The glory of God at work!

“It happened as the flame went up toward heaven from the altar—the Angel of the Lord ascended in the flame of the altar!” Judges 13:20

This is a remarkable story about a husband and wife without children. God sent an angel to inform Manoah and his wife that they would have a baby and he would be used by God to defeat the Philistines.

At first they believed this was a man and invited him to stay for dinner. However the Angel of the Lord ascended up to heaven in a flame of fire.

When Manoah and his wife saw this they fell on their faces to the ground and Manoah said “We shall surely die, because we have seen God.”

There are many wonderful truths in this story but I believe the vision of the Angel ascending up to heaven in the flame of fire represents the essence of God.

You see the glory and power of God at work and the reaction from these two people. Manoah believes they will die because no one can come near to God and live.

This couple now realize they are just two mere mortals and can never comprehend the magnificence of God.

God chose a holy plan to communicate the upcoming birth of Sampson, their son, and his mission for God. Manoah and his wife will never be the same after facing God.

When you experience the living God, you shake in fear over His power and invincibility. Like Moses at the burning bush, you hide your face in fear!

This story does not live in the Old Testament. It lives today in all who believe and worship almighty God. This same God is standing by and ready to shake your world but you must come to Him!