08.02.05 The Growth Mindset that Moulded Samson's Early Days A Biblical Revelation
The Growth Mindset that Moulded Samson’s Early Days – A Biblical Revelation
The Bible narrates the story of Samson, a man who changed history; yet, his parents, Manoah and his wife, are rarely mentioned. Some writers report that the wife was called Hazzelelponi though the bible does not disclose her name. She is the same woman mentioned in 1 Chronicles 4:3. Manoah and Hazzelelponi’s growth mindset played a pivotal role in shaping Samson’s early life and purpose.
The couple lived in Zorah, a small town nestled in the hills of Judah. They were devoted and faithful to God but childless. One day, an angel cum messenger appeared to Manoah’s wife with extraordinary news: she would bear a son and he would be a Nazirite, set apart to lead Israel (Judges 13:2–5). The couple’s response to this prophecy showcased their growth mindset.
To start with, the woman would have to discard part of her diet by dropping anything to do with grapes. That may not have been easy, given the role that grapes played in the culture of ancient Israel. This included wine, strong drinks, together with any grape product most of which would be used during celebrations, gatherings and joyous occasions. In addition, she was not to eat anything listed as unclean in the Levitical law (Leviticus 11). She had been instructed to strictly adhere to dietary restrictions from that very moment, as the Nazirite was to be consecrated right from his mother’s womb. Further, no razor was ever to pass on his scalp marking him as set apart to God from birth.
The bible does not report the mood that Hazzelelponi was in when she broke the news to her husband. But one can imagine: we shall get the son we have been praying for, but there would be adjustments, discipline and a cost to pay. She also made it a point to mention that the messenger looked like an angel.
On receiving the news, Manoah was quick to express his desire to hear and learn directly from the very bearer of the strange and yet exciting declaration. That was how he prayed that the ‘man of God' revisits. And, it did not take long before God answered that prayer.
One day, as Hazzelelponi was resting in the fields, the angel reappeared. The excited wife compelled the angel to wait as she ran to collect her husband. And, sure enough, in one of the rarest of instances, the angel agreed to wait.
It was not long before Hazzelelponi returned to the fields with her husband who, curiously, first checked the messenger's identity before proceeding with the agenda of the day. “Are you the man who spoke to my wife”? the husband asked. And it was only after that affirmation that Manoah proceeded with questions about the parental role that the couple were expected to play. However, much as Manoah’s inquiry was about how his son would live and the kind of work he would do, the angel's focus was on the son’s mother’s diet emphasising that total compliance was a must. Come to think of it, Samson’s Nazarite calling had already been set, but God needed the mother to adjust her mindset by ensuring that she stuck to those instructions. And, Manoah’s support was so critical in order for his wife to stick to God's dietary regimen. No wonder, the bible reveals the strong faith that the man had. Judges 13:17 reveals what he said. That verse read (NKJV):“ 17Then Manoah said to the Angel of the Lord, “What is Your name, thatwhen Your words come to pass we may honor You?” Not “If …”
What followed was a touch of Israelite hospitality as Manoah invited the visitor to stay for a meal, disclosing that a young goat would be on the menu. In their culture, such a delicacy was reserved for honouring highly respected guests during important events. And for the couple, the angel's visit was an auspicious occasion, as they were saying farewell to barrenness. Selecting a young goat was not far-fetched considering that Manoah could have picked a lesson from the writings on Gideon who had served the same dish to an angel almost two generations back (Judges 6:19).
However, the angel refused the meal, instructing that a burnt offering be presented to the Lord instead. When Manoah asked for the visitor’s name, intending to honour him when the child was born, the angel asserted that it would be beyond Manoah’s understanding.
While Manoah was making the offering, the most unexpected happened. For as the flames rose toward heaven, the angel ascended in the fire. Only then did it occur to Manoah that the visitor had indeed been an angel of the Lord, as Hazzelelponi had hinted after the very first visit. At that point, all Manoah’s faith-loaded excitement sublimed as fear took over. “We are doomed to die!” he uttered to his wife. “We have seen God!” But Hazzelelponi was quick to reason that if the Lord had intended to destroy the couple He would not have accepted their offering or given the ‘Samson assignment’ to them. Although the bible does not explain the specifics, Hazzelelponi knew from the very beginning that, while the bible warned that seeing God face-to-face was paramount to death (Exodus 33:20), the couple had been interacting with an angel the whole time, and not Jehovah himself.
Nine to ten months later, the promised child was born. The bible reports how Hazzelelponi named their son Samson, meaning: ‘like the sun’, possibly reflecting his role in beginning to deliver Israel from the oppression of the Philistines (Judges 13:1). Samson’s tremendous impact is clear evidence of parents whose mindsets laid the foundation for a turning point in Israel’s history.