Well, good morning. It's good to see all of you this morning.
I want to encourage you to open up your Bibles, if you would please, to Judges chapter 16.
! Judges chapter 16. If you're using the Pew Bibles, it's on page 215. Judges chapter 16.
Pastor David already mentioned this, but I want to just bring it to your attention one more time.
I want to encourage you to come and take part next Sunday evening at 6 p.m.
and we're going to have an opportunity for our mission team, who several months ago had the
opportunity to serve the Lord together at Skyview Ranch and many of you not only kind of invested
and supported them in being able to go, but also prayed with them along the way. This is a chance
for you to hear how God worked in their lives and to get a sense of how that trip went and teens,
a chance for you to celebrate God's work in your life as you share next week. Also, there have been
several baptisms, as you know, over the last couple of months, and we have a chance then to vote on
those people for membership. I trust you've already either heard their testimonies or you've read their
testimonies of how God saved them and drew them to himself. Also, we'll have a couple more individuals
who give their testimonies of salvation and we'll vote for them in membership as well. So, it's a chance
for us to hear what God is doing, to get a taste of the fact that God is still in the saving business
and to see and to hear about those stories and to celebrate God's work among us in that way.
I trust that you will be a part of that time together as we hear
God's work in the lives of our teens and also those who are becoming members.
Well, we are winding down. We're just now today and next week away from finishing our time in the book of Judges.
And as we get closer to the end,
I don't know if you've kind of sensed this gravity, this weight,
the moral decline that's taken place in this group of individuals.
And to read about this can be a little depressing.
There's a heaviness about what's taking place.
There is a gravity about the significance and the seriousness
of what it looks like for a nation to turn away from the Lord.
And I'm telling you, as I prepare to preach and even as I came this morning,
I'm like, oh, here we go again.
We're going to be looking at this story and man, it can be so depressing.
That is not the message of Judges, really.
Yes, it is a message of this moral decline.
But I want, I hope what comes through in our time together today
is that in spite of this moral decline,
in spite of a people that keep pushing God away,
and it's embodied in Samson,
kind of this rescuer who is raised up in a sense,
and he's coming to deliver Israel,
and he has the hand of God on him.
And yet he keeps spending all this power on himself.
And it's so easy to get depressed,
but I want the message to come through
that God does not abandon his people.
God does not abandon his people.
There can't be a more encouraging truth than that.
Especially when we begin to look at ourselves,
and we, if we're taking a very serious,
a very honest look at our repeated failures,
and the times that we continue to mess up,
or fall on our face,
or blatantly rebel against the Lord,
that God still stands ready to forgive.
That God still stands ready to save.
God still stands ready to deliver on his promises
because of his faithfulness.
And that's what I want to settle in on our hearts
as we look and listen through this passage again
in Judges chapter 16.
You have a God that stands ready to save.
We see this again.
We see that God introduces us
through this book to 12 different individuals
and to varying degrees of commitment to the Lord.
But whatever their posture towards God will be,
whatever they will do in terms of delivering Israel
and answering the call of God on their life,
or rejecting the call on their life,
the main character of this entire book,
and the main character of the entire narrative
from Genesis to Revelation,
is God himself.
God himself stands ready
to speak to his people,
to invite them,
and to participate with him
in fellowship that comes
through his son Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ who stands ready to save.
Whether or not the judge is aware
of God's work in his life,
everything good that happens
in the book of Judges is owing to him.
Everything that happens in your life
that is good is owing to him.
Even in this heightened state
of a nation who is rejecting the Lord,
we saw last week in Judges chapter 13,
we saw spotlighted throughout our time
in the book of Judges,
and especially here at the end,
that the spotlight is on God.
And we saw that he is initiating God.
That was our first point last week.
And just calling us to remember
that while this story seems to be about Samson,
and certainly he is one of the characters
that keeps coming out into view,
the real character,
the real person,
the real hero of this story
is God himself.
The faithfulness of God
who continues to show initiative.
We're aware, we're familiar
with the initiating work of God.
John 3, 16,
for God so loved the world
that what did he do?
He gave his only begotten son
that whoever believes in him
should not perish
but have everlasting life.
We have an initiating God.
We have a God that takes the first step.
We have a God that moves out
in the front
regardless of a people
who resist him,
regardless of a people
that rebel against him,
regardless of a people,
by the way,
that the Bible calls enemies of God.
That God demonstrates his love towards us
even though while we were yet sinners,
enemies,
Christ died for us.
