“Now the Lord appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, while he was sitting at the tent door in the heat of the day. When he raised his eyes and looked, behold, three men were standing opposite him; and when he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed down to the ground.” 
—Genesis 18:1-2, NASB

Reflection 

In Genesis 18 we find the story of Abraham encountering God in such a way that the Lord appeared to Abraham near the great oak trees of Mamre while he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day. Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked and saw three men standing across from him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed himself toward the ground. 

We do not know how or why, but it seems that Abraham immediately knew these were no ordinary men. Virtually every Bible translation uses the word men rather than angels or supernatural beings, and this is important. Whatever or whoever they were, they were dressed in human flesh. 

Genesis 18:1 plainly states that the Lord appeared to Abraham, so we have no reason to believe this was anyone else. Isn’t it interesting that Abraham immediately recognized that his visitor was the Lord Himself? After meeting Him, Abraham said, My Lord, if I have found favor in Your sight, do not pass by Your servant. Please let a little water be brought and wash your feet and rest yourselves under the tree. I will bring a piece of bread so that you may refresh yourselves. After that you may pass on, now that you have come to your servant. 

The original Hebrew for verse 1 immediately identifies the Lord as YHVH, pronounced yud-hey-vav-hey. This four-letter word is what is called the tetragrammaton, and it is God’s name throughout the Hebrew Bible, a name most Jews throughout history have viewed as so holy it should not be spoken aloud. 

It is also certain that Yahweh was in human form, standing right before Abraham. Whether He was one or three under the oaks of Mamre makes no difference for our discussion. What is important for us to see is that God came to man in human flesh. As far back as Genesis 18 we find God choosing to demote Himself by coming to earth in the form of a man. 

Theologians call this a theophany, which simply means a preincarnate appearance of Christ, an instance where Jesus showed Himself before actually being born as a baby. Take a moment to think about that: Who else but God could exist before being born? Only the Lord could do such a thing. 

Two thousand years after visiting Abraham in the flesh, Jesus once again visited humanity dressed as one of us. Just as He did with Israel’s father in Genesis 18, He walked, talked, ate, drank, and did all the things humans do. God came in the flesh. Jesus, God’s Son, was Emmanuel, meaning God with us. 

Application 

• Ask the Father to deepen your wonder that the Lord appeared to Abraham and came to man in human flesh.  

• Take a moment to think about this: Jesus existed before being born, and then visited humanity dressed as one of us.  

Prayer 

Father, open my eyes to the wonder of Your Son revealed even in Genesis. Let me see Yeshua as the One who came near, the One who appeared, the One who visited humanity dressed as one of us. Jesus, You are Emmanuel, God with us. Increase my reverence for Your holiness and my gratitude for Your nearness. Help me receive the truth of who You are with worship, humility, and faith.