SAMSON : Judge #14

Last week:

Manoah and his wife had children.

God promised them a

He would be a . (Nazarite rules)

Purpose was to deliver Israel from the hands of the after 40 years.

Philistines were descendants of Noah's son

Exodus 23:27-33 Israelites moving into the Promised land.

[27] "l will send my terror ahead of you and throw into confusion every nation you encounter. I will make all your enemies turn their backs and run. [28] I will send the hornet ahead of you to drive the Hivites, Canaanites and Hittites out of your way. [29] But I will not drive them out in a single year, because the land would become desolate and the wild animals too numerous for you. [30] Little by little I will drive them out before you, until you have increased enough to take possession of the land. [31] "l will establish your borders from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea, and from the desert to the

Euphrates River. I will give into your hands the people who live in the land, and you will drive them out before you. [32] Do not make a covenant with them or with their gods. [33] Do not let them live in your land or they will cause you to sin against me, because the worship of their gods will certainly be a snare to you."

This includes the Philistines.

Judges 13:24

[24] The woman gave birth to a boy and named him Samson. He grew and the LORD blessed him, [25] and the Spirit of the LORD began to stir him while he was in Mahaneh Dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol.

Samson is the last of the 14 judges appointed by God to get the people of Israel back on track worshiping the only true God.

A Nazarite from birth up to his death.

Judges 14:1-4

[1] Samson went down to Timnah and saw there a young Philistine woman. [2] When he returned, he said to his father and mother, "l have seen a Philistine woman in Timnah; now get her for me as my wife." [3] His father and mother replied, "Isn't there an acceptable woman among your relatives or among all our people? Must you go to the uncircumcised Philistines to get a wife? " But Samson said to his father, "Get her for me. She's the right one for me." [41 (His parents did not know that this was from the Lord, who was seeking an occasion to confront the Philistines; for at that time they were ruling over

Israel.)

Philistine woman. (Ungodly)

Goes directly against the vows.

Even Gods instruction for taking the Promised Land; Do not inter-

But this was actually from

Judges 14:5-7

5 Samson went down to Timnah together with his father and mother. As they approached the vineyards of Timnah, suddenly a young lion came roaring toward him. [6] The Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon him so that he tore the lion apart with his bare hands as he might have torn a young goat. But he told neither his father nor his mother what he had done. [7] Then he went down and talked with the woman, and he liked her.

What was the purpose this encounter with the His parents didn't know about it?????

Samson's age was very young. 14 maybe???

God intervened again.

Samson fell in love.

Judges 14:8-9

[8] Some time later, when he went back to marry her, he turned aside to look at the lion's carcass, and in it he saw a swarm of bees and some honey. [9] He scooped out the honey with his hands and ate as he went along. When he rejoined his parents, he gave them some, and they too ate it. But he did not tell them that he had taken the honey from the lion's carcass.

Oops!!! Another vow broken. No body contact.

Samson obviously knew it was wrong and kept it from

Judges 14:10-11

[1 0] Now his father went down to see the woman. And there Samson held a feast, as was customary for young men.

[1 1] When the people saw him, they chose thirty men to be his companions.

His father had to meet this woman.

Quite the "bachelor party "1 1 1

Judqes 14:12-18

[1 2] "Let me tell you a riddle ," Samson said to them. "If you can give me the answer within the seven days of the feast, I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty sets of clothes. [1 3] If you can't tell me the answer, you must give me thirty linen garments and thirty sets of clothes." "Tell us your riddle," they said. "Let's hear it." [1 4] He replied, "Out of the eater, something to eat; out of the strong, something sweet." For three days they could not give the answer. [1 5] On the fourth day, they said to Samson's wife, "Coax your husband into explaining the riddle for us, or we will burn you and your father's household to death. Did you invite us here to steal our property?" [1 6] Then Samson's wife threw herself on him, sobbing, "You hate me! You don't really love me. You've given my people a riddle, but you haven't told me the answer." "l haven't even explained it to my father or mother," he replied, "so why should I explain it to you?" [1 7] She cried the whole seven days of the feast. So on the seventh day he finally told her, because she continued to press him. She in turn explained the riddle to her people. [1 8] Before sunset on the seventh day the men of the town said to him, "What is sweeter than honey? What is stronger than a lion ?" Samson said to them, "If you had not plowed with my heifer, you would not have solved my riddle." Samson's new wife was a!!! (Enough said).

She was more true to the evil Philistines than to her husband. Samson was, to say the least, very upset!

Judges 14:19-20

[1 9] Then the Spirit of the LORD came powerfully upon him. He went down to Ashkelon, struck down thirty of their men, stripped them of everything and gave their clothes to those who had explained the riddle. Burning with anger, he returned to his father's home. [20] And Samson's wife was given to one of his companions who had attended him at the feast.

Remember: God was doing all this to rid Israel of the Philistines. Judges 14:4

[4] (His parents did not know that this was from the LORD, who was seeking an occasion to confront the Philistines; for at that time they were ruling over Israel .)

Thoughts to ponder

How do we know when God is using our situation to bring glory to Himself?

2. He wants us pure and Holy as He is Holy. 1 Peter 1:16.

3. Will God use us even when we are going against our "vows"? HE LOVES US!!!

4. What should we always remember about our relationship with God / Jesus.

5. We are broken! Jesus fixed that brokenness.

6. God loves us! And He will do whatever is necessary to bring us back to Him. (Tough love?)

7. God understands us and our struggles.

8. He LOVES us!!! PRAISE GOD.