“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 lifted up his eyes and looked, behold, three men were standing opposite him…He said, ‘I will surely return to you at this time next year; and behold, Sarah your wife will have a son’….Then the men turned away from there and went toward Sodom, while Abraham was still standing before the Lord. Abraham came near and said, ‘Will You indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked?… Shall not the Judge of all the earth deal justly?’” (Genesis 18:1-2,22-23,25, NASB).

Genesis 18 is a theological nexus that reveals the link between God’s mercy and wrath, between human rebellion and redemption. And it does so in a most dramatic way.

Three defining moments occur in this chapter that reveal the cosmic interaction between mercy and wrath, between human rebellion and divine redemption: 1) the announcement of the birth of Isaac; 2) the plan to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah; and 3) God’s restraint for Lot and his family.

One day while Abraham was sitting on the front porch of his tent, God paid him a visit. God appeared in front of Abraham in the form of three men (a theophany). Some think the three men signify the Trinity, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. The text indicates that two of them were angels so at least one of the three persons appearing at Abraham’s tent was God Himself,  “the Lord” (see vs. 1, 13, 17, 20, 26, 33, 19:1)!

In a way this personal visit by God to Abraham was prototypical of the Annunciation of the Incarnation of Christ. God announced to Abraham (and to Sarah who was eavesdropping from inside the door to the tent) that there is a miraculous birth about to take place. Abraham, a 99 year-old man, and Sarah, a 90 year-old-woman, would produce a son together In their old age!

After the announcement of the miraculous birth of a child, God turned His attention to another pressing matter–the wickedness of Sodom and Gomorrah: “The outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah is indeed great,and their sin is exceedingly grave” (vs. 20). God planned to send His angels to completely destroy the cities and He debated with Himself whether to reveal His plan to Abraham or not.

God decided to tell Abraham about His plan because Abraham was His chosen one through whom He would secure human redemption and salvation: “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, since Abraham will surely become a great and mighty nation, and to him all the nations of the earth will be blessed?” (vs. 17).

Abraham’s nephew, Lot, whom Abraham had raised like a son, resided in Sodom. Understandably, Abraham was disturbed and concerned about Lot’s welfare in view of this impending destruction.

Consequently, Abraham began to negotiate with God, calling upon His mercy to restrain His wrath toward Sodom and Gomorrah in case any righteous people dwell there: “‘Oh may the Lord not be angry, and I shall speak only this once; suppose ten are found there?’ And He said, ‘I will not destroy it on account of the ten'” (vs. 32).

Genesis 18 is so well scripted and the interplay between these opposing forces of mercy and wrath, redemption and rebellion, is so memorably portrayed that the drama is almost like a celestial stage play. God, Who on His way to destroy unrighteous Sodom and Gomorrah, first paid a visit to righteous Abraham and reassured him of His mercy that He will show toward the whole human race through His covenant with Abraham.

Abraham then appeals to God’s merciful nature to persuade God to leverage His mercy with the execution of His wrath.

Now, this heavenly drama is one that can be performed in the theater of your own life as well. Instead of pouring out wrath upon you, God desires to pour out His mercy upon you.

So, instead of living in rebellion, why not receive redemption?

The blessing of Abraham is available for you to live out in your life today through Jesus Christ! He’s knocking at the door of your life right now. And, when God pays a visit to your tent and you receive Him in, He will certainly save you from the wrath of God for which you were previously destined!

Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. (Revelation 3:20, NASB)