Jesus’ Preincarnate Appearances – Gideon / Manoah – Pt 05

Summary

Podcast Summary: Grace in Focus

Episode: Jesus’ Preincarnate Appearances – Gideon / Manoah – Pt 05
Date: July 17, 2026
Host: Bob Wilkin
Guest: David Renfrow
Theme: Exploring Jesus' Preincarnate Appearances to Gideon and Manoah in Judges

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Episode Overview

In this fast-paced 13-minute episode, Bob Wilkin and David Renfrow wrap up a week-long exploration of Jesus’ preincarnate appearances in the Old Testament, focusing specifically on the Hebrew Judges Gideon and Manoah (Samson’s father). Through examining these ancient narratives, Bob and David illuminate how Christ appeared in physical form long before the New Testament, challenging the common perception that Jesus’ ministry began in the first century. The discussion is rooted in the Free Grace perspective, emphasizing grace, faith, and the miraculous nature of God’s interventions.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Nature of Preincarnate Appearances

[01:11]

• Bob Wilkin proposes that “probably for all of eternity Jesus has been the God man,” suggesting that Christ has always existed in bodily form.

  “From all of eternity he’s had a body. Before the creation, I believe he had a body... When he was with Abraham in Genesis 18, he ate food.” —Bob ([01:19])

• David highlights that these appearances, such as “walking in the Garden of Eden,” were real, physical encounters.
• Their stance: it wasn’t just an “appeared body” but a true, functioning body—preincarnate manifestations of Christ.

2. Gideon’s Encounter with the Angel of the Lord

[03:47–07:46]

• Biblical Setting: Judges 6. Israel is beset by enemies due to their rebellion; Gideon is hiding from the Midianites.
• Theophany Details:
  • “The angel of the Lord, capital A, came and sat under a terebinth tree... while [Gideon] threshed wheat in the winepress to hide it from the Midianites.” —David ([03:56])
  • Bob and David stress the physicality and purpose: “So this is somebody in an actual body.” —Bob ([04:43])
  • Gideon, skeptical, asks for a sign. He prepares a meal, and the angel of the Lord miraculously ignites it as a burnt offering.

    "Fire rose out of the rock and consumed the meat and the bread. So here’s his first sign.” —David ([06:34])

  • Upon realizing who the visitor was, Gideon fears for his life, as “the common understanding was, if we see God, we’re going to die.”

    “Alas, O Lord God, for I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face.” —Gideon read by David ([07:22])

  • Divine reassurance follows:

    “Peace be to you. Do not fear. You shall not die.” —Quoted by Bob ([07:46])

3. Manoah and His Wife: The Appearance Foretelling Samson

[08:14–11:00]

• Biblical Setting: Judges 13. Manoah’s wife is barren; the Angel of the Lord appears with a miraculous birth prophecy.
  • “The angel of the Lord, Capital A, appeared to the woman and said to her, indeed, you are barren... but you shall conceive and bear a son.” —David ([08:21])
• Special instructions are given: Nazirite vow from the womb—unprecedented in Israel’s history.
  • “For the child shall be a Nazirite... to God from the womb, which nobody else was like that.” —Bob ([09:26])
• Recognition themes repeat: Manoah is initially unaware of the divine identity, requesting confirmation.
  • “‘Are you the man who spoke to this woman?’ Man, capital M. And he said, ‘I am.’ This reminds me of ‘before Abraham was, I am.’” —Bob ([10:13])
• When realization comes, Manoah confesses:

  “‘We shall surely die because we have seen God.’ So somewhere along the line, he realized he had seen God.” —David ([10:53])

4. Broader Implications of Preincarnate Appearances

[11:01–12:14]

• Bob argues that limiting Jesus' appearances to his New Testament life is misguided:

  “We’re wrong if we think that Jesus first appeared in his ministry for three and a half years ... Jesus appeared over the course of many centuries.” —Bob ([11:01])

• These appearances influenced not just Israelites, but news of God’s power spread beyond—referenced through Rahab’s faith in Jericho.

  “That’s why Rahab, for example, knows in Jericho that the people of God are God’s chosen people...” —Bob ([11:36])

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “If you want to be depressed, go to the Book of Judges. Because it’s a story of incredible decline spiritually... but it’s miraculous, about the grace of God.” —David & Bob ([03:07])
• “He wasn’t exactly the highest paragon of virtue, but he did do what God wanted him to do.” —Bob on Gideon ([04:33])
• "It’s just fascinating that the Lord would continually show his abundant grace to a people that absolutely does not deserve it." —David ([03:36])
• "Before Abraham was, I am.” —Bob, connecting Old and New Testament revelations of Christ ([10:13])
• “Let’s remember to keep grace in focus.” —Bob ([12:19])

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• [01:11] Eternal Nature of Christ’s Body / Preincarnate Appearances
• [03:47] Gideon’s Encounter: Background and Analysis
• [06:08] Gideon’s Sign: Burnt Offering Consumed by Fire
• [07:22] Gideon’s Realization and Fear
• [08:14] Manoah’s Encounter: The Promise of Samson
• [09:26] Unique Nazirite Vow from the Womb
• [10:13] The “I Am” Statement and Recognition
• [10:53] Manoah’s Fear: “We have seen God”
• [11:01] Jesus’ Appearances Across Centuries

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Conclusion

Bob and David close on the uplifting note that the judge cycle, despite Israel’s constant failings, is ultimately about the overwhelming grace of God, shown most powerfully in Jesus’ repeated, physical interaction with his people—centuries before the Incarnation.

