The Editor's Page
The Three Men Who Visited Abraham

"And the Lord appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day; And he lift up his eyes and looked, 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, And said, My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant..." (Genesis 18:1-3).

The three men who visited Abraham were intelligent beings:

1. They discussed intelligent subjects -- Abraham's hospitality, the birth of Isaac, Sarah's laughing, and the number of righteous souls it would take to save Sodom (Genesis 18:4-33).
2. Two of them led Lot out of Sodom and afterward destroyed the city (Genesis 19).
3. They could hear Abraham's words of hospitality (Genesis 18:3-8), they saw his provisions, spake to Abraham concerning Sarah and the birth of Isaac, they ate, sat, walked, and would have rested had the men of Sodom not intervened.

The three men appear to have physical bodies (Genesis 18:2). That their bodies appear to be physical is seen in their eating, walking, talking, hearing, etc. The men of Sodom thought the two angels had physical bodies (Genesis 19:4,5).

Was there a created spirit (sometimes called a human spirit) in each body in addition to the spirit which came from heaven? We think not. The only spirit in each body was the spirit which came from heaven -- there was only one spirit in each body.

Who was the one called the Lord in Genesis 18:1? Some think he was an angel, others think he was the second person of the Godhood [The Word (John 1:1), the Lord Jesus Christ]. If it was the Word who appeared in fleshly form, some interesting questions arise:

1. What was His makeup?
2. Was he exactly like Abraham?
3. Was He similar to Abraham? In what way might he have differed from Abraham?
4. Was His body only a phantom?

That these three were not ordinary men is seen in:

1. one being called the Lord,
2. knowing Sarah would have a child and when it would be born,
3. knowing Sarah laughed even though she was out of sight,
4. knowing how Abraham would direct his children,
5. knowing how many righteous would save Sodom,
6. having power to blind the men of Sodom,
7. having the power to destroy Sodom, and
8. knowing when to destroy the city.

What was the makeup of the three? First, what was the makeup of the two who went to Sodom? The Holy Spirit called them men (Genesis 18:2,16,22; 19:10,12) and angels (Genesis 19:1,15). These two were angels who appeared in the form of men. An angel is a spirit (Hebrews 1:13,14) created by God (Psalms 148:1-8). Each angel was housed in a body. Was each one composed of a body, soul, and spirit? Second, what was the makeup of the one called the Lord? If He was the second person of the Godhood, the Word, then we have a Divine being in fleshly form? While on earth, was He composed of a Divine Spirit housed in a physical form, thus being a spirit, soul, and body? Conclusion: Whether Divine Spirit or angel, the three were composed of one spirit and one body, with the resultant physical life (soul).

Does this have any relation to current study of the nature of Jesus while He was on earth? I believe it does. It shows that a spirit from heaven can dwell in a physical form, and that his makeup is LIKE man, but not EXACTLY LIKE man. Jesus, while on earth, was LIKE us, but not EXACTLY LIKE us. He was God in the flesh: One Divine Spirit in one body, resulting in physical life (soul).

When the three men in Genesis 18 did anything, who did it? That seems like a foolish question, doesn't it? But, let us answer it. Who was hungry and ate? Three beings, each of whom was a spirit from heaven. Who walked, talked, etc? Three beings whose spirits were from heaven. When Lot tested the patience of the two in Sodom, who was being tested? Two whose spirits were from heaven.