Lesson#15

RETURN TO SYLLABUS
JUDGES 13 – JUDGES 14:1-9
LESSON #15
THE FIZZLED FIRECRACKER: SETTING YOURSELF UP FOR FAILURE

MEMORY VERSE: GAL 5:7

AS WE HAVE SEEN THROUGH THE BOOK OF JUDGES, THE CYCLES REFLECT AN INCREASINGLY DETERIORATING SOCIETY. THE SMALL CIVIL WAR BEGUN IN THE DAYS OF JUDGE JEPHTHAH GREW TO THE POINT THAT THE END OF THE BOOK OF JUDGES IS UTTER CHAOS.

READ JDG 13:1-7 CYCLE #7 = THE FINAL CYCLE

SIN AND SERVITUDE (1)

THE ACCOUNT IN THE BOOK OF JUDGES HAS CEASED TO BE SPECIFIC ABOUT THE SINS OF THE PEOPLE. THEY ARE SO NUMEROUS AND BROAD THAT THEY ARE CALLED "EVIL IN THE SIGHT OF THE LORD." (1)
GOD PERMITTED THE PHILISTINES TO BECOME THE MASTERS OVER THE ISRAELITES FOR 40 YEARS. THIS IS THE LONGEST FOREIGN OPPRESSION OF ANY OF ISRAEL’S ENEMIES.

THE PHILISTINES ARRIVED FROM THE SEA IN GREAT NUMBERS AROUND 1200 BC. (APPROXIMATELY 80 YEARS BEFORE SAMSON) THEY ORGANIZED A STRONG FEDERATION OF 5 CITIES ON THE COAST OF THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA. WHEN THE PHILISTINES BEGAN TO MOVE EAST INTO THE LAND OCCUPIED BY THE TRIBE OF BENJAMIN AND JUDAH, THE ISRAELITES DID NOT RESIST THEIR DOMINATION.

THE ANGEL OF THE LORD GIVES A PROPHECY OF THE BIRTH OF SAMSON, A NAZARITE

SAMSON WAS A JUDGE BORN WITH A GLORIOUS OPPORTUNITY FOR BRILLIANT SUCCESS.

HIS BIRTH WAS MIRACULOUS.
HIS BIRTH WAS FORECAST BY "THE ANGEL OF THE LORD", JESUS CHRIST.
SAMSON WAS TO BE A NAZARITE.

WHAT IS A NAZARITE AND WHAT WERE THE REQUIREMENTS?

READ NUM 6:1-13

THE WORD, NAZARITE (NAZIRITE) MEANS = DEVOTED OR CONSECRATED.
A NAZARITE WAS SOMEONE WHO TOOK A RELIGIOUS VOW. IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE CITY OF NAZARETH.

HIS VOW COULD BE A PARTIAL VOW FOR A LIMITED PERIOD OF TIME, OR IT COULD BE A LIFE LONG VOW.
THERE WERE 3 MEN IN THE BIBLE WHO WERE TO BE NAZARITES FOR LIFE, SAMSON, SAMUEL, AND JOHN THE BAPTIST.

THE NAZARITE REQUIREMENTS:

#1 = HE MUST NOT DRINK ANY FERMENTED DRINK (ALCOHOL) OR USE GRAPES IN ANY FORM BECAUSE GRAPES SYMBOLIZED EARTHLY JOY AND ONE’S JOY MUST BE A HEAVENLY JOY.(EPH 5:18)
#2 = HE MUST NEVER CUT HIS HAIR BECAUSE LONG HAIR IS A SHAME TO A MAN (1COR 11:14) AND HE MUST BE WILLING TO BEAR SHAME FOR THE SAKE OF THE GOSPEL.
#3 = HE MUST NEVER GO NEAR ANY DEAD BODY BECAUSE THERE MUST NOT BE ANY EARTHLY CLAIMS UPON HIM. HIS FAMILY MUST NOT COME BEFORE GOD. HIS PRIORITIES MUST BE SERVICE TO GOD FIRST. (MAT 8:21-22 LUK 14:26-27)

DESPITE THIS GLORIOUS OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE GOD, WE WILL SEE HIM FAIL TO LIVE UP TO HIS POTENTIAL.

