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Charles Spurgeon · Citado em PreceptAustin
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Spurgeon comments on this knowledge: I cannot grasp it. I can hardly endure to think of it. The theme overwhelms me. I am amazed and astounded at it. Such knowledge not only surpasses my comprehension, but even my imagination. It is high, I cannot attain unto it. Mount as I may, this truth is too lofty for my mind. It seems to be always above me, even when I soar into the loftiest regions of spiritual thought. Is it not so with every attribute of God? Can we attain to any idea of his power, his wisdom, his holiness? Our mind has no line with which to measure the Infinite. Do we therefore question? Say, rather, that we therefore believe and adore. We are not surprised that the Most Glorious God should in his knowledge be high above all the knowledge to which we can attain: it must of necessity be so, since we are such poor limited beings; and when we stand a tip toe we cannot reach to the lowest step of the throne of the Eternal. The idea of wonderful then is something so awesome it is beyond human capability or comprehension. The same root occurs in “wonders” in [Jdg 13:19] and in “miracles” in [Jdg 6:13]. THOUGHT: Study the Attributes of our Awesome God Incomprehensible; Good; Sovereign; Transcendent (Play the music video Indescribable) Consider developing the habit of spending some time periodically pondering the Scriptures which describe God's "mind altering" attributes. This spiritual exercise is guaranteed to renew your mind and challenge your thinking regarding the greatness of the God we are privileged to worship and serve. In addition meditating [Primer on Biblical Meditation] on the greatness of God will encourage you to not become weary in well doing [Ga 6:9, 10] but instead to press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus [Php 3:12, 13+, Php 3:14+]. Wonderful! (Isa 9:1-7) - When Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, the crowds cried out, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" (Mt. 21:9). Later that same week, however, a mob called for His crucifixion (Mt 27:22). Few people recognized Him as the one Isaiah described as Wonderful (Isa. 9:6). If there is anyone who deserves that name, it is Jesus. He is wonderful in His deity and in His selfless love that led Him from the shining glories of heaven into the darkness of this sin-cursed world. He is wonderful in His virgin birth, wonderful in His overcoming, sinless life of service, wonderful in His teachings, wonderful in His vicarious death, wonderful in His astounding resurrection, and wonderful in His ascended glory. Someone has observed, "In Christ we have a love that can never be fathomed, a life that can never die, a peace that can never be understood, a rest that can never be disturbed, a joy that can never be diminished, a hope that can never be disappointed, a glory that can never be clouded, a light that can never be darkened, and a spiritual resource that can never be exhausted." Wonderful, wonderful, Jesus is to me; Counselor, Prince of Peace, Mighty God is He; Saving me, keeping me from all sin and shame, Wonderful is my Redeemer, praise His name. —Lillenas © 1924 Lillenas Publishing Company (See Multiple Hymns referring to "Wonderful") Ponder the wonder of Jesus. Judges 13:19 So Manoah took the kid with the grain offering and offered it on the rock to the LORD, and He performed wonders while Manoah and his wife looked on. Took the kid - Jdg 6:19,20; 1Ki 18:30-38 Judges 13 Resources THE ONE WHOSE NAME IS WONDERFUL DOES WONDERS! So Manoah took the kid with the grain offering and offered it on the rock to the LORD, and He performed wonders (pala) while Manoah and his wife looked on - We should not be surprised that the Angel of the LORD Whose Name is wonderful (peliy) (Jdg 13:18+), would perform wonders before the parents of Samson. Wonders (pala) is translated in the Lxx with the Greek adjective thaumastos which pertains to things that cause wonder or are worthy of amazement. (cf Mt 21:42, Mk 12:11+, 1Pe 2:9+, Rev 15:3+) George Bush (recommended resource) Manoah took a kid—and offered it, &c. He had by this time become so far satisfied as to the real character of his guest, that he no longer doubted in what manner to express his grateful and reverential feelings towards him. He determines to do this by offering the kid as a holocaust accompanied with the usual meal or flour-offering, (erroneously rendered ‘meat-offering,’) which the law prescribed. For this purpose he selects a rock, as did Gideon upon a like occasion, Jdg 6:20, 21, instead of an altar. Large masses of stone, of various forms, some of which are well adapted to such a use, frequently occur in the plains and valleys of Judea, and other hilly countries. Some of these are seen in their natural position, rising out of the ground, while others appear as detached fragments, thrown down from the rocky eminences. To such insulated masses of rock there are repeated references in the Scriptures. And the angel did wondrously. Heb. מפליא maphlia; in correspondence with the name which he had before attributed to himself. Being wonderful, he performed wonderful things; probably causing fire to arise out of the rock, and consume the sacrifice; and we are expressly told that he afterwards ascended in the flame. The word ‘angel,’ it is true, does not occur in the original, but from the tenor of the narrative there can be no doubt who is intended. The rock - Not just any rock but an altar as explained in the following verse.
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Spurgeon reminds us that "Behold is a word of wonder; it is intended to excite admiration. Wherever you see it hung out in Scripture, it is like an ancient sign-board, signifying that there are rich wares within, or like the hands which solid readers have observed in the margin of the older Puritanic books, drawing attention to something particularly worthy of observation." I would add, behold is like a divine highlighter, a divine underlining of an especially striking or important text. It says in effect "Listen up, all ye who would be wise in the ways of Jehovah!" Hinneh in Judges - Jdg. 1:2; Jdg. 3:24; Jdg. 3:25; Jdg. 4:22; Jdg. 6:15; Jdg. 6:28; Jdg. 6:37; Jdg. 7:13; Jdg. 7:17; Jdg. 8:15; Jdg. 9:31; Jdg. 9:33; Jdg. 9:36; Jdg. 9:37; Jdg. 11:34; Jdg. 13:3; Jdg. 13:5; Jdg. 13:7; Jdg. 13:10; Jdg. 14:5; Jdg. 14:8; Jdg. 14:16; Jdg. 16:10; Jdg. 17:2; Jdg. 18:9; Jdg. 18:12; Jdg. 19:9; Jdg. 19:16; Jdg. 19:22; Jdg. 19:24; Jdg. 19:27; Jdg. 20:7; Jdg. 20:40; Jdg. 21:8; Jdg. 21:9; Jdg. 21:19; Jdg. 21:21 Angel (Messenger) (04397) (malak) is one who bears a message (a notice, word or communication, written or verbal, sent from one person to another) or does an errand. Malak is most often translated as angel. About one half of the uses of malak refer to human messengers used to carry messages between individuals (Jacob, Esau Ge 32:3, 6, announced good news = 1Sa 6:21, threats = 1Ki 19:2, 1Sa 11:3, 4, 9; cf. 2Sa 11:19; 2Ki 5:10) or who function as the channels of diplomatic communication between national leaders (Moses, king of Edom - announced requests = Nu 20:14, cp Nu 22:5, Jdg 7:24, see also malak used for diplomatic representatives = Jdg 11:12-14, 2Sa 5:11, 1Ki 20:2). Malak is used of God’s prophets sent as His representatives to bring His word to His people Israel (2Chr 36:15-16; Jer 25:4; Hag 1:13, Isa 44:26, Mal 3:1). Malak applies to priest once (Mal 2:7, possibly Eccl 5:6). The entire nation of Israel is referred to as God's messenger (Isa 42:19). A malak could be sent to spy (Josh 6:25), to kill (1Sa 19:11, 2Ki 6:32), to summon someone (Bathsheba in 2Sa 11:4). Stone has an interesting note on angel or messenger - Messengers in antiquity represented their senders, their masters; for the practical purpose of conveying the message, they rhetorically stood as substitutes for the sender, delivering the message in the first person as though they themselves were the sender. Commonly, more than one messenger was sent to ensure delivery of the message. A single messenger often implied a highly sensitive message, and only the most reliable agent would be dispatched alone. Thus, when David gave Uriah the orders that would result in Uriah's own death, he knew Uriah's integrity well enough to trust Uriah would not violate the privacy of the message (2Sa11:14). Thus, the prophet as messenger embodies both the closeness of the prophet's relationship with Yahweh and the high level of integrity needed for Yahweh to entrust his word to the prophet. The recipient's treatment of the messenger signaled the recipient's respect or disdain for the sender, such that to harm or abuse a messenger was a casus belli (cf. 2 Sam 10:1-8). (See context Joshua, Judges, Ruth) Judges 13:4 "Now therefore, be careful not to drink wine or strong drink, nor eat any unclean thing. be careful not to drink wine or strong drink: Jdg 13:14 Nu 6:2,3 Lu 1:15 nor eat any unclean thing: Lev 11:27,44-45 Ac 10:14 Judges 13 Resources Related Passages: Leviticus 11:27; 44-45+ ‘Also whatever walks on its paws, among all the creatures that walk on all fours, are unclean to you; whoever touches their carcasses becomes unclean until evening....44 ‘For I am the LORD your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy. And you shall not make yourselves unclean with any of the swarming things that swarm on the earth. 