WHO Did Abraham SEE In Genesis 18:1?

Who did Abraham really see in Genesis 18:1? This study carefully compares Genesis 18 with John 1:18 and other key passages to discover how Scripture explains this remarkable encounter without contradiction.

New Article updated!

Genesis 18: Who Did Abraham Really See?

Research by Simon Brown

Introduction

Genesis 18 records one of the Bible's most discussed events. Abraham is visited by three men before the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.

Many Trinitarians believe one of these three visitors was God Himself appearing as a man. Others who reject the Trinity believe the visitor was the pre-human Jesus, acting as God's representative before His birth.

But does the Bible actually teach either of these views?

Rather than accepting tradition, we should carefully examine the Scriptures and allow the Bible to interpret itself.

"But examine everything carefully. Hold firmly that which is good."
— 1 Thessalonians 5:21

The Account in Genesis 18

Genesis 18 begins:

"Yahweh appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre..."

Only a few verses later we read:

"He lifted up his eyes and looked, and saw that three men stood opposite him." (Genesis 18:2)

Abraham welcomed the visitors, washed their feet, prepared a meal, and they ate together.

Later the visitors announced that Sarah would bear a son and warned Abraham about God's coming judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah.

The obvious question is:

Who were these three men?

The Traditional Trinitarian View

Many Trinitarian writers conclude that one of the three visitors was God Himself appearing in human form while the other two were angels.

Others identify the visitor specifically as the pre-incarnate Jesus, describing the event as a "Christophany."

Although these explanations are widely accepted, they raise important biblical questions.

Does the Bible Ever Teach That God Appears as a Man?

The first question we should ask is simple.

Where does Scripture ever teach that God sometimes becomes a man before Jesus' birth?

The Bible certainly teaches that God became known through Jesus Christ.

However, I know of no passage stating that God regularly appeared as a human being throughout the Old Testament.

If such an important doctrine were true, we would expect the Scriptures to teach it clearly.

Instead, we repeatedly read the opposite.

No One Has Seen God

John writes:

"No one has ever yet seen God." (John 1:18)

Jesus Himself says:

"Not that anyone has seen the Father except He who is from God." (John 6:46)

God told Moses:

"You cannot see My face, for man may not see Me and live." (Exodus 33:20)

Paul also writes:

"He alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen nor is able to see." (1 Timothy 6:16)

These passages consistently teach that no human being has seen God the Father.

If Genesis 18 records Abraham literally seeing God Himself as a man, how do these passages remain true?

Scripture should never be interpreted in a way that creates contradictions.

God Is Not a Man

Numbers 23:19 states:

"God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent."

Some argue this verse only means God is unlike sinful men.

However, the larger question remains:

Where does the Bible teach that God sometimes takes the form of a man?

The Scriptures never plainly teach such a doctrine.

God's Pattern Throughout Scripture

Throughout the Old Testament God repeatedly worked through representatives.

He sent prophets.

He sent angels.

He spoke through human messengers.

Hebrews opens by saying:

"God, having spoken long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways." (Hebrews 1:1)

Likewise, God often sent angels to accomplish His purposes.

For example, the angel of Yahweh destroyed the Assyrian army (2 Kings 19:35).

If God normally chose to work through His messengers, why should Genesis 18 be understood differently?

The Key to Understanding Genesis 18

The answer appears in Exodus 3.

The passage begins:

"The angel of Yahweh appeared to him in a flame of fire..." (Exodus 3:2)

Yet only two verses later we read:

"Yahweh saw... God called to him out of the bush..."

Then the speaker declares:

"I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob."

The speaker is clearly identified first as the angel of Yahweh, yet he speaks fully on God's behalf.

This is the biblical principle of divine agency.

God speaks through His appointed messenger.

The messenger speaks with God's authority because he represents God.

The angel is not claiming to be Yahweh Himself but is faithfully delivering Yahweh's words.

Genesis 18 follows this same biblical pattern.

Was Jesus Already the Mediator?

Another important question concerns mediation.

The New Testament clearly identifies Jesus as:

"The one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus." (1 Timothy 2:5)

Job had earlier lamented:

"There is no mediator between us." (Job 9:33)

If Jesus had already been acting as mankind's mediator throughout the Old Testament, Job's statement would make little sense.

Instead, the New Testament presents Jesus' mediatorial work as beginning through His life death, resurrection and exaltation.

This agrees with John 1:14:

"The Word became flesh."

Were the Three Visitors Simply Angels?

When Genesis 18 is compared with Exodus 3 and the wider testimony of Scripture, another explanation naturally emerges.

