WEBVTT 00:00:00.420 --> 00:00:05.639 Here at Church of the Messiah, we preach through books of the Bible, and what I'm going to continue to do, 00:00:06.120 --> 00:00:10.980 while God gives me strength until Jesus comes back, and while I'm still the rector of this place, 00:00:11.000 --> 00:00:13.560 we're going to preach through books of the Bible, and we're going through Judges, 00:00:14.080 --> 00:00:15.660 which is what I'm going to preach on today. 00:00:15.800 --> 00:00:23.719 But by the providence of God, the text that we look at today actually has an awful lot to say about our current crisis in Canada, 00:00:24.359 --> 00:00:26.740 and I won't say, and in many parts of the world. 00:00:26.739 --> 00:00:29.919 By the providence of God, it has a lot to say. 00:00:30.099 --> 00:00:35.299 Judges 16 has a lot to say about what's going on in Canada and how we are reacting to it. 00:00:35.679 --> 00:00:43.640 So I encourage you to turn to it, and just as you're turning to Judges 16, just a couple of things. 00:00:43.980 --> 00:00:52.039 Judges is that book in the Bible which covers the time between Israel entering the Promised Land under Joshua. 00:00:52.039 --> 00:01:00.200 Joshua has died, and the time between his death and basically the first kings of Israel, Saul and then David. 00:01:00.679 --> 00:01:04.039 That time period is the time period covered in the book of Judges. 00:01:04.280 --> 00:01:12.140 And Samson, the book of Judges, is organized around 12 judges, and Samson is the last of the judges. 00:01:13.099 --> 00:01:16.620 And next week and the week after, we look at the two-part conclusion to the book. 00:01:16.620 --> 00:01:24.219 And Samson, I mean, he's one of the characters that many non-Christians know about him and know about Samson and Delilah. 00:01:24.420 --> 00:01:27.540 And that's what we're going to look at today, the story of Samson and Delilah. 00:01:28.140 --> 00:01:29.520 But here's the interesting thing. 00:01:29.660 --> 00:01:33.820 If you go back or if you remember, in Chapter 13, we see the first part. 00:01:33.880 --> 00:01:35.060 We see the birth of Samson. 00:01:35.060 --> 00:01:41.659 And we see both quite a remarkable miracle that authenticates that God's going to use this man. 00:01:41.719 --> 00:01:57.560 He says very directly, God is going to use this boy that will be born to begin to deliver Israel, God's people, from their enemies, from those who oppress them, from the idols and gods that bind them. 00:01:57.560 --> 00:02:05.219 And then in the birth story, we see that the Holy Spirit begins to move in Samson's life as he grows up. 00:02:05.260 --> 00:02:07.120 And we have very, very high hopes for him. 00:02:07.859 --> 00:02:13.920 But then in Chapter 14 and 15, which is the second part of the Samson story, all of those hopes are dashed. 00:02:14.879 --> 00:02:21.599 It's actually, I think I was sharing with you last week that for many, many years, I had fears about trying to preach on the Old Testament. 00:02:21.599 --> 00:02:29.000 Because I sort of grew up in a church context that we're always trying to find good moral lessons from the Old Testament stories. 00:02:29.479 --> 00:02:34.740 But if you're intellectually honest, you can't find good moral lessons from Chapter 14 and 15. 00:02:35.280 --> 00:02:37.000 Samson's a despicable man. 00:02:38.879 --> 00:02:49.280 And in fact, part of the mystery of the story is that the Holy Spirit comes upon Samson and he uses, the Holy Spirit's power comes upon Samson, but Samson uses that power for evil. 00:02:49.280 --> 00:02:55.840 I mean, it begins with Samson going to get married to a Philistine. 00:02:56.000 --> 00:03:00.379 I mean, rather than delivering people, Israel, from the Philistines, he wants to marry them. 00:03:00.819 --> 00:03:08.039 And he figures out a way to rip off his 30 companions who are Philistines by telling them a riddle. 00:03:08.240 --> 00:03:12.900 And after that attempt to rip them off fails, he goes to pay off his debt. 00:03:12.900 --> 00:03:19.640 And then he goes to another city and murders 30 innocent people and steals their clothes to pay off the debt. 00:03:21.060 --> 00:03:23.060 And then it gets worse. 00:03:23.200 --> 00:03:29.120 There's this cycle of vengeance and he kills other people and his people betray him. 00:03:29.300 --> 00:03:31.640 And he kills a thousand people with a jawbone. 00:03:31.780 --> 00:03:40.360 Just every time the Holy Spirit comes upon him, in a sense, Samson uses his free will to use that spirit's power for violent, selfish ends. 00:03:40.360 --> 00:03:45.500 And now we come to chapter 16, the end of the stories of Samson. 00:03:45.960 --> 00:03:48.420 It's the story that we'll talk about the death of Samson. 00:03:48.900 --> 00:03:50.180 And here's how it begins. 00:03:51.780 --> 00:03:53.140 Chapter 16, verse 1. 00:03:53.260 --> 00:03:54.100 Samson went to... 00:03:54.100 --> 00:03:55.700 Oh, I should put up the scripture text. 00:03:56.000 --> 00:03:58.380 We can do that for those of you who are here and don't have Bibles. 00:03:58.500 --> 00:03:58.940 There we go. 00:04:01.040 --> 00:04:05.300 Samson went to Gaza and there he saw a prostitute and he went into her. 00:04:05.340 --> 00:04:07.420 Just pause here for a very fraction of a second. 00:04:07.419 --> 00:04:11.759 And I haven't mentioned this, but I'm going to mention it right now. 00:04:12.239 --> 00:04:19.259 Christians, just by being Christians and trusting the Bible, end up having a side on the Palestinian Jewish question. 00:04:19.259 --> 00:04:31.500 Because for many of the Palestinian leadership in around what we now call in the Canaan area, 00:04:31.740 --> 00:04:33.079 and I'm trying to think of the right word. 00:04:33.300 --> 00:04:34.560 The word's gone from me. 00:04:35.099 --> 00:04:43.139 In that whole contested area, they basically say that the Jewish people have no historic connection to the land. 00:04:43.139 --> 00:04:47.279 And these texts that we're going through, just by being intellectually honest, 00:04:47.399 --> 00:04:52.180 show that, in fact, the Jewish people have had a connection to this land that goes back thousands and thousands of years. 00:04:52.360 --> 00:04:54.659 We, in a sense, just by trying to be... 00:04:54.659 --> 00:04:59.659 By being intellectually honest and being faithful to the Bible, both at the same time, 00:05:00.180 --> 00:05:05.620 we end up undercutting one particular side of a current political debate and supporting another side. 00:05:05.959 --> 00:05:08.019 Doesn't mean we have to support everything else that goes on. 00:05:08.019 --> 00:05:13.479 But the Philistines aren't Arabs. 00:05:15.359 --> 00:05:21.599 The Philistines are, if you know a little bit about English history, 00:05:21.899 --> 00:05:25.139 in the British Isles, what is now called England, 00:05:25.439 --> 00:05:29.339 there were these constant raids by the Norsemen, the Danes. 00:05:29.740 --> 00:05:33.279 And they would come to England and they would pillage and steal, 00:05:34.199 --> 00:05:36.120 eventually setting up more permanent settlements. 00:05:36.120 --> 00:05:39.100 But the Philistines are like the ancient Vikings. 00:05:40.000 --> 00:05:40.939 They're a sea people. 00:05:41.819 --> 00:05:42.860 And they're not Arabs. 00:05:43.000 --> 00:05:43.840 They're a sea people. 00:05:43.980 --> 00:05:46.199 And they've come from somewhere in the Mediterranean. 00:05:46.399 --> 00:05:51.560 They come in waves to steal, to set up their own colonies. 00:05:52.459 --> 00:05:59.319 And at the time of this writing, there's sort of five different groups of Philistines, 00:05:59.939 --> 00:06:02.740 five sort of families or tribes or movements, 00:06:03.079 --> 00:06:04.800 and they each have a center of power. 00:06:04.800 --> 00:06:06.800 And Gaza is one of the five centers. 00:06:07.439 --> 00:06:08.840 So these are like Vikings. 00:06:09.060 --> 00:06:12.540 They're seafaring invaders somewhere in the Mediterranean, 00:06:12.540 --> 00:06:14.740 not entirely clear where they've come from. 00:06:15.300 --> 00:06:17.319 And they've settled here in Gaza. 00:06:18.120 --> 00:06:20.400 Go back to read chapter 16, verse 1 again. 00:06:20.800 --> 00:06:24.199 Samson went to Gaza, and there he saw a prostitute. 00:06:25.379 --> 00:06:28.560 Remember I told you, this man doesn't live an exemplary life. 00:06:28.560 --> 00:06:29.959 And he went into her. 00:06:30.560 --> 00:06:33.500 The Gazites were told, Samson has come here. 00:06:33.920 --> 00:06:37.839 And they surrounded the place and set an ambush for him all night at the gate of the city. 00:06:38.300 --> 00:06:42.259 They kept quiet all night, saying, let us wait till the light of the morning, 00:06:42.540 --> 00:06:43.660 and then we will kill him. 00:06:43.660 --> 00:06:46.400 But Samson lay till midnight. 00:06:46.920 --> 00:06:51.500 And at midnight he arose and took hold of the doors of the gate of the city and the two posts 00:06:51.500 --> 00:06:54.820 and pulled them up, bar and all, and put them on his shoulders 00:06:54.820 --> 00:06:58.640 and carried them to the top of the hill that is in front of Hebron. 00:06:58.639 --> 00:07:03.919 Now, here's what's going on in the story. 00:07:04.120 --> 00:07:05.539 It's very, very important. 00:07:07.459 --> 00:07:09.979 The Philistines hate Samson. 00:07:10.419 --> 00:07:12.060 They keep attacking him. 00:07:12.159 --> 00:07:13.279 They're trying to find him. 00:07:13.360 --> 00:07:14.419 They want to kill him. 00:07:15.319 --> 00:07:20.120 And Samson goes right into one of their principal cities, 00:07:20.360 --> 00:07:24.000 inside a walled city with a closed gate. 00:07:24.000 --> 00:07:31.019 And he goes there just because he wants to satisfy his desire for sexual intercourse. 00:07:32.980 --> 00:07:37.759 I mean, this is an unbelievably foolish and reckless thing to do. 00:07:38.800 --> 00:07:44.160 And it comes, it's a little bit of a picture, a window into the soul of Samson. 00:07:44.920 --> 00:07:47.620 Samson is arrogant in his power, 00:07:48.040 --> 00:07:52.680 and he believes he is too strong to ever fail, 00:07:52.680 --> 00:07:56.180 too strong to ever be defeated, 00:07:56.699 --> 00:08:00.019 too strong to ever have his world collapse. 00:08:01.959 --> 00:08:04.939 And the story shows his great strength. 00:08:06.120 --> 00:08:11.019 The archaeological evidence from the time period suggests that in a walled city like this, 00:08:11.560 --> 00:08:13.819 the gates were two stories high. 00:08:14.519 --> 00:08:15.840 So I don't know how high that would be. 00:08:15.879 --> 00:08:19.399 It might be at the top of the arch here from the bottom to the arch. 00:08:19.399 --> 00:08:21.439 Two huge gates. 00:08:21.759 --> 00:08:24.359 And he picks them up and he carries them 75 kilometers. 00:08:27.039 --> 00:08:30.979 It's an unbelievable, well, I shouldn't say unbelievable. 00:08:31.259 --> 00:08:33.379 It's an immense feat of strength. 00:08:34.519 --> 00:08:40.259 And for his attackers, it must have just been a jaw-dropping, 00:08:41.079 --> 00:08:48.779 gobsmacking, mind-blowing demonstration of his great power. 