No — the text gives no clear indication that Abraham knew one of the three men was Jehovah when they first arrived.
Genesis 18:2 says Abraham looked up and saw 'three men,' and he then offered them water, rest, and bread as any host would. Les Feldick identifies the chief visitor in Genesis 18:1 as Jehovah, God the Son, in human form, but he does not claim that Abraham recognized this at the moment of their arrival.
Genesis 18:1-2 — The opening scene shows the LORD appearing to Abraham, yet the text immediately presents what Abraham saw as 'three men.'
Exodus 6:3 — God tells Moses that the patriarchs were not known by the name Jehovah, bearing on how much Abraham would have recognized.
Genesis 18:1 says, 'And the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day.' Verse 2 then says Abraham 'lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him.' Abraham ran to meet them, bowed himself toward the ground, and offered them water to wash their feet, rest under the tree, and bread. The narrative consistently refers to the visitors as 'men,' and it does not say at that point that Abraham recognized one of them as the LORD. In Exodus 6:2-3, God tells Moses, 'I am the LORD: And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.' This indicates that the full revelation of God under the name Jehovah came later, in the days of Moses.
Les Feldick calls Genesis 18 'one of the most vivid chapters of God appearing in human form to the Old Testament patriarchs.' He points out that verse 1 identifies the visitor as 'the Lord, Jehovah, God the Son,' but that verse 2 says Abraham saw 'three men' — exactly what the Scripture says (Clip 0). Les also teaches that the Lord actually sat down in human form and shared a meal of fatted calf with Abraham, and that God shared His covenant with him (Clip 3). He links this to Jesus' words that Abraham 'rejoiced to see my day' (John 8:56, Clip 3). On the specific question of Abraham's awareness, Les does not teach that the text shows Abraham recognizing Jehovah as soon as the three men appeared. Instead, the absence of any statement of recognition is notable. Les also emphasizes, from Exodus 6:3, that the name Jehovah was not known to the patriarchs and was later 'put out in plain language' in Moses' day (Clip 7).
Genesis 18:1 says the LORD appeared to Abraham in the plains of Mamre while he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day. Verse 2 says he looked up and saw 'three men' standing by him. Abraham then bowed and offered the three men water, rest, and bread. At no point in these opening verses is Abraham said to have identified one of the men as the LORD.
Les Feldick identifies Genesis 18 as 'one of the most vivid chapters of God appearing in human form to the Old Testament patriarchs.' He says verse 1 names the visitor as 'the Lord, Jehovah, God the Son,' but he then draws attention to verse 2 where Scripture says Abraham saw 'three men.' The reader is told who the chief Visitor is, but Abraham's own recognition is not described (Clip 0).
In Exodus 6:2-3 God says, 'I am the LORD... I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.' Les Feldick says the name Jehovah had not yet been 'put out in plain language' and was only made plain when God spoke to Moses (Clip 7). Les also notes that in Genesis 14 Abraham had addressed the Lord as 'Jehovah, the Most High' (Clip 5), so the earlier record is not one of total unfamiliarity, but the fuller revelation of the name came later.
Les teaches that the Lord sat down in human form and ate with Abraham, and that God shared His covenant with him (Clip 3). He connects this to Jesus' statement in John 8:56 that Abraham 'rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad' (Clip 3). This shows a real personal encounter, but the evidence clips still do not pin down the exact moment Abraham understood that one of the three men was Jehovah.
Three Men, Yet Jehovah Appears
Les says Genesis 18 is a vivid chapter of God appearing in human form, identifies the LORD as Jehovah God the Son, and then points out that Scripture calls the visitors 'three men.'
Who is Melchizedek? Understanding the "Most High God" & His Names
But you come right down to Genesis chapter 22, and now we find that Abraham is acquainted with Jehovah with an extra name behind him, and in this case it's Jehovah Jireh. Now, you've never seen that before. But Jehovah Jireh, you see, was the God who provided the sacrifice when He spared Isaac.
Who is Melchizedek? Understanding the "Most High God" & His Names
Now as we come out of Genesis chapter 2 and God deals with the whole human race in the person of Jehovah, or the Lord, that's always the terminology now, the Lord, the Lord, as Abraham comes on the scene, beginning in Genesis chapter 12, Jehovah now then becomes intrinsically the God of Abraham or the person of the Godhead who is particularly dealing with the nation of Israel.
The Lord Ate with Abraham
Les teaches that the Lord shared a meal with Abraham in human form and ties this to Jesus' statement that Abraham saw His day.
Who Spoke from the Burning Bush? The Mystery of "I AM" Revealed
Who are you? Well, they should have known who He was, but they didn't. Now read the next verse. Jesus answered, and now I'll tell you what, He's not very kind to them here. And He says, If I honor myself, my honor is nothing. It is my Father who honoreth me, of whom you say, He's your God. Oh, yeah, they thought they knew the God of Abraham. They thought they knew Jehovah, see.
Abraham's Earlier Address to Jehovah
Les notes that in Genesis 14 Abraham addressed Him as 'Jehovah, the Most High,' showing some prior acquaintance with the title.
Is It Luck or God? Divine Sovereignty vs. Free Will
And you'll remember, and we'll come to it in a few weeks, even when Jacob was coming back from Laban years after this, and he has made his way back toward Canaan with Leah and with Rachel and all their children, then all of a sudden, who came pursuing him? Oh, her father. And what was he looking for? The family gods, the idols, see? And of course, Rachel had them hidden.
The Name Jehovah Revealed Later
Les teaches from Exodus 6:3 that the patriarchs were not known by the name Jehovah; that name was later put out in plain language when God spoke to Moses.
Genesis 18:1: And the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;
The opening verse tells the reader that the LORD appeared, but it does not say what Abraham perceived.
Genesis 18:2: 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,
This is the verse where Abraham sees the visitors, and they are described simply as three men.
Exodus 6:2: And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the LORD:
God addresses Moses with the name LORD immediately before explaining how He appeared to the patriarchs.
Exodus 6:3: And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.
God explicitly states that the patriarchs were not known by the name Jehovah.
John 8:56: Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.
Jesus connects Abraham's joy with seeing His day, which Les links to the Genesis 18 appearance.
The text does not say. Abraham saw 'three men' and offered them ordinary hospitality. Les Feldick identifies the chief Visitor as Jehovah, God the Son, but he does not claim Abraham recognized Him immediately.
Yes. Les Feldick calls this chapter one of the most vivid of God appearing in human form to the Old Testament patriarchs, and he identifies the LORD as Jehovah, God the Son (Clip 0).
God told Moses He appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob by the name of God Almighty, but by His name Jehovah He was not known to them. Les says the name Jehovah was later put out in plain language when God spoke to Moses (Clip 7).
Yes. Jesus says in John 8:56, 'Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.' Les connects this to the Genesis 18 meal, when the Lord sat with Abraham in human form (Clip 3).
Watch the Teaching: Is Anything Too Hard for the Lord? Genesis 18 & God in Human Form