# 18 - Abraham's Mysterious Visitors - In this episode of The Chosen People with Yael Eckstein Abraham encounters three mysterious visitors who bring a divine promise, leading to a profound moment of faith and hospitality. This episode explores how God’s presence can transform doubt into joy, reminding us that nothing is too hard for the Lord.
Episode 18 of The Chosen People with Yael Eckstein is inspired by the Book of Genesis.
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For more information about Yael Eckstein and IFCJ visit https://www.ifcj.org/
Today's opening prayer is inspired by Titus 1:8, “but given to hospitality, a lover of good, sober-minded, fair, holy, self-controlled.”
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Show Notes:
(02:03) Intro with Yael Eckstein
(04:03) Abraham's Mysterious Visitors
(22:26) Reflection with Yael Eckstein
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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<v Speaker 1>Previously on the chosen people.
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<v Speaker 2>Your name will now be Abraham.
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<v Speaker 1>The words vibrated in Abraham's chest. The name felt familiar,
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<v Speaker 1>but held a new weight. Abraham, father of nations.
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<v Speaker 2>This shall be our mark, and it shall serve as
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<v Speaker 2>a sign of the covenant between us. Every one of
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<v Speaker 2>the males in your household, whether they are born into
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<v Speaker 2>it or adopted family or servant, must be circumcised.
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<v Speaker 1>Stunned, Abraham lifted his head, barely able to comprehend the
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<v Speaker 1>enormity of the vision laid before him.
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<v Speaker 2>Now, as for your wife's Sarah, as I have given
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<v Speaker 2>you a new name, she will receive a new one
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<v Speaker 2>as well. She will be known as Sarah. As you
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<v Speaker 2>will be the father of many nations, she will also
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<v Speaker 2>be blessed. I will give you a son by her.
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<v Speaker 1>Abraham, walking fully in this new identity and name, called
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<v Speaker 1>all the men of his household together.
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<v Speaker 3>To complete the covenant. He gave my wife and me
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<v Speaker 3>new names. We are now Abraham and Sarah. Our old
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<v Speaker 3>way of living is done. This completion of the covenant
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<v Speaker 3>was the start of a new way of living.
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<v Speaker 2>To day, I will make you a promise. I will
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<v Speaker 2>make you into a great nation. I will bless you.
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<v Speaker 2>Follow me, and I will make your name great, and
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<v Speaker 2>you will be a blessing to the entire world.
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<v Speaker 4>Under the desert sun, God and man broke bread together,
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<v Speaker 4>and long awaited plans and promises began to take shape. Shelloh,
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<v Speaker 4>my friends, from here in the Holy Land, I'm ya
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<v Speaker 4>l Exstein with International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. Welcome
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<v Speaker 4>to the Chosen People. Each day we'll hear a dramatic
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<v Speaker 4>story inspired by the Bible, stories filled with timeless lessons
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<v Speaker 4>of faith, love, and the meaning of life. Through Israel's story,
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<v Speaker 4>we'll find this truth that we are all chosen for
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<v Speaker 4>something great. Be sure to follow this podcast and leave
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<v Speaker 4>a review. If you're curious about the Fellowship and our
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<v Speaker 4>work around the world, you can visit i FCJ dot org.
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<v Speaker 4>Now let's begin. Imagine a world where the boundaries between
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<v Speaker 4>the divine and the mortal blur, where the ordinary becomes
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<v Speaker 4>extraordinary in the blink of an eye. Now place yourself
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<v Speaker 4>at the tent of an old man named Abraham, sitting
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<v Speaker 4>at the entrance in the heat of the day, lost
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<v Speaker 4>in thought, perhaps reflecting and promises whispered by God himself. Suddenly,
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<v Speaker 4>three strangers appear Who are these visitors? Are they mere men?
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<v Speaker 4>Or are they something more? In this moment, the natural
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<v Speaker 4>world meets the supernatural, and Abraham is confronted with the
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<v Speaker 4>sacred right there in his front yard. What does it
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<v Speaker 4>mean for the infinite to step into the finite, for
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<v Speaker 4>the divine to dine with the mortal? How do we
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<v Speaker 4>respond when heaven and Earth allied? Inspired by Genesis eighteen
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<v Speaker 4>one to twenty one, this is the cinematic story of
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<v Speaker 4>the Three Guests.
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<v Speaker 1>The sun bore down with a merciless intensity, casting waves
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<v Speaker 1>of shimmering heat across the arid landscape. It was too
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<v Speaker 1>hot to do anything, and even the hardiest of men
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<v Speaker 1>found the temperature unbearable. Abraham, feeling the oppressive heat himself,
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<v Speaker 1>had dismissed many of his servants and men to seek
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<v Speaker 1>refuge in their tents, sparing as many as he could
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<v Speaker 1>from the relentless sun. They had toiled feverishly that morning,
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<v Speaker 1>their efforts a testament to their devotion and endurance. But
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<v Speaker 1>now the satisfied weariness that followed a day of hard
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<v Speaker 1>labor settled upon Abraham. Reclining at the entrance of his tent,
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<v Speaker 1>he sought respite in the scant shade. Through the haze,
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<v Speaker 1>Abraham saw them, three figures, distant but distinct, moving along
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<v Speaker 1>the outside gods of his encampment. A familiar stillness enveloped him,
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<v Speaker 1>a divine hush that silenced even the relentless heat. His
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<v Speaker 1>heart pounded in his ears, a rhythmic drumbeat that heralded
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<v Speaker 1>something momentous. Despite the sweltering air and the fatigue that
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<v Speaker 1>clung to his bones, Abraham leaped to his feet, electrified
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<v Speaker 1>by a sense of impending significance. These were no ordinary travelers.
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<v Speaker 3>Sarah, Sarah, my love, are you there?
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<v Speaker 5>Yes, Abram, h Abraham, I'm here.
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<v Speaker 3>Do you see those men on the road, the ones
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<v Speaker 3>about to pass by our tents?
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<v Speaker 6>I do why.
