Samson
SAMSON IS UNIQUE among the judges written of in the book of Judges. All the other judges are introduced in Scripture when they are in their adult life and ready to take up their office as Israel’s judge. But Samson is introduced at the beginning of his life. In fact, it goes even beyond his beginning. For not only is his birth recorded but also recorded is a Divine revelation announcing his coming which was given to his parents before he was even conceived.
The account of this Divine revelation given to Samson’s parents announcing Samson’s coming takes up a surprisingly large amount of Samson’s story in Scripture.
A. THE RECEIVING OF THE REVELATION
In considering the receiving of the revelation, we will note who first received the revelation, Whom the revelation was received from, and what was received from the revelation.
The account of this Divine revelation given to Samson’s parents announcing Samson’s coming takes up a surprisingly large amount of Samson’s story in Scripture. This revelation event takes up 24 of the 96 verses in Judges which comprise the record of Samson. This is exactly one-fourth of the verses of Samson’s story. With the revelation taking up this amount of space, we should not be surprised to discover that the revelation is very significant to a proper understanding of the life and ministry of Samson. Any study of Samson which leaves out this revelation will have some serious deficiencies.
A. THE RECEIVING OF THE REVELATION
In considering the receiving of the revelation, we will note who first received the revelation, Whom the revelation was received from, and what was received from the revelation.
1. Who First Received the Revelation
1. Who First Received the Revelation
“And there was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren, and bare not. And the angel of the LORD appeared unto the woman, and said unto her, Behold now, thou art barren, and bearest not; but thou shalt conceive, and bear a son” (vv. 2, 3). The revelation announcing Samson’s coming birth was first received by Samson’s mother-to-be. She and her husband Manoah lived in the town of Zorah which was located in the small territory allotted the tribe of Dan at that time (several chapters after Samson’s story in Judges is the record of the tribe of Dan expanding their territory into northern Israel). This small tribal territory bordered the Mediterranean Sea, and, more significantly for the story of Samson, it also bordered the land of Philistia which then oppressed Israel—the town of Zorah was only a few miles from Philistia’s border.
Two significant things are immediately noticed about this woman in these two verses: she was nameless and she was childless.
son” (vv. 2, 3). The revelation announcing Samson’s coming birth was first received by Samson’s mother-to-be. She and her husband Manoah lived in the town of Zorah which was located in the small territory allotted the tribe of Dan at that time (several chapters after Samson’s story in Judges is the record of the tribe of Dan expanding their territory into northern Israel). This small tribal territory bordered the Mediterranean Sea, and, more significantly for the story of Samson, it also bordered the land of Philistia which then oppressed Israel—the town of Zorah was only a few miles from Philistia’s border.
Two significant things are immediately noticed about this woman in these two verses: she was nameless and she was childless.
Childless. The second significant fact about this future mother of Samson was that she was “barren, and bare not” (v. 2). Barrenness was a great reproach for a woman in Old Testament times. To be barren could subject one to ridicule and great disrespect (cp. Genesis 16:4 and 1 Samuel 1:6). To be childless was just about the worst thing that could happen to a woman then. So this revelation, which would promise her a son, would be all that more special in blessing to her.
In this revelation, Samson’s mother-to-be learned that being a reproach before man does not necessarily mean we are a reproach before God. Though folk of her day would tend to despise her because of barrenness, yet she was not despised of God. She, in fact, obtained great favor from God in this revelation and in the conception of Samson. We need to remember this truth when we come under the scorn of man’s opinion. What really matters is not what men think of us but what God thinks of us. Samson’s future mother had obviously lived a life that kept her from being a reproach to God. She could not keep people from despising her, but she could keep God from despising her. Too often today we live just the opposite. We do not seem to care what God thinks of us. What we are concerned about is whether or not man esteems us. But any time the reproach of this world carries more weight than the reproach of God, we are headed for serious trouble in life. We can survive the reproach of man, but not the reproach of God.
2. Whom the Revelation was Received From
The revelation came from “the angel of the LORD” who “appeared unto the woman” (v. 3). Twenty-three times in the book of Judges we read of “the angel of the LORD.” Thirteen of those times, “the angel of the LORD” is mentioned in this account of the revelation before us. Seven of the remaining ten times “the angel of the LORD” is mentioned in Judges, it occurs in the account of Gideon. So the two judges, Gideon and Samson, who have more written of them in Judges than any of the other judges and who are the most famous of the judges of the book of Judges, take up twenty of the twenty-three mentions of “the angel of the LORD” in the book of Judges.
The term “the angel of the LORD” is best described as a theophany, namely, a visible manifestation of the invisible God. That the parents of Samson actually saw God is attested by Manoah’s statement, “We have seen God” (v. 22), which we will note more about later in this chapter. In view of such passages as Colossians 1:15, Hebrews 1:3, John 1:18, and John 14:9, we have to conclude that “the angel of the LORD” in the Old Testament is none other than Jesus Christ of the New Testament.
