Jdg 13:15-25 We Shall Surely Die, for We Have Seen God

[Study Aired July 5, 2021]

Jdg 13:15  And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD, I pray thee, let us detain thee, until we shall have made ready a kid for thee. 
Jdg 13:16  And the angel of the LORD said unto Manoah, Though thou detain me, I will not eat of thy bread: and if thou wilt offer a burnt offering, thou must offer it unto the LORD. For Manoah knew not that he was an angel of the LORD. 
Jdg 13:17  And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD, What is thy name, that when thy sayings come to pass we may do thee honour? 
Jdg 13:18  And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is secret? 
Jdg 13:19  So Manoah took a kid with a meat offering, and offered it upon a rock unto the LORD: and the angel did wondrously; and Manoah and his wife looked on. 
Jdg 13:20  For it came to pass, when the flame went up toward heaven from off the altar, that the angel of the LORD ascended in the flame of the altar. And Manoah and his wife looked on it, and fell on their faces to the ground. 
Jdg 13:21  But the angel of the LORD did no more appear to Manoah and to his wife. Then Manoah knew that he was an angel of the LORD. 
Jdg 13:22  And Manoah said unto his wife, We shall surely die, because we have seen God. 
Jdg 13:23  But his wife said unto him, If the LORD were pleased to kill us, he would not have received a burnt offering and a meat offering at our hands, neither would he have shewed us all these things, nor would as at this time have told us such things as these. 
Jdg 13:24  And the woman bare a son, and called his name Samson: and the child grew, and the LORD blessed him. 
Jdg 13:25  And the Spirit of the LORD began to move him at times in the camp of Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol. 

The first part of Judges Chapter 13 focuses on the encounter of an angel of the Lord with the wife of Manoah concerning the birth of a child who was to be born a Nazarite from birth. The angel also gave instructions about what must be done to give birth to the child. Here the woman was advised not to drink wine nor strong drink nor eat an unclean thing. Spiritually speaking, to be advised not to drink wine or strong drink is being warned to avoid taking in false doctrines which will make us unable to bring forth a son – the new man!! Unclean thing also signifies false doctrines which comes from spiritually dead children of God. It can also imply unrighteousness as follows:

Lev 20:21  And if a man shall take his brother’s wife, it is an unclean thing: he hath uncovered his brother’s nakedness; they shall be childless.

So if we want to give birth to the new man, then we must avoid taking in false doctrines and live righteously!!

Today’s study continues with the encounter with the angel of the Lord and the birth of a son called Sampson.

Jdg 13:15  And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD, I pray thee, let us detain thee, until we shall have made ready a kid for thee. 

Usually, when we have an encounter with the Lord, we want to preserve the experience. For example, there are times that the Holy Spirit brings us inexplicable joy or we are miraculously provided for or protected.  We think we can preserve this experience of anointing by doing something for the Lord. The same thing happened to Peter when he was with our Lord Jesus Christ when He was transfigured and saw Jesus talking to Moses and Elijah. This is what ensued:

Mat 17:3  And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him. 
Mat 17:4  Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. 
Mat 17:5  While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. 

So here our Lord Jesus was telling Peter that what is most important in our walk with Christ is not what we do, but hearing His voice. In other words, when our eyes begin to see and our ears begin to hear, that is the ultimate experience we can have with our Lord Jesus Christ.

Mat 13:16  But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.
Mat 13:17  For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

Jdg 13:16  And the angel of the LORD said unto Manoah, Though thou detain me, I will not eat of thy bread: and if thou wilt offer a burnt offering, thou must offer it unto the LORD. For Manoah knew not that he was an angel of the LORD.

When we do not know the Lord, just as Manoah did not know the angel of the Lord, we think that we can please the Lord by what we do. Here in verse 16, however, the Lord told Manoah that He will not eat of his bread, which means that He is not interested in our works when we do not know Him. We also used to think like Manoah that we must offer something to God. All over the world, people are offering praise and worship, building exotic churches, evangelizing the world, praying and fasting for forty days, etc. However, none of these things is what the Lord requires if we do not know Him intimately through His words. The Lord calls all these works we do when we do not know Him as works of iniquity.

