Samson’s story is unlike any other in the Book of Judges. Most of the stories focus upon the judge’s deliverance of Israel. For example, Gideon’s story reveals God’s calling and empowering, and then Gideon’s victory and ungodly legacy. Of Samson alone do we discover the eternal plan of God in his conception and birth. We read that this deliverer is unlike any of the others, in that he had every advantage of life, yet those privileges didn’t result in success. Perfect parenting doesn’t produce perfect children or even godly children.
He was born to an un-named, childless woman who was visited by a Messenger from Heaven and graciously given a promise. By grace alone, unto her a son was given. Samson was God’s plan before his birth. This savior - unlike all the others in Judges - seemed to have every advantage going into his ministry, but privilege in life doesn’t mean success. Samson’s life reveals Israel at its lowest spiritual point, yet proves God would not abandon His people in the darkness of their lives.
The sad tale of Samson shows him to be a savior who never led an army; a deliverer who couldn’t deliver himself; a conqueror conquered by others; and a strong man of extreme weakness. Yet in all these things, God says he was a man of faith.

I. God Blessed Him (Judg 13:24). The Angel of the Lord kept His promise to the wife of Manoah, and a baby boy was born to her. She named him Samson, after the Hebrew word for sun, which was also the name of the Canaanite sun god. The baby’s name means little sun or Sunny-boy, possibly to symbolize the light God brought into his parent’s lives or the light he’d bring to Israel as God’s promised deliverer.
He grew and God blessed him. We don’t know how God blessed this growing boy, but God’s favor was upon him throughout his childhood. Interestingly, the same phrase is used of the last judge, Samuel (1 Sam 2:21, 26; 3:19), and Jesus (Luke 2:52), but adds that they grew in stature and favor with both God and man.

II. God Moved Upon Him (Judg 13:25). During Samson’s youth, the Holy Spirit began to move upon him. The word began comes from the Hebrew word for anvil, a heavy iron block with a flat top, upon which a workman repeatedly hits metal to shape it. The word indicates strife, trouble, and contention. It suggests the Holy Spirit actively agitated Samson to do what he didn’t want to do, and that Samson was a boy who got into trouble and upset those around him. He was what we’d call today, a spoiled and difficult child.
Samson wasn't a willing participant in God’s work. He had a mind of his own, yet God would make him an example to the world of strength; it just wouldn’t be man’s strength. Man’s picture of strength involves muscles, mind, money, or magnetism. Despite his popular image, Samson had none of these. His life reveals his strength was fully the result of the work God prepared for him before time began (Eph 2:10).

III. God Used Him (Eph 2:10). God chose Samson to deliver Israel before his conception. Samson would demonstrate God’s strength independent of man, his background, resources, abilities, or strengths. Samson’s failures show the awfulness of man’s sin; yet every event of his story displays the glorious and unfathomable ways of God.
This man, whose personal flaws and failures are more in the open than any other character in Scripture, is proof that God’s glory outshines our abysmal flaws; His mercy is greater than our darkest sins; and His ways beyond the brightest intelligences of men. We can do nothing apart from Him.