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<v Speaker 3>I'm going to invite them to dine with us. They
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<v Speaker 3>will be our guests if they accept my invitation. I
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<v Speaker 3>can't explain why, but I know this is what we
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<v Speaker 3>are supposed to do. Will you have water drawn so
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<v Speaker 3>I can offer to wash the dirt from the road
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<v Speaker 3>from their feet.
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<v Speaker 5>I will see to at Abraham.
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<v Speaker 1>Without bothering to look dignified, as would befit his station,
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<v Speaker 1>Abraham ran out to meet them on the road. When
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<v Speaker 1>at last he was before them. He bowed low to
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<v Speaker 1>the ground. When he straightened, he took their measure. They
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<v Speaker 1>appeared as men, cloaked and dust covered from their journey,
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<v Speaker 1>yet there was an unmistakable aura of the other worldly
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<v Speaker 1>about them.
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<v Speaker 3>My lords, please, if it pleases you, I would invite
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<v Speaker 3>you to rest here before you continue on your journey.
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<v Speaker 3>If you would accept, I would offer you the hospitality
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<v Speaker 3>of rest, shade, food, and company.
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<v Speaker 7>You honor us, You address us as if we were
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<v Speaker 7>royalty in your eyes.
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<v Speaker 1>Abraham did not know why he addressed them as he did,
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<v Speaker 1>but fortunately before he could respond, one of the travelers,
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<v Speaker 1>the one who appeared to be their leader, responded on
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<v Speaker 1>their behalf.
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<v Speaker 2>We accept. Tell us, what is your name?
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<v Speaker 3>My name is Abraham.
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<v Speaker 2>Abraham very good. Please lead the way to your dwelling.
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<v Speaker 1>Abraham led the three travelers through the walkways between the tents.
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<v Speaker 7>Tell us, Abraham, your caravan seems quiet. Where are the servants.
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<v Speaker 7>I also don't see many men out and about.
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<v Speaker 3>I released many of them to rest due to the heat.
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<v Speaker 3>There are still men on watch and men in the fields,
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<v Speaker 3>as I'm sure you saw, But as many as I
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<v Speaker 3>could spare from this sweltering day, I gave them the afternoon.
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<v Speaker 3>It is also that all of my men in my household,
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<v Speaker 3>including myself and my servants, have also recently had a procedure.
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<v Speaker 3>You see, we are men under the covering of a
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<v Speaker 3>covenant with God Almighty. We have circumcised every male in
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<v Speaker 3>my household and under my protection. This is our covenant mark.
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<v Speaker 3>Even my adopted son portook in the ceremony, and every
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<v Speaker 3>male born from now on will be circumcised as well
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<v Speaker 3>on the eighth day. But I digress. There's always work
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<v Speaker 3>to be done, but it is also wise to rest
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<v Speaker 3>the body when you can.
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<v Speaker 2>That is very honorable. And every man has made this
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<v Speaker 2>declaration and accepted it.
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<v Speaker 3>They have they have seen the power and might of
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<v Speaker 3>our God firsthand. Every man and woman in my household
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<v Speaker 3>follows my lead as we seek to honor our God.
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<v Speaker 1>The three men said no more until they reached Abraham's tent,
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<v Speaker 1>but it was a pleasant and comfortable silence between them
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<v Speaker 1>as they walked. Abrahaham thought the leader seemed particularly pleased,
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<v Speaker 1>though he could not think why. Abraham had learned time
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<v Speaker 1>and time again unfortunately that not everyone accepted or even
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<v Speaker 1>understood their ways. Even Abraham's neighbors and friends. The three
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<v Speaker 1>amirate brothers had come to an impasse in understanding one
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<v Speaker 1>another's ways. The distance between them had been gradual, but
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<v Speaker 1>over the years he saw less and less of them.
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<v Speaker 1>When Abraham and the three men arrived at the tent,
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<v Speaker 1>Sarah was there to greet them.
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<v Speaker 3>I present my wife, Sarah.
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<v Speaker 5>My lords, be welcomed to our home. Please remove your
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<v Speaker 5>sandals so that we may wash the dust from your feet.
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<v Speaker 5>Once you have been cleansed from your day of traveling,
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<v Speaker 5>please be seated at our table. I will have winebrat
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<v Speaker 5>to refresh you from this heat.
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<v Speaker 2>Thank you, Sarah for your hospitality. You honor us.
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<v Speaker 1>As Abraham and Sarah's servants came forward to receive their guests,
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<v Speaker 1>Abraham pulled Sarah aside and laid out his plan.
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<v Speaker 3>Sarah, I need you to hurry while I instruct them
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<v Speaker 3>in the field. Need three measures of fine flower, and
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<v Speaker 3>make bread for our guests.
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<v Speaker 1>Abraham then hurried to the field and quickly surveyed the herd.
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<v Speaker 1>Among the cattle was a young calf. It was unblemished
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<v Speaker 1>and perfectly healthy. Abraham grabbed the rope neatly hanging from
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<v Speaker 1>the side of the enclosure and stepped inside. He corralled
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<v Speaker 1>the young calf away from the rest of the herd
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<v Speaker 1>and made comforting sounds to calm it to his touch.
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<v Speaker 1>He secured the rope around the calf's head and guided
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<v Speaker 1>it back to the gate of the enclosure. There he
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<v Speaker 1>found one of the remaining herdsmen, still going about his duties.
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<v Speaker 3>You there, gave them. Listen to me carefully. I want
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<v Speaker 3>you to take this calf and prepare it for the
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<v Speaker 3>guests I have in my tent. You are to move
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<v Speaker 3>quickly and efficiently as you do this, but take great
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<v Speaker 3>care in preparing it. The guests I host are to
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<v Speaker 3>be shown the utmost honor.
