I hesitated naming this post Gender Reveal as I think it “cheapens” the story a bit. But, I see so many Gender Reveals these days that are so exciting. I have no idea who these people are that I am watching on Social Media, but I get wrapped up in their story and can’t wait to see if they will have a boy or a girl!! The ideas that people come up with for the Gender Reveal are unbelievable, paint guns, balloon popping, and colored cakes just to name a few. Today we read about a Gender Reveal that blows all of Social Media reveals out of the park.
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. Now see to it that you drink no wine or other fermented drink and that you do not eat anything unclean. You will become pregnant and have a son whose head is never to be touched by a razor because the boy is to be a Nazirite, dedicated to God from the womb. He will take the lead in delivering Israel from the hands of the Philistines.”
Judges 13:3-5
I would love to see this reveal on Facebook or InstaGram, a woman walking in a field or cooking supper and an angel appearing to her to inform her that she will be having a son! The angel also tells her what her son will do, he will take the lead in delivering Israel. Can you imagine the reaction this would get? Can you imagine the excitement the woman felt after hearing this news?
We read in verse 5 that this son will be a Nazirite. A Nazirite was one who had taken a special vow before the Lord. Numbers 6 describes the commitments a Nazirite must keep during the time of his vow. A Nazirite had to commit to 3 things:
1-Not to drink wine or any intoxicating drink
2-Not to touch a dead body
3-Not to cut his hair
The purpose of this vow was to provide a way in which an ordinary person could dedicate his life to God. But, in this case of the angel appearing to this woman, this baby would be a Nazirite from birth. This obviously is going to be a special baby.
If you haven’t guessed by now, this baby to be born is Samson. God, himself, appeared to Samson’s parents, and let them know that Samson was going to be a special person, set apart for God’’s plan. God had chosen Samson to be the deliverer of His people. In Judges 13:8, Samson’s father prayed and asked that the angel would return and teach them how to be good parents and help their son be everything God wanted him to be.
Then Manoah prayed to the Lord: “Pardon your servant, Lord. I beg you to let the man of God you sent to us come again to teach us how to bring up the boy who is to be born.”
Judges 13:8
These parents wanted to do everything possible to raise Samson to be who God wanted him to be. Judges 13 ends on a positive note as God’s promise is fulfilled. The miraculous birth takes place just as God said it would. God’s blessing is on this child as he grows. God has given Samson everything he needs to succeed.
In Christ we have a promising beginning. God has given us (and our children) everything we need to succeed. God has also given us the freedom to choose. We can choose to follow God or we can choose to follow our own plans and desires. As parents, we have to privilege to trust God with our children. Manoah and his wife were godly parents who wanted to please God with how they raised their son. They did all the right things.