NOTICE THAT VERSE 5 SAYS, "…HE SHALL BEGIN TO DELIVER ISRAEL OUT OF THE HAND OF THE PHILISTINES."

IN OTHER WORDS, WE ARE TOLD FROM THE BEGINNING THAT HE WILL NOT COMPLETE THE TASK AND LIVE UP TO HIS POTENTIAL, BUT HE WILL ONLY BEGIN IT.

SAMSON WAS BORN IN A CITY (ZORAH) ON THE BORDER BETWEEN THE PHILISTINES AND THE ISRAELITES.

SAMSON’S FAMILY WAS FROM THE TRIBE OF DAN, BUT HIS FAMILY HAD NOT MOVED NORTH TO THE DANITE TERRITORY THERE.

READ JDG 13:8-14 INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE ANGEL OF THE LORD

NOTICE THAT THE VOW STARTS FROM CONCEPTION BECAUSE HIS MOTHER IS TOLD NOT TO DRINK WINE. (7, 14)

BECAUSE OF THESE RESTRICTIONS ON THE MOTHER, THE FETUS IS A CHILD DEDICATED TO GOD EVEN BEFORE IT IS BORN.
THE FETUS IS INFLUENCED BY WHAT THE MOTHER EATS AND DRINKS.

READ JDG 13:15-23 FACE TO FACE WITH THE ANGEL OF THE LORD

SAMSON’S FATHER, MANOAH, WAS NOT SURE WHO THE ANGEL OF THE LORD WAS.

IN REALITY, THE VISIT OF THE ANGEL OF THE LORD IS A THEOPHANY. A THEOPHANY IS A PRE-INCARNATE VISIT BY JESUS CHRIST. LET US BE SURE THAT WE KNOW FOR SURE THAT THIS IS JESUS CHRIST:

MANOAH PLANS TO FEED THIS HEAVENLY MESSENGER, BUT THE ANGEL OF THE LORD TURNS DOWN THE MEAL AND SUGGESTS A BURNT OFFERING INSTEAD. (15-16)

ANGELS NEVER ACCEPT WORSHIP FROM MEN, BUT THIS ANGEL OF THE LORD ACCEPTS THE WORSHIP OF A BURNT OFFERING.

THIS INDICATES HE IS NOT AN ORDINARY ANGEL.

MANOAH ASKS THE HEAVENLY MESSENGER FOR HIS NAME, BUT THE ANGEL OF THE LORD SAYS HIS NAME IS A SECRET OR BEYOND UNDERSTANDING. (17-18)

THE ETERNAL NAME OF JESUS CHRIST IS "THE WORD". (REV 19:13 JOH 1:1,14)

"…THE ANGEL OF THE LORD DID WONDROUSLY…" (19)

MANOAH AND HIS WIFE SAW A MIRACULOUS EVENT HAPPEN WITH THE OFFERING WHEN THE ANGEL OF THE LORD ASCENDED TO HEAVEN. (20)

PROBABLY THEY HAD DONE HUNDREDS OF ANIMAL SACRIFICES TO GOD IN THEIR LIFETIME, BUT THIS ONE WAS OBSERVABLY DIFFERENT.

IT IS AS THOUGH JESUS PERSONALLY TOOK THEIR SACRIFICE TO HEAVEN TO PLACE IT AT THE FEET OF GOD, THE FATHER.

MANOAH AND HIS WIFE KNOW THEY HAVE SEEN GOD FACE TO FACE. (22)

THEY ARE AFRAID THEY WILL DIE BECAUSE NO ONE WAS TO LOOK UPON GOD AND LIVE.
THEY SAY THEY HAVE SEEN GOD. (JOH 14:9)

READ JDG 13:24-25 THE BIRTH OF SAMSON

"AND THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD BEGAN TO MOVE HIM AT TIMES…" (25)

GOD’S TIMING AND PREPARATION ARE PERFECT.

THIS IS A DELIVERER THE PEOPLE DID NOT REQUEST THAT GOD SEND. HOWEVER, BECAUSE OF GOD’S MERCY, HE SENDS SAMSON ANYWAY. WHY?

GOD WILL PERMIT JUST SO MUCH APOSTASY (FALLING AWAY FROM TRUTH) BEFORE HE WILL INTERVENE EVEN WHEN NOT REQUESTED.

