His name is wonderful

The story of the interaction between a heavenly Being and Samson’s parents prior to Samson’s birth in the 13^th chapter of Judges involves discussion of the heavenly Being’s name. This is how the story goes:

Manoah’s wife was unable to have children (why does it seem that so many important people are born to previously barren women?), but the Angel of the LORD (I will use YHWH, as it is closer to being accurate) came to her and told her that she would have a son, and to be careful about what she ate and drank. The angel also told her that her son would begin to deliver Israel from the Philistines, and that his hair should not be cut.

She went and told her husband, “A Man of God came to me, and His countenance was like the countenance of the Angel of God, very awesome; but I did not ask Him where He was from, and He did not tell me His name.” (v. 6)

Manoah wanted to talk to the Being himself, so he prayed, “O my Lord, please let the Man of God whom You sent come to us again and teach us what we shall do for the child who will be born.”  (v. 8)

God answered Manoah’s prayer, and the Angel returned to his wife while Manoah was not with her, so she had to run quickly and get him. Manoah wanted to prepare a young goat for the visitor to eat, but the Angel said he wouldn’t eat the food, but if they wanted to offer a burnt offering, they must offer it to the YHWH. At this point, Manoah did not know their visitor was the Angel of YHWH. He asked the Angel his name, and the Angel said, “Why do you ask My name, seeing it is wonderful?”  (v.18)

When Manoah offered the young goat on the rock to YHWH, “He did a wondrous thing while Manoah and his wife looked on.” As the flame went up, the Angel ascended in the flame! Manoah and his wife fell on their faces to the ground, “and they knew that He was the Angel of the LORD.  Manoah said to his wife, “We shall surely die, because we have seen God!” (v. 22)


I want to focus on two parts of this story: 

1. The Angel said, “Why do you ask My name, seeing it is wonderful?”
2. “and they knew that He was the Angel of the LORD.  Manoah said to his wife, “We shall surely die, because we have seen God!” 

I will study up and report next time.