00:08:48.779 --> 00:08:51.839 Which is why they don't attack him. 00:08:52.419 --> 00:08:53.860 They just look at this. 00:08:54.019 --> 00:08:58.740 He just rips these massive gates out of the way they're held 00:08:58.740 --> 00:09:05.480 and carries them 75 kilometers and drops them in the middle of a Jewish majority area. 00:09:06.339 --> 00:09:12.199 And in doing this, he's also completely and utterly humiliated the principal city of the Philistines. 00:09:12.200 --> 00:09:18.860 A walled city without a gate is, in a sense, defenseless. 00:09:19.800 --> 00:09:24.960 He's shamed them, he's humiliated them, and he's profoundly weakened them 00:09:24.960 --> 00:09:29.360 until they're able to finally try to get those gates either back 00:09:29.360 --> 00:09:32.480 or fix them themselves back and fix them. 00:09:32.480 --> 00:09:39.840 So part of the story is showing the fact is he does have this unbelievable strength and power, 00:09:40.560 --> 00:09:44.379 yet at the same time that goes with it, he has this arrogant belief 00:09:44.379 --> 00:09:48.879 that he is too strong to fail, too strong to be defeated, 00:09:49.580 --> 00:09:53.580 too strong to ever have his world collapse. 00:09:54.039 --> 00:09:57.080 And because he is so strong and so powerful, 00:09:57.080 --> 00:10:01.060 he can do whatever he wants in his own world. 00:10:01.220 --> 00:10:04.259 And if he feels like going into a walled city of his enemies 00:10:04.259 --> 00:10:08.379 because he has a sexual need that he wants to gratify with a prostitute, 00:10:08.480 --> 00:10:09.100 he'll do it. 00:10:11.500 --> 00:10:14.620 And to common morality and to God be, 00:10:15.160 --> 00:10:19.480 well, I don't care because I'm strong, I'm powerful, 00:10:19.639 --> 00:10:21.300 and my world will never collapse. 00:10:21.299 --> 00:10:28.419 It's in this context, you see, one of the things which is so wise about the Bible 00:10:28.419 --> 00:10:34.259 is the Bible continues to have these profound stories that are, 00:10:34.500 --> 00:10:39.919 if we read them, are meditations upon the mystery of arrogance 00:10:39.919 --> 00:10:42.839 and the mystery of strength and the mystery of power. 00:10:43.859 --> 00:10:48.059 They're profound meditations and stories which help us to think 00:10:48.059 --> 00:10:52.779 about arrogance and power and people who don't think their world can collapse. 00:10:53.559 --> 00:10:57.139 So right after this remarkable display of strength, 00:10:59.039 --> 00:11:00.939 Delilah is introduced. 00:11:02.079 --> 00:11:02.839 Verse 4, 00:11:03.619 --> 00:11:06.259 After this, he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek, 00:11:06.419 --> 00:11:08.979 which is in Philistine-majority territory, 00:11:09.119 --> 00:11:10.139 whose name was Delilah. 00:11:10.979 --> 00:11:14.500 And the lords of the Philistines came up to her and said to her, 00:11:14.500 --> 00:11:18.039 seduce him and see where his great strength lies 00:11:18.039 --> 00:11:20.379 and by what means we may overpower him, 00:11:20.799 --> 00:11:23.879 that we may bind him to humble him. 00:11:24.480 --> 00:11:27.120 And we will each give you 1,100 pieces of silver. 00:11:27.820 --> 00:11:29.360 So Delilah said to Samson, 00:11:29.440 --> 00:11:31.440 please tell me where your great strength lies 00:11:31.440 --> 00:11:33.240 and how you might be bound, 00:11:33.720 --> 00:11:34.960 that one could subdue you. 00:11:35.919 --> 00:11:37.440 And in the original language, 00:11:37.440 --> 00:11:41.760 it's very clear that there are five principal tribes 00:11:41.760 --> 00:11:45.380 or movements or centers of Philistine power, 00:11:45.680 --> 00:11:47.580 and it's describing all of them. 00:11:47.680 --> 00:11:49.060 So it's all five of the lords, 00:11:49.140 --> 00:11:52.540 and whatever sub-lords and under-lords that there are, 00:11:52.700 --> 00:11:54.260 it's the lords as a whole 00:11:54.260 --> 00:11:57.280 of all of the Philistines who come together 00:11:57.280 --> 00:11:59.220 to speak to Delilah 00:11:59.220 --> 00:12:00.760 to see if they can figure out a way 00:12:00.760 --> 00:12:02.840 to overcome him. 00:12:03.220 --> 00:12:05.440 So he thinks he's too powerful 00:12:05.440 --> 00:12:06.820 and too strong to collapse, 00:12:07.000 --> 00:12:09.380 but he doesn't realize that his doom is upon him. 00:12:10.600 --> 00:12:13.780 It begins as yet just another sexual conquest 00:12:13.780 --> 00:12:14.640 on his part. 00:12:16.140 --> 00:12:18.540 He doesn't think of Delilah seducing him. 00:12:18.660 --> 00:12:22.800 He thinks of it as yet another sexual conquest 00:12:22.800 --> 00:12:27.180 to satisfy his appetites. 00:12:28.320 --> 00:12:29.540 Well, what happens? 00:12:30.020 --> 00:12:31.700 We're just going to read the first one 00:12:31.700 --> 00:12:35.040 because, and we're not going to read all three of them, 00:12:35.039 --> 00:12:39.459 but there comes to be three different sort of moments 00:12:39.459 --> 00:12:41.339 with Samson and Delilah 00:12:41.339 --> 00:12:44.000 where Delilah bugs Samson. 00:12:44.240 --> 00:12:45.419 Well, let's look at this story, 00:12:45.500 --> 00:12:46.539 and I'll tell you what they are. 00:12:47.159 --> 00:12:48.459 Samson said to her, verse 7, 00:12:48.519 --> 00:12:51.039 if they bind me with seven fresh bowstrings, 00:12:51.740 --> 00:12:52.319 blah, blah, blah, blah, 00:12:52.379 --> 00:12:53.939 bowstrings that have not been dried, 00:12:54.519 --> 00:12:56.860 then I shall become weak and be like any other man. 00:12:56.919 --> 00:12:58.259 And if you go on later on, 00:12:58.419 --> 00:13:00.039 it's going to be the same thing happens. 00:13:00.039 --> 00:13:03.740 Next, it's going to be if you take some ropes 00:13:03.740 --> 00:13:05.079 that have never been used, 00:13:05.120 --> 00:13:06.919 and then after that is if you weave my hair 00:13:06.919 --> 00:13:09.139 in a certain way and hold it with a certain type of pin. 00:13:09.500 --> 00:13:10.919 But it's always the same thing. 00:13:11.679 --> 00:13:13.599 So he says if you do all of these things, 00:13:13.819 --> 00:13:15.299 and here's the really important thing. 00:13:15.339 --> 00:13:16.439 It's going to be important later on, 00:13:16.480 --> 00:13:17.059 and I'll mention it, 00:13:17.099 --> 00:13:18.839 but notice what he says again in verse 7. 00:13:18.919 --> 00:13:20.779 If they bind me with seven fresh bowstrings 00:13:20.779 --> 00:13:22.139 that have not been dried, 00:13:22.339 --> 00:13:25.480 then I shall become weak and be like any other man. 00:13:25.480 --> 00:13:27.960 This phrase is going to be repeated four times. 00:13:28.139 --> 00:13:30.800 I shall become weak and be like any other man. 00:13:32.980 --> 00:13:34.399 But she goes ahead. 00:13:35.180 --> 00:13:35.840 Verse 8, 00:13:35.899 --> 00:13:38.039 Then the lords of the Philistines brought up to her 00:13:38.039 --> 00:13:40.460 seven fresh bowstrings that had not been dried, 00:13:40.620 --> 00:13:42.759 just as they'll later on bring ropes 00:13:42.759 --> 00:13:46.120 and a man to weave his hair. 00:13:46.560 --> 00:13:47.840 And she bound him with them. 00:13:47.960 --> 00:13:50.680 Now she had men lying in ambush in an inner chamber, 00:13:50.680 --> 00:13:51.600 and she said to him, 00:13:51.779 --> 00:13:53.800 The Philistines are upon you, Samson. 00:13:53.799 --> 00:13:56.679 But he snapped the bowstrings as a thread of flax 00:13:56.679 --> 00:13:58.299 snaps when it touches the fire, 00:13:58.459 --> 00:14:00.699 so the secret of his strength was not known. 00:14:01.240 --> 00:14:02.719 And this thing's going to happen three times. 00:14:02.839 --> 00:14:03.439 And once again, 00:14:03.759 --> 00:14:05.479 see this is where the Bible is this, 00:14:05.740 --> 00:14:07.000 through this simple story, 00:14:07.179 --> 00:14:10.039 it invites us to enter into a profound meditation 00:14:10.039 --> 00:14:13.599 upon arrogance and power 00:14:13.599 --> 00:14:19.120 and the blindness that comes with arrogance and power. 00:14:19.120 --> 00:14:22.940 Like, for any single one of us, 00:14:23.000 --> 00:14:23.879 if we had a friend, 00:14:24.740 --> 00:14:27.480 and they told you of the first story, 00:14:27.679 --> 00:14:28.419 you'd say to them, 00:14:28.720 --> 00:14:29.340 one moment, 00:14:29.600 --> 00:14:30.919 like, time out. 00:14:31.940 --> 00:14:33.899 Your girlfriend or your boyfriend, 00:14:34.940 --> 00:14:38.159 they tried to weasel out 00:14:38.159 --> 00:14:40.580 one of the deepest secrets of your life, 00:14:40.679 --> 00:14:42.940 and then they used it to betray you, 00:14:42.940 --> 00:14:46.460 so that people could capture you 00:14:46.460 --> 00:14:48.740 and destroy you? 00:14:50.360 --> 00:14:53.560 And then the next day you went back to her or him? 00:14:54.760 --> 00:14:56.480 Like, what's wrong with this picture? 00:14:56.480 --> 00:15:01.700 You see, 00:15:02.240 --> 00:15:03.539 Samson's arrogance 00:15:03.539 --> 00:15:05.600 and his belief in his power 00:15:05.600 --> 00:15:08.200 is making him weak. 00:15:11.180 --> 00:15:12.879 So if you just skip down, 00:15:14.200 --> 00:15:17.420 skip down after it's happened three times 00:15:17.420 --> 00:15:19.259 and we skip down to verse 15, 00:15:19.639 --> 00:15:20.960 and here's how it goes. 00:15:22.680 --> 00:15:24.340 I have to turn the page. 00:15:24.340 --> 00:15:26.320 So now, 00:15:26.560 --> 00:15:27.680 verse 15, 00:15:27.980 --> 00:15:28.860 and she said to him 00:15:28.860 --> 00:15:30.360 after the third time 00:15:30.360 --> 00:15:31.540 that it hasn't worked, 00:15:31.980 --> 00:15:33.139 how can you say I love you 00:15:33.139 --> 00:15:34.639 when your heart is not with me? 00:15:34.759 --> 00:15:36.600 You have mocked me these three times 00:15:36.600 --> 00:15:37.660 and you have not told me 00:15:37.660 --> 00:15:39.160 where your great strength lies. 00:15:39.720 --> 00:15:42.019 And when she pressed him hard with her words 00:15:42.019 --> 00:15:42.740 day after day 00:15:42.740 --> 00:15:43.480 and urged him, 00:15:43.560 --> 00:15:46.300 his soul was vexed to death. 00:15:47.100 --> 00:15:48.220 And he told her all his heart 00:15:48.220 --> 00:15:49.340 and said to her, 00:15:49.920 --> 00:15:52.019 a razor has never come upon my head, 00:15:52.139 --> 00:15:53.740 for I have been a Nazarite to God 00:15:53.740 --> 00:15:54.759 from my mother's womb. 00:15:55.539 --> 00:15:56.680 If my head is shaved, 00:15:56.759 --> 00:15:58.279 then my strength will leave me 00:15:58.279 --> 00:15:59.980 and I shall become weak 00:15:59.980 --> 00:16:00.960 the fourth time 00:16:00.960 --> 00:16:02.299 and I shall become weak 00:16:02.299 --> 00:16:03.980 and be like any other man. 00:16:05.039 --> 00:16:05.440 Now, 00:16:05.500 --> 00:16:06.919 one of the things here about this, 00:16:07.000 --> 00:16:07.799 we're going to talk about this 00:16:07.799 --> 00:16:08.620 a tiny bit more. 00:16:09.879 --> 00:16:10.560 It's not, 00:16:10.740 --> 00:16:12.759 we shouldn't believe Samson here 00:16:12.759 --> 00:16:15.340 because the fact of the matter is 00:16:15.340 --> 00:16:16.519 is that he's been violating 00:16:16.519 --> 00:16:18.340 his Nazarite vows constantly. 