Cursed But Believing He’s Blessed

Judges 17:1-13

“And there was a man of mount Ephraim, whose name was Micah.  And he said unto his mother, The eleven hundred shekels of silver that were taken from thee, about which thou cursedst, and spakest of also in mine ears, behold, the silver is with me; I took it.

 And his mother said, Blessed be thou of the LORD, my son. 

And when he had restored the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother, his mother said, I had wholly dedicated the silver unto the LORD from my hand for my son, to make a graven image and a molten image: now therefore I will restore it unto thee.” (Judges 17:1-3)

The supreme court is charged wit seeing that the Constitution is followed.  Unfortunately, in recent years the Supreme Court has become more focused on satisfying the wishes of the government than with enforcing the Constitution, resulting in steady erosion of the protections guaranteed by the Constitution.  For example the first amendment specifically states, “Congress shall make no law respecting and institution of religion,” yet the Internal Revenue Service is allowed to decide what constitutes a church and what they are allowed to do.  The sixth amendment guarantees the right of an accused person to a public and speedy trial by and impartial jury of his peers,  yet the Internal revenue Service routinely tries citizens in IRS courts rather than regular courts.  The recent ruling that a person can be arrested and held indefinitely without public trial essentially sets aside the entire sixth amendment.

For  twenty years Samson had been charged with seeing that the Law was followed, much like the Supreme Court is responsible for seeing that the Constitution is followed.  For twenty years he simply ignored any of Gods law that forbid something he wanted to do, implying that the Law was not really important. It should not be surprising that the people have little regard for the law when those who are responsible for enforcing it do not take it seriously, and Micah‘s mother’s plans illustrate the effect of Samson‘s Judging Israel..

Micah had taken his mother’s money for some reason and had not told her, and she thought it had been stolen.  When he confessed to taking it, “His mother said, I had wholly dedicated the silver unto the LORD from my hand for my son, to make a graven image and a molten image.”  This is in direct contradiction to God’s command in Exodus 20:4-5.  “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;”

“Yet he restored the money unto his mother; and his mother took two hundred shekels of silver, and gave them to the founder, who made thereof a graven image and a molten image: and they were in the house of Micah.   And the man Micah had an house of gods, and made an ephod, and teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest.” (Judges 17:4-5)

Micah had a house devoted to various gods.  He made an ephod copied after the one the High Priest wore, and appointed one of his sons to be a priest.  In addition he had set up a seraphim or family idol.  About a hundred seventy five years before, Judges 8:27 tells us, “And Gideon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah: and all Israel went thither a whoring after it: which thing became a snare unto Gideon, and to his house.”  The very symbol of the priest’s authority became a distraction turning people away from God when used out of context.

He also violated God’s law in making one of his sons a priest.  Numbers 3:10 commands, “And thou shalt appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall wait on their priest's office: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.”

“In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.” (Judges 17:6)

God’s plan was that each person be individually responsible to God for their own actions.  This is not a condemnation, but a simple statement of fact.  Thanks to Samson’s own disdain for what God had said, the people didn’t consider it very important.  They didn’t bother to go to Shechem to read the law from the monument there, or consult with the local priests, just depending on the judge to tell them what was right.  

“And there was a young man out of Bethlehemjudah of the family of Judah, who was a Levite, and he sojourned there.  And the man departed out of the city from Bethlehemjudah to sojourn where he could find a place: and he came to mount Ephraim to the house of Micah, as he journeyed. 

And Micah said unto him, Whence comest thou? 

And he said unto him, I am a Levite of Bethlehemjudah, and I go to sojourn where I may find a place. 

And Micah said unto him, Dwell with me, and be unto me a father and a priest, and I will give thee ten shekels of silver by the year, and a suit of apparel, and thy victuals. 

 So the Levite went in.  And the Levite was content to dwell with the man; and the young man was unto him as one of his sons.  And Micah consecrated the Levite; and the young man became his priest, and was in the house of Micah.  

Then said Micah, Now know I that the LORD will do me good, seeing I have a Levite to my priest.” (Judges 17:7-13)

A very religious man, Micah was convinced that having a priest from the tribe God had chosen would result in God’s blessings.  He was like many today that think being a member of a certain group or having a certain pastor or leader is what matters.  It never occurs to them that their personal attitudes and resultant actions are what matters.

Micah completely ignored the fact that Deuteronomy 27:15 declared, “Cursed be the man that maketh any graven or molten image, an abomination unto the LORD, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and putteth it in a secret place…”  In the same way, people today ignore verses like Galatians 1:8-9, “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.  As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.”  

In I Corinthians 15:1-4 defines what the Gospel is.  “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.  For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:”

Any group or individual which preaches another gospel is cursed by God, whether it be that salvation is the result of social or political action, church membership, adherence to a set of guidelines, an emotional experience or anything other than faith in Christ.  As Matthew 7:21-23 states, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”

It’s Not a Perfect Solution

Judges 21:15-25

“And the people repented them for Benjamin, because that the LORD had made a breach in the tribes of Israel.” (Judges 21:15)

Israel had been outraged by what had happened in Gibeah, although they were not right with God themselves.  In their outrage they took an oath that anyone who didn’t go with them to destroy the Gibeonites would be killed, expanding that to include the entire tribe of Benjamin when they refused to help.  They also vowed that none of them would allow one of their daughters to marry a Benjamite because of what had happened.  While it was definitely God’s will that the guilty be destroyed, and that those who tried to prevent their punishment should taste the same fate, Israel had gone beyond that, killing even those Benjamites who didn’t aid the men of Gibeah.

“Then the elders of the congregation said, How shall we do for wives for them that remain, seeing the women are destroyed out of Benjamin?  And they said, There must be an inheritance for them that be escaped of Benjamin, that a tribe be not destroyed out of Israel.  Howbeit we may not give them wives of our daughters: for the children of Israel have sworn, saying, Cursed be he that giveth a wife to Benjamin.” (Judges 21:16-18)

Realizing they had gone too far, and that they were obligated to keep the oath they had made, they had destroyed Jabesh-Gilead and taken all the young women who were virgins as wives for the surviving Benjamites, but it wasn’t enough.  How were they to meet the needs of the rest of the men so that the tribe would not be completely destroyed without bringing God’s curse on themselves for breaking their oath?

“Then they said, Behold, there is a feast of the LORD in Shiloh yearly in a place which is on the north side of Bethel, on the east side of the highway that goeth up from Bethel to Shechem, and on the south of Lebonah. 

Therefore they commanded the children of Benjamin, saying, Go and lie in wait in the vineyards; And see, and, behold, if the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in dances, then come ye out of the vineyards, and catch you every man his wife of the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin.  And it shall be, when their fathers or their brethren come unto us to complain, that we will say unto them, Be favourable unto them for our sakes: because we reserved not to each man his wife in the war: for ye did not give unto them at this time, that ye should be guilty.” (Judges 21:19-22)

Remembering that there was an annual celebration coming up at Shiloh.  Part of the celebration was a dance by the unmarried women.  They advised the rest of the Benjamites to go to the celebration and hide in the vineyards around where the dance was held waiting for the girls to start dancing.   They were then to grab which ever girl they liked to be their wife.  If the girls parents complained, which they undoubtedly would, the leaders would dissuade them from further action, convincing them that the parents would not accountable for breaking the oath because it was done without their permission, and that they should allow it.  Notice the extremes their rage and unspiritual commitments had forced them to go to?  Sometimes we cannot simply walk away from bad decisions.  We may have to settle for something less than perfection as a result of sin.

“And the children of Benjamin did so, and took them wives, according to their number, of them that danced, whom they caught: and they went and returned unto their inheritance, and repaired the cities, and dwelt in them.

And the children of Israel departed thence at that time, every man to his tribe and to his family, and they went out from thence every man to his inheritance.” (Judges 21:23-24)

The Benjamites married the girls they captured and returned to their land, rebuilding the cities and starting over.  They were now much the smallest of the tribes of Israel.  Only when everything had been straightened out as far as they could were the rest of Israel free to go home and forget about it.

“In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.” (Joshua 21:25)

Once again we are reminded that at that time every person took responsibility for himself before God.

Consequences Of Overreaction

Judges 21:1-15

“Now the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpeh, saying, There shall not any of us give his daughter unto Benjamin to wife.” (Judges 21:1) 

Outraged by the gang rape and murder of the Levites wife, and tribe of Benjamin’s refusal to deal with it, the men of Israel had sworn they would never give their daughters to a member the tribe to be treated in such a fashion.

“And the people came to the house of God, and abode there till even before God, and lifted up their voices, and wept sore; And said, O LORD God of Israel, why is this come to pass in Israel, that there should be to day one tribe lacking in Israel?” (Judges 21:2-3) 

Having gotten right with God, after defeating Benjamin, Israel returned to the Tabernacle humiliated and concerned that Israel could have produced such sin and asking how and why it occurred, resulting in the destruction of one of the tribes.  They had clear laws prohibiting such behavior.  Like people today, they failed to realize the moral attitude is what determines people’s behavior, not laws to regulate it.

We see the same type of outrage today over the school shooting in Sandy hook.  Proponents of gun control insist that the problem would have been avoided if stronger laws had been in place, ignoring the fact that the nation with the strongest gun laws in the world, Mexico, also has the highest number of murders and mass shooting in the world.

