Abraham Entertaining Angels, and Interceding for Sodom

Ver. 1 — 3. The time drawino; nioh that the promise should be fulfilled, God’s appearances to Abraham are frequently repeated. That which is here recorded seems to have followed the last at a very little distance. Sitting one day in a kind of porch, at his tent door, which screened him from the heat of the sun, “he lift up his eyes, and lo, three men” stood at a little distance from him. To him they appeared to be three strangers on a journey, and as such he treated them. His conduct on this occasion is held up in the epistle to the Hebrews as an example of hospilaUfii; and an admirable example it affords. His generosity on this occasion is not more conspicuous than the amiable manner in which it was expressed. The instant he saw them, he rises up, as by a kind of instinctive courtesy, to bid them welcome to his tent, and that in the most respectful manner. Though an ckl man. and they perfect strangers to him,

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he no sooner saw them than he “ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground;” and observing one of them, as it should seem, presenting himself to him before the other, he said to him, “My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant.”

Ver. 4, 5. And whereas they were supposed to be weary, and overcome with the heat, he persuades them to wash their feet, and sit down under the shade of the spreading oak near his tent, and take a little refreshment, though it were but a morsel of bread to comfort their hearts; after which they might go forward on their journey. Something may be said of the customs of those times and countries, and of there being then but few, if any inns, for the accommodation of strangers: but it certainly affords a charming specimen of patriarchal urbanity”, and an example of the manner in which kindness and hospitality should be shewn. To impart relief in an ungracious and churlish manner, destroys the value of it. We see also in this conduct, the genuine fruits of true religion. That which in worldly men is mere complaisance, dictated often by ambition, in Abraham was kindness, goodness, sympathy, and humbleness of mind. It is to the honour

of religion that it produces those amiable dis-F f

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positions which the worst of men are constrained, for their own reputation, to imitate. If such dispositions, and such hehaviour were universal, the world would be a paradise.

Ver. 6 — 8. The supposed strangers having consented to accept the invitation, the good old man, as full of pleasure as if he had found a prize, resolves to entertain them with something better than “a morsel of bread,” though he had modestly used that language. Plastening to Sarah, he desires her to get three measures of fine meal, and bake cakes upon the hearth; while he, old as he was, runs to the herd, and fetches a calf, tender and good, and gives it to one of his young men, with orders to kill and dress it immediately. And now, the table being spread beneath the cooling shade of the oak, the veal, with butter and milk to render it more palatable, is placed upon it, and Abraham Himself waited on his guests. Such was the style of patriarchal simplicity and hospitality. As yet, Abraham does not appear to have suspected what kind of guests he was entertaining. He might probably be struck from the first with their mien and appearance, which seem to have excited his highest respect; yet he considered them merely as strangers, and as such entertained them. It Mas thus that he “entertained angels unawares.”

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Ver. 9, 10. But while they sat at dinner under the tree, enquiry was made after Sarah his wife. Abraham answered, “Ceholcl, she is in the tent.’” This enquiry must excite some surprise; for how should these strangers know the name of Abraham’s u ife, and her. new name too; and why should they enquire after her? But if the enquiry must strike him with surprise, M’hat followed must have a still greater eifect — He who was the first in the train on their arrival, and whom he had addressed in terms of the highest respect, now adds, “I will certainly return unto thee, according to the time of life, and lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son.” This language must remind hifn of the promise which lie had so lately received,* and convince him that the speaker was no other than Jehovah, under the appearance of a man. In the progress of the old-testament history we often read of similar appearances; particularly to Jacob at Peniel, to Moses at the bush, and to Joshua by Jericho. The divine personage who in this manner appeared to men, must surely have been no other than the Son of God, who thus occasionally assumed the form of that nature, which it was his intention, in the fulness of time, actually to take upon him. It was thus, that” being in the form of God, he thought it not robbery

* Chap. xvii. 21.
F f 2

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to be equal with God” — that is, he spake and acted all along as God, and did not consider himself in so doing as arrogating any thing which did not properly belong to him.

Ter. ] 1 — 15. Sarah having over-heard what was said concerning her, and knowing that according to the ordinary course of things she was too old to have a son, laughed within herself at the saying. She supposed however, that as it was to herself, the whole was unknown: but il was not. The same word is used as was before used of Abraham, but it was not the same thing. His laughter was that of joy and surprise: hers had in it a mixture of unbelief, M’hich called forth the reproof of Jehovah. “Jehovah” (the same personage who is elsewhere called an angel, and a man) “said unto Abraham,” in the hearing of his wife, “Wherefore did Sarah laugh r” And, to detect the sinfulness of this laughter, he points out the principle of it — it was saying, “Shall I of a surety bear a child who am old;” which principle he silences by asking, “Is any thing too hard for Jehovah?” And then solemnly repeats the promise, as that which ought to suffice: “At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.” This language, while it proved that he who uttered it was a discerner of the

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thoughts and intents of the heart, covered Sarah’s face with confusion. In her fright she denies having laughed; but the denial was in vain. He M’ho knew all things replied, “Nay, but thou didst laugh.” We may imagine that what merely passes in our own minds has in a manner no existence, and may almost persuade ourselves to think we are innocent: but in the presence of God all such subterfuges are no better than the fig-leaves of our first parents. When he judgeth, he will overcome.