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<v Speaker 1>The young herdsman assured him that he would do exactly
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<v Speaker 1>as he was instructed, and hurried off. Abraham then rushed
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<v Speaker 1>back to the outdoor kitchen and told the servants there
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<v Speaker 1>to prepare the tender calf that was to be brought
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<v Speaker 1>to them and then cooked over a spit. He could
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<v Speaker 1>see recognition register in their eyes as he told them
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<v Speaker 1>of the meat to come. They rarely ate meat, as
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<v Speaker 1>the animals provided too much value to them for wool
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<v Speaker 1>and dairy to be butchered frequently. They knew these guests
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<v Speaker 1>must be important to warrant such an elaborate meal. He
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<v Speaker 1>could already smell the bread baking in the oven in
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<v Speaker 1>the ground. The aroma filled the outdoor space and was
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<v Speaker 1>surely wafting into the tent where his guests were waiting.
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<v Speaker 1>Sarah had clearly instructed the servants to begin cooking vegetables
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<v Speaker 1>for their meal, as he could see that the copper
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<v Speaker 1>pot had been lifted above a roaring fire beside the
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<v Speaker 1>oven with the bread. But Sarah was nowhere to be
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<v Speaker 1>found among the busy servants.
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<v Speaker 3>Eliezer, see to it that butter and milk are brought
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<v Speaker 3>to us when the calf is prepared. And where is Sarah?
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<v Speaker 6>I will do as you ask, Master Abram Abraham, and
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<v Speaker 6>Mistress Sarah is intersposed. She said that she suddenly felt
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<v Speaker 6>unwell and went to lie down in your tent, in
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<v Speaker 6>your sleeping quarters.
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<v Speaker 3>She was fine a few moments ago. I wonder what happened.
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<v Speaker 6>She is well. You can ask her when you see her.
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<v Speaker 2>Master.
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<v Speaker 3>Thank you, Eliezer, Please be sure to send someone in
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<v Speaker 3>to check on Sarah. You may see to your other tasks.
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<v Speaker 6>Now.
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<v Speaker 1>With Sarah indisposed, Abraham assumed full hosting duties. He returned
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<v Speaker 1>to his ten entrance, finding his guests seated on cushions
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<v Speaker 1>before an eating matt. Sarah had arranged their seating under
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<v Speaker 1>the tent shade, allowing any passing breeze to cool them.
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<v Speaker 3>I trust that you're all comfortable. I've seen to it
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<v Speaker 3>that our meal is being prepared. We will eat together.
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<v Speaker 1>Shortly, as Abraham walked over toward the pitcher of wine,
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<v Speaker 1>he recalled a similarly unexpected meal that had taken place
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<v Speaker 1>years ago, when he shared with a very mysterious high
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<v Speaker 1>priest called Melchisedek. Though he had been a king and
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<v Speaker 1>a priest, he had insisted on serving his guests. Abraham
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<v Speaker 1>smiled at the memory and gestured for the nearby servant
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<v Speaker 1>to stand down. He grabbed four cups in addition to
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<v Speaker 1>the wine, and began serving his guests at the table.
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<v Speaker 1>As he did so, another servant brought the bread, steaming
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<v Speaker 1>and fresh from the oven, to the table. When his
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<v Speaker 1>guests had their cups and bread before them, he less
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<v Speaker 1>their meal and they ate together. Food was brought out
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<v Speaker 1>in stages, and the men were honored by the tender
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<v Speaker 1>cuts of calf. Abraham's servants set before them. They encouraged
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<v Speaker 1>him to share his story with them as they dined together.
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<v Speaker 1>Abraham did so eagerly. He was delighted to share his
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<v Speaker 1>story of faith in his God and all that he
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<v Speaker 1>had seen and learned with anyone asking. In turn, the
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<v Speaker 1>three guests shared very little about themselves, seeming satisfied in
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<v Speaker 1>hearing of Abraham's many adventures. As they ate and drank,
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<v Speaker 1>a connection began to form in Abraham's mind.
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<v Speaker 6>He could always.
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<v Speaker 1>Sense when the presence of his God was near, and
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<v Speaker 1>sometimes it would prompt thoughts or ideas that were not
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<v Speaker 1>his own. Abraham recalled the covenant promise made to him,
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<v Speaker 1>and as he dined with these strangers, an image of
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<v Speaker 1>the celebratory stage of the covenant custom was brought to mind.
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<v Speaker 1>In a tradition covenant among his people, after the walk
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<v Speaker 1>unto death, a series of significant ceremonies would occur. Blessings
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<v Speaker 1>and curses would be spoken, the covenant mark would be given,
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<v Speaker 1>an exchange of names, and finally the covenant meal. He
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<v Speaker 1>realized that each of these ceremonies had taken place slowly
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<v Speaker 1>over the years, and now these strangers had come to
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<v Speaker 1>him right on the heels of his God, giving him
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<v Speaker 1>and Sarah new names, and after circumcising all the men
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<v Speaker 1>in his household, perhaps the mystery of this meal was
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<v Speaker 1>not so mysterious after all. Sarah had been in the
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<v Speaker 1>middle of instructing her servants when a wave of pain
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<v Speaker 1>shot into her abdomen. It contracted forcefully, causing her to
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<v Speaker 1>double over in pain. When the pain subsided, she looked
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<v Speaker 1>up and saw the concern written all over the servants faces.
