4 Boys Who Had an "In" with God: Samson

The last thing 1000 Philistines ever saw

There are a few phrases that keep popping up in the Bible. God doesn't repeat Himself often and when He does it's time for us to take our hands out of the Pringles can, sit up, and look a little closer.

One of these phrases keeps coming up and is about certain boys throughout scripture who had unique calling on their lives. For some reason or another God had set them up from birth for a very specific purpose that they were destined to fulfill. The phrase goes something like, "so and so grew in favor with both God and man". This phrase was used in regards to just 4 boys over a span of thousands of years.

Over the 3 next posts We'll take a look at each of these boys, and the context in which this phrase is used. Hopefully we'll have something to glean at the end put it to work for us as parents.

Samson


First a little background.

Israel was in political and spiritual shambles. It was just as God spoke through Moses in Deuteronomy 4:25-31. The Israelites were caught in a cultural cycle. They would live off the land, get fat and lazy, forget God, worship the idols of the surrounding pagan nations, God would send foreign armies to wreak havok, The Israelites would come to their senses, repent, God would send a strong leader to save them. Over and Over again. 


Cue the lights, enter Samson.


Judges 13:24 "Then the woman gave birth to a son and named him Samson; and the child grew up and the LORD blessed him."

A couple of interesting notes:

• Samson's parents were, up to this point, infertile (Judges 13:2-3)
• The message of Samson's birth was delivered to Samson's mom by an angel
• God wanted Samson to take a life-long Nazarite vow (Judges 13:4-5)

Samson went on to manhandle a lion, judge Israel, kick Philistine butt, and dabble in demolition

Up next: Samuel