Judges 13-15 - Teach Me to Do Your Will

The Birth of Samson

Jdg 13:1 LSB - [1] Then the sons of Israel again did what was evil in the eyes of Yahweh, so that Yahweh gave them into the hand of the Philistines forty years.

Jdg 13:5 LSB - [5] "For behold, you shall be with child and give birth to a son, and no razor shall come upon his head, for the boy shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb; and he shall begin to save Israel from the hand of the Philistines."

Jdg 13:8 LSB - [8] Then Manoah entreated Yahweh and said, "O Lord, please let the man of God whom You have sent come to us again that he may instruct us what to do for the boy who is to be born."

Psa 143:10 LSB - [10] Teach me to do Your will, For You are my God; Let Your good Spirit lead me on level ground.

Teach me to do the thing that pleaseth Thee

Author: John S. B. Monsell

1 Teach me to do the thing that pleaseth thee;
Thou art my God, in thee I live and move;
Oh, let thy loving Spirit lead me forth
Into the land of righteousness and love.

2 Thy love the law and impulse of my soul,
Thy righteousness its fitness and its plea,
Thy loving Spirit mercy's sweet control

To make me liker, draw me nearer thee.

3 My highest hope to be where, Lord, thou art,
To lose myself in thee my richest gain,
To do thy will the habit of my heart,
To grieve the Spirit my severest pain.

4 Thy smile my sunshine, all my peace from thence,|
From self alone what could that peace destroy?
Thy joy my sorrow at the least offence,

My sorrow that I am not more thy joy.

 

Jdg 13:16 LSB - [16] And the angel of Yahweh said to Manoah, "Though you delay me, I will not eat your food, but if you prepare a burnt offering, [then] offer it to Yahweh." For Manoah did not know that he was the angel of Yahweh.

Jdg 13:18 LSB - [18] But the angel of Yahweh said to him, "Why do you ask my name, seeing it is wonderful?"

Jdg 13:19-20 LSB - [19] So Manoah took the young goat with the grain offering and offered it on the rock to Yahweh, and He did a wondrous thing while Manoah and his wife looked on. [20] Indeed, it happened when the flame went up from the altar toward heaven, that the angel of Yahweh went up in the flame of the altar. And Manoah and his wife saw [this], so they fell on their faces to the ground.

Jdg 13:24-25 LSB - [24] Then the woman gave birth to a son and named him Samson; and the child grew up, and Yahweh blessed him. [25] And the Spirit of Yahweh began to stir him in Mahaneh-dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol.

Manoah’s Wife and her Excellent Argument - Spurgeon

THE first remark arising out of the story of Manoah and his wife is this — that oftentimes we pray for blessings which will make us tremble when we receive them. Manoah had asked that he might see the angel, and he saw him: in answer to his request the wonderful One condescended to reveal himself a second time, but the consequence was that the good man was filled with astonishment and dismay, and turning to his wife, he exclaimed, “We shall surely die because we have seen God.”

...

A second remark is this— Very frequently deep prostration of spirit is the forerunner of some remarkable blessing. It was to Manoah and to his wife the highest conceivable joy of life, the climax of their ambition, that they should be the parents of a son by whom the Lord should begin to deliver Israel. Joy filled them— inexpressible joy— at the thought of it; but, at the time when the good news was first communicated, Manoah, at least, was made so heavy in spirit that he said, “We shall surely die, for we have seen an angel of the Lord.” Take it as a general rule that dull skies foretell a shower of mercy. Expect sweet favour when you experience sharp affliction.

 

Prayer answered by Crosses

Author: John Newton

1. I asked the Lord that I might grow

In faith, and love, and ev'ry grace,

Might more of his salvation know,

And seek more earnestly his face.

2. 'Twas he who taught me thus to pray,

And he, I trust, has answered prayer,

But it has been in such a way

As almost drove me to despair.

3. I hoped that in some favored hour,

At once he'd answer my request,

And by his love's constraining power,

Subdue my sins and give me rest.

4. Instead of this, he made me feel

The hidden evils of my heart

And let the angry powers of Hell

Assault my soul in every part.

5. Yea, more with his own hand he seemed

Intent to aggravate my woe,

Crossed all the fair designs I schemed,

Cast out my feelings, laid me low.

6. Lord, “Why is this?” I trembling cried,

“Will you pursue your worm to death?”

“’Tis in this way,” The Lord replied,

“I answer prayer for grace and faith.”

7. “These inward trials I employ

From self and pride to set you free

And break your schemes of earthly joy

That you would seek your all in me.”

Samson Takes a Philistine as His Wife

Jdg 14:3-4 LSB -
[3] But his father and his mother said to him, "Is there no woman among the daughters of your relatives, or among all our people, that you go to take a wife from the uncircumcised Philistines?" But Samson said to his father, "Take her for me, for she is right in my eyes."
[4] However, his father and mother did not know that it was of Yahweh, for He was seeking an occasion against the Philistines. Now at that time the Philistines were ruling over Israel.

Jdg 14:6 LSB - [6] And the Spirit of Yahweh came upon him mightily, so that he tore it as one tears a young goat, though he had nothing in his hand; but he did not tell his father or mother what he had done.

Jdg 14:19 LSB - [19] Then the Spirit of Yahweh came upon him mightily, and he went down to Ashkelon and struck down thirty of them and took their spoil and gave the changes [of clothes] to those who told the riddle. And his anger burned, and he went up to his father's house.

Hands Full of Honey - Spurgeon

It seems to me that the Israelitish hero with a slain lion in the background, standing out in the open road with his hands laden with masses of honeycomb and dripping with honey, which he holds out to his parents, makes a fine picture, worthy of the greatest artist. And what a type we have here of our Divine Lord and Master. Jesus, the conqueror of death and hell. He has destroyed the lion that roared upon us and upon him. He has shouted “victory” over all our foes. “It is finished” was his note of triumph; and now he stands in the midst of his church with his hands full of sweetness and consolation, presenting them to those of whom he says, “these are my brother, and sister, and mother.” To each one of us who believe in him he gives the luscious food which he has prepared for us by the overthrow of our foes; he bids us come and eat that we may have our lives sweetened and our hearts filled with joy. To me the comparison seems wonderfully apt and suggestive: I see our triumphant Lord laden with sweetness, holding it forth to all his brethren, and inviting them to share in his joy.

 

Samson Strikes Down the Philistines

Jdg 15:14 LSB - [14] [When] he came to Lehi, the Philistines shouted as they met him. And the Spirit of Yahweh came upon him mightily so that the ropes that were on his arms were as flax that is burned with fire, and his bonds dropped from his hands.

Jdg 15:18-19 LSB - [18] Then he became very thirsty, and he called to Yahweh and said, "You have given this great salvation by the hand of Your slave, but now shall I die of thirst and fall into the hands of the uncircumcised?" [19] So God split the hollow place that is in Lehi and water came out of it. Then he drank, and his spirit returned, and he revived. Therefore he named it En-hakkore, which is in Lehi to this day.