹנִי ('adoni, “my master”) Wenstrom - The fact that Abraham addresses only one of the three and calls only one of the three `adhon, “Lord” indicates that Abraham recognizes the authority of only one of them who is the Lord Himself and appropriately addresses Him with the noun `Adonay which denotes the idea of authority or lordship. Therefore, it should be translated not in a lower case “lord” but with an upper case “Lord.” Skip Heitzig on My Lord - 'Adonay is the Hebrew word. Now Abraham will refer to Him in this passage as your servant and call God my Lord, Adonai. The Mighty One. The Almighty. The Strong One. The Lord. I think it was Max Lucado who wrote something quite clever. He said, 'You don't boast about your paper airplane when you're dealing with NASA. You don't brag about your crayon sketches in the presence of Picasso. You don't claim equality with Albert Einstein because you can write H20. And you don't talk about your own goodness in the presence of the Perfect One.' That's sort of the idea here. He recognizes who he's with and he bows down and he calls Him, 'My Lord.' ESV Study Bible (borrow - see page 80) on O Lord. -- The term here (Hebrew. 'Adonay) is a distinctive one for God in the OT (e.g., Ge 20:4). The polite term of respect “my lord” (Heb. 'adoni) has a slight difference of spelling, affecting the last vowel (e.g., Ge 23:6). The ESV text renders the Hebrew, while the footnote represents the different spelling. If the spelling in the Hebrew text is correct—and there is no reason to doubt it—then Abraham recognizes that one of his visitors is a divine manifestation. This explains Abraham’s part in the conversation of Ge 18:22-33. If now I have found favor (chen; Lxx - charis) in Your sight, please do not pass Your servant (ebed; Lxx - pais) by - KJV = "pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant" Given the fact that they do not pass by would suggest Abraham has found favor in their sight. Notice also Abraham refers to himself as Your servant (I chose to capitalize "Your"). The idea is picked up by God's Word paraphrase "Stop by to visit me a while" or NLT "Stop here for a while." Note that the pronoun your is in the singular indicating Abraham is calling himself the servant of only one of the three. If the pronomial suffix was in the plural, it would mean that Abraham is calling himself the servant of all three but this is not the case. Also, the verbs in Genesis 18:3 are all used in the singular rather than the plural further indicating that Abraham is addressing only one of the three. The fact that Abraham singles out one of the three indicates he recognizes the superiority of this one over the others. Lord (Adonai) (0136) 'adonay, “the Lord”; is derived from an ancient Ugaritic word (˒adn) meaning “lord” or “father. Many regard it as the plural of 'adon. It is used chiefly in the Pentateuch—always where God is submissively and reverently addressed (Exodus 4:10, 13; Joshua 7:8) and also when God is spoken of (1Ki 13:9; 1Ki 22:6; etc.). In about three hundred passages ˒ādōn appears in a special plural form with a first-person singular suffix (˒ădōnāy). The plural form ˒ădōnāy is the plural of majesty, which we also observed in the designation In this form, found in Psalms, Lamentations, and the Prophets, the term always refers to God. The Jews, out of a superstitious reverence for the name Jehovah, always pronounce Adonai where Jehovah is written. The similar form, with the suffix, is also used of men, as of Potiphar (Genesis 39:2, “master”) and of Joseph (Genesis 42:30, 33). Adonay in the Pentateuch - Gen. 15:2; Gen. 15:8; Gen. 18:3; Gen. 18:27; Gen. 18:30; Gen. 18:31; Gen. 18:32; Gen. 20:4; Exod. 4:10; Exod. 4:13; Exod. 5:22; Exod. 15:17; Exod. 34:9; Num. 14:17; Deut. 3:24; Deut. 9:26 Girdlestone's Synonyms of the OT - The word usually rendered 'Lord,' or 'my Lord,' is Adonai (0136) is a special form of 'Adon, a word which signifies Master, and which exactly answers to the Greek kurios. 'Adon is sometimes rendered Sir in the A. V., as in Gen. 43:20KJV; Owner, as in 1Ki 16:24; but generally Master, as in Ge 24:9. The plural form (of 'adon) Adonim and its plural construct form Adonei are used in the same sense; but when the word is applied to God, the form Adonai is adopted. The termination of the word (-ai), as in the case of Shaddai; may mark an ancient plural form, but this is uncertain. In the A. V., as in other versions, Adonai is frequently rendered 'my Lord.' The title indicates the truth that God is the owner of each member of the human family, and that He consequently claims the unrestricted obedience of all. 'Adonay in the Pentateuch - Gen. 18:3; Gen. 18:27; Gen. 18:30; Gen. 18:31; Gen. 18:32 - all 5 uses translated in Lxx = kurios; Gen. 20:4; Exod. 4:10; Exod. 4:13; Exod. 5:22; Exod. 15:17; Exod. 34:9; Num. 14:17; Deut. 3:24; Deut. 9:26; Favor (grace) (02580) chen/hen from verb chanan = to favor) means favor (acts which display one’s fondness or compassion for another), grace (acts of kindness displaying one’s pleasure with an object, which benefit the object of pleasure), acceptance. The essence of chen is that it speaks of an "unmerited favor or regard in God’s sight. The idea is that a person finds favor in the sight of another person or acceptance by the person. This word plays a major role in helping us understand God's relationship with sinful men as shown in the first use in Genesis 6:8 with those wonderful words "And Noah found favor (grace) in the eyes of the Lord." The result of this favor was that he was delivered by God from His judgment of the world through the Flood. In a similar vein, the nation of Israel was granted by God to receive "favor in the sight of the Egyptians." (Ex 3:21, 11:3, 12:36). Meanings include - Favor, grace, charm, graciousness, kindness, beauty, pleasantness, attractiveness, loveliness, affectionate regard. Chen is translated in the Septuagint by the Greek word charis which is usually translated grace in the NT. Chen - 67v - adornment(1), charm(1), charm*(1), charming*(1), favor(51), grace(8), graceful(2), gracious(3), pleases*(1). Gen. 6:8; Gen. 18:3; Gen. 19:19; Gen. 30:27; Gen. 32:5; Gen. 33:8; Gen. 33:10; Gen. 33:15; Gen. 34:11; Gen. 39:4; Gen. 39:21; Gen. 47:25; Gen. 47:29; Gen. 50:4; Exod. 3:21; Exod. 11:3; Exod. 12:36; Exod. 33:12; Exod. 33:13; Exod. 33:16; Exod. 33:17; Exod. 34:9; Num. 11:11; Num. 11:15; Num. 32:5; Deut. 24:1; Jdg. 6:17; Ruth 2:2; Ruth 2:10; Ruth 2:13; 1 Sam. 1:18; 1 Sam. 16:22; 1 Sam. 20:3; 1 Sam. 20:29; 1 Sam. 25:8; 1 Sam. 27:5; 2 Sam. 14:22; 2 Sam. 15:25; 2 Sam. 16:4; 1 Ki. 11:19; Est. 2:15; Est. 2:17; Est. 5:2; Est. 5:8; Est. 7:3; Est. 8:5; Ps. 45:2; Ps. 84:11; Prov. 1:9; Prov. 3:4; Prov. 3:22; Prov. 3:34; Prov. 4:9; Prov. 5:19; Prov. 11:16; Prov. 13:15; Prov. 17:8; Prov. 22:1; Prov. 22:11; Prov. 28:23; Prov. 31:30; Eccl. 9:11; Eccl. 10:12; Jer. 31:2; Nah. 3:4; Zech. 4:7; Zech. 12:10 James Smith - ABRAHAM RECEIVING AND SERVING Genesis 18:1–17 Every Old Testament incident yields some New Testament truth. Let us read this portion in the light of the New Revelation. I. A Gracious Visit. “The Lord appeared unto him; … and he lift up his eyes, and, lo, three men stood by him” (Ge 18:1 and 2). This is striking language, that Jehovah should manifest Himself in the form of three. Does this not suggest the Trinity of the Godhead? The whole Trinity is interested and exercised in seeking to bless and save man. The Father loved, and sent His Son; the Son loved, and gave Himself up to the death to redeem; the Spirit loved, and came to make His abode in the believing heart. This threefold salvation is summed up in the benediction, “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost” (2 Cor. 13:14). II. A Hearty Reception. The manner in which Abraham received the visitors, and his various acts toward them, may serve us as an illustration of how a weary, longing soul may receive Jesus, and be drawn out in eagerness after Him. 1. THERE WAS A LONGING DESIRE. “He lift up his eyes and looked” (Ge 18:2). A good work has been wrought in us before we will even lift up our eyes. The Lord is sure to appear in grace to the looking ones. They looked, and were lightened. 2. THERE WAS A READY MIND. “He ran to meet them.” He was in haste to receive the visitors. When the heart is really hungering for the living bread it will receive it gladly. The soul that is sighing for Christ will hasten to Him. 3. THERE WAS A HUMBLE SPIRIT. “He bowed himself toward the ground.” The more closely we come to Jesus, the heavenly Visitor, the more unworthy do we see ourselves to be. The way to God is a self-humbling way. The nearer we come to His light the more unseemly doth the garments of our own righteousness appear. 4. THERE WAS A WILLING CONFESSION. Abraham said, “My Lord.” When a soul has found its way into the presence of Jesus Christ we expect to hear the language of confession and testimony. “My Lord!” These two little words imply two great thoughts—(1) appropriation; (2) entire subjection. He is mine and I am His. 5. THERE WAS A LOVE FOR FELLOWSHIP. “If I have found favour in Thy sight, pass not away, I pray Thee, from Thy servant” (Ge 18:3). What could be more natural? The soul that has found the Lord yearns to abide in His presence. In His presence is fulness of joy. The lonely heart finds its home in the bosom of His love. 6. THERE WAS A DESIRE FOR THEIR REFRESHING. “Rest yourselves, … and comfort your hearts” (Ge 18:4 and 5). In our selfishness we are apt to be satisfied with getting His favour and blessing, and stopping short of seeking rest for His soul and comfort for His heart. Christ gave us rest and comfort by giving Himself for us; let us give Him rest and comfort by giving ourselves to Him. 7. THERE WAS A READINESS TO SERVE. “Abraham ran and fetcht and gave” (Ge 18: and 7). Love lends swiftness to the willing feet. “The Lord loveth a cheerful giver” (2 Cor. 9:7). “Whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as unto the Lord” (Col. 3:23). “The love of Christ constraineth us” (2 Cor. 5:14). III. A Blessed Reward. “The Lord said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do?” (Ge 18:17). The devotion of Abraham is rewarded with a revelation of the secret purpose of the Lord. The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him. The way into the deeper things of God often lies through self-sacrifice and active service. If we would know the hidden wisdom of God, and feed on the finest of the wheat, we must lay ourselves and all that we have at the feet of our Lord. Open your heart to Him, and His heart will be open to you. Genesis 18:4 “Please let a little water be brought and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree; wash your feet: Ge 19:2 24:32 43:24 1Sa 25:41 Lu 7:44 Joh 13:5-15 1Ti 5:10 Genesis 18 Resources - Multiple sermons and commentaries Related Passages: John 13:4, 15+ (JESUS) got up from supper, and laid aside His garments; and taking a towel, He girded Himself.....15 “For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you. 1 Timothy 5:10+ having a reputation for good works; and if she has brought up children, if she has shown hospitality to strangers, if she has washed the saints’ feet, if she has assisted those in distress, and if she has devoted herself to every good work. ABRAHAM'S HOSPITALITY Please let