Genesis 18:1-15--Isaac Promised

Genesis 18:1-15
World English Bible

18 Yahweh appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day. 2 He lifted up his eyes and looked, and saw that three men stood near him. When he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself to the earth, 3 and said, “My lord, if now I have found favor in your sight, please don’t go away from your servant. 4 Now let a little water be fetched, wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree. 5 I will get a piece of bread so you can refresh your heart. After that you may go your way, now that you have come to your servant.”

They said, “Very well, do as you have said.”

6 Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah, and said, “Quickly prepare three seahs of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes.” 7 Abraham ran to the herd, and fetched a tender and good calf, and gave it to the servant. He hurried to dress it. 8 He took butter, milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them. He stood by them under the tree, and they ate.

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

He said, “There, in the tent.”

10 He said, “I will certainly return to you at about this time next year; and behold, Sarah your wife will have a son.”

Sarah heard in the tent door, which was behind him. 11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age. Sarah had passed the age of childbearing. 12 Sarah laughed within herself, saying, “After I have grown old will I have pleasure, my lord being old also?”

13 Yahweh said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Will I really bear a child when I am old?’ 14 Is anything too hard for Yahweh? At the set time I will return to you, when the season comes around, and Sarah will have a son.”

15 Then Sarah denied it, saying, “I didn’t laugh,” for she was afraid.

He said, “No, but you did laugh.”

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It is at this time that the LORD comes to Abraham (notice his name changed in chapter 17) and Sarah (notice her name changed too), along with two other men.  These two other men will be the angels sent to rescue Lot and his family before the judgment falls on the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah and the other wicked Canaanite cities of the Jordan plain.

Abraham, being the good host that he is, offers the men rest and a small meal before they continue on their journey.  He does not recognize them as the LORD and two angels.  The book of Hebrews tells us to be kind to strangers because we never know when we might be entertaining angels.  I think the author of the book of Hebrews may have had this very text in mind when penning those words.

Though the travelers seemed to be in a hurry to get on with the business they came for, they agreed to do as Abraham said.  Then, the traveler who is the LORD asks where Sarah, Abraham's wife is.  Abraham said that she was in the tent (close enough to hear everything that was about to be said).  The LORD then promised them both that He would return again this time the following year and that Abraham and Sarah would have a baby boy--the first of many descendants of their own that they have been waiting for.

Sarah heard this and laughed because she was so old and beyond child-bearing age, and I'm sure the thought of her nursing and chasing after a little one sounded funny to her.  The LORD asked why she laughed and she tried to claim that she did not, but He declared that she had laughed and that they should name their son Isaac which means "laughter" because they laughed at the announcement of his birth (Abraham in chapter 17 and Sarah in chapter 18) and that he would bring much laughter to them in their old age.

This would be the child of promise who would carry on the Messianic Promise, but he would not be the Messiah.  He was just the next link in the chain, but not the final link.

The story abruptly changes in 18:16 when the LORD and Abraham start to talk about the destruction of the cities in the Plain of Jordan (where Lot decided to live) and Abraham pleading with the LORD to do what the LORD had already set out to do.  If we missed it with the Ark, the LORD does not let the righteous who belong to Him perish in the judgment of the wicked (no one that is meant to go to heaven will accidently go to hell).  Abraham spends much time and energy pleading for Lot and his family (though not by name) when the LORD has already sent the two angels on ahead to rescue them and get them out of the area before judgment falls on the area.