Mat 7:21  Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 
Mat 7:22  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Mat 7:23  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

What the Lord required of Manoah was a burnt offering to the Lord. The traditional burnt offering by Israel was carried out using a bull, sheep, or goat; a male with no defect. These animals were killed at the entrance to the tabernacle. The animal’s blood was drained, and the priest sprinkled blood around the altar. The animal was skinned and cut into pieces, the intestines and legs washed, and the priest burned the pieces over the altar all night. A turtledove or pigeon could also be sacrificed, although they weren’t skinned. The smoke from the sacrifice ascended to God as “a soothing aroma to the LORD”.

Lev 1:9  But his inwards and his legs shall he wash in water: and the priest shall burn all on the altar, to be a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.

Our Lord Jesus Christ was the ultimate burnt offering for our sins. As He is, so are we here on earth. We, too, are being offered as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God. Offering our bodies as a living sacrifice means that we, too, must be without blemish. A vital ingredient in a burnt offering is the fire which consumes the flesh and causes smoke which is the sweet aroma to the Lord.  This fire is our judgment. We are first to be judged here on earth so that we will learn righteousness or become unblemished. It is this fire, or judgment, that burns down our flesh or the old man and causes us to offer a sweet aroma of smoke to the Lord. This is what the Lord requires, not what we, of ourselves, offer!!

1Jn 4:17  Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

Rom 12:1  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 
Rom 12:2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Jdg 13:17  And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD, What is thy name, that when thy sayings come to pass we may do thee honour? 

This verse is to confirm to us the fact that Manoah did not know the Lord. That is why he was asking the angel of the Lord His name. He was not even sure whether what the angel was saying will come to pass. He was going to wait until what the angel said comes to pass before he honors the angel. That is not faith. Blessed are those who have not seen but yet believe!!

Joh 20:29  Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

As mentioned in the previous review, if we know Him intimately, then when we hear His voice. We do not need to ask who is speaking.

Joh 21:4  But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus.
Joh 21:5  Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No.
Joh 21:6  And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes.
Joh 21:7  Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher’s coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea. 
Joh 21:8  And the other disciples came in a little ship; (for they were not far from land, but as it were two hundred cubits,) dragging the net with fishes.
Joh 21:9  As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread.
Joh 21:10  Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now caught.
Joh 21:11  Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken.
Joh 21:12  Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord.

Joh 10:27  My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

Jdg 13:18  And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is secret?

This verse is the same as saying that we have a God who hides Himself from the world and reveals Himself to only a chosen few in this life!! The phrase “Seeing it is secret” means that the name is known to only those that our Lord chooses to reveal.

Isa 45:15  Verily thou art a God that hidest thyself, O God of Israel, the Saviour.

Mat 13:10  And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?
Mat 13:11  He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
Mat 13:12  For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.

Jdg 13:19  So Manoah took a kid with a meat offering, and offered it upon a rock unto the LORD: and the angel did wondrously; and Manoah and his wife looked on. 

As indicated earlier, the only way we can please the Lord is to offer our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto the Lord. That is when we see our Lord Jesus do “wondrously” in our lives. Manoah and his wife looking on means that we are not partakers of what God is doing in our lives. It is the work of God alone, not us. Our victory is standing still to see the salvation of the Lord.

Exo 14:13  And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you today: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen today, ye shall see them again no more forever.
Exo 14:14  The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.

In the next verse, we shall explain what it means by the angel doing wondrously by what took place while offering the sacrifice to the Lord. In Darby’s version of this verse, he states that an amazing thing happened while the sacrifice was going on.

Jdg 13:19  So Manoah took a young goat over to a large rock he had chosen for an altar, and he built a fire on the rock. Then he killed the goat, and offered it with some grain as a sacrifice to the LORD. But then an amazing thing happened. (Darby)

Let’s now take a look at this amazing thing that happened!!

