Joel M Bradshaw

21The angel of the LORD appeared no more to Manoah and to his wife. Then Manoah knew that he was the angel of the LORD. 22And Manoah said to his wife, “We shall surely die, for we have seen God.” 23But his wife said to him, “If the LORD had meant to kill us, he would not have accepted a burnt offering and a grain offering at our hands, or shown us all these things, or now announced to us such things as these.” 24And the woman bore a son and called his name Samson. And the young man grew, and the LORD blessed him. 25And the Spirit of the LORD began to stir him in Mahaneh-dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol.–Judges 13

Samson is the greatest moral failure in the book of Judges. But based on chapter 13, the reader was expecting God-honoring greatness!

Samson’s mother was barren and was promised by God in person that she would have a child. And this child would be special and set apart by God from birth. Then the dad also gets a visit by God in person confirming all this.

That’s two theophanies, appearances to people by God, Himself! This is no ordinary baby. And even though they named him a version of Shemesh, the sun god of their neighbors, Yahweh still blessed him. Let that sink in: they were visited by Yahweh twice, and then named the baby to honor an idol!

There are great expectations for Samson. Just based upon this chapter. He was a child of the promise! No other Judge will have the advantages of Samson, and none will fail like Samson. Kind of a powerful reminder for each of us.–JMB