Judges 13:1-5: a reflection

1The children of Israel again did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight; and the LORD delivered them into the hand of the Philistines forty years. 2There was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren, and childless. 3The LORD’s angel appeared to the woman, and said to her, “See now, you are barren and childless; but you shall conceive and bear a son. 4Now therefore please beware and drink no wine nor strong drink, and don’t eat any unclean thing; 5for, behold, you shall conceive and give birth to a son. No razor shall come on his head, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb. He shall begin to save Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.”

Israel has once again fallen into sin and been handed over to the Philistines for forty years. Into this dark time, God moves to raise up a deliverer, and he begins in an unlikely place: a barren, childless woman, the wife of Manoah. The angel of the LORD appears to her and announces that she will bear a son, who is to be a Nazirite to God from the womb, and who shall begin to save Israel out of the hand of the Philistines. Before the child is even conceived, God has set him apart for a purpose.

Notice two things about how God works here. First, he brings a deliverer out of barrenness, from a home that seemed to have no future; the very place that looked hopeless is where God begins his rescue. And second, he sets the child apart before birth, consecrating him for his purpose from the womb, a Nazirite from the beginning. God had a purpose for this child, and prepared and set him apart, before he had drawn a single breath.

Both truths speak to us. God still brings life and deliverance out of what seems barren and hopeless; the place that looks like it has no future may be exactly where God begins his work. And God still sets apart and prepares his servants from the very beginning, having purposes for us before we could do anything to earn them. If your situation seems barren and without promise, do not conclude that God can bring nothing from it; he brought a deliverer from a barren home. And remember that God's purposes for his people are not an afterthought but reach back to before we were born; he sets his own apart for his purposes, and prepares them, from the start.

Lord, into a dark time, you raised up a deliverer, beginning with a barren, childless woman, and you set the child apart for your purpose from the womb. Thank you that you bring life and deliverance out of what seems barren and hopeless; the place that looks like it has no future may be exactly where you begin your work. If my own situation seems barren and without promise, keep me from concluding that you can bring nothing from it. And thank you that you set apart and prepare your servants from the very beginning, having purposes for us before we could earn them. Help me trust that your purposes for me are not an afterthought but reach back before I was born. Bring your work even out of barren places, and help me rest in being set apart for you, prepared by you, from the start.