“It’s an amazing topic, isn’t it?” —David ([12:17])

The episode encourages listeners to remain focused on the grace central to the Christian message and to recognize Christ’s active role throughout the whole biblical narrative.

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For Further Study or Listening

• Visit faithalone.org for articles, resources, and previous episodes.
• Read Judges chapters 6–8 (Gideon) and chapter 13 (Manoah/Samson’s parents) for the biblical background.

Transcript

[A]

The following is a listener supported ministry from the Grace Evangelical Society. This is Grace in Focus today, the conclusion of our week long series about Jesus Preincarnate Appearances. There were some remarkable prehistoric appearances of Christ during the time period of the Judges. Let's look at a couple of them today. To Gideon and to Manoah and his wife, Samson's parents. Thank you friend for joining us. This is a ministry of the Grace Evangelical Society. Find [e-mail] where you can also find hundreds if not thousands of articles that are written from a free Grace perspective, all available to you for your research and reading. Along with our subscription free magazine, also called Grace in Focus, you can find out about our events and about our online seminary with full scholarships. And there are other things as well. That's faithalone.org and now with the conclusion of our discussion about Jesus Preincarnate Old Testament appearances, here is Bob Wilken along with David Renfrow.

[B]

Well David, we're coming to the end of our caravan on the appearances of the Lord Jesus Christ before His incarnation. By the way, I have a theory that probably for all of eternity Jesus has been the God man. In other words, from all of eternity he's had a body. Before the creation, I believe he had a body and that what happened at the incarnation was he went from this body which he had to being the baby or the zygote and then the fetus and then the birth, etc. But he'd always had a body. And the reason I suggest that is otherwise. What you have to argue is every time he appeared he took on bodily form and then he didn't. But you'd have to say it was almost like it appeared body. But it didn't just appear as a body. When he was with Abraham In Genesis 18, he ate food.

[C]

He ate food. And like we mentioned earlier in the Garden of Eden, he walked. Adam and Eve heard him walking, right?

[B]

And saw him. And we're going to look at two other people today from the Book of Judges. One is the parents. Samson was one of the judges and his parents. And then you've also got Gideon, you remember Gideon with the fleece and Gideon with the 300. And first he's got what, 10,000? And Gord cuts it down to where there's 300. Both of them thought they were going to die because they saw God. So which would be the first one in Judges? Is that Judges six?

[C]

That would be Gideon in Judges chapter six. Actually from six to eight.

[B]

We both said this is one of our Favorite books in the Old Testament.

[C]

I have a commentary on Judges, and the title of it is Distressing Days of the Judges.

[B]

Yes.

[C]

So when I taught Judges, it was like, hey, if you want to be depressed, go to the Book of Judges. Because it's a story of incredible decline spiritually of God's covenant people.

[B]

It is, but it's also, and it's miraculous about the grace of God.

[C]

Oh, absolutely.

[B]

Over and over again, he raises up these Judges to deliver the nation, even though for most of the time they're in rebellion.

[C]

Right. And it's just fascinating that the Lord would continually show his abundant grace to a people that absolutely does not deserve it.

[B]

Okay, so let's look at Gideon. Does it start around verse 11 of chapter 6?

[C]

Right. It says, here we go again. The angel of the Lord.

[B]

Capital A.

[C]

Capital A. It came and sat under a terebinth tree. Terebinth, I think, is kind of like an oak tree or something like that.

[B]

Which was in Ophrah.

[C]

Ophrah. And belonged to Joash, the house Abiezrite, while his son Gideon threshed wheat in the winepress in order to hide it from the Midianites. See, that's the thing. The nation, Israel was plagued by enemies, and that was part of God's discipline during this period of Judges before the kings.

[B]

And Gideon is going to be the one to deliver them.

[C]

To deliver them. Yes, exactly.

[B]

And Gideon wasn't exactly the highest paragon of virtue, but he did do what God wanted him to do.

[C]

He obeyed the Lord, that's for sure.

[B]

Notice that he came and sat down under this tree. So this is somebody in an actual body.

[C]

It has to be what we would consider a physical body, but, you know, an omnipotent God, that's no problem.

[B]

Right, but notice verse 12. And the angel of the Lord appeared to him and said to him, the Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor. And he's like, oh, my Lord, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all his miracles which our fathers told us about? In other words, they know about all the miracles that were done in Egypt and in the wilderness, wanderings and everything else.

[C]

Well, to me, it's even more because he said, if Yahweh is with us, how can we be in this miserable, defeated situation? And you know what that implies that Yahweh can't do anything about it. So to me, this is a verse of unbelief.

