Genesis 18:1–2 records this remarkable event:
“Then the Lord appeared to him by the terebinth trees of Mamre, as he was sitting in the tent door in the heat of the day. So he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing by him; and when he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them, and bowed himself to the ground.”
The text identifies this visit as a divine appearance: “the Lord appeared to him.” One of the visitors is clearly the Lord Himself in human form, a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ, often referred to as a theophany. The other two visitors were angels, as confirmed in Genesis 19:1:
“Now the two angels came to gomorrah/”>Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom.”
Abraham showed great hospitality to these visitors, preparing a meal for them and serving them personally (Genesis 18:6–8). During this encounter, God reaffirmed His promise that Sarah would bear a son, even though she was advanced in age (Genesis 18:10). This led to Sarah’s laughter, which we discussed previously.
The visit also served another purpose: to announce judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah for their great sin. The Lord revealed His plan to Abraham, giving him the opportunity to intercede for the righteous in those cities (Genesis 18:16–33).
This account reveals several truths: God personally engages with His people, He confirms His promises, and He invites His servants into His plans. It also shows Christ’s active role in the Old Testament as the visible manifestation of the Lord.
