SHIELD 241204 Judges 16

ACCOUNTABILITY FOLLOW UP

11/21/2024 Judges 15: A: △: ▽: T:

Stephen Ezell: 10/24/2024 Judges 11:38 A: children can and should make their own choices (be trained to) △: get them to make choices now while in the home ▽: be bad at making choices outside the home T: Ceirra

Tom Hess: 11/21/2024 Judges 15:18 A: He is a servant of the Lord - be more God aware △: Post it up ▽: Bitter not fair T: Kiddos wife

Lonnie Larson 11/21/2024 Judges 15:14-15 A: Spirit enabled tasks are possible △: Continue reading ▽: Won’t succeed T: Boys

Lyle Larson: 11/14/2024 Judges 14:14 A: Over regulated Be stronger in making decisions △: Teach Alaine about control ▽: Bickering will get worse T: Alaine

Keith Morgan: 11/21/2024 Judges 15:18-19 A: Call to the Lord △: Mind over the flesh, awareness of God ▽: Bitterness - downward spiral T: Ilene

Mike Morgan: 11/21/2024 Judges 15:7 A: Not Samson, vengeance is the Lord’s △: Study, dont have to do the old job but pray ▽: Pulled into business not his T: Julie

Mark Organ: 11/21/2024 Judges 15:11, 15 A: Use what is at hand to do the work of the God △: Every little thing is His, use it for Him ▽: Bad steward, no rewards T: Gunner

CONTEXT of Judges 16

Samson took vengeance on the Philistines by burning their fields when his father in law gave his daughter, Samson’s wife, away to Samson’s best man

Samson was then betrayed by the Judeans as they sought to turn him over to the Philistines

Samson then went on a killing spree with a Donkey Jaw bone and in his extreme exhaustion he pleaded with the Lord and the Lord provided water for him

TEXT ANALYSIS

I. A Prohibited Union and Security Lost Judges 16:1–3 | 1 Then Samson went to Gaza and saw a harlot there and went in to her. 2 And it was told to the Gazites, saying, “Samson has come here,” so they surrounded the place and lay in wait for him all night at the gate of the city. And they kept silent all night, saying, “Let us wait until the morning light; then we will kill him.” 3 But Samson lay until midnight, and at midnight he arose and seized the doors of the city gate and the two posts and pulled them up along with the bars; then he put them on his shoulders and brought them up to the top of the mountain which is opposite Hebron.

Takeaway: Can a man be used of God for a season yet deny Him by his actions? Does that not tell us that we must beware all disobedience and heed the warnings of the Spirit through Scripture? 1 Corinthians 6:16“Or do you not know that the one who joins himself to a prostitute is one body with her? For He says, “The two shall become one flesh.””

Takeaway: The removal of security is an ironic indication that Samson is going to be stripped of his strength soon through an inside job Proverbs 25:28“Like a city that is broken into and without a wall Is a man without restraint over his spirit.”

II. Playing With Fire Judges 16:4–9 | 4 Now it happened afterwards that he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek, and her name was Delilah. 5 And the lords of the Philistines came up to her and said to her, “Entice him, and see where his great strength lies and how we may overpower him that we may bind him to afflict him. Then we will each give you 1,100 pieces of silver.” 6 So Delilah said to Samson, “Please tell me where your great strength is and how you may be bound to afflict you.” 7 Samson said to her, “If they bind me with seven fresh cords that have not been dried, then I will become weak and be like any other man.” 8 Then the lords of the Philistines brought up to her seven fresh cords that had not been dried, and she bound him with them. 9 Now she had men lying in wait, sitting in an inner room. And she said to him, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” But he snapped the cords as a string of tinder snaps when it touches fire. So his strength was still not known. Takeaway: The seven fresh cords are un-dried tendons… why would he think it was a good idea to be tied up with this? Furthermore why is he revealing this about himself at any level?