The three visitors were angels sent by Yahweh.

Because they represented God completely, Scripture can speak of Yahweh appearing while describing the actions of His heavenly messengers.

This understanding harmonizes Genesis 18 with John 1:18, John 6:46, Exodus 33:20 and 1 Timothy 6:16.

No contradictions remain.

Abraham encountered God's representatives—not God the Father Himself.

Conclusion

The Bible consistently teaches that no one has seen God the Father except Jesus Christ.

It also consistently shows God speaking and acting through angels and prophets who faithfully represented Him.

Exodus 3 demonstrates this principle clearly.

For this reason, I conclude that the three visitors in Genesis 18 were angels acting on Yahweh's behalf.

Their words were God's words because they spoke with His authority.

This explanation preserves the harmony of Scripture without requiring God Himself to appear as a man before the birth of Jesus Christ.

Whenever Scripture appears to present a contradiction, the safest course is to continue praying, studying, and comparing Scripture with Scripture until the Bible explains itself.

I believe Genesis 18 is one more example of the perfect harmony of God's Word.

Research by Simon Brown

Are the Modern Translations of John 1:15 and John 1:30 Misleading?

This Quick Facts infographic compares modern Bible translations with the Greek text of John 1:15 and John 1:30. It examines the meaning of the Greek expression translated "He was before me," the word πρῶτος (prōtos), and the biblical context to explore whether John the Baptist was describing Christ's rank and priority rather than teaching that Jesus consciously existed before His human birth.

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Quick Facts

The False Translation of John 1:15 & John 1:30

Did Jesus Really "Exist Before" John the Baptist?

Many modern Bible translations insert the word "existed" into John 1:15 and John 1:30.

This leads millions of readers to conclude that Jesus literally existed as a conscious person before His human birth.

But does the Greek text actually say "He existed before me"?

The evidence says no.

What Does the Greek Text Say?

When we examine the Greek Interlinear text of John 1:15 and John 1:30, there is no Greek word meaning "existed."

Instead, the text simply states:

"He was before me."

This is a significant difference.

The word "existed" is an interpretation added by translators, not a word found in the Greek text itself.

What Does "Before Me" Mean?

The Greek expression points to the idea of priority, precedence, rank, or importance, not necessarily personal pre-existence.

The key Greek word is associated with:

• First

• Before

• Chief

• Higher rank

• Principal

• Precedence

• Most important

This is why several translations correctly render the passage:

• "He was before me."

• "He has precedence over me."

• "He is preferred before me."

• "He had priority over me."

These translations reflect the Greek text without adding the word "existed."

John the Baptist's Meaning

John the Baptist was not teaching that Jesus lived as a heavenly person before His birth.

Rather, he was declaring that although Jesus began His public ministry after John, Jesus was always God's chosen Messiah, having first place in God's purpose and plan.

Jesus came after John chronologically, yet He held greater rank, honour, and authority.

Foreknown, Not Pre-Existing

The Bible repeatedly teaches that Jesus was:

• God's chosen Messiah.

• Foreknown before the foundation of the world.

• Revealed in these last days.

Peter writes:

"He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in these last times for your sake."

1 Peter 1:20

Peter speaks of God's foreknowledge, not of Jesus consciously living before His birth.

Colossians Agrees

Paul likewise declares:

"He is before all things."

Colossians 1:17

In its biblical context, this describes Christ's supremacy, rank, and pre-eminence as God's appointed Messiah, not necessarily His personal pre-existence.

Throughout Scripture, Christ is presented as first in importance, authority, and God's redemptive plan.

Conclusion

John 1:15 and John 1:30 do not require the translation:

"He existed before me."

The Greek text simply states:

"He was before me."

When read alongside the wider teaching of Scripture, John the Baptist is declaring Christ's priority, rank, honour, and God's eternal purpose, not that Jesus consciously existed before His human birth.

Rather than teaching pre-existence, these verses present Jesus as the promised Messiah, foreknown by God before the foundation of the world, revealed in the fullness of time, and given first place in God's plan of salvation.

SHOCKING COMMENT ON THE TRINITY.

 IMPORTANT UPDATE — NEW RESEARCH AVAILABLE

This subject has now been completely rewritten and expanded with additional research and evidence.

READ THE NEW UPDATED ARTICLE HERE: Did the Catholic Church Create the Doctrine of the Trinity? And Did Later Church Fathers Reject the Earlier Jewish Understanding of the One God?