3. What was Received From the Revelation
Here we look at the message which “the angel of the LORD” gave Samson’s mother-to-be. “And the angel of the LORD appeared unto the woman, and said unto her, Behold now, thou art barren, and bearest not; but thou shalt conceive, and bear a son. Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink not wine nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean thing. For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no razor shall come on his head; for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb; and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines” (vv. 3–5). The message in the revelation speaks of four things: the woman’s condition, conception, conduct, and child.
Her condition. Scripture really emphasizes this woman’s barrenness. In verse two it is “barren, and bare not.” In verse three it is “barren, and bearest not.” We have already noted her barrenness in the introductory remarks Scripture makes about the woman. Now the Angel of God addresses the problem when He appears to her.
So the very first thing “the angel of the LORD” spoke about in this revelation to the woman was her barrenness. The very first thing she heard from God was about her lack. Then after He had addressed her deficiency, He then gave her the promise that she would “bear a son” (v. 5). Being made acutely aware of her lack and then having it filled so
Her conception. “Thou shalt conceive, and bear a son” (v. 3) were some of the most welcomed words this woman ever heard. Stigmatized because of barrenness, she would now lose the reproach of reproaches of a woman and rejoice in a son. She would understand well the message Isaiah gave his people centuries later, “Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child”
Samson’s mother belongs in an unique category of mothers who all experienced a long time of barrenness before they bore a famous son. Sarah was barren and in her nineties without hope when she conceived and bore Isaac; Rachel had watched her sister and handmaids produce son after son before she ever conceived and bore Joseph. Hannah saw her rival wife bare many sons while she wept over her barrenness. Then God gave her Samuel. Elizabeth had suffered the reproach of barrenness for many years when the announcement came that she would conceive and bare John the Baptist.
All of these women learned some important lessons in their experience which we need to learn today. We note two of these lessons here.
First, they learned that quality is better than quantity. Many of those who have much do not have quality.
Second, they learned that patience is needed to obtain God’s best. God’s best seldom comes on the first train. God does not spoil His children. If He wills to give them great blessing, He will prepare their hearts and lives to receive it so they will greatly appreciate the blessing and be a good steward of it. Too often blessings that come too fast are not appreciated and, therefore, not taken care of well.
Her Conduct. “Therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink not wine nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean thing” (v. 4). Samson’s future mother was given a great promise, but it was not without precepts. The promise of her conception was accompanied by the proclamation of her commandments. She was to watch her diet. Particularly was she to stay away from such things as wine, strong drink, and unclean food (cp. Leviticus 11 on what constitutes unclean food).
(v. 5). Two important things are said about Samson before he was ever conceived—things which we must be acquainted with if the story of Samson is going to be properly understood. One had to do with his separation; the other had to do with his service.
First, his separation is spoken of when God said, “the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb.” The law of the Nazarite was particularly characterized by separation. In fact, separation is mentioned sixteen times in the Nazarite passage in Numbers 6. A Nazarite lived differently, ate differently, and had a number of restrictions regarding his conduct and lifestyle. One of the restrictions spoken of in our text—“no razor shall come on his head”—was an important (the most important in Samson’s case) outward symbol of being a Nazarite. Samson’s failure to observe that restriction played a very significant part in his downfall, as we will see in later chapters.
There were two types of Nazarites. One was a Nazarite temporarily, and the other was the Nazarite for life. Samson was to be a Nazarite “from the womb” (vv. 5, 7) and “to the day of his death” (v. 7) which meant he was to be a Nazarite all his life.
There were two types of Nazarites. One was a Nazarite temporarily, and the other was the Nazarite for life. Samson was to be a Nazarite “from the womb” (vv. 5, 7) and “to the day of his death” (v. 7) which meant he was to be a Nazarite all his life.
However, the downfall of Samson was that he was not faithful to his Nazarite calling. That which God said was to be permanent, Samson made temporary
Second, his service is spoken of when God said, “he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.”
This statement says Samson’s work as a judge will be a contrast to what the other judges did for Israel. The other judges delivered Israel from their foes, but Samson would only “begin” to deliver Israel. He did not break the yoke of the Philistines; he only shook it. There was no complete deliverance by Samson; he only started it. He did not finish it.
This statement says Samson’s work as a judge will be a contrast to what the other judges did for Israel. The other judges delivered Israel from their foes, but Samson would only “begin” to deliver Israel. He did not break the yoke of the Philistines; he only shook it. There was no complete deliverance by Samson; he only started it. He did not finish it.
B. THE REPORTING OF THE REVELATION