The Champion [Judges 13-16]

I. Nazirite?

- Set apart one/Crown (distinguished from everyone else and is identified as set apart/for a specific task/for a specific period of time.)

- Temporary Warrior-Priest (3 exceptions)

- Mediator: Represent The people to God and God to the People.

- Spirit filled: all his power and strength comes from God empowered by the Spirit.

-Marked out- Long Hair:

1) Nazirite (crowned) a symbol to the people of his purpose

2) Crowned with long hair which symbolizes his representing the people to God as the bride or people of God.

3) 7 locks of braided hair to signify the presence of the Holy Spirit.

4) When the task has been accomplished, the hair is a fitting symbol to be offer back to God signifying the return of God’s power back to Him and that the job has been completed and now the Consecrated one can enter rest from the work he performed.

II. The Birth of Samson.

New Living Translation (Chapter 13)

The Birth of Samson

Again the Israelites did evil in the LORD’s sight, so the LORD handed them over to the Philistines, who oppressed them for forty years.2 In those days a man named Manoah from the tribe of Dan lived in the town of Zorah. His wife was unable to become pregnant, and they had no children. 3 The angel of the LORD appeared to Manoah’s wife and said, “Even though you have been unable to have children, you will soon become pregnant and give birth to a son. 4 So be careful; you must not drink wine or any other alcoholic drink nor eat any forbidden food.* 5 You will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and his hair must never be cut. For he will be dedicated to God as a Nazirite from birth. He will begin to rescue Israel from the Philistines.”

There is a two-fold problem:

- God’s People were living in sin

- The People’s enemy was oppressing them.

One Solution:

- God sends His champion (A dedicated Nazirite- Samson) to save his people.

III. Walking the Spirit (Representing God to the People) Love is a battlefield.

Judges 14:1–9 NLT

1 One day when Samson was in Timnah, one of the Philistine women caught his eye. 2 When he returned home, he told his father and mother, “A young Philistine woman in Timnah caught my eye. I want to marry her. Get her for me.” 3 His father and mother objected. “Isn’t there even one woman in our tribe or among all the Israelites you could marry?” they asked. “Why must you go to the pagan Philistines to find a wife?” But Samson told his father, “Get her for me! She looks good to me.” 4 His father and mother didn’t realize the Lord was at work in this, creating an opportunity to work against the Philistines, who ruled over Israel at that time. 5 As Samson and his parents were going down to Timnah, a young lion suddenly attacked Samson near the vineyards of Timnah. 6 At that moment the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon him, and he ripped the lion’s jaws apart with his bare hands. He did it as easily as if it were a young goat. But he didn’t tell his father or mother about it. 7 When Samson arrived in Timnah, he talked with the woman and was very pleased with her. 8 Later, when he returned to Timnah for the wedding, he turned off the path to look at the carcass of the lion. And he found that a swarm of bees had made some honey in the carcass. 9 He scooped some of the honey into his hands and ate it along the way. He also gave some to his father and mother, and they ate it. But he didn’t tell them he had taken the honey from the carcass of the lion.

Why does Samson seek to marry a woman from the enemy?

The first action of God in a situation where his people need saved and their enemies need subdued is Love. Right out of the gate, before things get really hairy, God begins working through his love. God tells us that he leads us to repentance through his lovingkindness. So it should not be any surprise to us that God first approaches this situation in Love and what better way to demonstrate love than by marriage.

The Power of the Spirit- Able to defeat and able to make sweet!

What is the deal with the lion and the honey?

Samson is met by a lion and crushes it with his bare hands. Honey comes from the lion and Samson eats it with his bare hands. Here we get a glimpse of the power of the Holy Spirit upon the champion of God. This helps demonstrate the abilities of the Champion filled with the power of God to accomplish his task. God will use his champion to overcome the enemy, while at the same time creating life and sustenance from something dead which is the image of God’s people. We get a 2 for 1 glimpse of the work of the Spirit upon the instrument of God. Honey reminds God’s people of the land where they are to dwell and finally have rest. This is a glimpse of what we are hoping should be the result what God wants to accomplish through his champion.

