Samson A Weak Strong Man

SAMSON A WEAK STRONG MAN

Texts: selected verses from Judges 13, 16

Intro: Judge Othinel, Judge Gideon, Judge Samson--Our teachers have taught us

the judges were raised up by God to bring deliverance and leadership to

Israel.

As a teenager I envied Samson’s STRENGTH.

As a married young adult I wondered at Samson’s LUSTS, INFIDIELITY,

& DISOBEDIENCE TO GOD.

As a senior adult I admire the GRACE & LONGSUFFERING OF GOD.

Job made a covenant with his eyes (Job 31:1 I made a covenant with mine eyes;

why then should I think upon a maid?)

Joseph ran (Gen 39:12 And she caught him by his garment, saying,

Lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand,

and fled, and got him out.

David goofed.

Samson blew it.

Central Truth: Christians are to live by the Spirit, not gratifying the desires of the sinful

nature, i.e., Galatians 5:16 (KJV) This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and

ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

I. Outline

A. Consecrated for Service (Judges 13:1-5, 24, 25)

B. Weakened by Compromise (Judges 16:1-21)

C. Restored to God’s Purpose (Judges 16: 22-31)

II. Consecrated for Service (Jd 13:1-5, 24, 25)

A. Nazarites in Bible

1. Samson

2. Samuel

3. John The Baptist

B. Nazarite Vow (means dedication/consecration unto God) ( Numbers 6:1-8)

1. touch no dead thing (Sampson touched the lion’s carcase, the mule’s carcase

2. drink no wine or grape juice

3. Do not shave the head

C. Judges 13:5, "...he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines."

1. Samson only began this deliverance, for it was not till the days of David

that the Israelites were completely redeemed from the power of the Philistines.

2. Names of Israel’s Judges

Othniel, the son of Kenaz from the tribe of Judah

Ehud, the son of Gerah from the tribe of Benjamin

Shamgar, the son of Anath from the tribe of Levi

Deborah (and Barak)

Gideon (also named Jerubbaal), the son of Joash from the tribe of Manasseh

Tola, the son of Puah from the tribe of Issachar

Jair, from the tribe of Gilead

Jephthah, from the tribe of Gilead

Ibzan, from the tribe of Judah

Elon, from the tribe of Zebulun

Abdon, the son of Hillel, the Piratoni, from the tribe of Ephraim

Samson, the son of Manoah, from the tribe of Dan

Eli

Samuel

___________Wickipedia

III. Weakened By Compromise (Judges 16:1-21)

A. Judges 16:5 (KJV) And the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and said unto her, Entice him, and see wherein his great strength lieth, and by what means we may prevail against him, that we may bind him to afflict him: and we will give thee every one of us eleven hundred pieces of silver.

1. The lords of the Philistines were the five following:

Gaza, Gath, Askelon, Ekron, and Ashdod.

All these considered Samson as a public enemy;

and they promised this bad woman a large sum of money

if she would obtain from him the important secret wherein his strength lay,

that, depriving him of this supernatural power,

they might be able to reduce him to bondage.

2. Samson loved Delilah-Delilah loved money.

3. Illu: Written on a cemetary grave marker:

"Ma loved Pa,

Pa loved women,

Ma caught Pa

with two in swimming,

Here lies Pa!"

4. Much pain and ruin came into Samson’s life because he would not guard his heart.

5. No wonder Proverbs 4:23 says Keep (literally, guard or protect) your heart with

all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life. If we don’t guard our hearts, we

can end up in trouble

B. Judges 16:16

1. And it came to pass, when she pressed him daily with her words,

and urged him, so that his soul was vexed unto death;

2. After trifling with her, and lying three times, he at last commits to her his fatal secret,

and thus becomes a traitor to himself and to his God.

C. Judges 16:17-21

1. "...told her all his heart,..." it must have been an exceedingly sad scene;

he had to have known what was coming. He was faced with a choice:

Delilah or the Lord, and he chose her

2. There are times when our commitment to God demands that we say,

even to those we love the most, "I will not turn my back on my God,

and you will just have to live with that."

3. Verse 17. If I be shaven, then my strength will go from me.

The miraculous strength of Samson must not be supposed to reside either

in his hair or in his muscles, but in that relation in which he stood

to God as a Nazarite, such a person being bound by a solemn