45 ‘For I am the LORD who brought you up from the land of Egypt to be your God; thus you shall be holy, for I am holy.’” ANGELIC WARNINGS TO THE WOMAN Now therefore be careful (shamar; Lxx - phulasso in aorist imperative) not to drink wine or strong drink (shekar) - NET = "Now be careful!" The Angel of the LORD gives these specific instructions to Manoah's wife during Samson's intrauterine gestation. He is in essence binding her to be sure to carry out the Nazirite vow. Abstinence from wine (no grape products) or strong (intoxicating) drink were part of the restrictions given in the Nazirite vow (Nu 6:3+). Wine was often mixed with water, reducing its alcoholic content, but even this was forbidden. Nor eat any unclean thing - These divine instructions are in preparation of Samson being a Nazarite in a sense, even while in his mother's womb. These instructions indicate that Manoah's wife (she is never specifically named) also had to share in the Nazirite vow during the time of Samson's gestation. The vow is usually voluntary but in Samson's case it was a divine decree from the Angel as seen and in that sense was "involuntary" for Samson. Keil and Delitzsch - The Angel of the Lord announced to this woman, who was barren, “Thou wilt conceive and bear a son. And now beware, drink no wine or strong drink, and eat nothing unclean: for, behold, thou wilt conceive and bear a son, and no razor shall come upon his head; for a vowed man of God (Nazir) will the boy be from his mother’s womb,” i.e., his whole life long, “to the day of his death,” as the angel expressly affirmed, according to v. 7. The three prohibitions which the angel of the Lord imposed upon the woman were the three things which distinguished the condition of a Nazarite (see at Nu 6:1–8, and the explanation given there of the Nazarite vow). The only other thing mentioned in the Mosaic law is the warning against defilement from contact with the dead, which does not seem to have been enforced in the case of Samson. (Commentary) George Bush - As the child, whose birth was now announced, was to be a Nazarite from the womb, the mother herself was to be subjected to the law of the Nazarites, that the sanctification of her son might commence from herself. She must, during the period of gestation and nursing, abstain from wine and every inebriating liquor, and all kinds of forbidden food. Things that would be lawful at another time, were to be refrained from now. The nourishment of her child would partake of the qualities of her own, and this future deliverer of Israel must be in the strictest manner and through every period an example of separation and consecration to God. Unclean meats were forbidden to all Israelites at all times; but especially and pre-eminently so to the Nazarite, Lev. 11:1–47. (resource) Be careful (08104)(shamar) means to keep, watch, preserve, to guard, to be careful, to watch over, to watch carefully over, to be on one’s guard. Hedge about as with thorns - the word the Hebrews used for a shepherd’s keeping watch over a flock of sheep. Conveyed the idea of protection as in Ps 121:7-8+ (used 3 times!) In the great Aaronic blessing Nu 6:24+ The first use of shamar in Ge 2:15 is instructive as Adam was placed in the garden (a perfect environment) and was commanded to "keep" it which in the Septuagint is translated with phulasso (which is used to translate many of the OT uses of shamar) which means to guard like a military sentinel would at his post. Clearly Adam did not do a good job at "keeping" the garden safe from intruders! And because of this failure he was cast out of the garden and angels stationed to "guard (Lxx = phulasso) the way to the tree of life" so that he would not eat of it (Ge 3:24+). After Cain murdered Abel he answered God "Am I my brother’s keeper?” (Ge 4:9) Uses of shamar in Judges - Jdg. 1:24; Jdg. 2:22; Jdg. 7:19; Jdg. 13:4; Jdg. 13:13; Jdg. 13:14; Strong drink (07941)(shekar from shakar) refers to an intoxicating drink and is usually understood as some kind of beer. "Most likely not "liquor" for there is no evidence of distilled liquor in ancient times. It denotes not just barley beer but any alcoholic beverage prepared from either grain or fruit. (See online TWOT) Gilbrant - Derived from the verb shākhar, "to be drunk," shfikhār occurs twenty-three times in the OT and has a number of cognates in Semitic, most denoting "beer" or a broader category of "intoxicating drink." The noun also made its way as a loanword into Greek from the Semitic world. This noun has a broader usage than "beer," as it refers to fermented beverages produced by fruit as well. Jerome, writing in the fourth century a.d., stated that shfikhār could be made from grain, fruit or honey. Beer was a common beverage throughout the ancient Near East and was made from fermented barley. In twenty-one of its occurrences in the Hebrew Bible, the noun is paired with the noun yayin (HED #3302), "wine," and was generally used as a pairing to denote all intoxicating beverages. Thus, the noun seems to represent the totality of intoxicating beverages, exclusive of wine. This may be evidenced in the broad semantic range of this noun among cognates. When the noun appears, it is usually in contexts in which consumption of the beverages in question is a negative act. The contrary is true among other ancient Near East cultures, as drinking was considered an integral part of human and divine society. Myths are replete with stories of the gods getting drunk, including the Ugaritic myth which concluded with a colophon passing on a divine hangover remedy for humans. An Akkadian legend, the Epic of Gilgamesh, has a character created by the gods to be a peer to Gilgamesh, by the name of Enkidu. Enkidu was a wild man, living in animal societies, until he encountered a prostitute and beer. Then he was said to have become civilized. However, drunken imagery conveys negative circumstances throughout the Hebrew Bible. All those ritually purified for tasks before Yahweh were to be free of wine and other intoxicants. Ritual purification demanded that those coming into contact with the divine world must be in accord with that realm, in terms of physical soundness and freedom from contaminants. Wine and shfikhār were contaminants, as was evidenced by the prohibition against the priests having either when serving in the Tabernacle or Temple (Lev. 10:9). Eli castigated Hannah for approaching the Tabernacle in a condition which he assumed meant she was drunk (1 Sam. 1:15). Nazirites were forbidden to consume either wine or shfikhār while their vow was in effect (Num. 6:3; Judg. 13:4, 7, 14). Isaiah presented an image of defiled priests and prophets who were reeling with intoxicants, to the extent that the tables of the Temple were covered with vomit (Isa. 28:7f). Rulers were to avoid shfikhār, according to the teachings of Lemuel (Prov. 31:4). The role of the king in keeping societal order, in imitation of the order of the divine world, is found throughout ancient Near Eastern literature. The office of king was another sacral office, like the priesthood. The inability of drunken individuals to make good decisions was behind the complaint of the psalmist, who lamented that his life had become the sort of thing which drunks at the gate discuss (Ps. 69:12). Addiction, or at least the mental incapacitation which accompanies drinking, is alluded to in the aphorism, "Wine is a mocker, and strong drink is raging" (Prov. 20:1). The elite responsible for running the government and looking out for the welfare of the poor were castigated for their interest in wine and shfikhār, rather than being interested in their real function. Isaiah projected these people as rising early to pursue shfikhār and staying up late to drink wine (Isa. 5:11, 22). These same people were characterized metaphorically as shepherds who abandoned their sheep in order to get drunk (56:12). These leaders were not interested in guiding the people according to Yahweh's will, but rather preferred to silence prophetic warnings. Micah announced, "If a man walking in the spirit and falsehood do lie, saying, I will prophesy to you of wine and of strong drink; he will even be the prophet of this people" (Mic. 2:11). The incapacity of drunken people to defend themselves is underscored in the imagery of Isa. 29:9. Those resisting Yahweh would be staggering, unable to resist, but not from wine or strong drink. In that day, the frivolity of drunkenness would disappear as the earth was laid waste in judgment (24:9). Shfikhār was used legitimately in two ritual contexts. It is found in the course of presenting the daily offering in Num. 28:7. It was to accompany the lamb which was to be sacrificed. Likewise, during a time of celebration, it was to be poured out.