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<v Speaker 1>Before she had time to say anything else, another wave
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<v Speaker 1>of pain gripped her belly. She didn't think she could
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<v Speaker 1>remain standing for much longer if the pain was going
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<v Speaker 1>to continue. Sarah called over their head servant, Elieza, and
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<v Speaker 1>left him in charge of overseeing the meal for Abraham's
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<v Speaker 1>significant guests. As she walked back to the living quarters
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<v Speaker 1>portion of their tent, she braced herself for another wave
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<v Speaker 1>of pain and clenched her fists around the fabric of
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<v Speaker 1>her skirts. What in Heaven's name could this be? Sarah
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<v Speaker 1>hadn't felt pain like this since since. But it couldn't be,
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<v Speaker 1>could it. Sarah was an old woman, now nearly ninety
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<v Speaker 1>years old. The way of the woman had not been
0:16:44 --> 0:16:47
<v Speaker 1>upon her for nearly forty years had it been this
0:16:47 --> 0:16:53
<v Speaker 1>painful back then, it was such a distant memory. Still
0:16:53 --> 0:16:57
<v Speaker 1>clutching her throbbing abdomen, Sarah stumbled through the back entryway
0:16:57 --> 0:17:00
<v Speaker 1>of their tent and collapsed on her bed roll. A
0:17:00 --> 0:17:03
<v Speaker 1>headache had begun to form, and fatigue began to cloud
0:17:03 --> 0:17:07
<v Speaker 1>her mind. Both were surely brought on by the intensity
0:17:07 --> 0:17:12
<v Speaker 1>of the cramping. Fortunately, a tent wall separated her from
0:17:12 --> 0:17:15
<v Speaker 1>where she had arranged for the men to sit. She
0:17:15 --> 0:17:18
<v Speaker 1>was already mortified at having to leave her duties, but
0:17:18 --> 0:17:21
<v Speaker 1>having any one witness her discomfort would have been more
0:17:21 --> 0:17:24
<v Speaker 1>than she could bear. A short time later, her servant
0:17:25 --> 0:17:27
<v Speaker 1>came in to check on her and promptly returned with
0:17:27 --> 0:17:31
<v Speaker 1>a damp cloth for her forehead. Sarah laid back with
0:17:31 --> 0:17:33
<v Speaker 1>the comforting weight of the cool cloth over her eyes
0:17:34 --> 0:17:37
<v Speaker 1>while she listened to the muffled conversation from the dinner
0:17:37 --> 0:17:40
<v Speaker 1>table on the other side of the tent. War The
0:17:40 --> 0:17:44
<v Speaker 1>steadiness of the sounds of her husband's voice and amiable
0:17:44 --> 0:17:48
<v Speaker 1>conversation allulled her into an uneasy stupor as she waited
0:17:48 --> 0:17:52
<v Speaker 1>for the pain to subside. She remained in that state,
0:17:52 --> 0:17:54
<v Speaker 1>perhaps would have laid that way all evening when a
0:17:54 --> 0:17:56
<v Speaker 1>voice cut through the ambient.
0:17:56 --> 0:17:59
<v Speaker 2>Noise, Where is your wife Sarah?
0:18:00 --> 0:18:03
<v Speaker 1>Sarah didn't know how she recognized the voice after hearing
0:18:03 --> 0:18:07
<v Speaker 1>it only once earlier, but it belonged to the man
0:18:07 --> 0:18:10
<v Speaker 1>who had thanked her for hospitality when they had arrived.
0:18:10 --> 0:18:13
<v Speaker 1>She could hear the apology and perhaps a tinge of
0:18:13 --> 0:18:16
<v Speaker 1>embarrassment in Abraham's voice when he responded.
0:18:18 --> 0:18:20
<v Speaker 3>She is there my lords in the tent.
0:18:21 --> 0:18:24
<v Speaker 1>Sarah wondered if he would explain further or even know
0:18:24 --> 0:18:29
<v Speaker 1>what to say. It was an uncomfortable topic to discuss,
0:18:29 --> 0:18:33
<v Speaker 1>especially over a meal. She also knew that Abram was
0:18:33 --> 0:18:35
<v Speaker 1>aware that she may be able to hear them from
0:18:35 --> 0:18:36
<v Speaker 1>where she was lying.
0:18:37 --> 0:18:40
<v Speaker 2>She is, and I will certainly come back to you
0:18:40 --> 0:18:44
<v Speaker 2>in about a year's time, and your wife, Sarah shall
0:18:44 --> 0:18:44
<v Speaker 2>have a son.
0:18:46 --> 0:18:49
<v Speaker 1>Sarah sat up at these words and tore her cloth
0:18:49 --> 0:18:53
<v Speaker 1>from her forehead. Her son. How could this stranger possibly
0:18:53 --> 0:18:56
<v Speaker 1>know what her husband had told her in confidence, not
0:18:56 --> 0:19:01
<v Speaker 1>that she believed it herself. Abram Abraham as he was
0:19:01 --> 0:19:03
<v Speaker 1>now to be called, She was still adjusting to that
0:19:04 --> 0:19:06
<v Speaker 1>had come to her and told her what their God
0:19:06 --> 0:19:09
<v Speaker 1>had relayed about her involvement in Abraham having another son.
0:19:10 --> 0:19:13
<v Speaker 1>This one would come from her, a woman who had
0:19:13 --> 0:19:17
<v Speaker 1>never been fertile and whose body had gone through menopause
0:19:17 --> 0:19:21
<v Speaker 1>several decades ago. It was outrageous, It was unheard of.
0:19:22 --> 0:19:24
<v Speaker 1>She had given up on that dream a long, long
0:19:24 --> 0:19:28
<v Speaker 1>time ago. Just then, another wave of pain rippled through
0:19:28 --> 0:19:32
<v Speaker 1>her lower stomach. She clenched her jaw and waited for
0:19:32 --> 0:19:35
<v Speaker 1>it to subside. Her thought began to take shape in
0:19:35 --> 0:19:38
<v Speaker 1>her mind as it dropped. There could this pain be
0:19:39 --> 0:19:43
<v Speaker 1>the beginning of something, the beginning of an ability she
0:19:43 --> 0:19:47
<v Speaker 1>had never possessed. No, it couldn't be. She brushed it
0:19:47 --> 0:19:50
<v Speaker 1>away before it could bloom into anything more than a
0:19:50 --> 0:19:54
<v Speaker 1>passing thought. When their God had promised Abraham a legacy,
0:19:54 --> 0:19:56
<v Speaker 1>she didn't want to admit it, but a part of
0:19:56 --> 0:19:59
<v Speaker 1>her had hoped. But as the years had flown by,
0:20:00 --> 0:20:04
<v Speaker 1>she had resolved herself to the idea of surrogacy. She
0:20:04 --> 0:20:07
<v Speaker 1>had successfully brought that plan to fruition. When her handmaiden
0:20:08 --> 0:20:11
<v Speaker 1>Hager bore her husband a son she could not deny.
0:20:11 --> 0:20:15
<v Speaker 1>She struggled with the arrangement, but for her husband's sake,
0:20:15 --> 0:20:18
<v Speaker 1>she stepped aside and allowed this stranger's son to be
0:20:18 --> 0:20:22
<v Speaker 1>a part of their life. When Abraham had told her
0:20:22 --> 0:20:25
<v Speaker 1>that their God had clarified the promise and declared that
0:20:25 --> 0:20:28
<v Speaker 1>they were to have a son together. She was dismayed.
0:20:29 --> 0:20:33
<v Speaker 1>She had spent a lifetime accepting, or as close to
0:20:33 --> 0:20:35
<v Speaker 1>accepting as she could even get, that she would never
0:20:35 --> 0:20:39
<v Speaker 1>have children born from her own body, and now this
0:20:39 --> 0:20:42
<v Speaker 1>stranger announces the very same message that had come from
0:20:42 --> 0:20:45
<v Speaker 1>their God. Sarah laughed to herself.
0:20:47 --> 0:20:51
<v Speaker 5>How could this be after all this time, when I
0:20:51 --> 0:20:54
<v Speaker 5>am worn out and my Lord is old? Will I
0:20:54 --> 0:20:55
<v Speaker 5>have this delight?
0:20:56 --> 0:21:00
<v Speaker 2>Why did Sarah laugh? Is she questioning whether or not
0:21:00 --> 0:21:01
<v Speaker 2>she can have a child?
0:21:01 --> 0:21:05
<v Speaker 1>Sarah froze. How could the stranger possibly know what she
0:21:05 --> 0:21:09
<v Speaker 1>was thinking or heard her from this distance? He didn't
0:21:09 --> 0:21:11
<v Speaker 1>even know she was listening in on this conversation.
0:21:12 --> 0:21:14
<v Speaker 3>How could you know that we've been told she will
0:21:14 --> 0:21:17
<v Speaker 3>have a son? And how could you say that she
0:21:17 --> 0:21:20
<v Speaker 3>is laughing? She's not here in the room with us.
0:21:21 --> 0:21:26
<v Speaker 2>Let me ask you, this is anything impossible for God Almighty?
0:21:27 --> 0:21:32
<v Speaker 2>Is anything too hard or too marvelous for him to achieve? No,
0:21:33 --> 0:21:36
<v Speaker 2>at the appointed time, I will come back to you,
0:21:36 --> 0:21:40
<v Speaker 2>and in about a year she will have a son.
0:21:41 --> 0:21:45
<v Speaker 1>Sarah was still sitting up fixed to her bedroom. She
0:21:45 --> 0:21:48
<v Speaker 1>became frightened of the power of this stranger in the
0:21:48 --> 0:21:51
<v Speaker 1>other room, at the impossibility of the stranger being able
0:21:51 --> 0:21:55
<v Speaker 1>to hear her innermost thoughts, and because she was scared
0:21:55 --> 0:21:58
<v Speaker 1>and did not want to upset or offend whatever authority
0:21:58 --> 0:22:03
<v Speaker 1>this man seemed to possess, she quietly whispered to herself, I.
0:22:03 --> 0:22:04
<v Speaker 7>Did not laugh.
0:22:06 --> 0:22:11
<v Speaker 2>I'll tell you another thing. Since you asked, she did laugh.
0:22:11 --> 0:22:17
<v Speaker 1>Sarah gaped at the stranger's words. She was amazed, and
0:22:17 --> 0:22:25
<v Speaker 1>she marveled at the possibility of his words becoming her reality.
0:22:29 --> 0:22:33
<v Speaker 4>What a mysterious and strange story. But the Bible and
0:22:33 --> 0:22:38
<v Speaker 4>its sacred and eternal depth, often reveals profound truths, even
0:22:38 --> 0:22:43
<v Speaker 4>in the most puzzling stories. Genesis eighteen one to twenty
0:22:43 --> 0:22:48
<v Speaker 4>one is an example of such revelations. Here we find Abraham,
0:22:48 --> 0:22:52
<v Speaker 4>our father, sitting at the entrance of his tent. It's
0:22:52 --> 0:22:54
<v Speaker 4>the heat of the day, and he is in pain
0:22:54 --> 0:22:58
<v Speaker 4>from his recent circumcision. Here in the Holy land, the
0:22:58 --> 0:23:03
<v Speaker 4>desert sun can be unforgiving. I can only imagine how
0:23:03 --> 0:23:07
<v Speaker 4>harsh it was for an elderly man who had recently
0:23:07 --> 0:23:11
<v Speaker 4>undergone a medical procedure without the comforts and care that
0:23:11 --> 0:23:15
<v Speaker 4>modern medicine might provide. But even before the main action
0:23:16 --> 0:23:20
<v Speaker 4>of this story begins, as this tired and hot and
0:23:20 --> 0:23:24
<v Speaker 4>pained an aging man sits alone in the desert, something
0:23:24 --> 0:23:33
<v Speaker 4>important and maybe almost imperceptible happens. The first verse begins,
0:23:35 --> 0:23:41
<v Speaker 4>the Lord appeared to Abraham. Now Abraham has already spoken
0:23:41 --> 0:23:44
<v Speaker 4>directly to God. God has personally made a covenant with
0:23:44 --> 0:23:49
<v Speaker 4>Abraham and created a personal and overlasting relationship with him,
0:23:49 --> 0:23:52
<v Speaker 4>so it might not seem so surprising when Abraham is
0:23:52 --> 0:23:58
<v Speaker 4>paid another divine visit. But you see, this visit is
0:23:58 --> 0:24:03
<v Speaker 4>very different. It's just a visit. Here in the Bible,
0:24:03 --> 0:24:06
<v Speaker 4>God doesn't tell us that God actually spoke to Abraham,
0:24:06 --> 0:24:10
<v Speaker 4>does it. No, it doesn't. So we have to ask,
0:24:10 --> 0:24:15
<v Speaker 4>why would God appear and why would his word The
0:24:15 --> 0:24:21
<v Speaker 4>Bible tell us that he appeared, but have nothing to say. Well,
0:24:21 --> 0:24:26
<v Speaker 4>Jewish tradition teaches that here God is demonstrating a commandment,
0:24:26 --> 0:24:31
<v Speaker 4>a mitzvah that will apply throughout the ages. He's keeping
0:24:32 --> 0:24:38
<v Speaker 4>his own word, that word, that mitzvah, that good deed
0:24:39 --> 0:24:45
<v Speaker 4>of visiting the sick, as I visited elderly, ailing people
0:24:45 --> 0:24:49
<v Speaker 4>who the Fellowship helps, I've realized. Sometimes it's not even
0:24:49 --> 0:24:54
<v Speaker 4>necessary to speak in order to provide comfort. Sometimes I
0:24:54 --> 0:24:58
<v Speaker 4>don't need to say anything at all. Sometimes just being
0:24:58 --> 0:25:03
<v Speaker 4>there is enough, showing up letting them know that they're
0:25:03 --> 0:25:07
<v Speaker 4>not alone. Perhaps the person that I'm visiting is unable
0:25:07 --> 0:25:10
<v Speaker 4>to hear or unable to speak the same language as
0:25:10 --> 0:25:13
<v Speaker 4>I do, or maybe they seem unable to understand anything
0:25:13 --> 0:25:17
<v Speaker 4>at all anymore because they're old and their health is poor.