- Samson’s wedding party

- Samson’s riddle.

- The Wedding parties tricks.

- The untrusting wife- influenced by fear for her life.

- The Husband (Samson) balances the scales.

- Husband wants to grow his family.

- His in-laws give his wife to another man.

- So Samson destroys their prosperity.

- They kill his wife, so Samson kills some philistines.

- all accounts are even- Justified- and Samson goes off to live in the rocks.

- Philistines just won’t let a dead dog lie- 1000 asks the 3000. Samson is betrayed by his own people.

- Samson wields a jawbone like a weed eater.

- Judges over Israel for 20 years.

IV. Walking in the Flesh- (Representing the people to God.) Love hurts.

- Samson finds himself another woman.

- Delilah among his own people.

- Inappropriate relationship.

- Philistines entice this woman with money

- Woman accepts.

- Samson plays around with his strength. playing with fire.

- Like the Philistines ENTICE, the woman EXTRACTS.

- God Leaves Samson because Samson gave Him up.

- Samson is captured, blinded, and thrown in prison.

- Samson hair begins to grow.

- Samson becomes a party favor for a worship party for a fake god.

Judges 16:23–31 NLT

23 The Philistine rulers held a great festival, offering sacrifices and praising their god, Dagon. They said, “Our god has given us victory over our enemy Samson!” 24 When the people saw him, they praised their god, saying, “Our god has delivered our enemy to us! The one who killed so many of us is now in our power!” 25 Half drunk by now, the people demanded, “Bring out Samson so he can amuse us!” So he was brought from the prison to amuse them, and they had him stand between the pillars supporting the roof. 26 Samson said to the young servant who was leading him by the hand, “Place my hands against the pillars that hold up the temple. I want to rest against them.” 27 Now the temple was completely filled with people. All the Philistine rulers were there, and there were about 3,000 men and women on the roof who were watching as Samson amused them. 28 Then Samson prayed to the Lord, “Sovereign Lord, remember me again. O God, please strengthen me just one more time. With one blow let me pay back the Philistines for the loss of my two eyes.” 29 Then Samson put his hands on the two center pillars that held up the temple. Pushing against them with both hands, 30 he prayed, “Let me die with the Philistines.” And the temple crashed down on the Philistine rulers and all the people. So he killed more people when he died than he had during his entire lifetime. 31 Later his brothers and other relatives went down to get his body. They took him back home and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol, where his father, Manoah, was buried. Samson had judged Israel for twenty years.

V. A Better Champion- Jesus

Samson ultimately failed as God’s true champion. We are left expecting someone better who can accomplish completely what Samson didn’t- conqueror the enemy once for all and freeing the people from oppression. Enter the Angel of the Lord and a virgin named Mary...

God’s sends a child- His Son.

Does anything good come from Nazareth?

Send apart.

Filled with Holy Spirit.

Betrayed by his enemies

Betrayed by his own disciples.

Blindfolded and beaten for amusement.

Performed works freeing others

Offers salvation to the enemies of God.

Gave up his life so that others can live.

Obediently perfect even unto death.

Taken down and laid in a tomb and was raised on the third day.

VI. Etched in Stone means Character.

What is written on your heart determines the character you will possess. Is Jesus, the True champion of God to save his people, written on your heart?

The only one who can remove what is etched on your heart is God and He wants to write upon your heart his Character which is written by the Holy Spirit on those who place their faith in Jesus.

What character do you want to have? One that walks in Spirit accomplishing the things of God? Or the one that walks according to the flesh which leads to being a slave, blind, and a joke.

VII. Confess Jesus.

Romans 10:9 NASB95

9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;

Matthew 10:32 NASB95

32 “Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven.

- You Confess Jesus as your Lord, He will Confess you to His Father, and the Father will write your name in the book of life!

Take a Stand:

IF you love food.

IF you know what you want to do with your life.

Stand if you are saved.

Stand if you want to be saved because you want to place your trust in the true champion Jesus.