a little water be brought and wash your feet - NET adds "so that you may ALL wash." In those ancient times, shoes such as ours, were not in use; and the foot was protected only with sandals or soles, fastened round the foot with straps. It was, therefore, not only necessary from motives of cleanliness, but also a very great refreshment, in so hot a country, to get the feet washed at the end of a day's journey; and this is the first thing that Abraham proposes. And rest (sha'an) yourselves under the tree - Rest (a command) in the shade was the second requisite for the refreshment of a weary traveller. Rest in the Septuagint is the verb katapsucho (aorist imperative) which means to cool off or refresh (used once in NT = Lk 16:24+). Warren Wiersbe on Abraham's ministry to the Lord - All ministry must first be to the Lord, for if we fail to be a blessing to the Lord, we will never be a blessing to others. This was true of the Jewish priests (Ex. 28:1, 3–4, 41; 29:1) and of God’s servants in the early church (Acts 13:1–2). “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men … for you serve the Lord Christ’’ (Col. 3:23–24) Rest (08172) sha'an primarily means to lean on something (literally Saul on his sword = 2Sa 1:6 - avoid this type of leaning!) or someone (2Ki 5:16, 7:2, 17), to rest on, to support oneself (Jdg 16:26), figuratively to trust (2Chr 13:18, Job 8:15 other versions render with rely), to rest (Ge 18:4). Rely on (2Chr 16:7 - 2x). Samson leaned against the pillar (Judg. 16:26). This meaning led to the common usage of this verb as a figurative idea of "relying on" someone for help. Kings had a close aid or officer to "lean on" or accompany them and give advice, help and even protection (2 Ki. 5:18; 7:2, 17). The idea of having a sense of security and support is found in Job 24:23. Asa quit looking to or "leaning on" the Lord for help against enemies as he used to do and so was rebuked and punished (2 Chr. 14:11; 16:7f). The most well-known verse which uses both verbs trust and lean is Pr 3:5+ "Trust in the Lord with all your heart; and lean not unto your own understanding." Sha'an - 20v - ean(3), leaned(2), leaning(2), leans(2), relied(4), rely(4), rest yourselves(1), supported(1), trust(1), trusted(1), trusts(1). Gen. 18:4; Num. 21:15; Jdg. 16:26; 2 Sam. 1:6; 2 Ki. 5:18; 2 Ki. 7:2; 2 Ki. 7:17; 2 Chr. 13:18; 2 Chr. 14:11; 2 Chr. 16:7; 2 Chr. 16:8; Job 8:15; Job 24:23; Prov. 3:5; Isa. 10:20; Isa. 30:12; Isa. 31:1; Isa. 50:10; Ezek. 29:7; Mic. 3:11 Rod Mattoon - Examples of Hospitality in Genesis 1. Abraham invites the angels into his tent. 18:5 2. Lot invites the reluctant angels into his home. 19:2 3. Abimelech invites Abraham to dwell in the land. 20:15 4. Laban receives Abraham’s servant. 24:31–33 5. Laban invites Jacob into his house. 29:13 6. Joseph cares for his brothers in his home. 43:24 7. Pharaoh invites Joseph’s family to live in Egypt. 45:18–20 John Butler - Callers on Abraham. Three men (heavenly beings) called upon Abraham. Politeness to the callers: Abraham was extremely hospitable which compliments his character. Promise from the callers: Sarah would bear Abraham a son (Sarah laughed at the promise, but when rebuked for laughing, she denied that she had laughed). Prediction by the callers: Divine judgment was coming to Sodom. Petition to the callers: this is Abraham’s famous prayer for Sodom in which he first pleaded that if fifty righteous persons were in Sodom, God would spare the city; then when God accepted Abraham’s plea, Abraham, with much trepidation and humility, kept reducing the number until he stopped at ten. Genesis 18:5 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.” And I will bring a piece of bread Judges 6:18 13:15 Mt 6:11 may refresh yourselves, Judges 19:5 Ps 104:15 Isa 3:1 are ye come: Heb. ye have passed, Ge 19:8 33:10 Genesis 18 Resources - Multiple sermons and commentaries HOSPITALITY TO STRANGERS And I will bring a piece of bread - Notice I will bring indicates that Abraham sought to serve the Lord personally. Remember that Abraham was ninety-nine years old and a wealthy sheikh, so he could have entrusted this task to his chief steward or one of his more than 318 servants (Ge 14:14+). Instead, he chooses to minister to his Lord personally and without delay. Abraham was a man of faith, and faith does not delay when it comes to serving the Lord. A piece (morsel - KJV) means just a fragment, a bit to bite, a small piece, clearly an understatement for in Ge 18:6 Abraham calls for Sarah to use three measures of fine flour, the equivalent to about 20 quarts (22 liters) of flour, which would make more than just a piece of bread! We see Abraham perhaps "going overboard," but it was another indicator that he recognized the special nature of his guests. Indeed, if Abraham's hospitable actions are seen as an act of worship (seeing someone as "worthy"), Abraham is carrying out lavish worship! THOUGHT - How would I describe my worship? Would it be lavish or lackadaisical? Is it closer to "overboard" or is it more like "ho hum"? Abraham served the Lord generously and gave Him the best that he had. Sarah baked bread from “fine meal” (Ge 18:6), and the meat was “tender and good” (Ge 18:7). No leftovers for these important guests! What a contrast to the priests in Malachi’s day, who did not give God their best (Mal. 1:6-14+). THOUGHT - Do I give the Lord my best or my "left-overs?" That you may refresh (saad) yourselves (leb - hearts) - Heb literally reads “so that you may refresh your hearts, after [which] you may be on your way—for therefore you passed by near your servant.” Abraham is practicing Hebrews 13:2+ not neglecting to "show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it." In Abraham's case, I think he knew these were not normal, natural men, but supernatural men. After that you may go on, since you have visited your servant (ebed; Lxx - pais) - CSB "This is why you have passed your servant's way." NLT = "let me prepare some food to refresh you before you continue on your journey." The phrase visited your servant (ebed; Lxx - pais - note this is second time he refers to himself as "servant" - Ge 18:3) indicates that Abraham clearly recognized that this visit was not an accident and that these were not just three random travelers. And they said, “So do, as you have said - The visitors find Abraham's hospitality agreeable. Refresh (05582)(saad) means to sustain, support, establish, strengthen, comfort, stay. The emphasis of the word involves the idea of sustenance, whereas other words for support lay stress on "leaning upon" The root is utilized for taking food for physical nourishment or sustenance (Genesis 18:5). It is also employed abstractly. As a good king sustains his throne by righteousness (Pr 20:28) so Messiah will establish and maintain his everlasting kingdom with justice and righteousness (Isa 9:7). The believer who has enthroned God in his heart may claim the promise that God will support him (Ps 18:35) in time of trouble (Ps 20:1-2) and sickness (Ps 41:3). Yea, when cares multiply so that his foot would totter and give way, God is there to support him (Ps 94:18). But God's sufficiency is not restricted to the crisis experiences of life; God himself is the great Provider for man's everyday needs (Ps 104:15). (From TWOT) Gilbrant - Sāʿadh most often refers to support given by God to someone in need. For example, when God held the psalmist, he knew he was safe (Ps. 119:117): he was held up by God's right hand (Ps 18:35), and when his foot slipped God's mercy supported him (Ps 94:18). The psalmist also understood that someone who has been faithful will be strengthened by Yahweh when his sorrow overtakes him (Ps 41:3). In Isa. 9:7, which most take to be messianic, sāʿadh is used with "judgment" and "justice". The KJV translates the verb as "establish" in this context; however, the idea seems to be communicated better by "uphold." This verb also is used of the strengthening effects of food and rest. In Gen. 18:5, Abraham tells the three strangers to strengthen their hearts. The idea is probably that Abraham's hospitality and their rest would allow them to be strengthened anew for their journey. In Ps. 104:15, a similar theme can be seen: bread strengthens the heart. In this instance, however, God is the immediate Provider of the bread—not Abraham. Judges 19:5, 8 (probably also 1 Ki. 13:7) further use sāʿadh in reference to strength gained from eating. (Complete Biblical Library) Saad - 12x/12v - hold(1), refresh(2), support(1), sustain(3), sustains(1), uphold(2), upholds(2). Gen. 18:5; Jdg. 19:5; Jdg. 19:8; 1 Ki. 13:7; Ps. 18:35; Ps. 20:2; Ps. 41:3; Ps. 94:18; Ps. 104:15; Ps. 119:117; Prov. 20:28; Isa. 9:7 Servant (05650) 'ebed from 'abad = work in any sense) means a slave or bondservant. Slavery in Israel amounted to indentured servitude. A fellow Israelite could not be held indefinitely against his will. In fact, his time of service was limited to 6 yr (Ex 21:2). The master could be punished if evil intent against the slave was proven (Ex 21:14) or if the slave died (Ex 21:20). These types of servants held a position of honor (Ge 24:2ff; 41:12, 15:2). This word is also a humble way of referring to one’s self when speaking with another of equal or superior rank (Gen. 33:5). The term is also applied to those who worship God (Neh. 1:10); and to those who minister or serve Him (Isa. 49:5, 6) James Freeman - Borrow Manners & customs of the Bible page 25 and page 26 - FEET WASHING - Where the soil is dry and dusty and sandals or similar footwear is worn, frequent washing of the feet is not only a luxury, but a necessity for comfort and health. It is, also, extremely refreshing, as anyone knows who has bathed their feet in cool water when they’re dusty and hot. Under such circumstances, it’s great hospitality and consideration to see that the feet of guests are washed with cool water. Just as important as feeding them when they’re hungry, or giving them a place to rest when they’re tired. Not to do so would be discourteous and even insulting. In Genesis 24:32, it tells how Rebekah’s family gave Abraham’s servant and the men who were with him water to wash their feet, “So the man went to the house, and the camels were unloaded. Straw and fodder were brought for the camels, and water for him and his men to wash their feet.” In Genesis 43:24 it tells how Joseph’s servant gave water to Joseph’s brothers, “The steward took the men into Joseph’s house, gave them water to wash their feet and provided fodder for their donkeys.” It is this courtesy of providing water for washing that Jesus refers to when He mildly reproves Simon the Pharisee, at whose house He was a guest, for not giving Him water to wash his feet: “Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair” (Luke 7:44). When the apostle Paul wrote to Timothy about the qualifications necessary for a widow be provided for by the Church, he listed foot washing among them: “… and is well known for her good deeds, such as bringing up children, showing hospitality, washing the feet of the saints, helping those in trouble and devoting herself to all kinds of good deeds” (1 Timothy 5:10). All of these were signs that the person had committed her life to serving others. If she had done this, then it was the responsibility of the Church to