Sampson Sin-Drone

FBCN The Samson “Sin” drone 2-13-01

Judges 13-16

The Philistines “were ruling over Israel” (14:4b) as we begin this story because of their sin and disobedience before God. God heard their prayers by sending the Israelites the help needed in Samson.

I. The Way of Samson 13:1-5

He began his way with an angelic announcement concerning his birth. Even though his mother was sterile and childless, the angel told her she would conceive and have a son. She was probably praying about the situation that Israel was in and no doubt praying for a child as well. And the angel came to her. Her instructions were to bring the child up as a Nazarite. (See Numbers 6:1-21)

1. Abstain from wine and other fermented drink, not even vinegar made from wine or other fermented drink

2. Abstain from grape juice or eat grapes or raisins

3. Abstain from anything that comes from the grapevine, not even the seeds or the skins

4. During the entire period of the vow of separation, no razor may be used on his head. He must be holy until the period of his separation is over to the Lord is over; he must let the hair of his head grow long.

5. During this period he must not go near a dead body. Even if his own father or mother or brother or sister dies, he must not make himself ceremonially unclean on account of them, because the symbol of his separation to God is on his head.

6. Throughout this period of his separation he is consecrated to the Lord.

The angel of the Lord appeared to Samson’s mother the first time, but in verse 8-9 Manoah prayed for him to come again and the Bible says (v9) “God heard Manoah, and the angel of God came again to the woman...” The angel of the Lord waited for her to retrieve her husband. Manoah spoke words of faith to him, (v12) “When your words are fulfilled, what is to be the rule for the boy’s life and work.” Not like Zechariah “How can I be sure of this?” The angel repeated the message again and waited for a sacrifice to be presented for him. (v20) “As the flame blazed up

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from the altar toward heaven, the angel of the Lord ascended in the flame.” Manoah was so awestruck at that moment over the messenger angel ascending to heaven in the fire he almost missed the message. You remember the large crowd that watched Jesus ascend into heaven that two angels had to bring them out of it by saying, “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11).

A. Manoah was Dumbfounded and Disillusioned (v22) “We are doomed to die!”

B. His Wife Divine Direction (23) “If the Lord had meant to kill us, he would not have accepted a burnt offering and grain offering from our hands, nor shown us all these things or now told us this.” She had been to a Women of Faith Conference in Jerusalem the year before and was ready for God to move.

The last verse in Chapter 13 is important too. “... and the Spirit of the Lord began to stir him...” While he was a young man God began to stir him ... speak to him ... move within him ... encourage him ... prove his love for him.

Young people, as you are growing up between Palestine and Jacksonville have you found the Spirit of God began to stir you? Be it ever so slightly, you can still tell that it is the Hand of God upon your life. You need to recognize those times early in life.

II. The Wife of Samson 14

The first recorded words that Samson speaks are in 14:2 “I have seen a Philistine woman...” That is not a slip of the pen but a sign to help us see where Samson is going. His father and mother did not want a mixed marriage. “Isn’t there an acceptable woman among your relatives or among our people?” But the Bible goes on to tell us that “...this was from the Lord...” His parents did not know it and I’m not sure that Samson knew it. The “Spirit of the Lord began to stir him...” and no doubt sent him to get a wife from them, but I’m not positive that Samson knew that a fight would brew. There is a “cultural truth” that mixed marriages do cause a strain on the families social life. But what we are looking at here is that the

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