The opponents of gun control want to allow teachers to carry weapons to school and provide armed officers to protect against such shootings, correctly saying that criminals don’t abide by laws.  They ignore the fact that although almost every family had a gun during prohibition, gangs such as the Dalton gang or Al Capone’s terrorized much of the United States, killing many innocent people.

Neither outlawing guns or allowing more people to have them will resolve the problem.  What is needed is to instill a different moral attitude, and not just a moral code or set of rules.  Our problem is not the gun laws but the attitude toward right and wrong.  Since Samson first began treat the law as merely suggested behavior that didn‘t apply to him, the nation as a whole had developed the same attitude.

“And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people rose early, and built there an altar, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings.  And the children of Israel said, Who is there among all the tribes of Israel that came not up with the congregation unto the LORD? For they had made a great oath concerning him that came not up to the LORD to Mizpeh, saying, He shall surely be put to death.” (Judges 21:4-5) 

At the peak of their outrage, Israel had also made another commitment, that anyone who did not help punish the guilty would be put to death, as tacitly supporting the crime.  No one from the city of Jabesh-Gilead, in the land of Gad on the eastern side of Jordan had come to assist in defeating Benjamin.  The problem with making threats or promises is that one is obligated to fulfill them or become a liar, even if one later regrets the commitment, just as Jephthah was.  Promises made when we are angry or upset are seldom given sufficient thought.

“And the children of Israel repented them for Benjamin their brother, and said, There is one tribe cut off from Israel this day.  How shall we do for wives for them that remain, seeing we have sworn by the LORD that we will not give them of our daughters to wives? 

And they said, What one is there of the tribes of Israel that came not up to Mizpeh to the LORD? And, behold, there came none to the camp from Jabeshgilead to the assembly.  For the people were numbered, and, behold, there were none of the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead there. 

And the congregation sent thither twelve thousand men of the valiantest, and commanded them, saying, Go and smite the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead with the edge of the sword, with the women and the children.  And this is the thing that ye shall do, Ye shall utterly destroy every male, and every woman that hath lain by man. 

And they found among the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead four hundred young virgins, that had known no man by lying with any male: and they brought them unto the camp to Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan.” (Judges 21:6-12) 

On reflection, Israel realized there had been no need to destroy Benjamites who had not gone to fight for the guilty ones at Gibeah.  In their anger they had gone overboard, almost completely destroying the tribe of Benjamin in the effort to punish them.   They recognized they needed to make up for that overreaction, by helping rebuild the tribe.

Because of their oath, they could not simply allow the Benjamites to marry their daughters lest they loose credibility, nor could they not keep their promise to destroy any who did not come up to help them.  Realizing that Jabesh-Gilead had not sent any to help in the battle, they sent twelve thousand men to wipe out the city, sparing only the virgin women.  There were four hundred virgins in the region that were spared and brought to the main camp.

“And the whole congregation sent some to speak to the children of Benjamin that were in the rock Rimmon, and to call peaceably unto them.  And Benjamin came again at that time; and they gave them wives which they had saved alive of the women of Jabeshgilead: and yet so they sufficed them not.” (Judges 21:13-14)

Six hundred survivors of Benjamins army had taken refuge on top of the rock Rimmon.  Messengers were sent to inform them that they were safe and ask them to come to main congregation, where the virgins from Jabesh Gilead were given to them to be their wives.  Since there were only four hundred girls, there weren’t enough to go around.

Actions taken or commitments made when we are angry or upset frequently lead to serious problems because they are not well thought out.  Instead of chastening wayward children, employees, or church members, we focus on punishing them abusively.  We make threats and promises that will destroy our credibility if we break them and respect or love if we fulfill them.  It is critical that we not allow our emotions to control our efforts to chasten those who do wrong.

Allowing their emotions to control their dealing with Gibeah’s sin had put Israel in an untenable position that they sincerely regret.  Unlike many today, they did not just ignore their error, taking steps to correct in so far as possible.  Judges 21:15 says, “And the people repented them for Benjamin…”   Had they not done so, the tribe of Benjamin would have ultimately ceased to exist as part of Israel.

Failure to make amends when we over react often destroys rather than corrects those we deal with.  Love requires we admit our faults and correct them.  While chastening and punishment are necessary, they must be tempered with reason and love.

Unconfessed Sin Hinders God’s Blessings

Judges 20:18-46

“And the children of Israel arose, and went up to the house of God, and asked counsel of God, and said, Which of us shall go up first to the battle against the children of Benjamin? 

And the LORD said, Judah shall go up first.  And the children of Israel rose up in the morning, and encamped against Gibeah. 

And the men of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin; and the men of Israel put themselves in array to fight against them at Gibeah.  And the children of Benjamin came forth out of Gibeah, and destroyed down to the ground of the Israelites that day twenty and two thousand men.” (Judges 20:18-20)

Outraged by the gang rape and murder of the Levite’s wife and galvanized by his sending pieces of her body to each tribe, the nation of Israel came together to punish the evildoers.  Because they were of the same family, the tribe of Benjamin decided to defend them regardless what they had done.

Israel made a wise decision in consulting the Lord about who was to lead in the battle, and God designated Judah.  They were simply fulfilling the Laws commands in executing the guilty,  The original incident started when the men of Gibeah demanded homosexual relations with the Levite.  The law commanded that every homosexual was to be executed.  In addition rapists and adulterers were to be executed, and finally, those who murdered another were to be executed, all to prevent their doing it again..  They saw no need for asking God whether he wanted them to destroy the guilty.

Outnumbering the tribe of Benjamin by a ratio of fifteen to one, and knowing they were doing what God wanted, it must have come as a severe shock to Israel to be soundly defeated the first day of battle, losing over one twentieth of their force.

“And the people the men of Israel encouraged themselves, and set their battle again in array in the place where they put themselves in array the first day.  (And the children of Israel went up and wept before the LORD until even, and asked counsel of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up again to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother? 

And the LORD said, Go up against him.) 

And the children of Israel came near against the children of Benjamin the second day.  And Benjamin went forth against them out of Gibeah the second day, and destroyed down to the ground of the children of Israel again eighteen thousand men; all these drew the sword.” (Judges 20:22-25)

After the resounding defeat the first day, Israel was less confident that God wanted them to destroy the wicked the second day.  God gave assurance that was indeed what he wanted, so they engages in battle again, losing another eighteen thousand men.  How could that have happened?  The last time they’d suffered such a defeat after being directed of God had been when they attacked Ai in Joshua 7, five hundred years before.  That time Achan’s sin had resulted in their defeat.

“Then all the children of Israel, and all the people, went up, and came unto the house of God, and wept, and sat there before the LORD, and fasted that day until even, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD.

 And the children of Israel inquired of the LORD, (for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days, And Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, stood before it in those days,) saying, Shall I yet again go out to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother, or shall I cease?

 And the LORD said, Go up; for to morrow I will deliver them into thine hand.” (Judges 20:26-28)

Having lost forty thousand men in their effort to do what they knew God wanted, Israel realized there was a problem in their own camp.  They spent the remainder of the day in repenting of their sin and getting right with God themselves.  When they asked the Lord for direction this time he promised victory in the next battle.  Their sin was preventing success, even in the Job God wanted done.

As Matthew 7:1-5 points out, sin in our life often thwarts and distorts our efforts to deal with even overt sin on the part of others.  “Judge not, that ye be not judged.  For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.  And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?  Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.”  Until we are right with God we cannot effectively correct others.

“And Israel set liers in wait round about Gibeah.  And the children of Israel went up against the children of Benjamin on the third day, and put themselves in array against Gibeah, as at other times. 

And the children of Benjamin went out against the people, and were drawn away from the city; and they began to smite of the people, and kill, as at other times, in the highways, of which one goeth up to the house of God, and the other to Gibeah in the field, about thirty men of Israel.  And the children of Benjamin said, They are smitten down before us, as at the first. 

But the children of Israel said, Let us flee, and draw them from the city unto the highways. 

And all the men of Israel rose up out of their place, and put themselves in array at Baaltamar: and the liers in wait of Israel came forth out of their places, even out of the meadows of Gibeah. And there came against Gibeah ten thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and the battle was sore: but they knew not that evil was near them.” (Judges 20:29-34)

This time, instead of attacking Benjamin and trusting their sheer numbers to overwhelm them, Israel used a strategic approach similar to what Joshua had used in defeating Ai in their second assault.  They approached in similar manner, sending ten thousand to attack the city when the rest of the army lured the Benjamite army away.

“And the LORD smote Benjamin before Israel: and the children of Israel destroyed of the Benjamites that day twenty and five thousand and an hundred men: all these drew the sword.  So the children of Benjamin saw that they were smitten: for the men of Israel gave place to the Benjamites, because they trusted unto the liers in wait which they had set beside Gibeah.  And the liers in wait hasted, and rushed upon Gibeah; and the liers in wait drew themselves along, and smote all the city with the edge of the sword.

Now there was an appointed sign between the men of Israel and the liers in wait, that they should make a great flame with smoke rise up out of the city.  And when the men of Israel retired in the battle, Benjamin began to smite and kill of the men of Israel about thirty persons: for they said, Surely they are smitten down before us, as in the first battle. 

