J
U D G E S
CHAP. XIII.
At
this chapter begins the story of Samson, the last of the judges of Israel
whose story is recorded in this book, and next before Eli. The passages
related concerning him are, from first to last, very surprising and uncommon.
The figure he makes in this history is really great, and yet vastly different
from that of his predecessors. We never find him at the head either of a court
or of an army, never upon the throne of judgment nor in the field of battle,
yet, in his own proper person, a great patriot of his country, and a terrible
scourge and check to its enemies and oppressors; he was an eminent believer
(Heb. xi. 32) and a glorious type of him who with his own arm wrought
salvation. The history of the rest of the judges commences from their
advancement to that station, but Samson's begins with his birth, nay, with his
conception, no less than an angel from heaven ushers him into the world, as a
pattern of what should be afterwards done to John Baptist and to Christ. This
is related in this chapter. I. The occasion of raising up this deliverer was
the oppression of Israel by the Philistines, ver. 1. II. His birth is foretold
by an angel to his mother, ver. 2-5. III. She relates the prediction to his
father, ver. 6, 7. IV. They both together have it again from the angel (ver.
8-14), whom they treat with respect (ver. 15-18), and who, to their great
amazement, discovers his dignity at parting, ver. 19-23. V. Samson is born,
ver. 24, 25.
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An
Angel Appears to Manoah's Wife.
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B.
C. 1161.
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1 And the children of
Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD;
and the LORD
delivered them into the hand of the Philistines forty years. 2 And
there was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was
Manoah; and his wife was barren, and bare not. 3 And the
angel of the LORD
appeared unto the woman, and said unto her, Behold now, thou art
barren, and bearest not: but thou shalt conceive, and bear a son.
4 Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink not wine nor strong drink, and
eat not any unclean thing: 5 For, lo, thou shalt conceive,
and bear a son; and no razor shall come on his head: for the child shall be a
Nazarite unto God from the womb: and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of
the hand of the Philistines. 6 Then the woman came and told her
husband, saying, A man of God came unto me, and his countenance was
like the countenance of an angel of God, very terrible: but I asked him not
whence he was, neither told he me his name: 7 But he said
unto me, Behold, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and now drink no wine
nor strong drink, neither eat any unclean thing: for the child shall be
a Nazarite to God from the womb to the day of his death.
The first verse gives us a short account, such as we have too often met with
already, of the great distress that Israel was in, which gave occasion for the
raising up of a deliverer. They did evil, as they had done, in the sight of
the Lord, and then God delivered them, as he had done, into the hands of
their enemies. If there had been no sin, there would have needed no Saviour;
but sin was suffered to abound, that grace might much more abound. The enemies
God now sold them to were the Philistines, their next neighbours, that lay
among them, the first and chief of the nations which were devoted to
destruction, but which God left to prove them (ch. iii. 1, 3), the
five lords of the Philistines, an inconsiderable people in comparison with
Israel (they had but five cities of any note), and yet, when God made use of
them as the staff in his hand, they were very oppressive and vexatious. And
this trouble lasted longer than any yet: it continued forty years, though
probably not always alike violent. When Israel was in this distress Samson was
born; and here we have his birth foretold by an angel. Observe,
I. His extraction. He was of the tribe of Dan, v. 2. Dan
signifies a judge or judgment, Gen. xxx. 6. And probably it was
with an eye to Samson that dying Jacob foretold, Dan shall judge his
people, that is, "he shall produce a judge for his people, though one
of the sons of the handmaids, as one, as well as any one, of the tribes of
Israel," Gen. xlix. 16. The lot of the tribe of Dan lay next to the
country of the Philistines, and therefore one of that tribe was most fit to be
made a bridle upon them. His parents had been long childless. Many eminent
persons were born of mothers that had been kept a great while in the want of
the blessing of children, as Isaac, Joseph, Samuel, and John Baptist, that the
mercy might be the more acceptable when it did come. Sing, O barren! thou
that didst not bear, Isa. liv. 1. Note, Mercies long waited for often
prove signal mercies, and it is made to appear that they were worth waiting
for, and by them others may be encouraged to continue their hope in God's
mercy.
