MANOAH'S WIFE

JUDGES 13:1

A. "AND THERE WAS A CERTAIN MAN OF ZORAH, OF THE FAMILY OF THE ANITES, WHOSE NAME WAS MANOAH; AND HIS WIFE WAS BARREN AND BARE NOT" - JUDGES 13:1-25
  1. The Bible story of Manoah and his wife is most interesting:
    1. It is similar to the stories of Abraham and Sarai and Zacharias and Elizabeth
    2. It reveals how God works in mysterious ways to unfold His plan for His children
  2. Manoah and his wife had no children:
    1. They besought the Lord for a child
    2. And the angel of the Lord brought to them, as he did to Abraham and Sarai, and to Zacharias and Elizabeth the good news of the birth of a son
B. MANOAH'S WIFE
  1. Was a privileged woman:
    1. She experienced a pre-incarnate appearance of the Messiah; for this writer believes that the Angel of his presence was the son of God - pre-incarnate - Gen. 16:7; 22:11; Ex. 2:2; 6-14.
    2. He was the Captain of the Host of the Lord - Joshua 5:13-15
    3. This heavenly being came twice to Manoah and his wife giving specific instruction about the mission of their son; and how they were to bring him up
  2. Manoah and his wife were inquisitive wanting to know the name of their heavenly visitor:
    1. "What is thy name?"
    2. His reply was, "Why asketh thou thus after My name, seeing it is secret" or "wonderful" as the margin expresses it
    3. This reminds us of the words of the prophet Isaiah, "and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace" - Is. 9:6
  3. Manoah's wife, like Elizabeth, was a godly woman:
    1. Both Manoah and his wife must have walked in all the commandments of the Lord to receive such a heavenly revelation
    2. The specifications of bringing up the child shows that she was a godly person
    3. Manoah's wife was a happy woman, and why should she not be happy? she was chosen to bare the strongest man on earth who was to judge Israel twenty years
    4. This woman was under a vow during her pregnancy not to drink wine or strong drink; her son was to be a Nazarite
    5. But Manoah's wife became a woman of great sorrow; for Samson failed to live up to th4e training his parents had given him - Judges 16
C. A MIGHTY LESSON FOR GOD'S PEOPLE TODAY
  1. The divine plan for God's people:
    1. Is to bring forth an holy seed, godly children - Mal. 2:15
    2. This places a great responsibility upon the parents to follow the blueprint of God's word in bringing up their children; Example: Abraham and his household - Gen. 18:19; specific instruction to ancient Israel - Deut. 6:1-11
  2. There are times when God-fearing parents experience bitter disappointment in their children:
    1. Manoah and his wife did - Judges 14; 15; 16
    2. Samuel did - I Sam. 8:1-6
    3. This writer knows of the other godly parents whose children failed to walk in the path marked out by their parents
  3. What is of special significance in the life of Manoah's wife:
    1. Her prayer for a son was answered
    2. She was honored to see and hear the Son of God whose name is Wonderful
    3. She followed the instruction given to her by the angel of the Lord
    4. She and her husband were rewarded to bring up the strongest man in the world
    5. And it is this writers opinion that Samson died a saved man
  4. What then does the story of Mrs. Manoah mean to the mothers in Israel today:
    1. She became a worthy example to them to train her son in harmony with the instructions of the angel of the Lord
    2. This is the one great assignment to godly mothers to bring up their children in the fear of the Lord.


Design © John Bryant 2011