Samson was born of Manoah's wife, one who was sterile and childless before the Lord blessed her with pregnancy. We don't know her name so she must have been a woman of little repute. Scripture refers to her as Manoah's wife and Samson's mother. But when God called her to give birth to Israel's deliverer and raise him, she became highly esteemed.

After she became pregnant, the Angel of the Lord appeared to her and charged her to raise the child a Nazarite, telling her to drink no wine or eat no unclean food. Her son was to set apart from other children, on mission with God and she was to similarly honor God with her body while he was still in the womb. The major lesson here is not for mothers to show good prenatal discretion by avoiding drink and such. Instead parents are to honor God's calling on their children before and after they're born. They should pray and seek God's word regarding how to do it correctly.

After telling Manoah what happened, his wife prayed and asked God to teach her how to bring up the boy. I think she also asked God to reveal himself to her husband so he would have the calling given to her. God answered and did more than that. The Angel appeared once more and when asked to give his name, said it was beyond understanding. Most theologians believe the Old Testament appearances of the Angel of the Lord is none other than the preincarnate Christ. God just didn't answer her prayer, he appeared to her, revealed his glory and confirmed his promise.

There is another appearance of an angel of the Lord, but this time he was not preincarnate deity but named Gabriel. And the child just a child, but Emmanuel, "God with us." The angel appeared to Mary to tell her she would give birth to the Savior, whose Name would be above all names. Mary's husband, like Manoah got the word in a dream from God's messenger after she did. But now together understanding God's call on their child, both husband and wife came to realize that parenting is as much a part of God's plan as his calling on their child's life.

1. Pray Through the Word - 365 devotionals on the subject of prayer by James R. Green (Jud 13; Mt 1)
2. Scripture comes from the Holy Bible, New International Version; (c)1978 by New York International Bible Society

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