FBCN The Samson “Sin” drone 2-13-01
Judges 13-16
The Philistines “were ruling over Israel” (14:4b) as we begin this story because of their sin and disobedience before God. God heard their prayers by sending the Israelites the help needed in Samson.
I. The Way of Samson 13:1-5
He began his way with an angelic announcement concerning his birth. Even though his mother was sterile and childless, the angel told her she would conceive and have a son. She was probably praying about the situation that Israel was in and no doubt praying for a child as well. And the angel came to her. Her instructions were to bring the child up as a Nazarite. (See Numbers 6:1-21)
1. Abstain from wine and other fermented drink, not even vinegar made from wine or other fermented drink
2. Abstain from grape juice or eat grapes or raisins
3. Abstain from anything that comes from the grapevine, not even the seeds or the skins
4. During the entire period of the vow of separation, no razor may be used on his head. He must be holy until the period of his separation is over to the Lord is over; he must let the hair of his head grow long.
5. During this period he must not go near a dead body. Even if his own father or mother or brother or sister dies, he must not make himself ceremonially unclean on account of them, because the symbol of his separation to God is on his head.
6. Throughout this period of his separation he is consecrated to the Lord.
The angel of the Lord appeared to Samson’s mother the first time, but in verse 8-9 Manoah prayed for him to come again and the Bible says (v9) “God heard Manoah, and the angel of God came again to the woman...” The angel of the Lord waited for her to retrieve her husband. Manoah spoke words of faith to him, (v12) “When your words are fulfilled, what is to be the rule for the boy’s life and work.” Not like Zechariah “How can I be sure of this?” The angel repeated the message again and waited for a sacrifice to be presented for him. (v20) “As the flame blazed up
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from the altar toward heaven, the angel of the Lord ascended in the flame.” Manoah was so awestruck at that moment over the messenger angel ascending to heaven in the fire he almost missed the message. You remember the large crowd that watched Jesus ascend into heaven that two angels had to bring them out of it by saying, “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11).
A. Manoah was Dumbfounded and Disillusioned (v22) “We are doomed to die!”
B. His Wife Divine Direction (23) “If the Lord had meant to kill us, he would not have accepted a burnt offering and grain offering from our hands, nor shown us all these things or now told us this.” She had been to a Women of Faith Conference in Jerusalem the year before and was ready for God to move.
The last verse in Chapter 13 is important too. “... and the Spirit of the Lord began to stir him...” While he was a young man God began to stir him ... speak to him ... move within him ... encourage him ... prove his love for him.
Young people, as you are growing up between Palestine and Jacksonville have you found the Spirit of God began to stir you? Be it ever so slightly, you can still tell that it is the Hand of God upon your life. You need to recognize those times early in life.
II. The Wife of Samson 14
The first recorded words that Samson speaks are in 14:2 “I have seen a Philistine woman...” That is not a slip of the pen but a sign to help us see where Samson is going. His father and mother did not want a mixed marriage. “Isn’t there an acceptable woman among your relatives or among our people?” But the Bible goes on to tell us that “...this was from the Lord...” His parents did not know it and I’m not sure that Samson knew it. The “Spirit of the Lord began to stir him...” and no doubt sent him to get a wife from them, but I’m not positive that Samson knew that a fight would brew. There is a “cultural truth” that mixed marriages do cause a strain on the families social life. But what we are looking at here is that the
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Philistine woman was a lost woman from “the uncircumcised Philistines.” The marriage was arranged and just before the marriage God encouraged Sampson giving him a sign of his strength. See 14:5-6. When “a young lion came roaring toward him... he tore he lion apart with his bare hands.” God had to prove to Samson when he was all by himself of his strength so that when he was confronted in front of everyone he would have faith that God would do the same again. And he did.
After eating honey from the carcass of the lion he gave a riddle to the 30 men at his wedding party concerning. They were so afraid that this Israelite would embarrass them at the wedding they told Samson’s fiancee that they would kill her. See 14:15 “Coax your husband into explaining the riddle for us, or we will burn you and your father’s household to death.” These are her wedding friends now... but you can see that the “cultural truth” of the mixed marriage is already causing tension in Temnah. A death threat had been delivered. God knew all along what he was doing.
When Samson told his wife the riddle she in turn told them and Samson was the embarrassed one at the wedding. He went down to Ashkelon about 25 miles away and struck down 30 men to give the gift of 30 sets of clothes. But when he returned things were changed.
