Mother’s Day is a time where we honor our mothers, and celebrate who they are, and what they have done for us. Like other holidays, perhaps we should honor and celebrate our mothers more than once a year, for mothers play a very important role in our lives.
Russell Moore, president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, wrote recently:
“Why do dying men call for ‘Mama?’ That’s the question I’ve been pondering for months, since reading a line in an Atlantic Monthly article about what we can learn from the last words of the dying. Surveying how many of the dying use similar words—often evoking childhood and family—in their final moments, the author quoted a hospice nurse from a German magazine, about how there was, in this nurse’s experience, a common factor among the dying men with whom she worked: ‘Almost everyone is calling for ‘Mommy’ or ‘Mama’ with the last breath.”
From the moment you are conceived, to the last moments of your life, and everything in between, our mothers are very influential.
There are some very interesting stories about mothers throughout the Bible. We could probably name several prominent mothers in Scripture. Such as Eve, Sarah, Hannah, and Mary, the mother of Jesus.
But there are many other mothers in the Bible whose names are not given. Such is the case of Samson’s mother. She is simply known as the wife of Manoah, and the mother of Samson. Though she more than likely had a name, Scripture does not reveal it to us. She may have been nameless, but in her short story it is revealed that she was faithful. This evening I will attempt to look at this nameless, but faithful mother, and prove how she is an example to each of us. In spite of her remaining unnamed in Scripture, she was a woman of faithful endurance, and unwavering commitment. Whether you are a veteran mother, a newly christened mother, a mother in waiting, or perhaps you just need a little encouragement, then this nameless mother will be our guide.
She Was a Disappointed Woman
“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. 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” (Judges 13:2–3).
Manoah’s wife was in the company of other great women who also suffered with barrenness. Bible readers are familiar with Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel, Hannah, and Elizabeth. How disappointing it must have felt to not be able to have children. Jewish culture placed a great emphasis on child-bearing.
Many have tasted the bitterness of disappointment. Manoah’s wife must have felt like she had been overlooked. It should be noted that God had not overlooked her barrenness for an angel of the Lord appeared to her and relayed a message that she was already familiar with.
You may feel as if you have been overlooked, and your trouble is forgotten, but your heavenly Father has already taken note.
“Thou tellest my wanderings: Put thou my tears into thy bottle: Are they not in thy book? (Psalm 56:8).
Dear mother, every tear you have shed, and every prayer you have prayed has been recorded in God’s book. You are not overlooked, nor are you forgotten. It’s just a matter of time before your prayers are answered. It’s just a matter of time before God commissions your miracle. God can take some of the most desperate situations and use them to bring Himself glory. Sarah may have been weeping due to her barrenness, but God turned it into laughter with Isaac. Hannah may have been troubled over her lack of a son, but she prayed until God moved on her behalf. Elizabeth may have been empty in the twilight of her life, but God could fill her womb with a spirit-filled preacher in a moment.
You may not know why you’ve been through what you’ve gone through. You may not know why you’re going through what you’re currently going through, but we can trust in this promise:
“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28).
She Was A Dedicated Woman
Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink not wine nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean thing:
For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no rasor 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.
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.
And the angel of the Lord said unto Manoah, Of all that I said unto the woman let her beware (Judges 13:4–5, 7, 13).
The peculiar message of the angel must have been shocking to Samson’s mother. She will have a son, and she is 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, illegal drugs, or to indulge in smoking due to the fact that it could harm and addict the baby to these substances. But this was not the entire point of the command. God’s command went beyond the child’s health and reached to his soul.
Samson’s consecration did not begin at his birth, rather it began at his conception. Samson’s example of holiness would come from his mother. 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. To give a child an example of what it looks like to serve God begins before they are born.
Manoah’s wife was like a myriad of other mothers who would sacrifice anything for the well-being of their children. How many mothers have laid their dreams upon an altar so their children could succeed? How many mothers have forgone their own comfort so their children could be comfortable? To Manoah’s wife this was a small sacrifice for her son. Like any other mother she would have given up far more if asked.
Samson’s mother was dedicated to her own holiness, and to her son’s holiness. Often times the parent is dedicated to seeing their children be holy, and overlook their own holiness. And I’ve even seen parents rather have their children be a reckless child of the devil, than see them be a follower of Christ. Samson’s mother was dedicated to serving the Lord, and dedicated to making sure that Samson also was dedicated.
Samson needed an example of what dedication looked like. It’s not enough just to tell a child what they are to do, or not to do, they need the example. “Do as I say, and not as I do” is not going to produce strong children. I’d dare say, Samson’s strength paled in comparison to the strength and dedication of his mother. How many can testify to the fact that you’re where you are today because of the dedication and perseverance of a spiritually strong mother?
The home is the birthplace of holiness. Church is not the only example a child is to experience holiness and godly commitment. It is 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? The culture was incapable of teaching Samson because Israel was doing what was acceptable in their own eyes. If we are to raise holy children we must be holy ourselves. If Samson was to be a Nazirite, then he needed the shining example of what of Nazirite looked like.
Like Joshua we must declare, “as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Josh. 24:15).
