It's just another ordinary day at home. Mamre was where he had settled when he had separated from Lot and that's where he was living when he heard of Lot's capture back in ch.14.

The morning's work is over and it's siesta time. Abraham has sat down for a bit of a snooze during the hottest part of the day and then suddenly he is aware of three men not far off.

With no hint of hesitation he's at once up on his feet and runs to meet them.

Hospitality is still very important in the Middle East just as it was in Abraham's day. To entertain guests was no considered simply as an obligation or as an inconvenience but as a privilege and Abraham here is keen not to miss out of the opportunity. In addition he recognizes one of the three men who has appeared because he at once speaks to Him in a special way.

Abraham addresses one of the men as "Adonai" – my Lord. This is a word that is most usually used to refer to God though on occasion it is used of men. However the first time it is used of a mere man is in the Book of Ezra! So Abraham is addressing One of his visitors as God – he has of course seen this One before in the preceding chapter when the LORD had appeared to him previously.

In the NT Jesus rebuked the Jews who rejected Him all the while making a big show of their physical descent from Abraham. Jesus told them in no uncertain terms that if they were to claim to belong to Abraham then they must be like him in their behaviour. Abraham had enthusiastically welcomed Jesus that day and it was most un-abrahamic behaviour t to reject Him!

Let us stay with this for a while and underline the sensitivity of Abraham here to the LORD's approach and his eager desire that the LORD not pass him by.

It was hot and he was taking a break – how easy to make excuses, how easy to see only the inconvenience of it all but not a bit of it! The LORD comes and Abraham drops everything so that he might respond to the LORD's presence. Are we that sensitive? Do we really want to serve the LORD and to fellowship with Him as Abraham was?

Hospitality Offered

The offer of hospitality is made as to ordinary men. Abraham offers some bread to eat and some refreshing water. He is making no big boasts of what he plans to do but when his initial invitation is accepted Abraham goes out of his way to provide his guests with the very best that he can provide.

How eager Abraham is here to take the opportunity of serving. I wonder whether we are as enthusiastic.

Twice in the passage we find Abraham running – he runs to greet the three men and then next we find him running to find the calf that they will eat. But not only that he races off to find Sarah his wife and urges her to be quick about things too. He tells her to make some bread and to make it quickly! The young man who is entrusted with the task of preparing the calf is similarly told that he mustn't dilly dally – he too must do things quickly the guests mustn't be kept waiting any longer than is absolutely necessary.

What an example Abraham is in all this. Does our commitment to the LORD serve to encourage others in the way they will serve the LORD? None in the tents that day will think that offering hospitality is unimportant!

Abraham too shows by his example that only the best is good enough for his guests. Sarah must take the finest flour for the bread she is to make and the young man is given a calf which is both tender and good. Curds and milk will complete the meal that he plans to lay before his guests.

In our service of the LORD we should surely try to imitate Abraham's commitment – prompt to serve and prompt to serve with the very best that we have.

Or do we serve God with the dog-ends of our life – we do everything that pleases us and then if there is any time left over or any energy we offer that to Him? What are the priorities in your life?

Christian Hospitality

I've already mentioned the importance of hospitality in the M.E. Abraham in offering hospitality to unexpected guests is fitting in with the cultural norms of his society. However hospitality was to be included in the Mosaïc legislation and then later on to be urged as a Christian responsibility in the NT. Christians were encouraged to show hospitality especially to other Christians – and how important that would be as missionaries moved around bringing the good news with them. How important too as other Christians had to move from their homes driven out by persecution. The needs of such hospitality still exist in our day and there are many benefits to be had in offering such hospitality – co-workers together with God.

But this passage is probably one of the two which are referred to in Heb.13:2 where we read:

"Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares."

In this particular case we do indeed find that Abraham has welcomed "angels" and there is no indication that he was aware of it. How do we know this? Well we see that two of the "men" leave Abraham alone with the LORD at the end of the meal. The LORD stays to conduct an important interview with Abraham and the two "men" set off for Sodom. As we turn the page into ch.19 we find now that the two arrive in Sodom only now they are clearly identified as angels.

It would appear that Lot is the other character in the OT who entertained angels unawares as he in his turn presses them to take refuge with him and he too provides not just a little snack but a feast for them 19:3.

So the hospitality Christians are to offer is by no means limited to other known believers!

A further word about hospitality. I've underlined the generous if not sumptuous provision that both Abraham and Lot provided as they offered hospitality. I want you to understand this as the eagerness and the readiness to serve. What I don't want to do is to encourage a wrong view of hospitality that places the emphasis upon the quality of the food provided. How easy it is in such circumstances for pride to enter into some sort of competitive hospitality being offered. What I mean by that is we only ever invite if we able to do so by laying on a lavish spread. When such views prevail those who simply don't have the wherewithal of offering such lavishness may simply abandon any attempt to be hospitable towards others.