HE HAS HIS OVERALL PLAN IN MIND. HE DOES NOT WANT HIS PEOPLE TOTALLY DESTROYED OR ABSORBED RELIGIOUSLY OR ETHNICALLY BECAUSE HE HAS A MESSIAH TO BRING THROUGH A RELATIVELY PURE BLOODLINE TO A FAITHFUL JEWISH FAMILY.

GOD BEGINS TO PREPARE SAMSON WHILE HE GROWS TO BE AN ADULT. HE WILL NOT BECOME A JUDGE UNTIL HE IS ABOUT 20 YEARS OLD.

SUPPLICATION AND SALVATION

NOTICE THAT THERE IS NO CRY TO GOD FOR HELP TO DEFEAT THE PHILISTINES BEFORE GOD RAISES UP A SAVIOR, SAMSON. WHY?

THE PEOPLE HAVE BECOME SO ACCUSTOMED TO TOLERATING SYNCRETISM IN THEIR SOCIETY THAT THEY HAVE COMPLETELY FORGOTTEN GOD. THEY DON’T SEEM TO NOTICE OR MIND THE IDOLATRY, THE CHILD SACRIFICES, THE TEMPLE PROSTITUTION, THE PAGAN MARRIAGES, THE COMPROMISED IMMORALITY, THE SEXUAL DISEASES IN THEIR MIDST, OR THE CRIME AND LAWLESSNESS AROUND THEM.

THE HUMAN HEART BECOMES HARDENED TO EVIL AND EVENTUALLY FAILS TO RESIST IT.

READ JER 7:26-28

READ JDG 14:1-9 AN INTRODUCTION TO SAMSON, THE DELIVERER

THE NAME, SAMSON, MEANS = LITTLE SUN OR BRIGHTNESS

THE SYMBOL OF THE SUN PRESENTS A PICTURE OF IMMENSE STRENGTH AND POWER.

IN SUNDAY SCHOOL WE LEARN THAT SAMSON WAS THE STRONGEST MAN IN THE WORLD. HOWEVER, IN REALITY HE WAS THE WEAKEST MAN. IT WAS GOD WHO WAS STRONG. WHEN SAMSON WAS ON GOD’S SIDE, HE WAS STRONG. WHEN SAMSON WAS NOT ON GOD’S SIDE, HE WAS WEAK.

THE PROBLEM WE WILL SEE IN SAMSON’S LIFE IS THAT HE CONTINUALLY SETS HIMSELF UP FOR FAILURE.

SAMSON’S DESIRE FOR A PHILISTINE WIFE:

WHAT IS SAMSON’S REAL REASON FOR WANTING TO MARRY A PHILISTINE GIRL?

GOD HAD TOLD HIS PEOPLE THAT, IN HIS PERFECT WILL, THEY WERE NOT TO MARRY PAGAN PEOPLE BECAUSE INTERMARRIAGE PROMOTED IDOLATRY.(EXO 34:16 DEU 7:3)

NOTICE THAT HIS PARENTS KNOW THIS FACT. THEY CALL HER AN UNCIRCUMCISED PHILISTINE.

OF COURSE, GOD DID NOT CALL FOR THE CIRCUMCISION OF WOMEN. CIRCUMCISION WAS AN OUTWARD SYMBOLIC ACTION TO INDICATE A COVENANT RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD. THIS PHILISTINE WOMAN DOES NOT KNOW GOD. THEREFORE, SHE IS NOT A PART OF THE COVENANT OF BLESSING SEALED BY THE ACT OF CIRCUMCISION.

SAMSON’S PARENTS INDULGE THIS SPOILED SON TO GIVE HIM WHAT HE WANTS.

JDG 14:4 TELLS US THAT IT IS OF THE LORD THAT SAMSON WANTED TO MARRY A PHILISTINE.

THIS VERSE DOES NOT MEAN THAT IT WAS GOD’S PERFECT WILL FOR SAMSON TO MARRY A PHILISTINE. IT SIMPLY MEANS THAT GOD WILL OVERRULE SAMSON’S LUSTFUL DECISION AND USE IT AGAINST THE PHILISTINES IN GOD’S PERMISSIVE WILL IN SAMSON’S LIFE.
SOME THEOLOGIANS SAY THAT SAMSON WANTS TO USE THIS MARRIAGE AS A MEANS TO DECEIVE THE PHILISTINES AND TO BRING THEM TO DESTRUCTION.

