The title of this week's Sabbath reading portion is Va-yeira, meaning "And he (the LORD) appeared." We read this title in Genesis 18:1: "Then the LORD appeared to him (Abraham) by the terebinth trees of Mamre, as he was sitting in the tent door in the heat of the day." When Abraham "lifted up his eyes", he saw the LORD as three men standing by him.
There is a lot of (Hebrew) meaning in this verse above. The timing of this event is directly after Abraham had been obedient to the LORD's command to circumcise (mul - circumcise, be cut off, to destroy, cut down, remove the unclean and impure things from body, mind and heart, to put away all wickedness, to cut off ways of speaking) himself and all the males of his household, including foreigners and his only son at that time, thirteen-year-old Ishmael (see Gen. 17:23-27), because Isaac had not yet been born. Ishmael, the son of the slave woman, was born before the circumcision, and Isaac, the son of prophetic promise who would carry the line of the Messiah/Christ, was conceived of Sarah and born after the circumcision.
We will see that the obedience of Abraham will put him in a spiritual position that is completely opposite of those who are disobedient. Abraham will be under a spiritual covering that will not be provided to the disobedient in the day of burning fire.
At this moment in the account, Abraham is in a state of powerful revelation: "Then (ra'a) the LORD appeared (ra'a - see, look, show, behold, appear, consider, seer, perceive, regard, foresee, present oneself to be visible, to be seen, discern, experience, to look upon one another, visions, to see the face of God, to be admitted to behold God) to him...". This powerful Hebrew word ra'a is doubled in this verse. In being mentioned twice, it is emphasized and plays an important role.
The place in which this appearance happens is by the terebinth trees or plain ('elon/'ayil/'el - great tree, an oak or strong tree/ram of sacrifice, door posts, lintel, projecting pillar, leader of a flock, a projecting architectural structure surrounding a door/God) of Mamre (mamre'/mara' - strength, vigorous, fatness/lift up wings that flap the air, maltreat, whip, lash with a whip). There is an additional meaning to the Hebrew root word mara' above. It also means: "rebellious, stubbornly or willfully disobedient, resist authority, refuse to obey a lawful order, to show contempt of court, persistent attitude of defiance, haughty, to swell with pridefulness, stubbornly perverse, defiant, insubordinate, recalcitrant, intractable." The LORD appeared in this place to deal with something that was perversely, wholly and defiantly disobedient. This, we will find out, is the location of Sodom (burning, to scorch, conflagration) and Gomorrah (submersion, plunge into conflict, "culture", merchandize, treat as a slave, act as a master, to gather and bind, deal tyrannically, to cherish enmity and rancor and malice).
The LORD will tell Abraham that He has appeared because He has heard the cries (za'aq/se'aqa - outcry, clamor, shriek/crying, bellow, sound as thunder) of the victims of Sodom and Gomorrah's very grave sin. (Gen. 18:20-21). The Hebrew word za'aq that we see used above also means "to call, gathered and joined assembly." The Greek word for "church", ekklesia, also means something similar: "to call, out of, gathering or assembly." This is an interesting connection of meanings. Are we lifting up a clamorous, bellowing and thunderous cry before the LORD on behalf of and with the victims of defiant evil today?
I would also like to note here that both Sodom and Gomorrah were previously shown as joined to an *aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega (see *note below) in the written Hebrew of Genesis 13:10. Is the gross rebellion and contempt (see mara' above) of Sodom and Gomorrah specifically raised up against the lawful authority of the Messiah/Christ, the *aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega? These types of pre-incarnate appearances and knowledge of Messiah/Christ in "Old Testament" scripture before His physical birth on earth are also called "Christophanies." Jesus told those listening to Him that Abraham knew Him and rejoiced in Him when he saw Him and His day. (see Jn. 8:56-58). Therefore Jesus is pointing to His pre-incarnate presence to Abraham many centuries before His birth on earth.