Jdg 13:20  For it came to pass, when the flame went up toward heaven from off the altar, that the angel of the LORD ascended in the flame of the altar. And Manoah and his wife looked on it, and fell on their faces to the ground. 

The flame here is the word of God which goes into our heavens to cleanse us of every false doctrine and all that offends. As this cleansing work of the word of God is going on in our lives, that is when we see Christ rise up in our heart (the angel of the Lord ascended in the flames).

Joh 15:3  Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. 

2Pe 1:19  We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:

The light that shines in dark place in 1 Peter 1:19 is the cleansing flame of the altar, which is the word of God which results in the day star (Christ) rising in our hearts. This is the wondrous work that Jesus Christ, the angel of the Lord, does in our lives as we watch this spectacle just like Manoah and his wife. The fact that Manoah and his wife were watching this display means that they have no part to play in this wondrous work of the Lord. We all can only stand and see the salvation of the Lord. We are too weak to help ourselves. All the work of salvation is of the Lord.  We play no part in it but only accept this work with grateful heart.

Psa 107:8  Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
Psa 107:9  For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.
Psa 107:10  Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron; 
Psa 107:11  Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most High:
Psa 107:12  Therefore he brought down their heart with labour; they fell down, and there was none to help.
Psa 107:13  Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses. 
Psa 107:14  He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder.
Psa 107:15  Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!

Manoah and his wife falling on their faces as they saw this wondrous work by the angel of the Lord is the same as worshiping the Lord or showing gratitude for what God was doing.  We, too, must show exceeding gratefulness for how far God has brought us through this wondrous work of the Lord. Each one of us has a reason to praise the Lord in spite of our circumstance. For we brought nothing into this world and we cannot carry anything out of this world.

1Ti 6:7  For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
1Ti 6:8  And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.

“We brought nothing into this world” can spiritually be interpreted as having no part to play in this work of salvation while we live in this world. Carrying nothing out means that when we die spiritually, we leave behind everything that is of the world within us behind which is this wonderful work of the Lord we are discussing. “Having food and raiment” means being fed by the word of the Lord which produces the righteousness of Christ in us. That is what we need to be satisfied with in this life irrespective of our circumstances. Let us all, therefore, with gratefulness of heart say to the Lord like the Psalmist:

Psa 34:1 I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
Psa 34:2  My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.
Psa 34:3  O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.
Psa 34:4  I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.
Psa 34:5  They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed.
Psa 34:6  This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.
Psa 34:7  The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.
Psa 34:8  O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.

Jdg 13:21  But the angel of the LORD did no more appear to Manoah and to his wife. Then Manoah knew that he was an angel of the LORD.

It is surprising that it was when the angel of the Lord ceased to appear before Manoah and his wife that Manoah perceived his encounter was indeed with the angel of the Lord. When Jesus was on earth, he told his disciples that it was expedient that he went away. What our Lord Jesus was implying was that his physical presence with the disciples was even a hindrance to their growth spiritually. The benefits of Christ going away for us as his elect are spelled out in the following scriptures:

Joh 16:5  But now I go my way to him that sent me; and none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou?
Joh 16:6  But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart.
Joh 16:7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
Joh 16:8  And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
Joh 16:9  Of sin, because they believe not on me;
Joh 16:10  Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;
Joh 16:11  Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.
Joh 16:12  I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.
Joh 16:13  Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

So the angel not appearing to Manoah and his wife again was advantageous for them to know the Lord. It was in the absence of the physical presence of the angel of the Lord that Manoah perceived that they have indeed had an encounter with the Lord of Hosts. That is what it means when the Lord said to Thomas that blessed are those who have not seen but yet believe.

Joh 20:29  Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

We, too, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, are being ushered into all truth to know who the angel of the Lord is (Jesus Christ). We do not need any apparition to authenticate the presence of the Lord in our lives. As long as our eyes are seeing and our ears are hearing who the angel of the Lord (Jesus Christ) is, we have fellowship with our Lord Jesus and our Father and we are most blessed!!

