Last Week's Bible Session Notes - 1/20/14

Samson

Last week we began our study of?  Samson. 

Known for being one of the strongest men in the Bible, he was also a judge. 

What do you think of when I say “judge?”

When we think of judges today, we think of people of authority who sit in a place of judgment determining whether or not someone committed a crime, hear and decide cases in a court of law, who has to pay for damage, and so on.  In the Old Testament times a judge was an administrative head of Israel in the period of time between the death of Joshua and the time when Saul becomes king.  Samson didn’t so much sit in a seat of judgment but like many judges of his time, he was meant to bring about the breaking free of Israel away from the Philistines.

Turn to Judges 13:15 where we will continue reading about Samson’s birth.

Judges 13:15-16 (Student read.)

*Manoah offers the angel a meal.  At this point, Manoah believes the angel is just a man – a prophet or messenger from God.

Question: What does the angel tell Manoah to do with the goat? (make an offering to God)

Judges 13:17-18 (student read)

*Manoah still thinks this is just a man, so he asks his name and wants to give him honor when his “prophecy” or “message” comes to pass.

*The angel of the Lord says his name is beyond understanding.  His name is wonderful.  God isn’t exactly describable in human terms.  So the angel says, you wouldn’t understand.

Judges 13:19-21 (student read.)

*Manoah offers the goat to God, and the angel of the Lord ascends in the flame.  This is when Manoah finally realizes this wasn’t just a prophet passing through – this was God!

Judges 13:22 (Student read.)

Question: What did Manoah believe would happen because they saw God? They would die

Judges 13:23 (student read.)

*Manoah’s wife is the voice of reason.

Question: In your own words, what did she say to Manoah?

Question: When you are hitting the panic button in life, who is in your life to be the voice of reason, keeping you calm?

Judges 13:24-25 (student read.)

*Samson is born and God blesses him. 

Conclusions:

God fulfilled his promise to Manoah and his wife.  Samson was born as God said it would happen. 

Sometimes we need someone to be our voice of reason, to keep our head in the game and our eyes focused on Christ.