In Genesis, chapters 18 and 19 we are told of a visitation of the Lord with Abraham. As in the heat of the day he sat at his tent door, he lifted up his eyes and looked, and lo, three men stood by him. One of the three is the Lord thus appearing to him. Yet there is neither fear nor shame in Abraham. There is the happy confidence of a man to whom such an appearance is no uncommon event, yet at the same time with all the reverence and respect of a man who knows in whose presence he is ; for whilst "he ran to meet them," he also "bowed himself toward the ground."
What a contrast we have between Abraham here and Adam, when the voice of the Lord God was heard as He walked in Eden in the cool of the day! Adam's accusing conscience made him hide in shame and fear from the Lord; whereas Abraham, like an obedient, trustful child springing into the arms of a loving father, hastens to meet Him. He feels that there is nothing between him and his Lord; but has the filial confidence of one who walks with God.
Two things we are to guard against :One is the hard, legal thoughts of God, which put Him a great way off from us, as if, being so mighty and so high above us, He scarcely would allow us to draw near to His footstool. Instead of addressing Him as Father, and knowing that He bids us approach the throne with boldness, people speak of Him as "the Creator," or "the Almighty," or "Providence." The spirit that prompts such cold reserve and distance is not such as is pleasing and gratifying to Him who has shed His precious life's blood to bring us nigh (Eph. 2:13). As we read in Romans 8:"Ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father" (see also 2 Tim. i :7).
The other danger to which persons are exposed is that, in having learnt something of grace, they well-nigh forget whose grace it is. The gift has been so much thought of that it has almost shut out the divine Giver. To be at perfect peace, and at our ease in the presence of One whose love to us is supreme, is just what that love desires; but this may be turned into boasting and self-exaltation, and the bowing attitude of Abraham is forgotten. Oh, that we might ever recognize that Fie who invites us to meet Him, though His love is infinite and His grace illimitable, is yet Himself the thrice-holy Jehovah; and though with boldness we approach the throne, yet we must approach it as worshipers. It is only thus we can have true communion with the Lord.
Abraham's request is, "My Lord, pass not away from thy servant." He had but lately known what it was to have God's high priest serve him with bread and wine, and now has come his opportunity
of feasting his Lord, "for therefore," adds he, "are ye come to your servant." Yet he makes little of his feast, calling it "a morsel of bread," whilst the Holy Ghost is pleased to give us three verses with the details, telling us repeatedly of his godly haste, the spirit of which was caught both by his wife and his servant. The butter and milk, the tender calf dressed, and the cakes of fine meal, are set before his heavenly visitors, and he stood by them in attendance whilst they did eat.
The Lord then tells Abraham that the cry of Sodom is great, and the sin very grievous; and Abraham, standing before the Lord, makes his pleading intercession in six earnest prayers, in every one of which his petition is most graciously answered, yet he ceases to make request before the Lord has ceased to listen. We read that the next morning Abraham got up early to the place where the previous evening he had stood before the Lord, "And he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and beheld, and lo, the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace " (chap. 19 :27, 28). How different the quiet shade of the tree on the plains of Mamre, at noontide yesterday, from the smoking furnace of the plains of Jordan upon which the eyes of Abraham looked to-day! Thankful must he have felt that, before the awful judgment had fallen, he had been so earnest in his efforts for the salvation of the city. How terribly real, and how soon, may be the execution of judgment upon this poor world! And yet how asleep are Christians to the danger of the unsaved! A servant of God, when spoken to about the apparent stagnation of the Lord's work in a certain town, said, "Do the Christians there believe in the reality of heaven and hell ? " Alas, such a question might often be asked!
But there are other contrasts which our souls do well to ponder. Abraham at his tent door, Lot at the gate of Sodom-the one a stranger and pilgrim with a tent, the other the man of influence and importance who sat in the gate of the city as a judge (vers. 1,9). Notice also the readiness of the Lord to receive Abraham's hospitality, whereas even His messengers can scarce be prevailed upon to enter the house of Lot ; as if, whilst they sought in mercy to save him from Sodom, they would not countenance his worldly position there.
Again notice how Abraham, who has stood aloof from the affairs of the world, can just at the right moment bring an unseen but almighty power to bear upon the world by prayer, which Lot, the worldly-minded child of God, with all his fancied influence, utterly fails to do.
The same thing is repeated daily. Christians mix up with the world, and join hand-in-hand in many a concern with the world and those who do not take their stand on the Lord's side; they may do so for expediency or for influence, but of what use is their influence ? When the time to put it faith arises, those over whom they had hoped to exercise it, refuse to listen.
It was so with Lot and the men of Sodom, even though he calls them "brethren." And oh, Christian parents, mark this solemn lesson:his warning, coupled with his entreaty, is powerless to move his sons-in-law, who had married his daughters. "Up, get you out of this place, for the Lord will destroy this city!" is his urgent cry to them ; "but he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons-in-law." They might have answered him:"Your past conduct belies your words; " for in spite of God's previous warning, when taken captive with the king of Sodom, Lot had settled down inside the city; his home, his wealth, his interests were there. "No, no; " they might say, " do not mock us so; we believe in deeds rather than words." But of faithful Abraham, the Lord says, in chap. 18 :19, " 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."
A lady I knew in America was coming over to England, accompanied by her three children. They were in the disastrous accident in which the Ville du Havre went down in mid-ocean. Her life was saved ; and on reaching Liverpool, knowing the anxiety of her husband, she telegraphed to him two words-''Saved-alone!"-two words only! The first told him the good news of her safety, but, alas, for the overwhelming sorrow as he learnt by the second that by one blow they were bereft of all their children. Who amongst us shall have to say, on the eternal shores, "Saved-alone?" It is by a life of daily communion with God we may be spared this eternal loss.
Once again:Abraham has learnt so much of God's grace that he is greatly humbled. In his prayer Abraham speaks of himself as '' but dust and ashes," and this is what he really felt himself to be in the Lord's presence; whereas Lot in his prayer can un-blushingly call himself " Thy servant ;" though what an indifferent one he was is but too evident.
Thus with these two men we have striking contrasts as regards their communion with the Lord, their testimony for Him, and their humility in His presence. Two courses so different, even in Christians, lead to great divergence in the end; thus, before this chapter closes we see Abraham in peace and security, looking out upon the sad desolations beneath him, whilst Lot, though saved, is full of trembling and fear; in sorrow and shame he ends his days-"Saved as through fire.".
A Christian not living in communion with his heavenly Father is one of the saddest objects; not only he himself stumbles, through walking in darkness, but others stumble over him. True love to our brethren is manifested by our abiding in the light, for then "there is none occasion of stumbling" in us (1 John 2 :10). Let us see to it then, that we abide in communion with the Lord.