When God Speaks

Clarity in Chaos Series (2)

Opening Scripture

Judges 13:8–23 NRSVue

Then Manoah entreated the Lord and said, “O my Lord, I pray, let the man of God whom you sent come to us again and teach us what we are to do concerning the boy who will be born.” God listened to Manoah, and the angel of God came again to the woman as she sat in the field, but her husband Manoah was not with her. So the woman ran quickly and told her husband, “The man who came to me the other day has appeared to me.” Manoah got up and followed his wife and came to the man and said to him, “Are you the man who spoke to this woman?” And he said, “I am.” Then Manoah said, “Now when your words come true, what is to be the boy’s rule of life; what is he to do?” The angel of the Lord said to Manoah, “Let the woman give heed to all that I said to her. She may not eat of anything that comes from the vine. She is not to drink wine or strong drink or eat any unclean thing. She is to observe everything that I commanded her.” Manoah said to the angel of the Lord, “Allow us to detain you and prepare a kid for you.” The angel of the Lord said to Manoah, “If you detain me, I will not eat your food, but if you want to prepare a burnt offering, then offer it to the Lord.” (For Manoah did not know that he was the angel of the Lord.) Then Manoah said to the angel of the Lord, “What is your name, so that we may honor you when your words come true?” But the angel of the Lord said to him, “Why do you ask my name? It is too wonderful.” So Manoah took the kid with the grain offering and offered it on the rock to the Lord, to him who works wonders. When the flame went up toward heaven from the altar, the angel of the Lord ascended in the flame of the altar while Manoah and his wife looked on, and they fell on their faces to the ground. The angel of the Lord did not appear again to Manoah and his wife. Then Manoah realized that it was the angel of the Lord. And Manoah said to his wife, “We shall surely die, for we have seen God.” But his wife said to him, “If the Lord had meant to kill us, he would not have accepted a burnt offering and a grain offering at our hands or shown us all these things or announced to us such things as these.”

Illustration of when I knew I was destined to join ministry:

Judges 13:8 NRSVue

Then Manoah entreated the Lord and said, “O my Lord, I pray, let the man of God whom you sent come to us again and teach us what we are to do concerning the boy who will be born.”

Observation: Manoah models the need for God’s guidance in nurturing and educating children1.

Application: Don’t rely solely on parenting books or cultural expectations—bring your specific concerns about raising your children directly to God in prayer, asking for His wisdom in the decisions you face daily.

---

Judges 13:9–12 NRSVue

God listened to Manoah, and the angel of God came again to the woman as she sat in the field, but her husband Manoah was not with her. So the woman ran quickly and told her husband, “The man who came to me the other day has appeared to me.” Manoah got up and followed his wife and came to the man and said to him, “Are you the man who spoke to this woman?” And he said, “I am.” Then Manoah said, “Now when your words come true, what is to be the boy’s rule of life; what is he to do?”

Observation: Manoah’s conversation with the heavenly visitor assured him that his wife’s report wasn’t a delusion, allowing him to look forward to the birth of a special child and share the burden of preparing him for divine service2.

Application: When God speaks to you through His Word or circumstances, seek confirmation and involve your family in understanding God’s direction—don’t dismiss what others have heard from God.

---

Judges 13:13–14 NRSVue

The angel of the Lord said to Manoah, “Let the woman give heed to all that I said to her. She may not eat of anything that comes from the vine. She is not to drink wine or strong drink or eat any unclean thing. She is to observe everything that I commanded her.”

Observation: The Nazirite vow meant the child couldn’t cut his hair, touch a corpse or carcass of a dead animal, or consume alcohol1.

Application: Consecration to God involves specific boundaries. Examine where God is calling you to say “no” to certain freedoms—not as punishment, but as a way of saying “yes” to His purposes.

---

Judges 13:15–16 NRSVue

Manoah said to the angel of the Lord, “Allow us to detain you and prepare a kid for you.” The angel of the Lord said to Manoah, “If you detain me, I will not eat your food, but if you want to prepare a burnt offering, then offer it to the Lord.” (For Manoah did not know that he was the angel of the Lord.)

Observation: When Manoah offered hospitality, the angel redirected him to offer a burnt offering to the Lord instead (Judg 13:8–24).

Application: Sometimes our good intentions need realignment. Ask God to show you where your efforts should be directed toward Him rather than merely toward comfort or reputation.

---

Judges 13:17–18 NRSVue

Then Manoah said to the angel of the Lord, “What is your name, so that we may honor you when your words come true?” But the angel of the Lord said to him, “Why do you ask my name? It is too wonderful.”

Observation: The angel kept the mystery of God’s identity by refusing to reveal more than can be grasped1.

Application: Not every question about God deserves an answer. Learn to rest in the mystery of who God is rather than demanding complete understanding before you trust Him.

---

Judges 13:19–20 NRSVue

So Manoah took the kid with the grain offering and offered it on the rock to the Lord, to him who works wonders. When the flame went up toward heaven from the altar, the angel of the Lord ascended in the flame of the altar while Manoah and his wife looked on, and they fell on their faces to the ground.

Observation: Manoah offered a burnt offering on the rock, and as the flame ascended toward heaven, the angel of the Lord ascended in the flame while they watched (Judg 13:8–24).

Application: True worship involves both action and awe. When you recognize God’s presence, respond with tangible acts of devotion, not just emotional feelings.

---

Judges 13:21–23 NRSVue

The angel of the Lord did not appear again to Manoah and his wife. Then Manoah realized that it was the angel of the Lord. And Manoah said to his wife, “We shall surely die, for we have seen God.” But his wife said to him, “If the Lord had meant to kill us, he would not have accepted a burnt offering and a grain offering at our hands or shown us all these things or announced to us such things as these.”

Observation: Manoah feared they would die for seeing God, but his wife reasoned that if the Lord meant to kill them, He wouldn’t have accepted their offering or revealed His plans—logic that helped them see things in better perspective3.

Application: When fear threatens to paralyze you, examine God’s past faithfulness. His actions toward you speak louder than your anxieties about what might happen.

Conclusion:

New Revised Standard Version: Updated Edition Hebrews

1 Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom he also created the worlds.

All too often we measure God’s abilities and grace by the worse of humanity that we are subjected to and experience.

When in Doubt:

Ask yourself, if you substracted God’s grace from your life:

Where would you be today? What would you be doing? How would life be different?

Where would you be headed when your time on this earth ended?