Marvel at the fact
that we have an initiating God.
A God who takes the first step.
John will also write in his letter
in 1 John 4, 19,
it says,
we love him.
Why?
Because he first loved us.
And so that's the,
that's kind of the story
that we're living right now
but it rewinds
and we see the same God
who stands over the entire narrative.
In the book of Judges,
in initiating God,
he takes the first step.
It's incredible.
And we saw last week
in Samson's story
a life that was infused
by God's initiating power.
God's initiating blessing.
God's initiating
by providing his spirit.
Right from the start,
God takes the lead.
We saw that in Judges 13, verse 1.
And the people of Israel
again did what was evil
in the sight of the Lord.
So the Lord gave them
into the hand of the Philistines
for 40 years.
And we saw last week
that that word again
is probably better translated,
they continued
or they increased
or they added to
so that the people
didn't just fall into sin again.
No, they continued in sin.
They increased in sin.
They filled themselves up
with sin.
It was now the pattern
that would mark them
as a people.
And in spite of all of that,
God intervenes.
In spite of their rebellion,
God intervenes.
A nation, by the way,
that is no longer
confessing their sin.
A nation that is no longer
repenting and turning away
from their sin.
A nation that is no longer
even asking for a deliverer.
No longer asking for salvation.
No longer asking for someone
to help them against the oppression
that they're facing.
God is still intervening
and helping
and coming to the rescue.
This nation
that God comes to personally,
He delivers a promise
through the angel of the Lord.
The promise to a barren woman
that she will have a son.
And He is to be devoted to God.
We saw that in chapter 13, verse 5.
For the child shall be
a Nazarite to God.
He's supposed to be set apart.
This word, Nazarite,
is the word to consecrate,
the word to dedicate.
He's supposed to be dedicated
or consecrated to the Lord
because what God cares about first
is not deliverance
from an oppressor,
but deliverance from sin.
Samson is supposed to
call a people back
to God Himself.
And he's supposed
to be set apart.
God was after a holy people.
And this outward expression
of this holiness
was to have an outward form.
In verses 4 and 5
of chapter 13,
Therefore be careful
and drink no wine
or strong drink.
Eat nothing unclean.
For behold,
you shall conceive
and bear a son.
No razor shall come upon his head.
For the child
shall be a Nazarite to God.
From the womb,
he shall begin to save Israel
from the hand
of the Philistines.
So God delivers
on this promise.
And Manoah's wife
will conceive.
She'll have a baby.
A son is born.
And God is going to make good
on His word.
He's faithful
to deliver on His promise.
And one commentator says this.
He says,
The conception and birth
of Samson declare emphatically
God's refusal
to let this nation die.
I love it.
Israel may be doing
all in its power
to destroy itself
from within,
but God must preserve
this nation.
The honor of His name
and the cosmic mission
of His grace
is at stake.
God's glory,
God's reputation,
God's fame
is what's at stake.
So God will deliver
on His promise
to His people.
We have an initiating God.
We also have
an empowering God.
We saw that last week.
In chapter 13,
verse 24,
we saw in verse 24 particularly,
And the woman
bore a son
and called his name Samson.
The young man grew
and get this,
and the Lord blessed him.
And the spirit of the Lord
began to stir him
in Mahanadan
between Zorah
and Estol.
God graciously
gives a son.
He's marked out.
He's set apart.
God blesses him.
God puts His spirit
upon him.
He stirs him up.
He moves him forward
and immediately
we begin to wonder,
okay,
is this going to be
the point
where national revival
happens?
Because God is embedded
in this story.
His spirit is here.
His blessing is here.
Is He going to move
this man
to deliver the people
in a way
that's going to create
some national revival?
But as we read
through the life of Samson,
we observe a life
from start to finish.
A life that is marked
by going down.
A downward spiral.
The downward spiral
that we saw
in chapter 2,
verse 19.
Every subsequent generation
that starts
a little further
down the path.
This moral decline
that's taken place.
This collapse
that is settling in.
And the beginning
of Samson's story
is marked out
the same way.
This five-fold repetition
of a verb
to go down.
In Judges chapter 14,
verse 1,
Samson went down
to Timnah.
In verse 5,
Samson went down
with his father
and mother to Timnah.
Verse 7,
then he went down
and talked with the woman.
In chapter 14,
verse 19,
and the Spirit of the Lord
rushed upon him
and he went down
to Ashkelon.
