God's Promised Deliverer

Intro......

As we have studied the book of judges we have seen that God, introduces us to those judges in many different ways. At times it tells us a-lot about judges, and other times we get just a verse or two. We learn various things from the judges like details about their life, families, and their military conquests. Samson is the last judge mentioned in the book of Judges. He also has more verses dedicated to him than any other judge. We do not know why Samson is talked about more than any other Judge, but we can learn a-lot from his birth, life, and death. That being said I want to read todays text, and see what God’s Word has to say to us.

As we go through the text today I want you to see four things. God will promise a deliverer, There will be a response to that promise. There will be a fulfillment of that promise. Finally, Jesus os the ultimate promised deliverer.

1. God promised deliverer. 1-5

God Promised a deliver in spite of Israel’s lack of repentance. look at Verse 1 And the people of Isreal again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, so the Lord gave them into the hand of the Philistines for forty years. Forty years is along time to oppressed. We know how forgetful we are when things are not done on our time. It would have been easy for the people of Isreal to forget the promises that God gave them. We see that their is no lack of repentance yet God gave them a deliver. Even when the people of God were not crying out to the Lord. God saved them. He was going to send a deliver to begin to release them from their own bondage. Look at verses 2-5 Monoah lived in The city of Zorah which was about 15 miles west of Jerusalem. He was from the tribe of the Danites . If you remember from our study in Genesis the tribe of Dan would judge his people. If you look at the text we notice that the story quickly shifts to the unnamed wife of Monoah. We know little about this women except for the fact that she is barren and has no children. She isn't the first women we have seen that was barren, In Genesis we can recall the stories of Sarah, and Rachel who where each without children. Yet, God in his power and sovereignty and grace granted both them children. However, if you remember these women they tried to make this happen in their own way, by playing God, and using alternative needs for that promise. However, for this unnamed women this would not be the case. Unlike Sarah and Rachel we do not see this women crying out to the Lord to have children. She accepted the fact that she was barren. She was just like Isreal defeated. Remember Isreal did not cry out to Lord to be rescued neither did the unnamed women. Yet in both these instances we see the grace of God at work. Back in verse 3 it says, but you shall conceive a son. What an awesome reminder that God brings deliverence out of nothingness. He chose a people who were not seeking him, and a women who was barren to achieve his plan and to carry out the promises that he made to the Israelites. Now he did not leave her with just the promise. He gives here careful instructions how this must be done. Look at verse 4 and 5… She must not drink wine or strong drink, and eat nothing unclean. Now if we know anything about the law this was no different than any other Israelite pregnancy, but it was likely because of their captivity . They were not following the law of God. So it was commanded to her that she would not drink wine or strong drink or eat anything unclean. I love what God says after what he commands her to do. He again gives here the promise that she shall conceive and bear a son. If you are taking notes I want you to write this down. The promises that God gives us should be enough to do his work. After he reminders her of the promise again he tells her about her son. That he would be Nazirite, which would mean that he would abstain himself from alcohol, he would not cut his hair, and he would not come near a corpse. Sampson was to be set apart from the rest. As Christians we too should be set apart from the World. While we don’t have to all be nazirites we all are called to be set apart and different. While Samson was set apart from the Womb we are to be set apart after our spiritual birth. God’s people are called to be different no matter what is going on in the world. Finally, in verse five we see that the boy will begin to save Isreal from the hand’s of the Philistines. Samson will not fully save Isreal from their enemies, but he we start. God in his grace promised Monoahs wife a son and promised he would begin save Isreal. With that being said, A promised deliverer deserves a response.

2. The response to that promise. 6-23

Look at verses 6 and 7 and see the women’s initial response. I love the women’s response. Her response was one of faith, she did not come to her husband saying anything, but the truth. She just plainly repeated what God had told her. Imagine if we had that kind of faith? A faith that responds without question? Imagine what our lives would look like? Think about this men and women a women who remained unnamed has faith that is greater than many men and women who are mentioned in scripture. Our names don’t have to be mentioned to be faithful, it should come as natural response to those who believe.

Yet, her husband has a different response. Look at verse 8..... It doesn’t say, that the man didn’t believe his wife, but he most defiantly wanted hear more than what his wife said. Personally, I think we can all relate to Manoah. We want to know more. For Monoah he wanted to hear more about his son, and his life. For us we want to know how to live this life. Questions like how can I raise my children, what am I going to do for work. What is the next step I need to take to be closer to God. For us we are more Monoah than the unnamed women, we want the more answers. Monoahs wife had the proper response, she believed and trusted. However, we see that God’s grace again by coming to see Monoah.

