13:1 The book of Judges is a siren. As generations pass within this scripture, we are able to see humanity from a wider view. We are able to see ourselves from a wider scope: our species' tendency to abandon reason and chase desire. The organization God presented is repeatedly rejected as the children of Israel choose chaos over and over again.
And it is most important for us to understand what "choosing chaos" actually looks like. Choosing chaos is choosing vengeance over forgiveness, greed over selflessness, pride over humility, lie over truth. Each day presents us with opportunities for each of those things. Remaining committed to the righteous choices constructs a righteous life. Matthew 6:24 teaches us that we cannot serve two masters. We cannot be prideful and humble contemporaneously. We cannot live sporadically between opposites, one always wins over the other.
Every time the children of Israel, or we, reject God's method, we step further into chaos. Further and further until we are consumed. And this is what happens - again - to the children of Israel as they come under the violent rule of the Philistines. They walked right into it! As they stepped toward chaos and away from God, they chose a new master.
13:2 We are introduced to Manoah and his wife. Manoah's wife, like Sarah and other women in the bible, is unable to conceive children. Her womb is barren, so to speak. The symbolism of the barren womb is that in an empty place, God creates not only opportunity but also life. Knowing how intricately involved God is in our lives, we can reasonably understand that God perhaps reserved this woman's womb for a purpose.
13:3 The Angel of the Lord appears to the woman and explains to her that she will conceive and bear a son. This theme of conception is persistent within the Bible, and calls us to remember the ultimate conception. Of the children who were born to barren mothers in scripture, none lived so righteously as Jesus. We learn how extraordinarily Jesus lived His live by following the lives of others who arrived with the same love from God as He did - but did so much less with it.
13:4 The Angel of the Lord instructs the woman to raise her son as a child of God. She is to eat cleanly (healthfully) and refrain from alcohol. The Angel of the Lord wants her child to have every opportunity to thrive under His protection and direction.
13:5 The child's purpose will be to be led by God as the one to deliver the children of Israel out of the hand of the Philistines. Interestingly, the child's parents will prove to be more faithful than the child himself. God's will will be done, however, despite the child's fragility of faith. We will explore that in the next two chapters.
13:6-7 Stunned by the experience with God, Manoah's wife returns to her husband and tries to explains everything that happened to her. She was so beautifully overwhelmed by the Spirit of God that she realizes that other than what he told her, she really did not think to ask any questions. Basic questions like: Oh, by the way, who are you? Where are you from. She just knew that the Angel was true. And that was more than enough.
13:8 Manoah, in his need for understanding, turns to God. He prays for God to clarify his wife's experience. Gratefully and willing they both are, but ask God for help in rearing the child. They want to raise their son righteously and according to His will.
13:9-11 God answers Manoah's prayer by appearing again as the Angel. Manoah's wife quickly runs to him to share the experience. It is determined that this is the same Angel who appeared to her before. Manoah asks: are you the one who spoke to my wife? And God answers: I am. Which is adorably ironic because that is His name. He answers and introduces Himself all in one response. In two words: I am, Exodus 3:14.
13:12 Manoah speaks: Now let Your words come to pass. Immediately Monoah shows faith. He aligns Himself with the will of God and accepts the responsibility to raising a son in the serve of God.
13:13-14 Angel-God informs Manoah of the same message He gave his wife. She is to observe His health guidelines while she is pregnant with the boy.
13:15-16 Manoah asks the Angel if He will stay long enough for him (Manoah) to prepare a meal for him (the Angel). The Angel responds that He will remain, but suggests that instead of a meal, Manoah should prepare an offering for God. Manoah and his wife are unaware that the Angel they speak to is actually God.
13:17-18 Manoah and his wife are so fascinated by this Angel... so fascinated that they neglect to notice that all of the information they seek is right in front of them. They gave received God and the name of God already. The Angel wakes the couple up out of a kind of stupor: what you feel is what is.
For God needs no description. All of the questions Manoah and his wife ask, we would likely ask as well. God wants us to recognize Him. When we recognize Him, the answers are all provided. When we know Him, we know all that we need to know.
13:19-21 Manoah prepares an offering for God. As he lights the fire, the Angel of the Lord appears in the flames. It is then that the couple realizes that they have spoken with God. Without hesitation they bow their bodies to the ground in reverence. Not because God demanded it, but because He naturally inspires it. His beauty and wisdom, compassion and light inspires us to humble ourselves before Him - in gratitude and awe for our spiritual Father.
13:22 So unaccustomed to even hearing about the appearance of God, seeing Him causes Manoah to panic! Like us, Manoah likely only thought he would ever see God after passing away from earth.
13:23 Manoah's wife is able to calm him down: she reminds him that God has a purpose for them and for the son they will son have. Death is not on the agenda.
13:24-25 Manoah's wife gives birth to a son, as God promised, and she names him Samson. As Samson grows, the God blesses Him. Protecting and guiding and strengthening the boy for a greater purpose.
