Judges 13 - The Birth of Samson
A. The Angel of the Lord announces the birth of Samson to Manoah's wife
1. (1) The character of the time Samson was born into
a. Because of Israel's sin and rebellion, God has to get their attention again by allowing them to be subjected to the Philistines
b. Samson is truly a man from his times; he is a study in contrasts, a man of great strengths and great weaknesses. In this, he is sort of a picture of Israel's history - of great highs and lows
c. Samson is also an important example of unfulfilled potential; though he did great things for God, it is awesome to consider what he might have done and been for God
2. (2-3) The Angel of the Lord appears to Manoah's wife
a. Zorah is about 14 miles west of Jerusalem
b. From the rest of the chapter, we see that we should regard this Angel as no mere angel; this is Jesus on a special mission, appearing as a man before His incarnation in Bethlehem (as previously seen in Judges 2:1-5 and 6:11-24
c. As is the case with so many women unable to bear children, the barrenness of Manoah's wife undoubtedly hung heavy on her heart. But God is here to answer her deepest desire
3. (4-5) The Angel of the Lord gives special instructions to Manoah's wife regarding this child: he is to be a Nazirite from birth
a. Numbers 6:1-21 describes the details of the vow of a Nazirite. When under the vow, a person regarded themselves as being specially devoted to God, leaving their hair uncut, drinking no wine nor eating grape products, and avoiding any kind of contact with anything dead
b. There was nothing particularly unusual about someone taking the vow of a Nazirite for a specific period of time; what was unusual in Samson's case was that he was to take the vow from birth - this was a lifetime vow
c. Manoah's wife also had to share in the Nazirite vow during the time she carried Samson
4. (6-7) Manoah's wife reports the appearance of the Angel of the Lord to her husband
B. The Angel of the Lord announces the birth of Samson to Manoah
1. (8-14) The Angel of the Lord reconfirms the words spoken before
a. This happens in response to Manoah's prayer in verse 8. When we call out to the Lord for confirmation and guidance, we can expect Him to answer
b. However, Manoah asked for more than God wanted him to know: What will be the boy's rule of life, and his work? The Angel of the Lord never answered that question; He simply called Manoah and his wife to obey what God had already told them to do
2. (15-18) Manoah offers the Angel of the Lord a meal; the Angel of the Lord will only accept an offering
a. Here, the Angel of the Lord is showing Himself to be God, in the sense that He does not need a meal, but He will accept a sacrificial offering made unto the Lord
b. He also shows Himself to be Jesus, by saying that His name is wonderful (Isaiah 9:6)
3. (19-21) The Angel of the Lord displays His authority to Manoah and his wife
a. The Angel of the Lord proved He was wonderful by doing a wondrous thing - ascending in the flame of sacrifice to heaven
b. For the first time, Manoah and his wife see and understand that this Person is no mere man or messenger from God; they realize they have been speaking with God Himself
4. (22-23) The reaction of Manoah and his wife
a. Manoah perhaps knows what God had said before to Moses in Exodus 33:20: You cannot see My face; for no man shall see Me, and live. Manoah was terrified that, because they had just encountered the Lord, that they would shortly be killed
b. But the response of Manoah's wife is perceptive, and encouraging for us: God hadn't done this much for them to abandon them now. God's past working in our life is a promise of His future care and blessing for us
c. Manoah's wife was an invaluable source of encouragement in faith for him. She didn't criticize Manoah. She didn't say, "What a silly man you are. What a stupid man you must be to be so frightened." You won't spur someone's faith by criticizing them, you must encourage them and build their faith up
i. An old preacher said that there is many a man who has had his head broken with his own rib; but there is many a man who has had his heart cured in the same way.
d. The basis of the faith of Manoah's wife was that she knew that the Lord had accepted their offering to Him. If the Lord wanted to do you evil, He would have never accepted an offering on your behalf - the offering of Jesus on the cross
5. (24-25) Samson born, and the Holy Spirit comes upon him
a. This, of course, is the source of the great strength we will see in Samson later. We usually think of Samson as a man with huge, rippling muscles; but others couldn't figure out why he was so strong, so he must not have looked very strong. It was the Spirit of God who made him strong
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