I read Judges 13 a couple days ago. I encourage you to read through it.
But for those of you that I know will skip that part, I’ll give you a
super short summary.
Basically this is the chapter that describes the Angel of the Lord announcing to Samson’s mom that she, though barren, would bear a son, and that she should be careful what she what she eats because he will be a Nazarite from birth and will begin to deliver Israel from the Philistines.
Samson’s mom explained what happened to her husband. Her husband asked God to send the man again to teach them what to do once the child was born.
The Angel of the Lord showed up again! Samson’s mom ran to go get her husband and then both of them were talking to the Angel.
The next part is what struck me as I read it.
Judges 13:11-14
11 So Manoah arose and followed his wife. When he came to the Man, he said to Him, “Are You the Man who spoke to this woman?” And He said, “I am.” 12 Manoah said, “Now let Your words come to pass! What will be the boy’s rule of life, and his work?” 13 So the Angel of the LORD said to Manoah, “Of all that I said to the woman let her be careful. 14 “She may not eat anything that comes from the vine, nor may she drink wine or similar drink, nor eat anything unclean. All that I commanded her let her observe.”
I read that and just sat and pondered with mind blown. The Angel of the Lord never answered the question. Samson’s dad asked him what would be his rule of life and his work. And instead, the Angel reminded the mom about the obedience necessary in the place of consecration. Her obedience and consecration would impact Samson not just when he was in the womb, but also later in the example of having a mother who had chosen to obey and live consecrated while pregnant with her son. The discipline and grace that she would walk in, I’m sure would impact Samson as he was growing up.
As I mentioned previously, Samson’s dad prayed before this when he wanted the guy to show back up. Here was his prayer:
Judges 13:8
Then Manoah prayed to the LORD, and said, “O my Lord, please let the Man of God whom You sent come to us again and teach us what we shall do for the child who will be born.”
Come again and teach us what we shall do. And then the Angel shows up again. And the next question is what will be his work. And the answer is obey and consecrate.
“Of all that I said to the woman let her be careful…All that I commanded her let her observe.”
Samson. A man who was empowered by God in his consecration. Also a man notorious for allowing his consecration to be compromised.
Could it be that in the even before conception, God was highlighting that the fact that consecration would impact the work of Samson?
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