(Complete Biblical Library) Stone on strong drink - While most consider the Hebrew term used here, shekar (08104), a reference to some form of strong wine, Boling (1975:219) claims that it refers to brewed alcoholic drinks, i.e., beer, which had a higher alcohol content than typical wine. Recent research confirms the prevalence of barley beer in Israel. Since the Hebrew term denotes both the drink and the state of drunkenness, it seems likely that this beer had higher alcohol content than most wines (Homan 2010). The Philistines seem to have been noteworthy drinkers, judging from the frequency of carafes with integral strainers in the Philistine pottery inventory. (See context Joshua, Judges, Ruth) Shekar - 20v- drink(2), drink of strong(1), drink or strong(1), drunkards*(1), liquor(1), strong(2), strong drink(18). Lev. 10:9; Num. 6:3; Num. 28:7; Deut. 14:26; Deut. 29:6; Jdg. 13:4; Jdg. 13:7; Jdg. 13:14; 1 Sam. 1:15; Ps. 69:12; Prov. 20:1; Prov. 31:4; Prov. 31:6; Isa. 5:11; Isa. 5:22; Isa. 24:9; Isa. 28:7; Isa. 29:9; Isa. 56:12; Mic. 2:11 Judges 13:5 "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." NET Look, you will conceive and have a son. You must never cut his hair, for the child will be dedicated to God from birth. He will begin to deliver Israel from the power of the Philistines." BBE For you are with child and will give birth to a son; his hair is never to be cut, for the child is to be separate to God from his birth; and he will take up the work of freeing Israel from the hands of the Philistines. CSB for indeed, you will conceive and give birth to a son. You must never cut his hair, because the boy will be a Nazirite to God from birth, and he will begin to save Israel from the power of the Philistines." NLT You will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and his hair must never be cut. For he will be dedicated to God as a Nazirite from birth. He will begin to rescue Israel from the Philistines." NRS for you shall conceive and bear a son. No razor is to come on his head, for the boy shall be a nazirite to God from birth. It is he who shall begin to deliver Israel from the hand of the Philistines." no razor Nu 6:2-5; 1Sa 1:11 begin: 1Sa 7:13 2Sa 8:1 1Chr 18:1 Judges 13 Resources Related Passages: Numbers 6:2-5+ “Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘When a man or woman makes a special vow, the vow of a Nazirite, to dedicate himself to the LORD, 3 he shall abstain from wine and strong drink; he shall drink no vinegar, whether made from wine or strong drink, nor shall he drink any grape juice nor eat fresh or dried grapes. 4 ‘All the days of his separation he shall not eat anything that is produced by the grape vine, from the seeds even to the skin. 5 ‘All the days of his vow of separation no razor shall pass over his head. He shall be holy until the days are fulfilled for which he separated himself to the LORD; he shall let the locks of hair on his head grow long. Hebrews 11:32+ (SAMSON'S LEGACY) And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets, A CHILD DEDICATED TO GOD FROM BIRTH Behold (hinneh) is used by the Angel to direct her mind to what He is about to say. You shall conceive and give birth to a son, and no razor shall come upon his head, for the boy shall be a Nazirite (nazir) to God from the womb - NLT = "For he will be dedicated to God as a Nazirite from birth." Literally "a Nazirite of God he will be." The Angel of the LORD gives more instructions now specifically directed to the raising of their son. Nazirite was a symbol of a life devoted to God and separated from all sin, a holy life. His uncut hair was the sign of the separation, and dedication to God. Other servants of God who were chosen before birth include Jeremiah (Jer 1:4,5) and Paul (Ga 1:15), although Ps 139:15,16 teaches that the Lord is involved in the conception of every child (Ps 127:3). Stone on no razor shall come upon his head - Hairstyle served as one important cultural feature distinguishing the Israelites from the Philistines. The clean-shaven and barbered Philistines contrasted with the Israelite practice, which discouraged excessive trimming of the hair and beard (Bloch-Smith 2003). The Nazirite's long hair thus intensified an already obvious contrast between the Israelites and Philistines, accentuating the identity boundary so vital to this story. (See context in Joshua, Judges, Ruth) A R Fausset on you shall conceive - Probably, at this time she was feeling sadly her childless state; God sends comfort just when His people feel their trouble most. So at the births of Isaac, Samuel, and John the Baptist (Ge. 16:1, Ge 18:10–14; 1Sa 1, 10, 11, 15, 16, 2:5, 20; Lk 1:7)]. ; but thou shalt conceive, and bear a son [so Luke 1:11–14, 26–37]. (commentary) George Bush on a Nazarite unto God from the womb—Oriental usage at the present day affords a striking parallel to what is here recorded. ‘All who are married in the East,’ says Mr. Roberts, ‘have an intense desire for children. It is considered disgraceful, and a mark of the displeasure of the gods, to have a childless house. Under these circumstances, husbands and wives perform expensive ceremonies; and vow that should the gods favor them with a son, ‘no razor shall come upon his head’, (i. e. except upon the ‘corners,’) until he shall be ten or twelve years of age. In all schools, boys may be seen with elf-locks of ten or twelve years’ standing, giving a testimony to the solicitude, superstition, and affection of the parents, and a memorial of the favor of the gods.(resource) THOUGHT- Samson was granted by God 20 years to overcome the enemy, but sadly in the end was himself overcome by the enemy! Do not be deceived (present imperative with a negative see our need to depend on the Holy Spirit to obey). God is not mocked. We will (ALL) reap what we sow! (Gal 6:7-10+) Samson did not discipline his body, and as a result he lost his efficacy as the instrument of the LORD to carry out His work, which reminds one of Paul's strong warning to the saints at Corinth Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run (present imperative see our need to depend on the Holy Spirit to obey) (Play Run Like Heaven and then RUN!) in such a way that you may win. 25 And everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in ALL things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. 26 Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; 27 but I buffet my body and make it my slave (cf Ro 8:13+, Col 3:5+), lest possibly, after I have preached to others, I myself should be disqualified (adokimos). (1Co 9:24-27+). Therefore let him who thinks he stands (WATCH OUT FOR PRIDE! INSTEAD...DON'T LET YOUR GUARD DOWN...) take heed (blepo - present imperative see our need to depend on the Holy Spirit to obey - every second of every day we must by the Spirit continually keep our eyes wide open - continually guarding also what they look at!!! cf Pr 4:23+) that he does not fall. (1Cor 10:12+) ESV Study Bible has an excellent summary of the Nazirite vow - Any man or woman could take a vow to become a Nazirite, to separate himself or herself to God (see Numbers 6). It was to be voluntary (Nu 6:2), for a limited time (Num. 6:5, 8, 13, 20), and involved three provisions: (1) abstinence from wine, strong drink, or anything associated with the vine (Num. 6:3-4); (2) no cutting of the hair (Num. 6:5); and (3) no contact with the dead (Num. 6:6-8). If a person became unclean, there were elaborate cleansing rituals (Num. 6:9-21). Three things are unusual concerning Samson and this vow. First, he did not take it voluntarily; it was his lot from the womb (Jdg. 13:5, 7). Second, it was not limited in time; it was to last to the day of his death (Jdg 13:5, 7; cf. 1Sa 1:11; Luke 1:15 for similar situations). Third, he broke every one of its stipulations: his head was sheared (Jdg. 16:17, 19); he associated with the dead (Jdg 14:6-9; 15:15); and he undoubtedly drank at his wedding feast (Jdg 14:10-20; see note on 14:10). (See the context in ESV Study Bible or borrow the ESV Study Bible) Life Application note - Although Samson often used poor judgment and sinned terribly, he accomplished much when he determined to be set apart for God. In this way he was like the nation Israel. As long as the Israelites remained set apart for God, the nation thrived. But they fell into terrible sin when they ignored God. (See Study Bible-NLT) THOUGHT - Have you determined (made a choice of your will) to live a "set apart" life (to surrender - cf Ro 12:1+), set apart from the world, the flesh and the devil and unto the Most High God (El Elyon)? If you have, rest assured He will use you in His kingdom work and then will even graciously reward you in eternity (Rev 22:12+, Col 3:23-24+, cf Mt 6:19-21+) for your work in time. And remember your work for Him is not in your power but His, as you abide in the Vine, Christ Jesus, (Jn 15:5) and are filled with, initiated by and empowered by His Spirit (Eph 5:18+, Php 2:12+, Php 2:13+). And he shall begin to deliver Israel from the hands of the Philistines - Note the specific description that he shall begin to deliver Israel, not that he shall deliver Israel. Samson is often seen as a failure (and with good reason), but in the perfect plan of God there is a sense in which he accomplished what he was destined to do in that he did BEGIN to bring deliverance from the Philistines. The text never says he would deliver Israel. The completion of the deliverance was continued in the time of Samuel (1Sa 7:10-14) and ultimately brought to completion under David (2Sa 5:17-25; 8:1). Keil and Delitzsch - When the angel added still further, “And he (the Nazarite) will begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines,” he no doubt intended to show that his power to effect this deliverance would be closely connected with his condition as a Nazarite. The promised son was to be a Nazarite all his life long, because he was to begin to deliver Israel out of the power of his foes. And in order that he might be so, his mother was to share in the renunciations of the Nazarite vow during the time of her pregnancy. Whilst the appearance of the Angel of the Lord contained the practical pledge that the Lord still acknowledged His people, though He had given them into the hands of their enemies; the message of the Angel contained this lesson and warning for Israel, that it could only obtain deliverance from its foes by seeking after a life of consecration to the Lord, such as the Nazarites pursued, so as to realize the idea of the priestly character to which Israel had been called as the people of Jehovah, by abstinence from the deliciae carnis, and everything that was unclean, as being emanations of sin, and also by a complete self-surrender to the Lord (Commentary) George Bush - begin to deliver Israel. This intimated that Israel’s oppression should endure long; for deliverance from it was not so much as to begin, not even the first step to be taken, till this child, now unborn, should grow up to years of maturity and become capable of undertaking it. And even then he was not to complete the deliverance; he was only to begin it; for the yoke of the Philistines was not fully shaken off the neck of Israel till the time of David. Thus ‘God carries on his work gradually, and by several hands. One lays the foundation of a good work, another builds, and perhaps a third brings forth the top-stone.’ (Matthew Henry). Christ on the other hand, the great counterpart of Samson, both begins and perfects his people’s salvation; He is at once the Author and Finisher of faith. (resource) A R Fausset suggests that in calling for the Nazirite vow and associating it with deliverance, God was "teaching Israel that deliverance could come only in connection with Nazarite-like consecration of the priestly nation to Jehovah (Ex 19:5, 6). (commentary) F Duane Lindsey has an interesting note on the deliverance by Samson - Unless the repentance mentioned in Jdg 10:10-16 includes the western Israelites who were being oppressed by the Philistines (cf. Jdg 10:7)—which is unlikely in view of their apparent acceptance of the Philistine domination (cf. 15:11)—there is no mention of Israel's cry to God before He raised up Samson as a deliverer (contrast Jdg 3:9, 15; 4:3; 6:7; 10:10). Since Samson judged Israel 20 years (Jdg 15:20; 16:31), beginning apparently at about age 20, his entire life span must have approximated the 40-year Philistine oppression which began before his birth (cf. Jdg 13:5). He was thus a contemporary of Samuel who with God's help subdued the Philistines after Samson's death (cf. 1Sa 7:10-14). (See context in The Bible Knowledge Commentary) THOUGHT: THE NT BELIEVER HAS A CALL ON THEIR LIFE THAT FAR SUPERSEDES THE NAZIRITE VOW...IT IS NOT VOLUNTARY BUT MANDATORY AND YET GOD WILL NOT FORCE US TO OBEY BUT ALSO WILL NOT WITHHOLD THE CONSEQUENCES OF DISOBEDIENCE (AND DISCIPLINE).... 1 Peter 1:15+ but like the Holy One who called you, be holy (aorist imperative see our need to depend on the Holy Spirit to obey) yourselves also in all your behavior; DOWN, DOWN, DOWN... - Warren Wiersbe outlines the steps that Samson took that led to his dismal, disappointing decline and demise...ALL God's children (THIS WRITER INCLUDED) would do well to ponder Samson's pathetic pattern (1Cor 10:6,11+) and the principle that sin may be momentarily pleasurable (Heb 11:25+) BUT is ALWAYS deceptive (Heb 3:13+, Ro 7:11+, Eph 4:22+, Jas 1:14+, Jas 1:22+, cf Jer 17:9-10, Pr 28:26) and always bring death (Ro 6:23+, James 1:15+) He Despised His Heritage (Jdg 13:1-25) He Defied His Parents (Jdg 14:1-4) He Defiled His Body (Jdg 14:5-20) He Disregarded God's Warning (Jdg 15:1-20) He Deliberately Played with Sin (Jdg 16:1-31) (See context in Wiersbe's Expository Outlines on the Old Testament continued here or borrow a copy of Wiersbe's expository outlines on the Old Testament) Nazirite (05139) nazir from nazar = dedication to & separation from -- nezer = consecration, crown) - to dedicate) means one consecrated, separated, devoted and in this current context the object of consecration, separation and devotion is unto God. First used of Joseph = "one distinguished among his brothers" (Ge 49:26). In Lev 25:5,11 "untrimmed vines" the idea being that during the sabbatical year they were left to grow of themselves. Those who took a special vow of abstention as an act of devotion to God. Stone adds that "A revealing window, however, for understanding the term "nazirite" (nazir), is its agricultural usage in Lev 25:5, 11, where it refers to unhindered, free-growing crops sprouting during sabbatical years. The idea of unrestrained, unhindered growth appears in the ban on cutting the hair of Nazirites. While natural baldness constituted no uncleanness (Lev 13:40-41), the OT forbids the shaving of the head, normally an expression of extreme grief (Isa 3:24; Ezek 7:18; Amos 8:10), except in cases of cleansing from leprosy (Lev 14:8-9) and the termination of the Nazirite vow, either successfully or due to defilement (Num 6:5, 9, 18). Priests, as special servants of God, were not permitted to shave their heads (Lev 21:5), suggesting that uncut hair in some way symbolized unhindered service to Yahweh. Thus, the Nazirites left their hair uncut to identify themselves as persons undergoing a time of extreme, extraordinary devotion to Yahweh. (See context in Joshua, Judges, Ruth) Naziyr 16x - consecrated ones (1), Nazirite(9), Nazirites(2), one distinguished(2), untrimmed vines(2).Gen. 49:26; Lev. 25:5; Lev. 25:11; Num. 6:2; Num. 6:13; Num. 6:18; Num. 6:19; Num. 6:20; Num. 6:21; Deut. 33:16; Jdg. 13:5; Jdg. 13:7; Jdg. 16:17; Lam. 4:7; Amos 2:11; Amos 2:12 For the OT institution and regulations of a Nazarite, read Numbers 6:1-21. Numbers 6:7 reads "because his separation (nezer) to God is on his head." The root word nezer is also used to describe a royal crown (2Sa 1:10; Zec 9:16; Ps 89:39) which is interesting for in this story we see that Samson’s long hair was his “royal crown” and he lost it because of his sin. This story reminds one of Jesus' warning to the church in Philadelphia (Re 3:7-10) - “'I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, in order that no one take your crown.” (Rev 3:11+). QUESTION - What is the Nazirite/Nazarite vow? ANSWER - The Nazirite/Nazarite vow is taken by individuals who have voluntarily dedicated themselves to God. The vow is a decision, action, and desire on the part of people whose desire is to yield themselves to God completely. By definition, the Hebrew word nazir, simply means “to be separated or consecrated.” The Nazirite vow, which appears in Numbers 6:1-21, has five features. It is voluntary, can be done by either men or women, has a specific time frame, has specific requirements and restrictions, and at its conclusion a sacrifice is offered. First, the individual enters into this vow voluntarily (ED: SAMSON WAS AN EXCEPTION) The Bible says, "Speak to the Israelites and say to them: 'If a man or woman wants to make a special vow, a vow of separation to the LORD as a Nazirite’” (Numbers 6:2). This shows that it is individuals who take the initiative to consecrate themselves to the Lord. There is no divine command involved. While generally done by the individual by his own choice, two individuals in the Old Testament, and one in the New Testament, were presented to God by their parents. Samuel and Samson in the Old Testament (1 Samuel 2:8-28; Judges 13:1-5), and John the Baptist in the New Testament received the Nazirite vow from birth (Luke 1:13-17). Second, both men and women could participate in this vow, as Numbers 6:2 indicates, “a man or woman.” The Nazirite vow was often taken by men and women alike purely for personal reasons, such as thanksgiving for recovery from illness or for the birth of a child. However, under the Mosaic law, the vow or oath of a single woman could be rescinded by her father, and that of a married woman by her husband (Numbers 30). Third, the vow had a specific time frame, a beginning and an end as these two statements indicate: “Throughout the period of his separation he is consecrated to the LORD... Now this is the law for the Nazirite when the period of his separation is over” (Numbers 6:8, 13a). So, the Nazirite vow usually had both a beginning and an end. Fourth, there were specific guidelines and restrictions involved with the Nazirite vow. Three guidelines are given to the Nazirite. Numbers 6:3-7 tells us that he/she was to abstain from wine or any fermented drink, nor was the Nazirite to drink grape juice or eat grapes or raisins, not even the seeds or skins. Next, the Nazirite was not to cut his hair for the length of the vow. Last, he was not to go near a dead body, because that would make him ceremonially unclean. Even if a member of his immediate family died, he was not to go near the corpse. Numbers 6:13-20 shows the procedure to follow to complete the vow. A sacrifice was made (vv.13-17), the candidate’s hair was cut and put on the altar, and the priest did the final task of completing the sacrificial process, which ended the vow (v. 20). This section concludes with the statement, “This is the law of the Nazirite who vows his offering to the LORD in accordance with his separation, in addition to whatever else he can afford. He must fulfill the vow he has made, according to the law of the Nazirite”(6:21). Although the Nazirite vow is an Old Testament concept, there is a New Testament parallel to the Nazirite vow. In Romans 12:1-2 Paul states, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” For Christians, the ancient Nazirite vow symbolizes the need to be separate from this world, a holy people consecrated to God (2Ti 1:9; 1Pe 1:15).GotQuestions.org Nazarite…ISBE - - naz'-i-rit (nazir, connected with nadhar, "to vow"; nazeir, nazeiraios, as also various words indicating "holiness" or "devotion"; the King James Version, Nazarite): The root-meaning of the word in Hebrew as well as the various Greek translations indicates the Nazirite as "a consecrated one" or "a devotee." In the circumstances of an ordinary vow, men consecrated some material possession, but the Nazirite consecrated himself or herself, and took a vow of separation and self-imposed discipline for the purpose of some special service, and the fact of the vow was indicated by special signs of abstinence. The chief Old Testament passages are Jdg 13:5, 6, 7; 16:17; Nu 6; Am 2:11,12; compare Sirach 46:13 (Hebrew); 1 Macc 3:49-52. 