Genesis 18 ~ And the Lord appeared

 

A vintage lithograph and then a photo of the size of the Oaks of Mamre

Abraham's tree and the surrounding Oaks had offspring, and the Culture preserved them,

this above photo was the last one sure of the tree's heritage, about 1860 AD

 

Genesis 18

And the Lord appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre

As he sat at the door of his tent in the heat of the day. 2 He lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing in front of him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed himself to the earth 3 and said, “O Lord, if I have found favor in your sight, do not pass by your servant. 4 Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree, 5 while I bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh yourselves, and after that you may pass on—since you have come to your servant.” 

So they said, “Do as you have said.” 

6 And Abraham went quickly into the tent to Sarah and said, “Quick! Three seahs of fine flour! Knead it, and make cakes.” 7 And Abraham ran to the herd and took a calf, tender and good, and gave it to a young man, who prepared it quickly. 8 Then he took curds and milk and the calf that he had prepared, and set it before them. And he stood by them under the tree while they ate.

9 They said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” 

And he said, “She is in the tent.” 

10 The Lord said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife shall have a son.” 

Ancient tent of Ur, or Persia

are seen in museums and are quite beautiful.

Then again, the tents of the Exodus,

probably looked more like this:

And Sarah was listening at the tent door behind him. 11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in years. The way of women had ceased to be with Sarah. 12 So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, “After I am worn out, and my lord is old, shall I have pleasure?” 

13 The Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?’ 14 Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, about this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son.” 

15 But Sarah denied it, saying, “I did not laugh,” for she was afraid. 

He said, “No, but you did laugh.”

We look at Genesis 18 and get caught up in Sodom. Let's push this to one side, later, and, now, see the Glory, Glory, Glory of Genesis 18.

Genesis 18. Who perfectly understands the Holy Spirit? Evidently, Abraham. He sees 3 men, and Abraham perfectly comprehends he is meeting the Holy Spirit. Apparently, Abraham is precisely correct.  The men speak with one voice. Perfectly understanding each other. 

Just as Jesus rises victoriously to celebrate Life with the Disciples on the Shore of the Sea of Galilee, fixing them breakfast, the disciples argue with Jesus, The Lord, Messiah, Risen.

And each time, the faithful are seeking wisdom, to understand something in their lives.

James 1:5

If you need wisdom, ask God, 

who gives generously

 to 

all

 without finding fault

and 

it will be given 

to you.

The Comfort of God's Spirit.  Messengers of God proclaim, "Have no fear." The Presence of the Lord is displayed as Comforter, Help and Helper.

The Disciples followed Jesus and felt... Awe.

Sarah isn't part of the company. She is outside. Sarah both laughs and has fear. Politely, we will say

Sarah misrepresents ... herself. The Lord will address Sarah like this...

 Is anything too hard for the Lord? 

At the appointed time I will return to you, 

about this time next year, 

and Sarah shall have a son.” 

Sarah is so comforted, she names Isaac, Laughter. Sarah has joined the conversation. And found Comfort, Help, Helper.

16 Then the men set out from there, and they looked down toward Sodom. And Abraham went with them to set them on their way. 

17 The Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, 18 seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? 

19 For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring to Abraham what he has promised him.” 

20 Then the Lord said, “Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin is very grave, 21 I will go down to see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to me. And if not, I will know.”

22 So the men turned from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the Lord. 23 Then Abraham drew near and said, “Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? 24 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? 25 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?” 

26 And the Lord said, “If I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will spare the whole place for their sake.”

27 Abraham answered and said, “Behold, I have undertaken to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes. 28 Suppose five of the fifty righteous are lacking. Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?” 

And He said, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.” 

29 Again he spoke to him and said, “Suppose forty are found there.” 

He answered, “For the sake of forty I will not do it.” 

30 Then he said, “Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak. Suppose thirty are found there.” 

He answered, “I will not do it, if I find thirty there.” 

31 He said, “Behold, I have undertaken to speak to the Lord. Suppose twenty are found there.” 

He answered, “For the sake of twenty I will not destroy it.” 

