Parents are regarded as having a profound and revered role in various cultures and religions. As Christians, God is called as our heavenly father, and parents are viewed as partners with God in the creation of life and carrying the responsibility for it.
When you read thru the Bible there are many characters from which we can learn how to do Parenting. One of my Meditation was on Samson’s parents. We read about Samson from Judges 13 to 17. Many times we read on Samson and his might and how God did wonderful things with him in freeing the Israelites from Philistines.
I would recommend you read Judges 13 fully to understand the writing in this blog. I will try to get the important verses to correlate and understand thru. A backdrop before the birth of Samson - Israelites did so many evil things in the eyes of the Lord, He delivered them to Philistines for 40 Yrs. Samson was a chosen child to redeem Israelites from Philistines
Samson’s father was Manoah. He was from the clan of Danites in the Israelites, he and his wife did not have children for many years. There are multiple lessons for us to learn
Lesson 1 - Dependency with God
Judges 13:1-2 (NIV) 'Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord , so the Lord delivered them into the hands of the Philistines for forty years. A certain man of Zorah, named Manoah, from the clan of the Danites, had a wife who was childless, unable to give birth. '
Judges 13:3 (NIV) 'The angel of the Lord appeared to her and said, “You are barren and childless, but you are going to become pregnant and give birth to a son. '
Manoah and his wife were Spiritual and very dependent on God, even though their fellow Israelites were very evil in the eyes of God
When you read Verse 3 - God heard Manoah’s wife's prayer and he sent a angel, I am sure the prayer has been going from them for many years or many days. As the Angel greeted “You are barren and childless” as it indicates she has been in this state for quite some time
Due to their dependency with God they get a promise “but” - This indicates even though there is no chance to have a child “But” with God’s favour “you are going to become pregnant and give birth to a son.”
Lesson 2 - God’s Promise & Instruction
Judges 13:3-5 (NIV) 'The angel of the Lord appeared to her and said, “You are barren and childless, but you are going to become pregnant and give birth to a son. Now see to it that you drink no wine or other fermented drink and that you do not eat anything unclean. 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.” '
We saw earlier, even though the womb was not able to bear a child “But” God did promise her to become pregnant and give birth to a Son
Instruction was two parts
Part 1 - “Now see to it that you drink no wine or other fermented drink and that you do not eat anything unclean” ,
Part 2 - “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. “
God gave instructions not to drink any wine or fermeted drink because the boy Samson is to be Nazirite. We read about Nazirite on what God spoke to Moses in Numbers 6:1-5,7 (NIV) - 'The Lord said to Moses, “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘If a man or woman wants to make a special vow, a vow of dedication to the Lord as a Nazirite, they must abstain from wine and other fermented drink and must not drink vinegar made from wine or other fermented drink. They must not drink grape juice or eat grapes or raisins. As long as they remain under their Nazirite vow, they must not eat anything that comes from the grapevine, not even the seeds or skins. “ ‘During the entire period of their Nazirite vow, no razor may be used on their head. They must be holy until the period of their dedication to the Lord is over; they must let their hair grow long. Even if their own father or mother or brother or sister dies, they must not make themselves ceremonially unclean on account of them, because the symbol of their dedication to God is on their head. '
A Nazirite is a person who has taken a special vow, known as the Nazirite vow, The purpose of the vow was to show dedication and consecration to God, the Vow is as per Numbers 6:1-5. Notable biblical figures who are said to have taken the Nazirite vow include Samson, Samuel, and John the Baptist.
As parents, they obeyed the instruction of Angel as the son who will be born will be a Nazirite from the Womb of God. Its a Vow thats given from the Womb on the baby thats born for God.
Lesson 3 - Consultative Parents
Judges 13:6-7 - 'Then the woman went to her husband and told him, “A man of God came to me. He looked like an angel of God, very awesome. I didn’t ask him where he came from, and he didn’t tell me his name. But he said to me, ‘You will become pregnant and have a son. Now then, drink no wine or other fermented drink and do not eat anything unclean, because the boy will be a Nazirite of God from the womb until the day of his death.’ ” '
If you see thru the small details - God spoke to Manoah’s wife she did not act independent, instead shared to her husband on what she heard from the Angel, This shows they were two ,as husband and wife, but one in spirit with no hiding between them. There was oneness in the family.
The Oneness of Family was there as they were dependent on God.
Lesson 4 - Prayer
Judges 13:8 (NIV) - 'Then Manoah prayed to the Lord : “Pardon your servant, Lord. I beg you to let the man of God you sent to us come again to teach us how to bring up the boy who is to be born.” '
Manoah did Pray to God after hearing this from his wife. A Lot to learn spiritually from his prayer
Prayer Learnings
Humble Prayer - “Pardon your servant, Lord” he starts to ask for forgiveness before even he starts his prayer.. We need to have this type of prayer in our life
Pleading Prayer - “I beg you to let the man of God you sent to us come again” His prayer was pleading one pleading like a beggar - “I beg you” then he asks God to send the person (”angel”)
Dependency on God - “to teach us how to bring up the boy who is to be born.” He wanted him to appear to help him teach how to bring up the boy. Great lesson for us, we as parents never ask God how to raise our children, here he asks God how to bring him up even before the child is born. What a faith testimony he had demonstrated in front of God.
Prayer Answered Judges 13:9 (NIV) 'God heard Manoah, and the angel of God came again to the woman while she was out in the field; but her husband Manoah was not with her. '
As a humble / pleading / faithful / dependent prayer God answered his prayer as “God heard Manoah”
God did not send the Angel to him, instead to his wife again.
