When the flame went up from the altar to the sky, the angel of the LORD ascended in the flame. When Manoah and his wife saw this, they fell facedown to the ground. When the flame went up from the altarThe phrase "when the flame went up" signifies a divine acceptance of the offering presented by Manoah and his wife. In the Hebrew context, fire often symbolizes God's presence and approval, as seen in other biblical instances such as the burning bush ( Exodus 3:2) and the fire on Mount Carmel ( 1 Kings 18:38). The altar, a place of sacrifice and worship, represents the human effort to reach out to God, and the ascending flame indicates that God acknowledges and receives this act of devotion. toward heaven
The direction "toward heaven" emphasizes the connection between the earthly and the divine. Heaven is often depicted as God's dwelling place, and the upward movement of the flame symbolizes the offering's journey to God's presence. This imagery reinforces the idea that true worship and sacrifice are directed toward God, seeking His favor and communion. the Angel of the LORD ascended in the flame
The "Angel of the LORD" is a significant figure in the Old Testament, often understood as a theophany, or a visible manifestation of God Himself. The Angel's ascension "in the flame" underscores the divine nature of the encounter. It signifies that the Angel is not merely a messenger but embodies God's presence. This miraculous event confirms the sacredness of the moment and the divine approval of Manoah and his wife's faith and obedience. When Manoah and his wife saw this
The reaction of Manoah and his wife upon witnessing this event is crucial. Their ability to "see" the divine act indicates a moment of revelation and understanding. In biblical narratives, seeing often implies perceiving or comprehending God's will or presence. This moment marks a turning point in their faith journey, as they recognize the holiness of the encounter. they fell facedown to the ground
The act of falling "facedown to the ground" is a posture of worship, humility, and submission. In the ancient Near Eastern context, bowing down was a common response to divine or royal presence, signifying reverence and acknowledgment of authority. For Manoah and his wife, this gesture reflects their awe and reverence for God, acknowledging His power and majesty. It is a physical expression of their spiritual surrender and recognition of God's sovereignty in their lives. Persons / Places / Events 1. ManoahA man from the tribe of Dan, husband to the barren woman who would become Samson's mother. He is a central figure in this account, seeking to understand God's will for his promised son. 2. Manoah's WifeThough unnamed in the text, she is a pivotal character who first receives the angelic message about the birth of Samson. Her faith and obedience are noteworthy. 3. The Angel of the LORDA divine messenger who appears to Manoah and his wife, delivering the promise of Samson's birth and instructions for his Nazirite vow. 4. The AltarThe place where Manoah offers a sacrifice to the LORD, which becomes the site of the miraculous ascent of the Angel of the LORD. 5. The FlameRepresents God's presence and power, as it ascends to heaven with the Angel of the LORD, signifying divine approval and the supernatural nature of the encounter. Teaching Points Divine EncountersRecognize that God often reveals Himself in unexpected ways. Be open to His presence in your daily life, even in ordinary circumstances. Faith and ObedienceManoah and his wife's response to the angel's message demonstrates the importance of faith and obedience. Trust in God's promises, even when the path is unclear. God's SovereigntyThe miraculous ascent of the Angel of the LORD in the flame underscores God's control over all creation. Rest in the assurance that God is sovereign over your life. Worship and ReverenceManoah and his wife fell facedown in worship. Cultivate a heart of reverence and awe for God, acknowledging His holiness and majesty. Divine PurposeJust as Samson was set apart for a specific purpose, understand that God has a unique calling for each of us. Seek to fulfill His purpose in your life. Bible Study Questions 1. How does the appearance of the Angel of the LORD in Judges 13:20 compare to other angelic appearances in the Bible, and what can we learn from these encounters? 2. In what ways does the response of Manoah and his wife to the divine message challenge or inspire your own faith journey? 3. How does the concept of divine sovereignty, as seen in the miraculous events of Judges 13:20, influence your understanding of God's role in your life? 4. Reflect on a time when you experienced God's presence in an unexpected way. How did it impact your faith and relationship with Him? 5. Considering the unique calling of Samson, how can you discern and pursue the specific purpose God has for your life, and what steps can you take to align with His will? Connections to Other Scriptures Genesis 22The account of Abraham and Isaac, where God provides a ram for the sacrifice, parallels the theme of divine intervention and promise fulfillment. Exodus 3The burning bush where Moses encounters God, similar to the flame in Judges 13:20, signifies God's presence and call to a divine mission. Luke 1The announcement of John the Baptist's birth to Zechariah and Elizabeth mirrors the angelic announcement to Manoah and his wife, highlighting themes of miraculous births and divine purpose. People Dan, Danites, Manoah, SamsonPlaces Eshtaol, Mahaneh-dan, Pirathon, ZorahTopics Altar, Angel, Ascended, Blazed, Faces, Fall, Fell, Flame, Ground, Heaven, Heavens, Manoah, Mano'ah, Messenger, Pass, Seeing, Sky, Towards, WifeDictionary of Bible Themes Judges 13:20 4826 fire
5174 prostration Judges 13:2-23 8474 seeing God Judges 13:2-25 5652 babies Judges 13:3-22 1511 Trinity, relationships in
5976 visiting Judges 13:19-20 4354 rock Judges 13:19-22 4140 angel of the Lord Judges 13:20-21 4195 spirits Judges 13:20-22 1045 God, glory of
1454 theophany
8138 monotheism Library The Wonderful.