32 Then he said, “Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak again but this once. Suppose ten are found there.” 

He answered, “For the sake of ten I will not destroy it.” 

33 And the Lord went His way, when he had finished speaking to Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place.

Abraham has explored the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. He is living the Transfiguration. And in this experience, God is God. The Almighty. Abraham has no wish to depart from them.

And Abraham immediately wants to explore the Nature of God. Wisely, like the 10 Talents Parable of Jesus, Abraham insists on the Goodness of God. Wise. God has chosen, Wisely.

Let's explore Jesus in this Genesis 18.

Jesus and King Ahab have a conversation after King Ahab has ruined many.

1 Kings 21

20 Ahab said to Elijah, “Have you found me, O my enemy?” 

He answered, “I have found you, because you have sold yourself to do what is evil in the sight of the Lord. 21 Behold, I will bring disaster upon you. I will utterly burn you up, and will cut off from Ahab every male, bond or free, in Israel. 22 And I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, for the anger to which you have provoked me, and because you have made Israel to sin. 23 And of Jezebel the Lord also said, ‘The dogs shall eat Jezebel within the walls of Jezreel.’ 24 Anyone belonging to Ahab who dies in the city the dogs shall eat, and anyone of his who dies in the open country the birds of the heavens shall eat.”

25 (There was none who sold himself to do what was evil in the sight of the Lord like Ahab, whom Jezebel his wife incited. 26 He acted very abominably in going after idols, as the Amorites had done, whom the Lord cast out before the people of Israel.)

27 And when Ahab heard those words, 

he tore his clothes 

and put sackcloth on his flesh 

and fasted 

and lay in sackcloth and went about dejectedly. 

28 And the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, 

29 “Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself before me, I will not bring the disaster in his days; but in his son's days I will bring the disaster upon his house.”

The Lord reaches out to His Children. And explains Himself:

Exodus 34:6-7

And HE passed in front of Moses, 

proclaiming, 

“The LORD, the LORD, 

the compassionate and gracious God, 

slow to anger, 

abounding in love and faithfulness, 

maintaining love to thousands, 

and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin.

Abraham and the Lord close Genesis 18

Beautifully

33 And the Lord went His way, when he had finished speaking to Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place.

Jesus says:

Our Father, Who art in Heaven

Hallowed be Thy Name

The Holy Spirit says:

Therefore God has highly exalted Him 

and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name,

  so that at the Name of Jesus 

every knee should bow, 

in Heaven and on earth and under the earth, 

and every tongue confess

 that Jesus Christ is Lord,

 to the glory of God 

the Father.

The Father says:

And a Voice from Heaven said, 

“This is my Son, 

whom I love; 

with Him I am well pleased.”

And in Jesus

in the Holy Spirit

and Our Father in Heaven,

we 

are given:

Ask, 

and it will be given to you; 

seek, and you will find; 

knock, 

and the door will be opened 

to 

you.

Just as Sarah

found

from the door,

the mercy

and graciousness

of Jesus

Our Father in Heaven

and 

The Holy Spirit

Abba, Father,

In Jesus, we ask

Dwell in us, Father

Send Your Holy Spirit as Helper

Dwell in those we love

and 

Help us to seek You first

And in Jesus,

we will finish well.

We ask for Your Favor

for Gracious

Weather

to 

ALL

of Your Children.

Our God is working. His Son, 

Jesus is working.

And we say Amen in Jesus.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Yes Bless The Lord Jesus

Yes Thank You Father

Matthew Chapter One Verse One ~ Jesus the Messiah

When Matthew wrote His Gospel, He wanted to start with great importance:

John 8:56

"Your father Abraham rejoiced 

at the thought 

of seeing my day; 
he saw it

 and was glad."

 

Matthew

Chapter One

Verse One

 

 This is the genealogy

 of 

Jesus the Messiah 

the son of David, 

the son of Abraham

Genesis 18:1

The LORD appeared to 

Abraham

near the great trees of Mamre 

while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent 

in the heat of the day. 

Ephesians 3:11-12

Through Christ Jesus our Lord,

in whom we have boldness 

and access with confidence

 through our faith

 in Him.

