Attention to Duty

The author of Judges goes to some pains to paint a picture of the godly man and woman to whom Samson is to be born. In yesterday’s study, we saw God announce to the woman that He intends to bless the couple by giving them a son of promise who also will be the deliverer of His people. How do they react to this stunning news?

The woman’s first action is to rush to her husband, Manoah, with the joyous news. She speaks first of the visitation—it was a “ ‘Man of God’ ” who spoke to her, she says, and though she can’t be sure that He was something more than a prophet, His appearance was like that of “ ‘the Angel of God.’ ” She gives credence to the promise of a son because she perceives it as coming from God. She then goes on to tell Manoah of both the promise and the Nazirite restrictions, “that he also might believe the promise and might on all occasions be a monitor to her to observe the precept,” Matthew Henry writes. Manoah seems to accept his wife’s words at face value. He doesn’t go searching for the Angel in the vicinity to erase any doubts he might have; rather, he goes to prayer, expressing faith that it was God who sent the messenger to tell them about “ ‘the child who will be born.’ ” But the prayer reveals not only Manoah’s faith but his deep desire to obey God. He asks that God send the Angel to them once again, not because he questions his wife’s story or jealously desires his own angelic encounter, but simply because he wants to be absolutely clear about God’s will for the boy. He wants to know his responsibilities as the head of the family, that he might raise Samson as God desires.

God graciously answers Manoah’s simple prayer. The Angel comes again to the woman and she quickly summons Manoah, who follows her without jealousy. Once he has confirmed that the Angel is the same who visited his wife earlier, he expresses his faith in the Angel’s promise—“ ‘Now let Your words come to pass!’ ”—and asks for clarification on Samson’s upbringing. The Angel chooses not to answer the question—He says nothing about the boy but simply emphasizes for Manoah what his wife must do. This man is being called to be not just a good father but a loving husband who will help his wife in the difficult task of observing the Nazirite requirements while she is with child.