Judges 13 - Part 1

 April 13, 2022

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Good evening, and welcome to Searching The Scriptures! This will be Judges 13 - Part 1 and today’s date is April 13, 2022. I’ll read from Judges 13:1-5,

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And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD delivered them into the hand of the Philistines forty years. {2} And there was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name [was] Manoah; and his wife [was] barren, and bare not. {3} And the angel of the LORD appeared unto the woman, and said unto her, Behold now, thou [art] barren, and bearest not: but thou shalt conceive, and bear a son. {4} Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink not wine nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean [thing]: {5} For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no razor shall come on his head: for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb: and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.

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Chapter 13 introduces us to the next Judge or Deliverer that comes on the scene, who is Samson. And Samson judged Israel between the years 1128 BC - 1108 BC, according to the Biblical Calendar of History. Immediately we are confronted in verse 1 with a very familiar refrain,

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And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD delivered them into the hand of the Philistines forty years. 

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We witnessed this same scenario previously in the following citations, which shows the on-going sinfulness of God’s corporate people, which serves to highlight an important Biblical axiom: unless one is born from above, and God works in him …to will and to do of His good pleasure (as Philippians 2:13 teaches), each of us would fall into the same trap that national Israel or the New Testament churches and denominations did. Regarding these two entities that God used as the outward expression of the Kingdom of God, it was certainly not because of their faithfulness, but rather because God was in their midst, and because of His Faithfulness altogether that produced any spiritual blessing.   

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Judges 2:11-14 record: And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim: {12} And they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, which brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, of the gods of the people that [were] round about them, and bowed themselves unto them, and provoked the LORD to anger. {13} And they forsook the LORD, and served Baal and Ashtaroth. {14} And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of spoilers that spoiled them, and he sold them into the hands of their enemies round about, so that they could not any longer stand before their enemies. 

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Judges 3:7-8, and 12-14 reveal:  And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and forgat the LORD their God, and served Baalim and the groves. 8 Therefore the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Chushanrishathaim king of Mesopotamia: and the children of Israel served Chushanrishathaim eight years. ... {12} And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the LORD. {13} And he gathered unto him the children of Ammon and Amalek, and went and smote Israel, and possessed the city of palm trees. {14} So the children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.

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Judges 4:1-3 likewise maintain:  And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD, when Ehud was dead. {2} And the LORD sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, that reigned in Hazor; the captain of whose host [was] Sisera, which dwelt in Harosheth of the Gentiles. {3} And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD: for he had nine hundred chariots of iron; and twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel.

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Judges 6:1 states: And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years.

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Judges 8:33-35 adds: And it came to pass, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the children of Israel turned again, and went a whoring after Baalim, and made Baalberith their god. {34} And the children of Israel remembered not the LORD their God, who had delivered them out of the hands of all their enemies on every side: {35} Neither shewed they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal, [namely], Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had shewed unto Israel.

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Judges 10:6-8 repeats this same refrain: And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim, and Ashtaroth, and the gods of Syria, and the gods of Zidon, and the gods of Moab, and the gods of the children of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines, and forsook the LORD, and served not him. {7} And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hands of the Philistines, and into the hands of the children of Ammon. {8} And that year they vexed and oppressed the children of Israel: eighteen years, all the children of Israel that [were] on the other side Jordan in the land of the Amorites, which [is] in Gilead.

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Once again the very familiar cycle of rebellion>oppression>deliverance>rest resets again and returns to the first and second revolutions of  rebellion and oppression. Because of Israel’s opposition to God’s Word, He used the Philistines to oppress them for forty years. And what have we learned about the number forty? It represents a time of testing, such as when the Israelites wandered in the wilderness for forty years, as God stipulated in Numbers 14:33-34,

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And your children shall wander in the wilderness forty years, and bear your whoredoms, until your carcases be wasted in the wilderness. {34} After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, [even] forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, [even] forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise. 

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This is also the case in Noah’s Flood in Genesis 7:4, For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights; and every living substance that I have made will I destroy from off the face of the earth.

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Additionally in the New Testament we learn that Christ at the onset of His ministry went into the wilderness for forty days in Luke 4:1-2,

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And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, {2} Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered. 

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Let’s proceed to verse 2 where we learn about Samson’s parents: And there was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name [was] Manoah; and his wife [was] barren, and bare not. 

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We are going to take our time in analyzing this verse as it contains quite a bit of background information which will be very useful in helping us to grasp the spiritual nuances of the Gospel that God has hidden within this verse. In turn this will aid us as we explore Chapters 13-16 which all deal with Samson, who is a great type of Christ, and one of the “heroes of faith” as we read in Hebrews 11:32,

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And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and [of] Barak, and [of] Samson, and [of] Jephthae; [of] David also, and Samuel, and [of] the prophets:

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Zorah [Tsor`ah:H6881] 

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We note that this takes place in the town of Zorah, and we wonder what the spiritual significance of Zorah might be?  It turns out that Zorah stems from a “word-family” that includes the connotation of hornets (tsir`ah:H6880/TWOT* 1971b), and only surfaces in the following three verses: 

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Verse 28 of Exodus 23:22-30 includes this word hornets as God stipulates what He would do for His corporate people if they obey Him: But if thou shalt indeed obey his voice, and do all that I speak; then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries. {23} For mine  

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*Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (TWOT)

Angel shall go before thee, and bring thee in unto the Amorites, and the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites: and I will cut them off. {24} Thou shalt not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do after their works: but thou shalt utterly overthrow them, and quite break down their images. {25} And ye shall serve the LORD your God, and he shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee. {26} There shall nothing cast their young, nor be barren, in thy land: the number of thy days I will fulfil. {27} I will send my fear before thee, and will destroy all the people to whom thou shalt come, and I will make all thine enemies turn their backs unto thee. {28} And I will send hornets [tsir`ah:H6880/TWOT1971b] before thee, which shall drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite, and the Hittite, from before thee.

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Verse 20 of Deuteronomy 7:12-24 similarly reveals:  Wherefore it shall come to pass, if ye hearken to these judgments, and keep, and do them, that the LORD thy God shall keep unto thee the covenant and the mercy which he sware unto thy fathers: {13} And he will love thee, and bless thee, and multiply thee: he will also bless the fruit of thy womb, and the fruit of thy land, thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep, in the land which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee. {14} Thou shalt be blessed above all people: there shall not be male or female barren among you, or among your cattle. {15} And the LORD will take away from thee all sickness, and will put none of the evil diseases of Egypt, which thou knowest, upon thee; but will lay them upon all [them] that hate thee. {16} And thou shalt consume all the people which the LORD thy God shall deliver thee; thine eye shall have no pity upon them: neither shalt thou serve their gods; for that [will be] a snare unto thee. {17} If thou shalt say in thine heart, These nations [are] more than I; how can I dispossess them? 18 Thou shalt not be afraid of them: [but] shalt well remember what the LORD thy God did unto Pharaoh, and unto all Egypt; {19} The great temptations which thine eyes saw, and the signs, and the wonders, and the mighty hand, and the stretched out arm, whereby the LORD thy God brought thee out: so shall the LORD thy God do unto all the people of whom thou art afraid. {20} Moreover the LORD thy God will send the hornet [tsir`ah:H6880/TWOT1971b] among them, until they that are left, and hide themselves from thee, be destroyed.

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This is also the case in verse 12 of Joshua 24:11-13, And ye went over Jordan, and came unto Jericho: and the men of Jericho fought against you, the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Girgashites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; and I delivered them into your hand. {12} And I sent the hornet [tsir`ah:H6880/TWOT1971b] before you, which drave them out from before you, [even] the two kings of the Amorites; [but] not with thy sword, nor with thy bow. {13} And I have given you a land for which ye did not labour, and cities which ye built not, and ye dwell in them; of the vineyards and oliveyards which ye planted not do ye eat.

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From the foregoing Scriptures we see that Zorah or hornets has to do with God’s judgment that was in view as the Israelites went into possess the land of Canaan - which pictures the Gospel going into the world - and at the same time to dispossess or overthrow the inhabitants of Canaan. We are told that Samson’s father (Manoah) was …of the family of the Danites…

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Dan [Dan:H1835]

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When we search the Scriptures most of what we find about the tribe of Dan is negative in character. In fact, the name Dan signifies judge, and stems from the verb judge (diyn:H1777/TWOT426), and is predominantly translated as such. We don’t have enough time in today’s lesson to speak at length about Dan (that will have to be for our next study), but I would like to mention some of the more salient passages that deal with him: 

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In Genesis 30:6 we read about his birth (through Rachel’s handmaid, Bilhah); in this verse the expression hath judged is the verb form from which Dan is derived from:  

And Rachel said, God hath judged [diyn:H1777/TWOT426] me, and hath also heard my voice, and hath given me a son: therefore called she his name Dan. [Dan:H1835]

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Likewise Genesis 49:16-17 contains these two terms as well:  Dan  [Dan:H1835] shall judge [diyn:H1777/TWOT426]  his people, as one of the tribes of Israel. {17} Dan  [Dan:H1835] shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the path, that biteth the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward.

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Let’s stop here. Lord willing, in our next study we will continue looking at Dan as well as Manoah and his wife, Samson’s parents.

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Judges 13 - Part 2

 April 15, 2022

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Good evening, and welcome to Searching The Scriptures! This will be Judges 13 - Part 2 and today’s date is April 15, 2022. I’ll read from Judges 13:1-5,

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And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD delivered them into the hand of the Philistines forty years. {2} And there was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name [was] Manoah; and his wife [was] barren, and bare not. {3} And the angel of the LORD appeared unto the woman, and said unto her, Behold now, thou [art] barren, and bearest not: but thou shalt conceive, and bear a son. {4} Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink not wine nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean [thing]: {5} For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no razor shall come on his head: for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb: and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.

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In our previous study we noted the cycle of rebellion>oppression>deliverance>rest turn again to the oppression phase, and this time by the Philistines who subjected the Israelites for a period of 40 years - a time of testing - as God used this heathen nation to bring judgment against His corporate people for their disobedience to God’s Word. Additionally we spent some time looking at the town of Zorah where Samson’s parents lived within the confines of the tribe of Dan. Zorah signifies hornets, which has to do with God’s judgment, and I mentioned that God has very few positive things to say about the tribe of Dan, which we now want to explore in more detail, as you might be wondering why God would have Samson - who is a representation of the Lord Jesus Christ -  born within the tribe of Dan, which identifies with judgment. Hopefully, this will become clearer by the end of today’s lesson.

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I would like to concentrate on Genesis 49:16-17, but before going there, I would like to draw your attention to two other citations that speak about Dan being associated with wickedness as well as with judgment.  These are in Deuteronomy 27:13 and 1 Kings 12:25-30 respectively, 

In the former Dan is named among the six tribes that pronounced curses on top of Mt. Ebal, and opposite Mt. Gerizim, where the other six tribes pronounced blessings: 

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And these shall stand upon mount Ebal to curse; Reuben, Gad, and Asher, and Zebulun, Dan [Dan:H1835], and Naphtali.

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Verse 29-30 of 1 Kings 12:25-30 include the tribe of Dan in relation to what wicked King Jeroboam of Samaria (the 10 Northern tribes) did: Then Jeroboam built Shechem in mount Ephraim, and dwelt therein; and went out from thence, and built Penuel. {26} And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return to the house of David: {27} If this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people turn again unto their lord, [even] unto Rehoboam king of Judah, and they shall kill me, and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah. {28} Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves [of] gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. {29} And he set the one in Bethel, and the other put he in Dan. {30} And this thing became a sin: for the people went [to worship] before the one, [even] unto Dan.

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This abomination was a repeat of what the Israelites desired of Aaron when Moses went up into the mount for 40 days and 40 nights (another time of testing) to speak with God and to receive the original 10 Commandments from Him, according to verse 4 of  Exodus 32:1-4, 

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And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for [as for] this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him. {2} And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden earrings, which [are] in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring [them] unto me. {3} And all the people brake off the golden earrings which [were] in their ears, and brought [them] unto Aaron. {4} And he received [them] at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These [be] thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

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Now we want to take a closer look at Genesis 49:16-17, and the spiritual nuances that God has hidden in these verses:

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Dan [Dan:H1835] shall judge [diyn:H1777/TWOT*426] his people, as one of the tribes of Israel. {17} Dan [Dan:H1835] shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the path, that biteth the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward.

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As I pointed out in our last study, the name Dan stems from the verb form shall judge in verse 16. This particular Hebrew “word-cluster” contains some terms that relate to both the noun as well as the verb form that  judge and judgment in both Hebrew and Aramaic, including the name of Jacob’s only daughter, Dinah, whose name signifies judgment.

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A Serpent [nachash:H5175/TWOT1347a]

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In verse 17 we see that Dan is identified with a serpent. This expression is the main word for snake or serpent in the Old Testament, and can be identified with Satan, for example, in Genesis 3:1,

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Now the serpent [nachash:H5175/TWOT1347a] was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

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The noun serpent is derived from the identically spelled verb form (except for the vowel pointing) which is primarily translated as enchantment or divine.  One notable passage in which the noun form serpent emerges, is in Numbers 21 in verses 6-7 and 9; I’ll read verses 4-9 to pick up the context, in which the serpents were utilized by God to bring judgment against the sinful behavior of the Israelites: 

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*Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (TWOT)

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And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way. {5} And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for [there is] no bread, neither [is there any] water; and our soul loatheth this light bread. {6} And the LORD sent fiery [saraph:H8314/TWOT2292a,2292b] serpent [nachash:H5175/TWOT1347a] among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died. {7} Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD, and against thee; pray unto the LORD, that he take away the serpents [nachash:H5175/TWOT1347a]  from us. And Moses prayed for the people. {8} And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery [saraph:H8314/TWOT2292a,2292b] serpent [nachash:H5175/TWOT1347a], and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. {9} And Moses made a serpent [nachash:H5175/TWOT1347a]  of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent [nachash:H5175/TWOT1347a]  had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent [nachash:H5175/TWOT1347a]  of brass, he lived.

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The Hebrew noun fiery in fiery serpents is exceptionally important as it is the word seraph or the plural, seraphim, and stems from the verb to burn. It pictures God as the Judge in Isaiah 6:1-10, in which the term seraphim appears in verse 2 and 6 in this amazing account, in which Isaiah receives his commission from the Almighty, after his sin was purged, as is the case with all of God’s redeemed saints:

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In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. {2} Above it stood the seraphims [saraph:H8314/TWOT2292a,2292b]: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. {3} And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, [is] the LORD of hosts: the whole earth [is] full of his glory. {4} And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke. {5} Then said I, Woe [is] me! for I am undone; because I [am] a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts. {6} Then flew one of the seraphims [saraph:H8314/TWOT2292a,2292b]  unto me, having a live coal in his hand, [which] he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: {7} And he laid [it] upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged. {8} Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here [am] I; send me. {9} And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. {10} Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.

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In Numbers 21:8-9 we read of the serpent of brass that God commanded Moses to put on a pole as Moses interceded for the people to God for healing. This of course ties in to what we read in the New Testament, when the Lord quoted this passage in verse 14 of John 3:1-21 as Jesus receives a visit from the Nicodemus the Pharisee one night:

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There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: {2} The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. {3} Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. {4} Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? {5} Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and [of] the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. {6} That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. {7} Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. {8} The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. {9} Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be? {10} Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things? {11} Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. {12} If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you [of] heavenly things? {13} And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, [even] the Son of man which is in heaven. {14} And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: {15} That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. {16} For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. {17} For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. {18} He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. {19} And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. {20} For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. {21} But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

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So we see that Dan is identified with a serpent that typifies the Lord Jesus Christ as the Judge, represented by the seraphim, or fiery serpents.  We also see that Dan is compared to another kind of “biting serpent” or adder in Genesis 49:17 …that biteth the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward. In this portrait we recognize that the horse in those days would be equivalent to a tank in our modern era. The horse is spoken of as such in Job 39:19-25,

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Hast thou given the horse [cuwc:H5483] strength? hast thou clothed his neck with thunder? {20} Canst thou make him afraid as a grasshopper? the glory of his nostrils [is] terrible. {21} He paweth in the valley, and rejoiceth in [his] strength: he goeth on to meet the armed men. {22} He mocketh at fear, and is not affrighted; neither turneth he back from the sword. {23} The quiver rattleth against him, the glittering spear and the shield. {24} He swalloweth the ground with fierceness and rage: neither believeth he that [it is] the sound of the trumpet. {25} He saith among the trumpets, Ha, ha; and he smelleth the battle afar off, the thunder of the captains, and the shouting. 