But when the flame began to arise up out of the city with a pillar of smoke, the Benjamites looked behind them, and, behold, the flame of the city ascended up to heaven. And when the men of Israel turned again, the men of Benjamin were amazed: for they saw that evil was come upon them.  Therefore they turned their backs before the men of Israel unto the way of the wilderness; but the battle overtook them; and them which came out of the cities they destroyed in the midst of them.  Thus they enclosed the Benjamites round about, and chased them, and trode them down with ease over against Gibeah toward the sunrising. 

And there fell of Benjamin eighteen thousand men; all these were men of valour.  And they turned and fled toward the wilderness unto the rock of Rimmon: and they gleaned of them in the highways five thousand men; and pursued hard after them unto Gidom, and slew two thousand men of them.  So that all which fell that day of Benjamin were twenty and five thousand men that drew the sword; all these were men of valour.” (Judges 20:35-46)

Fired by the sight of the Israelite army fleeing, the Benjamites left the safety of the city to pursue them.  The liers in wait captured the city and set it on fire signaling the others to turn on the pursuers.  As a result over twenty five thousand Benjamites were killed.

“But six hundred men turned and fled to the wilderness unto the rock Rimmon, and abode in the rock Rimmon four months.  And the men of Israel turned again upon the children of Benjamin, and smote them with the edge of the sword, as well the men of every city, as the beast, and all that came to hand: also they set on fire all the cities that they came to.” (Judges 20:47-48)

Only about a thousand of Benjamin’s army survived.  Six hundred of those fled as body to the top of the mesa Rimmon and where they easily guard all the approaches and spent four months.  Israel then turned and killed the men who hadn’t gone to fight in every city of Benjamin, burning most of the cities.  Benjamin’s placing family ahead of obedience to God resulted in almost total destruction.

You’ve Got To Support The Family?

Judges 20:8-17

“And all the people arose as one man, saying, We will not any of us go to his tent, neither will we any of us turn into his house.  But now this shall be the thing which we will do to Gibeah; we will go up by lot against it; And we will take ten men of an hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel, and an hundred of a thousand, and a thousand out of ten thousand, to fetch victual for the people, that they may do, when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin, according to all the folly that they have wrought in Israel. 

So all the men of Israel were gathered against the city, knit together as one man.” (Judges 20:8-11)

Outraged by what had happened, Israel decided to kill the men of Gibeah who’d raped and killed the Levite’s wife, as the law specified.  A tenth of them were to be designated to go get food while the rest commenced their attack immediately.  No one would go home until the job was accomplished.  There was unity in the decision to act.

“And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, What wickedness is this that is done among you?  Now therefore deliver us the men, the children of Belial, which are in Gibeah, that we may put them to death, and put away evil from Israel. 

But the children of Benjamin would not hearken to the voice of their brethren the children of Israel: But the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together out of the cities unto Gibeah, to go out to battle against the children of Israel.  And the children of Benjamin were numbered at that time out of the cities twenty and six thousand men that drew sword, beside the inhabitants of Gibeah, which were numbered seven hundred chosen men.  Among all this people there were seven hundred chosen men lefthanded; every one could sling stones at an hair breadth, and not miss.

 And the men of Israel, beside Benjamin, were numbered four hundred thousand men that drew sword: all these were men of war.” (Judges 20:12-17)

Even the tribe of Benjamin acknowledged something needed to be done.  However Gibeah was full of their relatives.  Family was more important to them than any moral standard.  They would protect their family at any cost, and they had a pretty strong army to do it.  Twenty six thousand Benjamites were willing to stand against four hundred thousand other Israelites to protect about seven hundred who had participated in or condoned the sin.

Unfortunately, the attitude is diametrically opposite of God’s command.  Deuteronomy 21:18-21 commands, “If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, which will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and that, when they have chastened him, will not hearken unto them: Then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place; And they shall say unto the elders of his city, This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard.  And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, that he die: so shalt thou put evil away from among you; and all Israel shall hear, and fear.”

In the New Testament, Matthew 10:37 declares, “He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.”  while Luke 14:26 warns, “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.”  Family must not take precedence over God’s command.  One literally cannot believe in God and put their family ahead of him.

Benjamin’s decision to protect their family would ultimately cost the lives of twenty five thousand one hundred of their total twenty six thousand seven hundred, leaving only eight hundred survivors.  It was a terrible price to pay for becoming an accessory after the fact, knowingly protecting a guilty person from punishment.  We have an obligation to stand for what is right even when it is against family.

Outrageous Behavior

Judges 19:22-20:7

“Now as they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the city, certain sons of Belial, beset the house round about, and beat at the door, and spake to the master of the house, the old man, saying, Bring forth the man that came into thine house, that we may know him.” (Judges 19:22)

The old Ephraimite was living in the city of Gibeah.  He knew what the attitude of the people was like, and he insisted that the Levite from Mount Ephraim stay in his house for protection.   Sure enough, later that night, the men of the city came demanding to have homosexual relations with the Levite.

A thousand years before, in Sodom, Lot had taken two men who turned out to be angels into his home to protect them from the men of the city, who had the same intention.  Genesis 19:5 describes their demands.  “And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them.”

“And the man, the master of the house, went out unto them, and said unto them, Nay, my brethren, nay, I pray you, do not so wickedly; seeing that this man is come into mine house, do not this folly. 

Behold, here is my daughter a maiden, and his concubine; them I will bring out now, and humble ye them, and do with them what seemeth good unto you: but unto this man do not so vile a thing.” (Judges 19:23-24)

The old man still had a strong moral sense that homosexuality was wrong, but like Lot, he had been so long around sexual sin that he no longer considered rape or adultery serious, offering to bring out the Levite’s wife as a substitute in an effort to placate them.  It is almost like Lot’s effort in Genesis 19:6-8.  “And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after him, And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly.  Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known man; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes: only unto these men do nothing; for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof."

A man who claims to be a Christian is splitting up with his wife because their daughter caught him in bed with another woman.  He insists his wife has no grounds for leaving him, although his relatives have suspected it for a long time.  When his brother admitted to having had a homosexual affair, he forbid him to ever set foot in his mother’s house or have anything to do with the family because it was so wicked.  It is a typical attitude among religious people today, totally ignoring the fact that God demanded the death penalty for both adultery and homosexuality. It just reveals how far from a Godly standard people have moved.

“But the men would not hearken to him: so the man took his concubine, and brought her forth unto them; and they knew her, and abused her all the night until the morning: and when the day began to spring, they let her go.  Then came the woman in the dawning of the day, and fell down at the door of the man's house where her lord was, till it was light.” (Judges 19:25-26) 

In the case of Lot, the two angels blinded the men of Sodom preventing their breaking in and tasking them.  The wife was pushed out to the crowd and was gang raped throughout the night, finally managing to crawl back to the house about daylight, dying on the steps of her injuries.

“And her lord rose up in the morning, and opened the doors of the house, and went out to go his way: and, behold, the woman his concubine was fallen down at the door of the house, and her hands were upon the threshold.  And he said unto her, Up, and let us be going. But none answered.” (Judges 19:27-28a)

The next morning the Levite found his wife lying outside the door and ordered her to to get ready to go.  He never even questioned why she was lying on the ground, and it is hard to believe he didn’t know she had been handed over to the men of the city.  It tells us a lot about the level of perversion that had developed in Israel, at least in part because of Samson’s immorality.

“Then the man took her up upon an ass, and the man rose up, and gat him unto his place.  And when he was come into his house, he took a knife, and laid hold on his concubine, and divided her, together with her bones, into twelve pieces, and sent her into all the coasts of Israel.  And it was so, that all that saw it said, There was no such deed done nor seen from the day that the children of Israel came up out of the land of Egypt unto this day: consider of it, take advice, and speak your minds.” (Judges 19:28b-30)

The man was outraged that they had killed his wife, and taking the body home, chopped her into twelve pieces, sending one to each of the tribes to get their attention.  Israel had never seen anything quite that bad and it caught their attention.  They were outraged and decided something had to be done.

“Then all the children of Israel went out, and the congregation was gathered together as one man, from Dan even to Beersheba, with the land of Gilead, unto the LORD in Mizpeh.  And the chief of all the people, even of all the tribes of Israel, presented themselves in the assembly of the people of God, four hundred thousand footmen that drew sword.  (Now the children of Benjamin heard that the children of Israel were gone up to Mizpeh.) 

Then said the children of Israel, Tell us, how was this wickedness? 

And the Levite, the husband of the woman that was slain, answered and said, I came into Gibeah that belongeth to Benjamin, I and my concubine, to lodge.  And the men of Gibeah rose against me, and beset the house round about upon me by night, and thought to have slain me: and my concubine have they forced, that she is dead.  And I took my concubine, and cut her in pieces, and sent her throughout all the country of the inheritance of Israel: for they have committed lewdness and folly in Israel.  Behold, ye are all children of Israel; give here your advice and counsel.” (Judges 20:1-7) 

Outraged by receiving pieces of a woman’s body the tribes came together to find out what had led to it and what could be done to prevent it happening again.  The reaction was much like the school shooting in Sandy Hook, demanding that something be done.  Their suggestions for a solution would also be very similar.