Galatians 3:16

The promises were spoken to Abraham 

and to his seed. 

Scripture does not say "and to seeds," 

meaning many people, 

but "and to your seed," 

meaning one person, 

who is Christ.

In Jesus Christ,

John's Gospel  closes importantly and purposefully

 tells us the purpose

of God

Sending His Only Son

to die for our grace

in Salvation,

Eternal Life

His Promises are yours:

Alleluia

John 20:17 

 Jesus said to her, 

"Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father;

 but go to my brothers and say to them,

 'I am ascending

 to my Father 

and your Father, 

to my God 

and your God.

Genesis 12:1-3

“Now the Lord said to Abram, ‘Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” 

Genesis 13:14-16

And the LORD said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him: "Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are—northward, southward, eastward, and westward; for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever. And I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth; so that if a man could number the dust of the earth, then your descendants also could be numbered.

Genesis 14:18-20

“Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. And praise be to God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand.” Abraham then tithed Melchizidek a tenth of what he had. 

Genesis 15

 4 And behold, the word of the Lord came to him: “This man shall not be your heir; your very own son shall be your heir.” 5 And he brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” 6 And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness.

Genesis 15:1-21

After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, 'Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.' But Abram said, 'Lord GOD, what will You give me, seeing I go childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?' Then Abram said, 'Look, You have given me no offspring; indeed one born in my house is my heir!' And behold, the word of the LORD came to him, saying, “This one shall not be your heir, but one who will come from your own body shall be your heir.” Then He brought him outside and said, “Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them.” 

And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.” And he believed in the LORD, and He accounted it to him for righteousness. Then He said to him, "I am the LORD, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to inherit it." 

And he said, "Lord GOD, how shall I know that I will inherit it?" So He said to him, "Bring Me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon." Then he brought all these to Him and cut them in two, down the middle, and placed each piece opposite the other; but he did not cut the birds in two. And when the vultures came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away. Now when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, horror and great darkness fell upon him. 

Then He said to Abram: "Know certainly that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them, and they will afflict them four hundred years. And also the nation whom they serve I will judge; afterward they shall come out with great possessions. 

Now as for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried at a good old age. But in the fourth generation they shall return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete." And it came to pass, when the sun went down and it was dark, that behold, there appeared a smoking oven and a burning torch that passed between those pieces. 

On the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying: "To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the River Euphrates— the Kenites, the Kenezzites, the Kadmonites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites."

Genesis 16

 9 The angel of the Lord said to her, “Return to your mistress and submit to her.” 10 The angel of the Lord also said to her, “I will surely multiply your offspring so that they cannot be numbered for multitude.”

Genesis 17:3-5

The Lord appeared to Abram again, saying,

“I am God Almighty; walk before me faithfully and be blameless.Then I will make my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers.” At this, Abram fell face down, and God said to him, “As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations.” 

Genesis 17:5 

“Because I give you as a father of a multitude of nations.”

Genesis 17:1-11

When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, 'I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless. And I will make My covenant between Me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly.” Then Abram fell on his face, and God talked with him, saying: 'As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations. 

No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you a father of many nations. I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you. And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you.

 Also I give to you and your descendants after you the land in which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession; and I will be their God." 

And God said to Abraham: 'As for you, you shall keep My covenant, you and your descendants after you throughout their generations. This is My covenant which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: Every male child among you shall be circumcised; and you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, 

and it shall be a sign of the covenant 

between Me and you.

Genesis 21:1-2

And the LORD visited Sarah as He had said, and the LORD did for Sarah as He had spoken. For Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.

Genesis 21

12 But God said to Abraham, “Be not displeased because of the boy and because of your slave woman. Whatever Sarah says to you, do as she tells you, for through Isaac shall your offspring be named. 13 And I will make a nation of the son of the slave woman also, because he is your offspring.”

Genesis 26:5

Because Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, 

My commandments, 

My statutes, and My laws."

Galatians 3:6-8

just as Abraham "believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, 

"In you all the nations shall be blessed."

