Genesis 18:1-15
Many times in the Old Testament, God appeared visibly to individuals. Sometimes He is identified as "the Lord" as He is in Genesis 17:1 and 18:1. Sometimes He is called "the Angel of the Lord" as in Genesis 16:7ff, and He may be referred to in other ways as well. Theologians call these "theophanies" or "Christophanies," meaning "appearances of God" or "pre-incarnate appearances of Christ" (before Christ came in the flesh). We live in the age AFTER Jesus has come to the earth in the flesh and after the Holy Spirit has indwelled every believer. In addition, we have the completed Word of God. Therefore, we do not see these physical appearances of God today. Of course, we know He is the same God!
Here in Genesis 18, one of these special visitors was the Lord Himself. Abraham humbly greeted them and then treated them to the finest hospitality, including water to wash their feet and a special meal of bread, freshly prepared meat, butter, and milk. vv. 6-8. They then asked about Sarah and though Sarah and Abraham were both very old, they repeated the promise that Sarah would conceive and bear a son. V. 12 says that "Sarah laughed within herself," at this promise. The Lord knew that she had laughed and called her out about it saying, "Is anything too hard for the LORD?" Sarah denied laughing, but the LORD knew that she did.
Sometimes these Bible characters seem larger than life and somehow unreal. We should remember that they were people just as we are, and they had their weaknesses and doubts too. And so we shouldn't be too hard on Sarah. We can be thankful that God's promises don't depend on us!
Psalm 18:1-15
If you will look at the headnote, this psalm is a praise to the Lord after David has been delivered from all his enemies, including King Saul.
vv. 1-3 are beautiful words of praise, love, and devotion. In vv. 4-6, David remembers the troubles and dangers he'd been through.
It's interesting, in light of what we read in Genesis 18, that vv. 7-15 can be called a theophany! At least that's what John MacArthur calls in it his study Bible, pp. 756-57. He calls it "a vivid poetic picture of God's presence..." God is compared to the most dramatic and even catastrophic events of nature: earthquakes, fire, darkness, wind, waters, thick clouds, hailstones, coals of fire, thunder, lightning, and channels of the sea!
For our meditation: "I will love You, O LORD, my strength, The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; So shall I be saved from my enemies." Psalm 18:1-3
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