II. The glad tidings brought to his mother, that she should have a son. The
messenger was an angel of the Lord (v. 3), yet appearing as a
man, with the aspect and garb of a prophet, or man of God. And this angel (as
the learned bishop Patrick supposes, on v. 18) was the Lord himself,
that is, the Word of the Lord, who was to be the Messiah, for his name
is called Wonderful, v. 18, and Jehovah, v. 19.
The great Redeemer did in a particular manner concern himself about this
typical redeemer. It was not so much for the sake of Manoah and his wife,
obscure Danites, that this extraordinary message was sent, but for Israel's
sake, whose deliverer he was to be, and not only so (his services to Israel
not seeming to answer to the grandeur of his entry) but for the Messiah's
sake, whose type he was to be, and whose birth must be foretold by an angel,
as his was. The angel, in the message he delivers, 1. Takes notice of her
affliction: Behold now, thou art barren and bearest not. Hence she
might gather he was a prophet, that though a stranger to her, and one she had
never seen before, yet he knew this to be her grievance. He tells her of it,
not to upbraid her with it, but because perhaps at this time she was actually
thinking of this affliction and bemoaning herself as one written childless.
God often sends in comfort to his people very seasonably, when they feel most
from their troubles. "Now thou art barren, but thou shalt not be
always so," as she feared, "nor long so." 2. He assures her
that she should conceive and bear a son (v. 3) and repeats the
assurance, v. 5. To show the power of a divine word, the strongest man
that ever was was a child of promise, as Isaac, born by force and virtue of a
promise, and faith in that promise, Heb. xi. 11; Gal. iv. 23. 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, 3. He appoints that the child should be a
Nazarite from his birth, and therefore that the mother should be subject to
the law of the Nazarites (though not under the vow of a Nazarite) and should drink
no wine or strong drink so long as this child was to have its nourishment
from her, either in the womb or at the breast, v. 4, 5. Observe, This
deliverer of Israel must be in the strictest manner devoted to God and an
example of holiness. It is spoken of as a kindness to the people that God
raised up of their young men for Nazarites, Amos ii. 11. Other judges had
corrected their apostasies from God, but Samson must appear as one, more than
any of them, consecrated to God; and, notwithstanding what we read of his
faults, we have reason to think that being a Nazarite of God's making he did,
in the course of his conversation, exemplify, not only the ceremony, but the
substance of that separation to the Lord in which the Nazariteship did
consist, Num. vi. 2. Those that would save others must by singular piety
distinguish themselves. Samuel, who carried on Israel's deliverance from the
Philistines, was a Nazarite by his mother's vow (1 Sam. i. 11), as Samson by
the divine appointment. The mother of this deliverer must therefore deny
herself, and not eat any unclean thing; what was lawful at another time was
now to be forborne. As the promise tried her faith, so this precept tried her
obedience; for God requires both from those on whom he will bestow his
favours. Women with child ought conscientiously to avoid whatever they have
reason to think will be any way prejudicial to the health or good constitution
of the fruit of their body. And perhaps Samson's mother was to refrain from
wine and strong drink, not only because he was designed for a Nazarite, but
because he was designed for a man of great strength, which his mother's
temperance would contribute to. 4. He foretels the service which this child
should do to his country: He shall begin to deliver Israel. Note, It is
very desirable that our children may be not only devoted entirely to God
themselves, but instrumental for the good of others, and the service of their
generation--not recluses, candles under a bushel, but on a
candlestick. Observe, He shall begin to deliver Israel. This
intimated that the oppression of the Philistines should last long, for
Israel's deliverance from it should not so much as begin, not one step be
taken towards it, till this child, who was now unborn, should have grown up to
a capacity of beginning it. And yet he must not complete the deliverance: he
shall only begin to deliver Israel, which intimates that the trouble
should still be prolonged. God chooses to carry on his work gradually and by
several hands. One lays the foundation of a good work, another builds, and
perhaps a third brings forth the top stone. Now herein Samson was a type of
Christ, (1.) As a Nazarite to God, a Nazarite from the womb. For, though our
Lord Jesus was not a Nazarite himself, yet he was typified by the Nazarites,
as being perfectly pure from all sin, not so much as conceived in it, and
entirely devoted to his Father's honour. Of the Jewish church, as
concerning the flesh, Christ came, because to them pertained the promise
of him, Rom. ix. 4, 5. By virtue of that promise, he long lay as it were in
the womb of that church, which for many ages was pregnant of him, and
therefore, like Samson's mother, during that pregnancy was made a holy nation
and a peculiar people, and strictly forbidden to touch any unclean thing
for his sake, who in the fulness of time was to come from them. (2.) As a
deliverer of Israel; for he is Jesus a Saviour, who saves his people from
their sins. But with this difference: Samson did only begin to deliver Israel
(David was afterwards raised up to complete the destruction of the
Philistines), but our Lord Jesus is both Samson and David too, both the author
and finisher of our faith.
