Nathan W. Bingham

And so we are introduced to a family in Israel that expresses the character of Israel in these days as pretty hopeless, pretty cast down, pretty despondent. And then, as so often happens in the Bible, in our worst moments, in our worst moments, the Lord intervenes. The Lord acts. The Lord surprises us. And that's what we have in verse 3. And the angel of the Lord appeared to the woman.

And so we are introduced to a family in Israel that expresses the character of Israel in these days as pretty hopeless, pretty cast down, pretty despondent. And then, as so often happens in the Bible, in our worst moments, in our worst moments, the Lord intervenes. The Lord acts. The Lord surprises us. And that's what we have in verse 3. And the angel of the Lord appeared to the woman.

Now, you know the Hebrew word for angel, angel is actually a Greek word, and both the Hebrew word and the Greek word mean the messenger of the Lord. Angels are always messengers of the Lord. They bear a word from the Lord. That's why they come. That's their function.

Now, you know the Hebrew word for angel, angel is actually a Greek word, and both the Hebrew word and the Greek word mean the messenger of the Lord. Angels are always messengers of the Lord. They bear a word from the Lord. That's why they come. That's their function.

And of course, we also know that among angels, there's a special angel that most scholars believe, most conservative scholars anyway, believe is a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ. This is the eternal second person of the Trinity who takes on a form that can be seen to communicate the message of God to people in the old covenant.

And of course, we also know that among angels, there's a special angel that most scholars believe, most conservative scholars anyway, believe is a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ. This is the eternal second person of the Trinity who takes on a form that can be seen to communicate the message of God to people in the old covenant.

So here comes the angel of the Lord who appeared to the woman and says to her, Behold, you are barren and have not born children, but you shall conceive and bear a son. you shall conceive and bear a son. That sounds vaguely familiar, doesn't it? Here is the promise, a proto-messianic promise. You're going to bear a son.

So here comes the angel of the Lord who appeared to the woman and says to her, Behold, you are barren and have not born children, but you shall conceive and bear a son. you shall conceive and bear a son. That sounds vaguely familiar, doesn't it? Here is the promise, a proto-messianic promise. You're going to bear a son.

And it's interesting as we read along here that Samson's mother initially seems to think that this appearance to her is a man. She thinks he's a prophet. So he clearly doesn't have wings. This is not an angel that looks obviously angelic. No sign on his chest that says angel.

And it's interesting as we read along here that Samson's mother initially seems to think that this appearance to her is a man. She thinks he's a prophet. So he clearly doesn't have wings. This is not an angel that looks obviously angelic. No sign on his chest that says angel.

And that's sort of intriguing, too, that we find that a number of times in the Old Testament, that angels appear, but they appear in the form of a man and are initially appraised as being a human being. But a little further in the text, we're told that the appearance of was awesome, although literally in Hebrew it sort of was very scary.

And that's sort of intriguing, too, that we find that a number of times in the Old Testament, that angels appear, but they appear in the form of a man and are initially appraised as being a human being. But a little further in the text, we're told that the appearance of was awesome, although literally in Hebrew it sort of was very scary.

And that too, it regularly accompanies the appearances of angels in the Bible, doesn't it? What are the first words that angels frequently speak? Fear not, because they're very scary, whether they just look like very impressive human beings or whether they're actually perceived to be angels from their first appearance. But this angel appears with a promise.

And that too, it regularly accompanies the appearances of angels in the Bible, doesn't it? What are the first words that angels frequently speak? Fear not, because they're very scary, whether they just look like very impressive human beings or whether they're actually perceived to be angels from their first appearance. But this angel appears with a promise.

This woman who has been barren and has not born a child will conceive and will bear a son. And so this has to have been news of great joy to this mother, along with a huge surprise And then comes further words to the mother that are tremendously important for our whole consideration of this story and why I think the Bible gives so much attention to the parents before Samson comes on the scene.

This woman who has been barren and has not born a child will conceive and will bear a son. And so this has to have been news of great joy to this mother, along with a huge surprise And then comes further words to the mother that are tremendously important for our whole consideration of this story and why I think the Bible gives so much attention to the parents before Samson comes on the scene.

The angel says, So the word judge is not used here. But the notion of deliverer is used here. And so from this first word of the angel, it's very clear that the son to be born will be a judge, will be a deliverer, will be a savior to the people of Israel. He won't be the last savior. He won't be the complete savior. He's only going to begin to save Israel from her enemies.

The angel says, So the word judge is not used here. But the notion of deliverer is used here. And so from this first word of the angel, it's very clear that the son to be born will be a judge, will be a deliverer, will be a savior to the people of Israel. He won't be the last savior. He won't be the complete savior. He's only going to begin to save Israel from her enemies.

But that's his commission. That's his task. And so there's this sort of double promise, this double blessing, this double joy that has to have come into the heart of Samson's mother. She'll have a child, a son, and he'll be a judge. So in the midst of this depressed resignation and hopelessness comes a double promise of encouragement. But there comes also a very specific instruction, isn't there?

But that's his commission. That's his task. And so there's this sort of double promise, this double blessing, this double joy that has to have come into the heart of Samson's mother. She'll have a child, a son, and he'll be a judge. So in the midst of this depressed resignation and hopelessness comes a double promise of encouragement. But there comes also a very specific instruction, isn't there?