OR CLICK ON IMAGE BELOW. PLEASE READ MY UPDATED ARTICLE:

 A detailed historical research image examining the development of the doctrine of the Trinity, featuring Simon Brown studying the Bible, the Trinity symbol, the Council of Nicaea, and the question of whether later Church Fathers rejected the earlier Jewish understanding that God is One.

DID THE CATHOLIC CHURCH CREATE THE DOCTRINE OF THE TRINITY?

And Did Later Church Fathers Reject the Earlier Jewish Understanding of the One God?

Research by Simon Brown 

REAL DISCOVERIES. , Appreciate your comment. To be certain, the trinity was adopted from pre-flood Satanic religions. Ancient pre-flood stone temples are full of trinity-gods and sub-gods. In actuality, alien life exists as spirit beings, which is just a spirit-based life form as opposed to our 'flesh'-based biological forms. All beings are created by God. . 

Why a trinity, some ask? Of what value is a trinity god belief to Satan? What does Satan want? Worship. How can he get worship? Either directly or indirectly. Indirectly? Worship that is not to God alone is Satanic. The trinity would serve these. How? The Holy 'Ghost' means holy 'demon'. Look it up. It is nameless in the trinity, like the Father is in the trinity. (But not the bible) It is worshipped as equally God, which is what Satan wants for himself. Demon trinities are common in pagan worship world-wide. Neither Judaism or Islam accept the trinity. One Christian religion does not. 

The trinity shares the worship of God equally with the son and the ghost. That demeans the Father, who Satan hates. Satan also hates the Son Jesus, so making him the object of idolatry serves a purpose. All false teachings of the Devil Satan are forbidden. The trinity is Satan's top deceptive teaching to get the worship he desires.

The Eye of Providence can be seen on the reverse of the  Great Seal of the United States, seen here on the US $1 bill.  

Ask a none Catholic Christian what they believe this:

 All seeing eye represents?

Well, thats what I did with an old Trinitarian friend and Bible teacher here in Hastings, and he told me the all seeing eye is demonic, and I told him it apparently represent your Catholic  “Shield of the Trinity” diagram, and the Catholics admit on their website, the all seeing eye is the TRINITY.

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Also read: COMMENT by John De Visser on the Trinity and false Christ's: 

The trinity is Satan's flagship of deception, it makes big liars and con artists out of both the Father and the Son.

It totally destroy's the first commandment but when you look deeper it even destroys the second and 3rd commandment as well.

The Trinity-Christ is just one of them and by far the biggest one, but sadly there are many false Christs

When scriptures warn us about many false Christs, the scriptures aren't referring to people who claim to be Jesus Christ like many people believe

Some examples of false Christs are the: 

-Jesus is God, Christ
-Prosperity Christ
-Quran's just a prophet, not the Son of God, Christ 
-Litteraly word of God, Christ 
-Father's flesh garment called Christ
-Reincarnated arch angel Michael Christ 
-Brother of Satan, Christ
-Tolerance of all Sin Christ
-Trinity Christ
-God-man Christ
-Pre existing Christ
-Co equal with the Father, Christ
-Same essence as God, Christ

Don't follow man, their doctrines, philosophies and wrong interpretations, they will lead you into big error and far away from the truth and your spiritual potention in the real Christ.

There is only one Christ; The man Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, Born out of virgin Mary, mediator between God and mankind, the last Adam, creator of the the new man and new heaven, High priest of the new covenant, Image of God, the truth, the way and the life, Lamb of God, Lord and Savior, and the only begotten Son of God who in the future becomes the first born among many brethren.

Get to know the real Christ, so through Him you can pray to the Father in spirit and truth and open yourself up to your great spiritual potention.

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 Portrait of Isaac Newton (1642-1727). /Photographer http://www.newton.cam.ac.uk/art/portrait.html. Artist Sir Godfrey Kneller (1646–1723)

Was one of history’s greatest scientists, Sir Isaac Newton correct in saying; Trinitarians were mistaken and misguided in its true interpretation of Christianity?

Did you know one of the history's greatest scientists Sir Isaac Newton (described in his own day as a "natural philosopher") who is widely recognised as one of the most influential scientists of all time and as a key figure in the scientific revolution, was a Arian who believed God the Father and the Son of God did not always exist together eternally.

He has many sayings like:

The word God is nowhere in the scriptures used to signify more than one of the three persons at once.

Sir Isaac Newton believed the Roman Catholic Church was misguided in its interpretation of Christianity, and had returned to idolatry.

Newton felt that belief in the holy trinity was a flagrant violation of the First of the Ten Commandments.

