May 26: GOD’S PLAN FOR SAMSON (part 2)

And God listened to the voice of Manoah, and the Angel of God came to the woman again as she was sitting in the field; but Manoah her husband was not with her. Then the woman ran in haste and told her husband, and said to him, “Look, the Man who came to me the other day has just now appeared to me!” Judges 13:9-10

Manoah’s prayer (v.8) was precious to the LORD. He prayed it upon first hearing from his wife of the Man whose countenance was like the countenance of the Angel of God (v.6). He believed her when she told him of the heavenly visitor. His enthusiasm for the message she conveyed was intense and sincere, though she had forgotten to mention that the child to be born would “begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines” (v.5). This was incredibly good news! Even during these early years of Philistine oppression, God was already at work to humble these arrogant enemies of His people. In spite of widespread apostasy in Israel, God’s mercy and Providence could be readily detected by spiritual eyes—a foreshadowing of the central most Providence: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).

Manoah and his wife were humble before the LORD, concerned that they might blunder in the important task being given to them. When the Man returned, in answer to Manoah’s prayer, his wife hurriedly came to tell Manoah that He was back. So Manoah arose and followed his wife. When he came to the Man, he said to Him, “Are you the Man who spoke to this woman?” And He said, “I am.” (v.11)* Manoah inquired about the special role of the boy to be born, and accepted instructions with great earnestness. Then Manoah said to the Angel of the LORD, “What is your name, that when Your words come to pass we may honor You? And the Angel of the LORD said to him, “Why do you ask My name, seeing it is wonderful?” **

It was only after Manoah and his wife presented an offering to the LORD that the Visitor showed them Who He was (see vv.19-23). They understood the divine instructions and honored them in raising the boy. There are few parents who realize how much their habits affect themselves and their children – especially in the areas of health, character, service to God, even their eternal destiny. We should subject our appetites to moral and intellectual powers that are under full submission to the LORD, in complete harmony with His word. Jesus practiced this submission when He was tested in the desert.

And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’” Matthew 4:2-4 (see also Job 23:12)

* “I am”: a unique identifier of Christ. See also Exodus 3:14; John 6:51; 8:12,58; 10:9,11,14;11:25; 13:13,19; 14:6; 15:1,5; 18:5-6,8

** And His name will be called Wonderful (Isaiah 9:6)