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Tuesday, March 8, 2022

Samson - A Nazirite unto God, Sub-Junior, Lesson - 13

SUB-JUNIOR
AGE: 8 - 9 YEARS
STANDARD/GRADE: III & IV

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LESSON – 13

SAMSON – A NAZIRITE UNTO GOD

In the previous lesson we learnt how the leader of the Israelites Joshua, led them in a series of battle to conquer the Canaanite cities. Then they divided the Canaanite cities between the 12 tribes of Israel, built homes, grew crops, raised cattle and lived comfortably as free people in Canaan. Many years passed, the leader of the Israelites, Joshua became old and died. In those days the leader of the Israelites was called as a “Judge”. Judges were similar to Kings who ruled the other countries, but they also had other important functions to perform. The Judges led the Israelites in battle. They also served as judges and delivered justice. They were also prophets. 

 

After Joshua died, the Israelites started to sin against God. Soon the nearby nations started to attack Israel and caused a lot of destruction in their promised land. Whenever it happened, the Israelites would renounce their sins and cry out to God for help and God would raise a Judge to deliver the Israelites. Once it happened that the Philistines were harassing and harming the Israelites for almost 40 years.

 

There was an Israelite man who lived in Zorah along with his wife. His name was Manoah. They did not have any children. One day the angel of the Lord appeared to Manoah’s wife and promised that she would have a son. The boy was to live as a special person called a “Nazirite”, whose life would be entirely dedicated to God and to live by a vow (which means a promise made to God) to never cut his hair or eat any unclean food or drink any wine. He would also be a Judge of Israel and deliver the Israelites from the Philistines.

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After the Angel of the Lord left, she went and told her husband that she was met by a man of God. She also told him what the Angel had spoken to her. Then, Manoah asked God to let the Angel of the Lord come back again to teach them how to bring up their son. God granted Manoah’s request. One day when Manoah's wife was sitting in a field, the Angel of the Lord returned but Manoah wasn't there in the field this time either.

She hurried to get her husband to meet the Angel of the Lord and Manoah rushed to meet the Angel. The Angel told Manoah that his wife should not eat anything that comes from the grapevine. She also should obey everything he had commanded her to do earlier. 

Grapevine

After they had finished talking, Manoah wanted to prepare a special meal made of a young goat for their guest, because he was unsure that it was the Angel of the Lord. But the Angel of the Lord told them that he wouldn’t eat any food but they could offer a burnt offering for the Lord.

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Manoah wanted to know the name of the Angel, so that they could honour him after their son was born. The Angel replied that it is “Wonderful”. Then Manoah took a young goat and a grain offering and offered it on a rock as a sacrifice to the Lord. And as Manoah and his wife watched, the Lord did an amazing thing. As the flames from the altar raised up toward the sky, the angel of the Lord ascended in the fire. When Manoah and his wife saw this, they fell with their faces to the ground. Manoah was finally convinced that it was the angel of the Lord, and he said to his wife that they would certainly die, for they had seen God!”

 

But his wife made him realise that if God had planned to kill them, He would not have accepted their sacrifice and revealed about the future. They were soon blessed with a baby boy, whom they named as Samson. The Lord blessed him as he grew up. Samson kept the Nazirite vow and grew his hair long. As he grew up, Samson had extraordinary strength and his strength became well-known throughout the land.

 

Bible Reference: Judges 13

Memory Verse: Psalm 84:5

ASSESSMENT ACTIVITIES 

Answer the following questions: 

1. Who appeared to Manoah’s wife?

    .......................................................................

2. Who is a Nazirite?    …………………...........................

3. Why did Manoah want the Angel of the Lord to come back again?

    ........................................................................

4. What did Manoah offer as a sacrifice to the Lord?

    ........................................................................

5. Who kept the Nazirite vow? …………………………………….…………. 

Choose the right answer

1.    The Philistines harassed the Israelites for almost (40 / 14) years.

2.   Manoah’s wife should not eat anything made out of  (grapes / olives).

3.  Manoah wanted to prepare a special meal made of a young (goat / bull) for their guest.

4.  The Angel of the Lord ascended in the (whirlwind / fire).

5.   Samson had extraordinary (Strength / Knowledge). 

 

 


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