Judges 14:1-20
Samson…A Life Marked By Wrong Choices
Review: Samson (“like the sun”) …His Clan, Conception, Commission, Consecration
…His Name (secret/Wonderful), Sacrifice, Name
v.1 Wrong choice of places to look for a wife…among the ungodly…Timnah Philistine town…home Zorah.
v.2 Wrong choice of a wife…a lost woman…Deut 7:3-4
…now therefore get her for me to wife…day of arranged marriages.
v.3 Wrong choice of counsel…parental counsel rejected…against wise counsel
…real problem with authority…parental or scriptural…nobody is going to tell me what to do.
…If I want to do it, I’m going to do it! Start of spiritual anarchy…no king in Israel.
…right choice in his own eyes…17:6, 21:25… Prov 14:12, 16:25…a way that seemeth right…
…Going to indulge himself as he sees fit! Like many professing Christians today.
Wrong choice of reasons for the choice…outward appearances…
…she pleases me well…flesh and passions-driven.
…And Samson said unto his father, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well. (Also v.7)
v.4 But…What was the “it”? Who was the “he” that sought occasion against the Philistines…Purpose of God.
The marriage was not of God…he overruled it…
… his wife was given to the “best man” before it was ever consummated.
But the providential purpose of God was not thwarted because of one man’s sin…God used it anyway.
Like Israel purpose to be a light to the Gentiles by obedience…became such through their disobedience
Like Joseph and his brothers…you meant it for evil…God meant it for good.
It was not good…but worked together for good Rom 8:28, Ps 76:10
v.5-9Wrong journey…went down v.1…he went down v.5…he went down v.7
v.5a he went down…and came to the vineyards of Timnah
Wrong place for a Nazarite
v.5b behold, a young lion roared against him…1Pet 5:8 roaring lion vs. Rev 5:5 of Juda
The young lion roars as he heads that way
David slew a lion…Benaiah slew a lion 2Sam 23:20 in a pit at a time of snow
v.6 the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him…as…a kid. But he told not…
…Why? Not as some commentators claim…humility or modesty…rather Lev 5:2-3
…But rather a recognition of a warning…ignored…parents not told.
v.7 he returned to take her…
v.8 he turned aside… to see the carcase of the lion…
v.9 he took…he went on…he gave them…He defiled himself and his parents….Gen 3 forbidden fruit
…The honey…touching the dead…the carcase…clear violation of Nazarite vow
…Honey out of a cadaver…normally flies and maggots. Num 6, Lev 11:27
…he told not…estrangement from home influences…defiles himself and them.
…he did not tell them…because of a guilty conscience…he knew they would refuse it!
v.10 Wrong kind of feast…”chag”vs“mishteh” feast, banquet, drink…Est 5:6 banquet of wine…7 day drunk.
Clear violation of the Nazarite vow.
v.11 Wrong companions…company… v.15
When you marry a woman…you marry her relatives.
v.12-20 Wrong conquests…
The Riddle…a picture of Samson’s life…a wager…drunken gaming and pride
Reduces people to poverty or treachery, deceit, prison, or death.
Samson think he has a sure bet…presents the wager.
Companions equally confident…take the bet.
Companions think they have been “taken”…willing to cheat…or even threaten murder
Samson’s bride to be…wears him down…w/tears and emotions…till he tells her…gullible.
She then betrays him. Prov 12:26 The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour: but the way of the wicked seduceth them.
Samson knows he has been “taken” or betrayed by his wife to be…in his anger and disgust walks away and abandons her…as a result she is given to the “best man” John 3:29
The Revenge…slew thirty men…stole their garments…goes home without his bride-to-be.
…who is given to his “best man”.
Great potential…divine anointing squandered…2Pet 1:3 divine power
Some men marvelously gifted…power presence, oratory, personality, influence, gifts…
…yet have great weakness, lack of character, integrity, honesty, discernment, self-control.
Samson kept up outward appearances of a Nazarite…
…No evidence he ever cut his own hair, but Delilah took care of that for him!
…Lived the secret life of an indulgent pagan…no concept of real holiness.
Keeps his hair but let his lusts go unfettered.
The third violation of the Nazarite vow…the wrong women in your life will destroy your testimony! As hard as you try to keep up “appearances”.
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Inspirationally…Samson’s story is our story…Strong “at times” v.13:25…in the power of the Holy Spirit v.6, 19…pitifully weak in others. Word of God sweet in our mouth (when we don’t have to apply it), bitter when we do. Excited about the WORD…while at the same times lusting after Philistine women.