Judges 13:1-7

Philistines Oppress Again

13 Now the sons of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord, so that the Lord gave them into the hands of the Philistines forty years.

There was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren and had borne no childrenThen the angel of the Lord appeared to the woman and said to her, “Behold now, you are barren and have borne no children, but you shall conceive and give birth to a son. Now therefore, be careful not to drink wine or strong drink, nor eat any unclean thing. For behold, you shall conceive and give birth to a son, and no razor shall come upon his head, for the boy shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb; and he shall begin to deliver Israel from the hands of the Philistines.” Then the woman came and told her husband, saying, “A man of God came to me and his appearance was like the appearance of the angel of God, very awesome. And I did not ask him where he came from, nor did he tell me his name. But he said to me, ‘Behold, you shall conceive and give birth to a son, and now you shall not drink wine or strong drink nor eat any unclean thing, for the boy shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb to the day of his death.’”

Notice here, the angel does not go to a woman with a dozen children, and plenty of experience. He is sent to a woman who is barren and could not have children.

God delights in doing the impossible, and this child would be one impossibility after another. Our seven-year old was quoting a verse the other day “I brag about my weakness”, and though he didn’t remember the rest of the verse, it seems fitting for Samson’s story.

Through the “weakness” of his parents, God would be strength for Israel. Don’t underestimate what God can do through you. Just be willing, be faithful, and follow Jesus, wherever He might lead.

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