Important notice: Always check out what you hear and see for yourself, as it is up to you as a Christian to do your own studying. Never take anyone's word alone, including this website here, without first always checking it out for yourself. As 2 Timothy 2:15 says "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."
Genesis 18
1 And the LORD appeared unto him (Abraham) in the plains (= oaks) of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;
2 And he lift up his eyes and looked (see Genesis 13:14), and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground,
Notice Abraham "bowed himself toward the ground". The reason he did this was because he recognized who these three "men" were; it was the presence of the LORD and two angels, which is even documented in the Massorah. We will see these two called "angels" in the next chapter (Genesis 19). Note three is the number of divine perfection.
3 And said, My LORD (YHVH, not Adonai), if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant:
Here we see Abraham's acknowledgement that one of these three is YHVH (GOD). The kenite scribes have tried to hide this by changing YHVH to Adonai, which therefore strips GOD of HIS deity which you can see for yourself in the Masoretic text; this is 1 of the 134 times this incorrect translation takes place in the Sopherim. The name YHVH shows GOD's eternal, never ending power and deity, unlike Adonai which gives HIM the title of an earthly king.
4 Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree:
5 And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye come to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said.
6 And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes (evidently unleavened) upon the hearth.
7 And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetcht a calf tender and good, and gave it unto a young man; and he hasted to dress it.
8 And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat.
Although this may be a little difficult to understand due to how men's traditions have formed false images and theories of angels, Genesis 1:27 tells us that we (flesh) are made in the same image as GOD and the angels, and as it's written in Exodus 16 and Psalm 78:25, we can eat angels food (manna) which means they can eat of our food. After all when CHRIST arose from the dead, HE even ate of our food too (Luke 24:30, Luke 24:43, Acts 10:41).
9 And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent.
10 And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him.
11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.
This explains how Rebekah, a grand-daughter of Abraham's brother, should be old enough to marry Isaac, Abraham's son.
12 Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?
"my lord" as you see in this verse is used in reference to Abraham. Remember both Abraham and Sarah are way past the years of having children but as we should always know, nothing is impossible with GOD and if GOD states it, which HE did, it's going to happen. Never underestimate GOD's ability and power.
13 And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old?
14 Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.
15 Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he (GOD) said, Nay; but thou didst laugh.
You can't con GOD for HE knows all things, including your very own thoughts.
16 And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way.
I.e. Abraham walked with them toward Sodom.
17 And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do (compare to Amos 3:7);
What is this thing that GOD is about to do? HE's about to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah and you will understand why later on, due to how much wickedness had been taking place at that time. GOD always warns us before HE does something, just like HE has with us in these end times, concerning satan's coming that will happen before our TRUE CHRIST returns (2 Thessalonians 2). See also "A Warning Against The Rapture".
18 Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?
19 For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.
GOD didn't just know Abraham from this flesh life, but instead all the way from the very beginning with the world that then was (the first world age), mentioned of in 2 Peter 3:6. GOD knows exactly who HE can count on and who HE can't; and just as HE could count on Abraham, due to his faith and obedience, so can HE count on the rest of HIS elect today. See also "Three World Ages" and "satan's Downfall".
20 And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;
21 I will go down (always done in judgment [compare Genesis 11:7, Exodus 3:8]) now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know.
Here we see the use of anthropopathy. Don't ever think for a moment that GOD doesn't care or hear our requests because HE does and just as HE came to destroy this wicked area, so will HE destroy all wickedness from this world one day at HIS return. GOD always takes care of HIS own and to those who are truly one of HIS, they will remain faithful and trust HIM no matter the present circumstances; after all, there is nothing we will ever face in life that HE can't bring us through.
22 And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.
I.e. these two "men" (angels) went on into Sodom while Abraham stayed back with GOD.
23 And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?
I.e. Abraham's thinking about his nephew Lot and hopes GOD will spare him and his family, with perhaps any other righteous ones living in that area.
24 Peradventure (i.e. perhaps) there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein?
25 That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?
26 And the LORD said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.
Instead of Abraham just directly asking GOD if HE will save that area for his kin, he's just throwing out numbers even though he knows how wicked that area is and that really finding other righteous people is not likely. Something to note is that fifty is symbolic of the HOLY SPIRIT in Biblical numerics.
27 And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the LORD (YHVH, not Adonai), which am but dust and ashes:
Here we see Abraham's use of meiosis. I.e. he's making it known that compared to GOD, he's nothing but dust and ashes and so whatever it is in GOD's eyes, that's how it is. Here is another one of the 134 incorrect translation from where the kenite scribes changed YHVH to Adonai.
28 Peradventure (perhaps) there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five? And he said, If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy it.
Forty-five in Biblical numerics means preservation.
29 And he spake unto him yet again, and said, Peradventure (perhaps) there shall be forty found there. And he said, I will not do it for forty's sake.
Forty in Biblical numerics means probation.
30 And he said unto him, Oh let not the LORD (YHVH, not Adonai) be angry, and I will speak: Peradventure (perhaps) there shall thirty be found there. And he said, I will not do it, if I find thirty there.
Thirty in Biblical numerics represents the blood of CHRIST.
31 And he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the LORD: Peradventure (perhaps) there shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for twenty's sake.
Twenty in Biblical numerics represents redemption.
32 And he said, Oh let not the LORD (YHVH, not Adonai) be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure (perhaps) ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten's sake.