1. Antiquity and Origin: The question has been raised as to whether the Nazirite vow was of native or foreign origin in Israel.The idea of special separation, however, seems in all ages to have appealed to men of a particular temperament, and we find something of the kind in many countries and always linked with special abstinence of some kind; and from all that is said in the Pentateuch we should infer that the custom was already ancient in Israel and that Mosaism regulated it, bringing it into line with the general system of religious observance and under the cognizance of the Aaronic priests. The critics assign the section dealing with this matter (Nu 6:1-21) to the Priestly Code (P), and give it a late date, but there cannot be the least doubt that the institution itself was early. It seems not unlikely that on the settlement in Canaan, when the Israelites, having failed to overcome the native population, began to mix freely with them, the local worship, full of tempting Dionysiac elements, brought forth this religious protest in favor of Israel's ancient and simpler way of living, and as a protection against luxury in settling nomads. It is worthy of note that among the Semites vine-growing and wine-drinking have ever been considered foreign to their traditional nomadic mode of life. It was in this same protest that the Rechabites, who were at least akin to the Nazirites, went still farther in refusing even in Canaan to abandon the nomadic state. 2. Conditions of the Vow: The Pentateuch, then, makes provision for the Nazirite vow being taken by either men or women, though the Old Testament does not record a single instance of a female Nazirite. Further, it provides only for the taking of the vow for a limited time, that is, for the case of the "Nazirite of days." No period of duration is mentioned in the Old Testament, but the Mishna, in dealing with the subject, prescribes a period of 30 days, while a double period of 60 or even a triple one of 100 days might be entered on. The conditions of Naziritism entailed: (1) the strictest abstinence from wine and from every product of the vine; (2) the keeping of the hair uncut and the beard untouched by a razor; (3) the prohibition to touch a dead body; and (4) prohibition of unclean food (Jdg 13:5-7; Nu 6). 3. Initiation: The ceremonial of initiation is not recorded, the Pentateuch treating it as well known. The Talmud tells us that it was only necessary for one to express the wish that he might be a Nazirite. A formal vow was, however, taken; and from the form of renewal of the vow, when by any means it was accidentally broken, we may judge that the head was also shorn on initiation and the hair allowed to grow during the whole period of the vow. 4. Restoration: The accidental violation of the vow just mentioned entailed upon the devotee the beginning of the whole matter anew and the serving of the whole period. This was entered on by the ceremonial of restoration, in the undergoing of which the Nazirite shaved his head, presented two turtle-doves or two young pigeons for sin and burnt offerings, and re-consecrated himself before the priest, further presenting a lamb for a trespass offering (Nu 6:9-12). 5. Completion and Release: When the period of separation was complete, the ceremonial of release had to be gone through. It consisted of the presentation of burnt, sin and peace offerings with their accompaniments as detailed in Nu 6:13-21, the shaving of the head and the burning of the hair of the head of separation, after which the Nazirite returned to ordinary life. 6. Semi-sacerdotal Character: The consecration of the Nazirite in some ways resembled that of the priests, and similar words are used of both in Lev 21:12 and Nu 6:17, the priest's vow being even designated nezer. It opened up the way for any Israelite to do special service on something like semi-sacerdotal lines. The priest, like the Nazirite, dared not come into contact with the dead (Lev 21:1), dared not touch wine during the period of service (Lev 10:9), and, further, long hair was an ancient priestly custom (Ezek 44:20). 7. Nazirites for Life: The only "Nazirites for life" that we know by name are Samson, Samuel and John the Baptist, but to these Jewish tradition adds Absalom in virtue of his long hair. We know of no one voluntarily taking the vow for life, all the cases recorded being those of parents dedicating their children. In rabbinical times, the father but not the mother might vow for the child, and an interesting case of this kind is mentioned in the dedication of Rabbi Chanena by his father in the presence of Rabban Gamaliel (Nazir, 29b). 8. Samson's Case: Samson is distinctly named a Nazirite in Jdg 13:7 and 16:17, but it has been objected that his case does not conform to the regulations in the Pentateuch. It is said that he must have partaken of wine when he made a feast for his friends, but that does not follow and would not be so understood, say, in a Moslem country today. It is further urged that in connection with his fighting he must have come into contact with many dead men, and that he took honey from the carcass of the lion. To us these objections seem hypercritical. Fighting was specially implied in his vow (Jdg 13:5), and the remains of the lion would be buy a dry skeleton and not even so defiling as the ass's jawbone, to which the critics do not object. 9. Samuel's Case: Samuel is nowhere in the Old Testament called a Nazirite, the name being first applied to him in Sirach 46:13 (Hebrew), but the restrictions of his dedication seem to imply that he was. Wellhausen denies that it is implied in 1 Sam 1:11 that he was either a Nathin ("a gift, (one) `given' unto Yahweh"; compare Nu 3:9; 18:6) or a Nazirite. In the Hebrew text the mother's vow mentions only the uncut hair, and first in Septuagint is there added that he should not drink wine or strong drink, but this is one of the cases where we should not regard silence as final evidence. Rather it is to be regarded that the visible sign only is mentioned, the whole contents of the vow being implied. 10. Token of Divine Favor: It is very likely that Nazirites became numerous in Israel in periods of great religious or political excitement, and in Jdg 5:2 we may paraphrase, `For the long-haired champions in Israel.' That they should be raised up was considered a special token of God's favor to Israel, and the tempting of them to break their vow by drinking wine was considered an aggravated sin (Am 2:11,12). At the time of the captivity they were looked upon as a vanished glory in Israel (Lam 4:7 margin), but they reappeared in later history. 11. Did Not Form Communities: So far as we can discover, there is no indication that they formed guilds or settled communities like the "Sons of the Prophets." In some sense the Essenes may have continued the tradition, and James, the Lord's brother (Euseb., HE, II, xxiii, 3, following Hegesippus), and also Banns, tutor of Josephus (Vita, 2), who is probably the same as the Buni mentioned as a disciple of Jesus in Sanhedrin 43a, were devotees of a kind resembling Nazirites. Berenice's vow was also manifestly that of the Nazirite (Josephus, B J, II, xv, 1). 12. Among Early Christians: The case of John the Baptist is quite certain, and it was probably the means of introducing the custom among the early Christians. It was clearly a Nazirite's vow which Paul took, "having shorn his head in Cenchrea" (Acts 18:18), and which he completed at Jerusalem with other Christians similarly placed (Acts 21:23). As the expenses of release were heavy for poor men, such were at times aided in this matter by their richer brethren. Thus, Agrippa, on his return from Rome, assisted many Nazirites (Josephus, Ant., XIX, vi, 1), and Paul was also at charges with others (Acts 21:23). We come across something of the same kind in many countries, and we find special abstinence always emphasized. Thus we meet with a class of "votaries" as early as the days of Hammurabi, and his code devotes quite a number of sections to them. Among other restrictions they were prohibited from even entering a wine shop (Sect, 110). 