Judges 11-13

“A certain man of Zorah, named Manoah ... had a wife who was childless, unable to give birth ...” (13:2). The book of Judges shows the Israelites at their very worst: fighting among themselves and harassed by their enemies, because they “did evil in the eyes of the Lord” (13:1). Unwilling to destroy them, God chose weak and unlikely people to be instruments of deliverance. Manoah, father of Samson, was slow to believe and understand (13:8,22), yet he and his wife were given a divine promise.

“If the Lord had meant to kill us ...” (13:23). When Israel was at its worst, God did not forget them or destroy them. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).