In Judges 15,
verse 8,
he struck them
hip and thigh
with a great blow
and he went down
and stayed
in the cleft
of the rock
of Etam.
This moral decline
that was true
about the people
is now characteristic
of the life
of Samson as well.
A man
who is dominated
and as we saw
last week,
a man
who is dominated
by desire.
A man who is driven
forward by his passion.
What he craves,
what he wants.
What Samson wants,
he gets
and nothing stands
in his way.
He's controlled
by his cravings.
And then,
as the story continues,
we see this tit for tat,
this retribution,
this settling a score,
this getting even
that seems to be true
of his life.
And we read this
several times
throughout chapter 15.
Chapter 15,
verse 3 says,
And Samson said to them,
This time I shall
be innocent
with regard to the Philistine
when I do them harm.
Then in chapter 15,
verse 7,
Samson said to them,
If this is what you do,
I swear I will be avenged
on you
and after that
I will quit.
Chapter 15,
verse 10.
The men of Judah said,
Why have you come up
against us?
Speaking to the Philistines,
they said,
We have come up
to bind Samson
to do it to him
as he has done
to us.
And then in chapter 15,
verse 11,
Then the 3,000 men
of Judah went down
to the cleft
of the rock of Edom
and they said
to Samson,
Do you not know
that the Philistines
are rulers over us?
What then is that
you have done to us?
And he said
to them,
As they did to me,
so I have done
to them.
With brilliant irony,
the narrator describes
Samson as a free spirit,
as a rebel
who is driven
by selfish interests,
doing whatever
he pleases
without respect
for his parents
and with no respect
for the claims
of God
on his life.
But in this process,
he ends up doing
the very thing
that God has called
him to do
and that is
deliver the people
because out of the hand
of the Philistines.
And this doesn't
condone the activities
of Samson,
but it helps us
to recognize
the sovereignty
of God
that even in
our rebellion
against him,
God is still sovereign
over those activities.
In Judges 14,
verse 4,
it says,
His father and mother
did not know
that it was
from the Lord,
for he was seeking
an opportunity
against the Philistines.
At that time,
the Philistines
ruled over Israel.
God's plan
will not be thwarted,
even in spite
of disobedience.
And while Samson's
activity was
completely self-directed,
he was still
serving God's
purposes.
One commentator
says this,
No other deliverer
in the book of Judges
matches his potential.
Called from birth
by Yahweh,
stirred up
as a youth,
called by the Spirit
of God,
empowered with
extraordinary gifts
by God,
granted exceptional
opportunities
for heroism
by God.
And the narrator
devotes more attention
to Samson
than any other
deliverer.
Despite all
of these advantages
and this special
attention that
Samson accomplishes,
he accomplishes less
on behalf of the people
than any other
of his predecessors.
Samson has all
of this potential,
all of this power,
all of this strength
that's been endowed
by him,
by God,
and he spends
every ounce
of God-given
strength
on himself.
Imagine
how useful
Samson would have
been
if he had devoted
the strength
that God had
vested in him
and he had spent
it in the right
direction.
Samson was driven
by his cravings.
And much of his life
was controlled
by revenge
and settling a score
and getting even,
this retaliation.
And it sets itself
apart from what
we learn of Christ's
life,
don't we?
Christ's life
was the opposite
of that.
Christ came
not to be served,
but to serve
and to give his life
a ransom for many.
And we all understand
that Christ offers
a better way.
We know
the two great commands,
love the Lord your God
with all your heart,
soul, mind,
and strength,
and love your neighbor
as yourself.
We know
that those
are the commands
that the Lord
lifted up
from the Old Testament
to help us understand
what a life
that's driven
by love for God
will look like.
Do you realize
that in Leviticus
chapter 19
we find both
instances
of that
second command?
It says this
in Leviticus 19.18
it says,
you shall not
take vengeance
or bear a grudge
against the sons
of your own people,
but you shall love
your neighbor
as yourself.
I am the Lord.
You know
what the opposite
of loving your neighbor
as yourself is?
The thing that stands
in the way,
the thing that is
most often
most visible
that sets itself
against loving neighbor?
It's turning
revenge
on a neighbor.
That's what
Leviticus wants
to draw attention to.
Don't
carry out
your own
agenda
on your neighbor.
Serve your neighbor.
And we know this.
This is what Christ
draws attention to.
Christ
is the preeminent
example of this.
And he encourages us
in Matthew
chapter 5
verse 43 and 45
he says,
you have heard
that it was said
you shall love
your neighbor
and hate your enemy.
