This post is Day 22 in a series of studies about “Babies and Children”. I strongly suggest you begin with the introduction to this study, please click here to read it.

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Babies and Children – Day 22

If we asked many church-goers today who the son of Manoah the Danite was, they would not be able to answer. But once they were given the name of this baby they could say that Samson was known for his strength. Maybe some would add and his weakness with women!

Judges 13:2-3

A certain man of Zorah, named Manoah, from the clan of the Danites, had a wife who was childless, unable to give birth. 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.”

The Thought

If we asked many church-goers today who the son of Manoah the Danite was, they would not be able to give the answer. But once they were given this baby’s name they could say that Samson was known for his strength. Maybe some would add “and his weakness with women!”

Samson was born after a promise from the Lord. But not just a promise in a dream or a time of prayer. His mother who remains nameless had an angelic visitation, but she didn’t recognise him as an angel. She ran off to tell her husband what this stranger had said, and how she was to behave during her pregnancy and afterwards. Manoah’s reaction was to pray and ask for a second visitation with a few more details.

Eventually this baby was born and the ageing parents did exactly what the angel had said.

On reading the next few chapters on Samson’s life, it seems to me that he was a spoilt child, used to getting what he wanted! But he became a leader and ruled Israel for 20 years (Judges 15:20).

Action

Read Judges 13 today, and if you have time on through to the end of chapter 15. These chapters merit a study to themselves. They leave many unanswered questions.

Think about some of the babies we have read about so far, and praise God that He knew each one and had His plans for them.

Thank Him that He has plans for all the children you will see during today.

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