Observations:
(1) After 40 years of suffering under the Philistines Israel did not have their deliverer right the way. God chose a baby who was not even conceived by his parents. As a matter of fact his parents were infertile and childless v.2.
v.4-5 Now be careful! Do not drink wine or beer, and do not eat any food that will make you ritually unclean. Look, you will conceive and have a son. You must never cut his hair, for the child will be dedicated to God from birth. He will begin to deliver Israel from the power of the Philistines.
(NET) Or “set apart to God.” Traditionally the Hebrew term נָזִיר (nazir) has been translated “Nazirite.” The word is derived from the verb נָזַר (nazar, “to dedicate; to consecrate; to set apart”).
It seems like that God cannot find any leader among Israel and so He dedicated a person before he was born.
Reflections:
Would God be able to find anyone He can use today? Is our present age too dark and no one is fitted to lead us?
(2) Why did Manoah prayed to God and wanted the messenger to visit them again? Hadn't the messenter taught his wife what to do already? v.4-5, 7 It appeared that Manoah did not believed that the messenger from God had visited his wife. Therefore, even Maonah prayed for the reappearnace but the messenger visited the woman again v.9.
He showed his lack of faith in 4 areas:
a. he asked for the intruction to raise the child again
13:13 The LORD’s messenger told Manoah, “Your wife should pay attention to everything I told her.
v.14b She should obey everything I commanded her to do.”
In other words, his wife should just did whatever was told to her and obey. No need to ask again.
b. he asked the messager to stay for the meal
13:16 The LORD’s messenger said to Manoah, “If I stay, I will not eat your food. But if you want to make a burnt sacrifice to the LORD, you should offer it.” (He said this because Manoah did not know that he was the LORD’s messenger.)
(NAC) Manoah should have recognized in this answer a clue to the “man’s” identity—he speaks directly for God. Second, since table fellowship assumes oneness, that is, shalom between the parties, by rejecting the invitation to a meal the visitor comments on the spiritual condition of the nation as a whole and this household in particular. The Israelites are in no state to fellowship this way with him, an envoy from the holy courts of heaven. Whole burnt offerings presented as sacrifices to Yahweh must come first
c. he asked for the name v.17
v.18b “You should not ask me my name, because you cannot comprehend it.”
(NAC) He seems to accept that this “man of God” is a prophet whose words will be fulfilled in due course, but he is too obtuse to recognize that when a barren woman conceives it must be a miraculous work of God.
d. he was afraid that he would died. His wife needed to comfort him and said it would not happen. v.22-23.
The lack of faith of Manoah perhaps was a reflection of the foolishness of people at that time. They stayed away from God for so long and worshipped the idols and their mind became darker and darker.
Reflection:
Are we staying too long away from God? Are we lack of faith now like Manoah?
If we ourselves walk in darkness we cannot have fellowship with God. We do not recognize the work of God and become foolish. I pray that we will walk in the light as God is in the light and then we can have fellowship with God.
Audrey
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