Finding God in Judges
Our Lord is awesome!
There are times when you stumble upon a verse so impactful, it causes you to step back and think. This happened to me recently in the Judges Bible Book. I’ll admit, aside from Gideon and Samson, this section doesn’t get a lot of love. Why?
Judges is full of violence, revenge, and chaos… not the most comforting read. Yet, in the midst of all this, I found a passage that made me pause and reflect. I’d love to share it with you.
Israel’s Wild West
The Judges Bible Book holds some of the most raw stories in Scripture.
This was a time when Israel had no king. The Bible says, “the people did as they pleased.” It was an untamed period in their history.
I think this is why some of these stories are so captivating. They’re filled with adventure, danger, and God’s deliverance.
The most famous of these tales, besides Gideon’s, is Samson’s—a real-life superhuman chosen by God. Let’s look over it now.
Samson’s Story
We often focus on the action-packed parts of Samson’s life—his battles, his downfall, and his redemption. But what really stood out to me was before Samson was even born. Take a look at this passage:
A certain man of Zorah, named Manoah, from the clan of the Danites, had a wife who was childless. Unable to give birth. The angel of the Lord appeared to her and said, “You are barren and childless, but you are going to become pregnant and give birth to a son.” – Judges 13:1-3 NIV
When Manoah, the husband, heard of this prophecy, he rushed out to meet the angel:
Manoah got up and followed his wife. When he came to the man, he said, “Are you the man who talked to my wife?”
“I am,” he said.
“What is your name, so that we may honor you when your word comes true?”
[The angel of the Lord] replied, “Why do you ask my name? It is beyond understanding.” – Judges 13:11-12, 17-18 NIV.
Beyond understanding. Wow. Isn’t that incredible?
I talk a lot about being caught up in Jesus’ story. About seeing ourselves as a part of His narrative and pursuing friendship with Him. But in all this, we need to not lose sight of just how awe-inspiring God is.
Yes, He is our Friend and Mediator. But He’s also powerful. I think some of us forget that.
The Names of God
A great way to improve our understanding of God is to look for His Names in Scripture. They do a wonderful job of highlighting aspects of His nature (like Jehovah Jireh, the God Who Provides.)
Although the angel of the Lord didn’t reveal his identity in the Judges Bible book, I do see traces of God’s grace and mercy, which are highlighted in other Scriptures. Let’s look at an example now.
The One Who Sees
When Hagar, Abraham’s servant, fled her overbearing master, Sarah, in Genesis, she ended up lost and dehydrated in the desert. The angel of the Lord appeared and gave her a prophetic blessing:
The angel of the LORD found Hagar beside a spring of water in the wilderness, along the road to Shur.
The angel said to her, “Hagar, Sarai’s servant, where have you come from, and where are you going?” “I’m running away from my mistress, Sarai,” she replied.
“Return to your mistress, and submit to her authority.”
“You are now pregnant and will give birth to a son. You are to name him Ishmael (which means ‘God hears’), for the LORD has heard your cry of distress.
The story ends with Hagar making a powerful statement:
[Hagar] said, “You are the God who sees me… Have I truly seen the One who sees me?” – Genesis 16:7-9, 11, 13 NLT
I love this passage. It shows how God is willing to protect and comfort us, even in our most vulnerable situations. When we feel invisible, God sees us.
Conclusion
Regardless of how the Lord reveals Himself to you, stay encouraged. Don’t stop pursuing intimacy with Him. Just be aware that sometimes His ways are beyond our understanding, and that’s okay.
Stay faithful in the midst of not knowing. Ask Him, “God, what aspect of Your nature do You want to reveal to me today?” You might be surprised by what He shows you.
PS: If you want to know more about the Names of God, check out my online training: Warring with Wisdom.