I’m sure you know most of the story of Samson, the strongest man in the world. He lived, he fought the Philistines, and of course lost his strength when Delilah cut his hair.
Today in the Book of Judges 13:1-25, we’ll take a look at the voice of the angel and how Samson is born, foretelling what he was to become. And, there is a Christian message here for us to not ignore God as Israel did.
Philistines Take Control of Israel – Samson is Born
Now the sons of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord, so that the Lord gave them into the hands of the Philistines forty years.
There was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren and had borne no children.
Then the angel of the Lord appeared to the woman and said to her, “Behold now, you are barren and have borne no children, but you shall conceive and give birth to a son.
Now therefore, be careful not to drink wine or strong drink, nor eat any unclean thing.
For behold, you shall conceive and give birth to a son, and no razor shall come upon his head, for the boy shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb; and he shall begin to deliver Israel from the hands of the Philistines.”
Then the woman came and told her husband, saying, “A man of God came to me and his appearance was like the appearance of the angel of God, very awesome.
And I did not ask him where he came from, nor did he tell me his name.
But he said to me, ‘Behold, you shall conceive and give birth to a son, and now you shall not drink wine or strong drink nor eat any unclean thing, for the boy shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb to the day of his death.’” – Judges 13:1-7 NASB
Destiny of Samson the Nazirite
From the day he was born, the angel promised Samson would be a Nazirite. A Nazirite is someone who is set apart for a special purpose, to serve God in some capacity. Ultimately, Samson had a special purpose in life to serve God and deliver Israel from the Philistines.
Who Were the Philistines?
During the ancient period, the Philistines dominated the Aegean Sea region.
Additionally, these people were known for their advanced technology and trade abilities. They were hated enemies of Israel and had a formidable army.
The Philistines were the masters of making iron weapons. The most famous Philistine weapon was the armor and helmet of Goliath, made of bronze and iron.
So, it’s true that Israel was disadvantaged, except for one thing. With God on their side, iron weapons were of no consequence.
Using the Ultimate Weapon
As stated above, Israel could not lose with God on their side. The problem was in the asking. The Israelites would ask God for help in battle or would praise Him for their victories. But, they often failed to ask for His guidance in their day-to-day decisions. As a result, they were not always making the wisest choices which led to many of their defeats.
People turn away from God throughout the Old Testament until their situation becomes so intolerable that they cannot bear it any longer.
When things brightened up, they no longer needed God.
How do we compare to Israel?
In my experience, I turn to God more when I am in trouble than when things are going well. For example, when I am struggling with a tough decision, I often find myself spending more time in prayer, seeking guidance from God.
Israel learned during the good times leading up to Sampson’s birth that ignoring God is not a wise decision. Through good and bad times, God warns us to stay connected to Him. Even when things seem to be going well, God still calls us to remain faithful and devoted to Him.
If we choose to ignore Him, we can easily end up with the same fate as Israel. It shouldn’t take a catastrophe for us to follow God. He wants to be involved in our everyday lives.
Have you spoken to God today?
Love in Christ
– Bob
If you would like to discover more about the love and life-changing experience of Jesus Christ, please take a moment to read John 3:16 here.