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The Divine vision was connected with a blessing to Manoah and his wife. The vision of God by the soul is itself the highest blessing; yet, as in the case of Manoah, it fills men with fear.

I. THE CAUSE OF THE FEAR.

1. Mystery. We naturally dread the unknown. Darkness hides possibilities of danger. Superstition peoples the unseen with horrors.

2. Guilt. "Conscience makes cowards of us all. So Adam and Eve hid themselves from God in the garden (Genesis 3:8). Because we are all sinners before God we have a natural shrinking from him

(1) who knows our secret hearts,

(2) against whom we have offended,

(3) who is holy to hate sin and

(4) just to punish it.

3. Unbelief. We do not sufficiently understand the character of God nor trust his grace. If we did, we should feel safer with all our guilt in his hands than we are when left to ourselves and to the world. Men fear God because they do not know him.

II. THE REMEDIES OF THE FEAR. Manoah's wife encourages her husband. Though men may be brave before physical danger, women sometimes show more courage in spiritual difficulties. This moral courage is nobler than the brute courage which man shares with the lower animals. It has its source in true excellences of character.

1. Self-possession. Manoah is confused and dismayed by terror beyond the power of reflection; but his wife is calm and collected, and thus able to see indications of mercy in the vision.

2. Reflection on the character of the vision. God has given to us powers of observation, discernment, reasoning. Superstitious terrors more commonly haunt the minds of those people who have neglected to use those powers, while weakly yielding to foolish emotions. Religion to be healthy must be thoughtful. God has given us sufficient indications of his character in the Bible, in Christ, in life, to deliver us from slavish fear, if only we consider and reflect on these. The more we know of God, the less shall we be afraid of him. May not the most fearful learn to reason with Manoah's wife - If God had meant harm to us, would he have blessed us as he has done hitherto?" The Christian may go further, and be sure that after the great gift of his Son, God must wish well to us in all lesser things (Romans 5:10).

3. Faith. We cannot see perfect evidence that God is blessing us in every mystery; but if we know his character we ought to trust his actions, even when they seem most alarming, as they cannot be contrary to his nature.

4. The acceptance of sacrifice. God had accepted Manoah's sacrifice, therefore he could not regard him with disfavour. He has accepted the sacrifice of Christ, and accordingly our guilt need not make us fear God if we rely on the atonement Christ has effected. - A.

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KJV: And Manoah said unto his wife, We shall surely die, because we have seen God.

WEB: Manoah said to his wife, "We shall surely die, because we have seen God."