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However in Genesis 49:17 the adder bites the horse heels, so that …his rider shall fall backward.  What could that signify? We will find out Lord willing, in our next study.

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Judges 13 - Part 3

 April 18, 2022

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Good evening, and welcome to Searching The Scriptures! This will be Judges 13 - Part 3 and today’s date is April 18, 2022. I’ll read from Judges 13:1-5,

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And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD delivered them into the hand of the Philistines forty years. {2} And there was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name [was] Manoah; and his wife [was] barren, and bare not. {3} And the angel of the LORD appeared unto the woman, and said unto her, Behold now, thou [art] barren, and bearest not: but thou shalt conceive, and bear a son. {4} Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink not wine nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean [thing]: {5} For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no razor shall come on his head: for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb: and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.

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Before we start, I do want to make a correction of a reference I made in our last study regarding the golden calves that King Jeroboam had made and placed in both Bethel and Dan. The correct reference is 1 Kings 12:25-30, so please note that.  

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In our previous lesson we began examining Genesis 49:17-18 to learn more about the tribe of Dan, whose name means to judge, since Manoah and his wife - Samson’s parents - were from the tribe of Dan:

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Dan [Dan:H1835] shall judge [diyn:H1777/TWOT*426] his people, as one of the tribes of Israel. {18} Dan [Dan:H1835] shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the path, that biteth the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward.

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*Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (TWOT)

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We left off at the last half of verse 18… an adder in the path, that biteth the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward.

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Dan is being identified with both a serpent and an adder (another kind of biting snake) and these creatures typify judgment as we saw with the fiery serpents in 

Numbers 21:6-9 that God sent as retribution against the Israelites who complained and murmured: 

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And the LORD sent fiery [saraph:H8314/TWOT2292a,2292b] serpent [nachash:H5175/TWOT1347a] among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died. {7} Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD, and against thee; pray unto the LORD, that he take away the serpents [nachash:H5175/TWOT1347a]  from us. And Moses prayed for the people. {8} And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery [saraph:H8314/TWOT2292a,2292b] serpent [nachash:H5175/TWOT1347a], and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. {9} And Moses made a serpent [nachash:H5175/TWOT1347a] of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent [nachash:H5175/TWOT1347a]  had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent [nachash:H5175/TWOT1347a]  of brass, he lived.

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The Messiah is also typified as the brass serpent on a pole in Numbers 21:9. You might recall that the Savior alluded to this verse in John 3:14-15 as He converses with Nicodemus:

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And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: {15} That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.  

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The term fiery is the Hebrew expression, seraph (or the plural seraphim) that exemplify God as the Judge in Isaiah’s vision in Isaiah 6:1-10,

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In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. {2} Above it stood the seraphims [saraph:H8314/TWOT2292a,2292b]: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. {3} And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, [is] the LORD of hosts: the whole earth [is] full of his glory. {4} And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke. {5} Then said I, Woe [is] me! for I am undone; because I [am] a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts. {6} Then flew one of the seraphims [saraph:H8314/TWOT2292a,2292b]  unto me, having a live coal in his hand, [which] he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: {7} And he laid [it] upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged. {8} Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here [am] I; send me. {9} And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. {10} Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.

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Let’s go back to the latter half of verse 17 of Genesis 49 … an adder in the path, that biteth the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward. [’achowr:H268]

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The horse (along with the chariot) was the main fighting force in those days, and spiritually the horse represents mankind’s strength and power according to these next citations:

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Psalm 20:7 declares: Some [trust] in chariots, and some in horses [cuwc:H5483]: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.

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And Psalm 147:10 acknowledges: He delighteth not in the strength of the horse [cuwc:H5483]: he taketh not pleasure in the legs of a man.

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I posed the question at the end of Part 2, how do we understand the rider on the horse to fall backward?  The direction backward (the opposite of forward) spiritually pertains to judgment. This can be seen in a variety of Scriptures, as these next three passages indicate:

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Do you remember Eli the High Priest in Shiloh and his two wicked sons, Hophni and Phinehas? 1 Samuel 4:18 speaks of the manner in which he died that emphasizes judgment: 

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And it came to pass, when he made mention of the ark of God, that he fell from off the seat backward [`achoranniyth:H322] by the side of the gate, and his neck brake, and he died: for he was an old man, and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years.

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In the New Testament we see this same usage in verse 6 of John 18:1-6 as Jesus encounters the mob that wanted to apprehend Him in the Garden of Gethsemane (which signifies winepress or olive press):

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When Jesus had spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples over the brook Cedron, where was a garden, into the which he entered, and his disciples. {2} And Judas also, which betrayed him, knew the place: for Jesus ofttimes resorted thither with his disciples. {3} Judas then, having received a band [of men] and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons. {4} Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye? {5} They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am [he]. And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them. {6} As soon then as he had said unto them, I am [he], they went backward [opiso:G3694], and fell to the ground.

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Here are a few more Scriptures to consider that include this term backward  [’achowr:H268]:

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Isaiah 1:4 announces: Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward. [’achowr:H268/TWOT68d]

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Similarly, Isaiah 28:13 reveals: But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, [and] there a little; that they might go, and fall backward [’achowr:H268/TWOT68d], and be broken, and snared, and taken.

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And Jeremiah 7:24 adds:  But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in the counsels [and] in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward [’achowr:H268/TWOT68d], and not forward.

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Manoah [Manowach:H4495]

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We now want to see what God will reveal to us about  Samson’s father, Manoah. Curiously Manoah’s wife remains unnamed which is very unusual given the fact that she plays such a key role in Samson’s birth and upbringing. But that will have to be discussed in a future study. Manoah’s name is identically spelled with a word that signifies rest or resting place (manowach:H4494/TWOT1323e), as these next Scriptures testify. By the way, Noah’s name (which also signifies rest) is part of this same “word-family.”

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Genesis 8:9 records:  But the dove found no rest [manowach:H4494/TWOT1323e] for the sole of her foot, and she returned unto him into the ark, for the waters [were] on the face of the whole earth: then he put forth his hand, and took her, and pulled her in unto him into the ark.

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Ruth 3:1 includes this term as well:  Then Naomi her mother in law said unto her, My daughter, shall I not seek rest [manowach:H4494/TWOT1323e] for thee, that it may be well with thee?

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1 Chronicles 6:31 reveals:  And these [are they] whom David set over the service of song in the house of the LORD, after that the ark had rest. [manowach:H4494/TWOT1323e]

[Was] Barren [`aqar:H6135/TWOT1682a] And Bare [yalad:H3205/TWOT867] 

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We then read about Manoah’s wife that she was barren and bare not, as God provides a double emphasis regarding her inability to have children, reminding us of the likes of Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel, and Hannah.

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These two terms, barren along with and bare surface in the very next verse in Judges 13:3, which must have been s source of great encouragement and delight to Manoah’s wife: 

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And the angel of the LORD appeared unto the woman, and said unto her, Behold now, thou [art] barren [`aqar:H6135/TWOT1682a], and bearest [yalad:H3205/TWOT867] not: but thou shalt conceive, and bear [yalad:H3205/TWOT867] a son.

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Likewise in 1 Samuel 2:5 these expressions are translated the barren and hath born in Hannah’s prayer:  [They that were] full have hired out themselves for bread; and [they that were] hungry ceased: so that the barren [`aqar:H6135/TWOT1682a] hath born [yalad:H3205/TWOT867] seven; and she that hath many children is waxed feeble.

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This is also the case in Isaiah 54:1, in which these terms are rendered O barren and bare:  Sing, O barren [`aqar:H6135/TWOT1682a], thou [that] didst not bear [yalad:H3205/TWOT867]; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou [that] didst not travail with child: for more [are] the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the LORD.

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The last phrase in this verse…for more [are] the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the LORD is picked up in verse 27 of  Galatians 4:21-27, in which God makes a distinction between grace and the law, as typified by Sarah and Hagar, and their respective sons, Isaac and Ishmael:

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Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law? {22} For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. {23} But he [who was] of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman [was] by promise. {24} Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. {25} For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. {26} But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. {27} For it is written, Rejoice, [thou] barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband.

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We have run out of time today, but in our next study, Lord willing, we will commence with verse 3.

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Judges 13 - Part 4

 April 20, 2022

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Good evening, and welcome to Searching The Scriptures! This will be Judges 13 - Part 4 and today’s date is April 20, 2022. I’ll read from Judges 13:1-5,

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And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD delivered them into the hand of the Philistines forty years. {2} And there was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name [was] Manoah; and his wife [was] barren, and bare not. {3} And the angel of the LORD appeared unto the woman, and said unto her, Behold now, thou [art] barren, and bearest not: but thou shalt conceive, and bear a son. {4} Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink not wine nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean [thing]: {5} For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no razor shall come on his head: for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb: and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.

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Today we want to focus on verse 4, and the wonderful news that Manoah’s wife received from the angel of Jehovah regarding the fact that she would bear a son. We have learned that the angel of Jehovah is the Lord Jesus Christ who brings this fantastic announcement to Manoah’s wife. You might recall me saying that Manoah’s wife is unnamed all throughout Chapters 13-16, and we wonder why this is, because she plays such a significant role in bearing as well as rearing Samson (who typifies the Savior)…in the nurture and admonition of the Lord,  (Ephesians 6:4) and even more importantly as a Nazarite, which we will be discussing in our future studies, Lord permitting.

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Appeared [ra’ah:H7200/TWOT*2095] & The Woman [’ishshah:H802/TWOT137a]

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Besides verse 3 the two terms, appeared and the woman, are also found six other times in this Chapter. The word appeared is more commonly rendered as see, look, behold, and shew. It is the main root of a “word-family” that is listed in the 

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*Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (TWOT)

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Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament  and includes words such as seer, prophetic vision, mirror, vision, sight, as well as the name Reuben. Keep in mind that there are 8, 674 words in the Old Testament that stem from 3,067 “word-families.” In the next six passages in which the two expressions, appeared and the woman surface together, there is a unique interplay that takes place when the angel of Jehovah (Christ) makes Himself know to Manoah’s wife, and then later to both Manoah and his wife, and then as both Manoah and his wife see, listen, and speak to  the angel of Jehovah (Christ) in response to what the angel of Jehovah (Christ) says and does in their presence in verse 10, and in verses 19-23; these words are translated as woman or his wife and as appeared, looked, seen, and shewed:

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And the woman [’ishshah:H802/TWOT137a] made haste, and ran, and shewed her husband, and said unto him, Behold, the man hath appeared  [ra’ah:H7200/TWOT2095]  unto me, that came unto me the [other] day. ... {19} So 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 [’ishshah:H802/TWOT137a] looked on. [ra’ah:H7200/TWOT2095]  {20} For it came to pass, when the flame went up toward heaven from off the altar, that the angel of the LORD ascended in the flame of the altar. And Manoah and his wife [’ishshah:H802/TWOT137a] looked on [ra’ah:H7200/TWOT2095] [it], and fell on their faces to the ground. {21} But the angel of the LORD did no more appear [ra’ah:H7200/TWOT2095]   to Manoah and to his wife. [’ishshah:H802/TWOT137a] Then Manoah knew that he [was] an angel of the LORD. {22} And Manoah said unto his wife [’ishshah:H802/TWOT137a], We shall surely die, because we have seen [ra’ah:H7200/TWOT2095] God. {23} But his wife [’ishshah:H802/TWOT137a] said unto him, If the LORD were pleased to kill us, he would not have received a burnt offering and a meat offering at our hands, neither would he have shewed [ra’ah:H7200/TWOT2095]   us all these [things], nor would as at this time have told us [such things] as these.

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Since we have already looked at the next two words, barren, along with bear(est) in Part 3, let’s examine how God employs the last three words in verse 3 …but thou shalt conceive, and bear a son, which would have been a source of tremendous blessing and expectation for Manoah’s wife indeed.  

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But Thou Shalt Conceive [harah:H2029/TWOT515] And Bear [yalad:H3205/TWOT867] A Son [ben:H1121/TWOT 254]

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The subsequent citations include these three expressions, and similarly highlight various women in the Bible, like Manoah’s wife, who were also barren:

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Verse 2 of Genesis 21:1-7 includes these three terms, …conceived and bare…a son… and records the birth of Isaac whom God had promised earlier in Genesis 18:9-15,

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Genesis 21:1-7, And the LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did unto Sarah as he had spoken. {2} For Sarah conceived [harah:H2029/TWOT515], and bare [yalad:H3205/TWOT867] Abraham a son [ben:H1121/TWOT 254] in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him. {3} And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac. {4} And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being eight days old, as God had commanded him. {5} And Abraham was an hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him. {6} And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, [so that] all that hear will laugh with me. {7} And she said, Who would have said unto Abraham, that Sarah should have given children suck? for I have born [him] a son in his old age.

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Earlier in Genesis 18:9-15 God had made this promise to Abraham and Sarah: And they [God appearing as three men] said unto him [Abraham], Where [is] Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent. {10} And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard [it] in the tent door, which [was] behind him. {11} Now Abraham and Sarah [were] old [and] well stricken in age; [and] it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women. {12} Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also? {13} And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old? {14} Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son. {15} Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh.

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The account of the birth of Isaac and God’s command to sacrifice him in Genesis 22 points to the redemption of God’s elect that Christ performed at… the foundation of the world.  There is also a commentary on God’s promise that we just read about, in Romans 4:13-21, which underscores that salvation is by grace, through the Faith of Christ exclusively, as God in this passage contrasts the Law versus Grace:

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For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, [was] not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. {14} For if they which are of the law [be] heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect: {15} Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, [there is] no transgression. {16} Therefore [it is] of faith, that [it might be] by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all, {17} (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, [even] God, who quickeneth [makes alive] the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were. {18} Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. {19} And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb: {20}  He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; {21} And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.

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Verse 23 of Genesis 30:22-24 recounts how God blessed Rachel with her first son, Joseph: 

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And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and opened her womb. {23} And she conceived [harah:H2029/TWOT515], and bare [yalad:H3205/TWOT867]a son [ben:H1121/TWOT 254]; and said, God hath taken away my reproach: {24} And she called his name Joseph; and said, The LORD shall add to me another son.

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1 Samuel 1:20 similarly records how God blessed Hannah (who was also barren) with baby Samuel; wonderfully in 1 Samuel 2:21 we learn that after Samuel’s birth, God continued to bless Hannah with five additional children:  

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Wherefore it came to pass, when the time was come about after Hannah had conceived [harah:H2029/TWOT515], that she bare [yalad:H3205/TWOT867] a son [ben:H1121/TWOT 254], and called his name Samuel, [saying], Because I have asked him of the LORD… {2:21} And the LORD visited Hannah, so that she conceived [harah:H2029/TWOT515], and bare [yalad:H3205/TWOT867]  three sons [ben:H1121/TWOT 254] and two daughters. And the child Samuel grew before the LORD.

