GENESIS XVIII.

'HE narrative of Abraham's life increases in interest as we proceed. It shows him in the midst of wider relations even to the world around him, than might have been naturally expected from his position in the land in which he was still a stranger. This chapter opens with a pleasing picture of patriarchal life. An hour or so after mid-day-the heat of the day-he was seated in the door of his tent, pitched still under the leafy wide-spreading oaks of Mamre, in the attitude of thoughtfulness, his eye resting on the green sward around him, when his meditations were interrupted. "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. Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree and I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye come to your servant, And they said, So do as thou hast said" (ver. 2-5). The whole scene is peculiarly attractive, and supplies an apt illustration both of eastern hospitality and of that polite and gentlemanly bearing which should ever accompany true love to God. Those here named " men,' are described afterwards as "angels" (xix. 1). Abraham appears to have discerned their true character at first glance. One of them excelled in dignity, and to him the patriarch addressed himself. This was no other than the Angel of the covenant, spoken of in verse 17 as "Jehovah." Are we struck with the absence of haste, amazement, and excited action in their first meeting? We can account for such calm, respectful, and polite behaviour, only by bearing in mind, that such appearances of God to man formed parts of God's selfmanifestation to the men of faith in those early times. The Saviour once and again, as if anticipating the time of his true incarnation, took a real human body, and in it dealt with his people. By his special charge also the angelic nature was sometimes associated with the human body; and, like men, the ministering spirits were sent forth

to minister for them who were heirs of salvation” (Heb. i. 14). The invitation of Abraham was a step to the fulfilment of the errand on which the divine messengers had come. Sarah, rather than Abraham, was the person sought. Her husband had at once communicated his wishes to her, and Sarah's activity was engaged in preparing the meal -the newly baked bread, as the eastern custom still is; the newly killed calf, tender and good; the butter and the milk which the herd supplied. Just such a feast as the Arab chief till this day hastens to place before new-come guests. "Where is Sarah thy wife?" asked the angels. "And he said, Behold, in the tent." Sarah's womanly curiosity had been quickened, as in the women's division of the tent she heard her name mentioned: "Sarah thy wife shall have a son." The bloom of her life had passed. Hope touching the promised seed through her had left her. "She heard it in the tent door which was behind him," and she laughed, saying, "Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old?" "Is any thing too hard for the Lord?" was the only answer; "at the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son" (ver. 14). Her faith in the promise was restored, and like Abraham, she became an example of faith. Through faith also Sarah herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she had judged him faithful who had promised. Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea-shore innumerable" (Heb. xi. 11, 12).

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The men left the shadowy groves of Mamre, where they had honoured Abraham by partaking of his hospitality. The act was one of great condescension, but, nevertheless, it was truly done, even by the Angel of the covenant himself. In order that it may be seen in its true bearing it must be regarded in the light of the corresponding act mentioned in Luke xxiv. 41-43-" While they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat? And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb. And he took it, and did eat before them.”

Two of the angels passed on to Sodom, the Lord tarried with the patriarch on the heights from which he could get a view of the whole vale of Siddim. There he told Abraham of the coming doom of Sodom, and there occurred that wonderful pleading with God for the wicked cities, which makes up the remaining portion of this chapter. The position can scarcely be mistaken. "We climbed," say Messrs. M'Cheyne and

Bonar, "the highest hill to the south-east of Hebron, to obtain, if possible, that view of the plain of Sodom which Abraham had on that morning when it was destroyed from heaven. In the valley, we passed with some difficulty through the vineyards, regaled by the delightful fragrance.. The vineyards stretch up the hill beautifully, and groves of deep green olives inclose it on every side. Hebron is embosomed in hills. Looking to the south, over a high ridge of hills, the eye stretches into a wilderness-land of vast extent. In that direction lay Carmel. But the most interesting of all was toward the east, not on account of its beauty, but on account of its being in all probability the view which Abraham had when he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and behold, and, lo, the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace.' A high ridge intercepts the view of the Dead Sea, but the deep valley formed by it, and the hills of Moab on the other side, are clearly seen. If Abraham stood on the hill where we were now standing, then he saw, not the plain itself, but 'the smoke of the country rising up' as from a furnace. If he saw the plain, then he must have stood on the intervening ridge nearer the Dead Sea. There can be little doubt but it was in this direction that Abraham led the three angelic men on their way towards Sodom, and we felt it a solemn thing to stand where Abraham drew near and pleaded with the Lord, 'Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?' What wonders of mercy and judgment these mountains have seen!"