Manoah is now uncertain whether to consider himself blessed or miserable. He has the deep-rooted superstition of a fleshly age strong within him, and is alarmed. But this arises from a defective spiritual education. He does not consider sufficiently the method and the manner of God's approaches to him.
I. FEAR REGARDING GOD'S VISITATIONS IS A NATURAL FEELING. The consciousness of sin is easily roused to alarm, and the unknown is ever awe-inspiring. Our own littleness too is made the more manifest: "What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?" (Psalms 8:4).
II. How IT MAY BE OVERCOME. Considering,
1. The character of God;
2. His continuous scheme of redemption;
3. The blessings he has already bestowed;
4. The voice of Christ (" Fear not "), and the witness of the Spirit ("Abba, Father").
III. GOD WILL NOT LEAVE HIS CHILD IN UNCERTAINTY OF HIS MEANING. "Two are better than one." How often in life is the husband, wife, parent, child, brother, sister, or friend, close beside us, the witness of God and the spiritual help-meet! The simple soul teaches the more complex and experienced, being itself taught of God. And so: somewhere or other, he is never without a witness.—M.
13:24, 13:25
Fulfilment of promise.
The history of this promise to the worthy pair reads like an unbroken tale. Outwardly it was with them only as it was with numberless others of their neighbours. The circumstance is woven into the web of contemporary village life. The birth is as any other, the child as any other, up to a certain point; and then the true character and destiny begin to declare themselves.
I. THE ORDINARY ASPECT OF DIVINE FULFILMENTS IN THEIR BEGINNINGS.
II. PRIVATE JOY AND SATISFACTION ACCOMPANYING THE GIFT OF A PUBLIC BENEFACTOR AND FULFILLER OF THE DIVINE PURPOSE. "The Lord blessed him."
III. THE GRADUAL DIFFERENTIATION OF THE DIVINE AGENT FROM THE MERELY HUMAN RELATION. It soon appears that the lad is not meant for the mere solace of his parents' age and light of their home. "The Spirit of the Lord began to move him at times." Like Christ, the time comes when he "must be about his Father's business."—M.
HOMILIES BY W.F. ADENEY
13:5
Samson the Nazarite.
I. THERE ARE MEN WHOM GOD CALLS TO HIS SERVICE FROM THEIR BIRTH. This is seen in the fact that the earliest events of their lives are made to train them for their subsequent mission in the world. Parents should consecrate their children to God in infancy, and not wait for later years before using those means which will fit them for the work of life in God's service. Manoah. and his wife are taught these lessons with special reference to the condition of a Nazarite. Other vocations may require external varieties of training, but the essential characteristics which fit us for the service of God are the same in all cases, so that it is not necessary to know the exact form of service to which God will call a child, in order to lay the foundations of his character in the main principles which devotion to God's service in any form involves.
II. ABSTEMIOUSNESS IS FAVOURABLE TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF VIGOUR. Self-indulgence is enervating. Self-restraint both husbands and enlarges strength. That which is apparently most helpful to us may prove in reality to be a hindrance. Appetite and desire are neither to be regarded as masters nor as enemies, but as servants. As wine excites rather than strengthens, so there are influences of a mental character which add nothing to our power for work, although they appear to do so by rousing excitement. The soul will not grow strong on the heating, but not nourishing, diet of religious sensationalism.
III. DEVOTION TO GOD REQUIRES PURITY OF LIFE. The Nazarite was to touch no unclean thing. Unhappily Samson was satisfied with this ceremonial purity, and did not cultivate purity of soul, as the spirit of the Nazarite's vow plainly required him to do; hence his moral weakness and failure to attain perfect success. Samson "began to deliver Israel," he was not able to finish. Only the spotless One could say, "It is finished." In proportion to our holiness will be our spiritual strength. Religious devotion without moral purity cannot be accepted by God (Isaiah 1:11-15).
IV. FULNESS OF LIFE BELONGS TO THOSE WHO LIVE TO GOD. No razor, no iron (the symbol of death), was to come upon the Nazarite. Consecration to God involves self-denial, but it brings a deeper joy and a fuller life than a self-seeking course will secure.
1. Religion does not require the destruction of any part of our true human nature, not even to the injuring of one hair of the head.
2. Religion requires the consecration of our whole being unmaimed, even to the not severing of one hair of the head from the perfect sacrifice.