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Verse 17 of 2 Kings 4:8-17 is another illustration of God blessing the woman of Shunem and her husband who has shown great hospitality to Elisha: 

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And it fell on a day, that Elisha passed to Shunem, where [was] a great woman; and she constrained him to eat bread. And [so] it was, [that] as oft as he passed by, he turned in thither to eat bread. {9} And she said unto her husband, Behold now, I perceive that this [is] an holy man of God, which passeth by us continually. {10} Let us make a little chamber, I pray thee, on the wall; and let us set for him there a bed, and a table, and a stool, and a candlestick: and it shall be, when he cometh to us, that he shall turn in thither. {11} And it fell on a day, that he came thither, and he turned into the chamber, and lay there. {12} And he said to Gehazi his servant, Call this Shunammite. And when he had called her, she stood before him. {13} And he said unto him, Say now unto her, Behold, thou hast been careful for us with all this care; what [is] to be done for thee? wouldest thou be spoken for to the king, or to the captain of the host? And she answered, I dwell among mine own people. {14} And he said, What then [is] to be done for her? And Gehazi answered, Verily she hath no child, and her husband is old. {15} And he said, Call her. And when he had called her, she stood in the door. {16} And he said, About this season, according to the time of life, thou shalt embrace a son. And she said, Nay, my lord, [thou] man of God, do not lie unto thine handmaid. {17} And the woman conceived [harah:H2029/TWOT515], and bare [yalad:H3205/TWOT867] a son [ben:H1121/TWOT 254] at that season that Elisha had said unto her, according to the time of life.

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Once again we see that God is not …God of the dead, but of the living…according to Luke 20:38,

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For he is not a God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto him.

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The foregoing illustrations point to the Messiah and the power of the Gospel to save from death to life during the “day” of salvation, which …with men is impossible, but not with God… as Mark 10:26-27 teaches:

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And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved? {27} And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men [it is] impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible. 

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So too with regard to the miraculous birth of Samson and the events arising out of the conversation between the angel of Jehovah (Christ) and Manoah and his wife, we anticipate wonderful things to take place as we will be learning more about what the angel of Jehovah (Christ) is requiring of Samson’s parents with respect to raising him in verses 4-5 in our upcoming studies, Lord willing.

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Judges 13 - Part 5

 April 25, 2022

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Good evening, and welcome to Searching The Scriptures! This will be Judges 13 - Part 5 and today’s date is April 25, 2022. I’ll read from Judges 13:1-5,

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And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD delivered them into the hand of the Philistines forty years. {2} And there was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name [was] Manoah; and his wife [was] barren, and bare not. {3} And the angel of the LORD appeared unto the woman, and said unto her, Behold now, thou [art] barren, and bearest not: but thou shalt conceive, and bear a son. {4} Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink not wine nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean [thing]: {5} For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no razor shall come on his head: for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb: and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.

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We have arrived at verse 4 in our examination of Judges 13, as the angel of Jehovah presents Manoah’s wife with a three-fold admonition.

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Therefore Beware [shamar:H8104/TWOT*2414]

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The expression, therefore beware, is primarily translated as keep[-er], observe and heed, in addition to a number of other connotations proving that this word is quite “pregnant” with meaning as the following passages illustrate

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We ran across this word as we began this series in Judges 1:24 in which it is curiously rendered And the spies: And the spies [shamar:H8104/TWOT*2414] saw a man come forth out of the city, and they said unto him, Shew us, we pray thee, the entrance into the city, and we will shew thee mercy.

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*Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (TWOT)

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However in Exodus 19:5 it is expressed as and keep, Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep [shamar:H8104/TWOT2414] my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure [c@gullah:H5459] unto me above all people [`am:H5971]: for all the earth [is] mine:

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This exhortation to obey God’s voice (which is His Word) and keep His covenant (or Gospel) would indicate that these people had already been saved, and hence were God’s peculiar treasure. Some people certainly have the notion that God’s elect are certainly “peculiar” or downright strange, weird or crazy, and God’s children can expect that kind of response. However, that is not what this word signifies Biblically. It means “a people for possession;” in other words a people that God has redeemed for Himself.  These two terms surface together again in three other Old Testament Scriptures all of which are in the book of Deuteronomy:

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A Peculiar People

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Deuteronomy 7:6 translates the word peculiar as special; please note how people is repeated three times, underscoring “the purpose of God”: 

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For thou [art] an holy people [`am:H5971] unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special [c@gullah:H5459] people [`am:H5971] unto himself, above all people [`am:H5971] that [are] upon the face of the earth.

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Deuteronomy 14:2  likewise asserts: For thou [art] an holy people [`am:H5971] unto the LORD thy God, and the LORD hath chosen thee to be a peculiar  [c@gullah:H5459] people [`am:H5971] unto himself, above all the nations that [are] upon the earth.

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And Deuteronomy 26:18 adds: And the LORD hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar [c@gullah:H5459] people [`am:H5971], as he hath promised thee, and that [thou] shouldest keep all his commandments;

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This is also reiterated in the New Testament in Titus 2:14 and 1 Peter 2:9, 

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Titus 2:14 maintains: Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar [periousios:G4041] people [laos:G2992], zealous of good works.

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1 Peter 2:9 similarly declares: But ye [are] a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar [periousios:G4041] people [laos:G2992]; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

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Therefore Beware [shamar:H8104/TWOT2414]

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Here are some of the other ways that God employs this expression, beware, keep, observe, and heed: 

In Hosea 12:13 this is translated as was he preserved:  And by a prophet the LORD brought Israel out of Egypt, and by a prophet was he preserved. [shamar:H8104/TWOT2414] 

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In this passage two prophets are in view; the first one is Moses, the second is the Lord Jesus Christ, as Stephen proclaimed unto the council in Acts 7:37,

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This is that Moses, which said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear.

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Deuteronomy 6:3 renders this as observe: Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe [shamar:H8104/TWOT2414] to do [it]; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey.

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On the other hand in Proverbs 15:5 this is translated as  but he that regardeth: A fool despiseth his father's instruction: but he that regardeth [shamar:H8104/TWOT2414] reproof is prudent.

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In Isaiah 62:6 this appears as watchmen:  I have set watchmen [shamar:H8104/TWOT2414] upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, [which] shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the LORD, keep not silence,

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Curiously in Psalm 130:3 and 6 this is expressed as shouldest mark and twice as they that watch:  If thou, LORD, shouldest mark [shamar:H8104/TWOT2414]  iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? ... {6} My soul [waiteth] for the Lord more than they that watch [shamar:H8104/TWOT2414] for the morning: [I say, more than] they that watch [shamar:H8104/TWOT2414]  for the morning.

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In Job 2:6 this emerges as save: And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, he [is] in thine hand; but save [shamar:H8104/TWOT2414] his life.

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Lastly Job 13:27 translates this as and lookest narrowly:  Thou puttest my feet also in the stocks, and lookest narrowly [shamar:H8104/TWOT2414] unto all my paths; thou settest a print upon the heels of my feet.

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I wanted to read all of these Scriptures as they show how much spiritual significance is embedded in just one Hebrew word, and we want to bear in mind that Hebrew is a verbal language, and thus denotes action, and specifically spiritual action. Additionally, we see that when God tells Manoah's wife, Therefore beware… it encompasses all the above ideas, and in a nutshell, obedience. Now we want to turn our attention to the three prohibitions that the angel of Jehovah sets forth to Manoah's wife: 

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And Drink [shathah:H8354/TWOT2477] [Not] & Wine [yayin:H3196/TWOT864]

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The first restriction involved not drinking wine, as we see from the following citations that include both of these terms, drink along with wine: 

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These two words also surface again in verses 7 and 14 of this chapter: But he said unto me, Behold, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and now drink no wine [yayin:H3196/TWOT864] nor strong drink [shathah:H8354/TWOT2477], neither eat any unclean [thing]: for the child shall be a Nazarite to God from the womb to the day of his death. ... {14} She may not eat of any [thing] that cometh of the vine, neither let her drink [shathah:H8354/TWOT2477] wine [yayin:H3196/TWOT864]  or strong drink, nor eat any unclean [thing]: all that I commanded her let her observe.

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Please note that in verse 7 we are introduced to the fact that Samson was to be… a Nazarite to God from the womb to the day of his death. The Nazarite vow is spelled out in great detail in Numbers 6, but for now let’s just consider our two words, drink along with wine that appear together in verses 3 and 20 of that chapter:

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He shall separate [himself] from wine [yayin:H3196/TWOT864] and strong drink, and shall drink [shathah:H8354/TWOT2477] no vinegar of wine, [yayin:H3196/TWOT864] or vinegar of strong drink, neither shall he drink any liquor of grapes, nor eat moist grapes, or dried. ... {20} And the priest shall wave them [for] a wave offering before the LORD: this [is] holy for the priest, with the wave breast and heave shoulder: and after that the Nazarite may drink [shathah:H8354/TWOT2477] wine. [yayin:H3196/TWOT864] 

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It is important to recognize that wine can refer spiritually to a false Gospel that leads to death, or as a figure of God's wrath upon unsaved man. By contrast, it can also symbolize the Gospel and Christ's blood (or life) that atoned for the sins of the Bride of Christ  at…the foundation of the world. (Revelation 13:8)

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These two terms crop up in verse 15 of 1 Samuel 1:13-15 as well: Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken. {14} And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine [yayin:H3196/TWOT864]  from thee.{15} And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I [am] a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk [shathah:H8354/TWOT2477] neither wine [yayin:H3196/TWOT864] nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the LORD.

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However in Psalm 75:8 these terms are used in the context of God’s judgment upon the non-elect which is taking place in this current “day” of judgment: 

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For in the hand of the LORD [there is] a cup, and the wine [yayin:H3196/TWOT864] is red; it is full of mixture; and he poureth out of the same: but the dregs thereof, all the wicked of the earth shall wring [them] out, [and] drink [shathah:H8354/TWOT2477] them.

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Verse 5 of Proverbs 9:1-6 speaks of Wisdom, which exemplifies the Lord Jesus Christ, Who is called the Wisdom of God in 1 Corinthians 1:24, 

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Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars: {2} She hath killed her beasts; she hath mingled her wine; she hath also furnished her table. {3} She hath sent forth her maidens: she crieth upon the highest places of the city, {4} Whoso [is] simple, let him turn in hither: [as for] him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him, {5} Come, eat of my bread, and drink [shathah:H8354/TWOT2477] of the wine [yayin:H3196/TWOT864] [which] I have mingled. {6} Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding.

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Proverbs 31:4 is God’s admonition for His elect, who are typifies as prophets, priests, and kings: [It is] not for kings, O Lemuel, [it is] not for kings to drink [shathah:H8354/TWOT2477] wine [yayin:H3196/TWOT864]; nor for princes strong drink:

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Verse 7 of Jeremiah 51:6-9  speaks of God’s retribution against this world or Babylon (the former kingdom of Satan) which has been occurring throughout this extended “day” of judgment: 

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Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and deliver every man his soul: be not cut off in her iniquity; for this [is] the time of the LORD'S vengeance; he will render unto her a recompence.{7} Babylon [hath been] a golden cup in the LORD'S hand, that made all the earth drunken: the nations have drunken of her wine; therefore the nations are mad. {8} Babylon is suddenly fallen and destroyed: howl for her; take balm for her pain, if so be she may be healed. {9} We would have healed Babylon, but she is not healed: forsake her, and let us go every one into his own country: for her judgment reacheth unto heaven, and is lifted up [even] to the skies.

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We have come to the end of today’s program, so Lord willing, in our next study we will consider the last two admonitions that the angel of Jehovah (Christ) presented to Manoah’s wife.

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Judges 13 - Part 6

 April 27, 2022

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Good evening, and welcome to Searching The Scriptures! This will be Judges 13 - Part 6 and today’s date is April 27, 2022. I’ll read from Judges 13:1-5,

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And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD delivered them into the hand of the Philistines forty years. {2} And there was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name [was] Manoah; and his wife [was] barren, and bare not. {3} And the angel of the LORD appeared unto the woman, and said unto her, Behold now, thou [art] barren, and bearest not: but thou shalt conceive, and bear a son. {4} Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink not wine nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean [thing]: {5} For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no razor shall come on his head: for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb: and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.

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In our last study we began examining the first of three directives that God gave to Manoah’s wife, so today we want to discuss the next two, drink and strong drink, along with eat and unclean.

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Drink [shathah:H8354/TWOT*2477] & Strong Drink [shekar:H2941/TWOT2388a]

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Once again we see that these two terms also appear in verse 7 and 14 of this chapter, as was the case with the expressions, drink and wine: But he said unto me, 

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Behold, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and now drink [shathah:H8354/TWOT2477] no wine nor strong drink [shekar:H2941/TWOT2388a], neither eat any unclean [thing]: for the child shall be a Nazarite to God from the womb to the day of his death. ... 

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*Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (TWOT)

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…{14} She may not eat of any [thing] that cometh of the vine, neither let her drink [shathah:H8354/TWOT2477]  wine or strong drink [shekar:H2941/TWOT2388a], nor eat any unclean [thing]: all that I commanded her let her observe.

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Numbers 6 is the chapter that presents a great deal of information regarding the Nazarite vow that we will be considering once we arrive at verse 5; I’ll just read verse 3, in which these two words surface together: 

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He shall separate [himself] from wine and strong drink [shekar:H2941/TWOT2388a], and shall drink [shathah:H8354/TWOT2477] no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of strong drink [shekar:H2941/TWOT2388a], neither shall he drink [shathah:H8354/TWOT2477] any liquor of grapes, nor eat moist grapes, or dried.

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You might recall from our last lesson that these two terms also cropped up in verse 15 of  1 Samuel 1:19-15,  So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest sat upon a seat by a post of the temple of the LORD. {10} And she [was] in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore. {11} And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head. {12} And it came to pass, as she continued praying before the LORD, that Eli marked her mouth. {13} Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken. {14} And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from thee. {15} And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I [am] a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk [shathah:H8354/TWOT2477] neither wine nor strong drink [shekar:H2941/TWOT2388a], but have poured out my soul before the LORD.

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Proverbs 31:4 likewise includes these two expressions: [It is] not for kings, O Lemuel, [it is] not for kings to drink [shathah:H8354/TWOT2477] wine; nor for princes strong drink [shekar:H2941/TWOT2388a]:

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Isaiah 5 is a chapter that chronicles God’s judgment beginning at His own house first (the end-time churches and denominations). These two terms emerge in verse 22 of verses 11-24; additionally strong drink is also found by itself in verse 11: 

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Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, [that] they may follow strong drink [shekar:H2941/TWOT2388a]; that continue until night, [till] wine inflame them! {12} And the harp, and the viol, the tabret, and pipe, and wine, are in their feasts: but they regard not the work of the LORD, neither consider the operation of his hands. {13} Therefore my people are gone into captivity, because [they have] no knowledge: and their honourable men [are] famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst. {14} Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure: and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it. {15} And the mean man shall be brought down, and the mighty man shall be humbled, and the eyes of the lofty shall be humbled: {16} But the LORD of hosts shall be exalted in judgment, and God that is holy shall be sanctified in righteousness. {17} Then shall the lambs feed after their manner, and the waste places of the fat ones shall strangers eat. {18} Woe unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with a cart rope: {19} That say, Let him make speed, [and] hasten his work, that we may see [it]: and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw nigh and come, that we may know [it]! {20} Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! {21} Woe unto [them that are] wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! {22} Woe unto [them that are] mighty to drink [shathah:H8354/TWOT2477] wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink [shekar:H2941/TWOT2388a]: {23} Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him! {24} Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, [so] their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.