provide for her. These signs of a servant give force to the beautiful symbolic action of our Lord, Who washed the feet of His disciples, so that His disciples might see how they were to act toward each other after He was gone. No one was to be master or lord it over another, each was to be a servant of the other. (John 13:4–15) Genesis 18:6 So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah, and said, “Quickly, prepare three measures of fine flour, knead it and make bread cakes.” three: Isa 32:8 Mt 13:33 Lu 10:38-40 Ac 16:15 Ro 12:13 Ga 5:13 Heb 13:2 1Pe 4:9 Genesis 18 Resources - Multiple sermons and commentaries ABRAHAM'S HUSTLES TO PROVIDE HOSPITALITY So Abraham hurried (mahar; Lxx = speudo) into the tent (ohel; Lxx = skene) to Sarah - He must have had a very large tent, because one gets the impression that Sarah did not see the men. Notice that the verb hurried (quickly) is used 3 times in Ge 18:6-7! Abraham is not dawdling! Hurried (mahar) in the Lxx is the verb speudo which means to do something as quickly as possible or to make haste, which describes what Jesus commanded Zaccheus to do and also describes the way Zaccheus responded (Lk 19:5, 6+)! Although not commanded by the three men to hurry, Abraham's response was like Zaccheus because he too recognized that one of the men was his LORD! And said, “Quickly prepare (mahar) three measures (seah) of fine flour, knead it and make bread cakes - A measure (seah) was equal to the capacity of 144 medium-sized eggs, or what is equal in volume to about 9 US quarts (8.5 Liters) thus three measures (three seahs) would have been equivalent to more about 27 quarts of flour, far more than would be need to feed three men, even three very hungry men. Abraham is sparing no expense! NET NOTE on bread cakes - The bread was the simple, round bread made by bedouins that is normally prepared quickly for visitors. If you are waiting for the right feeling before you get involved you might never get involved. Skip Heitzig on hurried - Abraham served immediately. We notice that language. He hurried, he said to his wife, 'Quickly!' He ran to the flock and said, 'Hasten,' or 'Quick! Prepare supper!' There was an immediacy to his service. Why is that noteworthy? Here's why. If you are waiting for the right feeling before you get involved you might never get involved. If Abraham was waiting for the right feeling when those visitors suddenly appeared at the tent, think of the excuses he could have had. 'It's hot. I don't work during the heat of the day. Nobody does. Number two, I'm old. Old people don't work well in the heat of the day. Number three, I have a staff for this.' He probably, if he waited for the right feeling, would never have gotten involved. THOUGHT - Abraham was old but he served the LORD. I am 77+ as I write these notes. Dear older saint - if you are still breathing, God has work for you to accomplish! And remember if you are physically limited, prayer is a mighty work you can always perform! Only Heaven will reveal the true power of prayer and who the real prayers really were! See notes below on intercession. Hurried (04116) mahar means means to hasten, to hurry, to do something quickly. has the sense always of doing something quickly, in a hurry (e.g., escape judgment in Ge 19:22), hastily, or even rashly because of being in haste. The feet of wicked men hasten (mahar) to shed blood and practice evil (Pr 1:16; 6:18; Isa 59:7). This verb usually has an adverbial meaning when it is linked with another verb, as in Ps 106:13 = "They quickly forgot His works; They did not wait for His counsel". Ge 41:32 = "God will quickly bring it about." Ex 10:16 = Pharaoh hurriedly called for Moses. Distress prompts the prayer, "answer me quickly" (Ps 69:17; Ps 102:2; Ps 143:7; cf. Ps 79:8).Of swift divine judgment in Mal 3:5. Eccl. 5:2 = Do not be hasty in word. Exodus 34:8 = Moses made haste to bow low toward the earth and worship. Mahar - 60v - act quickly(1), anxious(1), bring quickly(2), bring...quickly(1), do quickly(1), haste(2), hasten(3), hastened(1), hastens(1), hastily(1), hasty(1), hurried(10), hurriedly(2), hurry(8), immediately(1), impetuous(1), impulsive(1), made haste(1), make haste(1), make speed(1), prepare(1), quickly(16), quickly thwarted(1), rapidly(1), soon(2), swift(3). Gen. 18:6; Gen. 18:7; Gen. 19:22; Gen. 24:18; Gen. 24:20; Gen. 24:46; Gen. 27:20; Gen. 41:32; Gen. 43:30; Gen. 44:11; Gen. 45:9; Gen. 45:13; Exod. 2:18; Exod. 10:16; Exod. 12:33; Exod. 34:8; Jos. 4:10; Jos. 8:14; Jos. 8:19; Jdg. 9:48; Jdg. 13:10; 1 Sam. 4:14; 1 Sam. 9:12; 1 Sam. 17:48; 1 Sam. 23:27; 1 Sam. 25:18; 1 Sam. 25:23; 1 Sam. 25:34; 1 Sam. 25:42; 1 Sam. 28:20; 1 Sam. 28:24; 2 Sam. 15:14; 2 Sam. 19:16; 1 Ki. 20:33; 1 Ki. 20:41; 1 Ki. 22:9; 2 Ki. 9:13; 1 Chr. 12:8; 2 Chr. 18:8; 2 Chr. 24:5; Est. 5:5; Est. 6:10; Job 5:13; Ps. 106:13; Prov. 1:16; Prov. 6:18; Prov. 7:23; Eccl. 5:2; Isa. 5:19; Isa. 8:1; Isa. 32:4; Isa. 35:4; Isa. 49:17; Isa. 51:14; Isa. 59:7; Jer. 9:18; Jer. 48:16; Nah. 2:5; Hab. 1:6; Mal. 3:5 Genesis 18:7 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. Ge 19:3 Judges 13:15,16 Am 6:4 Mal 1:14 Mt 22:4 Lu 15:23,27,30 Genesis 18 Resources - Multiple sermons and commentaries Related Passage: Judges 13:15-16+ Then Manoah said to the angel of the LORD, “Please let us detain you so that we may prepare a young goat for you.” 16 The Angel of the LORD said to Manoah, “Though you detain me, I will not eat your food, but if you prepare a burnt offering, then offer it to the LORD.” For Manoah did not know that he was the Angel of the LORD. ABE PREPARES "PRIME RIB" 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 - Abraham was old but must have been in fairly good shape for this is the second time we see him running. Note the words tender and choice. Abraham is cutting no corners in his preparations for these special men, but is preparing the best and preparing it without delay. "The animal prepared for the meal was far more than the three visitors needed. This was a banquet for royalty." (NET NOTE) James Freeman - Borrow Manners & customs of the Bible page 26 - MEALS - Normal meals consisted of a vegetable or lentil stew made in a large cooking pot, and seasoned with herbs and salt. Only on special occasions such as a sacrifice or festival day, or in the case of special guests, was meat added to the stew. Rarely was the meat roasted or game or fish eaten. When it was time to eat, the pot was placed on the floor, usually on a rug, with all those eating sitting around the pot. A blessing or thanksgiving was always given, and each person used a piece of bread as a scoop to take up some of the stew from the common pot, because there were no eating utensils. For this reason, it was essential that everyone’s hands be washed before the meal. At some point in biblical history, a table and benches, or simply a low table, began to replace the rug on the floor, but everyone still dipped into the common eating pot in the center. This common pot or dish is what is referred to in John 13:26—“Jesus answered, ‘It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.’ Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, son of Simon.” After Abraham killed the calf to feed the Lord and his servants, he would have immediately roasted it, for it would have taken too long to boil it. To serve such a rare delicacy to unexpected guests in the middle of the day showed that Abraham well knew who had come to visit him, for almost never was a meal eaten in the heat of the day (Genesis 18:1). His knowledge of the nature of his visitors is shown also by the fact that he apparently did not consider himself worthy to eat with them, and stood by and watched while they ate (Genesis 18:8). The milk that was served at the meal would probably have been goats milk, and the butter (KJV) would have been curdled milk—Hebrew: hemah, (see Judges 5:25, 2 Samuel 17:29), or butter in the form of the skim of hot milk or cream, a semifluid (see Job 20:17, 29:6; Deuteronomy 32:14). Proverbs 30:33 speaks of butter being made into cheese. Genesis 18:8 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. He took curds and milk: Ge 19:3 De 32:14 Judges 5:25 standing by them: Ne 12:44 Lu 12:37 17:8 Joh 12:2 Ga 5:13 Rev 3:20 as they ate: Ge 19:3 Judges 13:15 Lu 24:30,43 Ac 10:41 Genesis 18 Resources - Multiple sermons and commentaries Related Passage: Genesis 19:3+ Yet he urged them strongly, so they turned aside to him and entered his house; and he prepared a feast for them, and baked unleavened bread, and they ate. 1 Peter 4:9 Be hospitable to one another without complaint. THE THREE VISITORS ALL ATE ABRAHAM'S VERY BEST 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 - Curds are curdled milk that is much like butter, similar to cottage cheese or yogurt. Milk was highly esteemed in the ancient Near East because of its energy and that it was easy to digest. Abraham served his very best to the LORD! (THOUGHT - Do I? Do you?) Assuming these are 3 supernatural beings, One being the pre-incarnate Christ, it is fascinating to see them eat like normal men. He was standing by them is a Hebrew idiom that means Abraham stood ready to serve them. Abraham gave generously. He gave his best. Do you give the Lord your best or your "left overs?" Let's summarize Abraham's ministry to the LORD in Genesis 18:1-8 - personally, immediately, speedily, generously, humbly, cooperatively (Sarah baked). Wenstrom - The fact that Abraham stood by his guests while they ate in order to respond to their wishes was the Bedouin custom of the day, and which is still practiced today. Bob Utley has an interesting note - Philo, Josephus, and the Targums of Jonathan translate this as "they seemed to eat," but those of us who accept further NT revelation see that even Jesus ate (cf. Luke 24:41-43+) after His glorification, which makes the eating of food by Deity not an impossibility. Jewish writers are very uncomfortable with these anthropomorphic statements. Robert Candlish (Commentary on Genesis, Vol. 1 ) explains that "It is a singular instance of condescension—the only recorded instance of the kind before the incarnation (ED: THE GOD ATE WITH MEN). On other occasions, this same illustrious being appeared to the fathers and conversed with them; and meat and drink were brought out to him. But in these cases, he turned the offered banquet into a sacrifice, in the smoke of which he ascended heavenward (Jdg 6:18–24, Jdg 13:15–21). Here he personally accepts the patriarch’s hospitality, and partakes of his fare,—a greater wonder than the other; implying more intimate and gracious friendship,—more unreserved familiarity. He sits under his tree, and shares his common meal. (ED: I WONDER IF THIS IS NOT A FORESHADOWING OF THE MARRIAGE SUPPER OF THE LAMB - Rev 19:9+?) Some 400 years later the Lord held a covenantal meal with the Moses et al on the eve of the fulfillment of the covenant of the Law (Ex 24:9-11+). Of course the greatest shared meal was in Lk 24:14-22+ at the inauguration of the New Covenant. James Freeman comments on serving a calf in the heat of the day (Ge 18:1) that "To serve such a rare delicacy to unexpected guests in the middle of the day showed that Abraham well knew who had come to visit him, for almost never was a meal eaten in the heat of the day (Genesis 18:1). His knowledge of