13. Parallels among Other Peoples: Then we are familiar with the hierodouloi of the Greeks, and the Vestal Virgins of the Romans. The word nezir also appears in Syriac and was applied to the maidens devoted to the service of Belthis. In the East, too, there have always been individuals and societies of ascetics who were practically Nazirites, and the modern dervish in nearly every way resembles him, while it is worthy of record in this connection that the Moslem (an abstainer by creed) while under the vow of pilgrimage neither cuts his hair nor pares his nails till the completion of his vow in Mecca. W. M. Christie Judges 13:6 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. A man of God Dt 33:1; Jos 14:6; 1Sa 2:27; 9:6; 1Ki 17:18,24; 2Ki 4:9,16; 1Ti 6:11 His appearance - Mt 28:3; Lk 9:29; Acts 6:15 Awesome - Jdg 13:22; Ge 28:16,17; Ex 3:2,6; Da 8:17; 10:5,11; Mt 28:4; Re 1:17 His name - Jdg 13:17,18; Ge 32:29; Lk 1:19 Judges 13 Resources Related Passages: Deuteronomy 33:1 Now this is the blessing with which Moses the man of God blessed the sons of Israel before his death. Joshua 14:6 Then the sons of Judah drew near to Joshua in Gilgal, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, “You know the word which the LORD spoke to Moses the man of God concerning you and me in Kadesh-barnea. 1 Samuel 2:27 Then a man of God came to Eli and said to him, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Did I not indeed reveal Myself to the house of your father when they were in Egypt in bondage to Pharaoh’s house? 1 Samuel 9:6-10 He said to him, “Behold now, there is a man of God in this city, and the man is held in honor; all that he says surely comes true. Now let us go there, perhaps he can tell us about our journey on which we have set out.” 7 Then Saul said to his servant, “But behold, if we go, what shall we bring the man? For the bread is gone from our sack and there is no present to bring to the man of God. What do we have?” 8 The servant answered Saul again and said, “Behold, I have in my hand a fourth of a shekel of silver; I will give it to the man of God and he will tell us our way.” 9 (Formerly in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, he used to say, “Come, and let us go to the seer”; for he who is called a prophet now was formerly called a seer.) 10 Then Saul said to his servant, “Well said; come, let us go.” So they went to the city where the man of God was. A MAN OF GOD LIKE GOD 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 - Man of God was first used of Moses (see passages above). NET translates it "He looked like God's angelic messenger– he was very awesome." Her reference to the Angel as a man of God indicates she is not yet cognizant that this is a divine Messenger, the One Who would one day because the God-Man and effect complete deliverance from all Israel's (and every believer's) enemies. She clearly noted He was not your typical man but was like the Angel of God, The Angel of the LORD notices her affliction. God often sends comfort to his people very seasonably, when they feel their troubles most. This deliverer of Israel must be consecrated to God. Manoah's wife was clearly convinced that the messenger was of God. Awesome is the Hebrew verb yare (03372) which means to fear, to respect or to reverence. In the present context yare conveys the sense of to be awesome or to be feared. Yare is often descriptive of deity. We see such a use of yare in… Psalm 47:2 For the LORD Most High is to be feared (yare), A great King over all the earth. Spurgeon Commenting on this Psalm writes: For the LORD, or JEHOVAH, the self existent and only God; Most high, most great in power, lofty in dominion, eminent in wisdom, elevated in glory. Is terrible (yare), none can resist His power or stand before His vengeance; yet as these terrors are wielded on the behalf of His subjects, they are fit reasons for rejoicing. Omnipotence, which is terrible to crush, is almighty to protect. At a grand review of the troops of a great prince, all his loyal subjects are filled with triumph, because their liege lord is so able to defend his own, and so much dreaded by his foes. He is a great King over all the earth. Not over Judea only, but even to the utmost isles His reign extends. Our God is no local deity, no petty ruler of a tribe; in infinite majesty He rules the mightiest realm as absolute arbiter of destiny, sole monarch of all lands, King of kings, and Lord of lords. Not a hamlet or an islet is excluded from His dominion. How glorious will that era be when this is seen and known of all; when in the person of Jesus all flesh shall behold the glory of the Lord! George Bush A man of God. So called because he appeared in human form, leading her to suppose him merely a prophet sent from God. So afterwards v. 8, 10, 11. She seems, however, to have had a strong suspicion that he was something more than human. Very terrible. Rather, perhaps, venerable, awful, full of majesty; such as at once to inspire the deepest respect and reverence; so that according to every idea she could form on the subject, his countenance very much resembled that of an angel. (recommended resource) A R Fausset - Then the woman came and told her husband, saying, A man of God [Heb., “the man of God,” viz., the one just mentioned: answering to “the angel of Jehovah.” She regarded Him as a prophet, like Moses (Deut. 33:1; compare 1 Sam. 2:27, 9:6; 1 Kings 12:22, 13:1; 1 Tim. 6:11; 2 Tim. 3:17)] came unto me, and his countenance [Heb., ‘appearance,’ as in Dan. 10:18] (was) like the countenance of an [Heb., the] angel of God [the angel of Jehovah (ver. 3), in whom the invisible God manifests Himself (2:1, 6:11; Hag. 1:13; Mal. 2:7, 3:11; John 1:18)], very terrible: but I asked him not whence he (was), neither told he me his name. (commentary) Man of God - 73 verses - Deut. 33:1; Jos. 14:6; Jdg. 13:6; Jdg. 13:8; 1 Sam. 2:27; 1 Sam. 9:6; 1 Sam. 9:7; 1 Sam. 9:8; 1 Sam. 9:10; 1 Ki. 12:22; 1 Ki. 13:1; 1 Ki. 13:4; 1 Ki. 13:5; 1 Ki. 13:6; 1 Ki. 13:7; 1 Ki. 13:8; 1 Ki. 13:11; 1 Ki. 13:12; 1 Ki. 13:14; 1 Ki. 13:21; 1 Ki. 13:26; 1 Ki. 13:29; 1 Ki. 13:31; 1 Ki. 17:18; 1 Ki. 17:24; 1 Ki. 20:28; 2 Ki. 1:9; 2 Ki. 1:10; 2 Ki. 1:11; 2 Ki. 1:12; 2 Ki. 1:13; 2 Ki. 4:7; 2 Ki. 4:9; 2 Ki. 4:16; 2 Ki. 4:21; 2 Ki. 4:22; 2 Ki. 4:25; 2 Ki. 4:27; 2 Ki. 4:40; 2 Ki. 4:42; 2 Ki. 5:8; 2 Ki. 5:14; 2 Ki. 5:15; 2 Ki. 5:20; 2 Ki. 6:6; 2 Ki. 6:9; 2 Ki. 6:10; 2 Ki. 6:15; 2 Ki. 7:2; 2 Ki. 7:17; 2 Ki. 7:18; 2 Ki. 7:19; 2 Ki. 8:2; 2 Ki. 8:4; 2 Ki. 8:7; 2 Ki. 8:8; 2 Ki. 8:11; 2 Ki. 13:19; 2 Ki. 23:16; 2 Ki. 23:17; 1 Chr. 23:14; 2 Chr. 8:14; 2 Chr. 11:2; 2 Chr. 25:7; 2 Chr. 25:9; 2 Chr. 30:16; Ezr. 3:2; Neh. 12:24; Neh. 12:36; Ps. 90:1; Jer. 35:4; 1 Tim. 6:11; 2 Tim. 3:17 Keil and Delitzsch - Man of God was the expression used to denote a prophet, or a man who stood in immediate intercourse with God, such as Moses and others (Dt. 33:1). “Angel of God” is equivalent to “angel of the Lord” (Jdg. 2:1; 6:11), the Angel in Whom the invisible God reveals Himself to men. The woman therefore imagined the Person Who appeared to her to have been a prophet (ED: IN A SENSE SHE WOULD NOT BE WRONG - SEE Dt 18:15), Whose majestic appearance, however, had produced the impression that he was a superior being; consequently she had not ventured to ask him either his name or where he came from. (Commentary) Awesome (03372) yare is a verb meaning to fear, to be afraid (Ge 3:10+), to respect, to reverence, to be terrified, to be awesome, to be feared, to make afraid, to frighten. The most common translations are to be afraid, to fear, to fear God. On one had yare conveys the sense of threat to one's life, but on the other it can express the idea of reverence and deep respect (as in Ps 25:14). In the OT fear of the Lord involves a person's total response to the Lord. It is notable that more than 75% of the over 370 uses (see below) of yare are in the context of reverencing the Lord. In English our word reverence (from Latin reverentia "awe, respect," from revereri "to stand in awe of, respect, honor, fear, be afraid of; revere,") refers to a feeling of profound respect for someone or something, and with yare in the OT as noted this is most often to God. Judges 13:7 "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.'" Judges 13 Resources MANOAH'S WIFE REPEATS THE ANGELS PROMISES & PRECEPTS Precept is a general rule prescribing a particular course of action and intended to regulate behavior or thought But he said to me, 'Behold (hinneh), 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 She gave her husband the account, both of the promise and of the precept. Husbands and wives should tell each other their experiences of communion with God, and their improvements in acquaintance with Him, that they may help each other in the way that is holy. Shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb to the day of his death - Samson was to be a Nazirite from the womb to the tomb! The only “Nazirites for life”,, that we know by name are Samson, Samuel and John the Baptist, but to these Jewish tradition adds Absalom in virtue of his long hair. No one voluntarily took the vow for life, all the cases recorded being those of parents dedicating their children to the Lord. In fact, the prophet Samuel is not actually called a Nazirite, but the restrictions of his dedication seem to imply that he was (1Sa 1:11, 28). John the Baptist's refusal to drink wine (Mt 11:18,19) is the indication that he was a quite likely a Nazirite and his manner of living also supports this presumption (Lk 1:15). Judges 13:8 Then Manoah entreated the LORD and said, "O Lord, please let the man of God whom Thou hast sent come to us again that he may teach us what to do for the boy who is to be born." GWT Then Manoah pleaded with the LORD, "Please, Lord, let the man of God you sent come back to us. Let him teach us what we must do for the boy who will be born. NIV "Then Manoah prayed to the LORD: "O Lord, I beg you, let the man of