How does Judges 13:17 reflect on the nature of divine encounters? Text Judges 13:17 – “Then Manoah said to the Angel of the LORD, ‘What is Your name, so that we may honor You when Your words come to pass?’ ” Immediate Narrative Setting The verse sits within the birth-announcement of Samson. Manoah and his wife, barren and childless, receive a visitation from “the Angel of the LORD” (Mal’ak YHWH). Manoah’s request for the visitor’s name follows a pattern of hospitality: naming enabled Israelites to honor benefactors (cf. 2 Samuel 7:18). The question also reveals Manoah’s dawning recognition that the visitor is more than an ordinary messenger. Ancient Near-Eastern Concept of “Name” In Hebrew thought a “name” (šēm) embodies essence, authority, and reputation (Proverbs 22:1). Asking a divine being for a name is therefore a quest for revelation of character and, implicitly, a measure of control. Jacob’s struggle at Peniel ends with a parallel question, “Please tell me Your name,” answered only with blessing (Genesis 32:29). Moses receives the self-revelation “I AM WHO I AM” (Exodus 3:14). Judges 13:17 thus participates in a consistent biblical motif: God’s person is knowable yet never manipulable. Theophany and Christophany Throughout Judges the “Angel of the LORD” speaks as God, receives worship, and bears divine authority (13:18, 20-22). Text and context strongly favor identifying this figure as a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ, rather than a created angel (compare Joshua 5:13-15; Revelation 19:10 where angels refuse worship). The refusal to divulge the name (“It is wonderful,” v. 18) echoes Isaiah 9:6, “His name will be called Wonderful Counselor,” strengthening Christological linkage. Holiness & Limited Disclosure The divine encounter in Judges 13 highlights transcendence. Holiness separates Creator from creature (Leviticus 10:3). By withholding His name, the Lord safeguards that distinction while still granting sufficient revelation for obedience—Samson’s Nazarite calling (13:5, 7, 14). This balance typifies all biblical encounters: God gives light for faith, not fodder for curiosity (Deuteronomy 29:29). Human Response Pattern 1. Inquiry (13:17) – desire for detail. 2. Correction (13:18) – the Lord’s name is “pille’î” (“wonderful,” “beyond comprehension”). 3. Worship (13:19-20) – sacrifice rises in flame; Manoah and his wife fall facedown. 4. Fear (13:22) – “We will surely die, because we have seen God!” 5. Assurance (13:23) – covenant grace overrides dread. This sequence instructs worshipers today: honest questioning is welcomed, but must yield to reverence, confession of unworthiness, and trust in God’s covenant faithfulness. Canonical Trajectory of Divine Name Revelation Old Testament glimpses culminate in New Testament clarity: “The Word became flesh” (John 1:14). Christ fully unveils the divine name (John 17:6, 26). Judges 13 therefore foreshadows the Incarnation—partial disclosure then, full disclosure in Jesus, yet mystery remains (Revelation 19:12, a name “that no one knows but He Himself”). Philosophical and Behavioral Insight Human cognition craves certitude; divine encounters expose epistemic humility. Modern cognitive-behavioral studies confirm that perceived transcendence fosters pro-social behavior and moral resolve. Scripture anticipated this: fear of the LORD is “the beginning of wisdom” (Proverbs 9:10). Practical Theology • Seek intimacy with God, but accept His sovereign limits. • Honor God for fulfilled promises rather than leverage Him for information. • Teach children that reverence and obedience flow naturally from genuine encounter. Summary Judges 13:17 reveals that divine encounters blend invitation with inscrutability. God graciously meets humanity, commissions for His purposes, and yet withholds exhaustive self-disclosure to preserve His transcendence. The verse encapsulates the biblical balance of knowability and mystery, urging worship, obedience, and awe before the Wonderful Name. |
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