Judges 13:8-24; Isa. 9:6, Jesus is Wonderful!

The book of Judges, being the time when people did what was right in their own eyes, has some unusual stories.  But I would suggest that the exchange between the Angel of the LORD and Manoah, the father of Samson, is a major high point. 

We don’t know a lot about Manoah.  Thus, we don’t know why he wanted to talk to the Angel of the LORD.  He says it was because he wanted to know how to raise Samson, but the Angel had already told Manoah’s wife about that.  Maybe Manoah was jealous that a “Man of God” had appeared to his wife and not to him.  I don’t know.  It apparently doesn’t matter.  However, I can say this: whether he understood or not, Manoah did a great thing when he prayed, “O my Lord, please let the Man of God whom You sent come to us again…”  There was a yearning in his heart to know God’s will, and as you see later in the passage, to know God!  It reminds me of Moses who longed to see the glory of God (Ex. 33-34), and of Paul who desired to know Christ (Phil. 3). 

God certainly accommodated Manoah.  The Angel of the LORD returned and repeated the instructions.  This led Manoah to want to show hospitality to “the Man” who spoke for God.  Remember Heb. 13:2: Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels.  I always think of Abraham (Gen. 18-19) but we can include Manoah as well. 

Eventually Manoah realizes he has been talking with the LORD Himself.  How does he get from “the Man” to “the LORD?”  It begins with the response of the Angel of the LORD to the meal: I will not eat your food.  But if you offer a burnt offering, you must offer it to the LORD.  Manoah’s response to this leads to a well known quote from Princess Bride, what Inigo said to the man in black: Who are you?  Unlike the man in black (“no one of consequence”), the Angel responds, Why do you ask My name, seeing it is wonderful?” 

WONDERFUL!  The Hebrew term here is only used twice, as an adjective here and a noun in Ps. 139:6 (such knowledge is too wonderful for me).  It means to be incomprehensible.  The root word means to be marvelous, surpassing, to make singular or distinguishable; and it is used in the very next verse: the Angel of the LORD did a wondrous thing while Manoah and his wife looked on, ascending to heaven in the flame of the offering.  This wondrous sign made it clear to Manoah that, yes, he had just been in the presence of God!

All this leads us now to Isa. 9:6. Here is the last half of the verse from the Jewish Publication Society translation: And his name is called Pele-joez-el-gibbor-Abi-ad-sar-shalom (Wonderful-Counselor-God-Mighty-Father-Forever-Prince-Peace).  Pele is “wonderful.”  Again, it’s a noun.  It speaks of the Messiah, the One on whose shoulders the government will rest. 

Who was Manoah speaking with?  It was the Son of God, second member of the Trinity who is “God in visible form” when it serves the purpose of God.  The Angel of the LORD is the Son of God.  The Messiah is the Son of God.  Jesus is wonderful, all-surpassing, the One who is distinguished from all others.  Do I have the yearning to be in the presence of God the Son?  Do I long to know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His suffering?  What a wonderful Savior!