“And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD, What is thy name, that when thy words come to pass we may do thee honour? And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Wherefore askest thou after my name, seeing it is Wonderful?” (Judg 13:17, 18, ERV)
The nation of Israel was backsliding ‘again’. Each time the people went to worship other gods, Jehovah ‘sold’ them to their enemies, so that thru pain and suffering, they might repent and come back to Him. Each time they cried for a savior, for a leader who will stir the nation unto freedom, God granted their request and He will send them one. Then they will relapse again into wicked doubt and idolatry and the circle goes on again and again. But this time, in Judges 13, the people of God are too tired to cry or pray for help. God waits for moments like these when the flesh is dead. Then He intervenes purely for His name sake and to reveal His grace.
Manoah and his wife are old people, barren and childless. They are a picture of Israel: no children, no future, no hope…Then one day, could have been ‘an ordinary’ day, the Angel of the Lord came to Mrs. Manoah and spoke to her. He did not waste any words. He identified the problem (you need a son). He gave the solution (you will have a son). He gave instruction (you and your son must keep spiritually pure). He interpreted God’s will for them (your son shall be a national hero, a deliverer, a savior to begin the freedom of Israel from the present bondage). .
When asked about His name, the Angel of the Lord said (I paraphrase):
‘Why do you ask? Don’t you know My name? Can anyone bless you with a miracle from the scratch like I do? Can anyone give you a son except God? Anyway, My name is Wonderful!’
Mrs Manoah is not named. But she is indeed a true woman of God and a godly wife. She, an old woman, runs to share the good news with her husband. See their excitement…jumping, dancing…’Wonderful Counselor has visited us!
Less than a year they witness the confirmation of the promise from God. The long waited son was born. His name is Samson, which means ‘strength. He was a strong man but with ‘a strong’ weakness. But even so, he fulfilled God’s prophecy to begin the deliverance of Israel from the hand of the Philistines.
The conception and the birth was Samson directs our attention to the Savior of men, the Lord Jesus Christ. He came full of grace and truth, to save us from sin. He lived and died that we may belong to Him forever.
At the Cross of Calvary, so much power, so much grace was released on behalf of men, that forever more God can ‘manufacture’ a miracle from scratch for them who believe.
Do you need a Savior? Do you need healing? Do you need a life partner? Do you need children? Do you need opportunities for ministry? Do you need utterance when you preach? Do you need a financial breakthrough? Do you need the Baptism of the Holy Spirit? Do you need God?
God will create a miracle from scratch for you! God does not recycle! God does not borrow! God is God! Let Him manifest in your life now! In Jesus name, amen!