the nature of his visitors is shown also by the fact that he apparently did not consider himself worthy to eat with them, and stood by and watched while they ate (Genesis 18:8)." Genesis 18:1-8 is very interesting for the text repeatedly emphasizes that Abraham ministered to the Lord speedily. First on seeing the three men, he ran to meet them (Ge 18:2). Then he hurried to tell Sarah to quickly bake some bread (Ge 18:6). He ran to get a tender calf and saw to it that the young man hurried to dress the meat (Ge 18:7). Keep in mind that this is a 99 year old old man running around in the heat of the day! Surely all of this scurrying underscores that he had a definite sense that he was in the presence of deity. Only after he had served his guests did Abraham stand still (Ge 18:8)! THOUGHT - Do I have a sense of top priority when I minister to the Lord? Yes, to be sure we are to be still before Him (Ps 46:10KJV+), but what about my preparations before we meet? Do I procrastinate? Do I say "I'll meet with Him later?" Or do I see it as my special privilege to meet with my honored Guest? Related - Quiet Time: 7 Minutes With God; Thoughts on the Quiet Time; Quiet Musing (Meditate, Meditation) Skip Heitzig adds this THOUGHT- Now he's 99 years old, it's a hot day, he had 318 servants. He could've just clapped to any one of them and watched them get really busy around him. But he personally is serving. If you're going to serve the Lord, and by the way, if you're a Christian I would say, a Christian without a ministry is a contradiction (1Co 12:7+). If He is your Lord, it means He's the Master. The word 'Lord' connotes that you are a servant (doulos), that you're doing some form of service, some form of ministry, some volunteer, some way to get involved (1Pe 4:10,11+). And even if you're serving people, keep this in mind: you're first serving the Lord. See this is where people get burned out in their service to the Lord. They forget they're serving the Lord. They serve people and you know what? It's not easy serving people because sometimes sheep bite back. And so the only way to make it through victoriously is to remember, 'Though I'm serving God's people, I'm first and foremost serving the Lord.' Jon Courson on under the tree - Fellowship took place under the tree. Such is always the case, for it is only through Christ’s death on the tree of Calvary that we have fellowship with Him.(See Courson's Application Commentary page 78) Genesis 18:9 Then they said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” And he said, “There, in the tent.” Where: Ge 4:9 in: Ge 24:67 31:33 Titus 2:5 Genesis 18 Resources - Multiple sermons and commentaries ASKING WHERE SARAH WAS Then they said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” - They is plural, but the Septuagint has the singular and is translated "And he said to" Abraham. Note that they knew Sarah's name even though they were strangers and Abraham had not mentioned her name. Notice also that Abraham does not say "How did you know my wife's name?" Surely this is another indication Abraham was fully cognizant that he was in the presence of his omniscient LORD! And he said, “There (hinneh), in the tent (ohel; Lxx = skene).” - In the days of Abraham, it was customary that the women did not sit with men at dinner, at least not with strangers, but confined themselves to their own place. Therefore, we see that Sarah is out of sight but she must not be out of hearing so that she can hear the promise Tent (0168) ohel describes a literal tent inhabited by nomadic peoples (those who have no fixed home and travel from place to place depending on seasons and other conditions - in Exodus depending primarily on the movement of God's Shekinah glory cloud which served to direct their journey) W E Vine - First, this word refers to the mobile structure called a "tent." This is its meaning in Gen. 4:20: "And Adah bare Jabal: he was the father of such as dwell in tents, and of such as have cattle." These are what nomadic Bedouins normally live in. "Tents" can also be used as housing for animals: "They smote also the tents of cattle [nasb, "those who owned"], and carried away sheep and camels in abundance …" (2 Chron. 14:15). Soldiers lived in "tents" during military campaigns (1 Sam. 17:54). A "tent" was pitched on top of a house so everyone could see that Absalom went in to his father's concubines (2 Sam. 16:22). This constituted an open rejection of David's dominion and a declaration that he (Absalom) was claiming the throne. Second, the word is a synonym for "home, dwelling," and "habitation." This emphasis is especially evident in Judg. 19:9: "… Behold, the day groweth to an end, lodge here, that thine heart may be merry; and tomorrow get you early on your way, that thou mayest go home." This meaning appears in the phrase "to your tents": "We have no part in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to his tents, O Israel" (2 Sam. 20:1). The "tabernacle" ("tent") of David, therefore, is his dwelling place or palace (Isa. 16:5). Similarly, the "tabernacle" ("tent") of the daughter of Zion is Israel's capital, or what Israel inhabits, Jerusalem (Lam. 2:4). Third, ʾōhel may represent those who dwell in the dwellings of a given area or who form a unit of people. Thus the "tents" of Judah are her inhabitants: "The Lord also shall save the tents of Judah first, that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem do not magnify themselves against Judah" (Zech. 12:7; cf. Psa. 83:6). Bedouin "tents" today (as in the past) are constructed of strong black cloth of woven goat's hair. They are shaped variously. The women pitch them by stretching the cloth over poles and tying it down with cords of goat's hair or hemp. Wooden mallets are used to drive the tent pegs into the ground (Judges 4:21). Sometimes the structure is divided in order to separate families or to separate animals from people (2 Chron. 14:15). The back of the "tent" is closed and the front open. The door is made by turning back the fold where the two ends of the cloth meet (Gen. 18:1). The "tent" and all its contents are transported on the back of a single pack animal. Richer people cover the floor with mats of various materials. A chief or sheikh may have several "tents", one for himself and his guest(s), another for his wives and other females in his immediate family, and still another for the animals (Gen. 31:33). Before the construction of the tabernacle Moses pitched a "tent" outside the camp (Ex 33:7). There he met with God. The "tent" outside the camp persisted as a living institution for only a short period after the construction of the tabernacle and before the departure from Sinai (Nu 11:16ff.; Nu 12:4ff.). Eventually the ark of the covenant was moved into the tabernacle (Exod. 40:21) where the Lord met with Moses and spoke to Israel (Ex 29:42). This structure is called the tent of meeting inasmuch as it contained the ark of the covenant and the tables of testimony (Num. 9:15). As the tent of meeting it was the place where God met with His people through Moses (or the high priest) and revealed His will to them (1 Sam. 2:22). (Vine's Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words) Excerpt for the Dictionary of Biblical Imagery (online - see page 2868 for the complete article discussing the symbolism of "tent") - TENT The patriarchs and their households were nomadic and lived in tents (Gen 12:8; 26:25; 31:25; Heb 11:7), as did all the people of God during the journey to the Promised Land (Ex 13:20; 15:27; 19:1). This period left an indelible impression on the Israelites (Ex 32:21ff.), and the words “To your tents, O Israel” (see 2 Sam 20:1; cf. 1 Sam 4:10 NIV) became a common idiom for returning to their homes. Soldiers continued to live in tents in times of war (2 Kings 3:9), and during festivals the Israelites stayed in tents (Lev 23:42–43). The imagery of tent dwelling served to remind Israel of God’s provision to them during the wilderness wanderings and their continued dependence on him once settled in the Promised Land. Genesis 18:10 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. he said: Ge 18:13,14 16:10 22:15,16 according: Ge 17:21 21:2 2Ki 4:16,17 Sarah: Ge 17:16,19,21 21:2 Judges 13:3-5 Lu 1:13 Ro 9:8-9 Ga 4:23,28 Genesis 18 Resources - Multiple sermons and commentaries Related Passages: Romans 9:8-9 That is, it is not the children of the flesh who are children of God, but the children of the promise are regarded as descendants. 9 For this is the word of promise: “AT THIS TIME I WILL COME, AND SARAH SHALL HAVE A SON.” Genesis 17:15-21+ Then God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. 16 “I will bless her, and indeed I will give you a son by her. Then I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her.” 17 Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed, and said in his heart, “Will a child be born to a man one hundred years old? And will Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?” 18 And Abraham said to God, “Oh that Ishmael might live before You!” 19 But God said, “No, but Sarah your wife will bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac; and I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him. 20 “As for Ishmael, I have heard you; behold, I will bless him, and will make him fruitful and will multiply him exceedingly. He shall become the father of twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation. 21 “But My covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you at this season next year.” I WILL RETURN! SARAH WILL HAVE A SON He said - Although "LORD" is not in the Hebrew here, several translations (CSB, ESV, NIV, RSV) substitute "LORD" for the literal word "he" because of the context (especially Ge 18:13). I will surely return - This verb shub is intensified by repetition ("שׁ֣וֹב אָשׁ֤וּב") which gives extra emphasis to the fact that the LORD would keep His Word (which He always does - cf Joshua 23:14+, Pr 30:5; Ps 12:6). I will surely return (shub) to you at this time next year and behold, (hinneh) Sarah your wife will have a son- This time next year means that the following year, at exactly the same time. This is the same promise Yahweh had spoken to Abraham in Ge 17:15-21 (see above). The one slight difference is that in Ge 17:16+ Yahweh says the son would be His gift to Abraham, another manifestation of grace which gives to those who do not merit it! Notice now the Hebrew is "He" (compare "they said" in Ge 18:9) which is singular and He speaks a two-fold prophecy of (1) returning in one year and (2) Sarah will have a son. There is now no doubt that Abraham is crystal clear on Who is standing in his presence! Who else but the LORD could have made such specific promises? THOUGHT- The husband who ministers to the Lord will find himself ministering to the members of his own family, especially his wife. He will be a source of blessing in the home. When we study Genesis 19, we will see the contrast in Lot, a worldly man who had no spiritual influence in his own home. (Wiersbe) Wenstrom - The promise “I will surely return to you at this time next year” does “not” mean that the Lord would visibly appear to Abraham again in a theophany or Christophany at the same time the following year. But rather it means that He would intervene on behalf of