00:16:18.799 --> 00:16:19.000 I mean, 00:16:19.080 --> 00:16:19.940 the fact of the matter is 00:16:19.940 --> 00:16:21.680 he's having sex with a woman 00:16:21.680 --> 00:16:22.700 he's not married with, 00:16:22.820 --> 00:16:23.660 which violates 00:16:23.660 --> 00:16:25.600 his Nazarite vows. 00:16:26.220 --> 00:16:27.260 He's been drinking 00:16:27.260 --> 00:16:28.200 and getting drunk 00:16:28.200 --> 00:16:29.380 and he's been not only, 00:16:29.660 --> 00:16:30.360 how do we know 00:16:30.360 --> 00:16:31.980 he's got to touch dead bodies? 00:16:32.060 --> 00:16:33.440 Because he killed the people 00:16:33.440 --> 00:16:34.780 and you can't kill them 00:16:34.780 --> 00:16:36.660 without touching a dead body. 00:16:37.020 --> 00:16:37.160 Like, 00:16:37.380 --> 00:16:38.420 his whole life 00:16:38.420 --> 00:16:39.600 has been a complete 00:16:39.600 --> 00:16:39.980 and utter 00:16:39.980 --> 00:16:42.560 disregard of the Nazarite vows 00:16:42.560 --> 00:16:43.800 and it's not as if, 00:16:44.080 --> 00:16:45.320 this story isn't as if, 00:16:45.420 --> 00:16:45.940 isn't about, 00:16:45.940 --> 00:16:47.760 that it isn't a story 00:16:47.760 --> 00:16:48.560 about religion. 00:16:48.900 --> 00:16:49.160 You see, 00:16:49.260 --> 00:16:50.460 how religion works 00:16:50.460 --> 00:16:51.380 is it's all right 00:16:51.380 --> 00:16:52.260 if you do this 00:16:52.260 --> 00:16:52.900 and you do this 00:16:52.900 --> 00:16:53.360 and you do this 00:16:53.360 --> 00:16:54.960 but you can't get your hair cut. 00:16:55.400 --> 00:16:55.820 What? 00:16:56.840 --> 00:16:57.040 Like, 00:16:57.060 --> 00:16:58.280 that's not what the Bible teaches. 00:16:59.340 --> 00:17:01.180 That God's sort of happy with him 00:17:01.180 --> 00:17:02.880 or doesn't have any consequences 00:17:02.880 --> 00:17:03.660 to his action 00:17:03.660 --> 00:17:04.920 but if he gets his hair cut 00:17:04.920 --> 00:17:05.580 then there's consequences. 00:17:05.860 --> 00:17:06.259 No. 00:17:07.059 --> 00:17:08.059 It's going to become obvious 00:17:08.059 --> 00:17:09.039 in the next little bit. 00:17:09.700 --> 00:17:10.559 Look what happens. 00:17:12.220 --> 00:17:13.160 I move it along. 00:17:13.460 --> 00:17:13.900 Andrew, 00:17:13.980 --> 00:17:15.380 help me if I didn't move it correctly 00:17:15.380 --> 00:17:16.020 because sometimes 00:17:16.020 --> 00:17:17.200 I press the button 00:17:17.200 --> 00:17:18.000 and it doesn't work. 00:17:18.580 --> 00:17:19.340 So what happens? 00:17:19.820 --> 00:17:20.700 He tells her 00:17:20.700 --> 00:17:22.280 what he thinks is going on 00:17:22.280 --> 00:17:24.160 and then in verse 18, 00:17:24.700 --> 00:17:25.540 when Delilah saw 00:17:25.540 --> 00:17:26.540 that he had told her 00:17:26.540 --> 00:17:27.120 all his heart, 00:17:27.260 --> 00:17:28.040 she sent and called 00:17:28.040 --> 00:17:29.400 the lords of the Philistines 00:17:29.400 --> 00:17:30.360 saying, 00:17:31.020 --> 00:17:31.700 come up again 00:17:31.700 --> 00:17:32.620 for he has told me 00:17:32.620 --> 00:17:33.300 all his heart. 00:17:34.680 --> 00:17:34.900 Now, 00:17:35.000 --> 00:17:35.720 he has told her 00:17:35.720 --> 00:17:36.120 all his heart, 00:17:36.200 --> 00:17:36.580 by the way, 00:17:37.420 --> 00:17:38.340 but that's, 00:17:38.560 --> 00:17:39.660 it's not dependent 00:17:39.660 --> 00:17:40.820 upon that. 00:17:41.560 --> 00:17:42.400 Then the lords 00:17:42.400 --> 00:17:43.080 of the Philistines 00:17:43.080 --> 00:17:43.880 came up to her 00:17:43.880 --> 00:17:44.880 and brought the money 00:17:44.880 --> 00:17:45.620 in their hands. 00:17:46.160 --> 00:17:47.160 She made him sleep 00:17:47.160 --> 00:17:47.960 on her knees 00:17:47.960 --> 00:17:49.800 and she called a man 00:17:49.800 --> 00:17:51.040 and had him shave off 00:17:51.040 --> 00:17:51.840 the seven locks 00:17:51.840 --> 00:17:52.460 of his head. 00:17:53.240 --> 00:17:54.080 Then she began 00:17:54.080 --> 00:17:55.000 to torment him 00:17:55.000 --> 00:17:55.740 and his strength 00:17:55.740 --> 00:17:56.320 left him. 00:17:57.600 --> 00:17:58.480 And she said, 00:17:58.580 --> 00:17:59.200 the Philistines 00:17:59.200 --> 00:18:00.140 are upon you, 00:18:01.280 --> 00:18:01.740 Samson. 00:18:02.160 --> 00:18:02.900 And he woke 00:18:02.900 --> 00:18:03.480 from his sleep 00:18:03.480 --> 00:18:03.840 and said, 00:18:03.880 --> 00:18:04.700 I will go out 00:18:04.700 --> 00:18:06.120 as at other times 00:18:06.120 --> 00:18:07.360 and shake myself free. 00:18:07.980 --> 00:18:09.260 But he did not know 00:18:09.259 --> 00:18:10.640 that the Lord 00:18:10.640 --> 00:18:12.000 had left him. 00:18:13.119 --> 00:18:13.539 Now, 00:18:13.579 --> 00:18:14.539 just sort of notice here 00:18:14.539 --> 00:18:15.599 how the story works. 00:18:15.859 --> 00:18:17.059 It isn't when his hair 00:18:17.059 --> 00:18:17.579 is cut 00:18:17.579 --> 00:18:18.259 that his strength 00:18:18.259 --> 00:18:18.839 leaves him. 00:18:21.839 --> 00:18:23.259 It's after his hair 00:18:23.259 --> 00:18:23.779 is cut 00:18:23.779 --> 00:18:25.640 as she torments him. 00:18:28.220 --> 00:18:29.440 And then we discover 00:18:29.440 --> 00:18:31.660 that it's all about 00:18:31.660 --> 00:18:32.740 the Lord leaving him, 00:18:33.099 --> 00:18:33.779 that his strength 00:18:33.779 --> 00:18:34.220 is gone. 00:18:35.220 --> 00:18:36.039 So the fact of the matter 00:18:36.039 --> 00:18:36.500 is, 00:18:36.539 --> 00:18:37.519 is his great strength 00:18:37.519 --> 00:18:38.440 was never his. 00:18:39.599 --> 00:18:40.619 It was never his. 00:18:41.039 --> 00:18:42.440 It was the Lord's presence 00:18:42.440 --> 00:18:43.500 that made him strong. 00:18:43.619 --> 00:18:44.619 It was the Lord's blessing. 00:18:44.759 --> 00:18:45.700 It was the Lord's gift. 00:18:46.200 --> 00:18:47.000 It was the Lord's 00:18:47.000 --> 00:18:48.379 undeserved favor 00:18:48.379 --> 00:18:49.019 to him 00:18:49.019 --> 00:18:49.980 that made him strong. 00:18:50.539 --> 00:18:51.759 He was made strong 00:18:51.759 --> 00:18:53.160 so he would deliver Israel 00:18:53.160 --> 00:18:54.680 and he has not done that 00:18:54.680 --> 00:18:55.359 with his strength. 00:18:55.460 --> 00:18:56.480 He's used his strength 00:18:56.480 --> 00:18:57.599 to show off, 00:18:57.680 --> 00:18:58.359 to be arrogant. 00:18:59.180 --> 00:18:59.900 And his strength 00:18:59.900 --> 00:19:00.740 has led him, 00:19:01.079 --> 00:19:02.200 the blessing of God 00:19:02.200 --> 00:19:03.039 has led him 00:19:03.039 --> 00:19:03.859 to the belief 00:19:03.859 --> 00:19:04.379 that he, 00:19:04.500 --> 00:19:05.079 his world, 00:19:05.240 --> 00:19:06.500 can never collapse. 00:19:06.500 --> 00:19:08.299 He can never be defeated. 00:19:08.460 --> 00:19:10.339 His plans will always work. 00:19:10.960 --> 00:19:12.279 And the Lord's blessing 00:19:12.279 --> 00:19:13.220 has led him 00:19:13.220 --> 00:19:14.420 to puff himself up 00:19:14.420 --> 00:19:15.319 in such a way 00:19:15.319 --> 00:19:17.440 without ever understanding 00:19:17.440 --> 00:19:18.359 that it came from the Lord, 00:19:18.460 --> 00:19:19.059 not from him. 00:19:19.119 --> 00:19:20.319 And the fact of the matter is, 00:19:20.339 --> 00:19:21.019 is he is weak 00:19:21.019 --> 00:19:22.039 like any other man. 00:19:23.019 --> 00:19:24.279 He is frail 00:19:24.279 --> 00:19:25.180 and mortal 00:19:25.180 --> 00:19:26.859 like every other 00:19:26.859 --> 00:19:27.980 human being. 00:19:29.240 --> 00:19:30.500 And so the hair is cut, 00:19:31.500 --> 00:19:32.640 she torments him, 00:19:33.160 --> 00:19:34.519 then the spirit leaves, 00:19:34.519 --> 00:19:35.839 and then we discover 00:19:35.839 --> 00:19:36.440 the reason 00:19:36.440 --> 00:19:38.039 is that the Lord 00:19:38.039 --> 00:19:39.160 has left him. 00:19:40.119 --> 00:19:41.059 And then we see 00:19:41.059 --> 00:19:43.859 the terrible state 00:19:43.859 --> 00:19:45.220 that his arrogance 00:19:45.220 --> 00:19:46.740 has brought him. 00:19:47.339 --> 00:19:49.099 Look at verse 21. 00:19:50.099 --> 00:19:50.980 And the Philistines 00:19:50.980 --> 00:19:52.059 seized him 00:19:52.059 --> 00:19:54.339 and gouged out his eyes 00:19:54.339 --> 00:19:55.859 and brought him down 00:19:55.859 --> 00:19:56.500 to Gaza 00:19:56.500 --> 00:19:58.400 and bound him 00:19:58.400 --> 00:20:00.059 with bronze shackles 00:20:00.059 --> 00:20:01.639 and he ground 00:20:01.639 --> 00:20:02.179 at the mill 00:20:02.179 --> 00:20:02.799 and the prison. 00:20:04.039 --> 00:20:05.339 But the hair of his head 00:20:05.339 --> 00:20:06.460 began to grow again 00:20:06.460 --> 00:20:07.720 after it had been shaved. 00:20:08.980 --> 00:20:09.859 Now once again, 00:20:09.940 --> 00:20:11.039 the issue isn't the hair. 00:20:13.099 --> 00:20:14.179 The issue here is, 00:20:14.679 --> 00:20:15.359 those some of you 00:20:15.359 --> 00:20:15.839 might remember 00:20:15.839 --> 00:20:16.419 if you heard me 00:20:16.419 --> 00:20:17.319 preach last week, 00:20:17.379 --> 00:20:18.019 is that if you look 00:20:18.019 --> 00:20:20.039 at the chapter 14 and 15, 00:20:20.200 --> 00:20:21.019 nobody comes out 00:20:21.019 --> 00:20:21.700 good in the stories. 00:20:21.839 --> 00:20:22.299 The Philistines 00:20:22.299 --> 00:20:23.259 don't come out good either. 00:20:23.359 --> 00:20:24.079 It's not as if 00:20:24.079 --> 00:20:25.379 this is a story 00:20:25.379 --> 00:20:26.980 about these nasty Israelites 00:20:26.980 --> 00:20:28.299 or this powerful Israelite 00:20:28.299 --> 00:20:29.000 and the Philistines 00:20:29.000 --> 00:20:29.599 are all very, 00:20:29.700 --> 00:20:30.740 very humble and godly. 00:20:30.799 --> 00:20:32.039 No, everybody in that story 00:20:32.039 --> 00:20:32.799 looks terrible. 00:20:33.359 --> 00:20:34.559 And the same thing is here. 00:20:35.740 --> 00:20:36.759 As we're going to see, 00:20:36.919 --> 00:20:37.619 this thing about 00:20:37.619 --> 00:20:38.819 the hair growing long 00:20:38.819 --> 00:20:39.899 is a bridge thing 00:20:39.899 --> 00:20:40.460 which is what's going 00:20:40.460 --> 00:20:41.299 to happen next 00:20:41.299 --> 00:20:42.359 and it shows 00:20:42.359 --> 00:20:43.740 that in fact 00:20:43.740 --> 00:20:45.159 the Philistines 00:20:45.159 --> 00:20:46.940 are just as arrogant 00:20:46.940 --> 00:20:48.200 and believe 00:20:48.200 --> 00:20:49.399 that their God 00:20:49.399 --> 00:20:50.139 means that 00:20:50.139 --> 00:20:51.440 they have a God 00:20:51.440 --> 00:20:52.859 that gives them power 00:20:52.859 --> 00:20:53.839 which means that 00:20:53.839 --> 00:20:54.579 their world 00:20:54.579 --> 00:20:55.519 won't collapse. 00:20:56.940 --> 00:20:57.799 And so they can be 00:20:57.799 --> 00:20:58.759 completely and utterly 00:20:58.759 --> 00:21:00.139 disregarding of things 00:21:00.139 --> 00:21:00.619 like hair. 00:21:00.720 --> 00:21:00.980 Why? 00:21:01.139 --> 00:21:01.500 Because, 00:21:01.839 --> 00:21:02.419 as we're going to see 00:21:02.419 --> 00:21:02.759 in a moment, 00:21:02.859 --> 00:21:03.619 it's because they have 00:21:03.619 --> 00:21:05.220 a far more powerful God 00:21:05.220 --> 00:21:06.960 and they're far more powerful 00:21:06.960 --> 00:21:07.919 and technologically 00:21:07.919 --> 00:21:09.000 advanced people 00:21:09.000 --> 00:21:10.379 and so their world 00:21:10.379 --> 00:21:11.319 can never collapse. 