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Lastly these also arise in verse 9 of  Isaiah 24 which is a chapter that is focused on our present “day” of judgment:  

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Behold, the LORD maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof. {2} And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest; as with the servant, so with his master; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the lender, so with the borrower; as with the taker of usury, so with the giver of usury to him. {3} The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: for the LORD hath spoken this word. {4} The earth mourneth [and] fadeth away, the world languisheth [and] fadeth away, the haughty people of the earth do languish. {5} The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant. {6} Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left. {7} The new wine mourneth, the vine languisheth, all the merryhearted do sigh. {8} The mirth of tabrets ceaseth, the noise of them that rejoice endeth, the joy of the harp ceaseth. {9} They shall not drink [shathah:H8354/TWOT2477] wine with a song; strong drink [shekar:H2941/TWOT2388a] shall be bitter to them that drink [shathah:H8354/TWOT2477] it.

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This brings us to the third and final directive that the angel of Jehovah (Christ) gives to Manoah’s wife: …and eat not any unclean [thing]

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Eat [’akal:H398/TWOT85] & Unclean [tame’:H2931/TWOT809a]

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Along with verse 4, verses 7 and 14 prohibit the eating of anything unclean, in addition to not drinking wine or strong drink as we have discussed. Furthermore, these three commands are repeated three times in each of these three Scriptures to underscore the “purpose of God.” Here are some of the ways that God employs these two expressions, eat and unclean, with respect to… eat not any unclean [thing]

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By contrast, verse 13 of Ezekiel 4:9-17 reveals that God’s corporate people did just that by disobeying God’s commandments in which these words are expressed as eat and their defiled referring to false gospels that are typified by bread, as God indicated to Ezekiel. As a result, He judged the two outward expressions of the Kingdom of God on earth - namely, national Israel first, and the end-time institutional churches and denominations second:

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Take thou also unto thee wheat, and barley, and beans, and lentiles, and millet, and fitches, and put them in one vessel, and make thee bread thereof, [according] to the number of the days that thou shalt lie upon thy side, three hundred and ninety days shalt thou eat thereof. {10} And thy meat which thou shalt eat [shall be] by weight, twenty shekels a day: from time to time shalt thou eat it. {11} Thou shalt drink also water by measure, the sixth part of an hin: from time to time shalt thou drink. {12} And thou shalt eat it [as] barley cakes, and thou shalt bake it with dung that cometh out of man, in their sight. {13} And the LORD said, Even thus shall the children of Israel eat [’akal:H398/TWOT85] their defiled [tame’:H2931/TWOT809a]

 bread among the Gentiles, whither I will drive them. {14} Then said I, Ah Lord GOD! behold, my soul hath not been polluted: for from my youth up even till now have I not eaten of that which dieth of itself, or is torn in pieces; neither came there abominable flesh into my mouth. {15} Then he said unto me, Lo, I have given thee cow's dung for man's dung, and thou shalt prepare thy bread therewith. {16} Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, behold, I will break the staff of bread in Jerusalem: and they shall eat bread by weight, and with care; and they shall drink water by measure, and with astonishment: {17} That they may want bread [of Life] and water [of Life], and be astonied one with another, and consume away for their iniquity.

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Deuteronomy 14:2–27 (along with the parallel passage in Leviticus 11) gives a series of clean and unclean animals for food that the Israelites were to observe. Our two terms emerge in verses 8, 10, and 19:

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For thou [art] an holy people unto the LORD thy God, and the LORD hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that [are] upon the earth. {3} Thou shalt not eat any abominable thing. {4} These [are] the beasts which ye shall eat: the ox, the sheep, and the goat, {5} The hart, and the roebuck, and the fallow deer, and the wild goat, and the pygarg, and the wild ox, and the chamois. {6} And every beast that parteth the hoof, and cleaveth the cleft into two claws, [and] cheweth the cud among the beasts, that ye shall eat. {7} Nevertheless these ye shall not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide the cloven hoof; [as] the camel, and the hare, and the coney: for they chew the cud, but divide not the hoof; [therefore] they [are] unclean unto you. {8} And the swine, because it divideth the hoof, yet cheweth not the cud, it [is] unclean [tame’:H2931/TWOT809a] unto you: ye shall not eat [’akal:H398/TWOT85]  of their flesh, nor touch their dead carcase. {9} These ye shall eat of all that [are] in the waters: all that have fins and scales shall ye eat: {10} And whatsoever hath not fins and scales ye may not eat [’akal:H398/TWOT85]; it [is] unclean [tame’:H2931/TWOT809a]

 unto you. {11} [Of] all clean birds ye shall eat. {12} But these [are they] of which ye shall not eat: the eagle, and the ossifrage, and the ospray, {13} And the glede, and the kite, and the vulture after his kind, {14} And every raven after his kind, {15} And the owl, and the night hawk, and the cuckow, and the hawk after his kind, {16} The little owl, and the great owl, and the swan, {17} And the pelican, and the gier eagle, and the cormorant, {18} And the stork, and the heron after her kind, and the lapwing, and the bat. {19} And every creeping thing that flieth [is] unclean [tame’:H2931/TWOT809a]

 unto you: they shall not be eaten. [’akal:H398/TWOT85]  {20} [But of] all clean fowls ye may eat. {21} Ye shall not eat [of] any thing that dieth of itself: thou shalt give it unto the stranger that [is] in thy gates, that he may eat it; or thou mayest sell it unto an alien: for thou [art] an holy people unto the LORD thy God. Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother's milk. {22} Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed, that the field bringeth forth year by year. {23} And thou shalt eat before the LORD thy God, in the place which he shall choose to place his name there, the tithe of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the firstlings of thy herds and of thy flocks; that thou mayest learn to fear the LORD thy God always. 

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We have run out of time today, so Lord willing, in our next study we will commence with verse 5.

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Judges 13 - Part 7

 May 4, 2022

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Good evening, and welcome to Searching The Scriptures! This will be Judges 13 - Part 6 and today’s date is May 4, 2022. I’ll read from Judges 13:1-5,

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And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD delivered them into the hand of the Philistines forty years. {2} And there was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name [was] Manoah; and his wife [was] barren, and bare not. {3} And the angel of the LORD appeared unto the woman, and said unto her, Behold now, thou [art] barren, and bearest not: but thou shalt conceive, and bear a son. {4} Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink not wine nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean [thing]: {5} For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no razor shall come on his head: for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb: and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.

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We have arrived at verse 5, in which we will be learning more about the Nazarite vow. Since the same terms …thou shalt conceive, and bear a son…in verse 5 were discussed previously in verse 3, I won’t go over that material again. Instead, let’s proceed to the next phrase …and no razor shall come on his head… 

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Razor [mowrah:H4177/TWOT 4171] & Shall Come [`alah:H5927/TWOT 1624] & His Head [ro’sh:H7218/TWOT 2097]

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These three expressions, razor and shall come along with  his head  also surfaces in two other passages:

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The first is in Judges 16:17, in which Samson discloses his secret to Delilah: That he told her all his heart, and said unto her, There hath not come [`alah:H5927/TWOT 1624] a razor [mowrah:H4177/TWOT 4171] upon mine head  [ro’sh:H7218/TWOT 2097]; for I [have been] a Nazarite unto God from my mother's womb: if I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak, and be like any [other] man.

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1 Samuel 1:11 includes these three terms as Hannah offered her heartfelt petition to the LORD:  And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no razor [mowrah:H4177/TWOT 4171] come [`alah:H5927/TWOT 1624]  upon his head. [ro’sh:H7218/TWOT 2097]

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A Nazarite [Naziyr:H5139/TWOT 1340b]

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Let’s consider the term a Nazarite, which is translated as either Nazarite, undressed, and separate. By the way, this expression is part of  a “word-family” that stems from a word that is primarily translated as separated or consecrated (nazar:H5144/TWOT 1340). 

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Verse 16 of Deuteronomy 33:13-17 renders this word as of him [that was] separated referring to Joseph who is an outstanding spiritual portrait of the Savior: 

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And of Joseph he said, Blessed of the LORD [be] his land, for the precious things of heaven, for the dew, and for the deep that coucheth beneath, {14} And for the precious fruits [brought forth] by the sun, and for the precious things put forth by the moon, {15} And for the chief things of the ancient mountains, and for the precious things of the lasting hills, {16} And for the precious things of the earth and fulness thereof, and [for] the good will of him that dwelt in the bush: let [the blessing] come upon the head of Joseph, and upon the top of the head of him [that was] separated [Naziyr:H5139/TWOT 1340b]  from his brethren. {17} His glory [is like] the firstling of his bullock, and his horns [are like] the horns of unicorns: with them he shall push the people together to the ends of the earth: and they [are] the ten thousands of Ephraim, and they [are] the thousands of Manasseh.

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As I mentioned in previous studies, Numbers 6 contains the greatest amount of information concerning the Nazarite vow; this term appears in verses 2, 13, and 18-21.  Please note its root word which is also found in verses 2, 18, 19 and 21 as separate or separation, which is a noun; however, in verses 7-8, and 13 a related verb form is used. I will read verses 1-8, 13, and 18-21, 

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And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, {2} Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When either man or woman shall separate [themselves] to vow a vow of a Nazarite [Naziyr:H5139/TWOT 1340b], to separate [nazar:H5144/TWOT 1340] [themselves] unto the LORD: {3} He shall separate [himself] from wine and strong drink, and shall drink no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of strong drink, neither shall he drink any liquor of grapes, nor eat moist grapes, or dried. {4} All the days of his separation shall he eat nothing that is made of the vine tree, from the kernels even to the husk. {5} All the days of the vow of his separation there shall no razor come upon his head: until the days be fulfilled, in the which he separateth [himself] unto the LORD, he shall be holy, [and] shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow. {6} All the days that he separateth [himself] unto the LORD he shall come at no dead body. {7} He shall not make himself unclean for his father, or for his mother, for his brother, or for his sister, when they die: because the consecration [nezer:H5145/TWOT 1340a] of his God [is] upon his head. {8} All the days of his separation [nezer:H5145/TWOT 1340a] he [is] holy unto the LORD. ... {13} And this [is] the law of the Nazarite [Naziyr:H5139/TWOT 1340b], when the days of his separation [nezer:H5145/TWOT 1340a] are fulfilled: he shall be brought unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: ... {18} And the Nazarite [Naziyr:H5139/TWOT 1340b] shall shave the head of his separation [nazar:H5144/TWOT 1340]  [at] the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and shall take the hair of the head of his separation [nazar:H5144/TWOT 1340], and put [it] in the fire which [is] under the sacrifice of the peace offerings. {19} And the priest shall take the sodden shoulder of the ram, and one unleavened cake out of the basket, and one unleavened wafer, and shall put [them] upon the hands of the Nazarite [Naziyr:H5139/TWOT 1340b], after [the hair of] his separation [nazar:H5144/TWOT 1340] is shaven: {20} And the priest shall wave them [for] a wave offering before the LORD: this [is] holy for the priest, with the wave breast and heave shoulder: and after that the Nazarite [Naziyr:H5139/TWOT 1340b] may drink wine. {21} This [is] the law of the Nazarite [Naziyr:H5139/TWOT 1340b] who hath vowed, [and of] his offering unto the LORD for his separation [nazar:H5144/TWOT 1340], beside [that] that his hand shall get: according to the vow which he vowed, so he must do after the law of his separation. [nazar:H5144/TWOT 1340]

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Verse 7 of Lamentations 4:1-11 contains this word, and this chapter highlights God’s judgment that began at His own house first:

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How is the gold become dim! [how] is the most fine gold changed! the stones of the sanctuary are poured out in the top of every street. {2} The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, how are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter! {3} Even the sea monsters draw out the breast, they give suck to their young ones: the daughter of my people [is become] cruel, like the ostriches in the wilderness. {4} The tongue of the sucking child cleaveth to the roof of his mouth for thirst: the young children ask bread, [and] no man breaketh [it] unto them. {5} They that did feed delicately are desolate in the streets: they that were brought up in scarlet embrace dunghills. {6} For the punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the punishment of the sin of Sodom, that was overthrown as in a moment, and no hands stayed on her. {7} Her Nazarites [Naziyr:H5139/TWOT 1340b] were purer than snow, they were whiter than milk, they were more ruddy in body than rubies, their polishing [was] of sapphire: {8} Their visage is blacker than a coal; they are not known in the streets: their skin cleaveth to their bones; it is withered, it is become like a stick. {9} [They that be] slain with the sword are better than [they that be] slain with hunger: for these pine away, stricken through for [want of] the fruits of the field. {10} The hands of the pitiful women have sodden their own children: they were their meat in the destruction of the daughter of my people. {11} The LORD hath accomplished his fury; he hath poured out his fierce anger, and hath kindled a fire in Zion, and it hath devoured the foundations thereof.

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 Notice that in this context how the Nazarites typify God’s elect.

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Verses 11-12 of Amos 2:5-16 also include this expression; once again in this chapter God’s judgment upon His corporate people comes into plain view: 

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But I will send a fire upon Judah, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem. {6} Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Israel, and for four, I will not turn away [the punishment] thereof; because they sold the righteous for silver, and the poor for a pair of shoes; {7} That pant after the dust of the earth on the head of the poor, and turn aside the way of the meek: and a man and his father will go in unto the [same] maid, to profane my holy name: {8} And they lay [themselves] down upon clothes laid to pledge by every altar, and they drink the wine of the condemned [in] the house of their god. {9} Yet destroyed I the Amorite before them, whose height [was] like the height of the cedars, and he [was] strong as the oaks; yet I destroyed his fruit from above, and his roots from beneath. {10} Also I brought you up from the land of Egypt, and led you forty years through the wilderness, to possess the land of the Amorite. {11} And I raised up of your sons for prophets, and of your young men for Nazarites. [Naziyr:H5139/TWOT 1340b]  [Is it] not even thus, O ye children of Israel? saith the LORD. {12} But ye gave the Nazarites [Naziyr:H5139/TWOT 1340b] wine to drink; and commanded the prophets, saying, Prophesy not. {13} Behold, I am pressed under you, as a cart is pressed [that is] full of sheaves. {14} Therefore the flight shall perish from the swift, and the strong shall not strengthen his force, neither shall the mighty deliver himself: {15} Neither shall he stand that handleth the bow; and [he that is] swift of foot shall not deliver [himself]: neither shall he that rideth the horse deliver himself. {16} And [he that is] courageous among the mighty shall flee away naked in that day, saith the LORD.

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Samson Like Most Of The Other Judges Is A Deliverer (As The Messiah)

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Throughout the book of Judges we have witnessed the familiar cycle of rebellion>oppression>deliverance>rest. Samson is following in the footsteps of the Judges or Deliverers who preceded him. All of them are types and figures of the Savior Himself, Who is the Deliverer, par excellence, because He delivered all of His elect people from death and annihilation at the foundation of the world. We read this amazing declaration in Deuteronomy 32:36-42,

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For the LORD shall judge his people, and repent himself for his servants, when he seeth that [their] power is gone, and [there is] none shut up, or left. {37} And he shall say, Where [are] their gods, [their] rock in whom they trusted, {38} Which did eat the fat of their sacrifices, [and] drank the wine of their drink offerings? let them rise up and help you, [and] be your protection. {39} See now that I, [even] I, [am] he, and [there is] no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither [is there any] that can deliver out of my hand. {40} For I lift up my hand to heaven, and say, I live for ever. {41} If I whet my glittering sword, and mine hand take hold on judgment; I will render vengeance to mine enemies, and will reward them that hate me. {42} I will make mine arrows drunk with blood, and my sword shall devour flesh; [and that] with the blood of the slain and of the captives, from the beginning of revenges upon the enemy. {43} Rejoice, O ye nations, [with] his people: for he will avenge the blood of his servants, and will render vengeance to his adversaries, and will be merciful unto his land, [and] to his people. 

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In our next study we will discuss and compare the instructions that the angel of Jehovah gave to Samson’s parents with the stipulations concerning the Nazarite vow found in Numbers 6.

