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.
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.
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.
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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