Going Home To Mama

Judges 19:1-21

“And it came to pass in those days, when there was no king in Israel, that there was a certain Levite sojourning on the side of mount Ephraim, who took to him a concubine out of Bethlehemjudah.  And his concubine played the whore against him, and went away from him unto her father's house to Bethlehemjudah, and was there four whole months.” (Judges 19:1-2)

During his time as judge, Samson had set an example of disrespect for God’s laws.  One of the Levites, a man chosen by God went down to Bethlehem Judah and convinced aw woman to come home with him as his common law wife, with no official declaration of marriage.  In today’s terms they were living together.  After a while she decided to go back to her home as if they were not married, staying gone four months.  As verse two says, she played the whore against him.  This same attitude and behavior is common today.

When two people come together sexually, they are joined by God according to I Corinthians 6:15-16. “Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid. What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh."  Exodus 22:16 commanded, “And if a man entice a maid that is not betrothed, and lie with her, he shall surely endow her to be his wife.”  The failure to make her officially his wife was a violation of God’s command, but technically they were married.

By walking away and returning home as she did she implied they were not married and that she was free to marry someone else..  Matthew 5 and 10, Mark 10 and Luke 16 all stress that leaving a mate to marry some body else is adultery.   I Corinthians 7:10-11 is very specific.  “And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband: But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife.”  Clearly the common attitude of going home to Mama or finding somebody else isn’t approved by God.

“And her husband arose, and went after her, to speak friendly unto her, and to bring her again, having his servant with him, and a couple of asses: and she brought him into her father's house: and when the father of the damsel saw him, he rejoiced to meet him.” (Judges 19:3)

When she didn’t return on her own, her husband went to try to get her to return with him.  Notice that the scripture is very specific, he was her husband even though there had been no formal marriage.  Her father was glad to see him show up.   Moving away from home produces changes in a persons attitudes, making it hard to go back under a parent’s dominion.  In addition, regardless how short a marriage has been, it also changes a person attitudes and emotions.  While a short visit would have been appreciated, after four months her parents were probably wanting toe see her leave and hoped it would work out.  It is why Genesis 2:24 says, “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife…”

“And his father in law, the damsel's father, retained him; and he abode with him three days: so they did eat and drink, and lodged there.  And it came to pass on the fourth day, when they arose early in the morning, that he rose up to depart: and the damsel's father said unto his son in law, Comfort thine heart with a morsel of bread, and afterward go your way.  And they sat down, and did eat and drink both of them together: for the damsel's father had said unto the man, Be content, I pray thee, and tarry all night, and let thine heart be merry.  And when the man rose up to depart, his father in law urged him: therefore he lodged there again.  And he arose early in the morning on the fifth day to depart: and the damsel's father said, Comfort thine heart, I pray thee. And they tarried until afternoon, and they did eat both of them. 

And when the man rose up to depart, he, and his concubine, and his servant, his father in law, the damsel's father, said unto him, Behold, now the day draweth toward evening, I pray you tarry all night: behold, the day groweth to an end, lodge here, that thine heart may be merry; and to morrow get you early on your way, that thou mayest go home. 

But the man would not tarry that night, but he rose up and departed, and came over against Jebus, which is Jerusalem; and there were with him two asses saddled, his concubine also was with him.  And when they were by Jebus, the day was far spent; and the servant said unto his master, Come, I pray thee, and let us turn in into this city of the Jebusites, and lodge in it.” (Judges 19:4-11)

After a three day visit, the husband wanted to go home, but his father in law managed to get him to stay the fourth day.  The morning of the fifth day he got up ready to leave but his father in law persuaded him to stay for lunch and tried to talk him into staying the night and start early the next morning.  Suspecting the same thing would happen the next day, the man insisted on leaving that evening instead of waiting.  Starting so late, they could not make it home in a single day, so when they came to Jebus, later known as Jerusalem, his servant suggested they spend the night there.

“And his master said unto him, We will not turn aside hither into the city of a stranger, that is not of the children of Israel; we will pass over to Gibeah.  And he said unto his servant, Come, and let us draw near to one of these places to lodge all night, in Gibeah, or in Ramah.” (Judges 19:12-13)

Because Jebus was a Jebusite city, the man chose not to go there, preferring to press on to either Ramah or Gibeah, which were Jewish cities, believing they’d be more welcome.

“And they passed on and went their way; and the sun went down upon them when they were by Gibeah, which belongeth to Benjamin.  And they turned aside thither, to go in and to lodge in Gibeah: and when he went in, he sat him down in a street of the city: for there was no man that took them into his house to lodging.”  (Judges 19:14-15) 

Arriving at Gibeah just at sunset they knew there was no point in trying to get to Ramah so they decided to spend the night.  Not knowing anyone to stay with they were planning on parking on the streets for the night.

“And, behold, there came an old man from his work out of the field at even, which was also of mount Ephraim; and he sojourned in Gibeah: but the men of the place were Benjamites.  And when he had lifted up his eyes, he saw a wayfaring man in the street of the city: and the old man said, Whither goest thou? and whence comest thou? 

And he said unto him, We are passing from Bethlehemjudah toward the side of mount Ephraim; from thence am I: and I went to Bethlehemjudah, but I am now going to the house of the LORD; and there is no man that receiveth me to house.  Yet there is both straw and provender for our asses; and there is bread and wine also for me, and for thy handmaid, and for the young man which is with thy servants: there is no want of any thing. 

And the old man said, Peace be with thee; howsoever let all thy wants lie upon me; only lodge not in the street.  So he brought him into his house, and gave provender unto the asses: and they washed their feet, and did eat and drink.” (Judges 19:16-21) 

An old Ephramite man who lived in Gibeah saw them setting up camp and stopped to ask where they were from.  The husband explained why they were there and that they had everything they needed to spend the night, but the old man insisted they come to his house and not spend the night on the street, knowing the immoral attitudes of the city.

Perpetuating False Doctrine

Judges 18:1-31

“In those days there was no king in Israel: and in those days the tribe of the Danites sought them an inheritance to dwell in; for unto that day all their inheritance had not fallen unto them among the tribes of Israel.  And the children of Dan sent of their family five men from their coasts, men of valour, from Zorah, and from Eshtaol, to spy out the land, and to search it; and they said unto them, Go, search the land: who when they came to mount Ephraim, to the house of Micah, they lodged there.” (Judges 18:1-2) 

Dan, Benjamin, Issachar and Zebulon had received the smallest portions of land.  Four hundred fifty years later, Dan was becoming overpopulated, so they began to look for a place to expand.  They did not think they could drive out the Philistines to expand to the southwest, and that land already belonged to Judah anyway, so they sent five men from along the Philistine border where Samson was because they were experienced fighters and would have a good idea how well defended a city was.  On their way north, they spent the night at Micah’s house.

 “When they were by the house of Micah, they knew the voice of the young man the Levite: and they turned in thither, and said unto him, Who brought thee hither? and what makest thou in this place? and what hast thou here? 

And he said unto them, Thus and thus dealeth Micah with me, and hath hired me, and I am his priest. 

And they said unto him, Ask counsel, we pray thee, of God, that we may know whether our way which we go shall be prosperous. 

And the priest said unto them, Go in peace: before the LORD is your way wherein ye go.” (Judges 18:3-6) 

Zorah and Eshtaol were only about fifteen miles from Bethlehem, and they had traded and perhaps competed in sporting events, so they recognized Micah’s priest right away, and struck up a conversation about what he was doing.

“Then the five men departed, and came to Laish, and saw the people that were therein, how they dwelt careless, after the manner of the Zidonians, quiet and secure; and there was no magistrate in the land, that might put them to shame in any thing; and they were far from the Zidonians, and had no business with any man.” (Judges 18:7) 

About a hundred miles northeast of Mount Ephraim,  north of the Sea of Galilee, between the borders of Manasseh and Naphtali in present day Syria was the Zidonian city of Laish or Leshem.  Cut off from the Zidonian settlements along the Mediteranean coast by a ridge of mountains, and protected by Manasseh on the East and Naphtali on the west, they were a self contained community with little contact with outsiders.  As a result, they didn’t even find it necessary to have even a police force of their own.

 “And they came unto their brethren to Zorah and Eshtaol: and their brethren said unto them, What say ye? 

And they said, Arise, that we may go up against them: for we have seen the land, and, behold, it is very good: and are ye still? be not slothful to go, and to enter to possess the land.  When ye go, ye shall come unto a people secure, and to a large land: for God hath given it into your hands; a place where there is no want of any thing that is in the earth.” (Judges 18:8-10)

When they returned to Dan, the five spies described the land as a good place with a lot of land, and encouraged them to go immediately and take it before someone else did.  It would be entirely satisfactory to their needs, and was largely undefended.

“And there went from thence of the family of the Danites, out of Zorah and out of Eshtaol, six hundred men appointed with weapons of war.  And they went up, and pitched in Kirjathjearim, in Judah: wherefore they called that place Mahanehdan unto this day: behold, it is behind Kirjathjearim.  And they passed thence unto mount Ephraim, and came unto the house of Micah.

Then answered the five men that went to spy out the country of Laish, and said unto their brethren, Do ye know that there is in these houses an ephod, and teraphim, and a graven image, and a molten image? now therefore consider what ye have to do. 

 And they turned thitherward, and came to the house of the young man the Levite, even unto the house of Micah, and saluted him.  And the six hundred men appointed with their weapons of war, which were of the children of Dan, stood by the entering of the gate.

