Some Have Entertained Angels Unawares (Hebrews 13:2)

2024-02-01

Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. (Hebrews 13:2)

One additional reason for being hospitable beyond brotherly love is the potential that you may meet angels! Well, it has happened before. Let us see some examples.

Abraham was one. “And the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day; 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” (Genesis 18:1-3). He dined with these angels, and these reaffirmed the promise of the birth of Isaac. “And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him” (Genesis 18:10).

Lot was another, in which two of the same angels (presumably) came from Abraham. “And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground; And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant’s house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night. And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat” (Genesis 19:1-3). The story turned out to be the salvation of Lot from Sodom’s destruction.

Gideon was another. “Depart not hence, I pray thee, until I come unto thee, and bring forth my present, and set it before thee. And he said, I will tarry until thou come again. And Gideon went in, and made ready a kid, and unleavened cakes of an ephah of flour: the flesh he put in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot, and brought it out unto him under the oak, and presented it. And the angel of God said unto him, Take the flesh and the unleavened cakes, and lay them upon this rock, and pour out the broth. And he did so. Then the angel of the LORD put forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and there rose up fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes. Then the angel of the LORD departed out of his sight” (Judges 6:18-21). We see that Gideon provided for the Angel, and in this way, he found that He was an angel, a confidence booster for the timid would-be warrior.

Manoah and his wife were others. “And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD, I pray thee, let us detain thee, until we shall have made ready a kid for thee. And the angel of the LORD said unto Manoah, Though thou detain me, I will not eat of thy bread: and if thou wilt offer a burnt offering, thou must offer it unto the LORD. For Manoah knew not that he was an angel of the LORD. And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD, What is thy name, that when thy sayings come to pass we may do thee honour? And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is secret? So Manoah took a kid with a meat offering, and offered it upon a rock unto the LORD: and the angel did wondrously; and Manoah and his wife looked on. For it came to pass, when the flame went up toward heaven from off the altar, that the angel of the LORD ascended in the flame of the altar. And Manoah and his wife looked on it, and fell on their faces to the ground” (Judges 13:15-20).

In each case, the saints prepared food (or rather, an offering) and spent time with the angels. They were invited into their homes. They were very reverent and insistent for them to stay with them, going to great trouble. Sometimes, the angel was the Angel of the LORD. Knowing that they had encountered angels greatly encouraged these saints of old. Promises of children and promises of deliverance were much more readily received from these heavenly messengers.

All of this is not written for us alone. Could it be that we could also entertain angels? Be ready for anything!