V. CONSECRATION TO GOD IS A SOURCE OF USEFULNESS TO MEN. Samson was a Nazarite; he was also a deliverer of his people. God calls us not to the hermit's life of useless devotion, but to the servant's life of devotion practised in active good works. The religiousness which forbids useful work in commerce, in politics, in literature is a false sentiment. The Christian can best serve God by labouring for the good of his fellow-men.—A.
13:8
The training of children.
I. CHILDREN NEED TRAINING.
1. Children do not attain to the best character and conduct spontaneously, by natural growth and development, Left to themselves they would make little progress and many errors. But they cannot be thus left. If good influences are not brought to bear upon them, they cannot be entirely shielded from evil influences which will prove fatal unless they are counteracted. Training is necessary
2. Children do not attain to the best character and conduct without care and effort. They need specific training. Example does much; the atmosphere of a Christian society is also effective. Yet these general and vague, though real and powerful, influences are not sufficient without definite teaching and personal discipline. Christianity must be taught, and it cannot be learnt from any spirit of Christianity in the air.
II. THE TRAINING OF CHILDREN SHOULD BEGIN EARLY. The danger accompanying the process of intellectual forcing which results in unnatural precocity is not so great in moral training. The intellect need not be taxed with complex dogmas, nor the feelings stirred with unhealthy emotions, and yet children may be trained in integrity and unselfishness, in love to God and man—the great fundamental principles of the highest moral character. It is foolish to postpone this training. It is most easy when the mind is plastic. A natural economy would teach us that it is better that the whole life should be right from the first, than that there should be an early time of mistakes and faults and a subsequent conversion to better things.
III. THE SUPREME END OF THE TRAINING OF CHILDREN SHOULD BE TO FIT THEM FOR THE SERVICE OF GOD. Samson is to be trained for God. Parents are too negligent of the highest ends of their children's lives. Careful to preserve their health and develop their natural powers of body and mind, anxious to instruct them in useful and liberalising secular knowledge, energetic in securing them a prosperous career in the world, parents often forget the real purpose of life, and fail to fit their children for the great mission of serving God. Children should be regarded as God's from their birth, and as only lent by him. The significance of baptism, as implying God's claim on the children and their dedication to him, should be remembered in all the subsequent training of them.
IV. THE CHIEF RESPONSIBILITY OF THE TRAINING OF CHILDREN RESTS ON THEIR PARENTS. This cannot be delegated to teachers. Though the work may be largely done by special teachers, the responsibility still remains on the father and mother, and can never be shifted. They too have the most influence by the constant intercourse of home, the force of parental example, authority, and affection, their knowledge of their children and interest in them.
V. GUIDANCE FOR THE TRAINING OF CHILDREN SHOULD BE SOUGHT FROM GOD. Manoah and his wife show their humility, their faith, and their devotion in praying for guidance. This is necessary for many reasons. The issues of the work are supremely important; error may lead to fearful disaster. The execution of the work is exceedingly difficult. The ideal to be aimed at is great and high. There is mystery in the character of every soul, mystery in the will of God as to its destiny, mystery in the innumerable subtle influences which play upon it. He who realises these things will seek light as to the end of the training of the children and the method of pursuing it.—A.
13:17, 13:18
The mystery of a name.
Names denote persons and describe characters. The nameless one wraps both his individuality and his nature in mystery. Naturally Manoah, like Jacob, desires to solve such a mystery (Genesis 32:29), and in response to this wish, unlike "the traveller unknown," the angel reveals a name, though one of partial mystery.
I. MANOAH'S QUESTION (see 13:17).
1. Manoah does not know that his visitor is an angel of the Lord ( 13:16). Divine visitations are not always recognised. The true nature of Christ was unknown to most of his contemporaries. We cannot always trace the hand of God in his providential action. Heaven is about us unnoticed; unseen ministries attend our lives; God is nearer to us than we suspect.
2. Manoah desires to know the name of his mysterious visitor—
The thirst to solve the strange questions which surround our spiritual life is natural, and not inconsistent with humility nor with faith. It would be better if we were more anxious to inquire for indications of God and of his character in the experience of life.
II. THE ANGEL'S REPLY (see 13:18).
1. He begins his reply with a question. We should not assail heaven with unjustifiable prayers, but should be ready to give a reason for our petitions. Revelation is not intended to quench human thought, but to stimulate it. Every new voice from heaven, while it answers some questions, starts new questions.
2. The angel implies that Manoah's request was needless, either
3. The angel gives Manoah a name. He is "Wonderful." This was a partial answer to Manoah's question.
13:22, 13:23
The fear of the vision of God.
The Divine vision was connected with a blessing to Manoah and his wife. The vision of God by the soul is itself the highest blessing; yet, as in the case of Manoah, it fills men with fear.