“And the five men that went to spy out the land went up, and came in thither, and took the graven image, and the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image: and the priest stood in the entering of the gate with the six hundred men that were appointed with weapons of war.  And these went into Micah's house, and fetched the carved image, the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image.” (Judges 18:11-18)

Six hundred armed men were sent to attack Laish, swinging east to spend the night at Kirjathjearim before turning north and arriving in Mount Ephraim at Micah’s house the second day.  The five spies then described what Micah had and suggested they would need a priest and religious supplies later.  They then went to Micah’s house and the spies stole the images, the priest’s garment and the family idol since they knew where to look, while the priest talked to the six hundred men.

“Then said the priest unto them, What do ye? 

And they said unto him, Hold thy peace, lay thine hand upon thy mouth, and go with us, and be to us a father and a priest: is it better for thee to be a priest unto the house of one man, or that thou be a priest unto a tribe and a family in Israel?  And the priest's heart was glad, and he took the ephod, and the teraphim, and the graven image, and went in the midst of the people.” (Judges 18:18b-20) 

When the priest questioned their actions, they convinced him that preaching to a larger group was far more important than obeying some minor commandment like “Thou shalt not steal.”  Clearly Samson’s attitude had spread far beyond just him.  Leaders set the attitude of their followers.  Proverbs 29:4 states, “The king by judgment establisheth the land: but he that receiveth gifts overthroweth it.”  Verse 12 warns, “If a ruler hearken to lies, all his servants are wicked.”  I John 4:5 tells us that we can check the attitudes of a leader’s followers to tell if the leader is really led of the Spirit of God or by another spirit.

“So they turned and departed, and put the little ones and the cattle and the carriage before them.  And when they were a good way from the house of Micah, the men that were in the houses near to Micah's house were gathered together, and overtook the children of Dan.  And they cried unto the children of Dan. 

And they turned their faces, and said unto Micah, What aileth thee, that thou comest with such a company? 

And he said, Ye have taken away my gods which I made, and the priest, and ye are gone away: and what have I more? and what is this that ye say unto me, What aileth thee? 

And the children of Dan said unto him, Let not thy voice be heard among us, lest angry fellows run upon thee, and thou lose thy life, with the lives of thy household. 

And the children of Dan went their way: and when Micah saw that they were too strong for him, he turned and went back unto his house.” (Judges 18:21-26)

When Micah complained about what they were doing, they threatened to kill him and any who helped him.  Knowing he and his neighbors could not defeat six hundred of them, Micah was forced to drop his complaints.

“And they took the things which Micah had made, and the priest which he had, and came unto Laish, unto a people that were at quiet and secure: and they smote them with the edge of the sword, and burnt the city with fire.  And there was no deliverer, because it was far from Zidon, and they had no business with any man; and it was in the valley that lieth by Bethrehob. And they built a city, and dwelt therein.  And they called the name of the city Dan, after the name of Dan their father, who was born unto Israel: howbeit the name of the city was Laish at the first.” (Judges 18:27-29) 

Because Laish was so far from the other Zidonian cities and had no commercial ties, they were unable to get help and were quickly destroyed.  The city was rebuilt and named Dan.  Joshua 19:47 describes this incident, making it clear that Joshua was based on records kept rather than by someone during the time.  It states,  “And the coast of the children of Dan went out too little for them: therefore the children of Dan went up to fight against Leshem, and took it, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and possessed it, and dwelt therein, and called Leshem, Dan, after the name of Dan their father.”

“And the children of Dan set up the graven image: and Jonathan, the son of Gershom, the son of Manasseh, he and his sons were priests to the tribe of Dan until the day of the captivity of the land.  And they set them up Micah's graven image, which he made, all the time that the house of God was in Shiloh.” (Judges 18:30-31)

Located at the extreme north edge of Israel, this group was led in a mixed religion of Judaism and idolatry by the young Levite and his descendants until Israel was destroyed by the Assyrians some two hundred fifty years later.

Getting Even One More Time

Judges 16:23-31

“Then the lords of the Philistines gathered them together for to offer a great sacrifice unto Dagon their god, and to rejoice: for they said, Our god hath delivered Samson our enemy into our hand.  And when the people saw him, they praised their god: for they said, Our god hath delivered into our hands our enemy, and the destroyer of our country, which slew many of us.” (Judges 16:23-24)

For twenty years, the Philistines had been unable to operate in Jewish land because they feared Samson.  Seeing him blinded, turning the millstone like some broken donkey and no longer a threat was a great relief.  They credited their god, Dagon with having enabled them to find out how to defeat him, and offered a great sacrifice to him for defeating Samson.  They didn’t recognize that Samson’s defeat was the result of his own sin, not of Dagon's power.

“And it came to pass, when their hearts were merry, that they said, Call for Samson, that he may make us sport. And they called for Samson out of the prison house; and he made them sport: and they set him between the pillars.” (Judges 16:25)

People who are or have been afraid will often try to prove their lack of fear by deliberately provoking the animal when they think they are protected.   The Philistines were doing this with Samson, mocking and striking him, knowing he couldn’t see to defend himself.  It seemed hilarious to see him bumbling around, dependent on child to lead him around.

“And Samson said unto the lad that held him by the hand, Suffer me that I may feel the pillars whereupon the house standeth, that I may lean upon them. 

Now the house was full of men and women; and all the lords of the Philistines were there; and there were upon the roof about three thousand men and women, that beheld while Samson made sport.” (Judges 16:26-27)

When they tired of baiting him and turned their attention elsewhere, Samson convinced his guide child to lead him to the main support pillars, using the excuse that he needed to lean on them for a few moments.  The building surrounded a large courtyard with the inner edges supported by pillars.  About three thousand people had climbed to the roof in order to see the entertainment besides those in the porches.

“And Samson called unto the LORD, and said, O Lord GOD, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.” (Judges 16:28)

Even after losing everything, Samson was only concerned with getting even for the loss of his eyes.  His basic attitude did not change.  There was no repentance or confession of sin, nor even of concern for the nation of Israel.  His prayer was totally selfish.

“And Samson took hold of the two middle pillars upon which the house stood, and on which it was borne up, of the one with his right hand, and of the other with his left.  And Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines. And he bowed himself with all his might; and the house fell upon the lords, and upon all the people that were therein. So the dead which he slew at his death were more than they which he slew in his life.” (Judges 16:29-30)

Yanking out the two main support pillars caused the entire building to collapse.  Samson committed suicide to get revenge.  It is a sad commentary on his life that he accomplished more for the Lord in committing suicide than he had in his entire twenty years as a judge, although he had far more natural ability than any of the other judges.  Not once had he tried to serve God and one can only wonder what he would have accomplished if he had tried.

“Then his brethren and all the house of his father came down, and took him, and brought him up, and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the buryingplace of Manoah his father. And he judged Israel twenty years.” (Judges 16:31)

All his relatives could do was come down and recovery the body, burying it in their family graveyard.  After twenty years as a judge, Samson left Israel with no clear cut commitment to the Lord, although it would be nearly fifty years before the Philistines recovered enough to mount a major offensive against them, in I Samuel 4.  Unlike previous judges there was no waiting until the former generation died off before they began to turn away.

Spiritual Power Lost

Judges 16:4-22

“And it came to pass afterward, that he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah.  And the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and said unto her, Entice him, and see wherein his great strength lieth, and by what means we may prevail against him, that we may bind him to afflict him: and we will give thee every one of us eleven hundred pieces of silver.” (Judges 16:4-5)

Though Samson was called by God, he had a very low moral standard.   A lot of guys think that having a lot of women shows their strength.  Proverbs 31:3 warns, “Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings.”  They fail to understand that involvement with several women actually weakens them, just as any other sin does.

The Philistines recognized that they could use his love for Delilah to learn what they needed to know to defeat Samson.  That same principle has been used to destroy many careers and governments.  Espionage depends on either sex or money for most of it’s success.  They would pay her to use sex to learn Samson’s secrets.

“And Delilah said to Samson, Tell me, I pray thee, wherein thy great strength lieth, and wherewith thou mightest be bound to afflict thee.

 And Samson said unto her, If they bind me with seven green withs that were never dried, then shall I be weak, and be as another man. 

Then the lords of the Philistines brought up to her seven green withs which had not been dried, and she bound him with them.  Now there were men lying in wait, abiding with her in the chamber. And she said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he brake the withs, as a thread of tow is broken when it toucheth the fire. So his strength was not known.” (Judges 16:6-9)

Enamored with her, her request didn’t seem totally unreasonable to Samson, although he was not so besotted as to ignore the risks totally.  He gave her a plausible explanation, that she immediately tested, informing the Philistines of what he had told her.  When he simply stood up breaking the strips of reed off as if they didn’t even exist, it was obvious he had lied. I imagine the men who were hidden made it a point to stay hidden.

“And Delilah said unto Samson, Behold, thou hast mocked me, and told me lies: now tell me, I pray thee, wherewith thou mightest be bound. 

And he said unto her, If they bind me fast with new ropes that never were occupied, then shall I be weak, and be as another man. 

Delilah therefore took new ropes, and bound him therewith, and said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And there were liers in wait abiding in the chamber. And he brake them from off his arms like a thread.” (Judges 16:10-12) 

Sulking a little and accusing him of lying to her, which he had, she again asked to know what the source of his strength was.  He again lied to her and again she tried it.  It should have been clear by this time that she is trying to take away his strength.  Clearly she does not have his best interests in mind.