00:21:11.440 --> 00:21:12.259 They will ultimately 00:21:12.259 --> 00:21:13.639 triumph over all 00:21:13.639 --> 00:21:14.139 of their enemies 00:21:14.139 --> 00:21:14.779 and this text 00:21:14.779 --> 00:21:15.339 is a bridge 00:21:15.339 --> 00:21:16.319 not to make you think 00:21:16.319 --> 00:21:17.240 there's something magic 00:21:17.240 --> 00:21:18.240 about long hair 00:21:18.240 --> 00:21:21.119 but to show 00:21:21.119 --> 00:21:22.139 that the arrogance 00:21:22.139 --> 00:21:23.399 and the problem 00:21:23.399 --> 00:21:24.619 of believing 00:21:24.619 --> 00:21:25.419 that your world 00:21:25.419 --> 00:21:26.519 can never collapse 00:21:26.519 --> 00:21:27.759 is a human problem. 00:21:28.960 --> 00:21:30.139 It's a human problem. 00:21:32.779 --> 00:21:34.339 See what happens next. 00:21:36.079 --> 00:21:36.599 Verses, 00:21:37.339 --> 00:21:38.579 so Samson's humble. 00:21:38.700 --> 00:21:39.440 Verse 23. 00:21:40.299 --> 00:21:40.900 Now the lords 00:21:40.900 --> 00:21:41.660 of the Philistines, 00:21:41.759 --> 00:21:42.480 it's the same type 00:21:42.480 --> 00:21:42.980 of idea 00:21:42.980 --> 00:21:43.859 that I mentioned earlier 00:21:43.859 --> 00:21:44.480 with Delilah. 00:21:44.660 --> 00:21:45.619 It's all of the lords 00:21:45.619 --> 00:21:46.660 and the underlords. 00:21:47.180 --> 00:21:48.279 The lords of the Philistines 00:21:48.279 --> 00:21:48.799 gathered 00:21:48.799 --> 00:21:50.599 to offer a great sacrifice 00:21:50.599 --> 00:21:51.259 to Dagon, 00:21:51.759 --> 00:21:52.379 their God, 00:21:52.460 --> 00:21:53.139 and to rejoice 00:21:53.140 --> 00:21:53.980 and they said, 00:21:54.660 --> 00:21:55.500 just by the way, 00:21:55.540 --> 00:21:56.480 just before I read this, 00:21:57.180 --> 00:21:57.460 you know, 00:21:57.860 --> 00:21:59.180 you don't have to read 00:21:59.180 --> 00:22:00.240 Christopher Hitchens 00:22:00.240 --> 00:22:01.520 to have a great critique 00:22:01.520 --> 00:22:02.180 of religion. 00:22:02.440 --> 00:22:03.520 The best critique 00:22:03.520 --> 00:22:04.100 of religion 00:22:04.100 --> 00:22:04.680 in the world 00:22:04.680 --> 00:22:05.440 is the Bible. 00:22:06.160 --> 00:22:06.800 The Bible 00:22:06.800 --> 00:22:08.520 constantly critiques 00:22:08.520 --> 00:22:09.259 religion 00:22:09.259 --> 00:22:11.259 and here's how 00:22:11.259 --> 00:22:12.180 it critiques religion. 00:22:12.280 --> 00:22:13.160 Just listen to it. 00:22:14.220 --> 00:22:15.480 I'll read verse 23 again. 00:22:15.580 --> 00:22:16.080 Now the lords 00:22:16.080 --> 00:22:17.100 of the Philistines, 00:22:17.460 --> 00:22:18.800 now the lords 00:22:18.800 --> 00:22:19.380 of the Philistines 00:22:19.380 --> 00:22:20.480 gathered together 00:22:20.480 --> 00:22:21.880 to offer a great sacrifice 00:22:21.880 --> 00:22:22.480 to Dagon, 00:22:23.180 --> 00:22:23.720 their God, 00:22:23.780 --> 00:22:24.280 and to rejoice. 00:22:24.400 --> 00:22:24.860 They said, 00:22:25.840 --> 00:22:26.680 our God 00:22:26.680 --> 00:22:29.040 has given Samson 00:22:29.040 --> 00:22:30.420 our enemy 00:22:30.420 --> 00:22:32.040 into our hand. 00:22:34.000 --> 00:22:34.720 You know, 00:22:34.760 --> 00:22:35.260 because religion 00:22:35.260 --> 00:22:35.780 is just used 00:22:35.780 --> 00:22:36.600 for your own power. 00:22:37.440 --> 00:22:38.120 That's why 00:22:38.120 --> 00:22:39.080 they worship Dagon 00:22:39.080 --> 00:22:40.520 because he makes 00:22:40.520 --> 00:22:41.440 them more powerful. 00:22:42.000 --> 00:22:42.500 They think 00:22:42.500 --> 00:22:43.340 they're special. 00:22:44.080 --> 00:22:45.020 Isn't that the critique 00:22:45.020 --> 00:22:46.020 of Christopher Hitchens? 00:22:46.300 --> 00:22:47.180 People believe 00:22:47.180 --> 00:22:48.280 these fairy tales 00:22:48.280 --> 00:22:49.080 about gods 00:22:49.080 --> 00:22:50.620 but it's all about hypocrisy. 00:22:50.619 --> 00:22:51.899 It's all about their power. 00:22:52.039 --> 00:22:52.500 It's all about 00:22:52.500 --> 00:22:53.079 looking down 00:22:53.079 --> 00:22:54.119 their nose of people 00:22:54.119 --> 00:22:55.619 and that's just 00:22:55.619 --> 00:22:56.719 what the Bible's teaching. 00:22:56.979 --> 00:22:57.959 It's revealing 00:22:57.959 --> 00:22:59.479 the religious spirit, 00:23:00.039 --> 00:23:01.359 the spiritual spirit 00:23:01.359 --> 00:23:03.679 of the human problem. 00:23:04.839 --> 00:23:05.539 And it's emphasized. 00:23:05.739 --> 00:23:06.659 Look at verse 24. 00:23:06.819 --> 00:23:07.399 And when the people 00:23:07.399 --> 00:23:08.019 saw him, 00:23:08.099 --> 00:23:09.139 that's Samson, 00:23:09.519 --> 00:23:10.639 they praised their God 00:23:10.639 --> 00:23:11.479 for they said again, 00:23:11.659 --> 00:23:12.439 our God 00:23:12.439 --> 00:23:13.359 has given 00:23:13.359 --> 00:23:14.199 our enemy 00:23:14.199 --> 00:23:15.799 into our hand. 00:23:15.799 --> 00:23:18.519 the ravager 00:23:18.519 --> 00:23:19.299 of our country 00:23:19.299 --> 00:23:19.980 who has killed 00:23:19.980 --> 00:23:20.720 many of us 00:23:20.720 --> 00:23:22.200 and when their hearts 00:23:22.200 --> 00:23:22.720 were merry 00:23:22.720 --> 00:23:23.180 they said, 00:23:23.319 --> 00:23:24.059 call Samson 00:23:24.059 --> 00:23:25.500 that he may entertain us. 00:23:25.980 --> 00:23:27.000 So they called Samson 00:23:27.000 --> 00:23:27.759 out of the prison 00:23:27.759 --> 00:23:29.639 and he entertained them 00:23:29.639 --> 00:23:31.119 and they made him stand 00:23:31.119 --> 00:23:32.019 between the pillars 00:23:32.019 --> 00:23:32.659 in the very, 00:23:32.779 --> 00:23:33.879 very central place. 00:23:35.039 --> 00:23:36.139 So we here have 00:23:36.139 --> 00:23:37.200 in a very subtle way 00:23:37.200 --> 00:23:38.019 a critique 00:23:38.019 --> 00:23:39.299 of religion. 00:23:39.299 --> 00:23:43.019 And now we see this 00:23:43.019 --> 00:23:44.279 once again 00:23:44.279 --> 00:23:45.639 just as in Samson 00:23:45.639 --> 00:23:47.099 and he meets Delilah 00:23:47.099 --> 00:23:48.960 who's just a woman. 00:23:49.619 --> 00:23:49.839 I mean, 00:23:50.440 --> 00:23:51.759 this isn't being sexist 00:23:51.759 --> 00:23:52.559 but this is just 00:23:52.559 --> 00:23:53.339 imagine, 00:23:53.559 --> 00:23:54.500 like just imagine 00:23:54.500 --> 00:23:55.819 a guy who's strong enough. 00:23:56.839 --> 00:23:58.700 Just picture the most 00:23:58.700 --> 00:24:00.639 macho guys 00:24:00.639 --> 00:24:02.000 you see portrayed. 00:24:02.480 --> 00:24:04.039 A guy able to pick up 00:24:04.039 --> 00:24:05.740 two story things 00:24:05.740 --> 00:24:07.480 and carry them 75 kilometers. 00:24:07.859 --> 00:24:08.960 What does he have to worry about? 00:24:08.960 --> 00:24:09.579 A mere woman. 00:24:10.539 --> 00:24:11.400 Smaller than him. 00:24:11.480 --> 00:24:12.200 Weaker than him. 00:24:17.000 --> 00:24:18.420 And we see here 00:24:18.420 --> 00:24:19.380 that the lords 00:24:19.380 --> 00:24:20.160 of the Philistines 00:24:20.160 --> 00:24:20.880 do not know 00:24:20.880 --> 00:24:21.740 that their doom 00:24:21.740 --> 00:24:23.160 is upon them. 00:24:23.400 --> 00:24:25.100 They see a man 00:24:25.100 --> 00:24:26.340 who's weak 00:24:26.340 --> 00:24:27.440 like any other man 00:24:27.440 --> 00:24:28.920 who has had his eyes 00:24:28.920 --> 00:24:29.620 gouged out 00:24:29.620 --> 00:24:31.039 that they can humiliate him 00:24:31.039 --> 00:24:31.559 in public 00:24:31.559 --> 00:24:33.100 and they can make 00:24:33.100 --> 00:24:33.920 merry of him 00:24:33.920 --> 00:24:35.079 and they can laugh at him 00:24:35.079 --> 00:24:36.480 and they do not realize 00:24:36.480 --> 00:24:37.539 that their God 00:24:37.539 --> 00:24:38.539 is not real 00:24:38.539 --> 00:24:40.000 and their arrogance 00:24:40.000 --> 00:24:41.299 is masking 00:24:41.299 --> 00:24:42.619 the reality 00:24:42.619 --> 00:24:43.740 that they 00:24:43.740 --> 00:24:44.639 are weak 00:24:44.639 --> 00:24:45.619 and frail 00:24:45.619 --> 00:24:46.579 like every 00:24:46.579 --> 00:24:48.299 other human being. 00:24:48.299 --> 00:24:55.159 look what it says 00:24:55.159 --> 00:24:55.839 verse 00:24:55.839 --> 00:24:56.960 did I move it? 00:24:57.039 --> 00:24:57.359 26? 00:24:57.859 --> 00:24:58.059 Yes. 00:24:58.960 --> 00:25:00.059 And Samson said 00:25:00.059 --> 00:25:00.779 to the young man 00:25:00.779 --> 00:25:01.759 who held him by the hand 00:25:01.759 --> 00:25:02.980 let me feel the pillars 00:25:02.980 --> 00:25:04.220 on which the house rests 00:25:04.220 --> 00:25:06.119 that I may lean against them. 00:25:06.819 --> 00:25:07.759 The house was full 00:25:07.759 --> 00:25:08.419 of men and women 00:25:08.419 --> 00:25:09.279 all the lords 00:25:09.279 --> 00:25:10.000 of the Philistines 00:25:10.000 --> 00:25:10.419 were there 00:25:10.419 --> 00:25:11.019 and on the roof 00:25:11.019 --> 00:25:11.559 there were about 00:25:11.559 --> 00:25:13.279 3,000 men and women 00:25:13.279 --> 00:25:13.980 who looked on 00:25:13.980 --> 00:25:15.259 while Samson entertained. 00:25:15.259 --> 00:25:16.460 And to try to put it 00:25:16.460 --> 00:25:17.640 in the context of Canada 00:25:17.640 --> 00:25:18.879 it's imagine 00:25:18.879 --> 00:25:19.539 that you have 00:25:19.539 --> 00:25:20.519 the cabinet 00:25:20.519 --> 00:25:21.440 and in fact 00:25:21.440 --> 00:25:21.980 you have the house 00:25:21.980 --> 00:25:22.660 of commons 00:25:22.660 --> 00:25:23.440 you have the senate 00:25:23.440 --> 00:25:24.920 you have the supreme court 00:25:24.920 --> 00:25:26.660 you have the privy council 00:25:26.660 --> 00:25:29.160 you have the editors 00:25:29.160 --> 00:25:30.119 and the owners 00:25:30.119 --> 00:25:31.319 and the producers 00:25:31.319 --> 00:25:32.799 of the elite media 00:25:32.799 --> 00:25:34.259 you have the elite 00:25:34.259 --> 00:25:35.759 academics of the country 00:25:35.759 --> 00:25:36.720 you have the elite 00:25:36.720 --> 00:25:37.539 business people 00:25:37.539 --> 00:25:38.240 of the country 00:25:38.240 --> 00:25:39.559 and those are 00:25:39.559 --> 00:25:40.460 who are all there 00:25:40.460 --> 00:25:41.819 and not just for Gaza 00:25:41.819 --> 00:25:43.000 but for all five. 00:25:43.000 --> 00:25:45.240 all five 00:25:45.240 --> 00:25:46.680 of the centers 00:25:46.680 --> 00:25:47.619 of Philistine power 00:25:47.619 --> 00:25:48.339 they're all there 00:25:48.339 --> 00:25:51.140 and their key officials 00:25:51.140 --> 00:25:51.980 and their family 00:25:51.980 --> 00:25:53.140 3,000 of them 00:25:53.140 --> 00:25:54.640 all of the elites 00:25:54.640 --> 00:25:55.720 of the elite 00:25:55.720 --> 00:25:57.539 are all there 00:25:57.539 --> 00:25:59.940 to mock Samson. 00:26:01.200 --> 00:26:02.319 And now we have 00:26:02.319 --> 00:26:05.720 this very very simple 00:26:05.720 --> 00:26:08.920 and often very misunderstood verse. 