An Abandoned Woman
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Introduction
Introduction
Falls Creek pranks. Turning off hot water. Yelling in the middle of the night. Taking clothing. Kool-aid in shower heads.
The problem is you begin with a harmless prank and in the end you have hurt feelings and, possibly, people injured.
In our fallen state,
Broken humanity seeks escalation.
Samson’s conflict with his abandoned wife and the Philistines demonstrates the dangers of escalation.
Revenge
Revenge
vv. 1-8
Samson celebrates the end of his pity party with a visit to his abandoned wife with a goat.
Her father’s apprehension and negotiation. (Doesn’t want to be 31.)
Anger at Philistines - revenge.
300 foxes leaving a train of destruction. Time of wheat harvest (late June).
6 “If fire breaks out and catches in thorns so that the stacked grain or the standing grain or the field is consumed, he who started the fire shall make full restitution.
Taking turns with revenge. Burned the wife and father to death. The early threat for the riddle...
15 On the fourth day they said to Samson’s wife, “Entice your husband to tell us what the riddle is, lest we burn you and your father’s house with fire. Have you invited us here to impoverish us?”
Then Samson fights a large group.
Each step just gets worse. Not justice.
Selfishness leads to destruction.
Destroys relationships, reputations, and potential.
Selfishness is all consuming and leads to these destructive patterns.
Retaliation
Retaliation
vv. 9-13
What we see is expansion and escalation.
And finally there is this culmination of all the revenge.
The Philistines attack a city of Israelites. Why? To get their attention.
These 3,000 went out to Samson…not defending their own, but to arrest him and turn him over.
The usual plot - God raises up a deliverer, some act of defiance, the people rally together and fight back.
The thought of them coming together to further their enslavement.
They were content with rejecting God’s plan.
Don’t be content with rebellion.
Instead look for the ways that God is already working to provide you with rescue.
Rescue
Rescue
vv. 14-17
Which leads to this fight back by Samson against the Philistines…with a jawbone (Lehi).
He kills 1,000 Philistines with a fresh jawbone.
Samson wins this attack and uses word play “with lehi of a hamer, one homer and two homers.”
He tosses the jawbone down and walks off. “Ramath-Lehi.” Jawbone heights.
What’s missing…They were so close to rescue!
3,000 men go out to this mighty warrior. What if they’d banded together?
One man defeats an entire army. 3,000. Ten times Gideon’s army of 300.
God’s plan was to use Samson to deliver the nation of Israel.
Instead, they chose to be content with oppression.
Samson choosing to be content with rebellion (jawbone = carcass).
This is where Samson placed his faith. Lehi, not elohim.
Rescue is here.
For the Israelites, the judges were to point towards someone else.
All the ways that Samson failed, Jesus was perfect.
Jesus defeated the enemy of sin and death.
He came to rescue you!
Refreshment
Refreshment
vv. 18-20
Samson’s first prayer! But, for water. So close!
Samson always brings it around to himself. Selfishness.
Yet, God provides water. As He has often does.
Even the name of the spring - the spring of the caller, not the spring of God.
eyn haqqore vs eyn elohim
v. 20 - he judged Israel for 20 years.
Typically, they judge after they attain freedom.
They never called on God to refresh or rescue them.
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Call on God for forgiveness.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Samson gives us a picture of pride.
Through his own behaviors, he brought destruction upon those around him.
He thought he could fight himself out of consequences.
18 Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.
Samson never demonstrated remorse for his behavior.
He was never willing to walk away from a fight.
He had all that strength and felt the need to demonstrate it.
And in all the ways Samson failed, Jesus succeeded.
Jesus had all the power, yet allowed Himself to be crucified.
He sacrificed Himself…why?
To save us from our own destruction.
Jesus came to rescue you.