Author’s Note
Occasionally, while
working my way through the Scriptures the Lord moves from teaching a general
principle to a specific and personal issue. This booklet is the result of
such an experience. It is my hope that this will be repeated within you
while you read and pray through the following study of:
SAMSON AND THE
CHURCH
PART I—SAMSON
Four chapters in the book of Judges have been dedicated
by the Lord to the character of Samson (Judges 13, 14, 15 and 16). Within
this hero we find a seemingly endless struggle to walk worthy of the God who
called him (1 Thessalonians 2:12). In the same way that God has called us
before our birth (Ephesians 1:3-6), He set Samson apart before conception
when the angel spoke to his mother:
Behold, you shall conceive and
bear a son. Now drink no wine or similar drink, nor eat anything unclean,
for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb to the day of
his death. (Judges 13:7)
However, God’s calling does not necessitate obedience.
In fact Samson’s disobedience has left us with some of the Bible’s most
remarkable stories of grace. Instead of obedience, Samson took on the
attitude of those around him:
In those days
there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.
(Judges 17:6)
This leaves us in awe and amazement as we watch God’s
mercy and blessing fall upon Samson’s wretched life. God again and again
delivers him from his foolish choices, but rather than humbling him, it
seems to create an attitude of arrogance and invincibility. With this, I
introduce the following three stories in Samson’s life…
STORY #1—THE WOMAN IN TIMNAH
There was once a Philistine woman in Timnah (Judges 14
and 15) whom Samson said he “must have because she pleases me well”
(or as it literally reads, “She is right in my eyes!”, Judges
14:3), disregarding his family’s council…
Then his father and mother
said to him, "Is there no woman among the daughters of your brethren, or
among all my people, that you must go and get a wife from the uncircumcised
Philistines?" And Samson said to his father, "Get her for me, for she
pleases me well." (Judges 14:3)
And God’s law…
Nor shall you make marriages
with them. You shall not give your daughter to their son, nor take their
daughter for your son. (Deuteronomy 7:3)
His disregard for God’s law and his family’s counsel,
along with the mixing of his “passion” for a beautiful woman and flashy
temper had devastating results. When the dust settled, he had lost his
marriage, his wife, and his wife’s life.
Then the Philistines said,
"Who has done this?" And they answered, "Samson, the son-in-law of the
Timnite, because he has taken his wife and given her to his companion." So
the Philistines came up and burned her and her father with fire.
(Judges 15:6)
STORY #2—THE HARLOT IN GAZA
The next story chronicled about his life began with a
trip to Gaza where he saw a harlot and went in to her. (Judges 16:1)
This is a godly way of describing something very ungodly…he hired a
prostitute. This should greatly offend you. This was a “man of God”,
chosen before birth, set apart for God’s service to Israel. This was
“Judge” Samson, the deliverer of Israel…with a prostitute! How is this
possible?
First, he should never have been in Gaza! Gaza is
forty miles from his home town, and in the heart of the Philistines. His
arrogance and self-assurance led him to “tour” one of the five most powerful
Philistine cities. He was strolling about with the attitude, “I’m Samson!
What are you going to do about it?” His walking around Gaza would be the
equivalent of a famous terrorist walking down the streets of New York
City. This arrogance then slipped over into his attitude toward God. He
sees a prostitute and says, “God will get over it!”
Let me tell you what the Bible says about prostitution.
It is very clear.
For by means of a harlot a man
is reduced to a crust of bread; and an adulteress will prey upon his
precious life. (Proverbs 6:26)
A crust of bread! Oh, it goes on further…
For a harlot is a deep pit,
and a seductress is a narrow well. (Proverbs 23:27)
We have all seen pictures of
frantic parents huddled around abandoned wells with firefighters desperately
trying to rescue a small child trapped in a narrow well.
Men, if you are ever
tempted to think “I’m a Samson. I’m invincible. I do what I want.” Remember
these Scriptures. It can kill you! Perhaps physically (by disease) but
certainly spiritually. According to 1 Corinthians 6, the act of intimacy
creates a union in the spirits of those involved.
Or do you not know that he who
is joined to a harlot is one body with her? For "the two," He says, "shall
become one flesh." But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with
Him. Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body,
but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. Or do you
not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom
you have from God, and you are not your own?
(1 Corinthians 6:16-19)
This spiritual union is why a husband and wife are to
remain solely dedicated to each other. until death separates them, they are
spiritually joined.
But did He [God] not
make them one, Having a remnant of the Spirit? And why one? He seeks
godly offspring. Therefore take heed to your spirit, And let none
deal treacherously with the wife of his youth.
(Malachi 2:15 with emphasis)
Now this whole distasteful event wasn’t missed by God.
In fact it is written right before our eyes. I wonder how many people have
read about Samson’s sin over the centuries? How would you like it if your
sin was recorded for several billion people to read? His actions also drew
the attention of someone else…