Isaiah ix:6. HIS name shall be called "Wonderful" (Isaiah ix:6). And long before Isaiah had uttered this divine prediction the angel of the Lord had announced his name to be Wonderful. As such He appeared to Manoah. And Manoah said unto the angel of Jehovah, What is thy name, that when thy sayings come to pass we may do thee honor. And the angel of Jehovah said unto Him "why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is Wonderful" (margin, Judges xiii:17-18). This angel of Jehovah, the Person who …
Arno Gaebelein—The Lord of GloryOf the Name of God
Exod. iii. 13, 14.--"And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them? And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you." We are now about this question, What God is. But who can answer it? Or, if answered, who can understand it? It should astonish us in …
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning Gen. xxxi. 11
Of no less importance and significance is the passage Gen. xxxi. 11 seq. According to ver. 11, the Angel of God, [Hebrew: mlaK halhiM] appears toJacob in a dream. In ver. 13, the same person calls himself the God of Bethel, with reference to the event recorded in chap. xxviii. 11-22. It cannot be supposed that in chap xxviii. the mediation of a common angel took place, who, however, had not been expressly mentioned; for Jehovah is there contrasted with the angels. In ver. 12, we read: "And behold …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament Characters and Names of Messiah
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, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. S uch was the triumphant exultation of the Old Testament Church! Their noblest hopes were founded upon the promise of MESSIAH; their most sublime songs were derived from the prospect of His Advent. By faith, which is the substance of things hoped for, they considered the gracious declarations …
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 1 Mothers, Daughters, and Wives in Israel
In order accurately to understand the position of woman in Israel, it is only necessary carefully to peruse the New Testament. The picture of social life there presented gives a full view of the place which she held in private and in public life. Here we do not find that separation, so common among Orientals at all times, but a woman mingles freely with others both at home and abroad. So far from suffering under social inferiority, she takes influential and often leading part in all movements, specially …
Alfred Edersheim—Sketches of Jewish Social Life The Incarnation.
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him; and without Him was not any thing made that hath been made. In Him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in the darkness; and the darkness apprehended it not. There came a man, sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for witness, that he might bear witness of the light, that all might believe through him. He was …
Marcus Dods—The Expositor's Bible: The Gospel of St. John, Vol. I A Cloud of Witnesses.
"By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even concerning things to come. By faith Jacob, when he was a-dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff. By faith Joseph, when his end was nigh, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones.... By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they had been compassed about for seven days. By faith Rahab the harlot perished not with them that were disobedient, …
Thomas Charles Edwards—The Expositor's Bible: The Epistle to the Hebrews The Doctrine of God
I. THE EXISTENCE OF GOD: (Vs. Atheism). 1. ASSUMED BY THE SCRIPTURES. 2. PROOFS OF THE EXISTENCE OF GOD. a) Universal belief in the Existence of God. b) Cosmological:--Argument from Cause. c) Teleological:--Argument from Design. d) Ontological:--Argument from Being. e) Anthropological:--Moral Argument. f) Argument from Congruity. g) Argument from Scripture. II. THE NATURE OF GOD: (Vs. Agnosticism) 1. THE SPIRITUALITY OF GOD: (Vs. Materialism). 2. THE PERSONALITY OF GOD: (Vs. Pantheism). 3. THE UNITY …
Rev. William Evans—The Great Doctrines of the Bible A Treatise of the Fear of God;
SHOWING WHAT IT IS, AND HOW DISTINGUISHED FROM THAT WHICH IS NOT SO. ALSO, WHENCE IT COMES; WHO HAS IT; WHAT ARE THE EFFECTS; AND WHAT THE PRIVILEGES OF THOSE THAT HAVE IT IN THEIR HEARTS. London: Printed for N. Ponder, at the Peacock in the Poultry, over against the Stocks market: 1679. ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom," and "a fountain of life"--the foundation on which all wisdom rests, as well as the source from whence it emanates. Upon a principle …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3 Of the Power of Making Laws. The Cruelty of the Pope and his Adherents, in this Respect, in Tyrannically Oppressing and Destroying Souls.
1. The power of the Church in enacting laws. This made a source of human traditions. Impiety of these traditions. 2. Many of the Papistical traditions not only difficult, but impossible to be observed. 3. That the question may be more conveniently explained, nature of conscience must be defined. 4. Definition of conscience explained. Examples in illustration of the definition. 5. Paul's doctrine of submission to magistrates for conscience sake, gives no countenance to the Popish doctrine of the obligation …
John Calvin—The Institutes of the Christian Religion Annunciation to Zacharias of the Birth of John the Baptist.
(at Jerusalem. Probably b.c. 6.) ^C Luke I. 5-25. ^c 5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judæa [a Jewish proselyte, an Idumæan or Edomite by birth, founder of the Herodian family, king of Judæa from b.c. 40 to a.d. 4, made such by the Roman Senate on the recommendation of Mark Antony and Octavius Cæsar], a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course [David divided the priests into twenty-four bodies or courses, each course serving in rotation one week in the temple …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel Judges
For the understanding of the early history and religion of Israel, the book of Judges, which covers the period from the death of Joshua to the beginning of the struggle with the Philistines, is of inestimable importance; and it is very fortunate that the elements contributed by the later editors are so easily separated from the ancient stories whose moral they seek to point. That moral is most elaborately stated in ii. 6-iii. 6, which is a sort of programme or preface to iii. 7-xvi. 31, which constitutes …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links Judges 13:20 NIVJudges 13:20 NLTJudges 13:20 ESVJudges 13:20 NASBJudges 13:20 KJV
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