0:25:18 --> 0:25:23
<v Speaker 4>But just being there very often provides the comfort, the companionship,
0:25:24 --> 0:25:28
<v Speaker 4>and the compassion that someone so desperately needs. Do you
0:25:28 --> 0:25:31
<v Speaker 4>know what I'm talking about? Has that happened to you
0:25:32 --> 0:25:35
<v Speaker 4>that just showing up was enough? It wasn't about your words,
0:25:36 --> 0:25:37
<v Speaker 4>it wasn't about what you said.
0:25:37 --> 0:25:38
<v Speaker 5>It was just the.
0:25:38 --> 0:25:42
<v Speaker 4>Point that you were there that brought comfort. Well, going
0:25:42 --> 0:25:46
<v Speaker 4>back to our biblical story, right there at the opening
0:25:46 --> 0:25:52
<v Speaker 4>of Abraham's tent, God is teaching us this very lesson.
0:25:53 --> 0:25:58
<v Speaker 4>He's saying, show up for people who are sick, show up,
0:25:58 --> 0:26:03
<v Speaker 4>provide comfort for those who are ill. God himself is
0:26:04 --> 0:26:09
<v Speaker 4>modeling that as King David saying in Thalm forty one,
0:26:09 --> 0:26:12
<v Speaker 4>Blessed are those who have regard for the week the
0:26:12 --> 0:26:17
<v Speaker 4>Lord delivers them in times of trouble, the Lord sustains
0:26:17 --> 0:26:22
<v Speaker 4>them on their sick bed. What happens next is very mystical.
0:26:23 --> 0:26:30
<v Speaker 4>God goes and three travelers approach Well despite his pain.
0:26:30 --> 0:26:34
<v Speaker 4>In his current condition, Abraham rises and he runs out
0:26:34 --> 0:26:41
<v Speaker 4>to greet them. In his pain, Abraham chooses hospitality. We
0:26:41 --> 0:26:47
<v Speaker 4>have to ask ourselves why well. I believe it's because
0:26:47 --> 0:26:56
<v Speaker 4>by choosing hospitality, Abraham is choosing Godliness, and through Abraham's godliness,
0:26:56 --> 0:27:01
<v Speaker 4>we see a reflection of God. Tradition teaches us that
0:27:01 --> 0:27:08
<v Speaker 4>even greater than speaking to God is being like God,
0:27:08 --> 0:27:11
<v Speaker 4>is acting in his image.
0:27:11 --> 0:27:13
<v Speaker 1>How do we do that?
0:27:13 --> 0:27:18
<v Speaker 4>We act in his image through acts of kindness and love.
0:27:19 --> 0:27:22
<v Speaker 4>To walk in God's ways is to embody his mercy
0:27:22 --> 0:27:28
<v Speaker 4>and compassion in everything that we do. Abraham, in his
0:27:28 --> 0:27:32
<v Speaker 4>selfless service, did that. He acted in God's image. He
0:27:32 --> 0:27:38
<v Speaker 4>showed us that true worship is found indeed of loving kindness,
0:27:39 --> 0:27:43
<v Speaker 4>even when he didn't feel good. I want to look
0:27:43 --> 0:27:47
<v Speaker 4>a little deeper into the Hebrew concept of hospitality. It's
0:27:47 --> 0:27:50
<v Speaker 4>more than just having friends over for dinner. It's deeply
0:27:50 --> 0:27:55
<v Speaker 4>rooted in the culture of the time. Is about offering protection, provision.
0:27:56 --> 0:28:01
<v Speaker 4>It's about community and offering community to those who aren't
0:28:01 --> 0:28:05
<v Speaker 4>necessarily part of your household. In Abraham's time, this kind
0:28:05 --> 0:28:11
<v Speaker 4>of hospitality was critical because travelers depended on the kindness
0:28:11 --> 0:28:16
<v Speaker 4>of strangers. There were no hotels, there were no restaurants
0:28:16 --> 0:28:19
<v Speaker 4>or rest areas like we have today for travelers, and
0:28:19 --> 0:28:25
<v Speaker 4>the desert was harsh. And Abraham's story and his circumstances
0:28:25 --> 0:28:29
<v Speaker 4>help us better understand why Jewish tradition teaches us that
0:28:30 --> 0:28:36
<v Speaker 4>hospitality to strangers is put in the highest regard. If
0:28:36 --> 0:28:39
<v Speaker 4>you have the opportunity to pray or to go and
0:28:40 --> 0:28:44
<v Speaker 4>welcome in strangers who need your help, Jews, to go
0:28:44 --> 0:28:50
<v Speaker 4>and help the stranger. And this call to show kindness
0:28:50 --> 0:28:54
<v Speaker 4>to strangers wasn't just meant for Abraham's time, it is
0:28:54 --> 0:29:01
<v Speaker 4>so important for us today, Jews and Christians alike. So
0:29:01 --> 0:29:05
<v Speaker 4>to speak, more on the Christian Bible's view on hospitality,
0:29:06 --> 0:29:07
<v Speaker 4>here's Bishop Lanier.
