June 15, 2015
Judges 13-Part 2
And the Angel of the LORD said to him, "Why do you ask My name, seeing it is wonderful?"
Judges 13:18 The Jeremiah Study Bible
...Why asketh thou thus after My name, seeing it is secret? KJV
LET IT GLOW
Often times, my husband tells another man that I have said how wonderful he is. They doubt him most of the time. Then I'll add: I have to say it so he doesn't tell a lie. Of course, we are both kidding.
There is One is today's lesson that is wonderful, beyond a doubt. Curious? Read on, friend.
What's going on? The Lord Jesus Himself appeared to a woman, Manoah's wife, Danites, not just once, but twice. This childless wife told her husband about the first visit and what was told her. This was unheard of, seeing women did not have a place in the priesthood or Temple service, only men. (He had appeared previously to only one other woman-Hagar.)
Keep in mind, the Philistines were oppressing Israel for 40 years now when this happened.
Though nameless in Scripture, she would be significant in Israel's history because of her offspring son to come was to deliver Israel. Her special instructions received included drinking no wine or strong drink and eating no unclean thing. Also, her son was to be a Nazarite all of his life, which meant he would not shave his head, drink wine from grapes, not eat unclean meat, nor touch a dead body, which made them unclean.
So Manoah intreated the LORD to come again to them and teach them what to do unto the child that would be born. This was after the first visit. God hearkened to the voice of Manoah, although the man was not present the second time Jesus appeared unto the woman a second time in the field. So she ran to tell her husband a second time about the visit. The two went to the place this occurred.
They found Jesus. Manoah asked the man (Jesus) if He was the man that spoke to the woman.
How did Jesus answer? in verse 11? I am.
Young's Concordance explains I AM : A name indicating rather the unsearchableness of God than His mere existence, as commonly supposed.
We read of His identifying Himself as such to Moses in Exodus 3:14, twice. (Maybe Jesus was only answering Manoah's question and not identifying Himself as I AM. )
In verse 18, Jesus calls Himself secret, which means remarkable, wonderful in the Hebrew language.
Isaiah 9:6 predicts His birth and calls Jesus Wonderful.
Webster's Dictionary defines wonderful as astonishing, marvelous, unusually good.
The word is not the proper name of the angel of the Lord, but expresses the character of His name and denotes the peculiarity of His nature as well. (Falwell)
I think all of those descriptive words describe our Wonderful Savior, Jesus Christ.
Do we tell Jesus how wonderful He is? His name is Wonderful, Jesus my Lord. He is the Mighty King, Master of everything.
Are we sharing how wonderful He is to us?
LET IT GROW
What happens next?
- Manoah asked, "When your words are fulfilled, what is to be the rule for the boy's life and work?" (NIV)
- Jesus repeated the woman's instructions to her husband.
- Then Manoah offered to fix a young goat for a meal, but Jesus told him to offer it as a burnt offering to the LORD.
- Manoah prepared the kid and the grain offerings, sacrificing it on a rock to the LORD.
- Then an amazing thing happened as the two looked on: Jesus ascended in the flame of the fire into heaven.
- Afraid that they would die since they had seen the Lord, Manoah's wife reasoned that He would not have accepted the offering nor revealed such things to them if He was going to kill them.
Have you noticed that Jesus takes pleasure in using those weak, for He knows they will depend upon Him to complete the task instructed?
He can use us for Kingdom work, too.
LET IT GO
...of doubts and fears and follow Jesus.
... and not question the how or why, just do it.
...and let God.
... of pride and tell others how wonderful Jesus is.
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