Children don’t magically appear and become adults. They develop and learn the lessons of life from their parents. As the proverb says, The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

I. A Nazirite Vow (Judg 13:6-7). God would give His gift of a son -by grace - on His terms and at His time. Grace cannot be bought, earned, or merited (Rom 4:4; 11:6). Manoah’s unnamed wife didn’t respond or question the Heavenly Messenger, neither did she ask for a sign like Gideon (Judg 6:17, 37), but hurried to her husband. She was a woman of faith.
First, she told her husband about the Visitor. She believed Him to be a man of God, a term used in the Old Testament for a prophet, but she also noted that He was very awesome, a term to describe something so remarkable as to cause deep respect and reverence. She believed the Messenger to be more than just a man.
Second, she explained that their son would be a Nazirite (meaning separated, set apart, sanctified, holy). The Nazirite was a man or woman who took a temporary, voluntary, sacrificial, and personally costly vow to serve God (Num 6:1-21). He was not permitted to eat or drink any grape product or alcohol, cut his hair, or have contact with a dead body. These three signs of the vow have been said to symbolize separation from personal joys and pleasures (grape), personal vanity (hair), and personal relationships (death).
God required priests and Levites to keep the vow of the Nazirite during their scheduled service (Lev 10:9; 21; Ezek 44:20). And in a very real sense, Jesus was a Nazirite: holy, undefiled, and wholly dedicated to the Father’s service. We as believers are also symbolic Nazirites by God who has called us to be holy, separated unto Him (1 Cor 1:2; Eph 1:4-5; 2:9; 1 Pet 1:13-16; 2:9-10).
The promised baby had no choice in the vow and it was permanent, signifying his unique call and ministry. No one in the Bible took the Nazirite vow for a lifetime except by Divine direction to the parents. The secret of the baby’s ministry was not his obedience, godliness, physical attributes, abstinence, character, or the vow; but the grace of God given to him before his birth! His ministry was about and by God alone!

II. An Answered Prayer (13.8-Judg.13.10" class="scriptRef">Judg 13:8-10). In a time of national idolatry, this couple was part of God’s faithful remnant. Manoah also didn’t request a sign like Gideon, but prayed that God would resend the Messenger to teach them how to raise such a special child. How appropriate for every godly parent! But godly parents don’t assure godly offspring (1 Sam 2:12; 8:1-5; 13). Salvation isn’t inherited (Jn 1:12-13; 8:30-47; 2 Tim 3:14-17).
What an easy phrase to rush past: God listened to the voice of Manoah. No binding and loosing, decreeing and declaring, positive affirmations, offerings or promises of offering, or pleas to dead saints. God speaks to us through His written Word; we speak to God through prayer. What an honor to possess such Heavenly access through Jesus (Jn 14:6; Rom 5:2; Eph 3:12; Heb 4:14-16), yet how neglected a privilege!
The text doesn’t say God heard and answered, but implies the One who heard is the One who came! Jesus heard and answered the simple prayer of a simple man … but not as Manoah expected. The Lord appeared to the woman in the time and manner of His choosing, not as Manoah desired or demanded. The Creator is sovereign, not the creature.

III. A Parental Example (Judg 13:11-14). God’s Messenger said nothing of the ministry and life of the couple’s son, but repeated the responsibility of the parents, especially the mother carrying him. What she ate, drank, and did, would have a direct effect upon her child. The child was to live by the same standard as his parents: Do as I do, not only as I say, and learn from their personal example (Prov 22:6; Eph 6:1-4; Col 3:20-21).