GOD’S ANCIENT PEOPLE GENESIS _ALUN OWEN_ CHAPTER 18 GOD VISITS ABRAHAM V1 The *Lord appeared to Abraham. Abraham was near to the big trees at Mamre. He sat at the door of his tent. It was in the hot part of the day. V2 When Abraham looked, he saw three men. They were standing in front of him.... [ Continue Reading ]
Abraham gave a friendly welcome to the three men. He would do the same for any visitors. That was the custom. Abraham thought that the three men were ordinary travellers. He did not know that two were *angels. And he did not realise that one was God.... [ Continue Reading ]
The ‘quantity’ that Abraham said was ‘3 seahs’. That was a large quantity. And Abraham chose a young cow. He did not choose a young goat, which would be smaller. So this meal was a large one. Abraham was very generous to his guests. And he served his guests but he did not eat with them. V9 The men... [ Continue Reading ]
The men already knew that Abraham was married. And they knew his wife’s name. Ordinary travellers would not know these things.... [ Continue Reading ]
The ‘door of the tent’ was a curtain on the front of the tent.... [ Continue Reading ]
Sarah still did not know who the men were. And she thought that they joked.... [ Continue Reading ]
God knew what Sarah said. He knew that, although she only spoke to herself.... [ Continue Reading ]
Sarah was afraid. But the reason for her fear was not that she might have a son. She was afraid of God. And she realised that the men came from God. ABRAHAM’S PRAYER V16 Then the men set out from there and they looked toward Sodom. And Abraham went with them as they began their journey. V17 The *... [ Continue Reading ]
Abraham went with the men for a short distance. That was the custom. Abraham would do the same for any travellers who had visited him. But he knew that one traveller was God. Therefore, Abraham had another reason to go with them. He loved to be with God.... [ Continue Reading ]
God wants us to know what he is doing. Jesus said the same thing to his followers. (See John 15:15.) He said, ‘I do not call you my servants. A servant does not know what his master will do. But I have called you friends.’ And Jesus told his followers what he was doing.... [ Continue Reading ]
‘So the men set out.’ There were 2 men that went further. And they were *angels. (See Genesis 19:1.) The other man was God. He stayed and he talked with Abraham. Until Jesus was born, God seldom appeared as a man. But he appeared to Abraham. Abraham was called ‘God’s friend’. (See James 2:23.) V23... [ Continue Reading ]
By this prayer, Abraham changed what God intended to do. Before Abraham’s prayer, God intended to destroy Sodom if some inhabitants were wicked. After Abraham’s prayer, he intended to save Sodom if there were 10 good inhabitants. So our prayers can change what happens. But Abraham could not have pra... [ Continue Reading ]
Abraham said, ‘You are the judge of the whole earth. You will certainly do the thing that is right!’ That was a statement and a request. • It was a statement. Abraham said it because he trusted God to do the right thing. • It was a request. Abraham asked God not to destroy good people. He meant th... [ Continue Reading ]
Abraham said, ‘I am only dust and ashes.’ He meant that he was worth nothing. And God was very much greater than he was. And Abraham meant that he was only a man. God had made man from dust. (See Genesis 2:7.) LORD ~ a lord is a person who has authority. ‘The Lord’ means God. It is a translation of... [ Continue Reading ]