Samson is conceived

Judges Chapter 13

By now the Lord had handed the Israelites over to the Philistines who kept them in subjection for 40 years.

During this time, a man named Monoah from the tribe of Dan lived in the town of Zorah. His wife was unable to become pregnant. An angel of the Lord appeared to his wife and told her she would soon become pregnant and give birth to a son. "And you", said the angel," must not drink wine or any alcoholic drink or eat any forbidden food. Your son will be a Nazirite dedicated to God from birth and he must never cut his hair for he will rescue Israel from the Philistines."

The woman ran and told her husband that a man of God appeared to her, possibly and angel and told her she would become pregnant with a son and that she should not drink any wine or alcohol or any forbidden fruit. And their son will be a Nazirite from birth until the day of his death. Then her husband prayed to the Lord and asked the Lord to let the angel come back to them and explain more instructions about the son who was to be born.

God answered Manoah's prayer and the angel of the Lord appeared once again to his wife as she was sitting in a field, but her husband was not with her. So she ran quickly to get him and Manoah asked the angel if he was the man who talked to his wife the previous day. "Yes," said the angel of the Lord. So Manoah asked what kind of rules should govern the boy's life and work.

The angel of the Lord replied, "Be sure your wife follows the instructions I gave her. She must not eat grapes or raisins, drink wine or any alcoholic drink or eat any forbidden fruit." Then Manoah asked the Angel to stay while they prepared a young goat for him to eat. The angel agreed to stay, but would not eat anything. However, he agreed to have them prepare a burnt offering to the Lord. Then Manoah asked his name and the angel said, "You wouldn't understand if I told you."

So Manoah took the young goat and a grain offering and offered it on a rock as a sacrifice to the Lord. And as he and his wife watched, the Lord caused flames to shoot upward from the altar into the sky and the angel of the Lord ascended in the fire. When they saw this, Manoah and his wife fell on their faces to the ground.

The angel of the Lord did not appear to Manoah and his wife again. Manoah finally realized it was the angel of the Lord and said to his wife, "We will die, for we have seen God!" But his wife said, "If the Lord were going to kills us, he wouldn't have accepted our burnt offering. He wouldn't have appeared to us and told us this wonderful thing and done these miracles." So later, when her son was born, they named him Samson. And the Lord blessed him as he grew up. And in Mahaneh-dan, which is between the town of Zorah and Eshtaol, the Spirit of the Lord began to take hold of him.

BIBLE NOTES SHOW: Samson was to be a Nazirite - a person who took a vow to be set apart for God's service. His parents made the vow for him. The vow was usually a temporary one, but not in Samson's case. He was not allowed to cut his hair, touch a dead body, or drink any alcohol. Samson later used poor judgment, but accomplished much when he determined to be set apart for God. In many ways he was like the nation of Israel. As long as he and they remained set apart for God, they thrived. But they and he fell into terrible sin when they ignored God.
Why did the angel keep his name a secret? He was not allowing himself to be controlled by Manoah. He was saying his name was too wonderful to imagine. Sometimes God does not answer because we humans can't conceive knowledge that is beyond our capabilities.
Samson began to experience stirrings in his heart growing up in wandering tribe which had warlike yearnings for a permanent territory. Thus his visits to the tribal army camp began to prepare him for his role as judge and leader against the Philistines.

How does this chapter relate to us today? Like Samson, God often prepares us for a role long before we reach adulthood. Often we are sensitive to the Holy Spirit's leading us and the tasks he prepared us to do. Look closely at your past and discover things that are more useful to you than ever imagined. Somebody influenced you, somebody guided you, somebody pinned their hopes on you. In addition to that somebody being God, it may have been a parent like Samson's.

Yours in Christ,
Mary

Prayer Requests are needed for:
HEALTH: Gabe, Wanda, Janice Long’s parents, Arlene’s nephew David, Logan and the newly born Stella who is taking mother’s milk now and Lori (who suffered a terrible accident)and her family. Update on Stella: She has good days, but is far from out of the woods. Pray for her, please and her parents too.
SPIRITUAL UPLIFTING: Gail, Mary
RESTORATION OF FAITH: Al, John
LOVE AND SUPPORT: Claire, Hunter
SUPPORT: Haiti, Chile, those who need jobs, those who are about to lose or have lost their homes. Pray too, for our country’s leaders and our military people who die each day for our freedom.