Our human minds are finite; God is infinite. His name is larger and had more facets than our mind can comprehend. His name is Wonderful, Beyond Understanding.

Verses

Judges 13:17-18 Manoah said to the angel of the Lord (JHVH), “What is your name, so that when your words come to pass, we may honour you?” But the angel of the Lord (YHVH) said to him, “Why do you ask my name, seeing it is wonderful?”

Isaiah 9:6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Job 12:22 He reveals the deep things of darkness and brings deep shadows into the light.

Observations

An Angel is Sent

Manoah and his wife are about to become parents to Samson. These amazing events will arise within a national context and a personal context. The national context provided in Judges 13:1 was that Israel had once again turned from the Lord and for 40 years Israel been ruled by the Philistines. The personal context provided in Judges 13:2 was that Manoah’s wife was unable to carry a child. The angel of the Lord appeared to her to promise an answer to both issues.

Manoah had not been present when the angel appeared to his wife to issue the promise. Manoah asked two questions. Both questions imply that he was deeply aware of the command in Exodus 23:20-21. “See, I am sending an angel ahead of you to guard you along the way and to bring you to the place I have prepared. Pay attention to him and listen to what he says. Do not rebel against him; he will not forgive your rebellion, since my Name is in him.” In this promise to send an angel (malak: messenger, prophet, priest, teacher, ambassador), the same word is used to describe the angel’s action to protect the people (shamar: pay attention, keep watch, guard, wait for, protect) as is used for the action of the people. They were to pay attention to and to guard his words. This obligation prompted Manoah’s request to the Lord in v8 …let the man of God you sent to us come again to teach us how to bring up the boy who is to be born.” It was not that he distrusted his wife. His wife had relayed the first part of message accurately.

Incomplete Revelation

One thing that was not conveyed to Manoah had also not been disclosed by the angel. The angel had not revealed his Name. Disclosure of the name would complete the obligation for Manoah and his wife. The answer to his third question about the name of the angel established the obligation for the household of Manoah. “What is your name, so that we may honor you when your word comes true?” In fact the wording here implies that Manoah is preparing himself to carry the burden (kabed) to abide (bo) by the obligations in the words spoken (dabar) by the angel, when the promise spoken is fulfilled.

To Answer the Question, A Name is Revealed

The response of the angel to this question is not a rebuke. Manoah is not being chastised for doubting either his wife or the angel. In fact the Lord is showing his delight with the question. But he is also making sure Manoah is aware of something important. “Why do you ask my name, seeing it is Wonderful?” The word here is pali (wonderful, incomprehensible, secret). The first thing the Lord is identifying is that he may be known by the name Pali. However, knowing him by this name, means that we must accept the profound paradox that our understanding of him will always be limited. The passage in Job offers some insight about the heart of the Lord in response to Manoah’s question. An alternate interpretation of the Hebrew words is:

He reveals His secrets, which are unsearchable, from that which he has restrained, and will bring to the light His secrets.

The Lord was delighted to bring to light the nature of His name as a wonderful but incomprehensible secret. Neither Manoah, nor those reading these events afterwards, were to have any misconception that by knowing one or even a few names of God we have a complete picture of God. One name does not encapsulate His character. In fact, our finite minds must humbly recognise that we cannot contain a complete understanding of God.

Even Experiencing Fullness, we can Always Know More

For Manoah, it wasn’t until after the name was spoken that he prepared his burnt offering. Then when the flame from his offering pierced the heavens, his revelation was completed as the Lord ascended in the midst of the flames. Remember our finding in the last study, the presence of the Lord accompanies our praise of His name as it ascends to heaven from hearts grateful to know His name.

Paul’s prayers in Ephesians take us on a parallel journey. He asks the Father to give us the Spirit of wisdom and revelation so that we may know him better.[1] Then, while acknowledging that Christ dwells in our hearts through faith,[2] he asks that we may come to know this love that surpasses knowledge and dares to ask that we may be filled to all the measure of the fullness of God.[3] While we receive His fullness, our understanding requires revelation to expand so we might continually know more of Him.

Prayer

Lord, help me to hear the words of heaven in those sent to me. Give me the strength of resolve to honour your name by fulfilling the obligations in those words, even as you bring to pass the promises they contain. Grant me the spirit of wisdom to know what to do with your word that I might honour your name. Grant me also the spirit of revelation that I might continually know more of your name and your word.

References