III. The report which Manoah's wife, in a transport of joy, brings in all
haste to her husband, of this surprising message v. 6, 7. The glad
tidings were brought her when she was alone, perhaps religiously employed in
meditation or prayer; but she could not, she would not, conceal them from her
husband, but gives him an account, 1. Of the messenger. It was a man of God, v.
6. His countenance she could describe; it was very awful: he had such a
majesty in his looks, such a sparkling eye, such a shining face, so powerfully
commanding reverence and respect, that according to the idea she had of an
angel he had the very countenance of one. But his name she can give no account
of, nor to what tribe or city of Israel he belonged, for he did not think fit
to tell her, and, for her part, the very sight of him struck such an awe upon
her that she durst not ask him. She was abundantly satisfied that he was a
servant of God; his person and message she thought carried their own evidence
along with them, and she enquired no further. 2. Of the message. She gives him
a particular account both of the promise and of the precept (v. 7),
that he also might believe the promise and might on all occasions be a monitor
to her to observe the precept. Thus should yoke-fellows communicate to each
other their experiences of communion with God, and their improvements in
acquaintance with him, that they may be helpful to each other in the way
that is called holy.
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The
Angel's Appearance to Manoah.
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B.
C. 1161.
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8 Then Manoah intreated
the LORD,
and said, O my Lord, let the man of God which thou didst send come again unto
us, and teach us what we shall do unto the child that shall be born.
9 And God hearkened to the voice of Manoah; and the angel of God came again
unto the woman as she sat in the field: but Manoah her husband was not
with her. 10 And the woman made haste, and ran, and showed her
husband, and said unto him, Behold, the man hath appeared unto me, that came
unto me the other day. 11 And Manoah arose, and went after
his wife, and came to the man, and said unto him, Art thou the man that
spakest unto the woman? And he said, I am. 12 And Manoah
said, Now let thy words come to pass. How shall we order the child, and how
shall we do unto him? 13 And the angel of the LORD
said unto Manoah, Of all that I said unto the woman let her beware.
14 She may not eat of any thing that cometh of the vine, neither let
her drink wine or strong drink, nor eat any unclean thing: all that I
commanded her let her observe.
We have here an account of a second visit which the angel of God made to
Manoah and his wife.
I. Manoah earnestly prayed for it, v. 8. He was not incredulous of the
story his wife told him; he knew she was a virtuous woman, and therefore the heart
of her husband did safely trust in her; he knew she would not go about to
impose upon him, much less was he, as Josephus unworthily represents him,
jealous of his wife's conversation with this stranger; but, 1. He takes it for
granted that this child of promise shall in due time be given them, and speaks
without hesitation of the child that shall be born. There was not
found so great faith, no, not in Zechariah, a priest, then in waiting at
the altar of the Lord, and to whom the angel himself appeared, as was in this
honest Danite. Things hidden from the wise and prudent, who value themselves
upon the niceness of their enquiries, are often revealed unto babes, who know
how to prize God's gifts and to take God's word. Blessed are those that
have not seen and yet, as Manoah here, have believed. 2. All his
care is what they should do to the child that should be born. Note,
Good men are more solicitous and desirous to know the duty that is to be done
by them than to know the events that shall occur concerning them; for duty is
ours, events are God's. Solomon enquires concerning the good men should do,
not the good they should have, Eccl. ii. 3. 3. He therefore prays to
God to send the same blessed messenger again, to give them further
instructions concerning the management of this Nazarite, fearing lest his
wife's joy for the promise might have made her forget some part of the
precept, in which he was desirous to be fully informed, and lie under no
mistake: "Lord, let the man of God come again unto us, for we
desire to be better acquainted with him." Note, Those that have heard
from heaven cannot but wish to hear more thence, again and again to meet with
the man of God. Observe, He does not go or send his servants abroad, to find
out this man of God, but seeks him upon his knees, prays to God to send him,
and, thus seeking, finds him. Would we have God's messengers, the ministers of
his gospel, to bring a word proper for us, and for our instruction? Entreat
the Lord to send them to us, to teach us, Rom. xv. 30, 32.
