NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE OF SAMSON
The circumstances of his birth.
1. Israel had done evil in the sight of God and were under the domination of the Philistines for 40 years.
2. This was a usual cycle for Israel.
a. Sin
b. Servitude
c. Sorrow
d. Salvation
The family of Samson
1. Manoah was the father. Mother unnamed.
2. Mother barren.
a. One of the worst things that could happen to a woman, she could be divorced for not producing children.
b. Boys were more important than girls
1. Carry family name
2. Labor was more valuable
3. Not as expensive because of dowry.
3. An angel of the Lord announces the birth of a son.
a. Angel tells her that she is not to drink or eat of the fruit of the vine, eat anything unclean, or cut his hair.
b. She is told that her son was to a Nazirite. (Numbers 6:2-21 Nazirite vow)
1. A Nazirite was not to eat or drink from the fruit of the vine. No grape products.
2. A Nazirite could not touch anything that would be unclean such as a dead body.
3. A Nazirite was to not cut his hair.
4. Probable family life. The family knew what they had to do with Samson in his upbringing.
The Women of Samson’s Life and the trouble caused.
1. The woman of Timnah.
a. Family objects
b. Samson wants her
c. Goes into Timnah 4 times
d. Second trip he kills a lion
e. On the return he violate his Nazirite vow by reaching into the dead carcass of the lion to get some honey to eat. He gives some to his parents. He knew that it was wrong because he did not tell them about where and how he got it.
f. Wedding feast, probably drinking going on, which would violate Samson’s vow again.
1. The riddle to the 30 Philistines.
Out of the eater came something to eat, and out of the strong came something sweet.
2. People threaten his wife to be.
3. Samson loses the bet, kills 30 men at Ashkelon to pay the bet.
4. He Leaves before consummating the marriage.
5. Returns later and father-in-law gave his wife to best man.
6. Samson ties fire to 150 pairs of foxes and burns Philistine corn fields.
7. The Philistines burn his wife’s house and kill her and her father.
8. Samson kills many.
9. 3000 men of Judah turn him to Philistines, and he kills 1000 with the jawbone of an ass.
2. The harlot of Gaza.
a. Philistines found out that he was in Gaza, and plotted to kill him.
b. Samson played while they plotted and left in the middle of the night taking with him the city gate. He took them 40 miles away to Hebron. This was an insult to the city because the gates were a symbol of the cities strength.
3. Delilah
a. He falls in love with her.
b. The Philistines offer her 1100 pieces of silver if she can deliver him to them.
c. She starts on him and he fools her three times.
1. Seven fresh cords.
2. New ropes.
3. Weave seven locks of his hair in a web. Samson comes close to revealing his secret when he told her about his hair.
d. The text says that she annoyed his soul to death, and he tells her.
e. The Philistines come in and take him. READ JUDGES 16:19-20
Samson’s capture and death.
1. His eyes were poked out and he was put on the grinding wheel.
2. The people praised their god Dagon for Samson’s capture.
3. READ JUDGES 16:23-30
Application
When we consistently ignore God and His commandments the following things happen:
1. We can quench the Spirit of God in us at some point. Samson came to this point in his life, it was so bad that he did not even know that the Spirit of God had departed from him. (Judges 16:19-20) EPHESIANS 4:30 Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
2. Our God is put to open shame.(Judges 16:23-24). The Book of Hebrews talks of going to a point of no return because we again crucify Christ and put Him to open shame. HEBREWS 6:6 and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God, and put Him to open shame.
