A Savior is Born: Judges 13

Introduction:

H: Advent

FCF: What happens when we don’t pursue God?

Proposition: God pursues us

Body

1. God pursues us, He is gracious: 1

Explanation:

◦ What is missing?

▪ There is no cry. The Israelite had grown used to there agony and wouldn’t even go to God for help.

Application:

Have there every been times in your Christian life, where you were so caught up in sin that you were not immediately repentant? Have you ever been so overcome by addictive sins that you wouldn’t even cry out God when life got rough? If God were to help only when we asked then we would all be in trouble. When God chooses you, and he has chosen you if you are a Christian, then even when you lack sense to seek His deliverance in times of need, He pursues you.

2.God pursues us, He works from nothing: 2-7

Explanation:

◦ We begin with a barren and unnamed woman, the wife of Manoah (2)

◦ The angel of the Lord comes to her, tells her of her misfortune, then to here surprise He states that she will indeed conceive a child.

◦ The angel gives instructions on how the mother is to live during and pregnancy child is to live (3-5a)

▪ Nazirite: The law of the Nazirite is in Numbers 6:1-8, it includes three prohibitions: (1) do not drink, (2) do not cut hair, and (3) do not come into contact with a corpse. In the description from numbers, it should be noted that a person was a Nazirite by choice for a limited time. Yet, this law is applied uniquely here. It is divinely appointed, not voluntary. It is not limited, but it begins at birth and does not end until death.

▪ This all points to the fact that this child is God’s divinely appointed instrument for salvation. He is not just a guy who will one day be dedicated to the Lord, but his birth and life will be God’s gracious act to his people

◦ The angel gives reason for these instructions. This child will begin to deliver Israel from the hand of the philistines (5b)

◦ The woman repeats all that she was told to her husband (6-7)

Application:

Sometimes we have no part to play in God’s redeeming work. Rather than using a warrior leader, who was already born, God brings a savior into being. This should be good news to us in that we are unable to save ourselves. God brings our salvation out of nothing into being.

3. God pursues us, He hears prayer: 8-14

Explanation:

◦ Manoah wants confrontation and instruction, so he seeks the Lord in prayer (8)

◦ Yahweh listens to Him and answers him (9-14)

Application:

Yahweh stoops down and listens to our prayer.

4. God pursues us, He is mysterious: 15-20

Explanation:

The instructions for the child have been told three times, and now Monoah wants honor his guest.

◦ Monoah invites him to eat a meal (15). The request is denied (16a), but the angel directed him to offer a burnt offering to Yahweh (16b).

◦ Monoah request his name, to honor his guest (17). Again Monoah is denied. The angel instead of answering ask, “Why do ask my name, seeing it is wonderful?” (18).

◦ Monoah makes his offering to the Lord, it is consumed in flames, and the angel ascends in the flame. Monoah and his wife fall to their faces (19-20).

Illustration:

Job was never given the why

Application:

From this we can easily gather that Yahweh is indeed mysterious. Therefore, it is evident that there are limitations to what we can do and know. When asked for His name the Angel of the Lord says, “it is wonderful.” What he means is that His character and nature is to much for Monoah to take in. Monoah is limited in his ability to understand who it is that is with him. We to stand in a limited position. Has there ever been circumstances in your life that you have begged to know why they are happening? We often are not given the why. Our God is indeed to wonderful for us to know exhaustively, but He has disclosed himself so that we may know Him.

5. God pursues us, He is frightening: 21-23

Explanation:

◦ The angel never came to them again and they realized he was the Angel of the Lord (21)

◦ Monoah fears for their life (22)

Application:

Monoah understood a biblical reality that was declared to Moses, “You are not able to see my face, for man will not see me and live” (Ex. 33:20). We ought not fall into believing that God is jolly Santa Claus. He is an all consuming fire and is indeed frightening. Monoah, even though he was in Old Testament, understood what had happened and he trembled. However, the narrative doesn't end there.

Explanation: Continued

◦ Monoah’s wife brings the comfort of faith (23).

▪ She responds by saying that God’s presence in this instance is not to destroy us, but to preserve us.

Application:

• Monoah had fear without joy. This account teaches us that we must have a balance approach to the presence of God. It should be evident in our private worship and corporate worship. We are all so prone to error on one side or the other. We can emphasize fear and forget assurance. We can emphasize nearness and forget God’s awesomeness. We must as the psalmist says, “Rejoice with trembling,” (Ps 2:11).

• One way to guard ourselves from falling off either side of the horse is pretty simple surround yourself with fellow Christians to hold you accountable and remind you of the whole truth. This is most easy in corporate worship with the church you have joined to.

6. God pursues us, He has a pattern: 24-25

Explanation:

◦ Samson is born, grew, and the LORD blessed him (24)

◦ The Spirit of the Lord began to stir him (25).

▪ Samson’s birth is the only nativity in the entire book. Unlike Othniel or Ehud, who already were around to be used by God, God raised up Samson from scratch.

Application:

This teaches us that God is not merely a divine band-aid applier and he does not only do crisis management. God’s salvation is not a back up plan, but is something He plans long in advance.

Conclusion:

FCF: What happens when we don’t pursue God?

Proposition: God pursues us

A: The Advent of Christ