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Judges Chapter Thirteen（ESV）

2 There was a certain man of Zorah, of the tribe of the Danites, whose name was Manoah. And his wife was barren and had no children. 3 And the angel of the Lord appeared to the woman and said to her, “Behold, you are barren and have not borne children, but you shall conceive and bear a son. 4 Therefore be careful and drink no wine or strong drink, and eat nothing unclean, 5 for behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. No razor shall come upon his head, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb, and he shall begin to save Israel from the hand of the Philistines.” 6 Then the woman came and told her husband, “A man of God came to me, and his appearance was like the appearance of the angel of God, very awesome. I did not ask him where he was from, and he did not tell me his name, 7 but he said to me, ‘Behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. So then drink no wine or strong drink, and eat nothing unclean, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb to the day of his death.’”

 

8 Then Manoah prayed to the Lord and said, “O Lord, please let the man of God whom you sent come again to us and teach us what we are to do with the child who will be born.” 9 And God listened to the voice of Manoah, and the angel of God came again to the woman as she sat in the field. But Manoah her husband was not with her. 10 So the woman ran quickly and told her husband, “Behold, the man who came to me the other day has appeared to me.” 11 And Manoah arose and went after his wife and came to the man and said to him, “Are you the man who spoke to this woman?” And he said, “I am.” 12 And Manoah said, “Now when your words come true, what is to be the child’s manner of life, and what is his mission?” 13 And 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 of anything that comes from the vine, neither let her drink wine or strong drink, or eat any unclean thing. All that I commanded her let her observe.”

 

REFLECTION

1. Like the births of Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph, Samson’s birth is announced by an angel to a barren woman. Furthermore, Samson is to be set apart from birth as a Nazirite, and God blessed him (v24) including with the presence of God’s Spirit (v25). Expecting a baby is exciting. And it’s even more so to a barren couple.
2. Both Manoah and his wife were godly people who believed the prediction and asked God to show them how to bring up their son. The angel instructed them once again “your wife must do all that I have told her”.
3. We who are parents cannot guarantee our children will love the Lord when they grow up for each will have to make their own decision, even if they are a part of the community of faith. After finishing our job to bring up the children as best as we can according to God’s word, no matter how they turn out, we will learn to trust, commit and let go. And we will continue to love them with God’s love.

 

PRAYER

Lord, sometime I feel very inadequate in bringing up my children (or any other matter of my primary concern). I am petitioning You, for it’s said “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” (James 1:5)