II. God graciously granted it: God hearkened to the voice of Manoah, v.
9. Note, God will not fail some way or other to guide those by his counsel
that are sincerely desirous to know their duty, and apply themselves to him to
teach them, Ps. xxv. 8, 9.
1. The angel appears the second time also to the wife, when she is sitting
alone, probably tending the flocks, or otherwise well employed in the field
where she has retired. Solitude is often a good opportunity of communion with
God; good people have thought themselves never less alone than when alone, if
God be with them.
2. She goes in all haste to call her husband, doubtless humbly beseeching the
stay of this blessed messenger till she should return and her husband with
her, v. 10, 11. She did not desire him to go with her to her husband,
but would fetch her husband to him. Those that would meet with God must attend
where he is pleased to manifest himself. "Oh," says she, overjoyed,
"my dear love, thy prayers are answered--yonder is the man of God, come
to make us another visit--he that came the other day," or, as some read
it, this day, for other is not in the original, and it is
probable enough that both these visits were on the same day, and at the same
place, and that the second time she sat expecting him. The man of God is very
willing she should call her husband, John iv. 16. Those that have an
acquaintance with the things of God themselves should invite others to the
same acquaintance, John i. 45, 46. Manoah is not disgusted that the angel did
not this second time appear to him, but very willingly goes after his wife to
the man of God. To atone (as it were) for the first fatal miscarriage, when
Eve earnestly pressed Adam to that which was evil, and he too easily yielded
to her, let yoke-fellows excite one another to love and good works; and, if
the wife will lead, let not the husband think it any disparagement to him to
follow her in that which is virtuous and praiseworthy.
3. Manoah having come to the angel, and being satisfied by him that he was the
same that had appeared to his wife, does, with all humility, (1.) Welcome the
promise (v. 12): Now let thy words come to pass; this was the
language, not only of his desire, but of his faith, like that of the blessed
Virgin, Luke i. 38. "Be it according to thy word. Lord, I lay hold
on what thou hast said, and depend upon it; let it come to pass."
(2.) Beg that the prescriptions given might be repeated: How shall we order
the child? The directions were given to his wife, but he looks upon
himself as concerned to assist her in the careful management of this promised
seed, according to order; for the utmost care of both the parents, and their
constant joint endeavour, are little enough to be engaged for the good
ordering of children that are devoted to God and to be brought up for him. Let
not one devolve it on the other, but both do their best. Observe from Manoah's
enquiry, [1.] In general, that, when God is pleased to bestow any mercy upon
us, our great care must be how to use it well, and as we ought, because it is
then only a mercy indeed when it is rightly managed. God has given us bodies,
souls, estates; how shall we order them, that we may answer the intent of the
donor, and give a good account of them? [2.] In particular, those to whom God
has given children must be very careful how they order them, and what they do
unto them, that they may drive out the foolishness that is bound up in
their hearts, form their minds and manners well betimes, and train them
in the way wherein they should go. Herein pious parents will beg divine
assistance. "Lord, teach us how we may order our children, that they may
be Nazarites, and living sacrifices to thee."
4. The angel repeats the directions he had before given (v. 13, 14): Of
all that I forbad let her beware; and all that I commanded her
let her observe. Note, There is need of a good deal both of caution and
observation, for the right ordering both of ourselves and of our children.
Beware and observe; take heed not only of drinking wine or strong
drink, but of eating any thing that cometh of the vine. Those that
would preserve themselves pure must keep at a distance from that which borders
upon sin or leads to it. When she was with child of a Nazarite, she must not
eat any unclean thing; so those in whom Christ is formed must
carefully cleanse themselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit,
and do nothing to the prejudice of that new man.
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Manoah's
Alarm.
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B.
C. 1161.
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15 And Manoah said unto
the angel of the LORD,
I pray thee, let us detain thee, until we shall have made ready a kid for
thee. 16 And the angel of the LORD
said unto Manoah, Though thou detain me, I will not eat of thy bread: and if
thou wilt offer a burnt offering, thou must offer it unto the LORD.