I. THE CAUSE OF THE FEAR.
1. Mystery. We naturally dread the unknown. Darkness hides possibilities of danger. Superstition peoples the unseen with horrors.
2. Guilt. "Conscience makes cowards of us all." So Adam and Eve hid themselves from God in the garden (Genesis 3:8). Because we are all sinners before God we have a natural shrinking from him
3. Unbelief. We do not sufficiently understand the character of God nor trust his grace. If we did, we should feel safer with all our guilt in his hands than we are when left to ourselves and to the world. Men fear God because they do not know him.
II. THE REMEDIES OF THE FEAR. Manoah's wife encourages her husband. Though men may be brave before physical danger, women sometimes show more courage in spiritual difficulties. This moral courage is nobler than the brute courage which man shares with the lower animals. It has its source in true excellences of character.
1. Self-possession. Manoah is confused and dismayed by terror beyond the power of reflection; but his wife is calm and collected, and thus able to see indications of mercy in the vision.
2. Reflection on the character of the vision. God has given to us powers of observation, discernment, reasoning. Superstitious terrors more commonly haunt the minds of those people who have neglected to use those powers, while weakly yielding to foolish emotions. Religion to be healthy must be thoughtful. God has given us sufficient indications of his character in the Bible, in Christ, in life, to deliver us from slavish fear, if only we consider and reflect on these. The more we know of God, the less shall we be afraid of him. May not the most fearful learn to reason with Manoah's wife—"If God had meant harm to us, would he have blessed us as he has done hitherto?" The Christian may go further, and be sure that after the great gift of his Son, God must wish well to us in all lesser things (Romans 5:10).
3. Faith. We cannot see perfect evidence that God is blessing us in every mystery; but if we know his character we ought to trust his actions, even when they seem most alarming, as they cannot be contrary to his nature.
4. The acceptance of sacrifice. God had accepted Manoah's sacrifice, therefore he could not regard him with disfavour. He has accepted the sacrifice of Christ, and accordingly our guilt need not make us fear God if we rely on the atonement Christ has effected.—A.
13:24, 13:25
The young Samson.
I. His NAME. Samson—the sun. This was a great name, full of inspiring significance. It is well to have a good name, one which is a constant appeal to a man to be worthy of it, and to live up to its meaning.
II. HIS GROWTH. Samson the hero was first a child at the mercy of the weakest. The grandest river springs from a little streamlet. The noblest man enters life, as the meanest does, in helpless infancy. So the spiritual life of the saint, the martyr, the apostle is seen first in him as in a babe in Christ. It is therefore no dishonour to have a small beginning, but it is a dishonour to remain small. The one question is, Do we grow mentally, spiritually, in knowledge, in holiness, in power? There is more to be expected of the minute growing seed than of the dead stump, which is at first vastly larger. Better be a growing child of the Lord than a dwarf adult Christian man.
III. HIS BLESSING. "The Lord blessed him." We are not told how; this matters not. Perhaps he did not recognise the blessing. God blesses us silently, with no formal benediction, and perhaps in ways which to us seem hard and injurious. Still better than health, riches, pleasure is the fact God does give a man the thing that is for his highest good, which is what we mean by "a blessing."
IV. HIS INSPIRATION. "The Spirit of the Lord began to move him."
1. Samson's heroic strength was an inspiration of God, not a mere brute muscular force. We see how in great crises men are nerved to do what is beyond their power in ordinary life. The abnormal strength of insanity is an instance of the same principle, applied in circumstances of disease.
2. Inspiration assumes various forms. To Samson it brought neither the grace of purity nor the gift of prophecy; but it gave him the special gifts which he needed for his special work. He would have been a nobler man if he had sought the Spirit of God also to help him in more spiritual ways. Samson had a supernatural gift of the Spirit with little of its ordinary grace of holiness. It is better to have this grace first, though, if God will, we may receive the gift also.
V. HIS IMPERFECT POSSESSION BY THE SPIRIT. He was moved at times.
1. God's special gifts are limited to occasion. There is an economy of Divine power. When we need extraordinary grace he will give this, but only then.
2. The receipt of spiritual gifts depends on the condition of our spirit. Samson was only rightly disposed to receive the Spirit at intervals. Our spiritual life fluctuates; we are not long at our best.
3. We are only moved when we respond. God may have visited Samson more often than Samson profited by his visit. We can resist the Spirit. We are helped only when we willingly yield to it.—A.
Judges
Judges 13 - judges-13 - worlddic.com