Sampson was Born
December 23, 2021
Commentary
Manoah wanted to have a sacrificial meal with the angel of the Lord for he was not aware that his guest was superhuman (v. 15). The angel refused to partake of such a meal but suggested instead that a sacrifice be offered to the Lord (vv. 16-18). Manoah appears to have taken the angel’s suggestion and offered up the sacrifice in the normal way (v. 19). However, it came to a frightening climax when the angel ascended into heaven in the flame of the altar (v. 20). Immediately Manoah and his wife recognized they had been with an angel of the Lord (v. 21) and fell to the ground terror-stricken. Manoah told his wife they would die because they had seen God (v. 22). His wife said no, that if God was going to kill them, he would not have showed them all these things (v. 23).
The promise of the angel was fulfilled, and a son was born to Manoah and his wife (v. 24). They named him Samson meaning “little son.” The hand of God was upon him, and the Holy Spirit soon began to empower him as was revealed in his unique strength and spectacular feats (v. 25). His mother offered her son to the Lord as a Nazarite for “as long as he lived” (I Sam. 1:22, 28). Nazarites in Israel were men of deep conviction who kept solemn vows for the service of the Lord. The word Nazarite means separated or consecrated. The three main vows are listed in Numbers 6 as follows: (1) Not to cut his hair, (2) Not to drink any wine, (3) Not to touch a dead body.
Most Nazarites took these vows for a limited period of six months to a year, but a few, as in the case of Samson, agreed to do them for their entire lives.
Application
Manoah and his wife recognized that the Lord wanted to direct in the raising of their son. As a parent I must recognize the same Lord wants to fulfil His purpose in the raising of my children. This is one big reason I need to be having “Family Time” every day.
Judges 13:15– 25 (NET)
15 Manoah said to the angel of the Lord, “Please stay here awhile, so we can prepare a young goat for you to eat.” 16 The angel of the Lord said to Manoah, “If I stay, I will not eat your food. But if you want to make a burnt sacrifice to the Lord, you should offer it.” (He said this because Manoah did not know that he was the angel of the Lord.) 17 Manoah said to the angel of the Lord, “Tell us your name, so we can honor you when your announcement comes true.” 18 The angel of the Lord said to him, “You should not ask me my name, because you cannot comprehend it.” 19 Manoah took a young goat and a grain offering and offered them on a rock to the Lord. The Lord’s messenger did an amazing thing as Manoah and his wife watched. 20 As the flame went up from the altar toward the sky, the angel of the Lord went up in it while Manoah and his wife watched. They fell facedown to the ground.
21 The angel of the Lord did not appear again to Manoah and his wife. After all this happened Manoah realized that the visitor had been the angel of the Lord. 22 Manoah said to his wife, “We will certainly die, because we have seen a supernatural being!” 23 But his wife said to him, “If the Lord wanted to kill us, he would not have accepted the burnt offering and the grain offering from us. He would not have shown us all these things, or have spoken to us like this just now.”
24 Manoah’s wife gave birth to a son and named him Samson. The child grew and the Lord empowered him. 25 The Lord’s Spirit began to control him in Mahaneh Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol.