{"id":4125,"date":"2025-09-05T21:38:46","date_gmt":"2025-09-05T21:38:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/allthecounselofgod.com\/?p=4125"},"modified":"2025-09-05T21:38:51","modified_gmt":"2025-09-05T21:38:51","slug":"lessons-from-bible-lives-16","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/allthecounselofgod.com\/index.php\/2025\/09\/05\/lessons-from-bible-lives-16\/","title":{"rendered":"LESSONS FROM BIBLE LIVES"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

SAMSON \u2013 THE MAN OF CONTRASTS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

SCRIPTURE: Judges 13, 14, 15, 16<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

INTRODUCTION: <\/strong>SAMSON was one of the most renowned, and no doubt the most amazing, <\/strong>of the Hebrew judges. He was a Danite, son of Manoah, and judged Israel for twenty years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Endowed with supernatural strength, he killed a lion with his bare hands, thirty Philistines, and then 1,000 men with the jawbone of an ass! He broke the strongest bands, carried off the gates of Gaza, and pulled down the temple of Dagon! The latter was his greatest feat (at least three thousand were slain in the crumbling ruins) but it resulted in his own death \u2013 see16:30.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Samson was unconquerable <\/strong>(in spite of his carnal appetite) as long as he remained a Nazarite. He was the only one <\/strong>of the judges who worked single-handedly. Samson never called the armies of Israel together; he asked no assistance. His total ministry was done alone <\/strong>in his God-given, <\/strong>unconquerable strength.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His life was one of striking contrasts. <\/strong>Let us consider these:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. He was separated <\/strong>as a Nazarite (Judges 13:5) \u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

YET he dabbled with evil associations <\/strong>(14:1-3, 10-11, 16:1).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. He was occasionally Spirit-endued <\/strong>(13:25, 14:6, 15:14) \u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

YET he yielded to carnal appetites <\/strong>(16:1-4).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. He was mighty <\/strong>in physical strength (15:15, 16:3, 9, 12, 14) \u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

YET he was weak <\/strong>in resisting temptation (16:15-17).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. He had a noble beginning <\/strong>(13:24-25) \u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

BUT he came to a sad end <\/strong>(16:30).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The deadly results of Samson\u2019s self-indulgence and the final breaking of his Nazarite vow are seen in order in the narrative:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Self-confidence \u2013 \u201cI will go out\u201d \u2013 16:20<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Self-ignorance \u2013 \u201cHe wist not\u201d \u2013 16:20<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Self-weakness \u2013 \u201cThe Philistines laid hold on him\u201d \u2013 16:21<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Self-darkness \u2013 \u201cThey put out his eyes\u201d \u2013 16:21<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. Self-degradation \u2013 \u201cThey brought him down to Gaza \u2013 16:21<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6. Self-bondage \u2013 \u201cThey bound him with fetters\u201d \u2013 16:21<\/p>\n\n\n\n

7. Self-drudgery \u2013 \u201cHe did grind in the prison house\u201d \u2013 16:21<\/p>\n\n\n\n

8. Self-humiliation \u2013 \u201cCall for Samson, that he may make us sport\u201d \u2013 16:25, 27<\/p>\n\n\n\n

LESSONS FROM SAMSON\u2019S LIFE:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. The evils of mixed (SAVED\/LOST, SPIRITUAL\/CARNAL) marriages \u2013 chap 14, 15:1-6. [In the Teen and Singles classes, here is a good opportunity to discuss the importance of finding the right mate of God\u2019s choosing from the right religious background and family life. Compatibility in spiritual matters should have top priority.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. The tragic effects of playing with sexual temptations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. The tragedy of unfulfilled potential. <\/strong>In spite of his unlimited physical strength and his ability to slaughter the Philistines at will, Samson is the only judge who did not set Israel free from the oppressing enemy. And the reason Samson never fully conquered the Philistines was because he never conquered himselt1<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Sin <\/strong>always brings judgment <\/strong>\u2013 James 1 :13-15; Num 32:23.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. One of the most significant lessons: When Christians sin openly, it brings reproach on the name of God \u2013 16:23-24. The celebrating Philistines praised their gods saying, \u201cOur god hath delivered into our hands our enemy \u2026 \u201d Oh NO! NO! It was not the lifeless, impotent image of Dagon that delivered Samson into the hands of the Philistines\u2013it was his own sins!!! Cf. 1 Sam 31 :8-10. Nathan told David that because of his deeds (in the matter of Bathsheba and Uriah) he had \u201cgiven great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme \u2026 \u201c<\/p>\n<\/body>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"