S. Michael Houdmann Supporter Got Questions Ministries

Samson's life is one of contradiction. First, he was to be "a Nazirite, set apart to God from birth" (Judges 13:5), yet he continually broke his vow. The Spirit of God came upon him many times, giv...

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July 01 2013 • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report

Jack Gutknecht Supporter Arizona Bible College graduate and Dallas Seminary graduate

Samson’s life was a life of contrasts:

1 A Life of Remarkable Promise Judges 13:5 -- He was separated as a Nazarite (Judg. 13:5), yet tampered with evil associations (Judg. 14:1-3). He was controlled by sensuality. True, we are sexual beings, but Samson went overboard!

Judges 13:5 “For behold, you will conceive and give birth to a son. And no razor shall come over his head, because the boy will be a Nazirite to God from the womb, and he will begin the deliverance of Israel from the hand of the Philistines."

Judges 14:1-3 Samson went down to Timnah and saw there a young Philistine woman. When he returned, he said to his father and mother, "I have seen a Philistine woman in Timnah; now get her for me as my wife." 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." Here is Samson violating God’s law on this occasion.

2 A Life of Resplendent Purposes Judges 13:25; 14:6; 15:14 --He was occasionally Spirit-possessed (Judg. 13:25; 15:14), yet yielded to carnal appetites (Judg. 16:1-4).-- The complex story of Samson teaches us the evils of mixed or foreign marriages (Judg. 14:3), the laxity of sexual relations and of playing with temptation. C. W. Emmet says that Samson “teaches us that bodily endowments, no less than spiritual, are a gift from God, however different may be our modern conception of the way in which they are bestowed, and that their retention depends on obedience to His laws.” HL 

Which leads me to:

3 A Life of Relinquished Purposes Judges 16:4 See vv. 3-4:
3 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto the woman, and said unto her, Behold now, thou art barren, and bearest not: but thou shalt conceive, and bear a son.	
4 Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink not wine nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean thing:	

And Judg 16:19:
“And she made him sleep upon her knees; and she called for a man, and she caused him to shave off the seven locks of his head; and she began to afflict him, and his strength went from him.”

II. (He was occasionally Spirit-possessed (Judg. 13:25; 15:14), yet yielded to carnal appetites (Judg. 16:1-4).) Samson had an appetite for women. Your appetite may be for money or popularity. Whatever it is, don’t needlessly expose yourself to Satan’s lures! But when temptation does come, don’t think that you are helpless against it either. Just as Samson was able to tear apart a lion with his bare hands because the Spirit of the Lord had given him that power, you have God-given power to resist that roaring lion, the devil, so that he will flee from you says the Apostle James (James 4:7). Daniel Habben

Judges 13:25 and the Spirit of the LORD began to stir him while he was in Mahaneh Dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol.

Judges 15:14 As he approached Lehi, the Philistines came toward him shouting. The Spirit of the LORD came powerfully upon him. The ropes on his arms became like charred flax, and the bindings dropped from his hands.

Judges 16:1-4 ”One day Samson went to Gaza, where he saw a prostitute. He went in to spend the night with her. The people of Gaza were told, "Samson is here!" So they surrounded the place and lay in wait for him all night at the city gate. They made no move during the night, saying, "At dawn we'll kill him." But Samson lay there only until the middle of the night.” The Message Bible has, “Samson was in bed with the woman until midnight.” Then he got up and took hold of the doors of the city gate, together with the two posts, and tore them loose, bar and all. He lifted them to his shoulders and carried them to the top of the hill that faces Hebron. Some time later, he fell in love with a woman in the Valley of Sorek whose name was Delilah.” 

He had a kind of Dr. Jekell and Mr. Hyde being. Striking, isn't it?

September 12 2021 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report