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Judges 13 - Part 8

 May 6, 2022

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Good evening, and welcome to Searching The Scriptures! This will be Judges 13 - Part 8 and today’s date is May 6, 2022. I’ll read from Judges 13:6-14,

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Then the woman came and told her husband, saying, A man of God came unto me, and his countenance [was] like the countenance of an angel of God, very terrible: but I asked him not whence he [was], neither told he me his name: {7} But he said unto me, Behold, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and now drink no wine nor strong drink, neither eat any unclean [thing]: for the child shall be a Nazarite to God from the womb to the day of his death. {8} Then Manoah intreated the LORD, and said, O my Lord, 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. {9} And God hearkened to the voice of Manoah; and the angel of God came again unto the woman as she sat in the field: but Manoah her husband [was] not with her. {10} And the woman made haste, and ran, and shewed her husband, and said unto him, Behold, the man hath appeared unto me, that came unto me the [other] day. {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? And he said, I [am]. {12} And Manoah said, Now let thy words come to pass. How shall we order the child, and [how] shall we do unto him? {13} And the angel of the LORD said unto Manoah, Of all that I said unto the woman let her beware. {14} She may not eat of any [thing] 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.

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At the close of our last study, I had mentioned that we would be comparing the Nazarite vow outlined in Numbers 6 with the admonitions that the angel of Jehovah (who is Christ) instructed Maonah’s wife. However, in thinking about this, I have decided to wait until after we finish with verse 14. Verse 6 commences with Manoah’s wife telling her husband of her encounter with this man of God as she describes the angel of Jehovah (Christ), and the directives that He had given her.

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Then The Woman [’ishshah:H802/TWOT* 137a] Came [bow:H935/TWOT 212]  And Told [’amar:H559/TWOT 118] Her Husband [’iysh:H376/TWOT 83a]

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The first phrase in verse 6 consists of four Hebrews terms that also appear in eight other citations, two of which emerge in verse 10 and 11,

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And the woman  [’ishshah:H802/TWOT* 137a]  made haste, and ran, and shewed her husband [’iysh:H376/TWOT 83a], and said [’amar:H559/TWOT 118]  unto him, Behold, the man [’iysh:H376/TWOT 83a] hath appeared unto me, that came [bow:H935/TWOT 212] unto me the [other] day. {11} And Manoah arose, and went after his wife  [’ishshah:H802/TWOT* 137a], and came [bow:H935/TWOT 212] to the man [’iysh:H376/TWOT 83a], and said [’amar:H559/TWOT 118]  unto him, [Art] thou the man [’iysh:H376/TWOT 83a] that spakest unto the woman [’ishshah:H802/TWOT* 137a] ? And he said [’amar:H559/TWOT 118], I [am]. [’aniy:H589/TWOT 129]

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I would like to draw your attention to the last word in verse 11, I [am], which is the first person singular pronoun. It is found many times in the Old Testament; for example in Exodus 6 it appears (with respect to God) in verses 2, 5-8, and 29:

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And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I [am] [’aniy:H589/TWOT 129] the LORD: ... {5} And I [’aniy:H589/TWOT 129] have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel, whom the Egyptians keep in bondage; and I have remembered my covenant. {6} Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I [am] [’aniy:H589/TWOT 129] the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments: {7} And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I [am] [’aniy:H589/TWOT 129] the LORD your God, which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. 

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*Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (TWOT)

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{8} And I will bring you in unto the land, concerning the which I did swear to give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will give it you for an heritage: I [am] [’aniy:H589/TWOT 129] the LORD. ... {29} That the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, I [am] [’aniy:H589/TWOT 129]  the LORD: speak thou unto Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I say unto thee.

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We also see the equivalent expression in the New Testament in verse 58 of  John 8:53-59 as the Lord declared to the Jews in no uncertain terms:

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Art thou greater than our father Abraham, which is dead? and the prophets are dead: whom makest thou thyself? {54} Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God: {55} Yet ye have not known him; but I know him: and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be a liar like unto you: but I know him, and keep his saying. {56} Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw [it], and was glad. {57} Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? {58} Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I [ego:G1473] am. [eimi:G1510] {59} Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.

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Continuing in Judges 13:6, Manoah’s wife depicts the angel of Jehovah (Christ) this way: …A man of God… Incidentally, the expression of God in this verse is the plural form for God, or ’elohiym (H430/TWOT 93c)

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A Man [’iysh:H376/TWOT 83a] Of God [elohiym:H430/TWOT 93c]

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These two words surface together is a number of passages that can refer to God Himself as we see here in Judges 13 or to a genuine child of God, as the following Scriptures illustrate: 

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These two expressions also emerge in verse 8 and 9 of this chapter as well: Then Manoah intreated the LORD, and said, O my Lord, let the man [’iysh:H376/TWOT 83a] of God [elohiym:H430/TWOT 93c] which thou didst send come again unto us, and teach us what we shall do unto the child that shall be born. {9} And God [elohiym:H430/TWOT 93c] hearkened to the voice of Manoah; and the angel of God  [elohiym:H430/TWOT 93c] [Christ] came again unto the woman as she sat in the field: but Manoah her husband [’iysh:H376/TWOT 83a] [was] not with her.

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Deuteronomy 33:1 also employs this language with respect to Moses: And this [is] the blessing, wherewith Moses the man [’iysh:H376/TWOT 83a] of God [elohiym:H430/TWOT 93c] blessed the children of Israel before his death.

The same is true with regard to Job in Job 1:1, There was a man [’iysh:H376/TWOT 83a]  in the land of Uz, whose name [was] Job; and that man [’iysh:H376/TWOT 83a] was perfect and upright, and one that feared God [elohiym:H430/TWOT 93c], and eschewed evil.

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Likewise this terminology is utilized in 1 Samuel 9:5-11 as Saul and his servant go about trying to find a man of God, who is called both a seer and a prophet:   

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[And] when they were come to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant that [was] with him, Come, and let us return; lest my father leave [caring] for the asses, and take thought for us. {6} And he said unto him, Behold now, [there is] in this city a man [’iysh:H376/TWOT 83a]  of God [elohiym:H430/TWOT 93c], and [he is] an honourable man [’iysh:H376/TWOT 83a]; all that he saith cometh surely to pass: now let us go thither; peradventure he can shew us our way that we should go. {7} Then said Saul to his servant, But, behold, [if] we go, what shall we bring the man [’iysh:H376/TWOT 83a] ? for the bread is spent in our vessels, and [there is] not a present to bring to the man [’iysh:H376/TWOT 83a]  of God [elohiym:H430/TWOT 93c]: what have we? {8} And the servant answered Saul again, and said, Behold, I have here at hand the fourth part of a shekel of silver: [that] will I give to the man [’iysh:H376/TWOT 83a] of God [elohiym:H430/TWOT 93c], to tell us our way. {9} (Beforetime in Israel, when a man [’iysh:H376/TWOT 83a]  went to enquire of God [elohiym:H430/TWOT 93c], thus he spake, Come, and let us go to the seer: for [he that is] now [called] a Prophet was beforetime called a Seer.) {10} Then said Saul to his servant, Well said; come, let us go. So they went unto the city where the man [’iysh:H376/TWOT 83a] of God [elohiym:H430/TWOT 93c] [was]. {11} [And] as they went up the hill to the city, they found young maidens going out to draw water, and said unto them, Is the seer here? {12] And they answered them, and said, He is; behold, [he is] before you: make haste now, for he came to day to the city; for [there is] a sacrifice of the people to day in the high place: {13} As soon as ye be come into the city, ye shall straightway find him, before he go up to the high place to eat: for the people will not eat until he come, because he doth bless the sacrifice; [and] afterwards they eat that be bidden. Now therefore get you up; for about this time ye shall find him.

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Let’s consider one more account which is a very notable one indeed, concerning Elijah and the three captains of fifty who were commanded by wicked King Ahaziah to apprehend Elijah in 2 Kings 1:2-16. By the way, it highlights the spiritual principle of ⅓ versus ⅔, in which the former refers to either God’s elect or those who identify with the Kingdom of God externally; the latter portrays the non-elect: 

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And Ahaziah fell down through a lattice in his upper chamber that [was] in Samaria, and was sick: and he sent messengers, and said unto them, Go, enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron whether I shall recover of this disease. {3} But the angel of the LORD [Christ] said to Elijah the Tishbite, Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say unto them, [Is it] not because [there is] not a God [elohiym:H430/TWOT 93c] in Israel, [that] ye go to enquire of Baalzebub the god [elohiym:H430/TWOT 93c] of Ekron? {4} Now therefore thus saith the LORD, Thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die. And Elijah departed. {5} And when the messengers turned back unto him, he said unto them, Why are ye now turned back? {6} And they said unto him, There came a man [’iysh:H376/TWOT 83a] up to meet us, and said unto us, Go, turn again unto the king that sent you, and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD, [Is it] not because [there is] not a God [elohiym:H430/TWOT 93c] in Israel, [that] thou sendest to enquire of Baalzebub the god [elohiym:H430/TWOT 93c] of Ekron? therefore thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die. {7} And he said unto them, What manner of man [’iysh:H376/TWOT 83a] [was he] which came up to meet you, and told you these words? {8} And they answered him, [He was] an hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather about his loins. And he said, It [is] Elijah the Tishbite. {9} Then the king sent unto him a captain of fifty with his fifty. And he went up to him: and, behold, he sat on the top of an hill. And he spake unto him, Thou man [’iysh:H376/TWOT 83a] of God [elohiym:H430/TWOT 93c], the king hath said, Come down. {10} And Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, If I [be] a man [’iysh:H376/TWOT 83a] of God [elohiym:H430/TWOT 93c] , then let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And there came down fire from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty. {11} Again also he sent unto him another captain of fifty with his fifty. And he answered and said unto him, O man of God [elohiym:H430/TWOT 93c], thus hath the king said, Come down quickly. {12} And Elijah answered and said unto them, If I [be] a man [’iysh:H376/TWOT 83a] of God [elohiym:H430/TWOT 93c], let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And the fire of God came down from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty. {13} And he sent again a captain of the third fifty with his fifty. And the third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees before Elijah, and besought him, and said unto him, O man [’iysh:H376/TWOT 83a] of God [elohiym:H430/TWOT 93c], I pray thee, let my life, and the life of these fifty thy servants, be precious in thy sight. {14} Behold, there came fire down from heaven, and burnt up the two captains of the former fifties with their fifties: therefore let my life now be precious in thy sight. {15} And the angel of the LORD [Christ] said unto Elijah, Go down with him: be not afraid of him. And he arose, and went down with him unto the king. {16} And he said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Forasmuch as thou hast sent messengers to enquire of Baalzebub the god [elohiym:H430/TWOT 93c] of Ekron, [is it] not because [there is] no God [elohiym:H430/TWOT 93c] in Israel to enquire of his word? therefore thou shalt not come down off that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die.

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Well, on that solemn note, we will have to bring today’s study to a close. Lord willing, in our next study we will continue examining the rest of verse 6 as Manoah’s wife takes note of the man of God’s  appearance and the salient details that she did not ask Him where He came from, nor did He disclose His Name to her:  

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… and his countenance [was] like the countenance of an angel of God, very terrible [fearful or awesome]: but I asked him not whence he [was], neither told he me his name: 

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Judges 13 - Part 9

 May 9, 2022

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Good evening, and welcome to Searching The Scriptures! This will be Judges 13 - Part 9 and today’s date is May 9, 2022. I’ll read from Judges 13:6-14,

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Then the woman came and told her husband, saying, A man of God came unto me, and his countenance [was] like the countenance of an angel of God, very terrible: but I asked him not whence he [was], neither told he me his name: {7} But he said unto me, Behold, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and now drink no wine nor strong drink, neither eat any unclean [thing]: for the child shall be a Nazarite to God from the womb to the day of his death. {8} Then Manoah intreated the LORD, and said, O my Lord, 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. {9} And God hearkened to the voice of Manoah; and the angel of God came again unto the woman as she sat in the field: but Manoah her husband [was] not with her. {10} And the woman made haste, and ran, and shewed her husband, and said unto him, Behold, the man hath appeared unto me, that came unto me the [other] day. {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? And he said, I [am]. {12} And Manoah said, Now let thy words come to pass. How shall we order the child, and [how] shall we do unto him? {13} And the angel of the LORD said unto Manoah, Of all that I said unto the woman let her beware. {14} She may not eat of any [thing] 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.

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We have arrived at the latter part of verse 6, in which Manoah’s wife is describing to Manoah this man of God who appeared unto her

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… and his countenance [was] like the countenance of an angel of God, very terrible: but I asked him not whence he [was], neither told he me his name: 

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Me, And His Countenance [mar’eh:H4758/TWOT*2095i]  [Was] Like The Countenance [mar’eh:H4758/TWOT*2095i] 

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The expression, countenance, is doubled in this verse, and is derived from a “word- family” that includes the verb to see, and is translated primarily as appearance, sight, countenance, and vision, etc.  Here are some examples of its usage:

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1 Samuel 16:7 is a good illustration of how this term is employed from the standpoint of outward appearance; it also differentiates how God views an individual, as opposed to man’s perspective which is limited to only what he perceives physically. This word is translated as his countenance, and the root word that it stems from (ra’ah:H7200) surfaces three times in this passage as seeth and looketh:  

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But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance [mar’eh:H4758/TWOT 2095i], or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for [the LORD seeth] not as man seeth [ra’ah:H7200/TWOT 2095]; for man looketh [ra’ah:H7200/TWOT 2095] on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh [ra’ah:H7200/TWOT 2095] on the heart.

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Esther 1:11 depicts the beauty of Queen Vashti (who spiritually represents national Israel), in which this expression is rendered to look on: To bring Vashti the queen before the king with the crown royal, to shew the people and the princes her beauty: for she [was] fair to look on. 

[mar’eh:H4758/TWOT 2095i] 

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These next three citations are from Isaiah and they picture the Savior:

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In verse 3 of Isaiah 11:3-5 this word is rendered after the sight:  And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight [mar’eh:H4758/TWOT 2095i] of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: {4} But with righteousness shall he

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*Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (TWOT)

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judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. {5} And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.

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But in Isaiah 52:14 it is expressed as thee; his visage: As many were astonied at thee; his visage [mar’eh:H4758/TWOT 2095i] was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men:

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Isaiah 53:2 translates this as beauty; please note the root word that also emerges in this verse (as it did in 1 Samuel 16:7) as and when we shall see:  For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see [ra’ah:H7200/TWOT 2095] him, [there is] no beauty [mar’eh:H4758/TWOT 2095i] that we should desire him.

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The chapter that contains the greatest number of times (14)  that this word is included is found in Ezekiel 1:13-14, 16, and 26-28. And no wonder as this expression, along with the term likeness, is portraying the glory of God, according to verse 28: 

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As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance [mar’eh:H4758/TWOT2095i]  [was] like burning coals of fire, [and] like the appearance [mar’eh:H4758/TWOT2095i]  of lamps: it went up and down among the living creatures; and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning. {14} And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance [mar’eh:H4758/TWOT2095i]  of a flash of lightning. ... {16} The appearance [mar’eh:H4758/TWOT2095i]  of the wheels and their work [was] like unto the colour of a beryl: and they four had one likeness: and their appearance [mar’eh:H4758/TWOT2095i]  and their work [was] as it were a wheel in the middle of a wheel. ... {26} And above the firmament that [was] over their heads [was] the likeness of a throne, as the appearance [mar’eh:H4758/TWOT2095i]  of a sapphire stone: and upon the likeness of the throne [was] the likeness as the appearance [mar’eh:H4758/TWOT2095i]  of a man above upon it. {27} And I saw as the colour of amber, as the appearance [mar’eh:H4758/TWOT2095i]  of fire round about within it, from the appearance [mar’eh:H4758/TWOT2095i] of his loins even upward, and from the appearance [mar’eh:H4758/TWOT2095i]  of his loins even downward, I saw as it were the appearance [mar’eh:H4758/TWOT2095i]  of fire, and it had brightness round about. {28} As the appearance [mar’eh:H4758/TWOT2095i]  of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so [was] the appearance [mar’eh:H4758/TWOT2095i]  of the brightness round about. This [was] the appearance [mar’eh:H4758/TWOT 2095i]  of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw [it], I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake.

