Wed.’s Devo - Our Deliverer

Read: Judges 13:1-14:20; John 1:29—51; Psalm 102:1-28; Proverbs 14:15-16 The people of Israel went into idolatry again so God gave them over to the Philistines who oppressed them for 40 years. *** God raised up a deliverer from the tribe of Dan. An angel appeared to the wife of Manoah, who was barren. He told her that she would have a son who would begin to deliver Israel from the Philistines. She was not to drink any alcoholic drink or wine or eat any unclean food. Her son’s hair was never to be cut and he was to be a Nazarite from birth. When she received this information, she ran and told her husband, Manoah. Manoah means “rest”. *** Manoah prayed to the Lord and asked him to send the angel back to them so they could ask him some questions. God did send the angel and Manoah asked him what kind of rules he should go by to raise him and what the boy was to do as an occupation. *** The angel told them to follow the instructions he had given her already - no wine or alcohol and no unclean food. *** Manoah prepared a burnt offering for him to eat. He asked the angel his name but he told him his name was too wonderful for him to understand. Then he ascended in the fire of the offering. Manoah and his wife bowed to the ground in worship. *** When their son was born, she named him Samson which means “little sun”. *** As he grew older, he was in the city of Timnah and saw a Philistine woman who he wanted as his wife. He told his mother and father but they were upset he wanted to marry a Philistine instead of an Israelite. They didn’t realize God was creating an opportunity to work against the Philistines. *** As Samson and his parents were going down to Timnah to meet this woman, a young lion attacked Samson near they vineyards of Timnah. The Spirit of the Lord came upon him and he easily ripped the lion’s jaws apart with his bare hands. He didn’t tell his parents what had happened. They met the young woman and then went home. *** Later, Samson returned to Timnah for the wedding. He found the carcass of the lion he had killed and bees had made honey in the carcass. He scooped some of it up and gave some to his parents but still didn’t tell them where he had found it. *** Samson threw a party at Timnah and the bride’s parents selected 30 young men from their town to be his companions or bride’s men. Samson proposed a riddle saying that if they were able to solve it by the end of his bride week, he would give them each a fine linen robe and a festive outfit. If they didn’t solve it, they would each give him a robe and an outfit. *** Samson gave them his riddle: “Out of the one who eats came something to eat; out of the strong came something sweet.” They tried all week to figure out the answer but couldn’t. They finally threatened his fiancé by telling her that if she didn’t tell them they would burn down her father’s house with her in it. *** She nagged Samson all week until on the last day, he told her the answer. She told her men and they gave Samson the answer: “What is sweeter than honey? What is stronger than a lion?” *** Samson he knew how they had gotten their answer. He went down to Ashkelon and killed 30 men and took their clothing and gave it to the men who had solved his riddle. He was so angry, he went home and his wife was given to his best man at the wedding. *** In the New Testament, John was baptizing men when Jesus came toward him. He told those around him that Jesus was the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Jesus was the one he had been preaching about that would come after him and be so much greater than him. When John baptized Jesus he saw the Spirit of the Lord come upon Jesus like a dove. He proclaimed that Jesus would baptize people with the Holy Spirit. *** Jesus walked past John the next day and John told his two disciples that he was the Lamb of God. The two disciples began to follow Jesus. When Jesus saw them following him, he turned and asked them what they wanted. They called him Rabbi and asked him where he was staying. Jesus told them and they remained with him. One of these men was Andrew. He ran and found his brother, Simon and brought him to meet Jesus. When Jesus met Simon he told him he would be called Cephas which means Peter. *** The next day, Jesus added Philip to his group. Philip went and got Nathanael and told him that he had found the person Moses and the prophets had written about. When Nathanael heard he was from Nazareth he wondered how anything good could come from Nazareth. Philip told him to come and see for himself. *** Nathanael came and met Jesus. Jesus said that he was a genuine son of Israel who had complete integrity. Nathanael asked him how he knew him. Jesus told him that he had seen him under the fig tree before Philip had found him. *** By this word of knowledge, Nathanael became a true believer. Jesus told him he was about to see so much more than that. He would see the heavens open and the angels of God going up and down on the Son of Man, because the Son of Man is the stairway between heaven and earth. *** Lord, may we use our gifts to bring you glory and trample down your enemies. May we not be afraid but bold as lions.