III. Samson’s Deceit Judges 16:10–14 | 10 Then Delilah said to Samson, “Behold, you have deceived me and told me lies; now please tell me how you may be bound.” 11 And he said to her, “If they bind me tightly with new ropes which have not been used for work, then I will become weak and be like any other man.” 12 So Delilah took new ropes and bound him with them and said to him, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” Now the men lying in wait were sitting in the inner room. But he snapped the ropes from his arms like a thread. 13 Then Delilah said to Samson, “Up to now you have deceived me and told me lies; tell me how you may be bound.” And he said to her, “If you weave the seven locks of my head with the web [and fasten it with a pin, then I will become weak and be like any other man.” 14 So while he slept, Delilah took the seven locks of his hair and wove them into the web]. And she fastened it with the pin and said to him, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” But he awoke from his sleep and pulled out the pin of the loom and the web. Takeaway: Samson was commissioned from birth to deliver Israel from the hand of the Philistines… There is no mass slaughter, he is just toying with them - this is not a serious man

IV. Samson Gives In Judges 16:15–17 | 15 Then she said to him, “How can you say, ‘I love you,’ when your heart is not with me? You have deceived me these three times and have not told me where your great strength is.” 16 Now it happened when she pressed him daily with her words and urged him, that his soul was annoyed to death. 17 So he told her all that was in his heart and said to her, “A razor has never come on my head, for I have been a Nazirite to God from my mother’s womb. If I am shaved, then my strength will leave me and I will become weak and be like every other man.” Takeaway: Samson lacks conviction, stamina and courage. In his game with this foreigner he ultimately loses because she stays on task. We also see that he knew what it was to be a Nazirite and chose to disobedient. He is not ignorant - just rebellious

V. Samson’s Fall Judges 16:18–22 | 18 And Delilah saw that he had told her all that was in his heart, so she sent and called the lords of the Philistines, saying, “Come up once more, for he has told me all that is in his heart.” Then the lords of the Philistines came up to her and brought up the silver in their hands. 19 Then she made him sleep on her knees and called for a man and had him shave off the seven locks of his head. Then she began to afflict him, and his strength left him. 20 And she said, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” And he awoke from his sleep and said, “I will go out as at other times and shake myself free.” But he did not know that Yahweh had left him. 21 Then the Philistines seized him and gouged out his eyes; and they brought him down to Gaza and bound him with bronze chains, and he was a grinder in the prison. 22 However, the hair of his head began to grow again after it was shaved off. Takeaway: No matter the temptation it is always formed out of malice, intended to hurt us and grieve the Lord.

VI. Samson a Mockery, the Philistines - Blasphemers Judges 16:23–27 | 23 Now the lords of the Philistines assembled to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god and to be glad; and they said, “Our god has given Samson our enemy into our hands.” 24 Then the people saw him and praised their god, for they said, “Our god has given our enemy into our hands, Even the destroyer of our country, Who has slain many of us.” 25 So it happened when their hearts were merry, that they said, “Call for Samson, that he may amuse us.” So they called for Samson from the prison, and he entertained them. And they made him stand between the pillars. 26 Then Samson said to the boy who was holding his hand, “Let me feel the pillars on which the house is established, that I may lean against them.” 27 Now the house was full of men and women, and all the lords of the Philistines were there. And about 3,000 men and women were on the roof looking on while Samson was amusing them. Takeaway: Samson has had a lot of time to think and no visual distractions. Perhaps the revelry of the pagans jolted him to his senses

VII. Samson’s Revenge Judges 16:28–31 | 28 Then Samson called to Yahweh and said, “O Lord Yahweh, please remember me and please strengthen me just this time, O God, that I may at once be avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.” 29 Samson grasped the two middle pillars on which the house was established and supported himself against them, the one with his right hand and the other with his left. 30 And Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines!” And he bent with his strength so that the house fell on the lords and all the people who were in it. So the dead whom he put to death by his death were more than those whom he put to death in his life. 31 Then his brothers and all his father’s household came down, carried him, brought him up, and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol, in the tomb of Manoah his father. Thus he had judged Israel twenty years. Takeaway: God is gracious to this man!

What Does This Text Say About:

God: The Father, Son, Spirit | People: Believers/Unbelievers

My attitude or behavior - What is the Holy Spirit convicting me about

What is one change that I can make | What is a consequence of not making the change

Who can I teach?

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