Angels From the Time of the Judges to the Early Kingdom
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border of the hill country overlooking the Philistine plain, was the
little town of Zorah. Here dwelt the family of Manoah, of the tribe of
Dan, one of the few households that amid the general defection had
remained true to Jehovah. To the childless wife of Manoah, “the Angel
of Jehovah” appeared with the message that she should have a son,
through whom God would begin to deliver Israel. In view of this, the
Angel gave her instruction concerning her own habits, and also for the
treatment of her child....
The woman sought her husband, and, after describing the Angel,
she repeated His message. Then, fearful that they should make some
mistake in the important work committed to them, the husband prayed,
“Let the man of God which thou didst send come again unto us, and
teach us what we shall do unto the child that shall be born.”
When the Angel again appeared, Manoah’s anxious inquiry was,
“How shall we order the child, and how shall we do unto him?” The
previous instruction was repeated—“Of all that I said unto the woman
let her beware. She may not eat of anything that cometh of the vine,
neither let her drink wine or strong drink, nor eat any unclean thing.
All that I commanded her let her observe.”—
Patriarchs and Prophets,
560, 561
.
Manoah and his wife knew not that the One thus addressing them
was Jesus Christ. They looked upon Him as the Lord’s messenger,
but whether a prophet or an angel, they were at a loss to determine.
Wishing to manifest hospitality toward their guest, they entreated
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him to remain while they should prepare for him a kid. But in their
ignorance of his character, they knew not whether to offer it for a burnt
offering or to place it before him as food.
The angel answered, “Although thou detain me, I will not eat of
thy bread; and if thou wilt offer a burnt offering, thou must offer it
unto the Lord.” Feeling assured, now, that his visitor was a prophet,
Manoah said, “What is thy name, that when thy sayings come to pass
we may do thee honor?”
The answer was, “Why askest thou after my name, seeing it is
secret?” Perceiving the divine character of his guest, Manoah “took a
kid, with a meat offering, and offered it upon a rock unto the Lord; and
the angel did wondrously; and Manoah and his wife looked on.” Fire
came from the rock, and consumed the sacrifice, and as the flame went
up toward heaven, “the angel of the Lord ascended in the flame of the