0:29:08 --> 0:29:12
<v Speaker 8>All right, I'm just going to warn you that what
0:29:12 --> 0:29:15
<v Speaker 8>we're about to step into is some of the most consequential,
0:29:16 --> 0:29:20
<v Speaker 8>in depth scripture you'll ever find in the Bible, so
0:29:20 --> 0:29:24
<v Speaker 8>full and thick that we're no ways going to be
0:29:24 --> 0:29:26
<v Speaker 8>able to deal with it in one conversation. So we're
0:29:26 --> 0:29:30
<v Speaker 8>going to break it down at least into two in
0:29:30 --> 0:29:33
<v Speaker 8>this chapter eighteen. But before I go to eighteen, can
0:29:33 --> 0:29:36
<v Speaker 8>I step back just a second to emphasize something from
0:29:36 --> 0:29:42
<v Speaker 8>chapter seventeen, the focal point being circumcision, where God instructed
0:29:42 --> 0:29:44
<v Speaker 8>Abraham and all the men that they were to cut
0:29:45 --> 0:29:50
<v Speaker 8>away the most sensitive part of their male anatomy, the
0:29:50 --> 0:29:56
<v Speaker 8>physical being, as a sign of covenant and connection to God.
0:29:56 --> 0:29:59
<v Speaker 8>And we said, the reason God chose for them to
0:29:59 --> 0:30:02
<v Speaker 8>cut the most sensitive part of their body is that
0:30:02 --> 0:30:07
<v Speaker 8>from that place in their body flows the next generation,
0:30:08 --> 0:30:13
<v Speaker 8>and that's what this is all about, generations, posterity descendants.
0:30:14 --> 0:30:17
<v Speaker 8>We also noted that from the Apostle Paul in the
0:30:17 --> 0:30:21
<v Speaker 8>Christian Scriptures, he helps us to understand that the spiritual
0:30:22 --> 0:30:29
<v Speaker 8>equivalent of the physical circumcision is water baptism, when a
0:30:29 --> 0:30:33
<v Speaker 8>believer goes down into the embryonic fluid of a new
0:30:34 --> 0:30:39
<v Speaker 8>experience in God. But in both situations, when a believer,
0:30:39 --> 0:30:42
<v Speaker 8>when someone comes up, when an infant or a grown
0:30:42 --> 0:30:47
<v Speaker 8>up comes up, you don't place this new salvation over
0:30:47 --> 0:30:50
<v Speaker 8>in a corner by themselves. No, they would starve, so
0:30:51 --> 0:30:56
<v Speaker 8>you feed them. That's where we pick up an eighteen
0:30:56 --> 0:31:01
<v Speaker 8>seventeen was about circumcision. Eighteen is about feeding. It's about
0:31:01 --> 0:31:06
<v Speaker 8>a meal. And we have absolutely no idea just how consequential,
0:31:06 --> 0:31:11
<v Speaker 8>how important strategic meal moments are to God and to
0:31:11 --> 0:31:16
<v Speaker 8>his people and his covenant conversation with us. And of course,
0:31:16 --> 0:31:18
<v Speaker 8>in a few moments we're going to look at the
0:31:18 --> 0:31:21
<v Speaker 8>Passover and we see that played out again in the
0:31:21 --> 0:31:25
<v Speaker 8>Christian scriptures, when Christians believe that the Last Supper of
0:31:25 --> 0:31:29
<v Speaker 8>Jesus is the fulfillment of the Passover moment. And in
0:31:30 --> 0:31:33
<v Speaker 8>the Ministry of Jesus there is the miracle of feeding
0:31:33 --> 0:31:37
<v Speaker 8>five thousand with five loaves and fishes in four thousand,
0:31:37 --> 0:31:41
<v Speaker 8>there is the moment after his resurrection where he cooks
0:31:41 --> 0:31:44
<v Speaker 8>breakfast and they sit and they eat together. I mean,
0:31:44 --> 0:31:48
<v Speaker 8>going all the way back to Genesis, the whole conversation
0:31:48 --> 0:31:51
<v Speaker 8>and the failure and the fall is about Adam and
0:31:51 --> 0:31:56
<v Speaker 8>Eve didn't know what to fast and what to feast.
0:31:56 --> 0:31:59
<v Speaker 8>But we are beginning to realize that meal moments are
0:32:00 --> 0:32:06
<v Speaker 8>contractural events. There's an interesting story that when these three
0:32:07 --> 0:32:09
<v Speaker 8>came up to Abraham and he said, oh, I want
0:32:09 --> 0:32:13
<v Speaker 8>you to stay with me, and I'll go and fetch
0:32:13 --> 0:32:16
<v Speaker 8>an animal, and Sarah my wife will prepare it and
0:32:16 --> 0:32:21
<v Speaker 8>will sit down and dine together, and we will receive
0:32:21 --> 0:32:25
<v Speaker 8>a covenant conversation in this profound neal moment. And all
0:32:25 --> 0:32:28
<v Speaker 8>of this, and when he leaves them and goes to
0:32:28 --> 0:32:32
<v Speaker 8>get the animal, there's this story that says he became
0:32:32 --> 0:32:38
<v Speaker 8>captivated by this extraordinary, exquisite fragrance of flowers. Then he
0:32:38 --> 0:32:41
<v Speaker 8>began to follow that scent until it led him into
0:32:41 --> 0:32:46
<v Speaker 8>a cave, and somehow another god spoke to Abraham and
0:32:46 --> 0:32:49
<v Speaker 8>revealed to him that it was actually the burial site
0:32:49 --> 0:32:54
<v Speaker 8>of Adam and Eve, and that place still smelled like
0:32:55 --> 0:33:00
<v Speaker 8>the fragrance of flowers. Abraham thought about that thing. He
0:33:00 --> 0:33:04
<v Speaker 8>decided not to tell anyone back home what he had discovered,
0:33:04 --> 0:33:11
<v Speaker 8>this burial side of Adam and Eve. But when Sarah died,
0:33:11 --> 0:33:14
<v Speaker 8>it was in that very space that he returned to
0:33:14 --> 0:33:19
<v Speaker 8>bury her, and later he himself would be laid beside
0:33:19 --> 0:33:25
<v Speaker 8>her in burial, along with Isaac and Rebecca and Jacob
0:33:25 --> 0:33:29
<v Speaker 8>and Leah. And it's there to this day, and hebron's
0:33:29 --> 0:33:35
<v Speaker 8>called Makpilah. Maybe you've been there, I've been there. It's profound.