For Manoah knew not that he was an angel of the LORD.
17 And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD,
What is thy name, that when thy sayings come to pass we may do thee
honour? 18 And the angel of the LORD
said unto him, Why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is
secret? 19 So Manoah took a kid with a meat offering, and offered it
upon a rock unto the LORD:
and the angel did wondrously; and Manoah and his wife looked on.
20 For it came to pass, when the flame went up toward heaven from off the
altar, that the angel of the LORD
ascended in the flame of the altar. And Manoah and his wife looked on it,
and fell on their faces to the ground. 21 But the angel of the LORD
did no more appear to Manoah and to his wife. Then Manoah knew that he was
an angel of the LORD.
22 And Manoah said unto his wife, We shall surely die, because we have seen
God. 23 But his wife said unto him, If the LORD
were pleased to kill us, he would not have received a burnt offering and a
meat offering at our hands, neither would he have showed us all these things,
nor would as at this time have told us such things as these.
We have here an account,
I. Of what further passed between Manoah and the angel at this interview. It
was in kindness to him that while the angel was with him it was concealed from
him that he was an angel; for, had he known it, it would have been such a
terror to him that he durst not have conversed with him as he did (v.
16): He knew not that he was an angel. So Christ was in the world,
and the world knew him not. Verily thou art a God that hidest thyself. We
could not bear the sight of the divine glory unveiled. God having determined
to speak to us by men like ourselves, prophets and ministers, even when he
spoke by his angels, or by his Son, they appeared in the likeness of men, and
were taken but for men of God. Now,
1. The angel declined to accept his treat, and appointed him to turn it into a
sacrifice. Manoah, being desirous to show some token of respect and gratitude
to this venerable stranger who had brought them these glad tidings, begged he
would take some refreshment with him (v. 15): We will soon make
ready a kid for thee. Those that welcome the message will be kind to the
messengers for his sake that sends them, 1 Thess. v. 13. But the angel told
him (v. 16) he would not eat of his bread, any more than he
would of Gideon's, but, as there, directed him to offer it to God, ch.
vi. 20, 21. Angels need not meat nor drink; but the glorifying of God is their
meat and drink, and it was Christ's, John iv. 34. And we in some measure do
the will of God as they do it if, though we cannot live without meat and
drink, yet we eat and drink to the glory of God, and so turn even our common
meals into sacrifices.
2. The angel declined telling him his name, and would not so far gratify his
curiosity. Manoah desired to know his name (v. 17), and of what tribe
he was, not as if he doubted the truth of his message, but that they might
return his visit, and be better acquainted with him (it is good to increase
and improve our acquaintance with good men and good ministers); and he has a
further design: "That when thy sayings come to pass, we may do thee
honour, celebrate thee as a true prophet, and recommend others to thee for
divine instructions,--that we may call the child that shall be born after thy
name, and so do thee honour,--or that we may send thee a present, honouring
one whom God has honoured." But the angel denies his request with
something of a check to his curiosity (v. 18): Why askest thou thus
after my name? Jacob himself could not prevail for this favour, Gen. xxxii.
29. Note, We have not what we ask when we ask we know not what. Manoah's
request was honestly meant and yet was denied. God told Moses his name (Exod.
iii. 13, 14), because there was a particular occasion for his knowing it, but
here there was no occasion. What Manoah asked for instruction in his duty he
was readily told (v. 12, 13), but what he asked to gratify his
curiosity was denied. God has in his word given us full directions concerning
our duty, but never designed to answer all the enquiries of a speculative
head. He gives him a reason for his refusal: It is secret. The names of
angels were not as yet revealed, to prevent the idolizing of them. After the
captivity, when the church was cured of idolatry, angels made themselves known
to Daniel by their names, Michael and Gabriel; and to Zacharias the angel told
his name unasked (Luke i. 19): I am Gabriel. But here it is secret,
or it is wonderful, too wonderful for us. One of Christ's names is Wonderful,
Isa. ix. 6. His name was long a secret, but by the gospel it is brought to
light: Jesus a Saviour. Manoah must not ask because he must not know.
Note, (1.) There are secret things which belong not to us, and which we must
content ourselves to be in the dark about while we are here in this world.
