Man, I praise God for the “However”! No matter
what is happening in our lives, if…
My people
who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face,
and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will
forgive their sin and heal their land.
(2 Chronicles
7:14)
There is always a “however”, even now. Always a
“however” with Jesus. But you’ve got to call on Him. The Bible says that
there is truly a judgment coming. In Genesis 6:3 God said, “I’m not going to
strive with mankind forever.” We all know that we have been forgiven,
individually and corporately as a nation, thousands of times. Think of how
many times you have sinned and didn’t feel the judgment of that sin. You
didn’t get caught. It didn’t affect you. But the time is coming when
you’re going to overdose, you’re going to have a divorce, you’re going to be
thrown in jail, or get pregnant, or die. There’s going to be a time when
God finally says, “I’m not going to strive with you forever.” And you’re
going to have the fruit of your actions.
Do not be deceived, God is not
mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to
his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit
will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.
(Galatians 6:7-8)
The enemy was waiting for Samson and as soon as he
wasn’t connected to God, they poked out his eyes out and made him a slave.
Jesus said, “If anyone sins then he’s a slave to sin.” (John 8:34) Samson
is now a slave because he continued to keep sinning. We are going to be
hopeless when that time comes. We will cry out, yet we will still have the
judgment upon us. God’s love is forever, but don’t think that He will hold
back His righteousness forever also. Judgment will come.
Now the lords of the
Philistines gathered together to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god,
and to rejoice. And they said: "Our god has delivered into our hands Samson
our enemy!" When the people saw him, they praised their god; for they said:
"Our god has delivered into our hands our enemy, the destroyer of our land,
And the one who multiplied our dead.
(Judges 16:23-24)
The result of a Christian’s sin and the ensuing
judgment is that our Lord is mocked. Nathan the prophet said to David after
he committed sin with Bathsheba, “by this deed you have given great
occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme…” (2 Samuel 12:14) And
so we have the enemies of God saying, “Praise Dagon! Praise Dagon! He
whooped Samson’s God! Praise Dagon!”
So it happened, when their
hearts were merry, that they said, "Call for Samson, that he may perform for
us." So they called for Samson from the prison, and he performed for them.
And they stationed him between the pillars.
(Judges 16:25)
They wanted a performance. Something entertaining. He
didn’t do tricks but he could play the part of a fool. Judges 16:26 says,
that he asked the “lad” to show him where the pillars were. The word for
“lad’ in Hebrew means that he was less than 14 years of age, which suggests
that he’s not even guarded. They have a boy holding his chains. That’s how
weak and pitiful he was. What a mockery! There are many people who come to
the point where there is nothing left in their life. Nothing! And they just
don’t even look like people anymore. But, there is always a “however” with
God.
Here is where the story turns encouraging. Even before
he had learned any lessons, God had begun to restore him (Judges 16:22).
Imagine being in prison, broken and in despair and reaching up one day to
wipe sweat away from your brow and realizing your hair has grown back. As a
good friend of mine has said, “Sin is hard, HOWEVER God is good!” Or as the
Scriptures say…
If we are faithless, He
remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself. (2 Timothy 2:13)
The Philistines have mistakenly placed him between the
pillars of their massive amphitheater while the crowds gather above him on
the rooftop to gawk at the spectacle. But they knew nothing of God’s great
grace! Samson puts his hands on the posts…
Then Samson called to the
LORD, saying, "O Lord GOD, remember me, I pray! Strengthen me, I pray, just
this once, O God, that I may with one blow take vengeance on the Philistines
for my two eyes!" (Judges 16:28)