The previous presence earlier in Genesis of the *aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega in connection to Sodom and Gomorrah cautions us as to how fast and how far it is possible for even the people connected to the *aleph-tav Messiah/Christ can fall.
While the presence of Sodom and Gomorrah was within the same general physical area as Abraham's dwelling, spiritually, Abraham was in a different place. He was sitting in the door (petah/patah - door, entrance, gate, openings/thrown open, free, to loosen, break forth, unstop, let go free, open the hand, open the mouth) of the tent ('ohel/'ahal - tabernacles, tents, dwelling, covering, sacred tent of God/to be clear, shine, shining and vibrating appearance) in the heat (hom/hamam - heat, hot/enflaming, hot, kindle a fire, burning with lust) of the day (yom - day, time, year, continually, full, whole, to be hot, process of time, times of trouble, to glow with anger). Abraham was in the world and in the proximity of a pending burning destruction of judgment but not of it, as Jesus prayed for us also in John 17:14-16.
Jesus also spoke of His believers having the ability to bind and loose in an unlimited fashion in the earth. (see Mt. 18:18, Mt.16:19). Something would be loosed, set free to break forth from Abraham's spiritual position in the door (see petah/patah above) of the tent/tabernacle. From this place of entrance or opening, Abraham would open his hands in hospitality and open his mouth with words of refreshing to his three Visitors (see petah/patah above). What are we opening, freeing, unstopping, allowing to break forth from our positions in the door of the tabernacle? How are we opening our hands and mouths from this position?
Although Abraham lived in a time when the hot and flaming anger of the LORD was about to break out upon the two cities, he sat in the protective covering of the door of the tabernacle/tent of God. Sitting in that door, Abraham became part of the process (see petah/patah above), as we will see. As we also sit in the door of God's tabernacle, we become, like Abraham, part of the process when the anger of the LORD is about to burn against evil on the earth. Here we see some of "the works of Abraham" of which Jesus spoke. (see Jn. 8:39-40). How are we filling that serious role as those who are called to sit in the door of the tabernacle? Is it by the Spirit of God or by outward appearances and our own understanding?
Then the LORD in the form of three men asked Abraham about his wife Sarah. Sarah also was positioned in the tent/tabernacle (see 'ohel/'ahal above). Then He, the LORD, said: "I will certainly return to you according to the time of life, and behold, Sarah your wife shall have a son. (Sarah was listening in the tent door which was behind him.)" (v. 9-10). Although a fiery destruction was coming to Sodom and Gomorrah, the grace and beauty of the LORD were displayed as a new and miraculous life had come to the elderly Abraham and barren Sarah in the form of a prophetic promise. It was a promise that the LORD would keep. (Gen. 21:1-4).
As "the men" rose and began to depart for Sodom and Gomorrah, Abraham still stood before the LORD, and the LORD confided in His friend Abraham what He was about to do: "And Abraham came near and said, 'Would You also destroy the righteous with the wicked?...Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" As Abraham continued to intercede for the two cities based upon a number of the righteous that would be found within it, the LORD agreed and said: "I will not destroy it for the sake of ten." (v. 16-32, excerpt). Ten righteous were not found in the two cities and the judgment of the LORD was carried out, but not before "the men" or angels forced Abraham's nephew Lot and his family to leave the doomed city of Sodom (see Gen. 19:15-17). The LORD had earlier told Abraham that He had come down to see if the cries of the victims were true regarding the wicked state of Sodom and Gomorrah, and He got a first-hand "eye full". Even when warned to stop, the inhabitants would not relent from their terrible wickedness before the LORD. (Gen. 19:5-11). The day of judgment had arrived.
Jesus also said that He would call us "friends" as the LORD uniquely did with Abraham above, as He revealed His plans to Abraham regarding Sodom and Gomorrah. Jesus said to His disciples and to us: "Greater love has no man than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you." (Jn. 15:13-15). How are we walking in Christ's friendship with us - a friendship in which He tells and shows us all that His Father is doing?