(2.) We must therefore never indulge a vain curiosity in our enquiries
concerning these things, Col. ii. 18. Nescire velle quae Magister maximus
docere non vult erudita inscitia est--To be willingly ignorant of those things
which our great Master refuses to teach us is to be at once ignorant and wise.
3. The angel assisted and owned their sacrifice, and, at parting, gave them to
understand who he was. He had directed them to offer their burnt-offering to
the Lord, v. 16. Praises offered up to God are the most acceptable
entertainment of the angels; see Rev. xxii. 9, worship God. And Manoah,
having so good a warrant, though he was no priest and had no altar, turned his
meat into a meat offering, and offered it upon a rock to the Lord (v.
19), that is, he brought and laid it to be offered. "Lord, here it is, do
what thou pleasest with it." Thus we must bring our hearts to God as
living sacrifices, and submit them to the operation of his Spirit. All things
being now ready, (1.) The angel did wondrously, for his name was Wonderful.
Probably the wonder he did was the same with what he had done for Gideon, he
made fire to come either down from heaven or up out of the rock to consume the
sacrifice. (2.) He ascended up towards heaven in the flame of the
sacrifice, v. 20. By this it appeared that he was not, as they
thought, a mere man, but a messenger immediately from heaven. Thence certainly
he descended, for thither he ascended, John iii. 13; vi. 62. This signified
God's acceptance of the offering and intimates to what we owe the acceptance
of all our offerings, even to the mediation of the angel of the covenant, that
other angel, who puts much incense to the prayers of saints and so
offers them before the throne, Rev. viii. 3. Prayer is the ascent of the
soul to God. But it is Christ in the heart by faith that makes it an offering
of a sweet-smelling savour: without him our services are offensive smoke, but,
in him, acceptable flame. We may apply it to Christ's sacrifice of himself for
us; he ascended in the flame of his own offering, for by his own blood he
entered in once into the holy place, Heb. ix. 12. While the angel did
this, it is twice said (v. 19, 20) that Manoah and his wife looked
on. This is a proof of the miracle: the matter of fact was true, for out
of the mouth of these two eye-witnesses the report of it is established. The
angel did all that was done in the sacrifice; they did but look on; yet
doubtless, when the angel ascended towards heaven, their hearts ascended with
him in thanksgiving for the promise which came thence and in expectation of
the performance to come thence too. Yet, when the angel has ascended, they
dared not, as those that were the witnesses of Christ's ascension, stand
gazing up into heaven, but in holy fear and reverence they fell on their faces
to the ground. And now, [1.] They knew that it was an angel, v.
21. It was plain it was not the body of a man they saw, since it was not
chained to the earth, nor prejudiced by fire; but ascended, and ascended in
flame, and therefore with good reason they conclude it was an angel; for he maketh
his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire. [2.] But he did not
any more appear to them; it was for a particular occasion, now over, that he
was sent, not to settle a constant correspondence, as with prophets. They must
remember and observe what the angel had said and not expect to hear more.
II. We have an account of the impressions which this vision made upon Manoah
and his wife. While the angel did wondrously, they looked on, and said nothing
(so it becomes us carefully to observe the wondrous works of God, and to be
silent before him); but when he had gone, having finished his work, they had
time to make their reflections. 1. In Manoah's reflection upon it there is great
fear, v. 22. He had spoken with great assurance of the son they
should shortly be the joyful parents of (v. 8, 12), and yet is now put
into such a confusion by that very thing which should have strengthened and
encouraged his faith that he counts upon nothing but their being both cut off
immediately: We shall surely die. It was a vulgar opinion generally
received among the ancient Jews that it was present death to see God or an
angel; and this notion quite overcome his faith for the present, as it did
Gideon's, ch. vi. 22. 2. In his wife's reflection upon it there is
great faith, v. 23. Here the weaker vessel was the stronger believer,
which perhaps was the reason why the angel chose once and again to appear to
her. Manoah's heart began to fail him, but his wife, as a help meet for him,
encouraged him. Two are better than one, for, if one fall into dejections and
despondencies, the other will help to raise him up. Yoke-fellows should
piously assist each other's faith and joy as there is occasion. None could
argue better than Manoah's wife does here: We shall surely die, said
her husband; "Nay," said she, "we need not fear that; let us
never turn that against us which is really for us. We shall not die unless God
be pleased to kill us: our death must come from his hand and his pleasure. Now
the tokens of his favour which we have received forbid us to think that he
