Journal Through the Bible: Week 35 Thursday

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Judges chapter 13

I enjoy reading this chapter about Samson's birth announcement so much more than the later chapters about his life. The time before his conception and even his early years were reminiscent of those of Jesus. Too bad the rest of Samson's life is not so inspiring.

Does God issue any commands?

• God told Manoah and his wife the conditions of the Nazarite vows and went so far as to tell the woman that she would need to avoid the fruit of the grapevine during her pregnancy.

Does God make any promises?

• God promised Manoah and his wife a son that would begin to deliver Israel from the hands of the Philistines.

Does this chapter teach anything about Jesus?

• The Angel of the LORD appeared to Manoah's barren wife telling her that she would conceive and bear a son that would be set apart for service. In this case he was to be a Nazarite - which Jesus was not - but just as Samson's birth and service was foretold to his mother by an angel so was Mary told of Jesus' birth and ministry by the angel's announcement.
• Just as Samson was said to be the child who would "begin to deliver Israel" so would Jesus begin to deliver both physical and spiritual Israel from their bondage to sin at His first advent. 
• It is possible that the angel himself was the pre-incarnate Jesus: God in the flesh. (He would not tell Manoah or his wife his name. Manoah also declared that they had seen God.)
• The early years of Samson are described in the same manner that the gospels describe the early years of Jesus: the child grew, the LORD blessed him, and the Spirit of the LORD began to work through him.

Does this chapter teach anything about yet-future events?

• None that I identified.