In Genesis 18, we again see that God appeared to Abraham. In this passage, the appearance is specifically in the form of a man. But note that LORD is rendered in capitals, which means that the word could be translated YHWH ("I Am"), the name God reveals to Moses at the burning bush. And not only does God appear to Abraham in person, but indeed shares a meal with him. As Dr. Duguid states in our chapter, this is the only time Scripture records God eating food set before him prior to the incarnation of Christ. And given that no one has ever seen God the Father (John 6:46), many consider this to be an encounter with the pre-incarnate Christ. What a tremendous privilege to share a meal and be considered a friend of God, despite Abraham's faults and failures!
But consider this: While we were still enemies of God, he befriended us in Christ through his life, death and resurrection. (Romans 5:10-11) And furthermore, because of our union with Christ, we are called sons of God. (Romans 8:14, 9:26, Galatians 3:26) What unmerited favor! We who deserve eternal punishment for our sin against The Most High have been graciously given the gift of God himself! Do we too often neglect to remember that the same God who fashioned our bodies, and who keeps them functioning from moment to moment, dwells within us by his Spirit? Even our failure to keep the greatest commandment (Matthew 22:37) has been forgiven through the sacrifice of Christ!
As we see in Genesis 18:16 and following, God includes Abraham in the discussion of his plans for Sodom and Gomorrah. The intimacy of the covenant extends beyond Abraham's current and future part in God's plan, to include even God's plans for those who "sin is very grave." We then see that Abraham asks God to spare Sodom and Gomorrah if ten righteous men can be found in the city. We should not underestimate what God can do with a few righteous people in the midst of the unrighteous. Is this not what we see unfolding in the New Testament with the growth of the early Church? We must not forget whose righteousness the righteous have, and by whose power the gospel of Christ goes forth and bears fruit.
Colossians 2:8-15 encapsulates many of the themes we have been discussing over the past few weeks in a way that hearkens back to the covenant made with Abraham and its sign of circumcision, the futility, ignorance and evil seen in Sodom and Gomorrah, and the grace-filled majesty and sufficiency of the life, death and resurrection of Christ, by which the promises and purposes of God are fulfilled, in whom we are redeemed, and by whom evil is conquered.
See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.
And viewing this present world--in which the sons and daughters of disobedience follow the prince of the power of the air and their own desires--as analogous to that of Sodom and Gomorrah, we can apply Redeemer's own vision: God's reason for tomorrow is our mission today--and as friends, sons, and daughters of God in Christ, we can boldly proclaim the good news with full confidence that our Covenant God will be faithful.
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