Advent, Darkness, and the Need for a Savior
So we are in the season of Advent, approaching Christmas, and we're doing a series simply called Miracle. Multiple times in history, when the world is really, really dark, God sends a messenger to announce a miracle—a miracle birth that's part of His plan to save people. It should remind us about the ultimate miracle birth. Actually, God has multiple miracle births leading up to the ultimate miracle birth.
And so we're going to look at a passage, a book of the Bible probably a lot of you have never studied. It's the book of Judges. We're going to start in Judges 13.
Israel Doing What Was Right in Their Own Eyes
Here’s where it starts. The people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. So the Lord gave them into the hand of the Philistines for forty years. This is about 1200 BC. What was so evil? In the book of Judges it says a couple of times, in those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes. Everyone just did what they wanted to do.
The Russian novelist Fyodor Dostoyevsky wrote Crime and Punishment. Toward the end, a character dreams of a plague that infects the world and causes society to collapse. The plague is called senseless delirium. Everyone believes they’re the only one who is right. Everyone does what’s right in their own eyes.
What could possibly go wrong?
That dream feels prophetic. Increasingly, we feel like that’s the world we’re in. We don’t get along because everyone thinks they’re right.
Swimming Toward the Light
In surfing, you can be held down by a wave, what surfers call the washing machine. You can be turned upside down and not know which way is up. The right thing to do isn’t to look within yourself and guess where the light is. The right thing to do is to look outside yourself and swim toward the light.
That’s the cultural cliché right now: look within. But spiritually, the truth is we need to swim toward the light. We need to look outside ourselves to God.
God Sends a Miracle Birth (Judges 13)
Israel was doing what was evil—simply doing what was right in their own eyes—and rejecting the Lord. God allows them to be ruled by the Philistines for forty years. Then God acts.
There was a certain man of Zorah, of the tribe of the Danites, named Manoah, and his wife was barren and had no children. This was real suffering then as it is now. And the angel of the Lord appeared to the woman and said she would conceive and bear a son. This child would be a Nazirite, set apart to God from the womb, and he would begin to save Israel from the Philistines.
The Nazirite Calling
A Nazirite vow meant separation—no wine, no cutting hair, no contact with the dead. Usually it was voluntary and temporary. But Samson didn’t choose this. It was announced before his birth. His whole life was meant to be holy to the Lord.
This miracle baby, set apart from birth to save God’s people, should sound familiar.
The Angel of the Lord and God’s Presence
Manoah prays for the messenger to return, and God answers. The angel instructs them again, and Manoah asks his name. The angel replies, Why do you ask my name, seeing it is wonderful?
When Manoah offers a sacrifice, the angel ascends in the flame. Manoah and his wife fall on their faces. They realize they have encountered God’s presence. There is a weightiness to God’s holiness—and also His grace.
The woman bears a son and names him Samson. He grows, the Lord blesses him, and the Spirit of the Lord begins to stir him.
Seven Ways Jesus Is the Greater Savior
The Old Testament prepares us for a greater Savior. Samson points forward to Jesus—but Jesus is greater in every way.
1. A Greater Consecration
Samson was meant to be holy to the Lord but lived a divided life. Jesus lived completely for the will of the Father. Jesus never sinned. He sought not His own will, but the will of the One who sent Him.
2. A Greater Battle
Samson delivered Israel through physical strength. Jesus delivers us from sin, shame, and guilt. Jesus invites the weary and heavy-laden to find rest in Him.
3. A Greater Death
Samson died destroying his enemies. Jesus died to defeat sin, death, and the powers of darkness. Jesus cried, It is finished, so we would never be abandoned.
4. A Greater Reign
Samson ruled for twenty years. Jesus reigns forever. We pray to the One whose kingdom has no end.
5. A Greater Revelation
The angel of the Lord revealed God partially. Jesus is God in the flesh. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. In Jesus, we have the full revelation of God.
6. A Greater Name
Samson’s name means small sun. Jesus is the Light of the World. His name means The Lord saves. He is called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7. A Greater Miracle
Samson’s birth was a miracle. Jesus is the miracle—God Himself come to save us.
Invitation and Prayer
If you’re new to faith, or seeking, or in need of prayer, we want to pray with you. Jesus is the greater miracle, the better Savior.
Let us pray.
Lord Jesus, we thank you for this part of your Word. Fill us with longing for Christ and faith in Him. Receive our praise and work in our hearts. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
