Scripture Text: Judges 13:1-16:31
Memory Verse: “Again the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord delivered them into the hand of the Philistines for forty years.” Judges 13:1
Introduction:
For the seventh time in Judges the Israelites did evil in the sight of the Lord. The cycle begins again; this time the Philistines enslaved Israel for forty years, the longest oppression the nation had yet undergone. While the Israelites were being oppressed by the Philistines, the Angel of the Lord appeared to the wife of Manoah, of the tribe of Dan, and announced that, though she had been barren, she would become the mother of a son. The son was born and named Samson. It soon became obvious that the Spirit of the Lord was working powerfully in his life. God intended Samson to be a Nazarite and live according to God’s highest standards for His people.
Samson’s weaknesses became apparent in his determination to marry a Philistine woman—one of the enemies of Israel. When his father-in-law refused to let Samson have his wife, Samson took personal revenge by destroying their grain field, vineyards, and olive groves. The Philistines learned the cause of this cruel and wasteful act and retaliated by burning to death Samson’s wife and her father. Samson’s answer was to slay a great multitude of Philistines. But violence triggers more violence.
Next Samson fell in love with a Philistine woman named Delilah. When this became known, the lords of the Philistines offered her great reward if she would lure Samson into revealing the secret of his great strength. Samson broke down and revealed to Delilah the secret of his strength. If his hair were cut off, he would be powerless. While he was asleep one of the Philistines shaved his head and his strength left him. Samson’s eyes were put out and he was imprisoned in Gaza, where he was forced to grind grain. The Philistines held a sacrifice in celebration of their god, Dagon. When Samson was brought forth to entertain them, he pushed down the pillars and all the people were killed.
Studying the Word
Lesson Study
- Just because parents fear the Lord, pray for wisdom, and obeyed His will, does that guarantee the children will be godly? (Judges 13:1-25; Numbers 6; Proverbs 22:6)
- What does the Bible say about mixed marriages between believers and unbelievers? (Judges 14:1-20; Exodus 34:16; Deuteronomy 7:2; Genesis 24:3-4; 26:34-35; 2 Corinthians 6:14)
- What can happen to a believer when he persistently sins and has no regard or respect for God’s law? (Judges 16:17-22; 1 Corinthians 9:27; Hebrews 3:6-19; 2 Corinthians 7:10)
- Samson had a problem with insatiable sexual lust. What does the Bible say about such desires? (Judges 16:1-16; 2 Timothy 3:2-5; Romans 1:26-27)
Applying the Word
Looking at the whole story of Samson, what lessons can we learn that will help us in our walk with God?
His defilement—God had rescued Samson from so many tight places that he was sure he was invulnerable, so he continued to play with sin and defile his Nazirite vows.
Deception—The harlot in Gaza deceived him and so did Delilah. You would think that by then Samson would have been alert to danger, but his conscience was defiled, and his moral senses were destroyed. Samson even deceived himself by thinking he had everything under control, but he was wrong.
Destruction—Samson’s life resulted in the “blinding, binding, and grinding effects of sin.” Samson walked in the darkness and died in the darkness. God forgave him and restored his strength, but He did not restore his sight or his ministry. Samson may have died in victory, but he lived in moral and spiritual defeat. He destroyed God’s enemies, but he did not live like God’s friend.