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6 So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah and said, "Quickly, make ready three measures of fine meal; knead it and make cakes." 7 And Abraham ran to the herd, took a tender and good calf, gave it to a young man, and he hastened to prepare it. 8 So he took butter and milk and the calf which he had prepared, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree as they ate. 9 Then they said to him, "Where is Sarah your wife?" So he said, "Here, in the tent." ~ Genesis 18:6-9
Today, we return to our study of Genesis 18 where the Lord Jesus Himself has just appeared to Abraham along with two angels. After Abraham recognized that it was the Lord, he invited Him and the two angels with Him to stay for a short while and enjoy an afternoon snack with him under the terebinth trees at Mamre.
Today's passage provides for us a picture of the heart that has experienced circumcision. In Philippians 3:3 we read, "We are the true circumcision, who worship God in spirit, and glory in Christ Jesus, and put no confidence in the flesh." Abraham was led by the Spirit of God through many difficulties and trials and after years of wandering in a state of alternating victory and defeat, he had come into the fullness of the circumcised life which is a life defined by God's grace.
In v.6 of today's passage we read, "So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah and said, 'Quickly, make ready three measures of fine meal; knead it and make cakes.'"
Abraham was so excited about his guests and their promise to stay and enjoy a snack with him that he "hurried" into his tent. You will remember that at this point Abraham was 99 years old and he was so elated to serve the One who had intercepted his life that he hurried. Abraham's words to Sarah were as urgent as his steps into his tent. He told her to "Quickly make ready three measures of fine meal."
Abraham told Sarah to provide them with cakes which were not just a "morsel of bread" as he previously offered. Instead it was about three times as much as each of their visitors could eat in an entire day. Despite being humble about his offering, the bread alone was truly a banquet fit for a king. And, there was more to come.
In v.7 of today's passage we read, "And Abraham ran to the herd, took a tender and good calf, gave it to a young man, and he hastened to prepare it."
It was at this point that Abraham pulled out of his flock a "tender and good calf." Abraham gave to the Lord his absolute best. This is what a life that is being trained by the grace of God does; it sacrifices out of love. When we find ourselves being defined by love, we will love. When we are "in love" sacrifice becomes more important to us than our desire for convenience and comfort. Sometimes our sacrifices are small, other times they're big. Nonetheless, every person we meet in life should be a candidate of our love for the One who redeemed us by His blood on the cross of Calvary.
Another quiet lesson learned in this passage is: In order to live, something must die. The only thing that can overcome death is life. In order for sinful man to live, the Lord Jesus had to overcome death. Without the cross of Christ, sinful man would remain spiritually dead and in our sins. But, He died on the cross to take sin and death down on our behalf. He won that battle as evidenced by His resurrection. Anyone willing enough to believe in Him as Savior, God promises he will be saved for eternity.
In v.8 of today's passage we read, "So he took butter and milk and the calf which he had prepared, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree as they ate."
Biblical scholars tell us that Abraham made a meal which was more than two bushels, weighing nearly 56 pounds. Abraham not only brought out his finest and best, he brought out much more than was needed. Abraham gave the best of what he had and he gave it in abundance, and he was not coerced. He did it because he had been the recipient of God's love.
In the customs of the mid-east, it wasn’t considered at all menial for the head of a household to prepare and serve a meal like this. And, it would have been a breech of respect for Abraham to sit and eat with them, as well. Instead, Abraham stood ready to attend to any and every need the visitors might have had. Here, Abraham was known not only by his faith, he also was known by his deeds and actions. This is the way it works; once we have been made right with God through justification, as a result of getting to know God for who He is, we will want to give ourselves to Him. This is known in the Bible as sanctification. Justification is a one time event when we trust in God's goodness and promise through Christ, and sanctification is an on-going process wherein we learn to die to self and we are being defined our Savior.
In v.9 of today's passage we read, "Then they said to him, 'Where is Sarah your wife?' So he said, 'Here, in the tent.'"
It was out of this context that the Lord asked about Sarah's whereabouts. This question reveals that this occasion was actually about Sarah. Only the Lord knew of Sarah's recent name-change, this was why He asked, "Where is Sarah?" Abraham had already been defined by God's grace as evidenced by his heart of servanthood, but Sarah had been on the fringes of this unfolding story. So, in the providence of God, Sarah came into focus as the lens was directed towards her. The Lord directed attention to Sarah when He asked for her by name. This could only mean that this visit was about Sarah the whole time and the formalities of their culture led them to this question.
This narrative frames up for us what our lives are truly about. The saved person's existence is wrapped up in the phrase: "To Know Him and To Make Him Known." God had worked in Abraham's life in such a way that he experienced intimacy with God. And now, the Lord looked to offer that same type of intimacy with Him to Sarah. What makes us human is not our mind, but our heart; Not our ability to think but our ability to love. Stayed tuned to tomorrow's study to see where this narrative leads us.
