And said, My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant:
At hot noontide under the oaks of Mamre Abraham rests in his tent door and sees three travelers passing by, and though old and honored he runs to meet them, bows to the ground, and begs their leader to stay and be refreshed. He brings water with his own hands to wash their feet, provides food, and stands beside them while they eat, treating them simply as weary human wayfarers who might never come again. He does not know that he is entertaining angels and that one is the Son of God, his Creator and King, come with promises of blessing on a mission of mercy toward Sodom. His urgent courtesy is the Bible's foremost picture enjoining hospitality as a duty that brings blessing, opening heaven's counsels to him so that he is called the friend of God. The same privilege is not denied now, for even in this day angels in human form as weary travelers enter homes and are entertained, leaving a blessing behind, as taught in Hebrews 13:2.
The Visitors at Mamre
It was hot summer noontide, and Abraham was resting in his tent door under the oaks of Mamre when three travelers passed by without appealing for help or favor. Though full of years, dignified, wealthy, highly honored, and accustomed to command, he ran to meet them, bowed himself toward the ground, and begged their leader to stay and be refreshed. With his own hands he brought water to wash the dust of travel from their feet, he himself selected their food, Sarah made it ready, and he stood respectfully beside them under the cooling shade while they ate. He served them simply as passing wayfaring strangers who might never come his way again.
The visitors came in human form as men in the garb of wayfarers, resting as if weary under the oaks at noon, conversing and accepting the hospitality of a human home. They ate at a human table, even at the humble table of the family. Abraham thought they were only weary human travelers and treated and provided for them as human guests. He did not know he was entertaining angels, and that one was the Son of God.
When the entertainment was over the guests stood revealed as heavenly angels and their glorious Commander, his Creator, Redeemer and King. They had come with promises of blessing on a mission of mercy, ministering to God's people as angels have done in all ages. In fact they were messengers from heaven sent on the way to destroy Sodom for its great wickedness. Christ Himself appeared to Abraham in this visit and gave him distinct knowledge of the requirements of the moral law and of the great salvation to be accomplished through Christ Himself. That appearing fitted Abraham's appointment to preserve the truth amid prevailing sins and corruptions. The account of ordinary people meeting and speaking with angels at noonday shows that heaven may be very near in the common walks of life. Its full meaning as a divine interposition will be made manifest when the veil between the visible and the invisible world is drawn aside.
Hospitality Taught and Applied
This plea stands foremost among the Bible's pictures that enjoin hospitality as a duty and show the blessing it brings, a hospitality God thought important enough to record in His word. Abraham's urgent, courteous request to refresh passing strangers is a representative example of courtesy, kindness, love, generous hospitality, politeness, benevolence, and kind and attentive care. That character was learned under the Lord's moulding of his mind without printed instruction, and it stands as a sample of what men should be and do and of what a true gentleman and Christian gentleman owes to his fellow man. Through this welcome heaven's counsels were opened to Abraham and he was called the friend of God.
More than a thousand years later this hospitality is pointed to in the command not to forget to entertain strangers because some have entertained angels unawares. The privilege granted in Abraham's request is not denied now, for by showing hospitality to God's children people too may receive His angels into their dwellings. Even in this day angels in human form enter homes and are entertained, and mighty heavenly beings frequently disguise themselves as weary travelers in need of shelter for the night. Christians who live in the light of God's countenance are always accompanied by unseen angels who leave a blessing behind in the home. These ministering angels bear an active part in the work humans call their own, eating at the humble table of families.
God still works through holy angels for the succor and deliverance of His people, with celestial beings taking an active part in the affairs of men. Since the proclamation of the third angel's message began, when Satan enters complaints against God's servants, angels are sent down to investigate their course. Sometimes they talk with people without being recognized and question those in error until they tell all that is in their hearts, then bear a report back to heaven relating things just as they exist. Lot learned courtesy and hospitality from Abraham and made them part of his religion, and his attention to the strangers at Sodom's gate shows how such everyday kindness can bring blessing and even preserve life. After Abraham's example, Gideon entreated the divine Messenger, the Covenant Angel who in time past had wrought for Israel, to remain as his guest in order to gain a token of who He was.
The passage calls for seeking the Lord most earnestly and taking a more decided stand, to be not only professed believers in the truth but obedient to all of God's requirements. That seeking leads to heartfelt confession and earnest prayer as the Spirit softens and subdues hearts. Its Bible courtesy should be practiced by teachers, ministers, and church members.
