In the Book of Genesis there is an account of Abraham’s encounter with three ‘men’. The story begins in Genesis chapter 18 when the three men appeared to him in the heat of the day. He rushed over to greet them and begged them to partake of his hospitality and they were persuaded to accept. Abraham must have known they were messengers (angels) from God and they revealed that during their conversation. They came with a prophecy, that Sarah his wife would bear a child even in her advanced years when she was passed the age of childbirth. When Sarah heard she laughed to herself for she knew they were both very old. One of the angels challenged her and asked why she laughed but she denied she had. The angel told them that with God everything is possible and true to the promise she bore a son the following year. The angels had come to destroy the towns of Sodom and Gomorrah and it was revealed to Abraham who pleaded with them to save them from destruction if they found righteous men living there. After several pleas the angel agreed. However both cities were destroyed because of their wickedness. (Genesis 19). Abraham was considered righteous before God and became the father of many nations. God listened to him and revealed things to him because of this. Today if you were to have a similar encounter most likely you would be terrified and unbelieving yet God does speak with men even today though in different ways. Hebrews 13:2 says ‘Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it’. Abraham did. You can ……………………Shirley Anne
Genesis 18:13–15
This unusual meeting between Abraham and three men is actually a divine encounter in which God takes on human form. On rare occasions in the Old Testament, God appears in some physical way to get his point across. (This kind of communication culminated 2,000 years later when Jesus of Nazareth was born; one of his titles was Emmanuel, which means “God with us.”). Perhaps you’re thinking that you’d have no problem believing in God if he were to appear to you miraculously. But neither Abraham nor Sarah viewed this encounter as a summit meeting with God. As a matter of fact, Sarah was quick with a doubter’s laugh (as Abraham had been; see Genesis 17:17) and even lied right to God’s face. Be cautious of the unusual or bizarre in the spiritual realm. Faith that is built primarily on such infrequent happenings doesn’t have a solid foundation. God can and sometimes will do unexpected things that will affect you personally. As you seek out God’s direction in your life, you’ll discover him at work in the everyday occurrences. And it’s the perception of God’s hand in everything you do that provides the firmest foundation for building your faith………………………………Taken from NIV The NIV Journey Bible
Shirley Anne