Abraham knew this too well to ignore this:

Genesis 12
5 After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision:

“Do not be afraid, Abram.
I am your shield,
your very great reward.”

Previous conversations had revealed this to Abraham:

Genesis 18:

32 Then he said, “Oh let not the Lord be angry,

 and I will speak again but this once. 

Suppose ten are found there.” 

He answered, “For the sake of ten I will not destroy it.”

Why did God abhor Baal worship? Why did HE say over and over again - don't marry them, don't raid their goods, don't dwell with them -

Infanticide (or infant homicide) is the intentional killing of infants. .... babies were roasted to death inside the burning pit of the god Baal Hamon, a bronze statue. Infant children were sacrificed to Baal in order to secure prosperity. Something we had best consider on our stance on abortion.

"Fasten your seat belts, it's going to be a bumpy night!!!"


God tells us life Will Test our metal. 

Genesis 22:1 

Some time later God tested Abraham. 

He said to him, "Abraham!" 

"Here I am," he replied.

God tells us life Will Test our metal. 

 Jesus told us there would be days like this. 

In John 16:33 Jesus says: 

"In This World You Will Have Trouble. 

And Jesus overcomes the World."

 

When you know that the Season is Changing. And the Wind of the Holy Spirit is needed. Or you are just hopeful to have change.

Pray. Earnestly tell God the reasons. 

Stay in truth and in gratitude for Jesus 

- within the Law of the Spirit.

When Trouble threatens to swamp your lifeboat. Look for truth. We are told in Romans we know Truth. Lean upon God. Great struggles in the Bible tell us to look at the One who is Good. When truth is running off, ask God in. God will help.

Sometimes we have to remember where to look for real goodness - God.

Pray for the Holy Spirit, who is Jesus Christ the Lord!

Romans 8:26

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.

Jan Karon's famous Mitford books tell us about Father Tim praying the prayer that is Always Successful - Thy Will BE Done.

Father God, I am willing! I will cast my cares upon You. You Love me. I will strengthen and rest in You.

The Noah Step. The difficult one.

Are you doing your life right? 

Did you mess up God's purpose for your life? 

Is your life meaningful?

Guess. What. Abraham could have asked this question. Many times.

Gratitude.
Our honest prayer for honest situations. 

We are not large enough to be perpetually punished. Jesus took our sins. We might face overcoming poor decisions. It's when we give up in the gloom of unworthiness, then we have stepped out of the Light of His Love.

We might foolishly try to put our selfishness first again and again - but we cannot blame God for that. God did put us here to grow up to go Home to Him. Even the Prodigal Son had to grow up some. To find some humility.

It's a Promise. 

The Word of God is Fulfilled. 

God's purpose for our lives will be good.

Do we Really believe God has a good purpose for us?  Similarly, the demons  shrieked at Jesus had a continual shriek, "What purpose do you have for me God? What will You do to me?"

Would God call us not to be us?  No. Does He love us as we are and give us Gifts and Talents to fit in to His Plan. Yes.

Jeremiah stood fast.

Abba, Father,

John 8:56

"Your father Abraham rejoiced 

at the thought of seeing my day; 

he saw it 

and was glad."

Galatians 4:28

And you brethren, like Isaac, 

are 

children of promise.

James 1:5

If you need wisdom, ask God, 

who gives generously

 to 

all

 without finding fault, 

and 

it will be given 

to you.

In Jesus, we ask

Dwell in us, Father

Send Your Holy Spirit as Helper

Dwell in those we love

and 

Help us to seek You first

And in Jesus,

we will finish well.

Making our hearts, mind and soul where Jesus is proud of us.

 Today and tomorrow!

Our prayers. Our works. Our words. Our Hope. Our Future.

 Jesus be in these hopes for a plan.

Send Your Word, Please. 

You uphold the Universe With Your Word.

We lift up to Your Mercy, for Maui to have relief rain

from the wildfires.

We pray with Texas for the weather to have gentle rain. 

God bless.

Our God is working. His Son, 

Jesus is working.

And we say Amen in Jesus.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Yes Bless The Lord Jesus

Yes Thank You Father