INTRODUCTION: Samson is one of the strangest paradoxes in Scripture. He has a miraculous birth, is chosen of God for special service and made a lifelong Nazarite, and is given special strength from God. Yet, he only partially accomplishes his purpose and fails miserably in many ways to keep himself on the track chosen by God. If you are saved, you have the Spirit of God in you. You have tremendous potential for Him. How far are you falling short of what God has for you?

1. THE OPPRESSION OF THE PHILISTINES (Judges 13:1And 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.
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1. Israel Returns to Their Ways of Evil.
2. They Are Delivered to the Philistines for Forty Years.
1. The sixth and last oppression recorded in Judges
2. The longest oppression – forty years
2. THE ANGEL APPEARS TO MANOAH’S WIFE (Judges 13:2-7 [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.
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1. The Situation of Manoah (Judges 13:2And 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.
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1. A certain man of Zorah
1. Of the family of the Danites
2. In the older portion of Dan located between the tribes of Judah and Ephraim
2. His wife was barren (Genesis 11:30But Sarai was barren; she had no child.
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2. The Angel’s Message to Manoah’s Wife (Judges 13:3-5 [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.
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1. His promise of a son (Judges 13:3And 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.
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1. Behold now, thou art barren, and bearest not.
2. But thou shalt conceive, and bear a son.
2. His instructions to her (Judges 13:4Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink not wine nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean thing:
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1. No wine or strong drink (Note: Obviously there is a difference between wine and strong drink.)
2. No eating of any unclean thing
3. His instructions concerning her son (Judges 13:5For, 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.
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1. No razor shall come on his head.
2. The child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb.
3. He shall begin to deliver Israel. NOTE: He does not fully deliver Israel but only begins to deliver. Judges is still progressively going downhill. The previous judges fully delivered Israel, but Samson will only begin to deliver.
3. She Recounts the Message to Her Husband (Judges 13:6-7 [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.
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1. A description of the meeting (Judges 13:6Then 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:
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1. The angel of the Lord
1. A man of God with a countenance like the countenance of an angel of God
2. Very terrible
2. She does not ask him where he is from.
3. He does not tell her his name.
2. The promise of a son who is a lifelong Nazarite (Judges 13:7But 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.
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3. THE ANGEL APPEARS TO MANOAH (Judges 13:8-14 [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 shewed 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.
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1. Manoah Intreats the Lord (Judges 13:8Then 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.
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1. He requests a second appearance from the man of God.
2. He requests teaching on what to do unto the child that shall be born.
2. The Lord Grants Manoah’s Request (Judges 13:9And 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.
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1. The angel comes again to the woman as she sits in the field.
2. Manoah is not with her.
3. Manoah’s Wife Brings Him to the Angel (Judges 13:10-11 [10] And the woman made haste, and ran, and shewed 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.
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1. She makes haste and shows unto her husband that the angel has visited again (Judges 13:10And the woman made haste, and ran, and shewed her husband, and said unto him, Behold, the man hath appeared unto me, that came unto me the other day.
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2. Manoah rises, and comes unto the man (Judges 13:11And 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.
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3. He asks if the angel is the same one that came before (Judges 13:11And 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.
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4. The angel confirms his suspicion (Judges 13:11And 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.
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4. The Angel Repeats His Instructions to Manoah (Judges 13:12-14 [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.
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1. Manoah wants further instructions (Judges 13:12And Manoah said, Now let thy words come to pass. How shall we order the child, and how shall we do unto him?
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1. How shall we order the child?
2. How shall we do unto him?
2. The angel says Manoah’s wife has already been told (Judges 13:13-14 [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.
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4. MANOAH OFFERS A SACRIFICE BEFORE THE ANGEL (Judges 13:15-23 [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 wonderously; 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 shewed us all these things, nor would as at this time have told us such things as these.
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1. Manoah Desires to Feed the Angel (Judges 13:15-16 [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.
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1. He offers to sacrifice a kid (goat) for the angel (Judges 13:15And 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.
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2. The angel refuses to eat with him (Judges 13:16And 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.
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3. The angel suggests a burnt offering to the Lord (Judges 13:16And 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.
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4. Manoah knew not that it was the angel of the Lord (Judges 13:16And 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.
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2. The Angel Refuses to Give His Name (Judges 13:17-18 [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?
   See All...; Genesis 32:29And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there.
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1. Manoah asks the angel of his name (Judges 13:17And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD, What is thy name, that when thy sayings come to pass we may do thee honour?
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2. Manoah suggests that he would like to honour the angel when the sayings come to pass (Judges 13:17And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD, What is thy name, that when thy sayings come to pass we may do thee honour?
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3. The angel asks Manoah why he would ask his name, seeing it is a secret (Judges 13:18And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is secret?
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3. The Angel Ascends in the Flame of the Offering (Judges 13:19-20 [19] So Manoah took a kid with a meat offering, and offered it upon a rock unto the LORD: and the angel did wonderously; 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.
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1. Manoah offers a kid with a meat offering (Judges 13:19So Manoah took a kid with a meat offering, and offered it upon a rock unto the LORD: and the angel did wonderously; and Manoah and his wife looked on.
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2. The angel does wondrously (Judges 13:19So Manoah took a kid with a meat offering, and offered it upon a rock unto the LORD: and the angel did wonderously; and Manoah and his wife looked on.
   See All...; cp. Judges 6:21Then the angel of the LORD put forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and there rose up fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes. Then the angel of the LORD departed out of his sight.
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3. The angel ascends in the flame (Judges 13:20For 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.
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4. Manoah and his wife fall on their faces (Judges 13:20For 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.
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4. Manoah Recognizes the Identity of the Angel (Judges 13:21-23 [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 shewed us all these things, nor would as at this time have told us such things as these.
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1. The angel of the Lord appears no more to Manoah (Judges 13:21But 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.
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2. Then Manoah knew that he was an angel (Judges 13:21But 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.
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3. Manoah fears death (Judges 13:22And Manoah said unto his wife, We shall surely die, because we have seen God.
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4. Manoah’s wife reasons with him that they shall yet live (Judges 13:23But 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 shewed us all these things, nor would as at this time have told us such things as these.
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5. MANOAH’S WIFE BEARS A SON (Judges 13:24-25 [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.
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1. The Child is Born to Manoah and His Wife (Judges 13:24And the woman bare a son, and called his name Samson: and the child grew, and the LORD blessed him.
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1. His name is Samson.
2. The child grows.
3. The Lord blesses him.
2. The Spirit of the Lord Begins to Move Him (Judges 13:25And the Spirit of the LORD began to move him at times in the camp of Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol.
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1. The Spirit of the Lord begins to move him at times.
2. In the camp of Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol

CONCLUSION: What a wonderful opportunity! What a chance to serve God! Samson has a miraculous birth. He is a Nazarite (one separated unto God) from the time of his birth. Unfortunately, we know how poorly he uses his opportunities. How about you? God has blessed you in numerous ways. How are you using your opportunities for God?