Judges 13:1-7
Introduction
– Over a thousand years before the birth of Jesus, another
Angel appeared to another woman. He told
her that she would conceive in a miraculous way and give birth to a son. He said that her son would be set apart for
the Lord from his birth on, and that he would start to save his people from
their enemies. We have learned from our
study in Judges, these are not simply coincidences. The background of the birth of Samson is
deliberately given to us because it is good news.
The Hand of the Philistines
(v1) – The oppression of the Philistines was mentioned in 10:7, but it is in
the story of Samson (along with Samuel, and later, David), that we hear of the
conflict. Samson is born and raised
during these years of oppression.
Something
Missing – The Danites lived in great compromise
(1:34-36, ch’s 17-18). This time, there
is no narrative of the people crying out for deliverance. Instead, they are a people seemingly so used
to bondage that they do not even call out for relief (15:11). But here is the grace of God. He doesn’t wait for us to make the first
move. His grace is greater than all of
our stupidity and sin. He takes the
initiative, even if it requires a miracle.
The Seed of the Woman – The promise to Adam
and Eve (Gen 3:15) is the promise of salvation from our enemy by the miraculous
working of God.
Barren Women
– Sara, Rebekah, and Rachel, the three wives of the patriarchs, were all
barren. God had to open their
wombs. The mothers of the three
life-long Nazirites were each barren (Manoah’s wife, Hannah, and
Elizabeth). We see in these stories, the
impossibility of mankind to provide a Savior outside of the miraculous hand of
God. We also see the picture of the
perfect Nazirite, the Lord Jesus Christ, being born of a ‘virtual’ barren womb,
the womb of a virgin.
The Nazirite
(vv 2-7, Numbers 6:1-8) – “nazar” generally means to be separated, consecrated,
and can be used as a crown of sorts, signifying the one set apart. Nazirites were like priests, set apart for a
particular service for the Lord, either for a particular time, or as we see in
some cases, for their entire lives.
The Fruit of
the Vine (Num 6:1-4) – The Nazirite was separated from
all the produce of the vine, because he has been set apart from a time of rest
in order to accomplish some form of holy war.
There is no argument to be made from this text about real-committed
Christians refraining from alcohol. Wine
is for joy (Judges 9:13, Psalm 104:15), and marks fellowship, celebration, and
rest. So Jesus instituted the cup as
part of our communion sacrament. The
Nazirite does not partake of any of the vine – wine, juice, or grapes – for he
is representing Israel and is not in a time of rest, until he has finished his
vow (Num 6:20).
His Hair
(Num 6:5) – The Nazirite’s holiness is connected to his long hair. Verse 7 states that “his separation to God is
on his head.” A man or a woman who takes
a Nazirite vow represents the whole nation to God as a bride, one set apart and
devoted to her Husband. ‘Her’ long hair
is her glory or crown, and at the end of the time of the vow, he cuts his long
hair and offers it up as a sacrifice to God, much as we will take our crowns
and cast them before the Lord in heaven (Rev 4:10).
Separated From
Death (Num 6:6-8) – Death is the sign of the
curse. Under Adam, we are all under this
curse, but the Nazirite is to ceremonially separate himself from this sign of
uncleanness. He is to be a sign of life
and holiness, for God is the God of the living and not of the dead.
Back to ‘Our Story’ – Manoah’s wife is to
keep the Nazirite vow herself, until the child is born, for her son has been
consecrated to the Lord from the womb.
Here is more proof from the scriptures that an unborn child is a living
person, a person who can even be in relationship with his mother and with
God.
The Promise
– “he shall begin to deliver Israel.” (v5).
By his life and by his death, Samson will begin a process of
deliverance. But it will take Samuel and
finally David before the Philistines would be completely crushed.
Conclusions and Rejoicings – Some things to consider.
The Incarnation
was not ‘Plan B’ – Some try to argue that God changed His
mind when He realized that the old way wasn’t working, so He sent His Son and
established a New Covenant. Stories like
these show how wrong such thinking was.
Samson’s conception is a wonderful shadow pointing toward a fulfillment,
not a change in plans.
Christ the
Nazirite – Jesus came to be the perfect Nazirite,
representing His people, saving them, leading them to life fully consecrated to
God.
But God
– Manoah and his wife could do nothing to alleviate their condition, let alone
the condition of their people. But God
takes a situation of death and brings life, makes possible the impossible, and
uses the simplest of circumstances to bring glory to His name and to His
children.
A People of
Life - We live in a culture that hates God and reeks
of death (Prov 8:32) with our abortions, homosexuality, and a pop-industry that
glorifies death. The people of God, however
have been marked with the sign of life.
We have the gospel of the Nazirite vow – the Lord liberates His people
from death and sets us free to live forever with Him.