Judges 13:11-25
The LORD does not make known His thoughts for the deliverance of His people to the powerful men in Israel but to two poor Israelites of Dan, the weakest of the tribes (Judges 1:34). Today, to whom does God reveal His plan of salvation and the Saviour whom He has given? It is to little children and those who are like little children, having simple faith (Matthew 11:25). In this second visit of the Angel we should notice the burnt offering, the meal offering and the rock, pictures of Christ which are familiar to us. But who is the Angel himself, what is his name? Manoah, who desperately wanted to know him personally and not only secondhand through his wife, is only given the reply, "Why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is wonderful?" (v. 18). (J.N.D. New Translation). He has no need to say more for us to recognize Him. Let us open our Bibles at Isaiah 9:6 : "His name shall be called wonderful". And because He is wonderful, He can only do "wondrously"; by this we recognize Him too. The Angel who here ascends in the flame of the burnt offering and Jesus who, when His work was finished, after He "had spoken unto them . . . was received up into heaven" (Mark 16:19), are one and the same Person.