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This description also reminds us of what we read in Revelation 1:13-18, as John comes face-to-face in this vision with the Son of Man:

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And in the midst of the seven candlesticks [one] like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. {14}  His head and [his] hairs [were] white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes [were] as a flame of fire; {15} And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. {16 And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance [was] as the sun shineth in his strength. 17 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: 18  I [am] he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

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Of An Angel [mal’ak:H4397/ TWOT 1068a] Of God [’elohiym:H430/TWOT 93c] 

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Manoah’s wife reveals to her husband that the countenance of the man of God was like an angel of God (or ’elohiym - the plural form for God). We have run across this expression before when we were examining Judges 6 when the angel of God instructed Gideon in verse 20,

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And the angel [mal’ak:H4397/ TWOT 1068a] of God [’elohiym:H430/TWOT 93c] said unto him, Take the flesh and the unleavened cakes, and lay [them] upon this rock, and pour out the broth. And he did so.

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We will also encounter these two words again in verse 9: And God hearkened to the voice of Manoah; and the angel [mal’ak:H4397/TWOT 1068a] of God [’elohiym:H430/TWOT 93c] came again unto the woman as she sat in the field: but Manoah her husband [was] not with her.

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Similarly we read of Jacob’s dream in which the angel of God spoke to him in  verse 11 of Genesis 31:11-13, 

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And the angel [mal’ak:H4397/TWOT 1068a] of God [’elohiym:H430/TWOT 93c] spake unto me in a dream, [saying], Jacob: And I said, Here [am] I. {12} And he said, Lift up now thine eyes, and see, all the rams which leap upon the cattle [are] ringstraked, speckled, and grisled: for I have seen all that Laban doeth unto thee. {13} I [am] the God of Bethel, [House of God] where thou anointedst the pillar, [and] where thou vowedst a vow unto me: now arise, get thee out from this land, and return unto the land of thy kindred.

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Let’s consider one other noteworthy passage which is in verse 19 of Exodus 14:10-20, in which these two terms are again expressed as And the angel of God (or ’elohiym):

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And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore  [m@`od:H3966/TWOT 1134] afraid [yare’:H3372/TWOT 907, 908]: and the children of Israel cried out unto the LORD. {11} And they said unto Moses, Because [there were] no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt? {12} [Is] not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For [it had been] better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness. {13} And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. {14} The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace. {15} And the LORD said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward: {16} But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry [ground] through the midst of the sea. {17} And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them: and I will get me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen. {18} And the Egyptians shall know that I [am] the LORD, when I have gotten me honour upon Pharaoh, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen. {19} And the angel [mal’ak:H4397/TWOT 1068a] of God [’elohiym:H430/TWOT 93c], which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them: {20} And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness [to them], but it gave light by night [to these]: so that the one came not near the other all the night.

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Manoah’s wife goes on to portray the angel of God as very terrible, or extremely fearful, which we will have to wait to discuss in our next study, Lord willing, as we have run out of time.

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Judges 13 - Part 10

 May 11, 2022

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Good evening, and welcome to Searching The Scriptures! This will be Judges 13 - Part 10 and today’s date is May 11, 2022. I’ll read from Judges 13:6-14,

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Then the woman came and told her husband, saying, A man of God came unto me, and his countenance [was] like the countenance of an angel of God, very terrible: but I asked him not whence he [was], neither told he me his name: {7} But he said unto me, Behold, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and now drink no wine nor strong drink, neither eat any unclean [thing]: for the child shall be a Nazarite to God from the womb to the day of his death. {8} Then Manoah intreated the LORD, and said, O my Lord, 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. {9} And God hearkened to the voice of Manoah; and the angel of God came again unto the woman as she sat in the field: but Manoah her husband [was] not with her. {10} And the woman made haste, and ran, and shewed her husband, and said unto him, Behold, the man hath appeared unto me, that came unto me the [other] day. {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? And he said, I [am]. {12} And Manoah said, Now let thy words come to pass. How shall we order the child, and [how] shall we do unto him? {13} And the angel of the LORD said unto Manoah, Of all that I said unto the woman let her beware. {14} She may not eat of any [thing] 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.

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In our previous study we looked at a number of references that contained the two terms angel of God.  One of those passages was Exodus 14:10-20, which I mistakenly had written down as Exodus 12, so I want to correct that first of all. This word, angel of God,  is translated in verse 19 as And the angel of God (or ’elohiym - the plural form for God); however I did have another reason for going to this important section of Scripture which ties into the next word that crops up in our study today. This is the expression, very terrible, that Manoah’s wife used under divine inspiration, to describe the appearance of the man of God to her husband.  In Exodus 14:10 this word is rendered as and they were sore afraid, and is referring to the mental and emotional state of mind that the Israelites were experiencing. They were hemmed in by mountains on either side of them. The Red Sea or “Sea of the End” was straight ahead of them. Behind them was the greatest army on earth in hot pursuit. What were they to do?  

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And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore  [m@`od:H3966/TWOT 1134] afraid [yare’:H3372/TWOT 907, 908]: and the children of Israel cried out unto the LORD. {11} And they said unto Moses, Because [there were] no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt? {12} [Is] not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For [it had been] better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness. {13} And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. {14} The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace. {15} And the LORD said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward: {16} But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry [ground] through the midst of the sea. {17} And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them: and I will get me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen. {18} And the Egyptians shall know that I [am] the LORD, when I have gotten me honour upon Pharaoh, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen. {19} And the angel [mal’ak:H4397/TWOT 1068a] of God [’elohiym:H430/TWOT 93c], which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them: {20} And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness [to them], but it gave light by night [to these]: so that the one came not near the other all the night.

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These next citations illustrate how God employs these two words, very terrible, elsewhere in Scripture:

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Very [m@`od:H3966/TWOT* 1134] Terrible [yare’:H3372/TWOT 907, 908]

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Verse 7 of Genesis 32:6-7 records Jacob’s great consternation as he prepares to meet Esau in the historical context; these two words are expressed as was greatly afraid: And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, We came to thy brother Esau, and also he cometh to meet thee, and four hundred men with him.{7} Then Jacob was greatly [m@`od:H3966/TWOT 1134] afraid [yare’:H3372/TWOT 907, 908] and distressed: and he divided the people that [was] with him, and the flocks, and herds, and the camels, into two bands;

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1 Samuel 17:24 recounts the great fear that fell upon all the men of Israel when they saw Goliath the giant - the champion of the Philistines.  These words are translated as and were sore afraid: And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were sore [m@`od:H3966/TWOT 1134] afraid. [yare’:H3372/TWOT 907, 908]

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Speaking of our current “day” of judgment verse 11 of Joel 2:10-11 renders these terms  as [is] very great as well as,  and very terrible:  

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And the LORD shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp [is] very [m@`od:H3966/TWOT 1134] great [yare’:H3372/TWOT 907, 908]: for [he is] strong that executeth his word: for the day of the LORD [is] great and very [m@`od:H3966/TWOT 1134] terrible [yare’:H3372/TWOT 907, 908]; and who can abide it?

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*Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (TWOT)

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Next we read of these two curious statements that Manoah’s wife remarks to her husband in the historical context: …but I asked him not whence he [was], neither told he me his name. First, she did not ask Him where He was from. Secondly, He did not reveal His name to her. Why does God include these details in this account? Perhaps He is doing this to highlight these significant questions. After all,  when you and I meet people, one of the first things that we ask of them or they ask of us is what is your name, and where are you from? As we continue our examination, these observations should be clarified.

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But I Asked [sha’al:H7592/TWOT 2303] Him Not [lo’:H3808/TWOT 1064]

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The expression, …but I asked  or enquired is used numerous times throughout the Old Testament; here it appears with the negative… him not… The subsequent citations include both of these words:

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In Joshua 9:14  Israel did not ask the LORD for His counsel in the matter of the Gibeonites (who picture God’s elect) who sued for peace, pretending to have come from a far country, when in reality they were Canaanites; these terms are translated and asked not: 

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And the men took of their victuals, and asked [sha’al:H7592/TWOT 2303] not [lo’:H3808/TWOT 1064] [counsel] at the mouth of the LORD.

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This is also the case in verse 2 of Isaiah 30:1-2, in which God presents this accusation against His corporate people: Woe to the rebellious children, saith the LORD, that take counsel, but not [lo’:H3808/TWOT 1064]  of me; and that cover with a covering, but not [lo’:H3808/TWOT 1064]  of my spirit, that they may add sin to sin: {2} That walk to go down into Egypt, and have not [lo’:H3808/TWOT 1064] asked [sha’al:H7592/TWOT 2303] at my mouth; to strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh, and to trust in the shadow of Egypt!

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We see this as well with regard to King Saul (who typifies the apostate corporate church) in 1 Chronicles 10:13-14, who asked counsel of a soothsayer, instead of God Almighty; these words are expressed as  for asking and not. (The word enquire is a different Hebrew term, but what it conveys is the same:   

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So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the LORD, [even] against the word of the LORD, which he kept not [lo’:H3808/TWOT 1064] , and also for asking [sha’al:H7592/TWOT 2303]  [counsel] of [one that had] a familiar spirit, to enquire [of it]; {14} And enquired not [lo’:H3808/TWOT 1064] of the LORD: therefore he slew him, and turned the kingdom unto David the son of Jesse.

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By contrast, King Solomon is commended in 2 Chronicles 1:10-12, in which the word asked is repeated three times, and thou hast not and neither twice:   Give me now wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people: for who can judge this thy people, [that is so] great? {11} And God said to Solomon, Because this was in thine heart, and thou hast not [lo’:H3808/TWOT 1064] asked  [sha’al:H7592/TWOT 2303] riches, wealth, or honour, nor the life of thine enemies, neither [lo’:H3808/TWOT 1064] yet hast asked [sha’al:H7592/TWOT 2303] long life; but hast asked  [sha’al:H7592/TWOT 2303] wisdom and knowledge for thyself, that thou mayest judge my people, over whom I have made thee king: {12} Wisdom and knowledge [is] granted unto thee; and I will give thee riches, and wealth, and honour, such as none of the kings have had that [have been] before thee, neither shall there any after thee have the like.

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Psalm 40:6 renders these terms as hast thou not required: Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not [lo’:H3808/TWOT 1064]  required. [sha’al:H7592/TWOT 2303]

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Let’s stop here, as we are out of time.  Lord willing, in our next lesson, we will continue our examination of verse 6.

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Judges 13 - Part 11

 May 13, 2022

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Good evening, and welcome to Searching The Scriptures! This will be Judges 13 - Part 11 and today’s date is May 13, 2022. I’ll read from Judges 13:6-14,

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Then the woman came and told her husband, saying, A man of God came unto me, and his countenance [was] like the countenance of an angel of God,whence he [was], neither told he me his name: {7} But he said unto me, Behold, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and now drink no wine nor strong drink, neither eat any unclean [thing]: for the child shall be a Nazarite to God from the womb to the day of his death. {8} Then Manoah intreated the LORD, and said, O my Lord, 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. {9} And God hearkened to the voice of Manoah; and the angel of God came again unto the woman as she sat in the field: but Manoah her husband [was] not with her. {10} And the woman made haste, and ran, and shewed her husband, and said unto him, Behold, the man hath appeared unto me, that came unto me the [other] day. {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? And he said, I [am]. {12} And Manoah said, Now let thy words come to pass. How shall we order the child, and [how] shall we do unto him? {13} And the angel of the LORD said unto Manoah, Of all that I said unto the woman let her beware. {14} She may not eat of any [thing] 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.

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We were looking at the two words in verse 6… but I asked him not when we ran out of time in our last study, so I would like for us to consider a few more passages that include these two terms before moving on to the rest of verse 6.

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But I Asked [sha’al:H7592/TWOT* 2303] Him Not [lo’:H3808/TWOT 1064]

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*Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (TWOT)

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Ecclesiastes 7:10 renders these as  thou doest not enquire: Say not thou, What is [the cause] that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not [lo’:H3808/TWOT 1064] enquire [sha’al:H7592/TWOT 2303] wisely concerning this.

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Isaiah 65:1 reveals God sovereignty in choosing His elect …before the foundation of the world; here these words are translated as of [them that] asked not:  I am sought of [them that] asked [sha’al:H7592/TWOT 2303]  not [lo’:H3808/TWOT 1064] [for me]; I am found of [them that] sought me not [lo’:H3808/TWOT 1064]: I said, Behold me, behold me, unto a nation [that] was not [lo’:H3808/TWOT 1064] called by my name.

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Whence [’ay:H335/TWOT 75]

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Let’s now turn our attention to the interrogative adverb, whence or where, which is part of a word-family that comprises similar kinds of words.

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Genesis 3:9 includes this expression in the all-important question that God poses to Adam: And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where [’ay:H335/TWOT 75] [art] thou?

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God of course knew precisely where Adam was, but the question is much deeper and penetrates into Adam’s very soul - as Adam replies to God and the dialogue between Creator and creature continues in verses 10-13, as the Word of God probes even deeper into Adam’s soul to extract the truth (and also finds a great deal of  blame shifting) as Hebrews 4:12-13 remind us:

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For the word of God [is] quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and [is] a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. {13} Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things [are] naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

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And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I [was] naked; and I hid myself. {11} And he said, Who told thee that thou [wast] naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat? {12} And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest [to be] with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. {13} And the LORD God said unto the woman, What [is] this [that] thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.

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God asks Cain a similar question in Genesis 4:9 and receives the telling reply of one who does not love his neighbor, nor does he love God: And the LORD said unto Cain, Where [’ay:H335/TWOT 75] [is] Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: [Am] I my brother's keeper?

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To be one’s brother’s keeper is tantamount to loving one’s neighbor. In Romans 13:10 we learn that love is actually the fulfillment of the Law:

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Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

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And to love one’s neighbor is the second greatest commandment as the Lord Jesus underscored in Mark 12:28-34,

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And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all? {29} And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments [is], Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: {30} And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this [is] the first commandment. {31} And the second [is] like, [namely] this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. {32} And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he: {33} And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love [his] neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. {34} And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him [any question].

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According to the foregoing verses, to love one’s neighbor is to want the highest good for that individual. During the very long “day” of salvation that amounted to giving them the Gospel, with the hope that they might have been one of God’s elect. However, in this current “day” of judgment, God’s saints have been given a new Commission, which is to feed God’s sheep (that He had previously saved) with the Word of God, as outlined in John 21:15-17; please note the “question and command” format that the Savior employs in His conversation with Peter (who represents God’s elect today in this context): 

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So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, [son] of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. {16} He saith to him again the second time, Simon, [son] of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. {17} He saith unto him the third time, Simon, [son] of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

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Here are a few more illustrations of this expression, whence or where: 

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Deuteronomy 32:37 includes this term with respect to corporate Israel’s determination to worship false gods instead of the One, True, Living God of the Bible: 

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And he shall say, Where [’ay:H335/TWOT 75] [are] their gods, [their] rock in whom they trusted,

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And Job 20:7 reveals the final end of the unsaved: [Yet] he shall perish for ever like his own dung: they which have seen him shall say, Where [’ay:H335/TWOT 75] [is] he?

