Question 20: Did Abraham see YHVH in one of the Three Men Who visited him?

Answer:

There is doubtless difficulty in reconciling the passage in Genesis 18 with the statement in John 1:18, that "No man hath seen YHVH at any time." Authorities regarded the Genesis passage as relating to one of the "theophanies" of the Old Testament; that is, a real appearance of YHVH to man. It is believed however, that these appearances were of Moshiach the Son, rather than YHVH the Father. The New Testament teaches that Moshiach existed co-eternally with the Father and it is not inconceivable that He would at times take the appearance of humanity when He wished specially to make Himself known to men. This explanation reconciles all these occurrences with the statement of John that no one has seen YHVH; that is, YHVH the Father. Moshiach is the Personal manifestation of YHVH to man.