PERHAPS SAMSON HAS IN MIND THE DELIVERANCE OF HIS PEOPLE FROM THE HANDS OF THE ENEMY. PERHAPS, THAT IS HIS RATIONALIZATION. HIS REAL REASON IS LUST.

IN SETTING HIMSELF UP FOR FAILURE, THIS IS SET UP #1.

HE PUTS HIMSELF SPIRITUALLY ON ENEMY TERRITORY IN GOD’S PERMISSIVE WILL WHEN HE REALLY CANNOT HANDLE THE SPIRITUAL PRESSURE TO RESIST TEMPTATION.

GOD NEVER CALLS A PERSON TO VIOLATE GOD’S PERFECT WILL TO DO SOMETHING BENEFICIAL FOR GOD’S KINGDOM.

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE LION AND THE HONEY:

THIS SEEMS TO BE A RATHER STRANGE EVENT. WHEN THE BIBLE TELLS US STRANGE STORIES SUCH AS THIS WHICH SEEM VERY UNIMPORTANT, THERE IS PROBABLY MORE SIGNIFICANCE THAN WHAT APPEARS ON THE SURFACE.

CONSIDERING THE NAZARITE VOW BY WHICH SAMSON WAS SUPPOSED TO LIVE, WE SEE SEVERAL VIOLATIONS OF IT IN THIS PASSAGE:

HE WAS TO HAVE NO CONTACT WITH GRAPES OR THEIR BYPRODUCTS.

VERSE 5 TELLS US THAT SAMSON AND HIS PARENTS WENT DOWN TO THE VINEYARDS.

IN SETTING HIMSELF UP FOR FAILURE, THIS IS SET UP #2.

IN NOT KEEPING HIS VOW, HE OPENS THE DOOR TO TEMPTATION.

HE WAS TO HAVE NO CONTACT WITH ANYTHING DEAD.

IT WAS NOT THE KILLING OF THE LION THAT WAS THE PROBLEM. HE CERTAINLY HAD A RIGHT TO DEFEND HIS LIFE. THE BIBLE EVEN TELLS US THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT GAVE HIM STRENGTH TO DEFEAT THE LION. (6)

HOWEVER, WHEN SAMSON WENT BACK TO THE LION SOME TIME LATER AND TOOK HONEY FROM THE DEAD LION, HE VIOLATED HIS NAZARITE VOW.

NOTICE THAT SAMSON KNOWS HE HAS VIOLATED HIS VOW, BECAUSE HE PURPOSEFULLY DID NOT TELL HIS PARENTS ABOUT TOUCHING THE DEAD CARCASS TO GET THE HONEY. (9)

GOD’S LESSON IN THE LION:

THE LION IS GOD’S WARNING TO SAMSON.

READ 1PET 5:8-9

THE LION IS A SYMBOL OF SATAN WHO WILL DESTROY THOSE NOT EMPOWERED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT TO RESIST AND CONQUER.

HONEY IS A SYMBOL OF WORLDLY SWEETNESS. (LEV 2:11 PSA 19:10 PSA 119:103 PRO 25:27) NOTICE THAT THE SWEETNESS COMES OUT OF DEATH (THE LION). THE LUSTS OF THE WORLD ARE DEATH TO THE LIFE OF FAITH.

WHAT THE LION (SATAN) COULD NOT ACCOMPLISH IN LIFE, WHICH WAS THE DESTRUCTION OF SAMSON, IT ACCOMPLISHED IN DEATH THROUGH WORLDLY PLEASURES (THE HONEY) OF WHICH SAMSON ATE HUNGRILY.

GOD IS WARNING SAMSON THAT WHEN HE BREAKS HIS NAZARITE VOW AND GIVES IN TO THE LUSTS OF THE FLESH, HE SETS HIMSELF UP FOR FAILURE.

SET UP #3 IS NOT HEEDING GOD’S SPIRITUAL WARNINGS.

SUMMARY AND APPLICATION:

THE TITLE FOR OUR LESSON IS "THE FIZZLED FIRECRACKER". SAMSON IS THE FIZZLED FIRECRACKER.