Abraham and Sarah and exercise His omnipotence to fulfill this promise that Sarah would have a child with Abraham. This interpretation is confirmed since the Lord did “not” visibly appear to Abraham the following year but rather the Lord exercised His omnipotence and enabled Abraham to impregnate Sarah. Bob Utley - The NASB's at this time next year, is not a literal reading of the Masoretic Text, which has "at the time of reviving" (i.e., spring). This is repeated in Ge 18:14, but with an added phrase, "at the appointed time". This is added to clarify that the time period will be nine months, not a full year (cf. 2Ki 4:16-17). NET NOTE adds "“as/when the time lives” or “revives,” possibly referring to the springtime." And Sarah was listening at the tent (ohel; Lxx = skene) door, which was behind him - This is a parenthetical statement giving us background which prepares us for Sarah's response in Ge 18:12. While she had not come out, clearly she was interested in the conversation and she heard the prophecy. ILLUSTRATION OF "I WILL RETURN" - After American troops were forced to surrender the Philippines in May, 1942, General Douglas MacArthur vowed to retake the islands, giving his famous "prophetic promise" "I WILL RETURN" which was printed on thousands of matchbooks, buttons, bars of soap and leaflets dropped by air all over the Philippines to encourage and give hope. MacArthur kept his promise! But even better the "Commander of the Lord's army" (Josh 5:15NLT+), Jesus our Messiah, made a similar "prophetic promise" to His disciples declaring "I go to prepare a place for you" and "I WILL COME AGAIN!" (Jn 14:3) As Hoekema rightly observes "The faith of the New Testament is dominated by this expectation." Indeed, the NT has some 318 prophetic promises (direct and indirect) describing Messiah's triumphant return as King of kings, and Lord of lords (Rev 19:11-16+), which means that there is approximately one prophecy on the Second Coming in every 20 verses! In fact it has been estimated that for every prophecy of Messiah's First Coming, there are eight describing His Second Coming! As the old Scottish preacher said "The doctrine of Messiah's Second Coming, as it appears in the NT, is like a lofty mountain that dominates the entire landscape." John Walvoord adds that Messiah's Second Coming is also "implied in hundreds of OT prophecies" often mingling them with His first coming as in Isa 61:1-2a+ which was fulfilled at Messiah's first coming (Lk 4:18-21+) and Isa 61:2b which describes "the day of vengeance of our God to comfort all who mourn" to be fulfilled at Messiah's Second Coming. And so just as MacArthur's promise on leaflets gave hope during the dark days of WWII, the prophecies of Messiah's Second Coming "give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God's promises" (Ro 15:4NLT+). As this world grows darker and the promised return of Messiah grows brighter, we should continually be "looking (expectantly) for the BLESSED HOPE and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ (Messiah) Jesus." (Titus 2:13+) Paul called Messiah's return 'the Blessed Hope' and as our world unravels morally and ethically, indeed He appears to be the only Hope for the hopeless world! It is fascinating that the largest type used by newspapers for headlines of astounding events is called "second coming" type and is reserved for the most amazing front-page news (beginning or end of wars, moon landings, etc). One day soon every eye "will see Him," (Rev 1:7+) the One for Whom "Second Coming" type was named! Messiah came first as the "Man of sorrows" (Isa 53:3+), but will come again "with power and great glory" (Mt 24:30+) as Judge and King (2Ti 4:1+). Martin Luther well said, 'I preach as though Messiah died yesterday, rose from the dead today and was (is) coming back tomorrow." How different our lives would be if we lived each day with that mindset! As one has well said "Don't complain about what this world is coming to. Proclaim the One Who is coming to this world!" Amen! See Vertical Vision "And for the hope of His return, Dear Lord, Your Name we praise; With longing hearts we watch and wait; For that great day of days!" (Sherwood) Genesis 18:11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in age; Sarah was past childbearing. old: Ge 17:17,24 Lu 1:7,18,36 Ro 4:18-21 Heb 11:11,12,19 the: Ge 31:35 Lev 15:19 Genesis 18 Resources - Multiple sermons and commentaries ELDERLY SARAH WAS PAST CHILDBEARING Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in age - Abraham was 99 and Sarah was 89. Moses adds another parenthetical description to help highlight the miraculous nature of Sarah's conception. It is interesting that prior to this note, no one before Abraham and Sarah's time was called old (Heb word zaqen)! We have seen before the couple is aged, but this time Moses gives us the explanation that not only was Sarah old, but she was past the age when women would be expected to bear children. Sarah was past childbearing - The Hebrew literally reads “it had ceased to be for Sarah [after] a way like women.” The ESV says "The way of women had ceased to be with Sarah" which alludes to the fact that she was now post-menopausal. The NET paraphrases it so that it is easier to understand - "Sarah had long since passed menopause." The NJB paraphrases it "Sarah had ceased to have her monthly periods." The apostle Paul picks up this truth in his great chapter on the faith of Abraham writing "In hope against hope he believed, so that he might become a father of many nations according to that which had been spoken, “SO SHALL YOUR DESCENDANTS BE.” 19 Without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah’s womb; 20 yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform." (Ro 4:18-21+) In a similar way the writer of Hebrews spoke of Sarah writing "By faith even Sarah herself received ability to conceive, even beyond the proper time of life, since she considered Him faithful who had promised." (Heb 11:11,12+) (even though she laughed at the possibility of conceiving at her advanced age). Genesis 18:12 Sarah laughed to herself, saying, “After I have become old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?” Septuagint to English - Gen. 18:12 And Sarra laughed within herself, saying, “It has not yet happened to me up to the present, and my lord is rather old.” HCSB So she laughed to herself: “After I have become shriveled up and my lord is old, will I have delight?” ISV That’s why Sarah laughed to herself, thinking, “After I’m so old and my husband is old, too, am I going to have sex?” NABRE So Sarah laughed to herself and said, “Now that I am worn out and my husband is old, am I still to have sexual pleasure?” VOICE So Sarah laughed to herself, saying under her breath, “At my age—old and decrepit, as is my husband—both of us long past having any desire to engage in lovemaking?” WYC And (so) she laughed, saying privily, After that I (have) waxed eld, and my lord is eld, shall I give diligence to lust? laughed: Ge 18:13 17:17 21:6,7 Ps 126:2 Lu 1:18-20,34,35 Heb 11:11,12 my: Eph 5:33 1Pe 3:6 Genesis 18 Resources - Multiple sermons and commentaries Related Passages: 1 Peter 3:6 just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, and you have become her children if you do what is right without being frightened by any fear. SARAH LAUGHS AND SPEAKS TO SELF Sarah laughed (tsachaq) to herself (in her inner being), saying, “After I have become old, shall I have pleasure, my lord ('adonay) being old also?” - NLT ""How could a worn-out woman like me enjoy such pleasure." The Hebrew word become old "expresses erosion or weathering. Usually it is used in the context of objects and not people. However, Sarah is comparing herself to something that is old, worn out and weathered." The Hebrew word for pleasure is found only here and is somewhat difficult to understand. In context it seems reasonable to interpret Sarah as asking something like "shall I still find delight and pleasure in physical relations with my husband who is also ancient and worn out?" THOUGHT - God heard her inaudible laugh. How might we live if we remembered the truth that God hears and knows everything we think, not just everything we say?! Steven
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Utley- Jerome tells us that there was a site not far from Hebron where one could see the area of the Dead Sea, possibly as far as the cities of the plain. Most modern archeologists assume that the cities of the plain were at the southern end of the Dead Sea. Matthew Henry Concise - Verses 16-22. The two who are supposed to have been created angels went toward Sodom. The one who is called Jehovah throughout the chapter, continued with Abraham, and would not hide from him the thing he intended to do. Though God long forbears with sinners, from which they fancy that the Lord does not see, and does not regard; yet when the day of his wrath comes, he will look toward them. The Lord will give Abraham an opportunity to intercede with him, and shows him the reason of his conduct. Consider, as a very bright part of Abraham's character and example, that he not only prayed with his family, but he was very careful to teach and rule them well. Those who expect family blessings must make conscience of family duty. Abraham did not fill their heads with matters of doubtful dispute; but he taught them to be serious and devout in the worship of God, and to be honest in their dealings with all men. Of how few may such a character be given in our days! How little care is taken by masters of families to ground those under them in the principles of religion! Do we watch from sabbath to sabbath whether they go forward or backward? Rod Mattoon - Parents in Genesis ⬧ Praying—God prophesies that Abraham will be a good father. Ge 17:18 ⬧ Poor Priorities—Lot offers his daughters to the Sodomites. Though this was their custom to protect a guest at all cost, the Scriptures teach we are to care for our family first. Lot should have never lived in that city in the first place. Ge 19:18 ⬧ Prophecy about a Parent—God prophesies that Abraham will be a good father. Ge 18:19 ⬧ Pattern of a Parent—Rebekah is a bad example to Jacob. Ge 27:13 ⬧ Problems of a Parent—Jacob created his own problems by favoring Joseph. Ge 37:3 ⬧ Predictions of a Parent—Jacob predicts the future of his sons and grandsons. Ge 48:17–20; 49:1–27 Genesis 18:17 The LORD said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, 2Ki 4:27 2Ch 20:7 Ps 25:14 Am 3:7 Joh 15:15 Jas 2:23 Genesis 18 Resources - Multiple sermons and commentaries The LORD (Jehovah = Yahweh; Lxx = kurios) said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do - Ge 18:17-19 is a soliloquy by Jehovah. He is explaining why He should not hide His intentions from Abraham. Abraham, in communion with God, knew long before Lot, in Sodom, of the destruction of that city. Oh, for more communion! John
