Judges Chapter 13 Verse 1

• The cycle continues. Sin, bondage, repentance, deliverance…rinse and repeat. We see this powerfully blessed nation, just as soon as they get on their feet, back onto their faces they go, and not in a good way. Why? Because that’s the cycle man…why you’re stuck…why your stunted in your growth maybe…Sin, bondage, repentance, deliverance…the same is true in so many lives and really the story of Israel, the story of Samson, hopefully not the story of you, is unfulfilled potential.
• The nation has great strengths, great highs but almost in direct proportion and maybe even more so, great lows and great weaknesses. In many ways Samson, the study that we venture into tonight, is a parallel of sorts with the nation itself. The beginnings, as we will see in a moment, astounding purity. Brought about even by divine proclamation…and yet, sin…bondage…repentance…deliverance…only Samson’s ultimate deliverance is his
• Israel has done great things for God. Samson will do great things for God. You maybe have or will do great things for God…that echo throughout all of eternity, but what haunts me in a most wonderful way is this question…a question I have for Israel and a question I have for Samson, what would I have been if I might have been for God?
• Many of you know the end of this story…the end of Samson and let me just set the stage correctly, this is not a story of blessed sin…this is a story of wasted potential. Don’t let that be your story…and don’t lie to yourself today and say it isn’t if that’s the path you’re on…you’re stalled in the cycle at bondage!

Judges Chapter 1 Verses 2 – 3

• This is a powerful scene! First, Manoah’s wife was barren and in those days that would be a heavy weight to bear for a wife. In that culture, to not provide a lineage for your husband was to basically not fulfill at least a portion of why you were married in the first place! Having children and continuing your family name and line was ultra-important! And so there was a bit of guilt and regret constantly upon her for having married Manoah because now, no doubt, no matter if Manoah felt this way or not, I’m sure many a night she would come to him in tears talking about, “I’m sorry that you’re stuck with me….”
• And so the Angel of the Lord appears and says, “God knows you’re barren.” Isn’t that comforting? The parts of your life that you just carry around in some sort of heavy fashion…the loss of a loved one or the pain of tragedy in your life, something you have zero control or influence over, you just carry it…isn’t it wonderful in a way to know that God sees you? That He is completely aware of your pain?
• Now think a minute about what Jesus said to the multitudes in Matthew Chapter 11. His words were, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Why would He be compelled to say that He is gentle and lowly in heart? Because man, He sees you…He walks with you in the hurt and pain of the loss, of the sickness, of the situation…and His heart is for you!
• And so Manoah’s wife, she experiences this first hand…in that we are to go to God and unload our yoke! Take it off and show it to Him…confess it to Him…sit with Him by the fire of the morning catch there on the beach and pour our hearts out and as we do, He somehow, some mysteriously designed way right into our souls, places His yoke on us as we commune with Him and no longer do we feel so very barren and hopeless…this is a big day for Manoah’s wife!
• But there’s more. Many believe this is an Old Testament appearance of Jesus. We have some clues later in the chapter to help us out with this conclusion. The fact that His name is Wonderful and we’ll see Him receive a burnt offering…only God does that…and so with that in mind…this is a powerful scene. Because 1,000 years later, the angel Gabriel, named by scripture in Luke Chapter 1 would come to Mary and say to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus!”
• Now, Samson was not conceived by the Holy Spirit. He was the son of Manoah but the scene and implication is still powerful to me that conceivably (pardon the pun) this is a Christophany, an Old Testament appearance of Jesus (He’s even referred to as a “Man” by Manoah and his wife) and here He is, talking about, “You will have a son…” I mean it’s just sort of mind blowing to watch Jesus come into time here with Manoah and his wife and talk like this…this is simply a powerful scene!

Judges Chapter 13 Verses 4 – 5

• Now they are in Zorah, not Zorah is in the south just west of Jerusalem while Nazareth is in the north to the west of the Sea of Galilee. Why do I bring that up? One misconception about the Nazarite Vow is that it has something to do with Nazareth but it doesn’t. The Hebrew word Nazir simply means consecrated or separated and so this vow was a consecration to the Lord.
• Described for us in Numbers Chapter 6, this was typically a period of time, according to the Jewish Encyclopedia usually a month in which the person would fast if you will in order to right their mind, or right their heart. Precisely why we fast today…to weaken our flesh and transfer soul-loyalty to the Spirit. But this one was intense. Samson was to carry this vow his entire life even beginning in the womb. Which is cool…Samson was, his life began, his vow began, when…? At the moment of conception! The Angel of the Lord calls Samson a child, from the womb…huge cultural implications there for sure for us!

Judges Chapter 13 Verses 6 – 10

• Just a note here. Notice what Manoah needs spiritually? He prays to God…and yet the answer comes to his wife…so what does she do? She goes and gets him. I love this picture of service and unity. She knows what he needs (and this goes the other way too of course in terms of her needs) and even though she could stay there and have it herself…notice what she does…she leaves the Angel of the Lord to deliver to her husband his Huge implication.
• If she shares with you her need for you to be gentle and patient, guess what, you have that! It’s in there…you just don’t do it! And so what should you do? Deliver to her gentle and patient! Meet her needs! If he shares with you that his need is for you to put down the phone when you’re together or to tell him he’s good or whatever…whatever the need is…this is love…meet it unto the Lord! I really think this is a powerful picture!

Judges Chapter 13 Verses 11 – 13

• This word phrase, “let her be careful,” that He says to Manoah means, enable her! Be her keeper, her watchman, her mark! I love that…men, we should be totally enabling our wives in every way possible to reach their full potential in the Lord in everything God has called her to…of course that applies vice versa as well.

Judges Chapter 13 Verses 14 – 18

• This is cool. It seems that the Angel of the Lord is revealing to Manoah here that He is indeed a Theophany or for us a Christophany as He says that an offering must only go to the Lord (and yet later we will see Him receive it). This phrase in the Hebrew is so mysterious…in the Hebrew it reads, “Why ask My name, it is an incomprehensible secret!” SO cool! Some link this to Isaiah 9:6 “Wonderful Counselor” which uses the same root word to name the coming Messiah!

Judges Chapter 13 Verses 19 – 23

• What a wonderful couple! Manoah is scared because he knows Exodus 33:20 where God said to Moses, “You cannot see My face; for not man shall see Me, and live…” but notice how Manoah’s wife is an invaluable source of encouragement for his faith! She doesn’t criticize him or correct him…notice what she does…she encouraged him in a way that built him up! No one on earth can cure a man’s heart like his wife. Not his mom. Not his friends. No one…but the inverse is true as well. What a great couple this is!!

Judges Chapter 13 Verses 24 – 25

• The source of Samson’s great strength is revealed for us here. The Spirit of the Lord moved upon him. We picture him with bulging biceps and macho beard balm beauty! But you know what, he could have been rather scrawny and ratty…the fact is that the true strength in your life which will manifest in surety of step, consistency and constancy, love towards God, service to others, and steadfast hope in the age to come…true strength is sourced simply by the Spirit of God in and upon your life!