designs our destruction. Had he thought fit to kill us, (1.) He would not have
accepted our sacrifice, and signified to us his acceptance of it by turning
it to ashes, Ps. xx. 3, margin. The sacrifice was the ransom of our
lives, and the fire fastening upon that was a plain indication of the turning
away of his wrath from us. The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination, but
you see ours is not so. (2.) He would not have shown us all these things,
these strange sights, now at a time when there is little or no open vision (1
Sam. iii. 1), nor would he have given these exceedingly great and precious
promises of a son that shall be a Nazarite and a deliverer of Israel--he would
not have told us such things as these if he had been pleased to kill us. We
need not fear the withering of those roots out of which such a branch is yet
to spring." Note, Hereby it appears that God designs not the death of
sinners that he has accepted the great sacrifice which Christ offered up for
their salvation, has put them in a way of obtaining his favour, and has
assured them of it upon their repentance. Had he been pleased to kill them, he
would not have done so. And let those good Christians who have had communion
with God in the word and prayer, to whom he has graciously manifested himself,
and who have had reason to think God has accepted their works, take
encouragement thence in a cloudy and dark day. "God would not have done
what he has done for my soul if he had designed to forsake me, and leave me to
perish at last; for his work is perfect, nor will he mock his people with his
favours." Learn to reason as Manoah's wife did, "If God had designed
me to perish under his wrath, he would not have given me such distinguishing
tokens of his favour." O woman! great is thy faith.
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The
Birth of Samson.
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B.
C. 1161.
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24 And the woman bare a
son, and called his name Samson: and the child grew, and the LORD
blessed him. 25 And the Spirit of the LORD
began to move him at times in the camp of Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol.
Here is, 1. Samson's birth. The woman that had been long barren bore a son,
according to the promise; for no word of God shall fall to the ground. Hath he
spoken, and shall he not make it good? 2. His name, Samson, has been
derived by some, from Shemesh, the sun, turned into a diminutive, sol
exiguus--the sun in miniature, perhaps because, being born like
Moses to be a deliverer, he was like him exceedingly fair, his face shone like
a little sun; or his parents so named him in remembrance of the shining
countenance of that man of God who brought them the notice of him; though they
knew not his name, yet thus, now that his sayings had come to pass, they did
him honour. A little sun, because a Nazarite born (for the Nazarites were as rubies
and sapphires, Lam. iv. 7, and because of his great strength. The sun
is compared to a strong man Ps. xix. 5); why should not a strong man
then be compared to the sun when he goes forth in his strength? A little sun,
because the glory of, and a light to, his people Israel, a type of Christ, the
Sun of righteousness. 3. His childhood. He grew more than is usual in strength
and stature, far out-grew other children of his age; and not in that only, but
in other instances, it appeared that the Lord blessed him, qualified him, both
in body and mind, for something great and extraordinary. Children of promise
shall have the blessing. 4. His youth. When he grew up a little the Spirit
of the Lord began to move him, v. 25. This was an evidence that the
Lord blessed him. Where God gives his blessing he gives his Spirit to qualify
for the blessing. Those are blessed indeed in whom the Spirit of grace begins
to work betimes, in the days of their childhood. If the Spirit be poured
out upon our offspring, they will spring up as willows by the water
courses, Isa. xliv. 3, 4. The Spirit of God moved Samson in the camp of
Dan, that is, in the general muster of the trained bands of that tribe, who
probably had formed a camp between Zorah and Eshtaol, near the place where he
lived, to oppose the incursions of the Philistines; there Samson, when a
child, appeared among them, and signalized himself by some very brave actions,
excelling them all in manly exercises and trials of strength: and probably he
showed himself more than ordinarily zealous against the enemies of his
country, and discovered more of a public spirit than could be expected in a
child. The Spirit moved him at times, not at all times, but as the wind
blows, when he listed, to show that what he did was not from himself, for then
he could have done it at any time. Strong men think themselves greatly
animated by wine (Ps. lxxviii. 65), but Samson drank no wine, and yet excelled
in strength and courage, and every thing that was bold and brave, for he had
the Spirit of God moving him; therefore be not drunk with wine, but be
filled with the Spirit, who will come to those that are sober and
temperate.
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