0:33:35 --> 0:33:39
<v Speaker 4>So how do we cultivate this spirit of hospitality? And
0:33:39 --> 0:33:43
<v Speaker 4>openness to God's presence. Well, we start by making room
0:33:43 --> 0:33:46
<v Speaker 4>in our hearts and our lives. This might mean opening
0:33:46 --> 0:33:51
<v Speaker 4>your home to someone in need, volunteering your time or resources,
0:33:51 --> 0:33:53
<v Speaker 4>or simply being truly present for those who need a
0:33:54 --> 0:33:57
<v Speaker 4>listening ear. But it also means being open to God's
0:33:57 --> 0:34:02
<v Speaker 4>presence in your life, trust in his promises, and waiting
0:34:03 --> 0:34:07
<v Speaker 4>on his timing. We see this at the end of
0:34:07 --> 0:34:11
<v Speaker 4>today's story when we find Sarah listening to Abraham and
0:34:11 --> 0:34:15
<v Speaker 4>the strangers from inside the tent. It's a fun twist
0:34:15 --> 0:34:18
<v Speaker 4>to end the story, but it's an important one. From
0:34:18 --> 0:34:22
<v Speaker 4>behind the tent storyway, Sarah hears one of the visitors
0:34:22 --> 0:34:26
<v Speaker 4>promise her and Abraham as son. Now, like we've said,
0:34:26 --> 0:34:30
<v Speaker 4>Abraham and Sarah were well past child bearing age at
0:34:30 --> 0:34:35
<v Speaker 4>this point, so such a declaration seemed impossible. It even
0:34:35 --> 0:34:41
<v Speaker 4>seemed silly. So what did Sarah do? She laughs? She laughs,
0:34:42 --> 0:34:48
<v Speaker 4>a deep, painful laugh of disbelief, and then her laughter,
0:34:48 --> 0:34:54
<v Speaker 4>born out of doubt, becomes a symbol of joy. It
0:34:54 --> 0:35:00
<v Speaker 4>was turned around, it was transformed. Sarah learns to laugh again,
0:35:01 --> 0:35:06
<v Speaker 4>and this laughter brings healing. It's this laughter that will
0:35:06 --> 0:35:12
<v Speaker 4>soon cradle a miracle Isaac, whose very name in Hebrew
0:35:12 --> 0:35:18
<v Speaker 4>means he will laugh. You see Sarah's laughter teaches us
0:35:18 --> 0:35:24
<v Speaker 4>that from the depths of despair, joy can emerge. God's
0:35:24 --> 0:35:31
<v Speaker 4>promises are forever. They are loyal. God is obedient with
0:35:31 --> 0:35:37
<v Speaker 4>his promise, even when our faith waivers. So if you
0:35:37 --> 0:35:41
<v Speaker 4>right now are feeling unwelcome or unwanted, I want you
0:35:41 --> 0:35:47
<v Speaker 4>to know this. God sees you. God loves you, and
0:35:47 --> 0:35:52
<v Speaker 4>God in all of his glory, is inviting you into
0:35:52 --> 0:35:57
<v Speaker 4>His presence. And as we embrace this truth, let's extend
0:35:57 --> 0:36:02
<v Speaker 4>biblical hospitality to others. Let's open up our hearts why,
0:36:02 --> 0:36:06
<v Speaker 4>trusting in God's promises and timing, and welcome all who
0:36:06 --> 0:36:11
<v Speaker 4>come our way. In doing so, truly, we become a
0:36:11 --> 0:36:20
<v Speaker 4>living reflection of God's incredible, inclusive, unending love. Here's a
0:36:20 --> 0:36:26
<v Speaker 4>final blessing for you. Ivarech hashem vi schmeercher Yeah heir
0:36:26 --> 0:36:31
<v Speaker 4>hashempanave elecha vencher ye sa hashempanave Lechra.
0:36:33 --> 0:36:36
<v Speaker 1>You can listen to the Chosen People with isle egstein
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<v Speaker 1>ad free by downloading and subscribing to the prey dot
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<v Speaker 1>com app today. This Prey dot Com production is only
0:36:44 --> 0:36:49
<v Speaker 1>made possible by our dedicated team of creative talents. Steve Katina,
0:36:49 --> 0:36:53
<v Speaker 1>Max Bard, Zach Shellabaga and Ben Gammon are the executive
0:36:53 --> 0:36:57
<v Speaker 1>producers of The Chosen People with yaiele Exstein, Edited by
0:36:57 --> 0:37:02
<v Speaker 1>Alberto Avilla, narrated by Paul Kle. Characters are voiced by
0:37:02 --> 0:37:07
<v Speaker 1>Jonathan Cotton, Aaron Salvato, Sarah Seltz, Mike Reagan, Stephen Ringwold,
0:37:07 --> 0:37:11
<v Speaker 1>Sylvia Zaradoc and the opening prayer is voiced by John Moore.
0:37:11 --> 0:37:15
<v Speaker 1>Music by Andrew Morgan Smith, written by Bree Rosalie and
0:37:15 --> 0:37:20
<v Speaker 1>Aaron Salvato. Special thanks to Bishop Paul Lanier, Robin van Ettin,
0:37:20 --> 0:37:24
<v Speaker 1>kayleb Burrows, Jocelyn Fuller, and the team at International Fellowship
0:37:24 --> 0:37:27
<v Speaker 1>of Christians and Jews. You can hear more Prey dot
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<v Speaker 1>enjoyed The Chosen People with Yile Eckstein, please rate and
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