God Is Beyond Understanding
Manoah got up and followed his wife. When he came to the man, he said, "Are you the man who talked to my wife?" . . . So Manoah asked him, "When your words are fulfilled, what is to be the rule that governs the boy's life and work?"
The angel of the LORD answered, "Your wife must do all that I have told her. She must not eat anything that comes from the grapevine, nor drink any wine or fermented drink nor eat anything unclean . . . "
Manoah said to the angel of the LORD, "We would like you to stay until we prepare a young goat for you." The angel of the LORD replied, "Even though you detain me, I will not eat any of your food. But if you prepare a burnt offering, offer it to the LORD." (Manoah did not realize that it was the angel of the LORD.) Then Manoah inquired of the angel of the LORD, "What is your name, so that we may honor you when your word comes true?"
He replied, "Why do you ask my name? It is beyond understanding." Judges 13:11-18.
The angel of the LORD answered, "Your wife must do all that I have told her. She must not eat anything that comes from the grapevine, nor drink any wine or fermented drink nor eat anything unclean . . . "
Manoah said to the angel of the LORD, "We would like you to stay until we prepare a young goat for you." The angel of the LORD replied, "Even though you detain me, I will not eat any of your food. But if you prepare a burnt offering, offer it to the LORD." (Manoah did not realize that it was the angel of the LORD.) Then Manoah inquired of the angel of the LORD, "What is your name, so that we may honor you when your word comes true?"
He replied, "Why do you ask my name? It is beyond understanding." Judges 13:11-18.
It is evident that Manoah was genuinely desirous of doing what was right in the upbringing of the son God was about to bless them with. In his mind, he was dealing with a man of God who simply had a message for him and his wife. Little did he know that he was actually dealing with the angel of the LORD whom many biblical scholars believe to be Jesus Himself before He came to live and die on the earth.
There are a couple of things that must arrest our attention:
First, always be sincere and genuine in your dealings with people because you never know whom you might be dealing with. You may be dealing not just with a mere mortal but with a divine representative in the form of an angelic visitation. God has not changed. What He did in the past can still be part of His acts today.
Second, it is interesting that the angel of the LORD took no delight in eating Manoah's food but was rather interested in the same food being offered as an offering to the LORD. A fascinating insight to ponder is this: In Manoah's mind, that food was meant to feed a hungry human being. Little did he realize that he was offering to feed God Himself. Whatever we give to a GENUINE work of God is seen by God as a sacrificial offering to Him and not to a human cause!
Finally, God is beyond understanding. Many times, we do everything we can to figure God out with our finite human mind and senses. But the truth is: God is beyond understanding. We must walk with God by faith. We must take Him at His word by faith. We must obey Him by faith. We must give to His work by faith. Why? Because God is beyond understanding.
In fact, the Bible tells us that, "everything that does not come from faith is sin." (Romans 14:23)
God is beyond understanding, so we can only walk with Him fruitfully by faith.
There are a couple of things that must arrest our attention:
First, always be sincere and genuine in your dealings with people because you never know whom you might be dealing with. You may be dealing not just with a mere mortal but with a divine representative in the form of an angelic visitation. God has not changed. What He did in the past can still be part of His acts today.
Second, it is interesting that the angel of the LORD took no delight in eating Manoah's food but was rather interested in the same food being offered as an offering to the LORD. A fascinating insight to ponder is this: In Manoah's mind, that food was meant to feed a hungry human being. Little did he realize that he was offering to feed God Himself. Whatever we give to a GENUINE work of God is seen by God as a sacrificial offering to Him and not to a human cause!
Finally, God is beyond understanding. Many times, we do everything we can to figure God out with our finite human mind and senses. But the truth is: God is beyond understanding. We must walk with God by faith. We must take Him at His word by faith. We must obey Him by faith. We must give to His work by faith. Why? Because God is beyond understanding.
In fact, the Bible tells us that, "everything that does not come from faith is sin." (Romans 14:23)
God is beyond understanding, so we can only walk with Him fruitfully by faith.
Prayer: Father, I acknowledge that I have often sought to question and understand with my human mind and senses when I should take you at your word and walk by faith. Please Help me to walk by faith and not by sight. Amen.