Who Appeared to Avraham?

Weekly Torah Lesson

Parasha:  VaYera – and He appeared
Torah:  BeReishit 18:1 – 22:24                  

1 And Avinu appeared to him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day; 2  And he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, see, 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, 3  And said, Adonai, (Bereishit 18:1-3)

** Notice that Avraham recognized Him immediately.  His past encounter with Malchitzedek may have prompted this recognition.

3 if now I have found favor in your sight, pass not away, I pray you, from your servant: 4 Let a little water, I pray you, be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree: 5 And I will  bring a morsel of bread, and comfort you your hearts; after that you shall pass on: for therefore are you come to your servant. And they said, So do, as you have said. (Bereishit 18:3-5)

The Scripture seems to be pretty self explanatory in identifying YHVH as the Deity that appeared to Avraham. It seems that the three Beings appeared as men and were able to consume food. The “contradiction” comes when we read:

No one has seen Avinu at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him. (Joh 1:18)

The resurrected Yeshua is the best example that we have to understand the things that Avinu has to do in order to “appear” to a human as a human.

6 And Avraham hastened into the tent to Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes on the hearth. 7 And Avraham ran to the herd, and chose a calf tender and good, and gave it to a young man; and he hurried to dress it. 8 And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat. (Bereishit 18:6-8)

Yeshua also used food to prove who He is:

41  But while they still did not believe for joy, and marveled, He said to them, “Have you any food here?” 42  So they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish and some honeycomb. 43  And He took it and ate in their presence. (Lu 24:41-43)

Then the men turned away from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the LORD. (Ge 18:22 NKJV)

Far be it from You to do such a thing as this, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be as the wicked; far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? (Ge 18:25 NKJV)

32  Then he said, “Let not Avinu be angry, and I will speak but once more: Suppose ten should be found there?” And He said, “I will not destroy it for the sake of ten.” 33  So Avinu went His way as soon as He had finished speaking with Abraham; and Abraham returned to his place. (Ge 18:32-33 NKJV)

Now the two angels came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them, and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground. (Ge 19:1 NKJV)

For those of us who believe that Yeshua is Avinu in the flesh, the Scriptural account of Avinu appearing to Avraham isn’t a big leap.  

For those who don’t believe in Yeshua it might be necessary to assume that something else is being represented in these verses. This is where “The LORD was being represented by an angel.” Etc… It’s always difficult to understand the Scriptures when we begin with some pre-conceived ideas.

So, if you don’t believe that Yeshua was Avinu in the flesh than it’s difficult to believe that Avinu appeared to Avraham  as a human.