THE LIFE OF SAMSON

Lesson #7

 

The Birth of Samson (cont.)

Judges 13:2-25

Victor M. Eskew

 

 

VI.      AN EMOTIONAL RESPONSE (Judg. 13:22-23)

 

A.   The Response of Manoah (Judg. 13:22)

 

B.   The Reasoning of Manoah’s Wife (Judg. 13:23)

 

But his wife said unto him, If the Lord were pleased to kill us, he would not have received a burnt offering and a meal offering at our hands, neither would he have showed us all these things, nor would as it at this time told us such things as these.

 

1.    Manoah’s reasoning did not consider all of the evidence.

a.    It is interesting that he only saw the negative.

b.    LESSON:  This can be true of us as well.  We often highlight the negative over the positive.

2.    Manoah’ wife presented counter arguments that Manoah was not considering.

1.    The acceptance of their offering

2.    The affirmation of the angel

 

VII.     THE ESTABLISHED PROMISE (Judg. 13:24-25)

 

A.   The Birth of Samson (Judg. 13:24)

 

And the woman bear a son, and called his name Samson:  and the child grew, and the Lord blessed him.

 

1.    The sex of the child

a.    “And the woman bear a son”

b.    This is exactly what the angel had promised (Judg. 13:3).

 

…but thou shalt conceive, and bear a son.

 

c.    LESSON: 

1)    God always fulfills his promises.

2)    He fulfills His promises in complete detail.

2.    Samson as a name

a.    “…and called his name Samson…”

b.    Meaning:  sun light or like the sun

3.    Sprouting of the child:  “…and the child grew…”

4.    Showers of blessing:  “…and the Lord blessed him.”

 

B.   The Blessing upon Samson (Judg. 13:24)

 

And the Spirit of the Lord began to move him at times in the camp between Aorah to Eshtaol.

 

1.    We were just informed that the Lord had blessed Samson.  This is one of those blessings.

2.    The Spirit of the Lord began to move him.

a.    Three previous judges are said to have been given the Spirit of the Lord.

1)    Othniel (Judg. 3:10)

2)    Gideon (Judg. 6:34)

3)    Jephthah (Judg. 11:29)

b.    To give them the Spirit meant to give them the power needed to do their work as a judge.  The phrase, “Spirit of the Lord,” is applied because the Holy Spirit was the source of their power.

c.    This Spirit and Samson’s fleshly passions were constantly in conflict.  We will see this in the very near future.

d.    Samson did things between his hometown of Zorah and a nearby town called Eshtaol.

1)    We are not told what kind of things he did.

2)    He was trained first at home.  Later, he would display his power among the Philistines.