00:26:08.920 --> 00:26:12.120 Then Samson called 00:26:12.120 --> 00:26:12.640 to the Lord 00:26:12.640 --> 00:26:13.180 and said 00:26:13.180 --> 00:26:14.580 O Lord God 00:26:14.580 --> 00:26:15.759 please remember me 00:26:15.759 --> 00:26:16.820 and please strengthen me 00:26:16.820 --> 00:26:17.700 only this once 00:26:17.700 --> 00:26:18.180 O God 00:26:18.180 --> 00:26:19.960 that I may be avenged 00:26:19.960 --> 00:26:20.900 on the Philistines 00:26:20.900 --> 00:26:22.660 from my two eyes. 00:26:23.279 --> 00:26:24.120 Now just before 00:26:24.120 --> 00:26:24.800 I try to open 00:26:24.800 --> 00:26:25.660 this text up 00:26:25.660 --> 00:26:28.120 and it's not going 00:26:28.120 --> 00:26:28.740 to be on the screen 00:26:28.740 --> 00:26:29.240 those of you 00:26:29.240 --> 00:26:30.100 who actually have 00:26:30.100 --> 00:26:31.259 Bibles in your hand 00:26:31.259 --> 00:26:33.460 turn to Hebrews chapter 11 00:26:33.460 --> 00:26:35.600 Hebrews chapter 11 00:26:35.600 --> 00:26:36.420 verse 32 00:26:36.420 --> 00:26:39.140 and I haven't talked 00:26:39.140 --> 00:26:39.900 about this at all 00:26:39.900 --> 00:26:40.640 but it's always been 00:26:40.640 --> 00:26:41.700 in the back of my mind 00:26:41.700 --> 00:26:42.140 and I knew 00:26:42.140 --> 00:26:43.300 as I was preparing these 00:26:43.300 --> 00:26:43.900 looking through 00:26:43.900 --> 00:26:44.740 the three stories 00:26:44.740 --> 00:26:45.460 of Samson 00:26:45.460 --> 00:26:45.980 that I was going 00:26:45.980 --> 00:26:46.740 to eventually deal 00:26:46.740 --> 00:26:47.120 with it 00:26:47.120 --> 00:26:48.640 and probably today 00:26:48.640 --> 00:26:49.340 and I am dealing 00:26:49.340 --> 00:26:49.980 with it today. 00:26:50.680 --> 00:26:51.279 Those of you 00:26:51.279 --> 00:26:51.820 who have remembered 00:26:51.820 --> 00:26:52.759 how I've summarized 00:26:52.759 --> 00:26:53.340 Samson 00:26:53.340 --> 00:26:54.440 how he uses his power 00:26:54.440 --> 00:26:55.600 to murder innocent people 00:26:55.600 --> 00:26:56.680 steal their clothes 00:26:56.680 --> 00:26:57.980 wage war 00:26:57.980 --> 00:26:59.620 how he's a despicable 00:26:59.620 --> 00:27:00.360 human being 00:27:00.360 --> 00:27:01.460 look at this 00:27:01.460 --> 00:27:02.580 very very odd verse 00:27:02.580 --> 00:27:03.620 Hebrews chapter 11 00:27:03.620 --> 00:27:04.460 verse 32 00:27:04.460 --> 00:27:06.420 and Hebrews chapter 11 00:27:06.420 --> 00:27:06.980 for those of you 00:27:06.980 --> 00:27:07.240 who don't know 00:27:07.240 --> 00:27:08.279 the Bible very well 00:27:08.279 --> 00:27:09.059 or you're just listening 00:27:09.059 --> 00:27:10.180 in for the first time 00:27:10.180 --> 00:27:11.600 because you're puzzled 00:27:11.600 --> 00:27:12.559 about the Christian faith 00:27:12.559 --> 00:27:13.220 Hebrews 11 00:27:13.220 --> 00:27:14.460 is the famous chapter 00:27:14.460 --> 00:27:16.200 on what faith is 00:27:16.200 --> 00:27:17.460 and heroes of the faith 00:27:17.460 --> 00:27:19.059 and look what it says 00:27:19.059 --> 00:27:20.620 and what more shall I say 00:27:20.620 --> 00:27:22.059 for time would fail 00:27:22.059 --> 00:27:22.700 to tell me 00:27:22.700 --> 00:27:23.200 he's talking about 00:27:23.200 --> 00:27:23.980 heroes of the faith 00:27:23.980 --> 00:27:25.059 of Gideon Barak 00:27:25.059 --> 00:27:26.059 Samson 00:27:26.059 --> 00:27:27.180 what? 00:27:28.340 --> 00:27:29.480 how does he make it 00:27:29.480 --> 00:27:30.140 on the list? 00:27:31.059 --> 00:27:32.180 this guy who murders 00:27:32.180 --> 00:27:33.200 innocent people 00:27:33.200 --> 00:27:35.640 heaps on the list? 00:27:38.259 --> 00:27:39.039 read it again 00:27:39.039 --> 00:27:39.880 for time would fail 00:27:39.880 --> 00:27:40.560 to tell me 00:27:40.560 --> 00:27:41.940 to tell of Gideon Barak 00:27:41.940 --> 00:27:43.080 Samson Jephthah 00:27:43.080 --> 00:27:44.160 David and Samuel 00:27:44.160 --> 00:27:44.880 and the prophets 00:27:44.880 --> 00:27:46.060 who through faith 00:27:46.060 --> 00:27:46.980 conquered kingdoms 00:27:46.980 --> 00:27:47.960 enforced justice 00:27:47.960 --> 00:27:48.960 obtained promises 00:27:48.960 --> 00:27:49.720 stopped the mouths 00:27:49.720 --> 00:27:50.299 of lions 00:27:50.299 --> 00:27:52.140 quenched the power 00:27:52.140 --> 00:27:52.640 of fire 00:27:52.640 --> 00:27:53.320 escaped the edge 00:27:53.320 --> 00:27:53.820 of the sword 00:27:53.820 --> 00:27:54.700 and here's the thing 00:27:54.700 --> 00:27:55.820 that refers to Samson 00:27:55.820 --> 00:27:57.180 we're made strong 00:27:57.180 --> 00:27:57.920 out of weakness 00:27:57.920 --> 00:28:00.640 we're made strong 00:28:00.640 --> 00:28:01.900 out of weakness 00:28:01.900 --> 00:28:04.160 became mighty in war 00:28:04.160 --> 00:28:05.640 put foreign armies 00:28:05.640 --> 00:28:06.120 to flight 00:28:06.120 --> 00:28:07.900 just go back 00:28:07.900 --> 00:28:08.519 to the story 00:28:08.519 --> 00:28:10.200 in Judges chapter 16 00:28:10.200 --> 00:28:10.800 remember I said 00:28:10.800 --> 00:28:12.120 four times in this story 00:28:12.120 --> 00:28:14.180 I will become weak 00:28:14.180 --> 00:28:15.860 like any other man 00:28:15.860 --> 00:28:17.840 he was a ladies man 00:28:17.840 --> 00:28:19.100 nobody would think 00:28:19.100 --> 00:28:20.200 he's a ladies man now 00:28:20.200 --> 00:28:21.259 two eyes 00:28:21.259 --> 00:28:22.000 gouged out 00:28:22.000 --> 00:28:22.660 they wouldn't have 00:28:22.660 --> 00:28:23.240 done it pretty 00:28:23.240 --> 00:28:24.220 by the way 00:28:24.220 --> 00:28:25.820 probably would have 00:28:25.820 --> 00:28:26.460 just been some 00:28:26.460 --> 00:28:27.120 big thing 00:28:27.120 --> 00:28:27.820 to make two 00:28:27.820 --> 00:28:29.380 gaping holes 00:28:29.380 --> 00:28:30.320 right there 00:28:30.320 --> 00:28:32.180 and his strength 00:28:32.180 --> 00:28:32.740 is gone 00:28:32.740 --> 00:28:34.220 he'd be dirty 00:28:34.220 --> 00:28:34.960 he'd be filthy 00:28:34.960 --> 00:28:37.760 it's an odd prayer 00:28:37.760 --> 00:28:39.580 and people puzzle 00:28:39.580 --> 00:28:40.260 over this thing 00:28:40.260 --> 00:28:41.340 about his two eyes 00:28:41.340 --> 00:28:43.740 the thing to do 00:28:43.740 --> 00:28:44.620 when read the story 00:28:44.620 --> 00:28:45.400 is that this isn't 00:28:45.400 --> 00:28:45.960 the arrogant 00:28:45.960 --> 00:28:47.080 Samson 00:28:47.080 --> 00:28:49.360 this is Samson 00:28:49.360 --> 00:28:50.100 filled with 00:28:50.100 --> 00:28:50.960 melancholy 00:28:50.960 --> 00:28:51.560 and regret 00:28:51.560 --> 00:28:54.640 you know 00:28:54.640 --> 00:28:55.520 for those of us 00:28:55.520 --> 00:28:56.520 who have had 00:28:56.520 --> 00:28:57.100 failures 00:28:57.099 --> 00:28:58.199 and disappointments 00:28:58.199 --> 00:28:58.699 in life 00:28:58.699 --> 00:29:00.219 and we have 00:29:00.219 --> 00:29:00.779 what I call 00:29:00.779 --> 00:29:01.519 the three o'clock 00:29:01.519 --> 00:29:02.319 and four o'clock 00:29:02.319 --> 00:29:03.139 in the morning 00:29:03.139 --> 00:29:03.699 moments 00:29:03.699 --> 00:29:04.519 when we can't 00:29:04.519 --> 00:29:05.019 sleep 00:29:05.019 --> 00:29:06.939 because it's as if 00:29:06.939 --> 00:29:09.139 some demonic 00:29:09.139 --> 00:29:09.679 being 00:29:09.679 --> 00:29:10.399 just keeps 00:29:10.399 --> 00:29:11.039 bringing our 00:29:11.039 --> 00:29:11.599 failures 00:29:11.599 --> 00:29:12.740 to our attention 00:29:12.740 --> 00:29:17.959 and that 00:29:17.959 --> 00:29:18.480 would have been 00:29:18.480 --> 00:29:19.399 Samson's life 00:29:19.399 --> 00:29:19.799 for this 00:29:19.799 --> 00:29:20.659 undisclosed 00:29:20.659 --> 00:29:21.619 length of time 00:29:21.619 --> 00:29:25.919 failure 00:29:25.919 --> 00:29:27.039 failure 00:29:27.039 --> 00:29:28.059 failure 00:29:28.059 --> 00:29:28.239 failure 00:29:28.239 --> 00:29:29.219 failure 00:29:29.219 --> 00:29:30.179 failure 00:29:30.179 --> 00:29:31.599 and now 00:29:31.599 --> 00:29:32.559 for the first time 00:29:32.559 --> 00:29:33.919 in the entire story 00:29:33.919 --> 00:29:34.939 if you look again 00:29:34.939 --> 00:29:35.899 at what he says 00:29:35.899 --> 00:29:37.359 he calls out 00:29:37.359 --> 00:29:38.059 to the Lord 00:29:38.059 --> 00:29:39.459 and says 00:29:39.459 --> 00:29:40.799 O 00:29:40.799 --> 00:29:41.939 Yahweh 00:29:41.939 --> 00:29:43.039 Adonai 00:29:43.039 --> 00:29:47.419 see we only have 00:29:47.419 --> 00:29:48.059 the word God 00:29:48.059 --> 00:29:48.619 in Canada 00:29:48.619 --> 00:29:49.439 but in the ancient 00:29:49.439 --> 00:29:49.839 world 00:29:49.839 --> 00:29:50.899 for the Jewish people 00:29:50.900 --> 00:29:52.120 there was a general 00:29:52.120 --> 00:29:53.100 name for God 00:29:53.100 --> 00:29:53.940 which was Elohim 00:29:53.940 --> 00:29:54.480 which he's going 00:29:54.480 --> 00:29:55.320 to say in a moment 00:29:55.320 --> 00:29:58.780 but they had a name 00:29:58.780 --> 00:29:59.420 which was only 00:29:59.420 --> 00:30:00.400 for Jewish people 00:30:00.400 --> 00:30:00.840 it's 00:30:00.840 --> 00:30:01.680 it's 00:30:01.680 --> 00:30:03.000 not just Elohim 00:30:03.000 --> 00:30:04.000 God in general 00:30:04.000 --> 00:30:04.980 God in the abstract 00:30:04.980 --> 00:30:06.080 it's Elohim 00:30:06.080 --> 00:30:06.660 it is 00:30:06.660 --> 00:30:08.019 my God 00:30:08.019 --> 00:30:08.660 it is 00:30:08.660 --> 00:30:09.320 as if 00:30:09.320 --> 00:30:09.880 when Jesus 00:30:09.880 --> 00:30:11.160 tells Christians 00:30:11.160 --> 00:30:12.500 that have become 00:30:12.500 --> 00:30:12.960 Christians 00:30:12.960 --> 00:30:13.900 to learn to pray 00:30:13.900 --> 00:30:14.540 to their father 00:30:14.540 --> 00:30:14.940 in heaven 00:30:14.940 --> 00:30:15.540 as dad 00:30:15.540 --> 00:30:16.360 it's daddy 00:30:16.360 --> 00:30:18.580 it's the personal 00:30:18.580 --> 00:30:19.640 intimate 00:30:19.640 --> 00:30:20.400 name 00:30:20.400 --> 00:30:22.120 and for the first 00:30:22.120 --> 00:30:23.120 time in the story 00:30:23.120 --> 00:30:24.140 he calls out 00:30:24.140 --> 00:30:25.000 in his weakness 00:30:25.000 --> 00:30:26.420 in his failure 00:30:26.420 --> 00:30:28.500 by the way 00:30:28.500 --> 00:30:29.480 the Bible never 00:30:29.480 --> 00:30:30.680 encourages deathbed 00:30:30.680 --> 00:30:31.940 conversions 00:30:31.940 --> 00:30:33.500 but this is a 00:30:33.500 --> 00:30:34.400 very very very 00:30:34.400 --> 00:30:35.500 powerful text 00:30:35.500 --> 00:30:36.100 for those 00:30:36.100 --> 00:30:37.700 who understand 00:30:37.700 --> 00:30:38.280 themselves 00:30:38.280 --> 00:30:38.800 to have been 00:30:38.800 --> 00:30:39.400 a failure 00:30:39.400 --> 00:30:41.460 no failure 00:30:41.460 --> 00:30:42.220 no person 00:30:42.220 --> 00:30:43.200 is so broken 00:30:43.200 --> 00:30:44.280 so failed 00:30:44.280 --> 00:30:46.240 such a wreck 00:30:46.240 --> 00:30:46.880 or a ruin 00:30:46.880 --> 00:30:48.020 that God 00:30:48.020 --> 00:30:48.440 does not 00:30:48.440 --> 00:30:48.960 love them 00:30:48.960 --> 00:30:50.900 and so 00:30:50.900 --> 00:30:51.600 Samson 00:30:51.600 --> 00:30:52.400 wrecked 00:30:52.400 --> 00:30:53.100 and ruined 00:30:53.100 --> 00:30:54.020 and a failure 00:30:54.020 --> 00:30:55.520 calls out 00:30:55.520 --> 00:30:57.240 to the God 00:30:57.240 --> 00:30:58.100 of the covenant 00:30:58.100 --> 00:30:59.140 the forgotten 00:30:59.140 --> 00:30:59.760 God 00:30:59.760 --> 00:31:00.580 that he now 00:31:00.580 --> 00:31:01.780 calls in a sense 00:31:01.780 --> 00:31:02.820 as dad 00:31:02.820 --> 00:31:04.600 you are 00:31:04.600 --> 00:31:05.540 dad 00:31:05.540 --> 00:31:06.640 of all 00:31:06.640 --> 00:31:07.320 who put their 00:31:07.320 --> 00:31:08.040 trust in you 00:31:08.040 --> 00:31:09.420 you are