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Utley - "I will go down" This anthropomorphic phrase speaks of YHWH's personal presence for (1) judgment, here and Ge. 11:5,7 and (2) aid, Ex 3:8. It must not be used to conflict with YHWH's knowledge of current and future events (i.e., "Open Theism"). This is eastern metaphorical language. This is a significant phrase which shows that the just God, although He is all knowing, still examines personally before making judgment. It was used by the rabbis to say that this was to be a characteristic of the judges in Israel (cf. Ge 11:5; Ex 3:8). ANTHROPOMORPHIC LANGUAGE TO DESCRIBE GOD If they have done entirely according to its outcry, which has come to Me - The idea is God will see if the evil of Sodom corresponds with the outcry He has heard. Clearly Jehovah knew the outcry was correct, but states He will make a careful assessment to be certain. The reason, of course, is because if the outcry was correct, the verdict would be complete destruction. And if not, I will know - Jehovah continues to speak anthropomorphically in these three phrases - will go down, will see, will know. God is not reactive but makes personal investigation. His judgment is never unrighteous but He acts in judgment when iniquity is full! NET Bible renders it "If not, I want to know." The phrase "if not" may have been the small ray of hope that inspired Abraham's intercession. John Walton (page 50) - There is a combination of anthropomorphism (God being given humanlike qualities) and theodicy (explanation of divine action) in this story and in the Tower of Babel episode (Gen 11). In both cases, to demonstrate divine justice and fairness, God “comes down” to investigate a situation before taking action. WHAT IS THEODICY? Pocket dictionary of apologetics & philosophy of religion - Theodicy = An answer to the problem of evil that attempts to “justify the ways of God to man” by explaining God’s reasons for allowing evil. Two of the more important theodicies are the “soul-making theodicy,” which argues that God allows evil so as to make it possible for humans to develop certain desirable virtues, and the “free will theodicy,” which argues that God had to allow for the possibility of evil if he wished to give humans (and angelic beings) free will. Theodicies are often distinguished from defenses, which argue that it is reasonable to believe that God has reasons for allowing evil even if we do not know what those reasons are. (See also "Action - Divine and Human") Oswald Chambers - The Awful Reckoning Ultimately (Genesis 18:20-22) The moral demand is for the punishment of sin. Every grain of sand cries out for its punishment (cf. Genesis 4:10). Human beings do not echo the cry, only one or two echo it in intercession, and the cry of Nature is joined by the man who knows God. “I will know.” This is the introduction of the final decision. It must become evident in the last trial whether the limit of the long-suffering patience of God has been reached. Verse 22: “And the men . . .” must be connected with Genesis 19:1. They were two angels who accompanied Jehovah, and in the form of men they depart to introduce the final test; they depart, but Abraham stands “yet before the Lord.” Genesis 18:22 Then the men turned away from there and went toward Sodom, while Abraham was still standing before the LORD. the men: Ge 18:2 19:1 Abraham was still standing before the LORD: Ge 18:1 Ps 106:23 Jer 15:1 18:20 Eze 22:30 Ac 7:55 1Ti 2:1 Genesis 18 Resources - Multiple sermons and commentaries TWO ANGELS HEADED FOR SIN CITY Then the men turned away from there and went toward Sodom - The men refers to the two angels described in Ge 19:1. Did they walk (like men would walk) to Sodom? One would think they did because Lot is able to recognize them approaching Sodom and he makes no remark that they were "flying" into town. While Abraham was still standing before the LORD (Jehovah = Yahweh; Lxx = kurios) - Two men departed leaving the Man Jehovah and Abraham. Abraham has been taking in all the words of the Man Jehovah. He knew that the destruction of Sodom was imminent because of the outcry. And doubtless, he had heard some of the sordid tales of sodomy, etc, that occurred in those towns. The fact that the two men were going toward Sodom made it clear to Abraham that God's verdict had been passed and judgment was now decreed. He knew that God's justice called for divine destruction. The Innocent Man Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? —Genesis 18:25 John Grisham is well known for his courtroom novels—fast-paced tales of lawyers and victims, authorities and wrongdoers. However, his book The Innocent Man is not fiction. It is a real-life story of injustice. It tells of the brutal murder of a young woman and the two men who, though innocent, were convicted and sentenced to death for the crime. Only with the advent of DNA testing were they proven innocent and spared from execution after 17 years of suffering wrongly. At long last, justice prevailed. Everyone desires justice. But we must recognize that our human frailty makes it challenging to mete out true justice. And we can be bent toward revenge, making a casualty out of the pursuit of it. It’s helpful to remember that perfect justice can be found only in God. Abraham described Him with the rhetorical question, “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” (Gen. 18:25). The necessary answer is yes. But even more, His courtroom is the one and only place where we can be certain that justice will prevail. The best of judges on this earth Aren’t always right or fair; But God, the Righteous Judge of all, Wrongs no one in His care. —Egner Life is not always fair, but God is always faithful. Streams in the Desert - page 140 (free online) “Abraham stood yet before the Lord.” (Gen. 18:22) THE friend of God can plead with Him for others. Perhaps Abraham’s height of faith and friendship seems beyond our little possibilities. Do not be discouraged, Abraham grew; so may we. He went step by step, not by great leaps. The man whose faith has been deeply tested and who has come off victorious, is the man to whom supreme tests must come. The finest jewels are most carefully cut and polished; the hottest fires try the most precious metal. Abraham would never have been called the Father of the Faithful if he had not been proved to the uttermost. Read Genesis, twenty-second chapter: “Take thy son, thine only son, whom thou lovest.” See him going with a chastened, wistful, yet humbly obedient heart up Moriah’s height, with the idol of his heart beside him about to be sacrificed at the command of God whom he had faithfully loved and served! What a rebuke to our questionings of God’s dealings with us! Away with all doubting explanations of this stupendous scene! It was an object lesson for the ages. Angels were looking. Shall this man’s faith stand forever for the strength and help of all God’s people? Shall it be known through him that unfaltering faith will always prove the faithfulness of God? Yes; and when faith has borne victoriously its uttermost test, the angel of the Lord—who? The Lord Jesus, Jehovah, He in whom “all the promises of God are yea and amen”—spoke to him, saying, “Now I know that thou fearest God.” Thou hast trusted me to the uttermost. I will also trust thee; thou shalt ever be My friend, and I will bless thee, and make thee a blessing. It is always so, and always will be. “They that are of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.”—Selected. It is no small thing to be on terms of friendship with God. Genesis 18:23 Abraham came near and said, “Will You indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? came near: Ps 73:28 Jer 30:21 Heb 10:22 Jas 5:17 Will You indeed sweep away : Ge 18:25 20:4 Nu 16:22 2Sa 24:17 Job 8:3 34:17 Ps 11:4-7 Ro 3:5,6 Genesis 18 Resources - Multiple sermons and commentaries Related Passages: Ezekiel 33:11 “Say to them, ‘As I live!’ declares the Lord GOD, ‘I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn back, turn back from your evil ways! Why then will you die, O house of Israel?’ ABRAHAM BEGINS INTERCEDING Abraham came near - This is the first time in Scripture that a man initiated a conversation with God. This verb came near (nagash; Lxx - eggizo) is used priests approaching the Lord (Ezek. 44:13) or the altar to carry out their priestly duties (Ex. 28:43; 30:20) and denotes close proximity. It is used of the mind and heart reaching out to God in worship and confession. In the present context, it would speaks of both physical proximity and also nearness in terms of fellowship. This reminds me of the encouragement the writer of Hebrews gives to the children of God "let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." (Heb 4:16+) We are never more like our Lord than when we are interceding for others. -- Ro 8:34+, Heb 7:25+ Abraham knew the power of intercessory prayer from his experience with Abimelech, Moses recording Genesis 20:7; 17 “Now therefore, restore the man’s wife, for he is a prophet, and he will pray (INTERCEDE) for you and you will live. But if you do not restore her, know that you shall surely die, you and all who are yours.”.....20:17 Abraham prayed (INTERCEDED) to God, and God healed Abimelech and his wife and his maids, so that they bore children. Bob Utley - Abraham came near and said - This word Qal IMPERFECT with waw) was usually used of prayer and sacrifice. The Targum of Jonathan translates this as "and Abraham prayed," which may be accurate. The phrase (and context) does show a wonderful fellowship between Abraham and YHWH. INTERCESSORY PRAYER. Abraham's appeal is based upon the justice of God which would not allow the righteous to suffer the punishment due the wicked and said, “Will You indeed sweep away (saphah) the righteous (saddiq; Lxx = dikaios) with the wicked (rasha'; Lxx = asebes = "ungodly")? - To intercede is to plead the case of another person and in this case many persons in Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham begins to intercede, showing he has the heart like God's as described in 2Pe 3:9+ "not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance." On sweep away see comment below. Who would meet the criteria for the righteous? These would be those who like Abraham had believed God and He accounted it or reckoned it to them as righteousness (Ge 15:6+). Thus they had righteous standing with the Righteous Judge. Their righteous standing was attained by God's grace through their response of faith (Eph 2:8-9+), the same way believers escape God's righteous wrath in the New Testament. Note that Abraham doesn’t question God’s right to judge, unlike many in our day who question God's right to judge and to send people to Hell. Jonathan Edwards: This verse caused him to say: “The justice of God will eventually be revealed in the damnation of the sinner” Bob Utley on "Will You indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked" - This shows Abraham's understanding of the nature and character of YHWH (i.e., "Shall not the Judge of all the earth deal justly?" Gen. 18:25). YHWH certainly had knowledge of the situation, but He wanted Abraham to understand his unique relationship with Him, and the necessity for intercessory prayer on the behalf of others, which he will certainly use with Abimelech as can be seen in Gen. 20:7, 17. I think Abraham must have been thinking about Lot and his family in Sodom at this point, but also of Gen. 18:18! Charles Spurgeon said: “If they [lost sinners] will not hear you speak, they cannot prevent your praying. Do they jest at your exhortations? They cannot disturb you at your prayers. Are they far away so that you cannot reach