God you sent to us come again to teach us how to bring up the boy who is to be born." Teach us Job 34:32; Pr 3:5,6; Acts 9:6 Judges 13 Resources Then Manoah entreated the LORD and said, "O Lord ('adonay; Lxx - kurios - master), please let the man of God whom Thou hast sent come to us again that he may teach us what to do for the boy who is to be born - Man of God indicates they still do not realize the divine nature of their Visitor. THOUGHT - Manoah's entreaty is a good template for all parents. If you are a parent, you might stop for a moment and entreat the Lord God in behalf of your son or daughter. The subsequent course of events in Samson's life, sadly show that godly parents don't necessarily always raise obedient godly children. Samson's parents appear to be clearly seeking the Lord's wisdom on how to bring up Samson and yet we see Samson make choices clearly not in keeping with God's will. Some take Pr 22:6 as a "promise" and then fall under condemnation (from self and by others who "judge" them as bad parents) when the children go awry. Instead this proverb is just that, a wise saying that is generally true but which in itself is not an out and out promise to be claimed. It is worth noting that one cannot help but be impressed with the devotion of this husband and wife to each other and to the Lord. The time of the Judges was one of apostasy and anarchy, but yet there was a godly, believing remnant in Israel who were dedicated to Yahweh and possessed confidence in prayer that God was able to answer. Jamieson remarks Manoah entreated the LORD that "This is a remarkable instance, indicative of the connection which God has established between prayer and the fulfilment of His promises (for in the next verse God listened to the voice of Manoah; and the Angel of God came again)." George Bush on Let the man of God—come again unto us, and teach us, &c. his request appears to have been prompted by a strong faith and a high esteem of the promised blessing, and a sincere desire to receive farther intimations of duty....When I see the strength of Manoah’s faith, I marvel not that he had a Samson to his son; he saw not the messenger, he heard not the errand, he examined not the circumstances; yet now he takes thought, not whether he should have a son, but how he shall order the son which he must have. Zacharias had the same message, and craving a sign lost the voice wherewith he craved it: Manoah seeks no sign for the promise, but counsel for himself. Happy are they that have not seen, yet believed: true faith takes all for granted, yea, for performed, that is promised.’ Bp. Hall. The petition of Manoah reminds us also that the care of children is a great concern, and that those who have the parental relation in prospect can make no more suitable prayer at the throne of grace than that of the pious Danite on this occasion. Who upon the eve of becoming parents have not need to say, as said Manoah, ‘Teach us what we shall do to the child that shall be born.’ (resource) A R Fausset - Then Manoah entreated the LORD [JEHOVAH], and said, O my Lord [Master: ADONAI, not JEHOVAH], let the man of God which thou didst send [Manoah did not know that He was the angel of JEHOVAH] come again unto us, and teach us what we shall do unto [how we shall treat] the child which shall be born. (commentary) Keil and Delitzsch Commentary… Jdg. 13:8–20. Being firmly convinced of the truth of this announcement, and at the same time reflecting upon the obligation which it imposed upon the parents, Manoah prayed to the Lord that He would let the man of God whom He had sent come to them again, to teach them what they were to do to the boy that should be born, i.e., how they should treat him. הַיּוּלָד, according to the Keri הַיֻּלָּד, is a participle Pual with the ם dropped (see Ewald, § 169, b.). This prayer was heard. The angel of God appeared once more to the woman when she was sitting alone in the field without her husband. Judg. 13:10, 11. Then she hastened to fetch her husband, who first of all inquired of the person who had appeared, “Art thou the man who said to the woman” (sc., what has been related in vv. 3–5)? And when this was answered in the affirmative, he said still further (v. 12), “Should thy word then come to pass, what will be the manner of the boy, and his doing?” The plural דְּבָרֶיךְ is construed ad sensum with the singular verb, because the words form one promise, so that the expression is not to be taken distributively, as Rosenmüller supposes. This also applies to v. 17, Mishpat, the right belonging to a boy, i.e., the proper treatment of him.(Judges 13 - Keil & Delitzsch Commentary) Torrey's Topic Parents Receive their children from God -Genesis 33:5; 1 Samuel 1:27; Psalms 127:3 THEIR DUTY TO THEIR CHILDREN IS To love them -Titus 2:4 To bring them to Christ -Matthew 19:13,14 To train them up for God -Proverbs 22:6; Ephesians 6:4 To instruct them in God’s word -Deuteronomy 4:9; 11:19; Isaiah 38:19 To tell them of God’s judgments -Joel 1:3 To tell them of the miraculous works of God -Exodus 10:2; Psalms 78:4 To command them to obey God -Deuteronomy 32:46; 1 Chronicles 28:9 To bless them -Genesis 48:15; Hebrews 11:20 To pity them -Psalms 103:13 To provide for them -Job 42:15; 2 Corinthians 12:14; 1 Timothy 5:8 To rule them -1 Timothy 3:4,12 To correct them -Proverbs 13:24; 19:18; 23:13; 29:17; Hebrews 12:7 Not to provoke them -Ephesians 6:4; Colossians 3:21 Not to make unholy connections for them -Genesis 24:1, 2, 3, 4; 28:1,2 Wicked children, a cause of grief to -Proverbs 10:1; 17:25 SHOULD PRAY FOR THEIR CHILDREN For their spiritual welfare -Genesis 17:18; 1 Chronicles 29:19 When in temptation -Job 1:5 When in sickness -2 Samuel 12:16; Mark 5:23; John 4:46,49 When Faithful Are blessed by their children -Proverbs 31:28 Leave a blessing to their children -Psalms 112:2; Proverbs 11:21; Isaiah 65:23 Sins of, visited on their children -Exodus 20:5; Isaiah 14:20; Lamentations 5:7 Negligence of, sorely punished -1 Samuel 3:13 WHEN WICKED Instruct their children in evil -Jeremiah 9:14; 1 Peter 1:18 Set a bad example to their children -Ezekiel 20:18; Amos 2:4 Good - Exemplified Abraham -Genesis 18:19 Jacob -Genesis 44:20,30 Joseph -Genesis 48:13-20 Mother of Moses -Exodus 2:2,3 Manoah -Judges 13:8 Hannah -1 Samuel 1:28 David -2 Samuel 18:5,33 Shunammite -2 Kings 4:19,20 Job -Job 1:5 Mother of Lemuel -Proverbs 31:1 Nobleman -John 4:49 Lois and Eunice -2 Timothy 1:5 Bad - Exemplified Mother of Micah -Judges 17:3 Eli -1 Samuel 3:13 Saul -1 Samuel 20:33 Athaliah -2 Chronicles 22:3 Manasseh -2 Chronicles 33:6 Herodias -Mark 6:24 Judges 13:9 And God listened to the voice of Manoah; and the Angel of God came again to the woman as she was sitting in the field, but Manoah her husband was not with her. Listened (hearkened) - Ps 65:2; Mt 7:7-11 Judges 13 Resources Related Passage: Psalm 65:2 O You who hear prayer, To You all men come. MANOAH'S PRAYER HEARD BY GOD And God listened to the voice of Manoah; and the Angel of God came again to the woman as she was sitting in the field, but Manoah her husband was not with her - Bush calls our attention to the fact that the text "does not say, ‘And God hearkened to the voice of Manoah, and sent His angel,’ but ‘God hearkened to the voice of Manoah, and the angel of God came again,’ implying that it was the God who hearkened to the voice of His servant that came in the person of His Son." Note that the Angel of God appeared to the wife not to Manoah. Bush suggests "He perhaps appeared to Manoah’s wife a second time rather than to Manoah himself, because she was more especially interested both in the blessing and the charge than he was (ED: WHILE POSSIBLE I WOULD THINK HE WAS OVERJOYED THAT HE WAS GOING TO BE A FATHER!). He may also have had other reasons unknown to us. The divine condescension in granting a repetition of the visit is too striking to be overlooked. How clearly does it prove that nothing is more acceptable to God, than a sincere desire to know our duty, and that sooner than our prayers to that effect shall go unanswered, a heavenly messenger shall be sent for our instruction. But thanks be to God, with the Bible and the Holy Spirit for our guides we have no need of angelic instructions to direct us what to do. (resource) The Angel of God - Louis Goldberg writes that "The connection between the angel of the Lord and the preincarnate appearance of the Messiah cannot be denied. Manoah meets the angel of the Lord, and declares that he has seen God. The angel accepts worship from Manoah and his wife as no mere angel, and refers to himself as "Wonderful, " the same term applied to the coming deliverer in Isaiah 9:6 (Jdg 13:9-22). The functions of the angel of the Lord in the Old Testament prefigure the reconciling ministry of Jesus. In the New Testament, there is no mention of the angel of the Lord; the Messiah himself is this person." (Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology) Judges 13:10 So the woman ran quickly and told her husband, "Behold, the man who came the other day has appeared to me." Behold: Joh 1:41,42 4:28,29 Judges 13 Resources So the woman ran quickly and told her husband, "Behold (hinneh), the man who came the other day has appeared to me - The other day (Byyom) means "in this day," or "to-day," for the word other is not in the original, and it is probably that the angel appeared in the morning and evening of the same day. Warren
Juízes 13