Oneness of Family - Judges 13:10 (NIV) - 'The woman hurried to tell her husband, “He’s here! The man who appeared to me the other day!” ' his wife runs again to tell to his husband on the angel’s appearance. They had no hidden things with them..
Lesson 5 - Test and see
Judges 13:11 - 'Manoah got up and followed his wife. When he came to the man, he said, “Are you the man who talked to my wife?” “I am,” he said. '
As soon as he was told by wife, he hurried to speak to the angel (referred to the man in passage”) by testing to see if it was the same person
Response from God was “I am” - I find it very intresting, when we are asked this kind of a question, we humans give so much masala to give our background and tell all things, God‘s response was “I am”.
another lesson for us is - we also ask many questions to God, he answers us in this short form “I am” - we need to have our ears open to hear him. Many times we don’t understand or hear him as its short.
Judges 13:12 (NIV) 'So Manoah asked him, “When your words are fulfilled, what is to be the rule that governs the boy’s life and work?” '
Earlier prayer with God was Judges 13:8 “to teach us how to bring up the boy who is to be born.”
Here he goes one step more what is to be the rule that governs the boy’s life and work?” , but the angel responded back with the same answer that he gave to his wife. He reaffirmed the message heard from his wife and the Angel to offer a sacrifice offering to God
Judges 13:15-16,19-20 (NIV) 'Manoah said to the angel of the Lord , “We would like you to stay until we prepare a young goat for you.” The angel of the Lord replied, “Even though you detain me, I will not eat any of your food. But if you prepare a burnt offering, offer it to the Lord .” (Manoah did not realize that it was the angel of the Lord .) Then Manoah took a young goat, together with the grain offering, and sacrificed it on a rock to the Lord . And the Lord did an amazing thing while Manoah and his wife watched: As the flame blazed up from the altar toward heaven, the angel of the Lord ascended in the flame. Seeing this, Manoah and his wife fell with their faces to the ground. '
God honoured their sacrificial offering “the Lord did an amazing thing while Manoah and his wife watched: As the flame blazed up from the altar toward heaven, the angel of the Lord ascended in the flame.
They revered in front of God. both fell faces to ground and worshiped God “Seeing this, Manoah and his wife fell with their faces to the ground. '”
Lesson 6 - Samson’s Blessing
Judges 13:24-25 (NIV) - 'The woman gave birth to a boy and named him Samson. He grew and the Lord blessed him, and the Spirit of the Lord began to stir him while he was in Mahaneh Dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol.'
God gave the grace to his wife to have a baby as they followed the vow of Nazirite.
Blessing that God gave was - “He grew and the Lord blessed him”
God’s spirit guide him - “the Spirit of the Lord began to stir him “ this can be the best gift that any one can get, God directing him what to do instead of his parents guiding him what to do, If you read Judges 14 it has a reflection of God’s leading in him on selecting a Philistine woman that he wanted to marry
Due to the same spirit he tore the lion apart in his bare hands Judges 14:6 (NIV) - 'The Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon him so that he tore the lion apart with his bare hands as he might have torn a young goat. But he told neither his father nor his mother what he had done. '
Due to the same spirit - he struck 30 men - Judges 14:19 (NIV) - 'Then the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon him. He went down to Ashkelon, struck down thirty of their men, stripped them of everything and gave their clothes to those who had explained the riddle. Burning with anger, he returned to his father’s home. '
Due to the same Spirit - He caught 300 foxes and tied them to tail in pillars. Judges 15:4 (NIV) 'So he went out and caught three hundred foxes and tied them tail to tail in pairs. He then fastened a torch to every pair of tails, '
Due to the same spirit - He struck thousand men with the jawbone of Donkey - Judges 15:14-15 (NIV) 'As he approached Lehi, the Philistines came toward him shouting. The Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon him. The ropes on his arms became like charred flax, and the bindings dropped from his hands. Finding a fresh jawbone of a donkey, he grabbed it and struck down a thousand men. '
There is many more that God did - Read thru Judges 15 / 16 to understand more on how he conquered the Philistines
Spiritual lessons for us
Dependence on God - As parents or expecting parents - How much dependent are you with God ? - Ask this question and seek God’s help to make you be dependent on him, You may say I have wealth / talent / all things of world, without God’s help its impossible to do anything.
Oneness of God - As husband and wife, are you transparent between both of you, is there anything thats hidden.. Is there oneness of God. Ask God to get his oneness in your family life, you are two but united in the oneness of God’s spirit.
Seeking God’s advice - Like Manoah, are you seeking God’s advice on how to raise your children ?
How is your Prayer ? - Is your prayer like Manoah humbling “Pardon my Lord” and begging attitude “Beg you” or is your prayer always with a laundry list of what you want
Are your ears attentive to hear him ? - When God shows up to you,then are you in a position to recognise his words ? He says “I am” - if you don’t have your ears tuned to him, its hard to listen to his answers and response as we are busy with our world priorities
Pray for God’s spirit to Guide your children - the world we live is extremely sinful and lot of nonsense happening, its impossible to protect them with our baby sitting or over-looking on what they do, only God’s spirit can protect them, Pray more for the Spirit of God to guide them and protect them as God lead Samson.
Obedience to God - As parents do we lead a life like Manoah’s family to follow the vow of Nazirite. We have our vows with God, check to see how we have followed them from your heart. What we parents do, will impact as a blessing to our children.
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