Dr. Thomas G. Barnes, in his book "Science and Biblical Faith," 1993, (distributed by CRS Books) has two chapters on Newton. He says, on p. 44, "Newton was perhaps the greatest biblical scholar of his age."

Barnes explains,

In 1669 Newton became Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at Trinity College, Cambridge, one of the most honored professorships in the scientific world. In 1673 he was told that he must take Holy Orders (be an ordained minister of the Church of England) to remain at Trinity. That was in Trinity College's charter granted by the King of England. Newton would not take those Holy Orders. ... Some of the church's thirty-nine articles of faith were not in accord with his interpretation of the New Testament. He was so important to Trinity that an appeal was finally granted by the King to delete that requirement for Newton.

 As I understand it, Newton's position on the doctrine of the "trinity" was, that he would not endorse what he could not understand. (Douglas Cox) 

Here is Newton's list:-

The word God is nowhere in the scriptures used to signify more than one of the three persons at once.

The word God put absolutely without restriction to the Son or Holy Ghost doth always signify the Father from one end of the scriptures to the other.

Whenever it is said in the scriptures that there is but one God, it is meant the Father.

Jude 1:4, is a perfect scripture that seems to make this point very clear.

For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

Jude 1:4.

In an article called What Is Messiah? Jewish Messiah or Christian God by Rick Richardson, he writes:

In his article Cosmic Codebreaker, Pious Heretic, about Sir Isaac Newton (for Christian History Magazine), Karl Giberson writes: “Newton began a sustained reflection on the Christian doctrines and decided that the Anglican status quo was a thorough corruption of the true, original Christianity.

These considerations led him to write over a million words on theology and biblical studies—more than he wrote on any other subject. “Newton's theological investigations convinced him that the doctrine of the Trinity was bogus, a successful deception by St. Athanasius in the fourth century.

Newton argued that the Scriptures had been altered and early Christian writers had been misquoted to make it appear that Trinitarianism had been

the original faith.”

Full Article here: https://wwwrealdiscoveriesorg-simon.blogspot.com/2015/01/sir-isaac-newton-and-albert-einstein.html

According To Jesus Who Should The True Worshippers Worship As GOD?

  IMPORTANT UPDATE — NEW RESEARCH AVAILABLE

This subject has now been completely rewritten and expanded with additional research and evidence.

READ THE NEW UPDATED ARTICLE HERE: WHO DID JESUS SAY WE SHOULD PRAY TO AND WORSHIP?

OR CLICK ON IMAGE BELOW

Simon Brown with his wife Angel and her family at their Christian wedding. This Bible study investigates who Jesus taught His followers to pray to and worship, who Jesus Himself prayed to, prayer to the Father through Jesus Christ, and whether Christian traditions concerning prayer agree with Jesus’ own teachings. 

What Did Jesus Himself Teach About Prayer, Worship, the Father, and His Own Role as the Son of God?

A Personal Testimony and Biblical Investigation

Research by Simon Brown

Was Jesus WORSHIPED, and if so, would this prove Jesus is GOD?

  IMPORTANT UPDATE — NEW RESEARCH AVAILABLE

This subject has now been completely rewritten and expanded with additional research and evidence.

READ THE NEW UPDATED ARTICLE HERE: QUICK FACTS: WAS JESUS WORSHIPPED — AND IF SO, DOES THAT PROVE JESUS IS GOD?

OR CLICK ON IMAGE BELOW

Bible research image examining whether Jesus being worshipped proves He is God. The study investigates the Greek word proskyneo, biblical examples of worship and homage, and Jesus' teaching about worshipping God the Father. 

Does the Greek Word Translated “Worship” Always Mean Worship Given Only to God?

Research by Simon Brown

Emma calls out for Trinitarians. New Video.

Hello I am Emma Brown. My husband Simon and I, love you all so much, we will be so upset, if we are not all together in GOD's new and perfect world to come, and we know many of you are Trinitarians.

We understand that you all believe in, (GOD the SON), just as we did when we were with you.

And as our love for you has not changed, so will you Please think about this?

If we believe GOD is the SON, then we have been deceived, into denying GOD gave and sacrificed His Begotten SON.

Because by believing GOD is the SON, would mean GOD did not sacrifice His Begotten SON, but gave and sacrificed Himself.

And as GOD cannot die, and you believe GOD is Jesus, your sins cannot be forgiven, because it was the SON of GOD who died for our sins, and not GOD, who cannot die.

1 John 4:9

In this the love of God has been revealed among us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, so that we might live through Him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son as a propitiation for our sins.

Music A Quiet Thought. Wayne Jones.

Videos by Simon Brown.