Elementary Level, Block 5—Aaron to Ruth
Week 48
Samson—Taking the Way of a Nazarite
Point to Emphasize: We can be those who follow our parents’ instructions consistently.
Reference Reading: Judges 13:2-24
Memory Verse: I will give careful heed to the perfect way… (Psalm 101:2a)
Story Sample
Today we’re going to learn about a boy named Samson. Samson was born in a really special way. He was born to parents who loved Jehovah and who followed Him. The Bible doesn’t tell us the name of Samson’s mom, but his dad was called Manoah. Before Samson was born, Manoah and his wife didn’t have any children. But one day, the Angel of Jehovah appeared to Manoah’s wife. The angel told her that she was going to have a son! He was talking about Samson! But the Angel of Jehovah also told her that she needed to follow some instructions while she was pregnant. She couldn’t drink certain things, she couldn’t eat certain things, and she couldn’t cut the boy’s hair once he was born.
That sounds kind of strange, doesn’t it? But in the Bible, these were the rules given to the Nazarites. The Nazarites were a group of people who really loved Jehovah and who followed Him absolutely. Jehovah was setting Samson apart to be a Nazarite.
Manoah’s wife became pregnant just like the Angel of Jehovah had said, and she followed Jehovah’s word to her. She only ate the foods she was allowed to eat, and she only drank the things she was allowed to drink. She took care of herself and the baby growing inside of her by following these instructions.
Do you think following those instructions was easy? Sometimes isn’t obeying harder than it sounds? When I was little, my mom taught me how to wash my hands. She took me to the sink, turned on the water, gave me some soap, and taught me to rub my hands together until they were clean. She gave me those instructions, but I have to be honest: I didn’t follow those instructions every time. Sometimes I would just splash a little water on my hands and say I was done. [Storyteller insert your own story about following your parents’ instructions.] It’s hard to follow instructions for just one day or one week, but Manoah’s wife did it for NINE MONTHS. She was pregnant for nine months, and she followed Jehovah’s instructions the whole time! Wow! She really loved Jehovah and treasured His word!
When the baby was born, Manoah and his wife named him Samson, and as he grew up, he followed his mom’s pattern. Jehovah had given his mom some instructions, and Samson’s parents passed on those instructions to him. He didn’t eat certain foods, he didn’t drink certain drinks, he didn’t do certain things, and he didn’t cut his hair. He was a Nazarite. He was not like all his friends, who could do whatever they wanted. He was set apart unto God, and He followed the instructions his parents passed down to him from Jehovah, and Jehovah blessed him!
We can be like Samson when he was a child, too! Our parents love God and want to help us know Him and follow Him, just like Samson’s parents did. When they give us instructions, we can practice to follow those, just like Samson followed the instructions his parents gave. Then we will receive God’s blessing, too!