The spiritual climate in Israel grew colder. Israel was now indifferent to Jehovah and to the idea of being bondage. They hadn’t learned the lesson of keeping themselves from idols which inevitably led to them doing evil again in the sight of the LORD. This time God allowed them to be oppressed by the hands of the Philistines for forty years.
There is some hope in Israel for there was a couple that had not turned to either worshiping an idol or to doing evil. Manoah and his wife were the minority in Israel in that they were faithful to the Lord. Take notice that the Holy Spirit does not reveal Manoah’s wife’s name. Even though her name is not given, she is still given divine grace. She was nameless, but she was faithful. So be it if we don’t know the name of Samson’s mother. What matters is that God knows her name and He chose her to fulfill His work. There are many people who are visited by the Spirit of God who will never be known by the masses. We may never hear their names in our ears, but rest assured, God knows their names. Being famous is not a qualification for being used by God.
The angel of the LORD appeared unto Manoah’s wife. His presence may have been amazing, but his message was just as staggering. Though she was barren, she was to have a son. Furthermore, she was not to drink any wine or strong drink and not to eat any unclean thing. The demands of Manoah’s wife were imperative. The condition of having a son came with the price of keeping herself undefiled. Modern day mothers are taught not to drink alcoholic beverages or to indulge in smoking due to the fact that it could harm and addict the baby to alcohol and nicotine. But this was not the entire point of the command. God’s command went beyond the child’s health and reached to his spirit.
Samson’s consecration did not begin at his birth but began at his conception. Samson’s example of holiness would come from his parents. And notice that it would begin before he would be born. Many times parents try too late to give their children an example of consecration and holiness.
Beloved, the home is the birthplace of holiness. Church isn’t to be the only example of holiness a child is to experience. It’s the home that will guide and teach. I have seen time and time again what a church accomplishes in teaching spiritual principles to a child is often undone in the home. God gave the command first to Samson’s mother and then to Samson. How could Samson be holy if he didn’t know what holiness looked like? Israel’s culture was incapable of teaching Samson because they were doing what was unacceptable to God. If we are to raise holy children we must be holy ourselves.