“And Delilah said unto Samson, Hitherto thou hast mocked me, and told me lies: tell me wherewith thou mightest be bound. 

And he said unto her, If thou weavest the seven locks of my head with the web. 

And she fastened it with the pin, and said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awaked out of his sleep, and went away with the pin of the beam, and with the web.” (Judges 16:13-14)

The third time she asked, Samson came a little closer to the truth, telling her that by weaving his long hair into a piece of cloth his strength would be taken away.  Again she did exactly what he said would take away his strength.  When he stood up taking the main part of the loom with him, it was obvious he had lied again.  By this time it should have been obvious she will use the information he gives her against him.  Caught up in his sexual lust for her, Samson ignored the fact that three times she had used his information against him.  Had he been thinking, he would have known she didn’t love him and walked away, but he kept coming back.

“And she said unto him, How canst thou say, I love thee, when thine heart is not with me? thou hast mocked me these three times, and hast not told me wherein thy great strength lieth. 

And it came to pass, when she pressed him daily with her words, and urged him, so that his soul was vexed unto death; That he told her all his heart, and said unto her, There hath not come a razor upon mine head; for I have been a Nazarite unto God from my mother's womb: if I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man.” (Judges 16:15-17) 

Delilah accused him of not loving her, implying that she’d no longer be willing ot be with him, and after a period of time Samson gave in to keep her from leaving, telling her everything she wanted to know even though she had made it clear she would use the information against him.  Manipulation is a form of blackmail, and blackmailers seldom stop as long as it works.

“And when Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent and called for the lords of the Philistines, saying, Come up this once, for he hath showed me all his heart. Then the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and brought money in their hand. 

And she made him sleep upon her knees; and she called for a man, and she caused him to shave off the seven locks of his head; and she began to afflict him, and his strength went from him.  And she said, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he wist not that the LORD was departed from him.” (Judges 16:18-20)

Convinced he had finally told her the whole story, Delilah contacted the Philistine rulers and hired a barber to come in and shave his head after Samson went to sleep.   She began to torment him in his sleep, and when his responses were like those of other men she knew she’d found out his secret and woke him shouting that the Philistines were attacking.

Leaping from the bed, Samson was totally unaware that he no longer had the Spirit of God upon him.  He responded just as he always had, but there was no power.  His sin had led to the loss of the Holy Spirit’s power.

“But the Philistines took him, and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of brass; and he did grind in the prison house.  Howbeit the hair of his head began to grow again after he was shaven.” (Judges 16:21-22) 

With his strength gone, Samson was captured, blinded, and enslaved to do a job usually reserved for a donkey, harnessed to a pole and walking in a circle to turn a mill wheel for grinding grain.  It was a humiliating experience.

Under the Nazarite oath, if a man broke one of the conditions, he was to shave his head and start over, according to Numbers 6:9-12.  It wasn’t long before Samson’s hair began to grow again.

While a Christian never loses the Holy Spirit, sin may result in his power being taken away.   Like Samson, the presence or absence of the Holy Spirit does not produce a different feeling, and a Christian doesn’t realize the Spirit has departed.  Like Samson, their first clue is when they are defeated and imprisoned by sin, and everything about their life is destroyed.

How many have made the mistake of thinking a feeling of exhilaration or excitement indicates the presence of the Holy Spirit?  

The Philistines Withdraw

Judges 15:14-20

“And when he came unto Lehi, the Philistines shouted against him: and the spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and the cords that were upon his arms became as flax that was burnt with fire, and his bands loosed from off his hands.  And he found a new jawbone of an ass, and put forth his hand, and took it, and slew a thousand men therewith.” (Judges 15:14-15)

Samson had allowed the men of Judah to arrest him and tie him up with two new ropes before delivering him to the Philistines.  Having seen his power for several years around Zorah and Eshtaol, they had preferred to kill his wife’s family in an attempt to pacify him, rather than fighting him, but Samson’s response forced them to take stronger action.  What a relief it must have been to see that the Israelites had already captured him.

They were celebrating the ease of his capture when the spirit of the Lord came on him and the ropes fell off as if they were just threads exposed to flame.  Snatching up a dead donkey’s jawbone laying on the ground, Samson attacked, killing a thousand of the Philistines with it.  One can only imagine the ensuing panic.

“And Samson said, With the jawbone of an ass, heaps upon heaps, with the jaw of an ass have I slain a thousand men.  And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking, that he cast away the jawbone out of his hand, and called that place Ramathlehi.” (Judges 15:16-17) 

Having put the rest of the Philistines to flight, Samson probably danced around like a foot ball player who just scored a touchdown, gloating and bragging about what he had accomplished in taking out a thousand armed men with nothing but a piece of bone less than sixteen inches long.  His strength overcame the Philistine army.  The spirit of God got none of the credit.

“And he was sore athirst, and called on the LORD, and said, Thou hast given this great deliverance into the hand of thy servant: and now shall I die for thirst, and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised?” (Judges 15:18)

Samson was totally self absorbed.  While the human body can go up to three days without a drink, as soon as he felt thirsty, Samson began to blame God for giving him the victory, then letting him just die of thirst.  If God really cared he’d have given him some water to drink.  He reminds me of the missionary who was given new vehicle, and got upset because he didn’t get to pick out which one he wanted.  It is a rather common reaction today.

“But God clave an hollow place that was in the jaw, and there came water thereout; and when he had drunk, his spirit came again, and he revived: wherefore he called the name thereof Enhakkore, which is in Lehi unto this day.” (Judges 15:19)

God caused a miraculous stream of water to flow from the jawbone.  Refreshed by the drink, Samson regained his good humor and called the place Enhakkore, the fountain of one who called.

“And he judged Israel in the days of the Philistines twenty years.” (Judges 15:20)

The Philistines withdrew after being defeated by Samson, leaving Israel pretty much alone for twenty years, not wanting a rematch.  During that time Samson judged Israel, guiding them more or less according to the laws God had set, although he wasn’t very careful about obeying it.

“Then went Samson to Gaza, and saw there an harlot, and went in unto her.  And it was told the Gazites, saying, Samson is come hither. And they compassed him in, and laid wait for him all night in the gate of the city, and were quiet all the night, saying, In the morning, when it is day, we shall kill him.” (Judges 16:1-2)

God had given some very strict laws about prostitution.  Deuteronomy 23:17 commanded “There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel, nor a sodomite of the sons of Israel.”  A girl who had messed around before she was married was to be executed according to Deuteronomy 22:21.  If a guy messed around with a woman who was married or engaged to someone else, they were both to be killed unless there was reason to believe it was rape.  If the girl was not engaged or married, he was obligated to marry her, according to Deuteronomy 22:22-29.  Four hundred fifty years before, in Numbers 25:1-9, twenty four thousand Israelites had been killed as a result of becoming involved with prostitutes from Moab.

Knowing all this, Samson deliberately went down to one of the main Philistine ciuties, and hired a prostitute there since he couldn’t hire one who was Jewish.  By going to Gaza he hoped to get by with it.  He was spotted and somebody told the Philistines.  Remembering what had happened in Lehi, they decided they didn’t want to fight him in a place where they couldn’t see what he was doing, they locked the city gates, hoping to hold him until daylight so they wouldn‘t risk killing each other.

“And Samson lay till midnight, and arose at midnight, and took the doors of the gate of the city, and the two posts, and went away with them, bar and all, and put them upon his shoulders, and carried them up to the top of an hill that is before Hebron.” (Judges 16:3)

Samson had no commitment to the prostitute, so at midnight, when he woke up he decided to go home.  Finding the city gates locked, he didn’t bother to climb the wall, but ripped the posts that supported them out of the wall and carried the gate and the supports  a couple of miles.  I imagine the Philistines were rather glad he got away when they saw what he’d done.  After all, most people would not carry several hundred pounds that far just for fun.  They didn’t try to catch him.

Samson Exacts Revenge

Judges 14:9b-15:13

“And his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father's house.  But Samson's wife was given to his companion, whom he had used as his friend. 

But it came to pass within a while after, in the time of wheat harvest, that Samson visited his wife with a kid; and he said, I will go in to my wife into the chamber. 

But her father would not suffer him to go in.  And her father said, I verily thought that thou hadst utterly hated her; therefore I gave her to thy companion: is not her younger sister fairer than she? take her, I pray thee, instead of her.” (Judges 14:19b-15:2)

Angry that his wife had told his secret, Samson stomped out on the wedding day and stayed gone for a couple of months.  He completely ignored the fact that she had been told she and her entire family would be murdered if she didn’t.

Emotionally even the threat of having one’s mate walk out is almost as devastating as finding out they are having an affair because it says you really don’t matter to them.   For fifteen years after she first threatened to leave me, I was afraid to do anything that might make my wife mad for fear she’d leave.  I can only imagine how shattered Samson’s wife was when he actually left.   When he didn’t come back, her family decided he wasn’t going to, she became the best man’s wife instead.  After all, the entire community knew she’d gotten married, and the fact that her husband had walked out on her would cause a lot of gossip.   Even today, it is often assumed that a person must be a pretty unpleasant person for their mate to just walk out on them.  The decision for her to marry the other guy seemed a logical choice.

