Manoah and His Wife, Who Conceived Samson

This passage deals with the conception of Samson, the Nazirite who would save Israel. The angel of the Lord appears to Manoah and his wife, who had no son, announces that they will have a son, and commands that the parents themselves live as Nazirites for the child's sake. This is not merely a miracle of birth; it shows God's deep purpose of preparing a holy vessel in which to place a precious treasure.

The sermon points to the pain and resolve that Manoah and his wife had to go through. They had to give up their ordinary way of life and drinking, and obey God's providence even when they could not understand it. This reveals God's wonderful nature, which goes beyond human reason and judgment, and calls for a living faith of obedience rather than a dead faith without works. Through the tragedy of Samson, who received God's grace and yet fell in the end, it also warns that the more special the grace a person has received, the more thorough the holiness and humility they need.

Just as God required Manoah and his wife to live as Nazirites, he asks believers today to cut off worldly pleasures and live holy lives. We are led to look back on whether we are growing into believers who can care for the precious souls God will entrust to us, and whether we are living wisely according to God's will.