We move on from Gideon this week to begin a new series looking at the life of Samson, one of the more unusual characters in the Bible. Before he was born, the angel of the Lord appeared to his mother:
“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).
The angel's appearance was sovereign, random, and unexpected, for Samson's parents were not priests or prophets. The child was assigned the role of a Nazirite, an unusual designation that involved a person vowing not to cut their hair or drink wine for the duration of their vow—which in Samson's case was to be for a lifetime.
Samson's parents were given notice of what their son's purpose was to be, just like Moses' parents. That's because God wants you and yours to know His will; otherwise, how can you be expected to do it? Do you have an idea of what your children's purpose is? Do you know yours? What price are you willing to pay to find out? What price are you willing to pay to fulfill it?
In coming lessons, we will learn why a Nazirite was forbidden to have fermented drinks or trim their hair, but for now, ask God for clarity concerning your purpose or help those closest to you find and walk in theirs.
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