At hot noontide under the oaks of Mamre Abraham rests in his tent door and sees three travelers passing by, and though old and honored he runs to meet them, bows to the ground, and begs their leader to stay and be refreshed. He brings water with his own hands to wash their feet, provides food, and stands beside them while they eat, treating them simply as weary human wayfarers who might never come again. He does not know that he is entertaining angels and that one is the Son of God, his Creator and King, come with promises of blessing on a mission of mercy toward Sodom. His urgent courtesy is the Bible's foremost picture enjoining hospitality as a duty that brings blessing, opening heaven's counsels to him so that he is called the friend of God. The same privilege is not denied now, for even in this day angels in human form as weary travelers enter homes and are entertained, leaving a blessing behind, as taught in Hebrews 13:2.
The Visitors at Mamre
It was hot summer noontide, and Abraham was resting in his tent door under the oaks of Mamre when three travelers passed by without appealing for help or favor. Though full of years, dignified, wealthy, highly honored, and accustomed to command, he ran to meet them, bowed himself toward the ground, and begged their leader to stay and be refreshed. With his own hands he brought water to wash the dust of travel from their feet, he himself selected their food, Sarah made it ready, and he stood respectfully beside them under the cooling shade while they ate. He served them simply as passing wayfaring strangers who might never come his way again.
The visitors came in human form as men in the garb of wayfarers, resting as if weary under the oaks at noon, conversing and accepting the hospitality of a human home. They ate at a human table, even at the humble table of the family. Abraham thought they were only weary human travelers and treated and provided for them as human guests. He did not know he was entertaining angels, and that one was the Son of God.
When the entertainment was over the guests stood revealed as heavenly angels and their glorious Commander, his Creator, Redeemer and King. They had come with promises of blessing on a mission of mercy, ministering to God's people as angels have done in all ages. In fact they were messengers from heaven sent on the way to destroy Sodom for its great wickedness. Christ Himself appeared to Abraham in this visit and gave him distinct knowledge of the requirements of the moral law and of the great salvation to be accomplished through Christ Himself. That appearing fitted Abraham's appointment to preserve the truth amid prevailing sins and corruptions. The account of ordinary people meeting and speaking with angels at noonday shows that heaven may be very near in the common walks of life. Its full meaning as a divine interposition will be made manifest when the veil between the visible and the invisible world is drawn aside.
Hospitality Taught and Applied
This plea stands foremost among the Bible's pictures that enjoin hospitality as a duty and show the blessing it brings, a hospitality God thought important enough to record in His word. Abraham's urgent, courteous request to refresh passing strangers is a representative example of courtesy, kindness, love, generous hospitality, politeness, benevolence, and kind and attentive care. That character was learned under the Lord's moulding of his mind without printed instruction, and it stands as a sample of what men should be and do and of what a true gentleman and Christian gentleman owes to his fellow man. Through this welcome heaven's counsels were opened to Abraham and he was called the friend of God.
More than a thousand years later this hospitality is pointed to in the command not to forget to entertain strangers because some have entertained angels unawares. The privilege granted in Abraham's request is not denied now, for by showing hospitality to God's children people too may receive His angels into their dwellings. Even in this day angels in human form enter homes and are entertained, and mighty heavenly beings frequently disguise themselves as weary travelers in need of shelter for the night. Christians who live in the light of God's countenance are always accompanied by unseen angels who leave a blessing behind in the home. These ministering angels bear an active part in the work humans call their own, eating at the humble table of families.
God still works through holy angels for the succor and deliverance of His people, with celestial beings taking an active part in the affairs of men. Since the proclamation of the third angel's message began, when Satan enters complaints against God's servants, angels are sent down to investigate their course. Sometimes they talk with people without being recognized and question those in error until they tell all that is in their hearts, then bear a report back to heaven relating things just as they exist. Lot learned courtesy and hospitality from Abraham and made them part of his religion, and his attention to the strangers at Sodom's gate shows how such everyday kindness can bring blessing and even preserve life. After Abraham's example, Gideon entreated the divine Messenger, the Covenant Angel who in time past had wrought for Israel, to remain as his guest in order to gain a token of who He was.
The passage calls for seeking the Lord most earnestly and taking a more decided stand, to be not only professed believers in the truth but obedient to all of God's requirements. That seeking leads to heartfelt confession and earnest prayer as the Spirit softens and subdues hearts. Its Bible courtesy should be practiced by teachers, ministers, and church members.