them? Your prayers can reach them. Have they declared that they will never listen to you again, nor see your face? Never mind, God has a voice which they must hear. Speak to Him, and He will make them feel. Though they now treat you despitefully, rendering evil for your good, follow them with your prayers. Never let them perish for lack of your supplications’’ (Full Sermon Intercessory Prayer) Ray Pritchard from this text about Abraham's prayer - Four characteristics of biblical prayer: 1. Modesty—He didn’t know what God would do 2. Humility—He didn’t demand anything from God 3. Persistence—He came back again and again—6 times in all 4. Persuasive—He based everything he said on God’s character And for all that, his prayer wasn’t answered. Sodom was destroyed. Sometimes our prayers won’t be answered yes either. But it wasn’t Abraham’s fault. Nor is it always our fault. And with that truth in mind we return again to the must fundamental truth about prayer, which is that we must always say “Thy will be done.” Came near (approached, bring, drew near)(05066) nagash root signifies coming into very near proximity to the object. Nagash most commonly denotes the act of approaching in ambulatory fashion (e.g., Ge 27:21). It is also frequently used in a military context, of the clash of opposing forces (e.g., 1 Sam. 7:10; Jer. 46:3). It can be a euphemism for sexual intercourse (Ex 19:15) or interlocking objects (Job 41:16), including shackles (2 Sa 3:34). It is also employed to describe a royal representative (Gen. 45:4) or Yahweh in role of king (Jer. 30:21). Another common nuance of the verb is as a legal technical term, as when plaintiffs approached judges with their claims (Gen. 18:23; Exo. 24:14) or disputing parties approached each other in court (Isa. 50:8). Another common meaning describes drawing near to Yahweh or into His presence. Priests " approach the altar to minister in the holy place" (Ex. 28:43). The idolatry and syncretism of the Levites led to their prohibition from temple service in Ezekiel's eschatological temple - "they shall not come near to Me to serve as a priest to Me, nor come near to any of My holy things" (Ezek. 44:13). The purpose of coming near was that offerings were presented to Yahweh (e.g., Lev. 2:8; Mal. 1:11) so that relationship could continue. Coppes says "The simple use of the root signifies proximity, i.e. near enough to touch (Genesis 27:21; Genesis 29:10), eat (Genesis 27:25), kiss (Genesis 27:27), embrace (Genesis 48:10). Oswald Chambers - And Abraham drew near, and said . . . (from Not Knowing Where) “Getting there” means coming into intimate relationship with God without impertinence or lack of reverence. The meaning of intercession is that we see what God is doing, consequently there is an intimacy between the child and the Father which is never impertinent. We must pour into the bosom of God the cares which give us pain and anxiety in order that He may solve for us, and before us, the difficulties which we cannot solve. We injure our spiritual life when we dump the whole thing down before God and say—You do it. That spirit is blind to the real union with God. We must dump ourselves down in the midst of our problems and watch God solve them for us. “But I have no faith”—bring your problems to God and stay with Him while He solves them, then God Himself and the solution of your problems will be for ever your own. Watch the tendency to pathetic humbug in your approach to God. If we could see the floor of God’s immediate presence, we would find it strewn with the “toys” of God’s children who have said—This is broken, I can’t play with it any more, please give me another present. Only one in a thousand sits down in the midst of it all and says—I will watch my Father mend this. God must not be treated as a hospital for our broken “toys,” but as our Father. The Appealing Reverence to the Uttermost (Genesis 18:23-33) There is no impertinence in Abraham’s attitude, only profound humility and intensest intimacy. Abraham is not questioning God, but bringing himself to see how God will solve the matter. God allows Abraham to come out with his full intercession until Abraham begins to grasp the essential conditions by which God governs all things. Abraham goes on from step to step, and Jehovah grants him step by step, without once going before his request. The stopping point is reached by reason of the fact that Abraham was in complete communion with God throughout the progress of his intercession. After the final test prayer is impossible (cf. 1 John 5:16). By means of intercession we understand more and more the way God solves the problems produced in our minds by the conflict of actual facts and our real faith in God. Whenever temptations contend in our minds, and things meet us in the providence of God which seem to involve a contradiction of what we believe, let the conviction of God’s righteousness remain unshaken. It is an insult to sink before God and say “Thy will be done” when there has been no intercession. That is the prayer of impertinent unbelief—There is no use in praying, God does whatever He chooses. The saying of “Thy will be done” is born of the most intimate relationship to God whereby I talk to Him freely. There is in this prayer of Abraham a distinction between the begging which knows no limit and the prayer which is conscious that there are limits set by the holy character of God. Repetition in intercessory importunity is not bargaining, but the joyous insistence of prayer. The nearer Abraham came to God in his intercession the more he recognised his entire unworthiness—“Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes.” Genuine unworthiness is never shy before God any more than a child is shy before his mother. A child of God is conscious only of his entire dependence upon God. In the beginning of our spiritual life our prayers are not of faith but of fretfulness. But when you get into the inner place I defy you to go on praying for yourself, it never occurs to you to do so because you are brought into relationship with God Who makes your spirit partake of His own. Whenever Our Lord spoke of importunity in intercession it was never for ourselves but for others. When by imperceptible degrees we stop praying for ourselves, we are “getting there.” Prayer is the supreme activity of all that is noblest in our personality, and the essential nature of prayer is faith. J J Knap - With Loins Girded - To Draw Near Ge 18:23 Abraham’s intercession for the reprobate cities of the plain in which Lot also lived, contains a wealth of instruction in connection with our own practice of prayer. Praying is a royal privilege for God’s children. Undoubtedly it peaks when it becomes intercession. As long as we plead for the blessings of the Lord for ourselves, so easily some selfishness remains part of the most holy and tender prayer. However, the father who prays for his house, the mother for her child, the king for his people, the pastor for his congregation,— behold, they forget themselves with their own sorrow and need, and they bear the name of someone else to the throne of grace. Abraham drew near! This drawing near contains the secret of true prayer, whether we pray for ourselves, or for those close to us, or for the cause of God’s kingdom. In our petitions we so often remain far away from the God of grace, as if we have to reach His ear from an unbridgeable distance. This is why so often the calm simplicity is lacking in our prayer, and it often gives more the impression of a tense calling than of a calm speaking, face to face over against the Lord. Jesus Christ has made an open way in His blood to the throne of grace. While resting upon His merits, we may enter boldly to make known our desires and we do not have to remain from afar. Therefore, it is good to consider that before offering the actual prayer we ought to draw near. Sometimes we “fall” from everyday life and even from the unholy into prayer, and then we are even surprised that we did not perceive anything of the glory of God. In that case we failed to draw near and we spoke into God’s direction but not directly to the Hearer of all prayer. To draw near is to gather our thoughts in a moment of quiet that should precede each prayer; it is the stretching out of the hand of faith to the name of Jesus, who only can lead us into the presence of the Lord; it is to appear consciously before the holy countenance of God, to open only then our mouth and to speak to Him. That speaking should be done trustingly: who is lead by the hand of Christ into the formidable palace, has nothing to fear. Let the peak be a pleading that does not fade away, but that arises higher and higher, much like Abraham became more urgent and more bold in his requests. Let our speaking be in particular most humble, because we ourselves are no more than dust and ashes, yes, even unclean sinners, who have taken it upon themselves to lift their hearts unto the most High Majesty. QUESTION - Why did Abraham bargain with God in regard to Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 18)? ANSWER - When God revealed His plan to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah due to the wickedness of those cities, Abraham asked God to spare the people. In fact, Abraham engaged in a lengthy conversation to mediate for the cities. First, Abraham wanted God to spare the righteous people who lived in Sodom and Gomorrah. He asked, “Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city. Will you then sweep away the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous who are in it? Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?” (Genesis 18:23-25). Second, Abraham’s nephew Lot lived in Sodom. God did spare Lot and his two daughters, perhaps as a direct result of Abraham’s request. Genesis 19:29 states, “So it was that, when God destroyed the cities of the valley, God remembered Abraham and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow when he overthrew the cities in which Lot had lived.” Abraham certainly wanted to see his own extended family protected from God’s judgment. Third, Abraham had compassion for the people of Sodom and Gomorrah. While he understood God’s judgment of sin, Abraham asked God to spare the city even if there could be found as few as ten righteous people (Genesis 18:32). God agreed to spare the city for the sake of ten righteous people. Apparently, fewer than ten righteous were found, since God did destroy the cities, sparing only Lot and his two daughters. (God also planned to rescue Lot’s wife, but she died when she disobeyed God and turned back to look at the city as it was being destroyed.) Abraham’s compassion for the people of Sodom and Gomorrah reveals the heart of a man who cared greatly for others, including those who did not follow God. In fact, the angelic visitors who visited Lot were threatened by men of Sodom who desired to have sex with them. Though Sodom’s citizens were wicked, Abraham did not wish to see their destruction. Like Abraham, we are called to have great compassion for others, including those whose lives do not follow God’s ways. Also, we must ultimately accept God’s judgments, even when His decisions are not our desired choices. Abraham’s request for these cities to be spared was denied. God sometimes says “no” to our