When he decided to come back, Samson just walked back in as if nothing had happened.  When her father told him she was no longer his wife, but was married to someone else Samson got really angry. It was a typical response for a thoroughly selfish person.

A man I know had an affair and divorced his wife for another woman.  About a year later he divorced the second wife and decided to go back to the first one.  When she refused to let him move in immediately. he became very angry, accusing her of not being much of a Christian because she wouldn’t forgive him.  Like Samson, he expected her to drop everything she had done while he was away and go back to where they were before.  He couldn’t accept the fact that the entire world did not revolve around him.

“And Samson said concerning them, Now shall I be more blameless than the Philistines, though I do them a displeasure.  And Samson went and caught three hundred foxes, and took firebrands, and turned tail to tail, and put a firebrand in the midst between two tails.  And when he had set the brands on fire, he let them go into the standing corn of the Philistines, and burnt up both the shocks, and also the standing corn, with the vineyards and olives.” (Judges 15:3-5)

Refusing to consider that what had happened was the result of his own actions, Samson decided to take revenge, lashing out at the entire Philistine nation rather than just her family. Tying foxes together with a torch attached to their tails and setting them loose in the wheatfields just as the wheat was ripe ensured huge wildfires that would destroy much of the Philistines crops as well as homes, orchards and vineyards.

 “Then the Philistines said, Who hath done this? And they answered, Samson, the son in law of the Timnite, because he had taken his wife, and given her to his companion. And the Philistines came up, and burnt her and her father with fire.” (Judges 15:6) 

Believing Samson was holding the entire nation accountable and hoping to prevent further violence, the Philistines executed the woman and her family in an effort to mollify Samson.

“And Samson said unto them, Though ye have done this, yet will I be avenged of you, and after that I will cease.  And he smote them hip and thigh with a great slaughter: and he went down and dwelt in the top of the rock Etam.” (Judges 15:7-8)

Selfishly refusing to accept their efforts to straighten things out, Samson attacked and killed a great many other Philistines.  The rejection of their overtures of peach and unprovoked attack made the Philistines angry.

“Then the Philistines went up, and pitched in Judah, and spread themselves in Lehi. 

And the men of Judah said, Why are ye come up against us? 

And they answered, To bind Samson are we come up, to do to him as he hath done to us. 

Then three thousand men of Judah went to the top of the rock Etam, and said to Samson, Knowest thou not that the Philistines are rulers over us? what is this that thou hast done unto us? 

And he said unto them, As they did unto me, so have I done unto them.” (Judges 15:9-11) 

Recognizing the might of the Philistine army, the tribe of Judah was panicked bu the invasion of the Philistine army.  Learning they were only after Samson for what he had done to them, they went him to ask his surrender in hopes of avoiding a war.  When asked why he done this, he responded, “they started it,” in typical selfish fashion.  Samson’s entire conflict with the Philistines was totally selfish.  There was no patriotism or moral consideration, he was just mad that things didn’t go his way.  He was not concerned at all about the effect his actions might have on his family or friends and neighbors.


“And they said unto him, We are come down to bind thee, that we may deliver thee into the hand of the Philistines. 

And Samson said unto them, Swear unto me, that ye will not fall upon me yourselves.

 And they spake unto him, saying, No; but we will bind thee fast, and deliver thee into their hand: but surely we will not kill thee. And they bound him with two new cords, and brought him up from the rock.” (Judges 15:12-13) 

When three thousand Jews asked him to surrender to the Philistines, Samson bowed to public opinion, agreeing to surrender if they would promise they wouldn’t kill him first.  They had no interest in killing him, they just wanted the Philistines to leave them alone.  He still made no attempt to enlist their support or offer to fight for them.

They tied him with two new ropes, taking no chances on his escaping, and took him to the Philistines in show of goodwill.

Samson Lost His Bet

Judges 14:8-20

“And after a time he returned to take her, and he turned aside to see the carcase of the lion: and, behold, there was a swarm of bees and honey in the carcase of the lion.  And he took thereof in his hands, and went on eating, and came to his father and mother, and he gave them, and they did eat: but he told not them that he had taken the honey out of the carcase of the lion.” (Judges 14:8-9)

On his way down to the wedding, Samson stopped to gloat over his victory over the lion, still not recognizing it as a warning from God.  Seeing that some bees had used the carcase for a hive, he took the honey and shared it with his parents without telling them where it came from.  In doing so he violated the command that a Nazarite was not to touch a dead body as Numbers 6:6 commands.  “All the days that he separateth himself unto the LORD he shall come at no dead body.” Knowing that as Jews they were not to eat potentially contaminated food, he encouraged his parents to eat the honey taken from a rotting corpse without telling them where it came from.

Although he was the judge chosen by God to teach and enforce God’s law, Samson clearly didn’t consider it of great importance.  It didn’t really apply to him and could be ignored any time it was inconvenient to follow it.   It is a common attitude, and like many today, he deliberately involved innocent people who were trying to do what was right.

“So his father went down unto the woman: and Samson made there a feast; for so used the young men to do.  And it came to pass, when they saw him, that they brought thirty companions to be with him. 

And Samson said unto them, I will now put forth a riddle unto you: if ye can certainly declare it me within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty sheets and thirty change of garments: But if ye cannot declare it me, then shall ye give me thirty sheets and thirty change of garments. 

And they said unto him, Put forth thy riddle, that we may hear it.” (Judges 14:10-13)

Rather than inviting his Jewish friends, who might offend the Philistines, Samson let who was invited be dictated by the Philistines, and had a Philistine wedding.  In order to be accepted by the Philistines, he gave up any testimony he might have for the Lord, adopting the Philistine customs.

When I flipped on the TV the other night they were questioning a woman who was on the show Survivor about being on the show as a Christian.  She said she had deliberately chosen not to pray or do other things that might raise the issue.  It is essentially what Samson was doing.

Seeing an opportunity to make an extra profit, Samson got up a bet with the Philistines that they couldn’t guess his riddle.  In doing so he again demonstrates his essential selfishness and lack of concern for what is right.  It would be impossible for them to know what he was thinking.  They had no chance.

A suit of clothes in that day was hand sewn from hand woven and home grown materials, requiring hundreds of hours of labor.  Like buying old style traditional Navajo dress made of two rugs, along with the other accoutrements, it was very expensive.  Being able to bet thirty complete sets would hopefully impress the Philistines, and he was sure he wouldn’t have to pay up, so they’d never know it was a scam.

“And he said unto them, Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness. And they could not in three days expound the riddle. 

And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they said unto Samson's wife, Entice thy husband, that he may declare unto us the riddle, lest we burn thee and thy father's house with fire: have ye called us to take that we have? is it not so? 

And Samson's wife wept before him, and said, Thou dost but hate me, and lovest me not: thou hast put forth a riddle unto the children of my people, and hast not told it me. And he said unto her, Behold, I have not told it my father nor my mother, and shall I tell it thee? 

And she wept before him the seven days, while their feast lasted: and it came to pass on the seventh day, that he told her, because she lay sore upon him: and she told the riddle to the children of her people.” (Judges 14:14-17)

Since not even his parents knew about the lion or the honey he’d gotten from it, there was no way the guests could guess what Samson was referring to.  After hearing the riddle, and knowing they had no way of guessing the answer, the guests threatened to kill Samson’s fiancée and her family if she didn’t find out what the answer was.  They were not about to lose that much money.  Terrified, the girl finally wheedled the answer out of him by crying and claiming he didn’t love her or he would tell her the secret.  Like most guys, Samson couldn’t stand to see a woman cry, so he told her, and she told the others.

“And the men of the city said unto him on the seventh day before the sun went down, What is sweeter than honey? and what is stronger than a lion? 

And he said unto them, If ye had not plowed with my heifer, ye had not found out my riddle.  And the spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, and slew thirty men of them, and took their spoil, and gave change of garments unto them which expounded the riddle.” (Judges 14:18-19)

When the men answered his riddle, Samson became very angry, accusing them of cheating, totally ignoring the fact that he had been trying to cheat them.  It was okay for him to cheat, but not for them to.  Not having thirty sets of clothing, he went down to the city of Ashkelon and robbed and murdered thirty men, giving their clothing to pay off his bet.

“And his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father's house.  But Samson's wife was given to his companion, whom he had used as his friend.” (Judges 14:19b-20)

Acting like spoiled little child that didn’t get his way Samson walked out and went home.  Not knowing whether he’d ever come back or not, and knowing that everyone knew she’d gotten married, she was given to the guy who’d played the part of best man to remove any shame that her husband had walked out on her on her wedding day.

Ignoring God’s Warning

Judges 14:1-7

“And Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines.  And he came up, and told his father and his mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines: now therefore get her for me to wife. 

Then his father and his mother said unto him, Is there never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines?

 And Samson said unto his father, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well. 

But his father and his mother knew not that it was of the LORD, that he sought an occasion against the Philistines: for at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel.” (Judges 14:1-4)

As a Nazarite, Samson was to be dedicated to the Lord for his entire life.  While the Philistines were not among the races God had forbidden Israel to marry, they were enemies of Israel, and did not worship God.  It is easy to understand his parents concern that he insisted on dating Philistine girls.