Our Saviour does not look on the number of dishes we offer to a guest but to the attitude of the heart that makes the offer! He tells us that He values the cup of cold water and will not forget that which is offered in His name. Mt.10:42.

The very practical Book of Proverbs has a considerable amount of wisdom to teach us as well if only we will take the time to stop and listen. It speaks both about both giving and receiving hospitality.

Pr.15:17 "Better is a dinner of herbs where love is than a fattened ox and hatred with it."

Pr.17:1 "Better is a dry morsel with quiet than a house full of feasting with strife."

Pr.25:17 "Let your foot be seldom in your neighbour's house, lest he have his fill of you and hate you."

Or Listen to these verses from Prov.23:

vv.1-8 "When you sit down to eat with a ruler, observe carefully what is before you,

and put a knife to your throat if you are given to appetite.

Do not desire his delicacies, for they are deceptive food.

Do not toil to acquire wealth; be discerning enough to desist.

When your eyes light on it, it is gone, for suddenly it sprouts wings, flying like an eagle toward heaven.

Do not eat the bread of a man who is stingy; do not desire his delicacies, for he is like one who is inwardly calculating.

“Eat and drink!” he says to you, but his heart is not with you.

You will vomit up the morsels that you have eaten, and waste your pleasant words."

There is a Reason for the Visit

After the description of the joyous hospitality has ended the reason for this appearing now comes to the fore.

v.9 It would appear that Sarah had not put in an appearance during this meal. Perhaps it was the custom of the day for a married woman to stay away from such company. Even today it is true that in several cultures men and women offer and enjoy hospitality separately. However Sarah is now made the focal point even though she remains listening at the door of her tent.

We are not to imagine that she is guilty of eavesdropping. The very question asked means that Sarah should listen!

The LORD is about to repeat to Abraham what He has already told him in the previous chapter – he will have a son and this son will be born to Sarah! A further confirmation is given in adding the time reference.

Having renewed this declaration there is something of a dramatic pause before we are allowed to learn Sarah's reaction to it all. Moses interrupts the flow by reminding us of the advanced ages of both Abraham and Sarah. Now it is not just that Sarah is barren that is brought to our attention but the fact that she is past child-bearing age!! For her to bear a child now will not just be surprising it will be a human impossibility! The LORD is doing everything to make very clear that His plans will work out according to His great might and power and not according to ordinary human ability or ingenuity.

Sarah's reaction makes we wonder whether there has been one of those communication breakdowns in Abraham's home. Sarah reacts as though this news is completely new to her – surely Abraham would have shared with her what the LORD had told him back in 17:15-16, 19!

Or had he told her only for her to shrug it off as the wishful thinking of her gullible husband?

In any case her reaction is what Abraham's had been in ch.17 when he had heard the same news – she laughs. However in ch.17 Abraham is not reprimanded for his laughter whereas here Sarah is called to account for it!

Perhaps she laughs from sheer surprise – she "knows" she can't have a child so have can this be. The seeming impossibility of it all provokes her laughter – better this than to attribute it to any scornful laugh of rank unbelief!

We learn too that her laughter had not been a matter for public consumption – she had laughed to herself and probably thought that no-one knew about it.

However the LORD sees her inward attitudes and reactions and is not fooled by outward appearances. The challenge comes to Sarah: "Why did Sarah laugh?" The LORD is speaking to Abraham but Sarah is the one being addressed. And the questions the LORD puts make it very plain to her that He knows all about her.

This makes her somewhat flustered and she tries to bluff it out by denying it. I wonder whether you've ever done that. You've been found out but you still try a cover up. Remember that the LORD can read you like an open book – there really is no point in trying to bluff your way with Him.

Sarah is being a practical demonstration that nothing is impossible for the LORD – He knows what she is thinking deep down even if her laughter was internal He still knew all about it. If she reasoned correctly what an encouragement to her faith that He would be capable of doing another "impossible" thing – He could give her a child.

I guess this is always a hard lesson for us to learn. It's one thing to say that "nothing is impossible for the LORD" or to say that "nothing is too hard for Him" but when push comes to shove we find our faith being stretched and tugged. As we read of such examples in the Scriptures let us take heart from them!

The LORD had already told Abraham that the boy was to be called Isaac – "he laughs". His birth would indeed be a source of great joy for Abraham and Sarah and the laughter that has characterised Sarah now must not be refused. It can still be a sign of what the LORD has promise to do!!

With this interview over the two "men" leave and go on their way towards Sodom leaving the LORD alone with Abraham. The subject of that discussion will have to wait for another time.

Before we close let us simply remind ourselves of the essentials of this little episode:

The LORD has come and made promises which humanly speaking seems way beyond the realms of possibility. Yet He comes to confirm His word and to encourage those to whom it is directed. In just the same way the gospel seems to be way beyond anything we could think or imagine and yet He keeps His word and amply justifies the trust of His people.