How does Judges 13:22 demonstrate the fear of encountering God's holiness? Opening the Text “We are going to die,” he said to his wife, “because we have seen God!” (Judges 13:22) Why Manoah Reacts with Terror • He recognizes the “Angel of the LORD” as more than an angel—He is God appearing in visible form (cf. verse 21). • Old Testament revelation taught that sinful humans cannot survive an unveiled encounter with divine holiness: – Exodus 33:20: “You cannot see My face, for no one can see Me and live.” – Exodus 20:19: “Do not let God speak to us, or we will die.” • Manoah therefore assumes the only possible outcome is death; holiness exposes human sinfulness and demands judgment. What the Verse Teaches about God’s Holiness • Holiness is not merely moral purity; it is the blazing, overwhelming other-ness of God. • When that holiness draws near, the instinctive response of fallen humanity is fear, not familiarity. • Judges 13:22 shows that right theology leads to right emotion—Manoah’s fear flows from correct doctrine, not superstition. Echoes Throughout Scripture • Isaiah 6:5: “Woe to me, for I am ruined! … my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of Hosts.” • Luke 5:8: Peter cries, “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.” • Revelation 1:17: John “fell at His feet as though dead.” • Hebrews 12:28-29: “Worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.” The Tension Resolved in Grace • In Judges 13 the Angel of the LORD accepts a burnt offering, pointing to the necessity of sacrifice for sinners to survive His presence. • The ultimate resolution comes in Christ, whose atoning death allows believers to “approach the throne of grace with confidence” (Hebrews 4:16), yet still “with reverence and awe.” • Therefore, holy fear and joyful access coexist; awe guards us from presumption, grace rescues us from despair. Key Takeaways • Genuine encounters with God’s holiness produce humble fear. • Such fear is healthy, anchoring worship in reality rather than sentimentality. • Christ fulfills the sacrificial pattern glimpsed in Judges 13, making it possible to draw near without diminishing God’s blazing purity. |
    |