Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from Judges 13:8-14.

“Then Manoah entreated the LORD and said, “O Lord, please let the man of God whom You have sent come to us again that he may teach us what to do for the boy who is to be born.”  God listened to the voice of Manoah;  and the angel of God came again to the woman as she was sitting in the field, but Manoah her husband was not with her.  So the woman ran quickly and told her husband, “Behold, the man who came the other day has appeared to me.”  Then Manoah arose and followed his wife, and when he came to the man he said to him, “Are you the man who spoke to the woman?”  And he said, “I am.” Manoah said, “Now when your words come to pass, what shall be the boy’s mode of life and his vocation?”  So the angel of the LORD said to Manoah, “Let the woman pay attention to all that I said.  She should not eat anything that comes from the vine nor drink wine or strong drink, nor eat any unclean thing;  let her observe all that I commanded.”  Judges 13:8-14.

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We need to do less that what we imagined.  But, we should pay close attention and do exactly what we are told.

“Then Manoah entreated the LORD and said, “O Lord, please let the man of God whom You have sent come to us again that he may teach us what to do for the boy who is to be born.”  Verse 8.

Later, Manoah said to the angel:  “Now when your words come to pass, what shall be the boy’s mode of life and his vocation?”  Verse 12. 

But, the angel did not answer his question and give long, strict instructions about how to raise the boy, but rather, the angel repeated the short, simple instructions of what he told the woman:  “Let the woman pay attention to all that I said.  She should not eat anything that comes from the vine nor drink wine or strong drink, nor eat any unclean thing;  let her observe all that I commanded.”  Verses 13-14.    

The lesson from today’s Scripture is to beware of those preachers and teachers who seek to enslave you with long, strict instructions about how to live your life.  

Jesus condemned those who tried to do so.   

The scribes and the Pharisees lay law upon law on the people:  “And they tie up heavy loads, and lay them on men’s shoulders;  but they themselves are unwilling to move them with so much as a finger.”  Matthew 23:4.

In sharp contrast, Christ tied up the heavy loads of the law and laid them on His own shoulders and gave us His Spirit as a yoke:  “in order that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit”.  Romans 8:4.

Jesus said:  “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart;  and YOU SHALL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS.  For My yoke is easy, and My load is light”. Matthew 11:28-29.

Paul also condemned those who tried to do so.

“Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith.  But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.”  Galatians 3:24-25. 

“So also we, while we were children, were held in bondage under the elemental things of the world.  But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.  Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba!  Father!”  Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son;  and if a son, then an heir through God.”  Galatians 4:3-7.

“But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless elemental things, to which you desire to be enslaved all over again?  You observe days and months and seasons and years.  I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored over you in vain.”  Galatians 4:9-11.

“It was for freedom that Christ set us free;  therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.

Behold I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you.  And I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is under obligation to keep the whole Law.  You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law;  you have fallen from grace.  For we through the Spirit, by faith, are waiting for the hope of righteousness.”  Galatians 5:1-5. 

“You were running well;  who hindered you from obeying the truth?  This persuasion did not come from Him who calls you. A little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough.  I have confidence in you in the Lord that you will adopt no other view;  but the one who is disturbing you will bear his judgment, whoever he is.  …  I wish that those who are troubling you would even mutilate themselves.”  Galatians 5:7-10 and 12.

In conclusion, if ever there was a time for Jesus to give long strict instructions, it would have been in response to the following question.  But, notice His reply.  Jesus turned the focus from what man should do to what God did, and Jesus turned the focus from works to faith. Even faith is the work of God as Jesus said: “This is the work of God …”.  

“Therefore they said to Him, “What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?”  Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.”  John 6:28-29.