THE KING’S BUSINESS
42
Manoah’s part. The moment it was hinted to him that he could find out the Lord’s will, he hurried as fast as he could go to the one who would reveal it. It is to such men that God always makes His will known (John 7:17). v. 12. "And Manoah said, Now let thy words come to pass.” As the mother of our Lord said to the angel who announced to her the birth of Christ, “Be it unto me ac cording to thy word” (Luke 1:38), so Manoah said to the one who announced the birth of his Nazarite son “Now, let thy words come to pass.” The man who came was of wonderful appearance (v. 6), but Manoah did not occupy himself with the splendor of his appearance but proceeded to ask at once the all-important question “How shall we order the child, and how shall we do unto him?” Every father and every mother to whom God in His won derful kindness gives a child, should go to Him at once with the question, “How shall we order the child, and how shall we do unto him?” It is because so few of us seek this guidance from God, and so few of us follow the guidance when it is given, that so many children go astray. While Manoah was glad and grateful because of the promise and said briefly, “Now, let thy words come to pass,” he seems to have been more con cerned about his own responsibility to use the promised child right than he was with the joy of having the child given. v. 13. “And the angel of the LORD said unto Manoah, Of all that I said unto the woman, let her beware.” It is well for us if we beware of everything of which the Lord Jesus bids us beware; not of one thing, or two things, nor many things, but of “all.” So many of us have our pet virtues and be ware of some things that the Lord bids us to beware of with great intensity and fervor, but are utterly regardless of bewaring of other things of which God bids us beware. Many a man would not touch strong drink, nor tobacco, nor even tea or coffee, who is not at all hesitant about indulging in other things; for example, an unkind use of the tongue, of which God has equally hidden us
alone (cf. Eph. 6:4). He sought guidance for the training of the. child in the right way by asking God for it (James 1:5-7). The great secret of the true Christian nurture of children is prayer. More people fail today in the training of children through neglect of prayer than in any other way. Manoah reasonably concluded that the messenger that God had sent to foretell the birth of the child would be the very best one to give them instructions as to how to train the child. v. 9. “And God hearkened to the voice of Manoah.” These are very simple words, but they are most wonderful words. They present to us a view of God that is greatly needed in our day—a God who hearkens to the voice of the humblest seeker after Him. God is just as ready to listen to any humble Manoah today as He was to listen to this one. If we will keep His commandments and do the things which are pleasing in His sight, whenever we call He will hearken (1 John 3:22). “The angel of God came again unto the woman." Though it was Manoah who had asked for the angel to be sent it was to the woman again that the angel first appeared. The “angel of God,” as we saw in Lesson 3, was the Lord Jesus. “Manoah, her husband, was not with her.” The angel of God came to the woman while she was alone, and God usually makes His most wonderful revelations to us when we are alone. But “the woman made haste” to share with her husband the blessing that had come to her (v. 10. cf. John 1:41, 42; 4:16, 28, 29). When God reveals anything to a woman it is her duty to share the rev elation, as speedily as possible, with her husband, and when God reveals anything to a man it is his duty to share the revela tion as soon as possible with his wife; and when God reveals anything to any of us, He does it not merely that we may enjoy the truth, but that we may share it with others. v. 11. “And Manoah arose, and went after his wife, and came to the man and said unto him, Art thou the man that spakest unto the woman?" There was no hesitation on
Made with FlippingBook - Online catalogs