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10250 North Freeway @ West Road
Houston, Texas 77037
Tel: (281) 447-8484
SURVEY OF BIBLE HISTORY
(THE JUDGES TO THE KINGS)
The Arrival of a Strongman
Written by Dr. Lester Hutson
Copyright - Lester Hutson -
1998
This material is copyrighted and may not be copied or reproduced without the express
written permission of Dr. Lester Hutson.
Lesson 23
Judges 13:2-25
C. God's special announcement of the birth of Samson to deliver Israel from the Philistines.
1. An angel of the Lord appeared to a certain Danite wife, and told her she would bear a son who would begin to deliver Israel from the Philistines:a. This lady was married to a Danite named Manoah. The couple lived in a small town named Zorah in the Sorek Valley. Zorah was located on the northern side of the valley immediately opposite the town of Beth-shemesh. This valley, in part, forms the boundary between Dan and Judah, and is about fourteen miles due west of Jerusalem.
b. Manoah's wife was barren, Verse 2. Although, as in the cases of Sarah and Hannah, the angel announced she'd have a son, Verse 3.
c. The angel also instructed her to (1) drink no wine, (2) drink no other type of strong drink, (3) and to completely obey the dietary requirements of Moses' law, Verse 4.
d. Furthermore, the angel informed her that the son would be a Nazarite, verse 5. Normally a Nazarite chose to make the vow; and did so only for a limited, specific time, Numbers 6:2,4. Although the vow on this son was to be (1) without his choice and (2) for life. The requirements of the Nazarite vow are given in Moses' law, Numbers 6:1-21. During the period of the vow, the Nazarite was:(1) To totally abstain from any product of the vine or grape, Numbers 6:4.
(2) To not cut his hair, Numbers 6:5.
(3) To stay completely away from any dead body, Numbers 6:6.
If the Nazarite broke his vow, he was to shave his head as a public testimonial of his broken vow, Numbers 6:9.
e. When the angel appeared to Manoah's wife, she was alone. In telling her husband of the incident, she spoke of the angel as "a man of God." Yet, she realized he was not ordinary. She said, "his countenance was like the countenance of an angel of God, very terrible," Verse 6-7.2. Manoah was so moved by what happened to his wife, he besought the Lord (note the third element in the cycle of Judges) for a second appearance by this " man of God which God granted, Judges 13:8-20:a. Manoah's request was very commendable. He wanted God's man to teach him and his wife how to rear the child, Verse 8. Oh that more parents had this desireand would practice it!b. Mrs. Manoah was in the field alone when the angel reappeared, Verse 9. Although, she quickly ran and brought Manoah to the angel. Neither Manoah nor his wife realized this was an angel. (This is a good passage to illustrate that angels do not have long feathery wings, and look like some strange unknown creature. Though this angel looked somewhat different, he looked enough like a man to be mistaken for one.)
Manoah asked if he was the same one who had appeared to Mrs. Manoah earlier, and lie said lie was, Verse 11. And, true to his request to God in prayer, Manoah asked, "How shall we order the child, and how shall we do unto him?" Verse 12. Then to Manoah, the angel repeated the requirement of Mrs. Manoah (1) eat nothing of the vine, (2) drink no strong drink, and (3) eat no unclean food, Verse 14.
Strangely, the angel did not directly say anything about rearing the child. Instead, he instructed the parent how to live in response to how to rear the child. Here is a subtle, but very powerful truth in child raising. If you want your child to know and do right, the very best thing you can do is live right before them. Most children of Christian parents who turn out wrong do so because of wrong, hypocritical living by their parents; not because they concluded the truths of the Bible to be false. Indirectly the angel is answering Manoah's question of Verse 12 about how to rear Samson. He is saying, , give him a true example to follow. The same separation and godliness I want to see in him should be characteristic of you; and the surest way to see it in him is for him to see it in you." Parents, don't miss the point.
c. Once the angel finished his answer, Manoah asked him to stay long enough for a proper meal of eastern gratitude and courtesy, Verse 15 Although, the angel assured Manoah he would not eat, but suggested a burnt offering unto the Lord, Verse 16.
Still thinking this angel to be a man, Manoah asked his name, hoping to locate him upon the birth of the child so he might in some way honor the man, verse 17. Although, the angel responded "why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is secret?" Verse 18. The Hebrew word is "Paliy" (paw-lee') and can translate remarkable; secret; wonderful.''
Along with the burnt offering, Manoah offered "a meat offering" upon a rock unto the Lord. As the flames grew, this angel slipped into the flames and in an upward motion vanished from their sight into the flames, verses19-20.
d. When the angel did not reappear, Manoah realized it had been an angel, and he was sure he and his wife would die having seen this form of God, Verse 22. Although, his wife, having previously seen this angel and survived, was more rational. She pointed out that he would not have received the offering at their hands, nor would he have announced the coming birth of their son had he planned to kill them, Verse 23. Of course, she was right as the remaining text proves.D. Shortly after the angelic appearance, Samson was born. Judges 13:24-25:
1. His parents were from Zorah, which is probably where the birth occurred. He grew up in that area, and apart from his trips to Askelon, Judges 14:19 and his final imprisonment in Gaza Judges 16:1, Samson never traveled more than a few miles from his birth place. He was born and spent his life right on the fringe of Philistine territory.2. Samson means sunlight; and Verse 2 says, "the Lord blessed him." also, "the Spirit of the Lord I was manifest in his life enabling him to perform spectacular feats with strength far beyond the human realm.
3. The statement of Judges 13: that "he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines" foretells Samson's inability to completely conquer these enemies. All during his life, they dominated Israel; although, with considerable restraint and caution because of Samson. The forty year oppression did not end until Samuel finally defeated the Philistines at Ebenezer, I Samuel 7. Even after that, the Philistines rose up again in threat and domination of Israel under Saul, I Samuel 13-14; 28-31. David finally fully conquered them at Rephaim, II Samuel 5:17-25.
4. Also, the growing strength of these Philistines is seen in the statement of Judges 13:25 that Samson began to operate around "the camp of Dan." A camp speaks of temporary rather than permanent dwellings. Hundreds of years prior, Joshua had given Dan his inheritance. Permanent dwellings had been established generations ago. Although, the Philistine encroachment has uprooted many of the Danites.
Being unsure of what the future held for them, they had set up at least one refugee camp.
You will recall from Judges 1 that earlier Danites had already moved from the Mediterranean coastal inheritance to the far north of Canaan, where they had established another Danite region. Now the Philistine pressure has unseated more Danites, a foreshadow of what would have happened to all Israel had not God raised up Samson to draw attention to this danger and create a climate for its resistance.
QUESTIONS ON "THE ARRIVAL OF A STRONGMAN"
Judges 13:2-25
"It Does Make a Difference What You Believe"