Mat 13:16  But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. 
Mat 13:17  For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

1Jn 1:3  That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.

Jdg 13:22  And Manoah said unto his wife, We shall surely die, because we have seen God.

This verse means that we must go through the dying process of the old man or the flesh before we can see God or get to know the Lord Jesus Christ.  For whosoever has seen God or claims to know God must have been died, or in the process of dying to the flesh. 

Exo 33:20  And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.

This death is through the process of judgment. The story of the raising up of Lazarus from death is to give us insight into why we should die before we can see the Lord. When we do not know the Lord, we are spiritually dead like the death of Lazarus. Being spiritually dead means being under the dominion of the flesh. It is just like being bound hand and foot with our face covered by a napkin and a stone covering our tomb. The stone covering our tomb prevents light from reaching us.  So also is the covering of napkin which prevents us from seeing Christ. It is only when we die to the flesh and are resurrected by our Lord Jesus Christ that all that bids us, including the stone and the napkin that covers our face, are set loose or removed.  It is then that we can see the Lord Jesus clearly. So without dying, there is no way that we can see Christ.

Joh 11:14  Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.
Joh 11:15  And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him. 
Joh 11:16  Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellow disciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him.
Joh 11:41  Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.

Joh 11:43  And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.
Joh 11:44  And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.

Jdg 13:23  But his wife said unto him, If the LORD were pleased to kill us, he would not have received a burnt offering and a meat offering at our hands, neither would he have shewed us all these things, nor would as at this time have told us such things as these.

This verse is assuring us that we haven’t come this far in our walk with Christ for Him to abort or kill our dream of knowing Him. No!! He Who has started with us is able to bring us to completion. Here the verse mentioned two things that should assure us that our Lord will fulfill that which He has started.

The first thing mentioned is that of the receipt of the burnt and meat offering by the Lord. This means that we should focus on offering our bodies as living sacrifices holy and acceptable to God. Offering our bodies this way means we are not conforming to this world, but rather we are being transformed by the renewing of our mind by the word of God. That is the only way we can know the will of God.

Rom 12:1  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
Rom 12:2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

The second thing that was said in verse 23 is that if the Lord wanted to kill them (Manoah and his wife), He would not have shown them things concerning the birth of their son and how to raise him. What we are being told here is that as long as we are seeing and hearing the word of the Lord concerning the birth of the new man in our lives, we should be rest assured that God will finish His work in us.

Mat 13:16  But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.
Mat 13:17  For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

Jdg 13:24  And the woman bare a son, and called his name Samson: and the child grew, and the LORD blessed him.

The son born to Manoah and his wife is the new man after the image of Christ. This new man comes only when we start the dying process. According to Strong, “Sampson” means sunlight. The coming of this new man is when the light of the glorious gospel of Christ shines on us.

2Co 4:6  For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
2Co 4:7  But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

As the old man continues to die, the new man continues to grow, and we are therefore blessed.

Jdg 13:25  And the Spirit of the LORD began to move him at times in the camp of Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol.

Before we can understand what the spirit is saying in this verse, we need to know the meaning of the two places mentioned in this verse – Zorah and Eshtaol. According to Strong, “Zorah” means a type of wasp called a hornet. In the scriptures, there are only two places that the word “hornet” are used, and it was in relation to the defeat of the enemies of Israel as follows:

Deu 7:20  Moreover the LORD thy God will send the hornet among them, until they that are left, and hide themselves from thee, be destroyed.

Jos 24:12  And I sent the hornet before you, which drave them out from before you, even the two kings of the Amorites; but not with thy sword, nor with thy bow.

The name “Eshtaol” means to enquire, pray or request. The camp of Dan here refers to the assembly of the elect. So what we are being told in verse 25 is that while we are in the church of the elect (the camp of Dan), the word of God (the Spirit of the Lord) causes us to defeat our enemies within and to pray.

Eph 4:16  From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. 

Joh 16:23  And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. 
Joh 16:24  Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.