When the LORD appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre, it was a moment of profound intimacy.
“The LORD appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the door of his tent in the heat of the day. He lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing in front of him.”
(Genesis 18:1-2 ESV)
One of these visitors spoke and acted as the LORD himself, while the other two were heavenly messengers who would later go on to Sodom (Gen.19:1).
This encounter wasn’t symbolic. It was personal. The God whom no one can see (Exod.33:20; John 1:18) once again revealed himself in a form Abraham could perceive — a theophany, an appearance of God in human likeness.
Many early Christian writers understood this as a Christophany — an appearance of the pre-incarnate Word, the eternal Son, who would one day take on flesh and dwell among us (John 1:14).
Here the LORD reaffirms his covenant promise: Sarah will bear a son. Her laughter of disbelief echoes through the tent — the laughter of impossibility. But the LORD responds with a question that still pierces every doubt:
“Is anything too hard for the LORD?”
(Genesis 18:14)
There is only one right answer: No. Nothing is too difficult for him. What God promises, he performs. The apparent delay of his word is never its denial. Abraham and Sarah learned that the timing of fulfillment belongs to God alone — but fulfillment always comes.
What are the promises the LORD has spoken over your life? The prayers that seem unanswered, the visions that appear delayed? Remember this: the same LORD who appeared to Abraham still visits his people — and you and me — today. His faithfulness endures from generation to generation.
Keep praying. Keep expecting. The One who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it (1 Thess.5:24).
So let the question echo again in your heart today:
“Is anything too hard for the LORD?“
Scholarly Note
Genesis 18-19 presents a theophany in which the LORD appears personally to Abraham, accompanied by two angelic messengers. The LORD’s direct speech, his knowledge of Sarah’s inner thoughts (Gen. 18:13), and his remaining with Abraham while the others proceed to Sodom all affirm his divine identity.
The word theophany derives from the Greek θεός (theos), meaning God, and φαίνω (phainō), meaning to appear or to make visible. So literally it means “appearance of God.”
A related term, Christophany, combines Χριστός (Christos), Anointed One or Messiah, with phainō, meaning “appearance of Christ.” Early Christian interpreters such as Justin Martyr and Irenaeus used these terms to describe Old Testament encounters where the eternal Word — the pre-incarnate Son — appeared in visible form, revealing the Father (cf. John 1:18; 8:56).
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