Ten in Biblical numerics represents testimony - law and responsibility.
33 And the LORD went his way, as soon as he had left communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place.
2 And he lift up his eyes and looked (see Genesis 13:14), and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground,
Notice Abraham "bowed himself toward the ground". The reason he did this was because he recognized who these three "men" were; it was the presence of the LORD and two angels, which is even documented in the Massorah. We will see these two called "angels" in the next chapter (Genesis 19). Note three is the number of divine perfection.
3 And said, My LORD (YHVH, not Adonai), if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant:
Here we see Abraham's acknowledgement that one of these three is YHVH (GOD). The kenite scribes have tried to hide this by changing YHVH to Adonai, which therefore strips GOD of HIS deity which you can see for yourself in the Masoretic text; this is 1 of the 134 times this incorrect translation takes place in the Sopherim. The name YHVH shows GOD's eternal, never ending power and deity, unlike Adonai which gives HIM the title of an earthly king.
4 Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree:
5 And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye come to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said.
6 And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes (evidently unleavened) upon the hearth.
7 And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetcht a calf tender and good, and gave it unto a young man; and he hasted to dress it.
8 And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat.
Although this may be a little difficult to understand due to how men's traditions have formed false images and theories of angels, Genesis 1:27 tells us that we (flesh) are made in the same image as GOD and the angels, and as it's written in Exodus 16 and Psalm 78:25, we can eat angels food (manna) which means they can eat of our food. After all when CHRIST arose from the dead, HE even ate of our food too (Luke 24:30, Luke 24:43, Acts 10:41).
9 And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent.
10 And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him.
11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.
This explains how Rebekah, a grand-daughter of Abraham's brother, should be old enough to marry Isaac, Abraham's son.
12 Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?
"my lord" as you see in this verse is used in reference to Abraham. Remember both Abraham and Sarah are way past the years of having children but as we should always know, nothing is impossible with GOD and if GOD states it, which HE did, it's going to happen. Never underestimate GOD's ability and power.
13 And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old?
14 Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.
15 Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he (GOD) said, Nay; but thou didst laugh.
You can't con GOD for HE knows all things, including your very own thoughts.
16 And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way.
I.e. Abraham walked with them toward Sodom.
17 And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do (compare to Amos 3:7);
What is this thing that GOD is about to do? HE's about to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah and you will understand why later on, due to how much wickedness had been taking place at that time. GOD always warns us before HE does something, just like HE has with us in these end times, concerning satan's coming that will happen before our TRUE CHRIST returns (2 Thessalonians 2). See also "A Warning Against The Rapture".
18 Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?
19 For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.
GOD didn't just know Abraham from this flesh life, but instead all the way from the very beginning with the world that then was (the first world age), mentioned of in 2 Peter 3:6. GOD knows exactly who HE can count on and who HE can't; and just as HE could count on Abraham, due to his faith and obedience, so can HE count on the rest of HIS elect today. See also "Three World Ages" and "satan's Downfall".
20 And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;
21 I will go down (always done in judgment [compare Genesis 11:7, Exodus 3:8]) now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know.
Here we see the use of anthropopathy. Don't ever think for a moment that GOD doesn't care or hear our requests because HE does and just as HE came to destroy this wicked area, so will HE destroy all wickedness from this world one day at HIS return. GOD always takes care of HIS own and to those who are truly one of HIS, they will remain faithful and trust HIM no matter the present circumstances; after all, there is nothing we will ever face in life that HE can't bring us through.
22 And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.
I.e. these two "men" (angels) went on into Sodom while Abraham stayed back with GOD.
23 And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?
I.e. Abraham's thinking about his nephew Lot and hopes GOD will spare him and his family, with perhaps any other righteous ones living in that area.
24 Peradventure (i.e. perhaps) there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein?
25 That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?
26 And the LORD said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.
Instead of Abraham just directly asking GOD if HE will save that area for his kin, he's just throwing out numbers even though he knows how wicked that area is and that really finding other righteous people is not likely. Something to note is that fifty is symbolic of the HOLY SPIRIT in Biblical numerics.
27 And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the LORD (YHVH, not Adonai), which am but dust and ashes:
Here we see Abraham's use of meiosis. I.e. he's making it known that compared to GOD, he's nothing but dust and ashes and so whatever it is in GOD's eyes, that's how it is. Here is another one of the 134 incorrect translation from where the kenite scribes changed YHVH to Adonai.
28 Peradventure (perhaps) there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five? And he said, If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy it.
Forty-five in Biblical numerics means preservation.
29 And he spake unto him yet again, and said, Peradventure (perhaps) there shall be forty found there. And he said, I will not do it for forty's sake.
Forty in Biblical numerics means probation.
30 And he said unto him, Oh let not the LORD (YHVH, not Adonai) be angry, and I will speak: Peradventure (perhaps) there shall thirty be found there. And he said, I will not do it, if I find thirty there.
Thirty in Biblical numerics represents the blood of CHRIST.
31 And he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the LORD: Peradventure (perhaps) there shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for twenty's sake.
Twenty in Biblical numerics represents redemption.
32 And he said, Oh let not the LORD (YHVH, not Adonai) be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure (perhaps) ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten's sake.
Ten in Biblical numerics represents testimony - law and responsibility.
33 And the LORD went his way, as soon as he had left communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place.