Judges Part 13

XIII. Judges 13. A. This begins the account of the judgeship of Samson, an eminent type of Christ in many ways but with his fame was also considerable infamy. B. He was a flawed champion of faith with whom we are made perfect. HEB 11:32, 40. C. He was born in the thick of Philistine oppression (v. 1) and judged for twenty years. JDG 15:20; 16:31. D. His name means, “like the sun.” c/w MAL 4:2; REV 1:16. E. His father's name was Manoah, which means “rest.” 1. That name comes from the same root as Noah, which also means “rest.” 2. Through these men, God executed judgment upon His enemies, relieved God's people of the oppression and curse they lived under, and gave them rest. c/w GEN 5:29 c/w GAL 3:13; ROM 10:4. F. His family was of the tribe of Dan, which means “judge(ed)(ing).” Appropriately, he was raised up to judge God's people. GEN 49:16. G. As other of the Judges, he was a savior. NEH 9:27. H. In many ways, Samson foreshadowed and typified Christ. 1. Samson was a Nazarite, set apart for holy use. Though Jesus Christ was not under the vow of a Nazarite, He is separated, holy in conduct and usage. HEB 7:26. 2. Both were saviors. 3. Both were judges. 4. Both have an identity with the sun. 5. Both fought against the enemies of God and His people. 6. Both were mighty in battle to save. PSA 24:8; ISA 63:1. 7. Both were raised up when Israel was dominated by foreign oppressors. 8. Both were ill-received as a judge/savior by their own people. JOH 1:11. 9. Both were betrayed by a close confidante for pieces of silver. 10. Both were turned over to a foreign power by their own people. 11. Both were taunted and tortured by the enemies of the Lord. 12. Both executed judgment from a high place while restrained and derided. 13. Both accomplished greater victories by their death than by their life. I. vs. 1-5. 1. In the pattern of this book’s history, Israel fell again into sin and under oppression. 2. There is a lack of evidence of humility and repentance at the time God would raise Judges 6-26-25 Page 23  up Samson. a. God sometimes saves for His own name’s sake. EZE 36:21-22. b. Thus, it seems that Samson also brokenly figures Christ in that His salvation of His people from the just desserts of their sins is not with an eye to their personal performance but to His own name, Jesus. MAT 1:21. 3. From a very unlikely source, a barren woman, God would bring forth a deliverer. c/w PSA 113:9; 127:3. 4. This angel of the LORD was likely the LORD Himself, as with Gideon (JDG 6:11-27). In the phrase, “...Why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is secret?” (v. 18), the Hebrew word underlying secret (SRN H6383) is translated wonderful in PSA 139:6. Compare that with ISA 9:6. 5. Mrs. Manoah was in the ranks of other notable women who were withheld from but eventually rewarded with special children: Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel, Hannah, Elisabeth. a. It may not have been a miraculous vitalizing of her womb (as Sarah, ROM 4:19), but it was a promise. b. “Many a woman, after having been long barren, has borne a son by providence, but Samson was by promise, because a figure of the promised seed, so long expected by the faith of the Old Testament saints.” (Matthew Henry) 6. She was charged to abstain from wine, strong drink and unclean food in accord with Samson being a Nazarite from the womb (c/w NUM 6:3). He obviously had personhood and identity from conception, contrary to the abortion industry’s position. 7. That Samson’s hair should be left exceptionally uncut/long is no more an argument to justify long hair on men than were the exceptional orders for Isaiah or Hosea. ISA 20:1-4; HOS 1:2; 3:1 c/w 1CO 11:14. 8. Samson only began to deliver (v. 5). Jesus Christ began and finished deliverance of His people. HEB 5:9; 12:2; 9:12. J. vs. 6-14. 1. She did well in conferring with her God-fearing husband about radical information. c/w GEN 3:1-6. 2. Manoah did well in seeking clarity from God. c/w JAM 1:5-6. 3. Note Manoah's petition concerning the child to come. vs. 8, 12. a. He does not ask what benefits would be derived from this event. b. He asks for direction in the proper rearing of the child. This should be the foremost concern of parents. c. Parents (especially new parents) need instruction in the proper training of children. EPH 6:4; PRO 22:6; DEU 6:6-7. d. “...How shall we order the child, and how shall we do unto him?” (v. 12). This was a specific inquiry relative to the promise, but it may be said in general concerning all children, “With tender, loving care, with respect for boundaries, with a view to God and His ways, with facilitating tranquility and purity in the home, without taking out your anxieties and frustrations on them.” 4. The angel instructed Manoah to follow the information that his wife had outlined to him (vs. 13-14). Husbands should not be indifferent to the insights of their wives, especially when they are rooted in true revelation. K. vs. 15-25. Judges 6-26-25 Page 24 1. Manoah showed godly hospitality to this stranger. c/w HEB 13:2; 1PE 4:9. 2. The angel of the LORD told Manoah to recognize a difference between a common meal and a holy meal. v. 16 c/w 1CO 11:20-22. 3. Manoah inquired of the angel's name, but the angel resisted. vs. 17-18. a. There are certain things which God has chosen to remain secret, and we don’t know what they are because of that. DEU 29:29 c/w MAR 13:31-32. b. We do well to study those things which God has revealed in scripture rather than intrude into what He has not revealed, which leads to angel-worship. ISA 8:20 c/w COL 2:18. c. It is interesting that the name of an angel of God was not revealed to Israel until after they had been taken captive to Babylon and were cured of their idolatry. DAN 8:16. 4. Manoah jumped to a hasty conclusion about the event, but his wife exhibited more rational faith than him (vs. 22-23). Saints should avoid concluding doom from God’s revelations when He has so clearly provided proof of His tender care and approval of our well-intended efforts. PHIL 3:13-14 c/w ROM 7:21-25. 5. Samson the deliverer was finally born and in time the Spirit of the Lord began to move him (vs. 24-25). Where the Spirit of the Lord is, we might expect liberty. 2CO 3:17. Judges 6-26-25 Page 25