Judge’s chapter 13
Picture of prayer
When you read through Deuteronomy and Joshua, you become invigorated at the sight, sound and demonstration of the power of God.
He parts the Red Sea, He changes a murdering to a national leader, He displays His power in miraculous wonders, He helps a fearful Joshua defeat various people groups and gain access to the Promised Land ... it’s truly better than any movie of Netflix series.
Then you get to Judges.
I love this book too.
However, I get frustrated at the roller coaster emotional ride...
One generation serves the Lord.
A judge.
The next generation rejects the Lord.
Another judge.
The people backslide....get in a pickle...
They cry out to God.
God provides another judge...
Our Father is so merciful.
Do this same routine 10+ more times ...
Pause at Judges 13.
An Angel of the Lord appears to Manoah’s wife and promises she will conceive a special son.
She is barren.
We see supernatural fruit come from barrenness numerous times in Scripture.
This is yet another amazing work of God.
He makes the barren womb leap with joy.
Manoah’s wife tells her husband what happened.
Manoah then cries out to Yahweh in prayer.
Judges 13:8
“O my Lord, please let the Man of God whom You sent come to us again and teach us what we shall do for the child who will be born”
“God, Please show up again we need more instructions, we need details Lord” (my paraphrase)
Manoah is a man of God, so in His wonder and excitement He prays.
Isn’t it beautiful?
He believes His wife and asks God boldly for a second visit.
Parents: We are wise to pray this Manoah prayer “teach us what we shall do”
As parents, we all wish we had a training manual when our babies were born.
Child 1 will be compliant, taking activities or goodies away will work for discipline.
Child 2 is free spirited. He will need repeated redirection and no amount of time out corners will change him. This child will need a lot of activities and sports. Beware of the junior high years for this one.
Ha!
We have no such manual.
We do have a Rabbi- His Name is Jesus.
God designs each child with a purpose and plan. God’s plan, not the parents plan.
Manoah humbly and yet boldly asks for wisdom. Manoah prays asking God to “teach us.”
The problem with our walks with God is we forget that God is the giver of gifts and He has given us the instruction manual to life
His Holy Word.
We can come boldly to His throne of grace.
He invites us, if any of you lacks wisdom ASK and God will give it.
Judges 13:9
“God listened to the voice of Manoah”
Catch that?
The Word doesn’t say He heard the request (although we know this is true)
God listened to his son Manoah’s voice.
Silent prayers are amazing.
But friends, God wants to hear our voice.
When we pray out loud something happens, our Spirit is stirred and we recall that we are having a conversation with the God of the universe.
Let God hear your voice.
Manoah wanted to know God. He then asks for His Name.
Judges 13:17
Then Manoah said to the Angel of the Lord, “What is your Name that when Your words come to pass we may honor You?”
He said, “why do you ask my Name seeing it is wonderful”
“It is Wonderful”
Just like Isaiah 9:6
What did Jesus say when they picked up stones to kill Him?
He said
“Verily verily I say unto you, before Abraham was I AM”
Knowing Gods Name is important.
We need to be intimately familiar with His Name in our prayers, even in our whisper prayers.
Manoah has faith that God would do what He said He would.
Manoah professed “when your words come to pass”
Not if.. but when...
God’s Word WILL come to pass.
It is certain.
So why do we doubt?
Perhaps we are not intimately familiar with our Kind King who never fails. Perhaps we need to pray boldly for wisdom like Manoah.
Perhaps we need to remember Gods Name it is Wonderful !
Perhaps we are flesh, and we need more emptying.
May the Lord teach us from every page in His Word that He is Wonderful, He is Faithful, and His Word SHALL come to pass just as He said.
Judges 13- a picture of prayer.
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