Starting in verse 9.. There is a few important things to note in this passage. One The Angel of God does not appear first to Monoah. He goes to the unnamed women again. By doing so I believe he is showing him, that his wife was telling him the truth. Two the message of the promise does not change. The angel of the Lord does not change anything that he has already said. He just repeats it. v13..... Like Manoah we needed to be reminded of the truth over and over. As he repeats what he said previously we can also be reminded that we should keep a close watch of our lives, because God has set us apart, and god keeps and doesn't change his promises. God doesn't reveal every detail of Samson’s life. He only revealed what he wanted to. In the same way God doesn’t reveal everything about our own lives. But, he does call us, he does empower us, and he gives us his word.

The story again makes a slight turn. look at verse 15 and following..... It was common for people to invite others for a meal, but the text shows that he did not know who he was inviting. Meal time was a sign of fellowship. However, the Israelites did not have true fellowship with God. So he could not eat with them. A sacrifice must be made to restore the fellowship between God and Isreal. Now the answer that angel gave him would have caused him to ask the question who are you? And the angel of the Lord told him in verse 18............ When see in Scripture that God has many names, but in this instance we see him say wonderful. That is a fitting name for God, because we can never know how wonderful he is, but in his word we do see the wonderful things he had done for his people.

After God makes the statement of his name. Monoah offers a sacrifice to the Lord. V19...... The offering was done, because of the promise of the coming child. It was accepted because of the faith Monoah and his Wife. Look at there reaction they feel on their faces. That was a proper response. Who wouldn't fall on their face if they seen the Lord. 21.... He would not come back to visit Monoah or his wife. However, after they left something interesting happens. Monoah says, we have seen God. So he said we are going to die. but look at verse 23.... That is a powerful statement that is made by Monoah’s wife and great reminder to us. God calls us to carry out his plans, and we should know that he will see us through. If he was going to kill Monoah and his wife he would have done it, but he didn't. For he had a greater plan that was yet to be fulfilled. We have seen a promise made, and a response to that promise. Now we see the promised fulfilled.

The fulfillment of the promise. 24-25

3. The fulfillment of the promise. 24-25

Look at verses 24 and 25. We get to the end of this narrative and see that boy is born. His mother named him Samson. Now scholars have various opinions on what his name means, but through my study I believe his name means Little Son. He was the light that his parents needed and the light the Isreal needed. He was empowered by God to begin to do his work. Now it would be easy to end today, we covered the birth story of Samson. It was a remarkable merciful thing that God did by sending Sampson into the world, but if we look back to verse 5, we see that Sampson was only a partial deliver. The question is who would save the people forever?

We must Recognize that Christ is the ultimate Deliverer

4. We must Recognize that Christ is the ultimate Deliverer

Turn with me to As we turn here I would encourage you to underline this verse or write it in your journal, because the truth found in it is greater than all we have heard today. READ IT! Jesus will be the one who will ultimately saves the from their sins. It doesn't say here that Jesus gives them a chance to be saved, or might save. It says will save. The greatest truth we can hear today is Jesus saves!!! Amen? Look back with me at chapter 13 in light of the savior Jesus Christ. In verse 5 we see that Jesus will save. Even though Jesus was not a nazirite he lived a life that set apart by God. This is something that Samson could never do. No man could every full save Isreal, because all men are with sin. Monoah and his wife could not eat and fellowship with God, because of the sins of Isreal. However, because Christ is our sacrifice we too can have fellowship with God forever. Jesus Christ is the ultimate Deliverer. All the deliverers Isreal has had so far would never completely save them. They needed one who could perfectly save, and Christ is the only one who can do that.

Conclusion.

Conclusion.

As we close we can see that the biggest failure the people of Isreal had was a failure to see that they needed to be saved. Not only physically but spiritually. God had bailed them out time and time again. By the time this took place God had sent Moses, Joshua, and countless judges to help deliverer the people. Each time God sends a deliverer it is a sign of his grace. The people often would fail to see it was God who sent the deliverer. For them they failed to realize that deliverers come and go, but God is always present. God never forgets his people, despite their sin. He sent a perfect deliverer his son to save us. As we look back today we should see the promise of a deliverer, we should respond to that promise in faith, and ultimately we should see that God will fulfill the promise’s he makes. The question is do we know him? We must answer that question, and ask ourselves are we seeking someone to deliverer us other than God himself?

Let us pray…

Heavenly Father, I thank you first and foremost for sending your Son who would become the savior of your people. Father I thank you for the constant reminders you give us in your word. The word you gave us today should help settle our often anxious hearts. God every time you say something let us understand it will come true. Give us faith like the unnamed women to believe your word’s. God empower us achieve the purpose you have for our own lives like you did for Samson. I thank you God for everything you have done for me, and the people who heard this today. In Jesus name I pray Amen...