She Was a Devout Woman
So Manoah took a kid with a meat offering, and offered it upon a rock unto the Lord: and the angel did wondrously; and Manoah and his wife looked on. 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 (Judges 13:19–20).
The spiritual climate in Israel was cold. Israel’s indifference to the Lord led to their bondage. God allowed the children of Israel to be put into the hands of the Philistines for forty years (Judges 13:1). The book of Judges shows that when Israel backslid they would be put in bondage by an enemy, they would cry out to the Lord, He would raise up a deliverer, they would be freed, then the cycle would start all over again. The story of Samson ends this cycle, for Israel does not cry out for God to help them, and this time God ordains for a couple to birth Israel’s future deliverer. But what God needed was a devoted father and mother. Thankfully there was a couple that had not turned to either worshiping an idol or to doing evil.
The world may be growing darker, and the church may be growing colder, but the Lord always has a people who are devoted. Samson’s mother was such a woman. Not only was she dedicated, she was also devout. While Israel was bowing down to false idols, she was building an altar, and offering sacrifices to the Lord.
If Samson is going to be strong, his mother not only needs a to be dedicated to a particular lifestyle, she must also be a worshipper. There are too many who live a particular restricted lifestyle, but fail to build altars of prayer and worship.
American evangelist and author R.A. Torrey claimed his own conversion followed years of his mother’s prayers. He would say later, “Oh, men, in the desperate hardness of our hearts, we often trample our mother’s teaching under foot, but we find it very hard to get over her prayers.”
Samson had an example of dedication, and he also had an example of devotion. Hell has an awful time thwarting the prayers of a mother. I know my own conversion is due to the prayers of a praying mother.
She Was a Wise Woman
“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. 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. And Manoah said unto his wife, We shall surely die, because we have seen God. 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” (Judges 13:20-23).
Samson’s mother was dedicated, devoted, and wise. A mother’s wisdom is invaluable. No matter what age you are you have been acquainted with a mother’s wisdom.
When the angel first appeared to her, she went and told her husband about it. Manoah prayed that the angel would appear again and give instructions. The angel appeared to Manoah’s wife a second time, and she went and received her husband. Once the angel had told them what type of lifestyle that mother and child were to have, and had received the sacrificial offering and left, Manoah thought they were going to die. However, Manoah’s wife had enough wisdom to know that God wasn’t going to kill them. Her words of wisdom comforted her husband.
Manoah feared the Lord, but His wife was comforted by it. We need a healthy, balanced response to the presence of the Lord. God is to be feared, but we are also to be comforted. How many have been comforted by the words of your mother? Mothers have a way of saying the right thing at the right time. Just when we feel anxious and afraid, a mother can comfort and soothe.
Conclusion
Samson’s feats and victories can easily be traced to the home life that he had. God’s anointing came upon him due to the fact that his parents were consecrated. Manoah’s faithfulness and his wife’s holiness play a major part in Samson’s victories. Samson could be thankful that God had endowed him with such power, but Samson could thank his parents for giving him a living example of how to be strong in a spiritually weak culture. My life was greatly impacted by hearing my mother pray and worship. Her faithfulness and holiness in the face of great adversity gave me hope. I may not have understood it as a child but as an adult I can look back and be appreciative of her holy example.
We tend to over analyze people’s failures with pop psychology these days. There is a tendency in wanting to place the blame of people’s poor choices on their up bringing. And this may be why God gives us such a great glimpse into the lives of Manoah and his wife. Samson couldn’t blame his home life for his failures. His mother and father were godly and raised him according to God’s commands. Samson could be thankful that his parent’s example played a part in his victories, but Samson couldn’t blame his parents for his failures. Chapter 14 leads us to believe that Samson’s parents had constantly reminded him about not dating heathen girls (Judges 14:3). Samson’s future mistakes couldn’t be hung on the idea that his parents didn’t raise him correctly. Samson couldn’t blame his parents for not giving him a holy example. Samson’s problems were directly the result of human depravity. Certainly there are innumerable cases of people’s childhoods being less than ideal. I wouldn’t take such arguments lightly due to the fact that I myself had an alcoholic father who never darkened the door of any church my entire lifetime. However my bad choices and mistakes can’t be blamed on my father.
She was nameless, but faithful. Faithful despite her disappointment. Faithful in her dedication. Faithful in her devotion. We live in a culture that does not appreciate obscurity. Social media has removed obscurity, and put everything out in the open. It’s about how many followers you have on Twitter and Instagram. It’s about how many friends you have on Facebook. How many likes your page or post can get. I’m not necessarily diminishing these things. However, some feel as if they aren’t recognized then they aren’t making any difference.
But ask Manoah and Samson if this woman of faith made a difference. Ask Israel if this woman of faith had made any difference. Ask the Philistines if this woman of faith had made a difference.
Obscurity is not an obstacle to faithfulness. Whether or not the world knows the good you are doing or not, does not mean that God isn’t taking inventory of your life.
There is only one Name that is worthy of glory and fame, and that is Jesus Christ. Our task is to do everything in the Name of Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 10:31). One day every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess the Name of Jesus (Php. 2:10).