Spurgeon comments: The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him. Some read it "the friendship:" it signifies familiar intercourse, confidential intimacy, and select fellowship. This is a great secret. Carnal minds cannot guess what is intended by it, and even believers cannot explain it in words, for it must be felt to be known. The higher spiritual life is necessarily a path which the eagle's eye hath not known, and which the lion's whelp has not travelled; neither natural wisdom nor strength can force a door into this inner chamber. Saints have the key of heaven's hieroglyphics; they can unriddle celestial enigmas. They are initiated into the fellowship of the skies; they have heard words which it is not possible for them to repeat to their fellows. And he will shew them his covenant. Its antiquity, security, righteousness, fulness, graciousness and excellence, shall be revealed to their hearts and understandings, and above all, their own part in it shall be sealed to their souls by the witness of the Holy Spirit. The designs of love which the Lord has to his people in the covenant of grace, he has been pleased to show to believers in the Book of Inspiration, and by his Spirit he leads us into the mystery, even the hidden mystery of redemption. He who does not know the meaning of this verse, will never learn it from a commentary; let him look to the cross, for the secret lies there. Paul conveyed a similar truth to the church at Corinth explaining to them that… a natural man (in context one who is not regenerate or born from above by the Spirit) does not accept the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them (he is dead spiritually and in need of rebirth - Ep 2:1-note, Ep 2:4,5-note), because they are spiritually appraised. (1Cor 2:14) It was the Lord who calmed Gideon’s fear of dying (Jdg 6:23), but here it is Manoah’s wife who relieves his angst. Using common sense, she reasons that Jehovah would not have taken the trouble to come down twice and promise them a child if they were to die immediately. Besides, the Lord had requested and accepted an offering from them. Husbands, let us listen to our helpmates, as God has given them spiritual discernment that we often need to hear! See Spurgeon's sermon below on Manoah's wife. Spurgeon's devotional "The Sacrifice has Been Accepted" notes that… THIS is a sort of promise deduced by logic. It is an inference fairly drawn from ascertained facts. It was not likely that the Lord had revealed to Manoah and his wife that a son would be born to them, and yet had it in His heart to destroy them. The wife reasoned well, and we shall do well if we follow her line of argument. The Father has accepted the great sacrifice of Calvary and has declared Himself well pleased therewith; how can He now be pleased to kill us? Why a substitute if the sinner must still perish? The accepted sacrifice of Jesus puts an end to fear. The Lord has shown us our election, our adoption, our union to Christ, our marriage to the Well-beloved: how can He now destroy us? The promises are loaded with blessings, which necessitate our being preserved unto eternal life. It is not possible for the Lord to cast us away and yet fulfill His covenant. The past assures us, and the future reassures us. We shall not die, but live; for we have seen Jesus, and in Him we have seen the Father by the illumination of the Holy Ghost. Because of this life-giving sight we must live forever. (Faith's Checkbook) Judges 13:23 F B Meyer Our Daily Homily If the Lord were pleased to kill us, He would not have received an offering. Manoah was a pessimist, given to dark foreboding, fond of anticipating misfortune. So soon as he realized that he had seen the face of God, he made sure that his wife and he would die. His wife, on the contrary, was prone to look on the bright side of things, and she must have been an admirable helpmeet. How much some of us owe to the temperament of those with whom we live! Many a time would Christian sit down to die, and succumb in the dark waters of the river, if it were not for Hopeful, who pierces the gloom, and beholds the light shining beyond the cloud. Often enough Foreboding whispers, “We shall surely die.” It is the voice of conscience, dreading the result of sin. It is the voice of mistrust, which fails to look beyond the hills for its help. It is the voice of human frailty. At such times let us look back and recount the blessings of the past. Did not God receive our burnt-offering? Did He not conspicuously answer our prayers? Did He not give his only begotten Son? Has He not led us by his right hand and holy arm? Has He not delivered us in seven troubles? Besides, has He not pledged Himself for the future? Has He not showed us “all these things”? It is impossible to believe that He will allow us to be overwhelmed. His love in time past forbids me to think, He’ll leave me at last in trouble to sink. Trust Him, O suffering saints, doing his will in the teeth of opposition and hate! Fear not the faces of men; be not dismayed before their threats — He is with you to deliver you. They may fight against you, but they shall not prevail; their proudest threats shall fail of their fulfillment. Judges 13:24 Then the woman gave birth to a son and named him Samson; and the child grew up and the LORD blessed him. Samson: Heb 11:32 the child: 1Sa 3:19 Lu 1:80 2:52 Judges 13 Resources THE TRAGEDY OF UNFULFILLED POTENTIAL Then the woman gave birth to a son and named him Samson; and the child grew up and the LORD blessed (barak) him - God's promise is fulfilled. Now it would be up to a man named Samson ("sunny") to fulfill His potential! He had all the advantages - a miraculous birth, godly parents and the blessing of Yahweh. Surely such a man would achieve great things for the LORD. Good ("God") beginnings sadly do not guarantee good endings as we see in Samson's sordid story! Arthur Cundall makes an interesting comment regarding the judgeship of Samson - It has frequently been observed that Samson was not a typical judge, although such a statement could be countered with the question, ‘What is a typical judge?’ All the judges were individualists; most of them had their flaws of character. Perhaps a ‘typical judge’ exists only in our imagination! Nevertheless it must be agreed that, in a group of unique individuals, Samson was in a category all of his own. Endowed with the Spirit of the Lord and dedicated to a lifelong Nazirite vow, his life seems to have revolved around illicit relationships with prostitutes and loose-living women. Whilst he is said to have judged Israel for twenty years (Jdg 15:20+) he effected no real deliverance from the Philistines and perished ultimately as a prisoner in their midst. It is a sad tale of a lack of discipline and true dedication, and the reader is left wondering what Samson might have achieved had his enormous potential been matched and tempered by these mental and spiritual qualities. Undoubtedly the Israelites of Samson’s age and, more especially, succeeding generations would revel in the tales of his exploits; in all probability they were told and retold until they were gathered up by the editor of our book. But the editor himself does not glorify Samson’s exploits. He recounts them without praise or blame and with the irreducible minimum of editorial comment, perhaps allowing them to speak for themselves before the final episodes bring his account to a close with their oft-repeated comment, ‘In those days there was no king in Israel; every man did what was right in his own eyes.’ In spite of the fact that the exploits of Samson read like the actions of an uncontrollable juvenile delinquent, their essential historicity, and the historicity of their perpetrator, need not be doubted and their value is unquestionable. Samson was a man of flesh and blood, linked indissolubly with a well-defined tract of country. His birth and his death are carefully documented and there is little or no correspondence with the mythical Babylonian and Greek heroes. The only thing in favour of a connection with a sun-myth is the name of Samson, derived from the word ‘sun’. Attempts to equate the exploits of Samson with the ‘twelve labours’ of Gilgamesh or Hercules are fanciful and the direct connections with Hebrew life and thought are too strong to be broken. Finally, the skill of the narrator again shows that the Israelites were incomparable story-tellers. Avoiding extravagant accretions the stories are told with vigour, an understanding of human nature and an understatement that hints rather than dictates. The stories of the Bible, even as literature, will always be read and appreciated for these virtues but, above all, they will be read because, through their infinite variety, God speaks to the human heart. (AMEN!) (Borrow Judges & Ruth: Tyndale Old Testament Commentary) Then - Marks progress in the narrative. The child grew up and the LORD blessed (barak) him - The verb (gadal) translated grow up is also translated in some context as "became great." Would it have been so that he had not just grown up but had also become great (some might say he did, but most would say yes he was "great," a great disappointment!) Samson was born, like Isaac, a child of promise and if only the story of Samson had ended with the description "blessed." Samson was blessed which makes the rest of his story so tragic. He wasted the LORD's supernatural blessing and ended his life enslaved by the very ones he was born to defeat. As David