Often I have heard it said that Abraham made a mistake in his intercession for "the righteous" who were dwelling in Sodom and Gomorrah, which would also result in the sparing of those two cities, when he stopped at the number of ten. Many say that Abraham should have kept going in his interceding negotiations with the LORD. However, perhaps he interceded exactly as the Spirit of the LORD was directing him to do. We see a hint of this below in another reading portion from this Va-yeira, "And He appeared" Sabbath.
The LORD was about to dismantle Jerusalem and send the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem into captivity in Babylon. He was going to send almost the whole population one thousand miles away into a foreign country under the rule of a great foreign king. The inhabitants of Jerusalem found it difficult to believe that the LORD would do such a thing to His covenant people, and the place of His own glorious temple, although they had broken the covenant with the LORD. They refused to believe the prophet Jeremiah's (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-Word of the LORD, as he stood in the gate of the LORD's house, of impending disaster and judgment if they did not "amend their ways." (Jer. 7:1-3). The LORD said that they had made the house of the LORD into a place of abominations and "a den of thieves." (v. 10-11). The LORD also assured the inhabitants that even as He had previously judged Shiloh, the place where His tabernacle had stood, He would also judge Jerusalem and His house there. (v. 12-15). Then the LORD commanded Jeremiah: "Therefore do not pray for this people, nor lift up a cry or prayer for them, nor make intercession to Me; for I will not hear you...Behold, My anger and My fury will be poured out on this place...it will burn and not be quenched." (v. 16-20, excerpt). The time of judgment had come, even against the LORD's own people, His city where He had placed His name, and the house/temple that was called by His name. Therefore, the LORD moved upon Jeremiah to stop interceding for it. Perhaps the same may have happened with Abraham, the friend of God, and Abraham felt moved to stop interceding at the number ten.
I would say then that we are to continue interceding before the LORD on behalf of "the righteous" that may dwell within the cruel wickedness of the Sodom and Gomorrahs of today, especially as the judgment of God may soon be approaching, unless and until the LORD moves upon us to stop. Jesus also told His disciples that there was a time to stop, even comparing the situation to Sodom and Gomorrah: "...And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet. Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!" (see Mt. 10:11-15, excerpt). Jesus was very serious in His words and warnings here. There is a time to stop interceding, but that time is dictated by the Lord, and not by us or by what we think. I believe that Abraham, the friend of God, interceded as he felt he was directed to do and stopped when he felt that he was directed to stop. What do you think?
As we can see, "the works of Abraham", of which we have only looked at a few here, are very much reflected in the New Testament also. All scripture is given by inspiration (theopneustos - divinely breathed) of God, as Paul wrote (2 Tim. 3:16-17). Jesus said that not even the smallest detail of God's Word will pass away until all is fulfilled. (see Mt. 5:17-18).
If you would like to learn more about our role as ones who sit in the door of the tent/tabernacle, you can pray with me: "Dearest Father, Judge of all the earth, let me be guided and moved by You only in these times when the people called by the name of Your Son, Jesus, sit in the doors of Your tent. Help me to learn from our father in faith, Abraham, and from Your Word and Spirit, the obedience, trust and faith that is required to live in these times, and to intercede according to Your will and wisdom. Lead me to circumcise my own heart and mind with Your Word so that I am able to manifest Your Son of Promise, Jesus, in my life and in the earth. I ask these things in the name of Jesus. AMEN."
*NOTE: aleph-tav written in Hebrew as אֶת, are the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet. The meaning of the two pictographic Hebrew letters can also be interpreted "Adonai (Lord) of the Cross/Covenant". In the New Testament, these letters are translated as Alpha and Omega written as ΑΩ, the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. These letters are those by which Jesus Christ identifies Himself in the Book of Revelation: see Rev. 1:8, Rev. 21:6, Rev. 22:13.
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