Ver. 16 — 19. “The men,” as they are called, according to their appearance, now take leave of the tent, and go on their way towards Sodom. Abraham, loth to part with them, went in company, as if to bring them on their way. While they were walking together, Jehovah, in the form of a man, said unto the other two, who appear to be created angels, “Shall I hide from Abraham the thing which I do?” Two reasons are assigned for the contrary. — First: The importance of his character. He was not only the friend of God, but the father of “a great nation,” in which God would have a special interest, and through which “all other nations should be blessed.” Let him him be in the secret. — Secondly: The good use he would make of it. Being previously disclosed to him, he would be the more

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deeply impressed by it: and according to bis tried and approved conduct as ibe bead of a family, would be concerned to impart it as a warning to bis posterity in all future ages. As the wicked extract ill from good, so the righteous will extract good from ill. Sodom’s destruction shall turn to Abraham’s salvation: the monument of just vengeance against their crimes shall be of perpetual use to him and his posterity, and contribute even to the “bringing of that good upon them, which the Lord had spoken concerning them.” Tbe special approbation with which God here speaks of family religion, stamps a divine authority upon it, and an infamy upon that religion, or rather irreligion, which dispenses with it.

Ft:i 20, 21. Jehovah having resolved to communicate bis design to Abraham, proceeds to inform him as follows — “Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrha is great, and because their sin is very grievous, I will go down now, and see M’betber they have done altogether according to the cry of it which is -come unto n)e; and if not, I will know.” This language, though spoken after the manner of men, contains much serious and important instruction. It teaches US, that the most abandoned people are still the subjects of divine government, and must sooner

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or later give an account; that impiety, sensuality and injustice are ibllowed with a cry for retribution; that this cry is often disregarded by earthly tribunals; that where it is so, the prayers of the faithful, the groans of the oppressed, and the blood of the slain, constitute a cry which ascendeth to heaven, and cntereth into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth; and finally, that in executing judgment, though God will regard these cries, especially where they wax greater and greater; as this is said to have done,* yet as they may be partial and erroneous, he will not proceed by them as a rule, but will avail himself of his own omniscience, that the worst of characters may have no cause to complain of injustice,

Vtr. 22 — 33. It is natural to suppose that the mind of Abraham must be forcibly impressed with this intimation. He would feel for his poor ungodly neighbours; but especially for Lot, and other righteous men, whom he might hope would be found amongst them. At this juncture, “the men,” that is, two out of the three,! went towards Sodom: but the third, who is called “Jehovah,” continued to converse with ibraliam. The patriarch standing before him, and being now aware that he was in the presence of the Most High, addressed him in the lan-

* Gen. xix. 13. f Chap. xix. 1.

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guage of prayer, or intercession. A remarkable intercession it is. — We remark, (1.) Abraham makes a good use of his previous knowledge. Being made acquainted with the evil coming upon them, he stands in the gap, and labours all he can to avert it. They knew nothing: and if they had, no cries, except the shrieks of desperation, -would have been heard from them. It is good having such a neighbour as Abraham; and still better to have an Intercessor before the throne who is always heard. The conduct of the patriarch furnishes an example to all who have an interest at the throne of grace, to make use of it in behalf of their poor ungodly countrymen and neighbours. — (2.) He does not plead that the wicked may l)e spared for their own sake, or because it would be too severe a proceeding to destroy them; hut for the sake of the righteous who might be found amongst them. Had either of the other pleas been advanced, it had been siding with sinners against God, which Abraham would never do. Wickedness shuts the mouth of intercession; or if any should presume to speak, it would be of no account. Though Noah, Daniel, and Job should plead for the ungodly, they would not be heard. Righteousness only will bear to be made a plea before God. But how then, it may be asked, did Christ make intercession for transgressors? Not

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by arraigning the divine law, nor by alleging ought in extenuation of human guilt; but by pleading his own obedience unto death! — (3.) He charitably hopes the best with respect to the number of righteous characters even in Sodom. At the outset of his intercession, he certainly considered it as a possible case, at least, that there might be found in that wicked place fifty righteous: and thouo-h in this instance he was sadly mistaken, yet we may hope from hence that in those times there were many more righteous people in the world than those which are recorded in scripture. The scriptures do not profess to be a book of life, containing the names of all the faithful; but intimate, on the contrary, that God reserves to himself a people, who are but little known even by his own servants. — (4.) God was willing to spaie the worst of cities for the sake of a few righteous characters. This truth is as humiliating to the haughty enemies of religion as it is encouraging to its friends, and furnishes an important lesson to civil governments, to beware of undervaluing, and still more of persecuting, and banishing men M’hose concern it is to live soberly, righteously, and godly in the world.* Except the Lord of hosts had left us a remnant of such characters, we might ere now have been as Sodom, and made

* Chap. vii. 11, p. 85, 85.

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like unto Gomorrha! If ten rio-hteous had been found in Sodom, it had been spared for their sakes: but akis, there M’as no such number! God called Abraham to Ilaran, and when he left that place, mention is made not only of “thc substance which he had gathered,” but of “the souls which he had gotten.”* But Lot, who went to Sodom of his own accord, though he also gathered substance, yet not a soul seems to have been won over by his residence in the place, to the worship of the true God.