God Instructs the People of God
Listening for God in Changing Times:
Judges 13:15-23
The Message
15 Manoah said to the angel of God, "Please, stay with us a little longer; we'll prepare a meal for you—a young goat."
16 God's angel said to Manoah, "Even if I stay, I won't eat your food. But if you want to prepare a Whole-Burnt-Offering for God, go ahead—offer it!" Manoah had no idea that he was talking to the angel of God.
17 Then Manoah asked the angel of God, "What's your name? When your words come true, we'd like to honor you."
18 The angel of God said, "What's this? You ask for my name? You wouldn't understand—it's sheer wonder."
19-21 So Manoah took the kid and the Grain-Offering and sacrificed them on a rock altar to God who works wonders. As the flames leapt up from the altar to heaven, God's angel also ascended in the altar flames. When Manoah and his wife saw this, they fell facedown to the ground. Manoah and his wife never saw the angel of God again.
21-22 Only then did Manoah realize that this was God's angel. He said to his wife, "We're as good as dead! We've looked on God!"
23 But his wife said, "If God were planning to kill us, he wouldn't have accepted our Whole-Burnt-Offering and Grain-Offering, or revealed all these things to us—given us this birth announcement."
For Reflection16 God's angel said to Manoah, "Even if I stay, I won't eat your food. But if you want to prepare a Whole-Burnt-Offering for God, go ahead—offer it!" Manoah had no idea that he was talking to the angel of God.
17 Then Manoah asked the angel of God, "What's your name? When your words come true, we'd like to honor you."
18 The angel of God said, "What's this? You ask for my name? You wouldn't understand—it's sheer wonder."
19-21 So Manoah took the kid and the Grain-Offering and sacrificed them on a rock altar to God who works wonders. As the flames leapt up from the altar to heaven, God's angel also ascended in the altar flames. When Manoah and his wife saw this, they fell facedown to the ground. Manoah and his wife never saw the angel of God again.
21-22 Only then did Manoah realize that this was God's angel. He said to his wife, "We're as good as dead! We've looked on God!"
23 But his wife said, "If God were planning to kill us, he wouldn't have accepted our Whole-Burnt-Offering and Grain-Offering, or revealed all these things to us—given us this birth announcement."
An angel announces the conception of Sampson. Manoah, knowing only what he has experienced applies conventional hospitality. With each request of the angel, the response indicates a mystery that is beyond his experience.
As I get older, I increasingly accept and marvel at the mystery that is God. I accept, and long for the inexplicable. I find comfort in the unexpected truth.
Pray
that you accept the mysterious God. Pray that find delight in unexpected revelations. Pray that you embrace the unknown in your spiritual journey. Pray that you hear God's call and, as a child who has complete faith, act according to His whispered will. Pray that you marvel in the mystery of it all.
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