[B]

It is. And so then it kind of goes back and forth between Gideon and the Lord. And the Lord says, you're going to save Israel. This is the Old Testament concept of salvation, which is deliverance from temporal difficulties. And he's going to save Israel from the Midianites. And he's like Moses. He's like, well, who am I to do that? And so then he says, well, okay, if you're going to do that, give me a sign. And what's the sign he gets?

[C]

Well, he goes in and he prepares a young goat and Ephah flour and all that stuff. And the angel of The Lord, verse 20, says, Take the meat and the unleavened bread and lay them on the rock. Pour out the broth. The angel of The Lord, verse 21, put out the end of the staff that was in his hand and touched the meat and the unleavened bread. Fire rose out of the rock and consumed the meat and the bread.

[B]

So here's his first sign.

[C]

And then. I love it. Then. Then the angel of the Lord departed. Boom. He started the fire, then left.

[A]

We will return to our program content shortly, but we're taking this break to let you know that Grace and Focus is shortly going to be transitioning to digital delivery only. We've appreciated this fine radio station, and being part of its lineup has been a privilege indeed. But we're going to say goodbye to this time slot and make room for another ministry right here. You can continue to listen to Grace in Focus. Just pick the time of day anytime 24 7, and find us on Spotify, Apple, and many other podcast outlets.

[B]

And what does Gideon say in verse 22, judges 6?

[C]

Well, I love what it says here. It says, gideon perceived that he was the angel of Yahweh, capital A. You know, before that, he thought, who is this? You know, when the person quote the person under the tree. Then later in verse 22, Gideon says, Alas, O Lord God, for I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face. Isn't that amazing?

[B]

And then the Lord said to him, peace be to you. Do not fear. You shall not die. You see, the common understanding was, if we see God, we're going to die, right? And he saw God. But God said, don't fear. You're not going to die. Now let's fast forward to Manoah. Now, Manoah was the father of Samson, and Manoah also saw the angel of the Lord. And Manoah also feared that he was going to die. What chapter is that in Judges?

[C]

That's Judges 13.

[B]

And it goes, what, all the way from verse two, to about verse 22,

[C]

or so it mentions in verse two, this guy from Zorah of the family of the Danites, the tribe of Dan, whose name was Manoah, and his wife was barren, had no children. And once again, there it is, angel of the Lord, Capital A appeared to the woman and said to her, indeed, you are barren and have borne no children, but you shall conceive and bear a son.

[B]

Another miracle.

[C]

In other words, the Lord is going to cause a. A complete violation of the physical world, you know? In other words, it's a miracle, right?

[B]

But guess what? She's given instructions that other mothers are not given. She's told, therefore, be careful not to drink wine or similar drink like even grape juice, and do not eat anything unclean. For behold, you shall conceive and bear a son, and no razor shall come upon his head, for the child shall be a Nazirite. Not with an Ar, Not Nazarene, but

[C]

Nazarite, which was a special calling right

[B]

to God from the womb, which nobody else was like that. But this was from the womb.

[C]

From the womb.

[B]

And he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines. And notice, she says, a man of God came to me. So she told her husband this, and like the countenance of the angel of God, and Manoah prayed and says, please let this man of God come back. Now. At this point, I don't think he recognizes it's God, do you?

[C]

He might have suspected it before, but I don't know that he was confident in what he believed or what he saw. So I think that's the reason why he has this other question. Please come back, verify what I just saw.

[B]

And he says a little bit later, when he meets this man, are you the man who spoke to this woman? Man, capital M. And he said, I am. This reminds me of before Abraham was, I am.

[C]

Yeah, yeah.

[B]

And he says, I am. And Manoah said, now let your word come to pass. And the angel of the Lord said to him, of all that I've said to the woman, let her be careful. He then says, I want to prepare a young goat for you. And he says, I will not eat your food, but if you offer a burn offering, you must offer it to the Lord. And then notice what it says. Verse 16. For Manoah did not know that he was the angel of the Lord. And then finally in verse 22, he says, what?

[C]

We shall surely die because we have seen God. So somewhere along the line, he realized

[B]

he had seen God.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

And so Manoah said this to his wife. What I want to suggest is that, that we're wrong if we think that Jesus first appeared in his ministry for three and a half years in Israel in the first century. Jesus appeared over the course of many centuries.

[C]

Exactly.

[B]

It going all the way back to the creation in the Garden of Eden and all the way through until all of the prophets, through Malachi and probably even in the 400 silent years. Jesus appeared many times in the Old Testament to many different people. They reported it to others. And so the word percolated around not just in Israel, but in the Gentile nations as well. So they heard what God had done. That's why Rahab, for example, knows in Jericho that the people of God are God's chosen people and that he's going to deliver Jericho into their hands. And so she ends up and becomes a believer and she's spared and her family is spared and she ends up in the line of Messiah. Yeah.

[C]

Isn't that amazing?

[B]

Well, we're out of time, David, but I love this study.

[C]

It's an amazing topic, isn't it?

[B]

And let's remember to keep grace in focus.

[A]

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