Judges 13:16-25: a reflection

16The LORD’s angel said to Manoah, “Though you detain me, I won’t eat your bread. If you will prepare a burnt offering, you must offer it to the LORD.” For Manoah didn’t know that he was the LORD’s angel. 17Manoah said to the LORD’s angel, “What is your name, that when your words happen, we may honor you?” 18The LORD’s angel said to him, “Why do you ask about my name, since it is incomprehensible?” 19So Manoah took the young goat with the meal offering, and offered it on the rock to the LORD. Then the angel did an amazing thing as Manoah and his wife watched. 20For when the flame went up toward the sky from off the altar, the LORD’s angel ascended in the flame of the altar. Manoah and his wife watched; and they fell on their faces to the ground. 21But the LORD’s angel didn’t appear to Manoah or to his wife any more. Then Manoah knew that he was the LORD’s angel. 22Manoah said to his wife, “We shall surely die, because we have seen God.” 23But his wife said to him, “If the LORD were pleased to kill us, he wouldn’t have received a burnt offering and a meal offering at our hand, and he wouldn’t have shown us all these things, nor would he have told us such things as these at this time.” 24The woman bore a son and named him Samson. The child grew, and the LORD blessed him. 25The LORD’s Spirit began to move him in Mahaneh Dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol.

When the angel of the LORD appears to Manoah and his wife and then ascends in the flame of their offering, Manoah is seized with fear: We shall surely die, because we have seen God. But his wife answers with a calm, reasoned faith that counters his fear. If the LORD were pleased to kill us, she says, he wouldn't have received a burnt offering at our hand, nor would he have shown us all these things, nor told us such things as these. She reasons from God's gracious acts toward them: God had accepted their offering, shown them wonders, given them promises; surely such a God did not mean to destroy them. Her reasoning from God's goodness quieted the fear.

Notice how Manoah's wife quieted fear by reasoning from God's gracious acts. Manoah was afraid, concluding from the awesome vision that they would die. But his wife thought more clearly: she reasoned from what God had actually done toward them. He had received their offering, shown them wonders, spoken promises to them; a God who meant to destroy them would not have done these gracious things. Her faith reasoned from God's goodness, concluding that his gracious acts showed he meant them good, not harm. The evidence of God's gracious dealings with them countered the fear; his goodness toward them was reason not to be afraid. She let God's gracious acts answer her husband's fear.

That is worth taking to heart, for we can quiet fear by reasoning from God's gracious acts toward us. When fear grips us, telling us God means us harm, we can, like Manoah's wife, reason from what God has actually done toward us: his gracious dealings, his mercies, his good gifts, all showing that he means us good, not harm. God's gracious acts toward us are reason not to be afraid, evidence against the fear that he means us ill. When fear tells you God means you harm, reason from his gracious acts toward you, which show he means you good, as Manoah's wife reasoned that God would not have blessed them if he meant to destroy them. Quiet your fear by reasoning from God's gracious acts toward you, which show that he means you good and not harm, as Manoah's wife reasoned that a God who received their offering and showed them wonders did not mean to destroy them; for God's gracious dealings with us are evidence against the fear that he means us harm, and we can let his goodness toward us answer our fears.

Lord, when the angel of the LORD appears to Manoah and his wife and then ascends in the flame of their offering, Manoah is seized with fear: we shall surely die, because we have seen God. But his wife answers with a calm, reasoned faith that counters his fear. If the LORD were pleased to kill us, she says, he wouldn't have received a burnt offering at our hand, nor would he have shown us all these things, nor told us such things as these. She reasons from your gracious acts toward them: you had accepted their offering, shown them wonders, given them promises; surely such a God did not mean to destroy them. Show me how Manoah's wife quieted fear by reasoning from your gracious acts. Manoah was afraid, concluding from the awesome vision that they would die. But his wife thought more clearly: she reasoned from what you had actually done toward them. You had received their offering, shown them wonders, spoken promises; a God who meant to destroy them would not have done these gracious things. Her faith reasoned from your goodness, concluding that your gracious acts showed you meant them good, not harm. Take that to my heart, for I can quiet fear by reasoning from your gracious acts toward me. When fear grips me, telling me you mean me harm, I can, like Manoah's wife, reason from what you have actually done toward me: your gracious dealings, your mercies, your good gifts, all showing that you mean me good. Your gracious acts toward me are reason not to be afraid. When fear tells me you mean me harm, help me reason from your gracious acts toward me, Lord, which show you mean me good, as Manoah's wife reasoned that you would not have blessed them if you meant to destroy them.