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Told He Me [nagad:H5046/ TWOT 1289] His Name [shem:H8034/TWOT 2405]

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The last phrase in verse 6 consists of the two Hebrew words … told he me and  his name. These two expressions are found together in the following four citations. Incidentally this matter of the name of the man of God will also emerge again a little later in Judges 13:17-18, at which time we can spend more time on that word, Name, which is a very extensive study all by itself, and is the identical word that we find here in verse 6:

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Judges 13:17-18, And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD, What [is] thy name [shem:H8034/TWOT 2405], that when thy sayings come to pass we may do thee honour? {18} And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Why askest thou thus after my name [shem:H8034/TWOT 2405], seeing it [is] secret? 

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Verse 29 of Genesis 32:24-30 is a historical parable in which the two terms, told he me, and his name  are translated as tell and thy name/after My Name 

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And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. {25} And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him. {26} And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. {27} And he said unto him, What [is] thy name? And he said, Jacob. {28} And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed. {29} And Jacob asked [him], and said, Tell [nagad:H5046/ TWOT 1289] [me], I pray thee, thy name. [shem:H8034/TWOT 2405] And he said, Wherefore [is] it [that] thou dost ask after my name [shem:H8034/TWOT 2405]? And he blessed him there. {30} And Jacob called the name [shem:H8034/TWOT 2405] of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.

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Amos 4:13 expresses these as and declareth along with his name:  For, lo, he that formeth the mountains, and createth the wind, and declareth [nagad:H5046/ TWOT 1289] unto man what [is] his thought, that maketh the morning darkness, and treadeth upon the high places of the earth, The LORD, The God of hosts, [is] his name. [shem:H8034/TWOT 2405] 

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In verse 19 of Ruth 2:19-20 these words are rendered as and she shewed and name: And her mother in law said unto her, Where hast thou gleaned to day? and where wroughtest thou? blessed be he that did take knowledge of thee. And she shewed [nagad:H5046/ TWOT 1289] her mother in law with whom she had wrought, and said, The man's name [shem:H8034/TWOT 2405] with whom I wrought to day [is] Boaz. {20} And Naomi said unto her daughter in law, Blessed [be] he of the LORD, who hath not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead. And Naomi said unto her, The man [is] near of kin unto us, one of our next kinsmen.

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It is significant that Boaz is also a great type of the Lord Jesus Christ, even as Ruth represents the elect in this historical parable. They do get married and have a son who is Obed, the grandfather of David.

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The last Scripture in which these two words emerge as who told and name is in Esther 2:22, And the thing was known to Mordecai, who told [nagad:H5046/ TWOT 1289]  [it] unto Esther the queen; and Esther certified the king [thereof] in Mordecai's name. [shem:H8034/TWOT 2405] 

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Once again this account follows suit in which the individual whose name is in view, is either God Himself or a spiritual portrait of the Messiah. Lord willing, in our next lesson, we will proceed to verse 7.

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Judges 13 - Part 12

 May 23, 2022

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Good evening, and welcome to Searching The Scriptures! This will be Judges 13 - Part 12 and today’s date is May 23, 2022. I’ll read from Judges 13:6-14,

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Then the woman came and told her husband, saying, A man of God came unto me, and his countenance [was] like the countenance of an angel of God, whence he [was], neither told he me his name: {7} But he said unto me, Behold, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and now drink no wine nor strong drink, neither eat any unclean [thing]: for the child shall be a Nazarite to God from the womb to the day of his death. {8} Then Manoah intreated the LORD, and said, O my Lord, 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. {9} And God hearkened to the voice of Manoah; and the angel of God came again unto the woman as she sat in the field: but Manoah her husband [was] not with her. {10} And the woman made haste, and ran, and shewed her husband, and said unto him, Behold, the man hath appeared unto me, that came unto me the [other] day. {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? And he said, I [am]. {12} And Manoah said, Now let thy words come to pass. How shall we order the child, and [how] shall we do unto him? {13} And the angel of the LORD said unto Manoah, Of all that I said unto the woman let her beware. {14} She may not eat of any [thing] 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.

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In our examination of Judges 13 we have arrived at verse 7. With the exception of the phrase, the day of his death, we have considered all the other words in this verse, as they cropped up in verses 4-5 already, as Manoah’s wife recounts to her husband what the man of God  instructed her to do. 

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These two expressions, the day and of his death,  surface in 20 other citations in a variety of different contexts. The other curious thing about this statement is that it is not mentioned in Numbers 6 which outlines the stipulations for the Nazarite vow. In fact, the language of Numbers 6:12-21 discusses what the person who had made such a vow was to do after the days of the vow were fulfilled. I’ll read verse 2, and then 12-21,

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Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When either man or woman shall separate [themselves] to vow a vow of a Nazarite, to separate [themselves] unto the LORD: ... {12} And he shall consecrate unto the LORD the days of his separation, and shall bring a lamb of the first year for a trespass offering: but the days that were before shall be lost, because his separation was defiled. {13} And this [is] the law of the Nazarite, when the days of his separation are fulfilled: he shall be brought unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: {14} And he shall offer his offering unto the LORD, one he lamb of the first year without blemish for a burnt offering, and one ewe lamb of the first year without blemish for a sin offering, and one ram without blemish for peace offerings, {15} And a basket of unleavened bread, cakes of fine flour mingled with oil, and wafers of unleavened bread anointed with oil, and their meat offering, and their drink offerings. {16} And the priest shall bring [them] before the LORD, and shall offer his sin offering, and his burnt offering: {17} And he shall offer the ram [for] a sacrifice of peace offerings unto the LORD, with the basket of unleavened bread: the priest shall offer also his meat offering, and his drink offering. {18} And the Nazarite shall shave the head of his separation [at] the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and shall take the hair of the head of his separation, and put [it] in the fire which [is] under the sacrifice of the peace offerings. {19} And the priest shall take the sodden shoulder of the ram, and one unleavened cake out of the basket, and one unleavened wafer, and shall put [them] upon the hands of the Nazarite, after [the hair of] his separation is shaven: {20} And the priest shall wave them [for] a wave offering before the LORD: this [is] holy for the priest, with the wave breast and heave shoulder: and after that the Nazarite may drink wine. {21} This [is] the law of the Nazarite who hath vowed, [and of] his offering unto the LORD for his separation, beside [that] that his hand shall get: according to the vow which he vowed, so he must do after the law of his separation.

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The Day [yowm:H3117/TWOT*852] Of His Death [maveth:H4194/TWOT 1169a]

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In verse 2 of Genesis 27:1-4 Jacob makes this announcement to Esau, which sets up a series of events that led to Jacob receiving the blessing (as he had already obtained the birthright previously):  

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And it came to pass, that when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see, he called Esau his eldest son, and said unto him, My son: and he said unto him, Behold, [here am] I. {2} And he said, Behold now, I am old, I know not the day [yowm:H3117/TWOT 852] of my death [maveth:H4194/TWOT 1169a]: {3} Now therefore take, I pray thee, thy weapons, thy quiver and thy bow, and go out to the field, and take me [some] venison; {4} And make me savoury meat, such as I love, and bring [it] to me, that I may eat; that my soul may bless thee before I die.

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Deuteronomy 30:19 maintains: I call heaven and earth to record this day [yowm:H3117/TWOT 852] against you, [that] I have set before you life and death [maveth:H4194/TWOT 1169a], blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:

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Deuteronomy 31:27 and 29 are a precursor of  God’s judgment that began at His own house first: For I know thy rebellion, and thy stiff neck: behold, while I am yet alive with you this day [yowm:H3117/TWOT 852] , ye have been rebellious against the LORD; and how much more after my death [maveth:H4194/TWOT 1169a]? ... {29} For I know that after my death [maveth:H4194/TWOT 1169a] ye will utterly corrupt [yourselves], and turn aside from the way which I have commanded you; and evil will befall you in the latter days [yowm:H3117/TWOT 852]; because ye will do evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger through the work of your hands.

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*Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (TWOT)

Incidentally, there is a New Testament passage that is similar to what I just read in Deuteronomy 31. It is found in Acts 20:27-30 as Paul utters these words under divine inspiration:

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For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. {28} Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. {29} For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. {30} Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.

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Joshua 20:6 sets forth the duration of time that one had to stay in one of the cities of refuge: And he shall dwell in that city, until he stand before the congregation for judgment, [and] until the death [maveth:H4194/TWOT 1169a] of the high priest that shall be in those days [yowm:H3117/TWOT 852]: then shall the slayer return, and come unto his own city, and unto his own house, unto the city from whence he fled.

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2 Samuel 6:23 records: Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no child unto the day [yowm:H3117/TWOT 852] of her death. [maveth:H4194/TWOT 1169a]

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2 Kings 15:5 states:  And the LORD smote the king, so that he was a leper unto the day [yowm:H3117/TWOT 852] of his death [maveth:H4194/TWOT 1169a], and dwelt in a several house. And Jotham the king's son [was] over the house, judging the people of the land.

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2 Chronicles 24:15 records the death of Jehoida the High Priest, who died at the  age of 130, which spiritually typifies God’s judgment commencing after 13,000 years of history, which occurred in the year 1988. By the way, we have been looking at the noun form for died or death, which is derived from the verb form which in this Scripture is identically translated as when he died:    

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But Jehoiada waxed old, and was full of days [yowm:H3117/TWOT 852]  when he died [muwth:H4191/TWOT 1169]; an hundred and thirty years old [was he] when he died. [maveth:H4194/TWOT 1169a]

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Proverbs 11:4 highlights the priceless gift of Christ’s righteousness which exceeds all the paltry riches that this world can offer: Riches profit not in the day [yowm:H3117/TWOT 852] of wrath: but righteousness delivereth from death. [maveth:H4194/TWOT 1169a]

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Ecclesiastes 7:1 acknowledges: A good name [is] better than precious ointment; and the day [yowm:H3117/TWOT 852] of death [maveth:H4194/TWOT 1169a] than the day [yowm:H3117/TWOT 852]  of one's birth.

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Let’s proceed to verse 8, Then Manoah intreated the LORD, and said, O my Lord, 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. 

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Intreated [`athar:H6279/TWOT 1722] Jehovah [Y@hovah:H3068/TWOT 484a]

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The two terms, intreated and Jehovah only appear together in the following 11 references:

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Genesis 25:21 reveals these two expressions twice, as Isaac beseeches Jehovah that Rebekah might be blessed with conception:  And Isaac intreated [`athar:H6279/TWOT 1722] the LORD [Y@hovah:H3068/TWOT 484a]  for his wife, because she [was] barren: and the LORD [Y@hovah:H3068/TWOT 484a] was intreated [`athar:H6279/TWOT 1722]  of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.

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Both of these expressions emerge a number of times in Exodus 8:8 and in verses 28-32, Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said, Intreat [`athar:H6279/TWOT 1722] the LORD [Y@hovah:H3068/TWOT 484a], that he may take away the frogs from me, and from my people; and I will let the people go, that they may do sacrifice unto the LORD.  [Y@hovah:H3068/TWOT 484a]  ... {28} And Pharaoh said, I will let you go, that ye may sacrifice to the LORD [Y@hovah:H3068/TWOT 484a] your God in the wilderness; only ye shall not go very far away: intreat [`athar:H6279/TWOT 1722]  for me. {29} And Moses said, Behold, I go out from thee, and I will intreat [`athar:H6279/TWOT 1722] the LORD  [Y@hovah:H3068/TWOT 484a] that the swarms [of flies] may depart from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people, to morrow: but let not Pharaoh deal deceitfully any more in not letting the people go to sacrifice to the LORD.  [Y@hovah:H3068/TWOT 484a] {30} And Moses went out from Pharaoh, and intreated [`athar:H6279/TWOT 1722] the LORD. [Y@hovah:H3068/TWOT 484a] {31} And the LORD did according to the word of Moses; and he removed the swarms [of flies] from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people; there remained not one. {32} And Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time also, neither would he let the people go. 

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Let’s stop here, as we are out of time. Lord willing, in our next study we will continue looking at the rest of verse 8.

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Judges 13 - Part 13

 May 25, 2022

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Good evening, and welcome to Searching The Scriptures! This will be Judges 13 - Part 13 and today’s date is May 25, 2022. I’ll read from Judges 13:6-14,

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Then the woman came and told her husband, saying, A man of God came unto me, and his countenance [was] like the countenance of an angel of God, whence he [was], neither told he me his name: {7} But he said unto me, Behold, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and now drink no wine nor strong drink, neither eat any unclean [thing]: for the child shall be a Nazarite to God from the womb to the day of his death. {8} Then Manoah intreated the LORD, and said, O my Lord, 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. {9} And God hearkened to the voice of Manoah; and the angel of God came again unto the woman as she sat in the field: but Manoah her husband [was] not with her. {10} And the woman made haste, and ran, and shewed her husband, and said unto him, Behold, the man hath appeared unto me, that came unto me the [other] day. {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? And he said, I [am]. {12} And Manoah said, Now let thy words come to pass. How shall we order the child, and [how] shall we do unto him? {13} And the angel of the LORD said unto Manoah, Of all that I said unto the woman let her beware. {14} She may not eat of any [thing] 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.

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In our previous study, we left off at the phrase in verse 8, …and said, O my Lord… as Manoah beseeches Jehovah to send the man of God again to instruct him and his wife in how they are to raise the child that He had given them. These three terms only surface again in four other Scriptures. Incidentally, the Hebrew word that is translated Lord in this phrase is ’Adonay, which is almost always rendered as such.  

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And Said [’amar:H559/TWOT* 118] O [biy:H994/TWOT 238a] My Lord [’Adonay:H136/TWOT 28b]

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We actually encountered this phrase when we were working on Judges 6:14-15, as it appears in verse 15, in which Gideon similarly presents his plea to God: 

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And the LORD looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee? {15} And he said [’amar:H559/TWOT 118]  unto him, Oh [biy:H994/TWOT 238a] my Lord [’Adonay:H136/TWOT 28b], wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family [is] poor in Manasseh, and I [am] the least in my father's house.

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The second reference is found in verses 10 and 13 of Exodus 4:10-16, which is part of a very interesting dialogue that Moses has with Jehovah: 

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And Moses said [’amar:H559/TWOT 118] unto the LORD, O [biy:H994/TWOT 238a] my Lord [’Adonay:H136/TWOT 28b], I [am] not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I [am] slow of speech, and of a slow tongue. {11} And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD? {12} Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say. {13} And he said [’amar:H559/TWOT 118], O [biy:H994/TWOT 238a] my Lord [’Adonay:H136/TWOT 28b], send, I pray thee, by the hand [of him whom] thou wilt send. {14} And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses, and he said, [Is] not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee: and when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart. {15} And thou shalt speak unto him, and put words in his mouth: and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do. {16} And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people: and he shall be, [even] he shall be to thee instead of a

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*Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (TWOT)

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mouth, and thou shalt be to him instead of God.

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Both Gideon and Moses express their inadequacies to God, and God replies by assuring them that He has everything under control because He is working in them…to will and to do of [His] good pleasure…as Philippians 2:13 acknowledges. I am reminded of the beautiful promise in 2 Corinthians 3:4-6,

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And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward: {5} Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency [is] of God; {6} Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

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In the historical context we see that God was angered by how Moses felt about his inability to speak (which would indicate a lack of trust in the Almighty); nonetheless God graciously made provision for this by having endowed Moses’ older brother Aaron with the gift of eloquence. This again highlights God’s providence in how all the members of the Body of Christ work together in harmony to fulfill God’s purposes, being governed by their Head, the Lord Jesus Christ, so that God receives all the glory, honor and majesty, as 1 Corinthians 12:12-26 outlines:

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For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also [is] Christ. {13} For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether [we be] Jews or Gentiles, whether [we be] bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. {14}  For the body is not one member, but many. {15} If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? {16}{ And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? {17} If the whole body [were] an eye, where [were] the hearing? If the whole [were] hearing, where [were] the smelling? {18} But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. {19} And if they were all one member, where [were] the body? {20} But now [are they] many members, yet but one body. {21} And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. {22} Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: {23} And those [members] of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely [parts] have more abundant comeliness. {24} For our comely [parts] have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that [part] which lacked: {25} That there should be no schism in the body; but [that] the members should have the same care one for another. {26} And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it. 

