God’s Story in Samson: The Vow

Judges 13-16

The Ten Signposts of the Bible
CAMDE—400—CALY

Creation. Abraham. Moses. DAVID. Elijah. 400. Christ. Apostles. Letters. Yet-to Come.

There was a time when Johnny Manziel seemed unstoppable. In 2012, the freshman quarterback led the Texas A&M Aggies to an 11-2 record and a commanding 41-13 victory over the Oklahoma Sooners in the Cotton Bowl. That year, Manziel became the first freshman to win the Heisman Trophy. As his electrifying highlight reels went viral, commentators began calling him Johnny Football. 

After Manziel was drafted in the first round by the Cleveland Browns, things began to unravel for this football phenom. Instead of discipline, distractions were commonplace. Manziel partied instead of preparing, and it showed on the field. Because of inconsistent play and off-the-field issues, the Browns cut Manziel after two seasons. He never played in the NFL again.

In the book of Judges, there was a man who had a similar journey. He was very talented and incredibly strong, yet he squandered his God-given gifts through impulsive, reckless living. His name was Samson. 

Let’s review the nation of Israel’s recurring cycle described in the book of Judges: rebellion, oppression, crying out to God, deliverance, peace, and then relapse, only to repeat the cycle. Samson’s story begins during a forty-year period of Philistine oppression. God heard the people’s cries, appeared to a woman who had been unable to have children, and promised her a son who was to lead Israel.  

Manoah and His Wife
The angel of the Lord (the pre-incarnate Christ) appeared to Manoah’s wife and said, “You will become pregnant and have a son whose head is never to be touched by a razor because the boy is to be a Nazirite, dedicated to God from the womb. He will take the lead in delivering Israel from the hands of the Philistines” (Judg. 13:5 NIV).

The Nazirite vow derives from the Hebrew word nazir, meaning “separated,” “dedicated,” or “devoted.” The specifics of this vow are outlined in Numbers 6. Those who took it followed three main rules: 1) No wine, grape juice, grapes, or raisins; 2) No contact with a corpse; 3) As a public sign of their commitment to the Lord, they were not to cut or trim their hair. The vow could be temporary, but Samson was to be “dedicated to God from the womb.” He was appointed to be a Nazirite for life.

When Manoah’s wife tried to explain to him what the man from God had said, Manoah prayed that the visitor would return “and teach us what we are to do with the child who will be born” (Judg. 13:8). God answered his prayer. The angel of the LORD appeared again and gave instructions regarding the Nazarite vow. At this point, neither Manoah nor his wife knew that the visitor was “the angel of the LORD.” He asked, “‘What is your name, so that, when your words come true, we may honor you?’ And the angel of the Lord said to him, ‘Why do you ask my name, seeing it is wonderful?’” (Judg. 13:17-18) 

The angel of the LORD—the pre-incarnate Christ—explained that his name was “wonderful” or “incomprehensible.” God’s name, which describes his Person, is in “a category of its own and is beyond full human understanding.”[1] The same Hebrew word translated “wonderful” (peliy) appears in Psalm 139:6, where it affirms that knowledge of God is incomprehensible and unattainable.[2]

Even after the angel of the LORD explained his name, Manoah still didn’t know he was speaking with God. Manoah took a young goat and offered it as a burnt offering, and “when the flame went up toward heaven from the altar, the angel of the Lord went up in the flame of the altar. Now Manoah and his wife were watching, and they fell on their faces to the ground” (Judg. 13:20).

Manoah panicked and cried out, “We shall surely die, for we have seen God” (Judg. 13:22). But his wife reasoned that if God intended to kill them, he would have already done so. 

Next time, we will consider Samson’s exploits. They are not spiritually impressive. His marriage to a Philistine is thwarted. He spends the night with a prostitute. And then there is the story of Delilah, who finally learns the secret of Samson’s strength.

So why does God spend so much time recounting Samson’s birth, including not one but two visits from the angel of the LORD? Why so much attention on a judge who squandered God’s gifts and ignored his calling?

Let’s think through this account.

When Samson was born, Israel had been under Philistine control for forty years. The people were not only oppressed but also demoralized. Having abandoned their trust in Yahweh, God uses Samson, a flawed and broken man acting alone, to show Israel that Yahweh was still on their side. Samson became a savior for his people. 

In Israel’s conquest of the promised land, God demonstrated that he would provide victory through Israel’s fighting forces. Then, under Gideon’s leadership, God proved that he could defeat the vast armies of the Midianites and Amorites with only three hundred men. One commentator says, “But when the Spirit of God came upon Samson, the Lord showed that He had no need for even three hundred. He could deliver by one.”[3]

Next time, we will see that Samson always acts alone… and that the Spirit of God empowers him to deliver Israel from the Philistines. Through Samson, we will learn that God is all we need!

PERSONAL TIME WITH GOD
Read and reflect on Judges 13-16. Are there areas of compromise in your life that could weaken your spiritual effectiveness over time?

Talking to God: Ask God to show you where you are compromising.  

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