Living very close to the Philistines, even though he hated the Philistine culture, Samson was physically attracted to them as being different.  Perhaps he found it a little exciting to get back at them by taking one of their girls or perhaps he thought it would give him prestige among them.  Far too often such things play a bigger role than any feelings of love in people’s marriages.  In any case he told his parents get her for him.  

Knowing that Samson had been chosen by God, it seems as though his parents had always given him pretty much what he demanded.  His disrespectful demand that his father get the girl for him sounds much like the demand of young man who has never been told no.  The first of the ten commandments relating to treatment of other people was, “Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee,” in Exodus 20:12.  It was repeated in Deuteronomy 5:16.  Samson did not have a very good attitude.

God was going to use Samson’s desire to prove he is better than the Philistines and his bad attitude to accomplish God’s purpose.   Samson does not fight the Philistines out of patriotism or obedience to God, his only reason for what he does is selfish.  God is simply arranging things so that Samson’s selfishness will accomplish his will.

“Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath, and came to the vineyards of Timnath: and, behold, a young lion roared against him.  And the spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done.  And he went down, and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson well.” (Judges 14:5-7)

On his way down to make the arrangements. God sent a young lion out to attack Samson, as a warning that he was doing wrong.  Using the power that God gave him. Samson easily killed the lion, dismembering him as easily as a strong man might a baby lamb.  Rather than taking the attack as a warning from God, Samson gloried in being able to get the victory, ignoring the warning.  He didn’t even take it seriously enough to tell his parents.

I shudder to think how many churches have started a new building, Christian school, or other ministry, ostensibly for the Lord, but in reality for the prestige of having it.  Financial difficulties arise, often threatening the very existence of the church.  If they are successful in getting out of debt, they view it as God blessing the new ministry and continue the same way rather than considering that God was warning them to change what they are doing.  They fail to understand that God is not blessing what they are doing, but preserving his church in enabling them to pay the bills, just as he was protecting Samson.

Unfortunately, pastors and churches which do this teach their people to do the same things.  God does not bless disobedience, although he may use it to accomplish his purposes for a while.  Samson epitomizes the modern American church in many ways.

Undeterred by God’s warning, Samson continued on the same path and was convinced that he was about to accomplish the greatest thing of his life.  It all seemed wonderful, and the arrangements were made.

Samson’s Birth Announced

Judges 13:1-25

“And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD delivered them into the hand of the Philistines forty years.” (Judges 13:1)

This is the sixth time Israel has done “evil in the sight of the Lord” as a nation.  In the four hundred twelve years since Cushanrishathaim of Mesopotamia first conquered them in Judges 3, they had been enslaved six times because the nation as a whole turned away from God.  About every eighty  years or so, as Judges 2:10 states, “…all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the LORD, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel.”    As long as there were enough of the old fogies left with power to stop them and tell them what was right, there was at least a modicum of serving the Lord.  When the old fogies died off they forgot what they had been taught, and each time it led them into captivity.

Always before, the Philistines had just been opportunistic raiders or terrorists, striking unprotected farms, and villages.  This time they brought an organized and cohesive force and actually conquered the land, ruling it for forty years.

“And there was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren, and bare not.  And the angel of the LORD appeared unto the woman, and said unto her, Behold now, thou art barren, and bearest not: but thou shalt conceive, and bear a son.  Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink not wine nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean thing: For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no razor shall come on his head: for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb: and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.” (Judges 13:2-5)

About twenty years into the captivity, God began to prepare another Judge to lead Israel back to him.  He sent an angel to announce the miraculous birth of a young man who would deliver Israel. The young man was to be  dedicated to God as a Nazarite from his youth.  Numbers 6:2-12 tells us what was entailed.

“Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When either man or woman shall separate themselves to vow a vow of a Nazarite, to separate themselves unto the LORD: He shall separate himself from wine and strong drink, and shall drink no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of strong drink, neither shall he drink any liquor of grapes, nor eat moist grapes, or dried. All the days of his separation shall he eat nothing that is made of the vine tree, from the kernels even to the husk. 

All the days of the vow of his separation there shall no razor come upon his head: until the days be fulfilled, in the which he separateth himself unto the LORD, he shall be holy, and shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow. 

All the days that he separateth himself unto the LORD he shall come at no dead body.  He shall not make himself unclean for his father, or for his mother, for his brother, or for his sister, when they die: because the consecration of his God is upon his head.  All the days of his separation he is holy unto the LORD. 

And if any man die very suddenly by him, and he hath defiled the head of his consecration; then he shall shave his head in the day of his cleansing, on the seventh day shall he shave it.  And on the eighth day he shall bring two turtles, or two young pigeons, to the priest, to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: And the priest shall offer the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, and make an atonement for him, for that he sinned by the dead, and shall hallow his head that same day.  And he shall consecrate unto the LORD the days of his separation, and shall bring a lamb of the first year for a trespass offering: but the days that were before shall be lost, because his separation was defiled.” (Numbers 6:2-12)

Because Samson was to be a Nazarite from his birth, Samson was to be trained to live his entire life as a Nazarite. Even before his birth he was not to be exposed to anything made of Grapes.  It has been discovered that children whose mothers drink during pregnancy often become addicted even before they are born.  Just one drink may trigger full blown alcoholism.   God ensured Samson would have no such problem.

“Then the woman came and told her husband, saying, A man of God came unto me, and his countenance was like the countenance of an angel of God, very terrible: but I asked him not whence he was, neither told he me his name: But he said unto me, Behold, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and now drink no wine nor strong drink, neither eat any unclean thing: for the child shall be a Nazarite to God from the womb to the day of his death.” (Judges 13:6-7) 

The woman didn’t recognize the angel as such, describing him as a man of God, although she recognized something was different about his face.  Our world usually portrays angels with wings and a halo, but most of the times when they appear to humans they just look like other people.  In Genesis 19:1 we find, “And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground.”  At the time Lot thought they were just men, as did the other people around, who wished to sexually abuse them in Genesis 19:5.  “And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them.”

The next morning they still appeared as humans in Genesis 19:15-16, although it is very obvious they were angels.  “And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city.  And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the LORD being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city.”

“Then Manoah entreated the LORD, and said, O my Lord, let the man of God which thou didst send come again unto us, and teach us what we shall do unto the child that shall be born.

 And God hearkened to the voice of Manoah; and the angel of God came again unto the woman as she sat in the field: but Manoah her husband was not with her. Jud And the woman made haste, and ran, and showed her husband, and said unto him, Behold, the man hath appeared unto me, that came unto me the other day.

 And Manoah arose, and went after his wife, and came to the man, and said unto him, Art thou the man that spakest unto the woman? 

And he said, I am. 

And Manoah said, Now let thy words come to pass. How shall we order the child, and how shall we do unto him?” (Judges 13:8-11)

Manoah didn’t doubt his wife’s word, but he wanted to be sure they knew exactly how they were to raise the child to please God.  God answered his prayer, sending the angel again talk to them and repeat the message.

 “And the angel of the LORD said unto Manoah, Of all that I said unto the woman let her beware.  She may not eat of any thing that cometh of the vine, neither let her drink wine or strong drink, nor eat any unclean thing: all that I commanded her let her observe. 

And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD, I pray thee, let us detain thee, until we shall have made ready a kid for thee. 

And the angel of the LORD said unto Manoah, Though thou detain me, I will not eat of thy bread: and if thou wilt offer a burnt offering, thou must offer it unto the LORD. For Manoah knew not that he was an angel of the LORD.” (Judges 13:13-16)

Still not recognizing the angel as such, Manoah asked him to stay while they prepared a special meal for him.  The angel agreed to stay, but refused to eat the food or accept it as an offering, insisting that it be given to God instead.  Hebrews 13:2 instructs, “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.”  We probably will not recognize them.

“And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD, What is thy name, that when thy sayings come to pass we may do thee honour? 

And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is secret? 

So Manoah took a kid with a meat offering, and offered it upon a rock unto the LORD: and the angel did wonderously; and Manoah and his wife looked on.  For it came to pass, when the flame went up toward heaven from off the altar, that the angel of the LORD ascended in the flame of the altar. 

And Manoah and his wife looked on it, and fell on their faces to the ground.  But the angel of the LORD did no more appear to Manoah and to his wife. Then Manoah knew that he was an angel of the LORD."  (Judges 13:17-21)

A messenger or angel that is truly from God will focus attention on god, rather than on himself.  The angel refused to tell them his name or allow them to honor him.  When they offered and offering to the Lord, he ascended toward heaven in the flame.  Manoah was terrified when he realized what they had seen, thinking it might be God himself.

“And Manoah said unto his wife, We shall surely die, because we have seen God.  But his wife said unto him, If the LORD were pleased to kill us, he would not have received a burnt offering and a meat offering at our hands, neither would he have showed us all these things, nor would as at this time have told us such things as these.” (Judges 13:22-23)

His wife was thinking more clearly, reminding him that if God intended to kill them there was no point in telling them how to raise their son, nor would he have accepted their sacrifices.

“And the woman bare a son, and called his name Samson: and the child grew, and the LORD blessed him.  And the spirit of the LORD began to move him at times in the camp of Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol.” (Judges 13:24-25)

Samson grew up in the area around Zorah and Eshtaol, very close to Philistine territory, and the Lord used him occasionally in confrontations with them.  He seems to have developed an attitude similar to what is so often seen in slums today.