the one 00:31:09.420 --> 00:31:10.180 who desires 00:31:10.180 --> 00:31:11.180 to be in covenant 00:31:11.180 --> 00:31:13.220 with human beings 00:31:13.220 --> 00:31:14.880 ordinary human beings 00:31:14.880 --> 00:31:15.540 like me 00:31:15.540 --> 00:31:16.620 and when we 00:31:16.620 --> 00:31:17.740 enter into covenant 00:31:17.740 --> 00:31:18.680 with a human being 00:31:18.680 --> 00:31:19.400 like you 00:31:19.400 --> 00:31:22.060 unworthy as we are 00:31:22.060 --> 00:31:23.680 you invite us 00:31:23.680 --> 00:31:24.160 to know you 00:31:24.160 --> 00:31:24.900 not as God 00:31:24.900 --> 00:31:25.580 in the abstract 00:31:25.580 --> 00:31:26.880 or a mere force 00:31:26.880 --> 00:31:28.220 or nature 00:31:28.220 --> 00:31:30.080 but as dad 00:31:30.080 --> 00:31:31.240 as God 00:31:31.240 --> 00:31:33.060 that I know you 00:31:33.060 --> 00:31:33.680 by name 00:31:33.680 --> 00:31:34.860 and Adonai 00:31:34.860 --> 00:31:36.060 means you are sovereign 00:31:36.060 --> 00:31:38.220 I stand here 00:31:38.220 --> 00:31:39.200 amidst 00:31:39.200 --> 00:31:40.000 the mocking 00:31:40.000 --> 00:31:40.940 cries 00:31:40.940 --> 00:31:43.020 of 3,000 00:31:43.020 --> 00:31:43.620 devotees 00:31:43.619 --> 00:31:45.899 to an idol 00:31:45.899 --> 00:31:47.979 who believe 00:31:47.979 --> 00:31:49.199 that their 00:31:49.199 --> 00:31:50.439 illusory 00:31:50.439 --> 00:31:51.599 their idol 00:31:51.599 --> 00:31:52.759 they believe 00:31:52.759 --> 00:31:53.399 the illusion 00:31:53.399 --> 00:31:54.439 and the delusion 00:31:54.439 --> 00:31:55.299 that their idol 00:31:55.299 --> 00:31:56.579 is actually real 00:31:56.579 --> 00:31:57.179 and a God 00:31:57.179 --> 00:31:58.599 and they are singing 00:31:58.599 --> 00:31:59.459 his praises 00:31:59.459 --> 00:32:00.639 and I am shackled 00:32:00.639 --> 00:32:01.659 in their presence 00:32:01.659 --> 00:32:05.539 and I have been 00:32:05.539 --> 00:32:06.079 a failure 00:32:06.079 --> 00:32:09.379 but you are my father 00:32:09.379 --> 00:32:10.739 and you are in heaven 00:32:10.740 --> 00:32:13.059 and despite 00:32:13.059 --> 00:32:14.220 all appearances 00:32:14.220 --> 00:32:16.019 you 00:32:16.019 --> 00:32:17.799 are sovereign 00:32:17.799 --> 00:32:19.000 you are 00:32:19.000 --> 00:32:20.019 Adonai 00:32:20.019 --> 00:32:22.279 and the word 00:32:22.279 --> 00:32:22.819 remember 00:32:22.819 --> 00:32:24.740 is a humble word 00:32:24.740 --> 00:32:26.740 it's not 00:32:26.740 --> 00:32:27.480 a word 00:32:27.480 --> 00:32:28.279 of memory 00:32:28.279 --> 00:32:28.880 techniques 00:32:28.880 --> 00:32:29.500 learning how to 00:32:29.500 --> 00:32:30.279 remember things 00:32:30.279 --> 00:32:30.620 better 00:32:30.620 --> 00:32:31.559 in the original 00:32:31.559 --> 00:32:32.000 language 00:32:32.000 --> 00:32:32.740 it's a humble 00:32:32.740 --> 00:32:33.200 word 00:32:33.200 --> 00:32:34.859 it's saying 00:32:34.859 --> 00:32:36.200 have mercy upon me 00:32:36.200 --> 00:32:37.259 and worthy as I am 00:32:37.259 --> 00:32:39.000 that you would note 00:32:39.000 --> 00:32:39.480 me 00:32:39.480 --> 00:32:41.640 I have nothing 00:32:41.640 --> 00:32:42.579 that I can bring 00:32:42.579 --> 00:32:44.539 all I have 00:32:44.539 --> 00:32:45.180 is failure 00:32:45.180 --> 00:32:46.700 and all I have 00:32:46.700 --> 00:32:47.379 is weakness 00:32:47.379 --> 00:32:48.640 and all I have 00:32:48.640 --> 00:32:49.319 is frailty 00:32:49.319 --> 00:32:51.319 and you are 00:32:51.319 --> 00:32:53.039 sovereign 00:32:53.039 --> 00:32:55.879 but you are not 00:32:55.879 --> 00:32:56.799 just a distant 00:32:56.799 --> 00:32:57.339 God 00:32:57.339 --> 00:32:58.480 you are Yahweh 00:32:58.480 --> 00:33:00.559 you are the 00:33:00.559 --> 00:33:01.599 God who desires 00:33:01.599 --> 00:33:02.599 to be in covenant 00:33:02.599 --> 00:33:03.279 with me 00:33:03.279 --> 00:33:05.019 and as he 00:33:05.019 --> 00:33:06.039 stands 00:33:06.039 --> 00:33:07.039 and calls out 00:33:07.039 --> 00:33:08.139 in such a place 00:33:08.139 --> 00:33:09.099 to such a God 00:33:09.099 --> 00:33:10.819 he says 00:33:10.819 --> 00:33:12.019 I ask for justice 00:33:12.019 --> 00:33:15.660 out of humility 00:33:15.660 --> 00:33:16.420 he only asked 00:33:16.420 --> 00:33:17.240 for justice 00:33:17.240 --> 00:33:18.019 in regards 00:33:18.019 --> 00:33:19.099 to his two eyes 00:33:19.099 --> 00:33:23.899 how does the story 00:33:23.899 --> 00:33:24.500 continue 00:33:24.500 --> 00:33:29.279 verse 29 00:33:29.279 --> 00:33:30.139 and Samson 00:33:30.139 --> 00:33:31.500 the word grasp 00:33:31.500 --> 00:33:32.200 is a good word 00:33:32.200 --> 00:33:33.000 but it really just means 00:33:33.000 --> 00:33:33.960 he's put his hands on 00:33:33.960 --> 00:33:37.500 the two middle pillars 00:33:37.500 --> 00:33:38.319 on which the house 00:33:38.319 --> 00:33:38.779 rested 00:33:38.779 --> 00:33:40.440 and he leaned 00:33:40.440 --> 00:33:41.400 his weight against them 00:33:41.400 --> 00:33:43.380 his right hand 00:33:43.380 --> 00:33:43.839 on the one 00:33:43.839 --> 00:33:44.539 and his left hand 00:33:44.539 --> 00:33:45.000 on the other 00:33:45.000 --> 00:33:46.759 and by the way 00:33:46.759 --> 00:33:47.480 he would have probably 00:33:47.480 --> 00:33:48.420 felt as he's leaning 00:33:48.420 --> 00:33:48.799 on them 00:33:48.799 --> 00:33:49.299 he realizes 00:33:49.299 --> 00:33:50.500 gosh I have no strength 00:33:50.500 --> 00:33:51.599 to knock these things over 00:33:51.599 --> 00:33:54.980 not there 00:33:54.980 --> 00:33:57.059 not there 00:33:57.059 --> 00:33:58.799 he's putting his hands 00:33:58.799 --> 00:33:59.140 on them 00:33:59.140 --> 00:33:59.819 as a reminder 00:33:59.819 --> 00:34:00.880 that he is like 00:34:00.880 --> 00:34:02.240 any other human being 00:34:02.240 --> 00:34:04.059 he is mortal 00:34:04.059 --> 00:34:04.620 he is weak 00:34:04.620 --> 00:34:05.339 and he is frail 00:34:05.339 --> 00:34:09.559 and he prays again 00:34:09.559 --> 00:34:11.960 and Samson said 00:34:11.960 --> 00:34:12.500 let me die 00:34:12.500 --> 00:34:13.420 with the Philistines 00:34:13.420 --> 00:34:16.300 asking 00:34:16.300 --> 00:34:18.340 the source of strength 00:34:18.340 --> 00:34:19.360 for strength 00:34:19.360 --> 00:34:22.500 it's not an argument 00:34:22.500 --> 00:34:23.360 for doctor 00:34:23.360 --> 00:34:24.400 assisted suicide 00:34:24.400 --> 00:34:27.159 it's a humble 00:34:27.159 --> 00:34:27.239 acknowledgement 00:34:27.820 --> 00:34:28.960 that he doesn't want 00:34:28.960 --> 00:34:29.840 to have that 00:34:29.840 --> 00:34:30.840 superhuman 00:34:30.840 --> 00:34:31.420 arrogant 00:34:31.420 --> 00:34:32.920 making 00:34:32.920 --> 00:34:34.340 delusion 00:34:34.340 --> 00:34:35.599 that comes from 00:34:35.599 --> 00:34:36.079 arrogance 00:34:36.079 --> 00:34:37.039 type of power 00:34:37.039 --> 00:34:37.579 that means 00:34:37.579 --> 00:34:38.400 that I can knock 00:34:38.400 --> 00:34:39.840 these pillars 00:34:39.840 --> 00:34:40.420 down 00:34:40.420 --> 00:34:41.599 through your strength 00:34:41.599 --> 00:34:42.280 but somehow 00:34:42.280 --> 00:34:42.679 or another 00:34:42.679 --> 00:34:43.619 I will not share 00:34:43.619 --> 00:34:44.320 the fate of 00:34:44.320 --> 00:34:45.679 all other human beings 00:34:45.679 --> 00:34:46.280 who are mortal 00:34:46.280 --> 00:34:48.059 I'm not asking 00:34:48.059 --> 00:34:49.059 for some type 00:34:49.059 --> 00:34:49.980 of vindication 00:34:49.980 --> 00:34:51.159 of my person 00:34:51.159 --> 00:34:52.740 that the rocks 00:34:52.740 --> 00:34:53.480 will hit me 00:34:53.480 --> 00:34:54.699 but just bounce off me 00:34:54.699 --> 00:34:55.360 and I will be able 00:34:55.360 --> 00:34:55.900 to walk 00:34:55.900 --> 00:34:56.740 out of the rubble 00:34:56.739 --> 00:34:57.559 strong 00:34:57.559 --> 00:34:58.419 and triumphant 00:34:58.419 --> 00:34:58.839 again 00:34:58.839 --> 00:35:01.699 he is saying 00:35:01.699 --> 00:35:02.119 Lord 00:35:02.119 --> 00:35:02.839 you are the source 00:35:02.839 --> 00:35:03.500 of my strength 00:35:03.500 --> 00:35:04.399 give me this one 00:35:04.399 --> 00:35:05.599 strength 00:35:05.599 --> 00:35:06.659 one time 00:35:06.659 --> 00:35:07.219 of strength 00:35:07.219 --> 00:35:07.599 again 00:35:07.599 --> 00:35:09.679 and let me 00:35:09.679 --> 00:35:10.759 die 00:35:10.759 --> 00:35:11.719 like any 00:35:11.719 --> 00:35:12.219 mortal 00:35:12.219 --> 00:35:12.939 frail 00:35:12.939 --> 00:35:13.819 human being 00:35:13.819 --> 00:35:15.779 in the midst 00:35:15.779 --> 00:35:16.439 of the rubble 00:35:16.439 --> 00:35:19.939 and it has nothing 00:35:19.939 --> 00:35:20.739 to do with his hair 00:35:20.739 --> 00:35:24.339 verse 30 00:35:24.339 --> 00:35:25.759 then he bowed 00:35:25.759 --> 00:35:26.679 with all his strength 00:35:26.679 --> 00:35:28.399 and the house 00:35:28.399 --> 00:35:29.460 fell upon the lords 00:35:29.460 --> 00:35:30.619 and upon all the people 00:35:30.619 --> 00:35:31.199 who were in it 00:35:31.199 --> 00:35:32.119 so the dead 00:35:32.119 --> 00:35:32.719 whom he killed 00:35:32.719 --> 00:35:33.299 at his death 00:35:33.299 --> 00:35:34.219 were more than those 00:35:34.219 --> 00:35:34.859 whom he had killed 00:35:34.859 --> 00:35:35.659 during his life 00:35:35.659 --> 00:35:37.099 and his brothers 00:35:37.099 --> 00:35:37.899 and all his family 00:35:37.899 --> 00:35:38.559 came down 00:35:38.559 --> 00:35:39.099 and took him 00:35:39.099 --> 00:35:39.759 and brought him up 00:35:39.759 --> 00:35:40.319 and buried him 00:35:40.319 --> 00:35:41.119 between Zerah 00:35:41.119 --> 00:35:42.000 and Eszital 00:35:42.000 --> 00:35:43.259 in the tomb 00:35:43.259 --> 00:35:43.739 of Manoah 00:35:43.739 --> 00:35:44.359 his father 00:35:44.359 --> 00:35:46.179 he had judged 00:35:46.179 --> 00:35:47.799 Israel 20 years 00:35:47.799 --> 00:35:49.779 I have to wrap 00:35:49.779 --> 00:35:50.339 things up 00:35:50.339 --> 00:35:51.500 just a couple 00:35:51.500 --> 00:35:52.059 of things 00:35:52.059 --> 00:35:53.859 you know 00:35:53.859 --> 00:35:54.319 one of the 00:35:54.319 --> 00:35:55.299 big problems 00:35:55.300 --> 00:35:55.920 in modern 00:35:55.920 --> 00:35:56.400 thought 00:35:56.400 --> 00:35:57.080 is the problem 00:35:57.080 --> 00:35:57.560 of evil 00:35:57.560 --> 00:35:59.820 and 00:35:59.820 --> 00:36:01.180 people 00:36:01.180 --> 00:36:01.760 basically 00:36:01.760 --> 00:36:02.320 saying 00:36:02.320 --> 00:36:03.200 how can 00:36:03.200 --> 00:36:04.080 a good God 00:36:04.080 --> 00:36:05.140 and an all-powerful 00:36:05.140 --> 00:36:05.420 God 00:36:05.420 --> 00:36:05.880 let evil 00:36:05.880 --> 00:36:06.740 happen to people 00:36:06.740 --> 00:36:08.560 and 00:36:08.560 --> 00:36:10.280 the Bible 00:36:10.280 --> 00:36:10.880 has very 00:36:10.880 --> 00:36:11.700 very powerful 00:36:11.700 --> 00:36:12.400 resources 00:36:12.400 --> 00:36:13.820 to talk 00:36:13.820 --> 00:36:14.460 about that 00:36:14.460 --> 00:36:15.780 but it's been 00:36:15.780 --> 00:36:16.280 pointed out 00:36:16.280 --> 00:36:17.000 by many people 00:36:17.000 --> 00:36:17.620 that the Bible 00:36:17.620 --> 00:36:18.220 doesn't actually 00:36:18.220 --> 00:36:18.960 have an argument 00:36:18.960 --> 00:36:20.019 against the problem 00:36:20.019 --> 00:36:20.300 the problem 00:36:20.300 --> 00:36:20.619 of evil 00:36:20.619 --> 00:36:20.980 it has 00:36:20.980 --> 00:36:21.539 profound 00:36:21.539 --> 00:36:22.179 resources 00:36:22.179 --> 00:36:22.699 about it 00:36:22.699 --> 00:36:23.159 you can read 00:36:23.159 --> 00:36:23.500 Job 00:36:23.500 --> 00:36:24.219 and in particular 00:36:24.219 --> 00:36:24.900 you look at 00:36:24.900 --> 00:36:25.199 Jesus 00:36:25.199 --> 00:36:26.519 and his life 00:36:26.519 --> 00:36:27.019 and death 00:36:27.019 --> 00:36:28.679 and his crucifixion 00:36:28.679 --> 00:36:29.420 and his resurrection 00:36:29.420 --> 00:36:30.079 and you realize 00:36:30.079 --> 00:36:30.759 there's profound 00:36:30.759 --> 00:36:31.840 resources to think 00:36:31.840 --> 00:36:32.420 about it 00:36:32.420 --> 00:36:33.300 in terms of 00:36:33.300 --> 00:36:33.699 the problem 00:36:33.699 --> 00:36:34.099 of evil 00:36:34.099 --> 00:36:35.139 but if you 00:36:35.139 --> 00:36:35.759 think about it 00:36:35.759 --> 00:36:36.119 underneath 00:36:36.119 --> 00:36:36.820 as part of 00:36:36.820 --> 00:36:37.320 the problem 00:36:37.320 --> 00:36:37.780 of evil 00:36:37.780 --> 00:36:38.820 there's in fact 00:36:38.820 --> 00:36:39.699 a different 00:36:39.699 --> 00:36:40.719 type of an argument 00:36:40.719 --> 00:36:41.679 which is this 00:36:41.679 --> 00:36:42.360 that if God 00:36:42.360 --> 00:36:43.199 really exists 00:36:43.199 --> 00:36:43.659 if God 00:36:43.659 --> 00:36:44.800 really is all-powerful 00:36:44.800 --> 00:36:45.519 he's really good 00:36:45.519 --> 00:36:46.159 then what he should 00:36:46.159 --> 00:36:46.659 always do 00:36:46.659 --> 00:36:47.500 is bless us 00:36:47.500 --> 00:36:49.940 that's what he should 00:36:49.940 --> 00:36:50.099 do 00:36:50.099 --> 00:36:50.719 he should bless 00:36:50.719 --> 00:36:50.860 us 00:36:50.860 --> 00:36:51.380 he should bless 00:36:51.380 --> 00:36:51.980 good people 00:36:51.980 --> 00:36:54.960 but you see 00:36:54.960 --> 00:36:55.440 the Bible 00:36:55.440 --> 00:36:56.000 takes 00:36:56.000 --> 00:36:57.380 is the only 00:36:57.380 --> 00:36:57.880 book 00:36:57.880 --> 00:37:00.280 that very wisely 00:37:00.280 --> 00:37:01.400 deals with 00:37:01.400 --> 00:37:01.880 a different 00:37:01.880 --> 00:37:02.480 problem 00:37:02.480 --> 00:37:03.599 and that is 00:37:03.599 --> 00:37:04.159 the problem 00:37:04.159 --> 00:37:04.760 of blessing 00:37:04.760 --> 00:37:06.920 you see 00:37:06.920 --> 00:37:07.559 if you think 00:37:07.559 --> 00:37:07.920 about it 00:37:07.920 --> 00:37:08.500 for a second 00:37:08.500 --> 00:37:10.099 what's happened 00:37:10.099 --> 00:37:10.719 to Samson 00:37:10.719 --> 00:37:11.280 is he's been 00:37:11.280 --> 00:37:12.079 blessed and blessed 00:37:12.079 --> 00:37:12.579 and blessed 00:37:12.579 --> 00:37:13.059 and blessed 00:37:13.059 --> 00:37:14.039 but what's 00:37:14.039 --> 00:37:14.800 happened to him 00:37:14.800 --> 00:37:16.159 is his blessing 00:37:16.159 --> 00:37:16.940 has led to 00:37:16.940 --> 00:37:17.579 his arrogance 00:37:17.579 --> 00:37:20.300 his blessing 00:37:20.300 --> 00:37:21.320 has led him 00:37:21.320 --> 00:37:22.579 to be contemptuous 00:37:22.579 --> 00:37:24.220 an abuser 00:37:24.220 --> 00:37:24.960 of women 00:37:24.960 --> 00:37:26.420 and a murderer 00:37:26.420 --> 00:37:28.059 his blessing 00:37:28.059 --> 00:37:29.480 has led him 00:37:29.480 --> 00:37:31.500 to the delusional 00:37:31.500 --> 00:37:32.240 belief 00:37:32.240 --> 00:37:33.619 that his world 00:37:33.619 --> 00:37:34.220 can never 00:37:34.220 --> 00:37:35.119 collapse 00:37:35.119 --> 00:37:39.220 his blessing 00:37:39.220 --> 00:37:40.519 has led him 00:37:40.519 --> 00:37:41.599 to not help 00:37:41.599 --> 00:37:42.639 other people 00:37:42.639 --> 00:37:44.019 or be generous 00:37:44.019 --> 00:37:45.940 but to only 00:37:45.940 --> 00:37:46.699 feed 00:37:46.699 --> 00:37:47.460 his own 00:37:47.460 --> 00:37:48.079 ego 00:37:48.079 --> 00:37:49.059 and his own 00:37:49.059 --> 00:37:49.960 project 00:37:49.960 --> 00:37:53.039 and we tend 00:37:53.039 --> 00:37:53.739 not to think 00:37:53.739 --> 00:37:54.340 about that 00:37:54.340 --> 00:37:54.980 but you think 00:37:54.980 --> 00:37:55.340 about it 00:37:55.340 --> 00:37:55.820 for a second 00:37:55.820 --> 00:37:56.320 and I'm not 00:37:56.320 --> 00:37:57.059 casting down 00:37:57.059 --> 00:37:57.759 rich people 00:37:57.759 --> 00:37:59.179 but do we 00:37:59.179 --> 00:38:00.019 really think 00:38:00.019 --> 00:38:01.259 that the richest 00:38:01.259 --> 00:38:02.159 people in the world 00:38:02.159 --> 00:38:02.619 and the most 00:38:02.619 --> 00:38:03.500 powerful people 00:38:03.500 --> 00:38:03.900 in the world 00:38:03.900 --> 00:38:04.480 are the nicest 00:38:04.480 --> 00:38:05.440 people in the world 00:38:05.440 --> 00:38:07.460 do we really 00:38:07.460 --> 00:38:07.900 think they're 00:38:07.900 --> 00:38:08.820 the kindest 00:38:08.820 --> 00:38:09.920 the gentlest 00:38:09.920 --> 00:38:12.220 the most generous 00:38:12.220 --> 00:38:13.559 the most 00:38:13.559 --> 00:38:14.519 self-effacing 00:38:14.519 --> 00:38:15.920 the most 00:38:15.920 --> 00:38:16.519 concerned 00:38:16.519 --> 00:38:17.019 for the good 00:38:17.019 --> 00:38:17.619 of others 00:38:17.619 --> 00:38:19.280 don't we 00:38:19.280 --> 00:38:19.800 in fact 00:38:19.800 --> 00:38:20.599 constantly 00:38:20.599 --> 00:38:21.280 recognize 00:38:21.280 --> 00:38:22.019 that people 00:38:22.019 --> 00:38:22.780 with profound 00:38:22.780 --> 00:38:23.280 gifts 00:38:23.280 --> 00:38:24.539 have problems 00:38:24.539 --> 00:38:25.240 of deep 00:38:25.240 --> 00:38:25.800 arrogance 00:38:25.800 --> 00:38:28.180 and self-centeredness 00:38:28.180 --> 00:38:29.860 and a sense 00:38:29.860 --> 00:38:31.240 of entitlement 00:38:31.240 --> 00:38:34.420 isn't that 00:38:34.420 --> 00:38:35.139 in fact 00:38:35.139 --> 00:38:36.320 a profoundly 00:38:36.320 --> 00:38:37.260 Canadian 00:38:37.260 --> 00:38:37.920 problem 00:38:37.920 --> 00:38:38.500 problem 00:38:38.500 --> 00:38:41.559 I'm going to 00:38:41.559 --> 00:38:42.059 make a slight 00:38:42.059 --> 00:38:42.980 political statement 00:38:42.980 --> 00:38:45.039 how is it 00:38:45.039 --> 00:38:45.440 that people 00:38:45.440 --> 00:38:46.019 think that we 00:38:46.019 --> 00:38:46.639 can shut down 00:38:46.639 --> 00:38:47.280 all mining 00:38:47.280 --> 00:38:48.159 and they'll 00:38:48.159 --> 00:38:48.559 still have 00:38:48.559 --> 00:38:49.099 iPhones 00:38:49.099 --> 00:38:51.059 it's the 00:38:51.059 --> 00:38:51.500 definition 00:38:51.500 --> 00:38:52.260 of delusion 00:38:52.260 --> 00:38:54.380 how is it 00:38:54.380 --> 00:38:54.720 we think 00:38:54.720 --> 00:38:55.099 that we can 00:38:55.099 --> 00:38:55.639 shut down 00:38:55.639 --> 00:38:56.860 shut all gas 00:38:56.860 --> 00:38:57.800 and still 00:38:57.800 --> 00:38:58.619 drive cars 00:38:58.619 --> 00:39:00.800 that is the 00:39:00.800 --> 00:39:01.260 definition 00:39:01.260 --> 00:39:02.760 of delusion 00:39:02.760 --> 00:39:04.300 connected 00:39:04.300 --> 00:39:05.440 to arrogant 00:39:05.440 --> 00:39:06.420 entitlement 00:39:06.420 --> 00:39:10.559 and isn't 00:39:10.559 --> 00:39:11.119 it in fact 00:39:11.119 --> 00:39:11.840 a regular 00:39:11.840 --> 00:39:12.480 thing 00:39:12.480 --> 00:39:12.960 for us 00:39:12.960 --> 00:39:13.360 to look 00:39:13.360 --> 00:39:13.599 in the 00:39:13.599 --> 00:39:13.960 paper 00:39:13.960 --> 00:39:14.480 and see 00:39:14.480 --> 00:39:15.119 that some 00:39:15.119 --> 00:39:16.059 beautiful 00:39:16.059 --> 00:39:17.139 movie star 00:39:17.139 --> 00:39:18.180 or musician 00:39:18.180 --> 00:39:19.579 who's profoundly 00:39:19.579 --> 00:39:20.079 rich 00:39:20.079 --> 00:39:20.700 and profoundly 00:39:20.700 --> 00:39:21.260 talented 00:39:21.260 --> 00:39:21.860 and profoundly 00:39:21.860 --> 00:39:22.360 praised 00:39:22.360 --> 00:39:22.880 has committed 00:39:22.880 --> 00:39:23.480 suicide 00:39:23.480 --> 00:39:24.480 out of a 00:39:24.480 --> 00:39:24.780 deep 00:39:24.780 --> 00:39:25.539 inner 00:39:25.539 --> 00:39:26.539 despair 00:39:26.539 --> 00:39:29.380 or that you 00:39:29.380 --> 00:39:30.059 have radio 00:39:30.059 --> 00:39:30.659 contests 00:39:30.659 --> 00:39:31.260 occasionally 00:39:31.260 --> 00:39:32.099 because we 00:39:32.099 --> 00:39:33.360 ten years 00:39:33.360 --> 00:39:33.780 ago the 00:39:33.780 --> 00:39:34.500 person who's 00:39:34.500 --> 00:39:35.019 talked about 00:39:35.019 --> 00:39:35.699 everywhere and 00:39:35.699 --> 00:39:36.179 praised and 00:39:36.179 --> 00:39:36.599 now we don't 00:39:36.599 --> 00:39:37.079 even know if 00:39:37.079 --> 00:39:37.420 they're still 00:39:37.420 --> 00:39:38.000 alive 00:39:38.000 --> 00:39:40.199 and only the 00:39:40.199 --> 00:39:41.079 bible talks 00:39:41.079 --> 00:39:41.440 about the 00:39:41.440 --> 00:39:41.840 fact we 00:39:41.840 --> 00:39:42.759 think that 00:39:42.759 --> 00:39:43.599 if god only 00:39:43.599 --> 00:39:44.500 blessed us 00:39:44.500 --> 00:39:45.440 that would 00:39:45.440 --> 00:39:45.860 show that 00:39:45.860 --> 00:39:46.820 god exists 00:39:46.820 --> 00:39:48.239 but there is 00:39:48.239 --> 00:39:49.099 a far more 00:39:49.099 --> 00:39:50.059 deep human 00:39:50.059 --> 00:39:51.619 problem of 00:39:51.619 --> 00:39:52.199 blessing 00:39:52.199 --> 00:39:53.980 turning into 00:39:53.980 --> 00:39:54.500 arrogance 00:39:54.500 --> 00:39:55.759 and believing 00:39:55.759 --> 00:39:56.840 that your 00:39:56.840 --> 00:39:58.000 world will 00:39:58.000 --> 00:39:58.820 never collapse 00:39:58.820 --> 00:40:02.600 so just a 00:40:02.600 --> 00:40:02.960 couple of 00:40:02.960 --> 00:40:03.500 thoughts to 00:40:03.500 --> 00:40:03.900 run through 00:40:03.900 --> 00:40:04.700 very quickly 00:40:04.700 --> 00:40:10.860 being blessed 00:40:10.860 --> 00:40:11.340 with great 00:40:11.340 --> 00:40:11.840 power 00:40:11.840 --> 00:40:14.160 can make 00:40:14.160 --> 00:40:14.960 you arrogant 00:40:14.960 --> 00:40:16.019 foolish 00:40:16.019 --> 00:40:17.900 and contemptuous 00:40:17.900 --> 00:40:18.880 of the 00:40:18.880 --> 00:40:19.760 triune god 00:40:19.760 --> 00:40:20.620 who is the 00:40:20.620 --> 00:40:21.059 source of 00:40:21.059 --> 00:40:21.440 blessing 00:40:21.440 --> 00:40:25.140 being blessed 00:40:25.140 --> 00:40:25.660 with great 00:40:25.660 --> 00:40:26.780 power can 00:40:26.780 --> 00:40:27.559 in fact make 00:40:27.559 --> 00:40:28.279 you arrogant 00:40:28.279 --> 00:40:29.380 foolish and 00:40:29.380 --> 00:40:30.259 contemptuous 00:40:30.259 --> 00:40:31.159 of the 00:40:31.159 --> 00:40:31.900 triune god 00:40:31.900 --> 00:40:32.279 who is the 00:40:32.279 --> 00:40:32.719 source of 00:40:32.719 --> 00:40:33.119 blessing 00:40:33.119 --> 00:40:34.159 and by 00:40:34.159 --> 00:40:34.519 the way 00:40:34.519 --> 00:40:36.079 one of the 00:40:36.079 --> 00:40:37.019 characteristics of 00:40:37.019 --> 00:40:38.880 arrogant people 00:40:38.880 --> 00:40:39.360 is they don't 00:40:39.360 --> 00:40:39.779 think they're 00:40:39.779 --> 00:40:40.279 arrogant 00:40:40.279 --> 00:40:42.820 and