requests, too, even when we pray with good intentions. The Lord may have other plans that we do not understand, yet which are part of His perfect will. Finally, consider how God did answer Abraham’s request by rescuing Lot and his daughters. Although Abraham’s mediatory work did not result in the sparing of the cities, it did bring about the salvation of Abraham’s nephew. Abraham’s prayers on behalf of others were important, just as our prayers are today. GotQuestions.org QUESTION - What is intercessory prayer? ANSWER - Quite simply, intercessory prayer is the act of praying on behalf of others. The role of mediator in prayer was prevalent in the Old Testament, in the cases of Abraham, Moses, David, Samuel, Hezekiah, Elijah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel. Christ is pictured in the New Testament as the ultimate intercessor, and because of this, all Christian prayer becomes intercession since it is offered to God through and by Christ. Jesus closed the gap between us and God when He died on the cross. Because of Jesus’ mediation, we can now intercede in prayer on behalf of other Christians or for the lost, asking God to grant their requests according to His will. “For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5). “Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us” (Romans 8:34). A wonderful model of intercessory prayer is found in Daniel 9. It has all the elements of true intercessory prayer. It is in response to the Word (Da 9:2); characterized by fervency (Da 9:3) and self-denial (Da 9:4); identified unselfishly with God’s people (Da 9:5); strengthened by confession (Da 9:5-15); dependent on God’s character (Da 9:4, 7, 9, 15); and has as its goal God’s glory (Da 9:16-19). Like Daniel, Christians are to come to God on behalf of others in a heartbroken and repentant attitude, recognizing their own unworthiness and with a sense of self-denial. Daniel does not say, “I have a right to demand this out of You, God, because I am one of your special, chosen intercessors.” He says, “I’m a sinner,” and, in effect, “I do not have a right to demand anything.” True intercessory prayer seeks not only to know God’s will and see it fulfilled, but to see it fulfilled whether or not it benefits us and regardless of what it costs us. True intercessory prayer seeks God’s glory, not our own. The following is only a partial list of those for whom we are to offer intercessory prayers: all in authority (1 Timothy 2:2); ministers (Philippians 1:19); Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6); friends (Job 42:8); fellow countrymen (Romans 10:1); the sick (James 5:14); enemies (Jeremiah 29:7); those who persecute us (Matthew 5:44); those who forsake us (2 Timothy 4:16); and all men (1 Timothy 2:1). There is an erroneous idea in contemporary Christianity that those who offer up intercessory prayers are a special class of “super-Christians,” called by God to a specific ministry of intercession. The Bible is clear that all Christians are called to be intercessors. All Christians have the Holy Spirit in their hearts and, just as He intercedes for us in accordance with God’s will (Romans 8:26-27), we are to intercede for one another. This is not a privilege limited to an exclusive Christian elite; this is the command to all. In fact, not to intercede for others is sin. “As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by failing to pray for you” (1 Samuel 12:23). Certainly Peter and Paul, when asking others to intercede for them, did not limit their request to those with a special calling to intercession. “So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him” (Acts 12:5). Notice it was the whole church that prayed for him, not just those with a gift of intercession. In Ephesians 6:16-18, Paul exhorts the Ephesian believers—all of them—on the fundamentals of the Christian life, which includes intercession “on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.” Clearly, intercessory prayer is part of the Christian life for all believers. Further, Paul sought prayer on his behalf from all the Roman believers in Romans 15:30. He also urged the Colossians to intercede for him in Colossians 4:2-3. Nowhere in any biblical request for intercession is there any indication that only a certain group of people could intercede. On the contrary, those who seek others to intercede for them can use all the help they can get! The idea that intercession is the privilege and calling of only some Christians is without biblical basis. Worse, it is a destructive idea that often leads to pride and a sense of superiority. God calls all Christians to be intercessors. It is God’s desire that every believer be active in intercessory prayer. What a wonderful and exalted privilege we have in being able to come boldly before the throne of Almighty God with our prayers and requests! GotQuestions.org Davis - “It is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to pray effectively for lost souls if one is not convinced that lostness will ultimately result in literal, eternal punishment. Bruce Hurt - Eternal punishment is the most solemn doctrine in all the Bible and it is subject on which I have never written. I have a dear uncle who was like a father to me and about whom I can hardly bear to think because I have a horror that he may not have accepted Christ before he died, even though the Gospel had been clearly presented to him. Nevertheless, this is doctrine which needs to be expounded because we live in a day when almost everyone thinks they are going to heaven (or some alternative thereof) when they die. So we need to look at what the Bible says about life after death and the doctrine of eternal punishment or Hell. See especially my discussion on the Effect of the Truth of Eternal Punishment on Our Evangelistic Passion John Lennon was sadly mistaken when he wrote a popular song in the 1970’s called "Imagine". What if the Biblical pictures of hell as a place of endless punishment and suffering are true? Sadly I don't think John Lennon has to imagine today! Imagine there's no heaven It's easy if you try No hell below us Above us only sky Imagine all the people living for today. Bob Utley - INTERCESSORY PRAYER I. Introduction A. Prayer is significant because of Jesus' example 1. personal prayer, Mark 1:35; Luke 3:21; 6:12; 9:29; 22:31-46 2. cleansing of the Temple, Matt. 21:13; Mark 11:17; Luke 19:46 3. Model Prayer, Matt. 6:5-13; Luke 11:2-4 B. Prayer is putting into tangible action our belief in a personal, caring God who is present, willing, and able to act on our behalf and others, through our prayers. C. God has personally limited Himself to act on the prayers of His children in many areas (cf. James 4:2) D. The major purpose of prayer is our fellowship and time with the Triune God. E. The scope of prayer is anything or anyone that concerns believers. We may pray once, believing, or over and over again as the thought or concern returns. F. Prayer can involve several elements 1. praise and adoration of the Triune God 2. thanksgiving to God for His presence, fellowship, and provisions 3. confession of our sinfulness, both past and present 4. petition of our sensed needs or desires 5. intercession where we hold the needs of others before the Father G. Intercessory prayer is a mystery. God loves those for whom we pray much more than we do, yet our prayers often effect a change, response, or need, not only in ourselves, but in them. II. Biblical Material A. Old Testament 1. Some examples of intercessory prayer: a. Abraham pleading for Sodom, Gen. 18:22ff and Abimelech Ge 20:7,17 b. Moses' prayers for Israel (1) Exodus 5:22-23 (2) Exodus 32:9-14,31-35 (3) Exodus 33:12-16 (4) Exodus 34:9 (5) Deuteronomy 9:18,25-29 c. Samuel prays for Israel (1) 1 Samuel 7:5-6,8-9 (2) 1 Samuel 12:16-23 (3) 1 Samuel 15:11 d. David for his child, 2 Samuel 12:16-18 2. God is looking for intercessors, Isaiah 59:16 3. Known, unconfessed sin or an unrepentant attitude affects our prayers a. Psalm 66:18 b. Proverbs 28:9 c. Isaiah 59:1-2; 64:7 B. New Testament 1. The Son and Spirit's intercessory ministry a. Jesus (1) Romans 8:34 (2) Hebrews 7:25 (3) 1 John 2:1 b. Holy Spirit, Romans 8:26-27 2. Paul's intercessory ministry a. Prays for the Jews (1) Romans 9:1ff (2) Romans 10:1 b. Prays for the churches (1) Romans 1:9 (2) Ephesians 1:16 (3) Philippians 1:3-4,9 (4) Colossians 1:3,9 (5) 1 Thessalonians 1:2-3 (6) 2 Thessalonians 1:11 (7) 2 Timothy 1:3 (8) Philemon 1:4 c. Paul asked the churches to pray for him (1) Romans 15:30 (2) 2 Corinthians 1:11 (3) Ephesians 6:19 (4) Colossians 4:3 (5) 1 Thessalonians 5:25 (6) 2 Thessalonians 3:1 3. The church's intercessory ministry a. Pray for one another (1) Ephesians 6:18 (2) 1 Timothy 2:1 (3) James 5:16 b. Prayer requested for special groups (1) our enemies, Matt. 5:44 (2) Christian workers, Hebrews 13:18 (3) rulers, 1 Timothy 2:2 (4) the sick, James 5:13-16 (5) backsliders, 1 John 5:16 III. Conditions for answered prayer A. Our relationship to Christ and the Spirit 1. Abide in Him, John 15:7 2. In His name, John 14:13,14; 15:16; 16:23-24 3. In the Spirit, Ephesians 6:18; Jude 20 4. According to God's will, Matthew 6:10; 1 John 3:22; 5:14-15 B. Motives 1. Not wavering, Matthew 21:22; James 1:6-7 2. Humility and repentance, Luke 18:9-14 3. Asking amiss, James 4:3 4. Selfishness, James 4:2-3 C. Other aspects 1. Perseverance a. Luke 18:1-8 b. Colossians 4:2 2. Kept on asking a. Matthew 7:7-8 b. Luke 11:5-13 c. James 1:5 3. Discord at home, 1 Peter 3:7 4. Free from known sin a. Psalm 66:18 b. Proverbs 28:9 c. Isaiah 59:1-2 d. Isaiah 64:7 IV. Theological Conclusion A. What a privilege. What an opportunity. What a duty and responsibility B. Jesus is our example. The Spirit is our guide. The Father is eagerly waiting. C. It could change you, your family, your friends, and the world. QUESTION - What are some Bible verses about intercession? ANSWER - First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no one to intercede; then his own arm brought him salvation, and his righteousness upheld him. Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors. First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. Therefore he said he would destroy them— had not Moses, his chosen one, stood in the breach before him, to turn away his wrath from destroying them. Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them. So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church. And I sought for a man among them who should build up the wall and stand in the breach before me for the land, that I should not destroy it, but I found none. And the Lord restored the fortunes of Job, when he had prayed for his friends. And the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before. Therefore I have poured out my indignation upon them. I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath. I have returned their way upon their heads, declares the Lord God. And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments. But I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers. Between the vestibule and the altar let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep and say, “Spare your people, O Lord, and make not your heritage a reproach, a byword among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’”GotQuestions.org Steven