5/28/19 

Judges 13:22-23

 ²² And Manoah said to his wife, “We shall surely die, for we have seen God.” ²³ But his wife said to him, “If the Lord had meant to kill us, he would not have accepted a burnt offering and a grain offering at our hands, or shown us all these things, or now announced to us such things as these.”

There are in Judges a number of unusual characters who bring with them unusual stories. 

The strangest character with one of, if not the most, unusual stories in the Bible is Samson.  With this account of the events leading to his birth everything about Samson is strange.  His birth, like that of Samuel, is pointed out as a special event, marked by signs and wonders.  Yet in the midst of these wonders, “the Angel of the Lord says his name is wonderful.”  The mother of Samson introduces this rational explanation for having confidence in God and His promise.

Take a look with me at her reasoning.

1.       “He has accepted our burnt offering.”  It is a principle of Scripture that God’s acceptance of a person’s offering is a guarantee of the person being accepted.  Genesis 4:4.  Surely that the believer’s greatest confidence his offering is accepted.  And I know because He is raised from the dead.

2.      He has revealed Himself to us.  We also have the more sure Word of God which Peter tells us is better than having seen the wonders.

3.      “He has announced to us such things as these.”  We all have exceeding great and precious promises” made more sure by the victories of God’s Church.  cf I Corinthians 15:24-28.

²⁴ Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. ²⁵ For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. ²⁶ The last enemy to be destroyed is death. ²⁷ For “God has put all things in subjection under his feet.” But when it says, “all things are put in subjection,” it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him. ²⁸ When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all.