Genesis 18

CHAPTER 18

The Three Visitors (18:1–15)

1–8 A short time after the males of Abraham’s household had been circumcised, the LORD appeared to Abraham; but what Abraham actually saw were three men⁷⁸ (verses 1–2). Sometimes Abraham addressed them in the singular form—my lord (verse 3)—and sometimes in the plural form (verses 4–5). Abraham immediately welcomed them, realizing that in some way he was welcoming the Lord Himself (Hebrews 13:2). Abraham offered prompt and generous hospitality to the men, starting with water for washing the dust from their feet (Luke 7:44). While the men were eating their meal, Abraham stood near them, ready to serve them. Even though Abraham was a wealthy and powerful man, he behaved like a humble servant in their presence (verse 3).

9–15 Then the Lord repeated His promise that Sarah would have a son—this time in her hearing. And like Abraham, she too laughed; but unlike Abraham, she laughed in disbelief.

The Lord asked, “Why did Sarah laugh?” (verse 13). The Lord always knows the answer to the questions He asks; He is not looking for information. Rather, He is looking to see if the person will give an honest answer (see Genesis 3:9). Sarah’s answer was not honest; she denied she had even laughed (verse 15). It’s bad enough to do something wrong; it’s worse to try and cover it up.

But the Lord knew she had laughed in disbelief; she didn’t believe that the Lord could enable a barren woman ninety years old to have a child. So He asked her: “Is anything too hard for the LORD?” (verse 14). The answer is: nothing is too hard (Mark 10:27). Centuries later the Lord would enable the barren Elizabeth to give birth to John the Baptist and a virgin to give birth to Jesus Christ (see Luke 1:30–37).

Abraham Pleads for Sodom (18:16–33)

16–19 In this section we are given the first example of intercessory prayer in the Bible. Our God is a very personal God; He takes us into His confidence; He allows us to plead with Him. Just as a human father is pleased to hear the requests of his young child, even if unreasonable, so is God pleased to hear our requests—if presented in humility and faith. More than that, God invites us to be His friends; Abraham was called God’s friend (James 2:23).

So God decided not to hide from Abraham what He was planning to do to the city of Sodom, which was where Abraham’s nephew Lot was living (Genesis 13:12). Notice how the Lord first reaffirmed His covenant relationship with Abraham, originally described in Genesis 12:2–3: “Abraham will become a great and powerful nation, and all nations . . . will be blessed through him” (verse 18). “I have chosen him,” said the Lord (verse 19). The Lord had chosen Abraham for a purpose—that Abraham might direct his children . . . to keep the way of the LORD. Why? . . . so that the Lord would bring about for Abraham the things that had been promised him. In other words, for Abraham and his descendants to receive the things promised, they needed to “keep the way of the Lord.” If we are to remain in a covenant relationship with God, as friends of God, we need to keep His way. We have already seen this truth a number of times: our enjoyment of any covenant promise is contingent upon our faith and obedience. If we fail to keep God’s way, the covenant promises will pass to others.

20–26 As Abraham and his three visitors were parting, the Lord announced that He was going down to investigate the sins of the people of Sodom and Gomorrah, cities located on the plain below. God is just; He renders careful judgment according to men’s sins.

Two of the three visitors went down to Sodom to carry out the Lord’s investigation. The third—possibly the angel of the Lord⁷⁹—stayed behind with Abraham. Abraham sensed that the Lord was going to destroy Sodom. Abraham thought of his nephew Lot: though Lot was worldly, he was not wicked like the Sodomites. Surely there were other righteous people in the city. How could it be right for the righteous Judge of all the earth to destroy the righteous along with the wicked? (verse 25).

Haven’t all of us questioned the Lord like this at some time or other? Why do bad things happen to good people? Why do the wicked prosper? Sometimes God seems to us “unjust.”

But God judges in the time frame of eternity. Earthquakes and floods kill the guilty and innocent alike, but there will be a final reckoning when any temporary earthly “injustice” will be evened out. From the perspective of eternity, God is always right, always just.

However, even in an earthly time frame, God is concerned with justice. He was willing to listen to the pleas of Abraham. For the sake of fifty righteous people He would spare the entire city of Sodom (verse 26).

27–33 In these verses we see Abraham humbly trying to better understand God’s ways. Abraham wasn’t haggling with God. Undoubtedly he was thinking of Lot and his family as he progressively lowered the number of righteous people that might be necessary to save the city. We don’t know why Abraham stopped at ten (verse 32); perhaps he calculated that Lot’s extended family now included ten persons. But Abraham had learned enough; he had learned that God is as concerned with the few as He is with the many, that He desires to save rather than to punish, and that He is so involved with His creation that He even knows when a sparrow falls to the ground (Matthew 10:29).

In fact, there turned out to be only one “righteous” person in Sodom—Lot; and God delivered him, as we shall see in the next chapter. God had greater concern and compassion for the righteous than Abraham did. Abraham stopped at ten; God was not willing that even one should perish (see Matthew 18:12–14). Since this is true, let us not tire of interceding on behalf of even one soul; God will not tire of hearing us.