Online Bible Audio/Readings Links (ESV)
7/30 Reading Portions: Judges 13; Acts 17; Jeremiah 26; Mark 12
Judges 13:18
And the angel of the LORD said to him, “Why do you ask My name, seeing it is wonderful?”
WONDERFUL
While the KJV translates the word “wonderful” as “secret,” and though the word may be translated using either English word, the original Hebrew word comes from the same root word that is spoken by the prophet Isaiah concerning God’s Messiah, whereas His name is called Wonderful:
“For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6, Pastor Jon Translation, emphasis added
Manoah witnessed a Christophany, a pre-incarnate appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ. By this, we recognize that the father of Samson knew the angel of the LORD was God, for he told his wife,
“We shall surely die, for we have seen God.” Judges 13:22
Manoah remembered what was written in the Law, whereas YHVH God told Moses,
“You cannot see My face, for man shall not see Me and live.” Exodus 33:20
Yet Manoah’s wife rightly corrected her husband,
“If the LORD had meant to kill us, He would not have accepted a burnt offering and a grain offering at our hands, or shown us all these things, or now announced to us such things as these.” Judges 13:23
Oh, what blessed truths arise in gracious Christophanies! Because of our sins, the face of God brings the judgment of God; and in that Day, the wrath of God, by the presence of God, will eternally, terrifyingly implode the reprobate who has rejected the free grace of God in Christ. Those who have been redeemed by the Son of God, however, may present their bodies before God as living sacrifices, which are holy and acceptable before Him (Rom 12:1), for we are in Christ, saved by His grace. While His name was secret in the Old Testament, it has been revealed to be wonderful at His birth, because they called His name Y’shua, meaning “will save” in Hebrew, for, He, Jesus,
“…will save His people from their sins.” Matthew 1:21
Hallelujah! What a Savior!