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There is also a spiritual dimension in view here as Moses is a great type of the Law of God, and Aaron, the High Priest typifies the Lord Jesus Christ as the Perfect High Priest (after the order of Melchisedec) as we read in Hebrews 7:11,

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If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need [was there] that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron? 

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Additionally, these two respective roles of Moses and Aaron are also embodied parabolically in the nature of the Word of God itself as was underscored in 2 Corinthians 3:6b…for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. This is also emphasized in Hebrews 4:12-13, in this description of the twoedged sword of the Spirit:

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For the word of God [is] quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and [is] a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. {13} Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things [are] naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

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The last passage in which these three terms emerge is in verse 8 of Joshua 7:1-13,

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But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing: for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed thing: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against the children of Israel. {2} And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which [is] beside Bethaven, on the east side of Bethel, and spake unto them, saying, Go up and view the country. And the men went up and viewed Ai. {3} And they returned to Joshua, and said unto him, Let not all the people go up; but let about two or three thousand men go up and smite Ai; [and] make not all the people to labour thither; for they [are but] few. {4} So there went up thither of the people about three thousand men: and they fled before the men of Ai. {5}{ And the men of Ai smote of them about thirty and six men: for they chased them [from] before the gate [even] unto Shebarim, and smote them in the going down: wherefore the hearts of the people melted, and became as water. {6} And Joshua rent his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of the LORD until the eventide, he and the elders of Israel, and put dust upon their heads. {7} And Joshua said, Alas, O Lord GOD, wherefore hast thou at all brought this people over Jordan, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? would to God we had been content, and dwelt on the other side Jordan! {8} O [biy:H994/TWOT 238a]  Lord [’Adonay:H136/TWOT 28b], what shall I say [’amar:H559/TWOT 118], when Israel turneth their backs before their enemies! {9} For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land shall hear [of it], and shall environ us round, and cut off our name from the earth: and what wilt thou do unto thy great name? {10} And the LORD said unto Joshua, Get thee up; wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face? {11} Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put [it] even among their own stuff. 

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{12} Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, [but] turned [their] backs before their enemies, because they were accursed: neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed from among you. {13} Up, sanctify the people, and say, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow: for thus saith the LORD God of Israel, [There is] an accursed thing in the midst of thee, O Israel: thou canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye take away the accursed thing from among you.

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Us And Teach [yarah:H3384/TWOT 910] & We Shall Do [`asah:H6213/TWOT 1708, 1709]

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The last two words that we have not examined in verse 8 are us and teach and we shall do, as Manoah asks God for His instruction. These two expressions crop up in seven other citations, but we will just consider five of them for the sake of time:

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Exodus 4:15 which we looked at earlier in today’s study includes these two words, and will teach along with, ye shall do: And thou [Moses] shalt speak unto him [Aaron], and put words in his mouth: and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach [yarah:H3384/TWOT 910] you what ye shall do. [`asah:H6213/TWOT 1708, 1709]

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Deuteronomy 17:10-11 also declare: And thou shalt do [`asah:H6213/TWOT 1708, 1709] according to the sentence, which they of that place which the LORD shall choose shall shew thee; and thou shalt observe to do [`asah:H6213/TWOT 1708, 1709] according to all that they inform [yarah:H3384/TWOT 910] thee: {11} According to the sentence of the law which they shall teach  [yarah:H3384/TWOT 910]  thee, and according to the judgment which they shall tell thee, thou shalt do [`asah:H6213/TWOT 1708, 1709]: thou shalt not decline from the sentence which they shall shew thee, [to] the right hand, nor [to] the left.

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Verse 8 of Deuteronomy 24:8-9 likewise states: Take heed in the plague of leprosy, that thou observe diligently, and do [`asah:H6213/TWOT 1708, 1709] according to all that the priests the Levites shall teach [yarah:H3384/TWOT 910] you: as I commanded them, [so] ye shall observe to do. [`asah:H6213/TWOT 1708, 1709] {9} Remember what the LORD thy God did unto Miriam by the way, after that ye were come forth out of Egypt.

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By contrast, these two words also surface in verse 18 of Habakkuk 2:18-20, in connection with the fashioning of false idols: 

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What profiteth the graven image that the maker thereof hath graven it; the molten image, and a teacher [yarah:H3384/TWOT 910] of lies, that the maker of his work trusteth therein, to make [`asah:H6213/TWOT 1708, 1709] dumb idols? {19} Woe unto him that saith to the wood, Awake; to the dumb stone, Arise, it shall teach! Behold, it [is] laid over with gold and silver, and [there is] no breath at all in the midst of it. {20} But the LORD [is] in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him.

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Well, on that most solemn note, we will have to bring today’s study to a close. Lord willing, in our next lesson, we will advance to verse 9. 

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Judges 13 - Part 14

 May 27, 2022

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Good evening, and welcome to Searching The Scriptures! This will be Judges 13 - Part 14 and today’s date is May 27, 2022. I’ll read from Judges 13:6-14,

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Then the woman came and told her husband, saying, A man of God came unto me, and his countenance [was] like the countenance of an angel of God, whence he [was], neither told he me his name: {7} But he said unto me, Behold, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and now drink no wine nor strong drink, neither eat any unclean [thing]: for the child shall be a Nazarite to God from the womb to the day of his death. {8} Then Manoah intreated the LORD, and said, O my Lord, 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. {9} And God hearkened to the voice of Manoah; and the angel of God came again unto the woman as she sat in the field: but Manoah her husband [was] not with her. {10} And the woman made haste, and ran, and shewed her husband, and said unto him, Behold, the man hath appeared unto me, that came unto me the [other] day. {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? And he said, I [am]. {12} And Manoah said, Now let thy words come to pass. How shall we order the child, and [how] shall we do unto him? {13} And the angel of the LORD said unto Manoah, Of all that I said unto the woman let her beware. {14} She may not eat of any [thing] 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.

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And God [’elohiym:H430/TWOT*93c] Hearkened [shama`:H8085/TWOT 2412, 2412a] To The Voice [qowl:H6963/TWOT 1998a, 2028b]

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The phrase,  And God hearkened to the voice… is comprised of three words, so let’s see how God employs these terms together elsewhere:

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*Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (TWOT)

There are not too many instances in which these specific words are expressed as God hearkening; these terms are normally rendered in the context of people listening to God, or even worse, not listening to God. Nonetheless, these next passages illustrate God hearkening to the voice of His elect, as in our verse.  As a matter of fact, we ran across these three expressions in verse 7 of Judges 9:6-7, in which we learned what Jotham (Gideon’s yougest son) did after Abimelech and his men murdered his 69 brothers, which preceded the men of Shechem crowning Abimelech as their king: 

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And all the men of Shechem gathered together, and all the house of Millo, and went, and made Abimelech king, by the plain of the pillar that [was] in Shechem. {7} And when they told [it] to Jotham, he went and stood in the top of mount Gerizim, and lifted up his voice [qowl:H6963/TWOT 1998a, 2028b], and cried, and said unto them, Hearken [shama`:H8085/TWOT 2412, 2412a] unto me, ye men of Shechem, that God [’elohiym:H430/TWOT 93c] may hearken [shama`:H8085/TWOT 2412, 2412a] unto you.

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In verse 17 of Genesis 21:9-18, God hears the voice of Ishmael, which is stated twice:  And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking. {10} Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, [even] with Isaac. {11} And the thing was very grievous in Abraham's sight because of his son. {12} And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called. {13} And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he [is] thy seed. {14} And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle of water, and gave [it] unto Hagar, putting [it] on her shoulder, and the child, and sent her away: and she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba. {15} And the water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs. {16} And she went, and sat her down over against [him] a good way off, as it were a bowshot: for she said, Let me not see the death of the child. And she sat over against [him], and lift up her voice, and wept. {17} And God  [’elohiym:H430/TWOT 93c] heard [shama`:H8085/TWOT 2412, 2412a] the voice [qowl:H6963/TWOT 1998a, 2028b] of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God  [’elohiym:H430/TWOT 93c] hath heard [shama`:H8085/TWOT 2412, 2412a] the voice [qowl:H6963/TWOT 1998a, 2028b] of the lad where he [is]. {18} Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation.

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Verse 6 of Genesis 30:1-6 includes these words with respect to the birth of Dan:  And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister; and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die. {2} And Jacob's anger was kindled against Rachel: and he said, [Am] I in God's stead, who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb? {3} And she said, Behold my maid Bilhah, go in unto her; and she shall bear upon my knees, that I may also have children by her. {4} And she gave him Bilhah her handmaid to wife: and Jacob went in unto her. {5} And Bilhah conceived, and bare Jacob a son. {6} And Rachel said, God [’elohiym:H430/TWOT 93c] hath judged me, and hath also heard [shama`:H8085/TWOT 2412, 2412a] my voice [qowl:H6963/TWOT 1998a, 2028b], and hath given me a son: therefore called she his name Dan.

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Psalm 66 is a most beautiful affirmation of God’s gracious goodness to His people, and His incomparable attributes. I’ll read verses 16-20, and in verse 19 these three words emerge again: 

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Come [and] hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul. {17} I cried unto him with my mouth, and he was extolled with my tongue. {18} If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear [me]: {19} [But] verily God [’elohiym:H430/TWOT 93c]  hath heard [shama`:H8085/TWOT 2412, 2412a] [me]; he hath attended to the voice [qowl:H6963/TWOT 1998a, 2028b] of my prayer. {20} Blessed [be] God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me.

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We do discover that the man of God or angel of Jehovah (who is Christ) appears to Manoah’s wife again as… she sat in the field. We wonder why God has included this curious statement that …she sat in the field. Was she working in the field, and simply took a break from her labors? And where was her husband Manoah, and why was he not there? So it looks like we have more questions than answers at this point. Let’s think for a minute about who Manoah and his wife represent. 

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Manoah And His Wife Are From The Tribe Of Dan

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FWe learned previously that both Manoah and his wife are from the tribe of Dan, and Dan has to do with judgment, as we saw from Genesis 49:16-17,

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Dan [Dan:H1835] shall judge [diyn:H1777/TWOT*426] his people, as one of the tribes of Israel. {17} Dan [Dan:H1835] shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the path, that biteth the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward.

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God reveals that the serpent in view is the Lord Jesus Christ Who is the Judge of all the earth, and is ruling the world today …with a rod of iron. (Revelation 19:15) The analogy of a serpent  is also expressed in the following accounts from both the Old as well as the New Testaments respectively:

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Dan is being identified with both a serpent and an adder (another kind of biting snake) and these creatures typify judgment, with regard to the fiery serpents in Numbers 21:6-9 that God sent as retribution against the Israelites who complained and murmured: 

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And the LORD sent fiery [saraph:H8314/TWOT2292a,2292b] serpent [nachash:H5175/TWOT1347a] among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died. {7} Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD, and against thee; pray unto the LORD, that he take away the serpents [nachash:H5175/TWOT1347a]  from us. And Moses prayed for the people. {8} And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery [saraph:H8314/TWOT2292a,2292b] serpent [nachash:H5175/TWOT1347a], and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. {9} And Moses made a serpent [nachash:H5175/TWOT1347a] of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent [nachash:H5175/TWOT1347a]  had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent [nachash:H5175/TWOT1347a] of brass, he lived.

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The Messiah is also typified as that brass serpent on a pole in Numbers 21:9. You might recall that the Savior alluded to this verse in John 3:14-15 as He conversed with Nicodemus:

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And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: {15} That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.  

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In Part 3 I mentioned that Manoah’s name is identically spelled with a word that signifies rest or resting place (manowach:H4494/TWOT 1323e). (Incidentally, Noah’s name, which also signifies rest is part of this same “word-family.”) You might recall these next examples referring to rest:

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Genesis 8:9 records:  But the dove found no rest [manowach:H4494/TWOT1323e] for the sole of her foot, and she returned unto him into the ark, for the waters [were] on the face of the whole earth: then he put forth his hand, and took her, and pulled her in unto him into the ark.

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Ruth 3:1 likewise states: Then Naomi her mother in law said unto her, My daughter, shall I not seek rest [manowach:H4494/TWOT1323e] for thee, that it may be well with thee?

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Who Does Manaoh’s Wife Typify?

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So both Manoah and his wife are from the tribe of Dan, which has to do with bringing judgment, even as Christ is the Supreme Judge. Manoah also represents Rest, and the elect of God have found their eternal rest in the Lord Jesus Christ, by God’s mercy, when He secured their salvation at …the foundation of the world. In other words, if Manoah exemplifies Christ, who is Christ married to? We know that He is married to the Bride of Christ, as Romans 7:4  portrays this new marriage that occurs between Christ and His Bride, 

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Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, [even] to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God. 

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We can conclude that Manoah’s wife represents the Bride of Christ. What about her sitting …in the field? We recognize from Matthew 13:38, that The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked [one];

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And where did God find His elect? In the field, or in the world, as Ephesians 2:12 and Matthew 13:44 respectively reveal:

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That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world [kosmos:G2889]:

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Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field [agros:H68]; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. [agros:H68]

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The same word for field in Judges 13:9 also surfaces in verses 5 and 7 of Ezekiel 16:2-14, which is a chapter that in the historical setting is speaking of corporate Israel and her spiritual adultery which prompted God to divorce her; spiritually this can also apply to God’s elect, when God found them in their spiritually dead state:

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Son of man, cause Jerusalem to know her abominations, {3} And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto Jerusalem; Thy birth and thy nativity [is] of the land of Canaan; thy father [was] an Amorite, and thy mother an Hittite. {4} And [as for] thy nativity, in the day thou wast born thy navel was not cut, neither wast thou washed in water to supple [thee]; thou wast not salted at all, nor swaddled at all. {5} None eye pitied thee, to do any of these unto thee, to have compassion upon thee; but thou wast cast out in the open field [sadeh:H7707/TWOT 2236a, b] to the lothing of thy person, in the day that thou wast born. {6} And when I passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thine own blood, I said unto thee [when thou wast] in thy blood, Live; yea, I said unto thee [when thou wast] in thy blood, Live.  {7} I have caused thee to multiply as the bud of the field [sadeh:H7707/TWOT 2236a, b], and thou hast increased and waxen great, and thou art come to excellent ornaments: [thy] breasts are fashioned, and thine hair is grown, whereas thou [wast] naked and bare. {8} Now when I passed by thee, and looked upon thee, behold, thy time [was] the time of love; and I spread my skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedness: yea, I sware unto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee, saith the Lord GOD, and thou becamest mine. {9} Then washed I thee with water; yea, I throughly washed away thy blood from thee, and I anointed thee with oil. {10} I clothed thee also with broidered work, and shod thee with badgers' skin, and I girded thee about with fine linen, and I covered thee with silk. {11} I decked thee also with ornaments, and I put bracelets upon thy hands, and a chain on thy neck. {12} And I put a jewel on thy forehead, and earrings in thine ears, and a beautiful crown upon thine head. {13} Thus wast thou decked with gold and silver; and thy raiment [was of] fine linen, and silk, and broidered work; thou didst eat fine flour, and honey, and oil: and thou wast exceeding beautiful, and thou didst prosper into a kingdom. {14} And thy renown went forth among the heathen for thy beauty: for it [was] perfect through my comeliness, which I had put upon thee, saith the Lord GOD.

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We have to stop here as we have run out of time. Lord willing, in our next study we will continue examining the rest of verse 9.

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