THE APOSTLE PAUL SAW SOME FIZZLED FIRECRACKERS AS WELL IN GAL 5:7 (YOUR MEMORY VERSE.)
A FIRECRACKER HAS TREMENDOUS POTENTIAL POWER RESERVED FOR JUST THE RIGHT MOMENT.

SAMSON IS BORN WITH THIS TREMENDOUS POTENTIAL TO DO SOMETHING REALLY GREAT FOR GOD. HE COULD BE THAT SHINING LIGHT (THE SUN) FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD.

ALL OF THE OTHER JUDGES WERE WEAKLINGS WHO HAD SOME KIND OF DEFICIENCY OR SOME STRIKE AGAINST THEM FROM THE BEGINNING, NOT SO WITH SAMSON.

A FIRECRACKER IS TOUCHED OFF BY ONE SPARK OF FIRE BEFORE IT EXPLODES ON THE SCENE.

SAMSON HAD THAT ONE SPARK…THE HOLY SPIRIT…WHO WOULD CONTROL AND GUIDE THE EXPLOSION OF SAMSON’S PERSONALITY ON THE SCENE.

SOMETIMES A FIRECRACKER FIZZLES AND FAILS TO IGNITE PROPERLY.

=1= SAMSON FIZZLES BECAUSE HE FAILS TO GRASP THE IMPORTANCE OF HIS CALLING BY GOD.
=2= SAMSON FIZZLES BECAUSE HE FAILS TO FOCUS HIS LIFE ON GOD.
=3= SAMSON FIZZLES BECAUSE HE FAILS TO BE TOTALLY COMMITTED TO GOD. (HIS BROKEN NAZARITE VOW)
=4= SAMSON FIZZLES BECAUSE HE FAILS TO USE HIS GOD-GIVEN POWER AND POSITION FOR GOD.
=5= SAMSON FIZZLES BECAUSE HE COMPROMISES HIS CALLING WITH THE LUSTS OF THE FLESH.
=6= SAMSON FIZZLES BECAUSE HE USES WHAT GOD GAVE HIM TO LAVISH ON HIS OWN LUSTFUL DESIRES.
=7= SAMSON FIZZLES BECAUSE HE DOES NOT RISE ABOVE HIS SYNCRETISTIC SOCIETY.

IN OUR CONTINUED STUDY OF THE LIFE OF SAMSON, WE WILL DISCOVER HOW TO AVOID SETTING YOURSELF UP FOR FAILURE. WE HAVE ALREADY OBSERVED THREE PRINCIPLES:

SET UP #1 = STAY AWAY FROM ENEMY TERRITORY AND GOD’S PERMISSIVE WILL.
SET UP #2 = KEEP YOUR COMMITMENT TO GOD AS YOUR TOP PRIORITY.
SET UP #3 = HEED GOD’S SPIRITUAL WARNINGS.

HOMEWORK
JUDGES 14:10-20 JUDGES 15:1-20
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FOR CORRECTION.

APPLICATION OF JDG 13

COMPARE YOUR LIFE POTENTIAL WITH SAMSON’S POTENTIAL.

YOU HAVE THE SAME CALLING BY GOD ON YOUR LIFE AND THE SAME GOD-GIVEN POWER AND POSITION.
AS A CHRISTIAN, YOU ARE TO HAVE THE SAME FOCUS, THE SAME COMMITMENT, AND THE SAME LACK OF WORLDLY COMPROMISE AS SAMSON.

HOW WELL ARE YOU FULFILLING THE ROLE THAT GOD HAS CALLED YOU TO DO?

WHERE ARE YOU FIZZLING IN LIVING UP TO YOUR POTENTIAL?
PRAY AND ASK GOD TO HELP YOU OVER YOUR FAILURES TO BECOME THE FIRECRACKER HE WANTS YOU TO BECOME.

PREPARATION FOR JDG 14:10-20 AND JDG 15:1-20

READ JDG 14:10-20
READ JDG 15:1-20

IN THE MATTER OF CHRISTIAN CHARACTER, WHAT TRAITS ARE LACKING IN SAMSON’S CHARACTER? FIND SOME BIBLE VERSES TO PROVE YOUR SELECTION OF CHARACTER TRAITS.

MEMORY VERSE: PSALMS 25:9