III. The Wrath of Samson 15
His wife had been given to a Philistine. Samson had never consummated the marriage. He had never slept with his wife yet. He was to do that on the 7th day of the wedding feast and he had to leave and bring back 30 sets of clothes. Broken hearted and embarrassed, but “burning with anger” he went home. In chapter 15 the story picks back up. God knew that the timing was not right. Understand that God is in control here. The harvest of all of the Philistine people was not yet flammable enough to burn fast at the time of the wedding or they would have been gathering it. READ--
In 15:1 Later on, at the time of the wheat harvest, Samson took a young goat and went to visit his wife. He said, “I’m going to my wife’s room.” But her father would not let him go in, for he had given her to another man. The strength and power of God works in many ways. This time it was to bring every fox in that area right into Samson’s traps, 300 of them. Just like it brought the animals in the Page 4
ark two by two. Noah couldn’t do that and Samson couldn’t do this. God used them to burn the standing grain of the Philistine’s.
Look what happens in verse 15:6. READ
One Israelite man from Judah would not bow down to the
Philistine’s even when 3,000 men of Judah wanted him to. They tried to convince him in verse 11b “don’t you realize that the Philistines are rulers over us? But when they delivered Samson to them he took a donkey’s jawbone and killed a thousand Philistines. His body craved for water afterwards and (19) “Then God opened up the hollow place in Lehi, and water came out of it.”
“Samson led Israel twenty years in the days of the Philistines.”
Twenty years of faithful service, but he had a weakness.
IV. The Weakness of Samson 16:1-22
Remember the first recorded words we have from Samson was “I saw a Philistine woman...” Gaza was 37 miles from Hebron and he had to carry the gates of the city, bar & all, uphill all the way. He confirmed to them that their city would no longer be protected.
Then the Bible tells us that Samson fell in love with Delilah. Their were five major Philistine Cities at that time so there were probably 5 rulers to bribe Delilah.
Verse 7 “ties me with seven fresh thongs (bowstrings) that have not been dried I’ll become as weak as any other man.” Then in verse 11 it was “ties me securely with new ropes that have never been used...” Then in verse 11b he got closer to telling her the secret of his strength when he said weave the seven braids of my head into the fabric of the loom and tighten it with the pin, I’ll be as weak as any other man.”
Finally the forth time she persuaded him to tell her the secret of his strength using the word “love” in verse 15. “How can you say, ‘I love you,’ when you won’t confide in me?” This time Samson’s love for Deliah temporarily weakened his love for God.
When they captured Samson they gouged out his eyes to hinder his strength, but the very thing that hindered Samson was his eyes. They were offending him. When he could no longer lust at length by looking at women his love for God was rekindled and his vow renewed. The Bible says in 16:22 “But the hair on his head began
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to grow again...”
V. The Wish of Samson 16:23-31
The very man that burned the Philistines grain down years before
is now probably pushing the grinding mill as a Philistine slave himself. Round and round he goes seeing nothing. The Bible says that his hair began to grow. Can you imagine what Samson thought when he could feel the hair touching his neck again. I believe the prayers of Samson started long before this day out in the arena. The Spirit of the Lord would stir him with each prayer until the time was right. Remember Delilah’s words... “How can you say ‘I love you’ and not tell me the secret of your strength?”
That’s it. In your life Satan will place you in a battle with your weakness ... what you love ... against your love with God. You cannot serve both God and Money. Samson’s weakness was sensuality. Our’s may be a position, power or control, jealously, greed, the peer pressure for you feel to be accepted among your friends will tempt you to do anything and everything. The end result is always the same. You’ll find yourself going round and round chained to the enemy’s grain press.
v28 O Sovereign Lord, remember me. The old negro spiritual probably came from this passage. Do Lord, Oh do Lord... Do you remember me. Do Lord, Oh do Lord... Do you remember me. I used to feel you stir my heart and move within me... strengthen me... encourage me... lead me and guide me. Forgive your servant Lord.
Some say that Samson committed suicide. No he did not. He simply returned to doing what God told his parents he would do through the angel. Are you ready to return to doing what God wants you to do? Could it be your hands on those pillars this morning? God will strengthen you to push them over if you but ask. Get back to doing what you were called to do. Do Lord... Oh do Lord... Do you remember me?
