He (Manoah) had a Home to Honor (Judges 13:6-23)

2/12/2010 8:19 AM

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY

 

My Worship Time                                        Focus:  He had a home to honor

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                        Reference:  Judges 13:6-23

 

            Message of the verses:  “6  Then the woman came and told her husband, saying, "A man of God came to me and his appearance was like the appearance of the angel of God, very awesome. And I did not ask him where he came from, nor did he tell me his name. 7  "But he said to me, ’Behold, you shall conceive and give birth to a son, and now you shall not drink wine or strong drink nor eat any unclean thing, for the boy shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb to the day of his death.’"

    8 ¶  Then Manoah entreated the LORD and said, "O Lord, please let the man of God whom You have sent come to us again that he may teach us what to do for the boy who is to be born." 9  God listened to the voice of Manoah; and the angel of God came again to the woman as she was sitting in the field, but Manoah her husband was not with her. 10  So the woman ran quickly and told her husband, "Behold, the man who came the other day has appeared to me." 11  Then Manoah arose and followed his wife, and when he came to the man he said to him, "Are you the man who spoke to the woman?" And he said, "I am." 12  Manoah said, "Now when your words come to pass, what shall be the boy’s mode of life and his vocation?" 13  So the angel of the LORD said to Manoah, "Let the woman pay attention to all that I said. 14  "She should not eat anything that comes from the vine nor drink wine or strong drink, nor eat any unclean thing; let her observe all that I commanded."

    15 ¶  Then Manoah said to the angel of the LORD, "Please let us detain you so that we may prepare a young goat for you." 16  The angel of the LORD said to Manoah, "Though you detain me, I will not eat your food, but if you prepare a burnt offering, then offer it to the LORD." For Manoah did not know that he was the angel of the LORD. 17  Manoah said to the angel of the LORD, "What is your name, so that when your words come to pass, we may honor you?" 18  But the angel of the LORD said to him, "Why do you ask my name, seeing it is wonderful?" 19  So Manoah took the young goat with the grain offering and offered it on the rock to the LORD, and He performed wonders while Manoah and his wife looked on. 20  For it came about when the flame went up from the altar toward heaven, that the angel of the LORD ascended in the flame of the altar. When Manoah and his wife saw this, they fell on their faces to the ground. 21  Now the angel of the LORD did not appear to Manoah or his wife again. Then Manoah knew that he was the angel of the LORD. 22  So Manoah said to his wife, "We will surely die, for we have seen God." 23  But his wife said to him, "If the LORD had desired to kill us, He would not have accepted a burnt offering and a grain offering from our hands, nor would He have shown us all these things, nor would He have let us hear things like this at this time.’”

            This is a wonderful story of a godly family living in times of great trouble, for the time of the Judges of Israel was not the best of time, especially for the spiritual life of the people of Israel.  However God always has a remnant for His own to do His work, and thus was the case of Manoah and his dear wife.

            This was a family that knew the Word of God and lived their lives like they knew the Word of God.  This was a family not unlike John the Baptist’s family or Samuel’s family who wanted more than anything to have children, yet they could not have children until the time was right with the Lord and for His purposes.

            I see great faith in this family as Manoah did not say to the angel of the Lord that the things that He was telling them would probably not come true, but said that when this thing comes true that he wanted to honor him.  Now Manoah and his wife hand no idea that this was the Lord, and probably thought that He was just a prophet and that is why they said the things that they said to him, and understand this makes a difference when it comes to understanding this passage.  I also see great common sense in Manoah’s wife, for when they realize that this is the Lord who has visited them he thought surely they would die, yet she commonly tells him that the Lord had accepted their offering so when would He kill them.

 

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  What I see in this passage for me to emulate is the great faith of this family and also I see a loving home which honored the Lord, and this is a good message to me so close to Valentines Day.

 

My Steps of Faith for Today:

 

1. Trust the Lord to increase my faith, and to work on having a great Christian home.

 

2/12/2010 8:44 AM