The Life And Times Of A Fallen Hero, Samson

NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE OF SAMSON

I. THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF HIS BIRTH.

1. Israel had done evil in the sight of God and was under the domination of the Philistines for 40 years.

2. This was a usual cycle for Israel. EXPLAIN

a. Sin

b. Servitude

c. Sorrow

d. Salvation

3. The nation needed a savior and God was about to send another one!

II. 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) WHAT WAS A NAZIRITE?

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. READ JUDGES 13:8-14

III. THE WOMEN OF SAMSON’S LIFE AND THE TROUBLE CAUSED.

1. The woman of Timnah. CHAPTERS 14-15

a. The interesting thing about this first woman in Samson’s life is that God was going to use this relationship to start a fight with the Philistines!

b. Family objects

c. Samson wants her. (READ 14:1-4,7)

d. Goes into Timnah 4 times

e. Second trip he kills a lion

f. On the return he violates 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. JUDGES 14:8-9 When he returned later to take her, he turned aside to look at the carcass of the lion; and behold, a swarm of bees and honey were in the body of the lion. So he scraped the honey into his hands and went on, eating as he went. When he came to his father and mother, he gave some to them and they ate it; but he did not tell them that he had scraped the honey out of the body of the lion.

g. Now we have the wedding feast, probably drinking going on, this would violate Samson’s vow again.

1. Samson proposed a riddle to some of the Philistines. If hey could figure it out before the end of the seven day wedding feast, Samson would give them 30 linen wraps and 30 changes of clothing. If they could not do it, they would give Samson the same in return. The riddle to the 30 Philistines.

Out of the eater came something to eat, and out of the strong came something sweet.

2. After three days these guys could not figure it out so they resorted to threatening his wife to be on the fourth.

3. JUDGES 14:15-17 Then it came about on the fourth day that they said to Samson’s wife, "Entice your husband, so that he will tell us the riddle, or we will burn you and your father’s house with fire. Have you invited us to impoverish us? Is this not so?" Samson’s wife wept before him and said, "You only hate me, and you do not love me; you have propounded a riddle to the sons of my people, and have not told it to me." And he said to her, "Behold, I have not told it to my father or mother; so should I tell you?" However she wept before him seven days while their feast lasted. And on the seventh day he told her because she pressed him so hard. She then told the riddle to the sons of her people.

4. Guess what happened. She told, Samson loses the bet, kills 30 men at Ashkelon to pay the bet.

5. He knew she spilled the beans. JUDGES 14:18 So the men of the city said to him on the seventh day before the sun went down, "What is sweeter than honey? And what is stronger than a lion?" And he said to them, "If you had not plowed with my heifer, You would not have found out my riddle."

6. He leaves before consummating the marriage. His father-in-law gives her to Samson’s best man!

7. Samson later returns only to find that his father-in-law gave his wife to best man. He offers Samson his younger, prettier daughter. This will not do! The war was on!