Oh and I didn't actually teach this lesson. I was away with some of the high school girls for a retreat. Therefore this is just what I would have taught had I been there, but our youth pastor taught the chapter, not me.
Alright, so chapter 13...
Read verse 1: The cycle starts again... Israel sins and is enslaved to the Philistines for 40 years.
Read verse 2: Manoah is introduced to us. We aren't told much about him, but that his wife is barren (aka menopausal) and has no previously had any children.
Read verses 3-5: The Angel of the Lord (as previously mentioned this is God) appears to Manoah's wife and tells her she'll have a son. But she's also given some rather strict instructions. She is not to (1) drink alcohol, (2) eat anything unclean, and (3) cut his hair. Why? He's to be a Nazirite and deliver Israel from the Philistines.
What's a Nazirite anyway? Well since you asked.... In Numbers 6, you can read all about the vow of the Nazirites. Basically, if someone was going to take the vow, for a certain amount of time they would not (1) drink alcohol, (2) touch anything dead, or (3) cut their hair (or shave).
Samson's Nazirite vow is different because he didn't chose it, it was for his lifetime, and the second stipulation was adjusted. Since he was being raised to deliver Israel, he would be fighting and therefore touching dead bodies. That is why his vow was to not eat anything unclean rather than not touching death.
One other thing to note about these verses: God is raising up a deliverer, even though the people didn't cry out to Him to do so.
Read verses 6-7: Mrs. Manoah tells her husband and seems to added some details to what we heard in verse 5 (about the lifetime commitment).
Read verse 8: Manoah prays for God to send the man again so they can get more information.
Read verses 9-10: God sends the Angel of the Lord again to Manoah's wife so she goes and gets him.
Read verses 11-12: Manoah asks the angel if he's the same guy as before (yes) and for some more info about how to raise this promised son.
Read verses 13-14: The Angel of the Lord just reminds them of what he previously said, no new details.
Read verse 15: Manoah asks him to wait so he can prepare him a goat.
Read verse 16: Angel of the Lord says I won't eat it, but sacrifice it to me.
Read verses 17-18: Manoah responds with "whoa, who are you?" Angle responds, "I'm Wonderful." Kinda weird response.
Read verses 19-21: Manoah prepares the goat as a sacrifice. The Angel of the Lord does some miracles and then ascends with the flames. Manoah and his wife fall in worship, recognizing who it was. He does not appear again.
Read verses 22-23: Manoah fears they will die because they saw God. His wife reassures him that they won't die because He accepted their sacrifice.
Read verse 24: Manoah's wife gives birth to Samson. The Lord blesses him as he grows.
Read verse 25: The Spirit of the Lord is already starting to move in Samson.
Read verse 2: Manoah is introduced to us. We aren't told much about him, but that his wife is barren (aka menopausal) and has no previously had any children.
Read verses 3-5: The Angel of the Lord (as previously mentioned this is God) appears to Manoah's wife and tells her she'll have a son. But she's also given some rather strict instructions. She is not to (1) drink alcohol, (2) eat anything unclean, and (3) cut his hair. Why? He's to be a Nazirite and deliver Israel from the Philistines.
What's a Nazirite anyway? Well since you asked.... In Numbers 6, you can read all about the vow of the Nazirites. Basically, if someone was going to take the vow, for a certain amount of time they would not (1) drink alcohol, (2) touch anything dead, or (3) cut their hair (or shave).
Samson's Nazirite vow is different because he didn't chose it, it was for his lifetime, and the second stipulation was adjusted. Since he was being raised to deliver Israel, he would be fighting and therefore touching dead bodies. That is why his vow was to not eat anything unclean rather than not touching death.
One other thing to note about these verses: God is raising up a deliverer, even though the people didn't cry out to Him to do so.
Read verses 6-7: Mrs. Manoah tells her husband and seems to added some details to what we heard in verse 5 (about the lifetime commitment).
Read verse 8: Manoah prays for God to send the man again so they can get more information.
Read verses 9-10: God sends the Angel of the Lord again to Manoah's wife so she goes and gets him.
Read verses 11-12: Manoah asks the angel if he's the same guy as before (yes) and for some more info about how to raise this promised son.
Read verses 13-14: The Angel of the Lord just reminds them of what he previously said, no new details.
Read verse 15: Manoah asks him to wait so he can prepare him a goat.
Read verse 16: Angel of the Lord says I won't eat it, but sacrifice it to me.
Read verses 17-18: Manoah responds with "whoa, who are you?" Angle responds, "I'm Wonderful." Kinda weird response.
Read verses 19-21: Manoah prepares the goat as a sacrifice. The Angel of the Lord does some miracles and then ascends with the flames. Manoah and his wife fall in worship, recognizing who it was. He does not appear again.
Read verses 22-23: Manoah fears they will die because they saw God. His wife reassures him that they won't die because He accepted their sacrifice.
Read verse 24: Manoah's wife gives birth to Samson. The Lord blesses him as he grows.
Read verse 25: The Spirit of the Lord is already starting to move in Samson.
Application:
- God is active. We just don't always see it. Look for what he's doing and thank Him for it. Also, thank Him for the unseen things-you don't know how He's protected you and taken care of you without you knowing.
- God provides. He sees our needs and meets them. Israel didn't have to cry out to God for Him to deliver them. (Now maybe had they cried out, He would've provided a deliverer sooner than He did.) God is faithful to take care of us whether we ask for it or not, however I think a lack of prayer causes us to wait longer and miss out on blessings He desires to give us.
**All Scripture is quotes from the New American Standard.
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I'm currently teaching on the book of Judges for the youth group Sunday school class. We normally spend half our time playing a game and the other half studying the Bible. These are my lessons and some funny tidbits that happen during the course of the morning.
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I'm currently teaching on the book of Judges for the youth group Sunday school class. We normally spend half our time playing a game and the other half studying the Bible. These are my lessons and some funny tidbits that happen during the course of the morning.
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