Imagine this scenario: the Trinity sat and agreed on a thing to do in heaven. No man was privy to the content of the meeting nor the time of its execution. Just some angels that will be part of executing the assignment were brought to the know of the decision taken. On the day of its execution, God decided to go with two other angels to the earthly location for a second verification (not as if God wasn’t aware of what was happening in the said geographical location, but it’s a language of the Bible to depict the fact that God being bodily present acts as a man who receives information through the normal human sense organs).
On their way to the place of this important assignment, they were intercepted by a man who was taking shade under a tree just outside his tent. It was a hot afternoon, and the tree in front of his house provided shade to relax from the stress of the day. But the sight of these three emissaries from heaven reinvigorated him, and he decided to welcome them into his shade for some washing of feet and a bit of refreshment. He was seeing God in a bodily form and knew that men often need to eat for strength; how he got such understanding is what I don’t know, maybe he got that from his forefather Adam, who always had a daily evening koinonia with God at the Garden of Eden.
This man quickly ran into his tenth and asked his old but lovely wife to prepare some delicious cakes for the visitors, then asked his servant to dress a tender calf, while he gets butter and milk. They quickly did so and in a jiffy presented the heavenly host with a delicious meal. This man’s name was Abraham and his wife was Sarah.
Three Reasons why God revealed this Divine Secret to Abraham
But my focus in this interesting story that is captured in Genesis chapter 18 isn’t the fact that God ate nor the negotiation that took place afterwards. My interest is in what took place in between these two events in that chapter. And I’m not talking about the promise that Abraham and Sarah will have a son. No. I’m talking about what happened from verses 16 through 19.
16And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way.
17And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do; 18Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?
19For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.
ONE would think that the hospitality of Abraham may have gotten him such favour to tap into divine secrets. Not really. Abraham’s hospitality got him Isaac, for it was during the meal that God promised Abraham a son. There were other reasons that made God reveal such a delicate matter to Abraham.
1. Abraham was God’s friend.
Granted that Abraham entertained strangers (Hebrews 13:2), there was an understanding in Abraham that made him know that one of the three men is “My Lord” (Genesis 18:3). Such divine perception isn’t ordinary nor is it common. Just as when Peter said, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” It wasn’t a speech made out of guesswork. It was a revelation that streamed from heaven into his spirit, and he was able to give an accurate description of who Jesus is. In fact, Jesus immediately commented on that answer saying, “Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 16:16-17.
So, Abraham had a knowing that was rare; a perception that wasn’t readily available to everyone. So, he knew that One of the personalities standing before him is God. In James 2:23, we learn that “Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.” Jesus told his disciples that because they were His friends, ALL that the Father has revealed to Him, He has explained to them – John 15:15. So, Abraham was God’s friend and so was privy to heavenly secrets. His Friend (God) revealed the matters of the inner caucus to him (Abraham). What a privilege! What a blessing!
To gain access to certain divine secrets about your life and the lives of those around you, you must become a friend of God. Some of us are victims of transactions that took place in the spirit realm, and we don’t even know when nor where it took place. Lot didn’t even know that there was a negotiation between God and Abraham on his head and that of his family. Some of us don’t even know God’s plans for our lives talkless of God’s plan for a land or a generation. To have access to any of these, you must transition from being a disciple – servant to becoming a friend.
2. Abraham shall become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him
The second reason was actually given by God. In verse 18, we see God thinking on the compelling reasons why Abraham must be brought to the knowledge of what was about to happen. God knew that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation. Although at that moment, he was alone with his wife and servants, he will grow to become a nation to be reckoned with. So, God decided to let him in on this important expedition He was headed for.
Also, all the nations of the earth will be blessed in Abraham. It was as though Abraham has become the custodian of the earth just as Adam was in the beginning. God saying that ALL the nations of the earth shall be blessed in Abraham shows that Abrahamic blessings go beyond Israel as a nation. As many as would recognise Abraham as their father, and the God of Abraham as their God would enjoy the same blessings that God promised Abraham. It is as though we all came from the loins of Abraham.
In fact, in Isaiah 51:1-2, the Bible says “ 1Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the LORD: look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are dug.
2Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you: for I called him alone, and blessed him, and increased him.”
So, everyone that loves God and follows righteousness is an offspring of Abraham and can lay claim to the Abrahamic covenant and blessings.
The third and most important reason is found in the second part of this discourse. Continue reading here.
Thanks for reading. Kindly share this article and make sure to check out hundreds of interesting articles on this website on various subjects. God bless you and keep sharing God’s Word.