one of the 00:40:42.820 --> 00:40:43.579 characteristics of 00:40:43.579 --> 00:40:44.199 proud people 00:40:44.199 --> 00:40:44.659 is they don't 00:40:44.659 --> 00:40:45.059 think they're 00:40:45.059 --> 00:40:45.480 proud 00:40:45.480 --> 00:40:48.199 and one of the 00:40:48.199 --> 00:40:49.000 characteristics of 00:40:49.000 --> 00:40:49.739 entitled people 00:40:49.739 --> 00:40:50.119 is they don't 00:40:50.119 --> 00:40:50.519 think they're 00:40:50.519 --> 00:40:50.920 entitled 00:40:50.920 --> 00:40:58.059 they notice we notice arrogance and pride and entitlement in others 00:40:58.059 --> 00:41:01.460 and are blind to it in our own lives 00:41:01.460 --> 00:41:08.300 you see you and i easily believe that we are too powerful that you are too powerful 00:41:08.300 --> 00:41:09.659 to collapse 00:41:09.659 --> 00:41:20.300 one of the things that this bible is the bible text is pointing to is this 00:41:20.300 --> 00:41:27.860 the bible wants to make us aware of the problem of mere blessing feeding our arrogance 00:41:27.860 --> 00:41:35.420 the bible time and time and time and time again reminds us that we human beings are frail 00:41:35.420 --> 00:41:37.460 and we are mortal 00:41:37.460 --> 00:41:42.140 and that death comes to all 00:41:42.140 --> 00:41:47.060 but it does not tell us these stories to depress us 00:41:47.059 --> 00:41:49.059 but to wake us up 00:41:49.059 --> 00:41:52.179 that we might connect with the true and living god 00:41:52.179 --> 00:41:58.820 and so it is that we see that this jesus is the true and greater samson 00:41:58.820 --> 00:42:06.179 that in chapter 14 verse 4 when it says that god was going to use samson to begin to deliver the 00:42:06.179 --> 00:42:10.820 people of israel we see that he does begin to deliver the people of israel by the end of samson's 00:42:10.820 --> 00:42:16.440 life as i talked about last week israel is once again understanding itself as distinct from the philistines 00:42:16.440 --> 00:42:22.760 he's removed the philistine leadership and he's preparing the day for the one who will defeat philistines which is david 00:42:22.760 --> 00:42:28.400 but then when you go and you look at the story of david you realize david has the power to defeat the philistines 00:42:28.400 --> 00:42:35.420 but he cannot defeat his own sin and his own death and david himself points down the lines of history 00:42:35.420 --> 00:42:43.619 to the day when he will say oh lord my lord when he acknowledges that through his line god will send one 00:42:43.619 --> 00:42:48.579 who will look at our mortality and our frailty and our foolishness 00:42:48.579 --> 00:42:52.039 but just as yahweh entered into the old testament people 00:42:52.039 --> 00:42:55.099 out of love to desire to be in a relationship with us 00:42:55.099 --> 00:43:00.800 that yahweh that god himself will send his very son to take into himself 00:43:00.800 --> 00:43:08.560 the frailty of our human nature and as a fully human being only with and tempted in all ways as we are only without sin 00:43:08.560 --> 00:43:15.640 that he would die upon a cross bearing all that separates us from god 00:43:15.640 --> 00:43:23.880 that he would not come amongst us frail but never die that he would come amongst us to die 00:43:23.880 --> 00:43:27.360 as the lamb of god who takes away the sin of the world 00:43:27.360 --> 00:43:34.980 despised and rejected and that he would be the one who would defeat what david could not defeat 00:43:34.980 --> 00:43:40.559 that he would be the one to defeat our sin and our arrogance 00:43:40.559 --> 00:43:45.300 and our inability to save ourselves and death itself 00:43:45.300 --> 00:43:50.579 and that jesus comes as god with us to be amongst us 00:43:50.579 --> 00:43:58.759 and with us as a community and as individuals in the midst of our weakness and our frailty 00:43:58.759 --> 00:44:06.059 and the power of the gospel is to remind us day by day that i george am weak and frail 00:44:06.059 --> 00:44:09.739 but i have a savior who has defeated sin 00:44:09.739 --> 00:44:12.380 and a savior who has defeated death 00:44:12.380 --> 00:44:15.960 a savior who did this because he loves me 00:44:15.960 --> 00:44:20.019 and as a result of my putting my faith and trust in jesus 00:44:20.019 --> 00:44:22.740 i live in my father's world 00:44:22.740 --> 00:44:25.340 i have a father who loves me 00:44:25.340 --> 00:44:29.000 and who cares for me 00:44:29.000 --> 00:44:33.199 and a savior who will walk with me through the valley of the shadow of death 00:44:33.199 --> 00:44:35.260 and even into death and beyond 00:44:35.260 --> 00:44:38.519 to be in life with the father 00:44:38.519 --> 00:44:42.340 and it is the father's world 00:44:42.340 --> 00:44:47.460 and the gospel is there to both constantly humble me 00:44:47.460 --> 00:44:48.619 as it grips me 00:44:48.619 --> 00:44:51.639 and constantly reassure me 00:44:51.639 --> 00:44:57.519 that my life does not depend upon me being strong and powerful enough 00:44:57.519 --> 00:44:59.360 so that my world will never collapse 00:44:59.360 --> 00:45:02.639 but that the final word about me is 00:45:02.639 --> 00:45:05.480 welcome into my kingdom my beloved son 00:45:05.480 --> 00:45:09.840 whom i've loved you and saved you out of my love 00:45:09.840 --> 00:45:12.639 not weighing your merits but pardoning your offenses 00:45:12.639 --> 00:45:14.400 and i will i have never left you 00:45:14.400 --> 00:45:15.619 i have never abandoned you 00:45:15.619 --> 00:45:16.920 i have never forsaken you 00:45:16.920 --> 00:45:18.099 i never will 00:45:18.099 --> 00:45:19.780 welcome 00:45:19.780 --> 00:45:28.579 the lord takes no delight in the death of a sinner 00:45:28.579 --> 00:45:31.019 he delights when you turn and call on him 00:45:31.019 --> 00:45:33.639 to redeem you as his own 00:45:33.639 --> 00:45:36.980 and in the real world 00:45:36.980 --> 00:45:41.799 the triune god is present powerful active sovereign 00:45:41.799 --> 00:45:45.059 and never needs a contingency plan 00:45:45.059 --> 00:45:47.500 and that's how the gospel invites us to live 00:45:47.500 --> 00:45:49.839 in a world 00:45:49.839 --> 00:45:52.319 that has a lot of fear 00:45:52.319 --> 00:45:54.759 to live 00:45:54.759 --> 00:45:57.299 knowing that the triune god 00:45:57.299 --> 00:46:01.599 he never has a contingency plan 00:46:01.599 --> 00:46:03.259 nothing catches him by surprise 00:46:03.259 --> 00:46:05.239 he's always working on plan a 00:46:05.239 --> 00:46:07.860 and that little 00:46:07.860 --> 00:46:08.759 weak 00:46:08.759 --> 00:46:09.880 frail 00:46:09.880 --> 00:46:10.699 mortal 00:46:10.699 --> 00:46:11.539 me 00:46:11.539 --> 00:46:13.099 and little 00:46:13.099 --> 00:46:13.779 weak 00:46:13.779 --> 00:46:14.440 mortal 00:46:14.440 --> 00:46:15.139 frail 00:46:15.139 --> 00:46:15.579 you 00:46:15.579 --> 00:46:17.940 when you reach your hand out 00:46:17.940 --> 00:46:19.599 to such a god 00:46:19.599 --> 00:46:21.139 in the name of jesus 00:46:21.139 --> 00:46:23.460 and you cannot possibly reach him 00:46:23.460 --> 00:46:24.940 he can reach you 00:46:24.940 --> 00:46:26.679 and he will take your hand 00:46:26.679 --> 00:46:28.480 and he will never let you go 00:46:28.480 --> 00:46:30.799 he will hold your hand 00:46:30.799 --> 00:46:32.539 through all your trials 00:46:32.539 --> 00:46:33.839 and all your temptations 00:46:33.839 --> 00:46:34.839 and all your success 00:46:34.839 --> 00:46:35.960 and all your failure 00:46:35.960 --> 00:46:36.659 and he 00:46:36.659 --> 00:46:37.899 will never 00:46:37.899 --> 00:46:39.519 let you go 00:46:39.519 --> 00:46:43.319 to the moment of your death 00:46:43.319 --> 00:46:43.940 and beyond 00:46:43.940 --> 00:46:45.279 his hand 00:46:45.279 --> 00:46:46.279 is life 00:46:46.279 --> 00:46:48.019 and it is offered 00:46:48.019 --> 00:46:49.059 to you 00:46:49.059 --> 00:46:50.940 invite you to stand 00:46:50.940 --> 00:46:53.519 let's bow our heads in prayer 00:46:53.519 --> 00:46:59.139 father 00:46:59.139 --> 00:47:01.340 thank you for your word 00:47:01.340 --> 00:47:02.440 thank you that you 00:47:02.440 --> 00:47:03.579 confront us 00:47:03.579 --> 00:47:04.440 like samson 00:47:04.440 --> 00:47:05.480 with our mortality 00:47:05.480 --> 00:47:06.159 our weakness 00:47:06.159 --> 00:47:06.940 our frailty 00:47:06.940 --> 00:47:08.720 that you confront us 00:47:08.720 --> 00:47:09.559 of our arrogance 00:47:09.559 --> 00:47:10.679 and of our delusion 00:47:10.679 --> 00:47:12.539 not to humiliate us 00:47:12.539 --> 00:47:13.780 not to shame us 00:47:13.780 --> 00:47:15.220 not 00:47:15.220 --> 00:47:16.440 to make us 00:47:16.440 --> 00:47:17.400 live as defeated 00:47:17.400 --> 00:47:18.559 human beings 00:47:18.559 --> 00:47:19.380 but to help us 00:47:19.380 --> 00:47:20.079 to wake up 00:47:20.079 --> 00:47:20.980 to who we are 00:47:20.980 --> 00:47:22.220 and who you are 00:47:22.220 --> 00:47:23.280 that you are real 00:47:23.280 --> 00:47:24.240 that you are true 00:47:24.240 --> 00:47:25.160 that you are mighty 00:47:25.160 --> 00:47:26.140 that you are strong 00:47:26.140 --> 00:47:27.079 that you are just 00:47:27.079 --> 00:47:28.019 that you are good 00:47:28.019 --> 00:47:29.240 that you are the source 00:47:29.240 --> 00:47:29.900 of blessing 00:47:29.900 --> 00:47:31.440 and that you bless us 00:47:31.440 --> 00:47:32.640 by redeeming us 00:47:32.640 --> 00:47:33.640 despite ourselves 00:47:33.640 --> 00:47:34.700 and making us 00:47:34.700 --> 00:47:35.220 your children 00:47:35.220 --> 00:47:36.460 when any person 00:47:36.460 --> 00:47:38.000 calls out to you 00:47:38.000 --> 00:47:38.760 like samson 00:47:38.760 --> 00:47:40.640 that you will be their god 00:47:40.640 --> 00:47:42.200 that jesus will be their savior 00:47:42.200 --> 00:47:43.760 and you never turn anyone away 00:47:43.760 --> 00:47:44.760 and we thank you father 00:47:44.760 --> 00:47:45.380 for this 00:47:45.380 --> 00:47:46.519 and we ask 00:47:46.519 --> 00:47:47.400 if there's any who are here 00:47:47.400 --> 00:47:48.900 any listening to this online 00:47:48.900 --> 00:47:49.639 or listening to it 00:47:49.639 --> 00:47:50.380 later on audio 00:47:50.380 --> 00:47:50.740 that 00:47:50.740 --> 00:47:53.519 the holy spirit father 00:47:53.519 --> 00:47:55.160 that they will give in 00:47:55.160 --> 00:47:56.079 to the holy spirit 00:47:56.079 --> 00:47:56.800 and allow you 00:47:56.800 --> 00:47:58.240 to grab them 00:47:58.240 --> 00:47:59.240 and take their hand 00:47:59.240 --> 00:48:00.880 so that they will know 00:48:00.880 --> 00:48:02.059 jesus as their savior 00:48:02.059 --> 00:48:02.960 and you as their father 00:48:02.960 --> 00:48:03.380 in heaven 00:48:03.380 --> 00:48:05.079 and we ask father 00:48:05.079 --> 00:48:06.340 that you do a mighty work 00:48:06.340 --> 00:48:06.720 in us 00:48:06.720 --> 00:48:07.480 that we live 00:48:07.480 --> 00:48:08.760 not out of fear 00:48:08.760 --> 00:48:09.840 but out of faith 00:48:09.840 --> 00:48:12.539 that you are the sovereign god 00:48:12.539 --> 00:48:14.220 you hold our hands 00:48:14.220 --> 00:48:15.300 and will never let us go 00:48:15.300 --> 00:48:16.300 day by day 00:48:16.300 --> 00:48:18.139 and all god's people said 00:48:18.139 --> 00:48:19.279 amen