But I say to you
love your enemies
and pray for those
who persecute you
so that you may be
sons of your father
who is in heaven.
For he makes his son
rise
on the evil
and on the good
and sends rain
on the just
and the unjust.
This is what God
calls us to.
But what is in us
what is in me
I should say
and I think
what's probably
in all of us
what's prevalent
in us
is when we receive
a measure of injustice
the last thing
that we want to do
is extend kindness.
Especially verbally.
When we're cursed
we want to curse.
We don't want to bless.
And when we are
oppressed
when we are
taken advantage of
we want to get even.
We want to settle
the score.
I was just reading
a report recently
from the AAA
Foundation
for Traffic Safety.
in 2025
just last year
it says that
96%
of US drivers
reported at least
one aggressive
driving
or road rage
behavior.
96%
I think that's
probably covers
a lot of us
in this room.
Right?
And I know
that there are times
when I feel like
I want to get even.
And by the way
just this past week
there was an incident
that happened
while I was
well I won't tell you
where I was.
There was an incident
that happened
and I thought for sure
that somebody
was going to die
because the
conflict
that took place
between two people
that were driving
and getting out
of the car
and yelling
at one another
through the windows
and I thought
for sure
it was
it was going
to go down
right in front of me.
And that's the kind
of thing that happens
a lot.
And we understand this.
We recognize this.
It's in us.
We are these kinds
of people.
We want to get even.
96% of us
do this
in some
fashion or the other.
And it says
that 11%
admitted
to violent behavior
such as intentionally
bumping
another vehicle
or confronting
another driver.
Now compare that
with just 10 years ago.
This is up
67%
from 10 years ago
cutting off
another vehicle
or honking
out of angry
anger
is up 47%
from 10 years ago.
You see
it's a symptom
of our society.
It's where we are.
We've all felt it.
And whether we've
carried it out
we have
probably
at least
been whispering
or yelling
under our breath.
It comes out.
And this is what
we see
in the book of Judges.
We see a group
of individuals
Samson in particular
who stands out
as needing
forgiveness.
Needing help.
Needing to
submit his life
to God.
And God
is continually
even in the story
of Samson
God
is still
available.
God is still
there.
God is still
carrying
Samson
in spite
of his rebellion.
And so
when we turn
the page
to chapter 16
we see
another aspect
of God
that I want to
draw our attention to.
In chapter 16
we're going to see
that we
have a
present
God.
We have
a present
God.
Now
here's what's
fascinating.
Through this
entire narrative
chapter 13
through chapter
16
God is
silent.
Now
in chapter 13
the angel
of the Lord
speaks to Manoah
and speaks to
his wife
but once
you move
into the narrative
where Samson
is
there's no more
speaking
God has
remained
silent
to his
people
and yet
God is
still present.
How do you
know?
Well
we see
that God
is present
through
his continuing
power.
He continues
to empower
Samson
even at the
end of this
story.
Judges 16
verses 1 to 3
says
Samson went
to Gaza
and there
he saw
a prostitute
and he
went into
her
the Gazites
were told
Samson has
come here
and they
surrounded
the place
they set
an ambush
for him
all night
at the
gate of
the city
they kept
quiet
all night
saying
let us
wait till
the light
of the
morning
then we
will kill
him
but Samson
lay hold
excuse me
Samson
lay till
midnight
and at
midnight
he rose
and took
hold
of the
doors
of the
gate
of the
city
and the
two
posts
and pulled
them up
bar and
all
and put
them on
his shoulders
and carried
them to the
top of the
hill
that is in
front of
Hebron
remember what
Samson's
story has
taught us
remember how
Samson has
now repeatedly
gone after the
things that were
right in his
eyes
we saw that in
chapter 14
verse 3
Samson said to
his father
get her for
me
she's right in
my eyes
and then in
verse 7
then he went
down and
talked with
the woman
because she
was right in
his eyes
everything that
is right in
Samson's eyes
he does
and here we
are we pick
up the story
in chapter 16
and what does
he do
well he sees
this woman
he wants her
it doesn't
matter what
God has said
about this
it doesn't
matter that
God had
specifically
given some
instruction about
how these kinds
of relationships
were to happen
because Samson
is a law to
himself
and now he's
gotten even
bolder
now we're going
to find he's
going to begin
to explore
he's going
to begin
to experiment
a little bit
he's going
to walk
on the edges
he's going
to see how
far he can
wander and
still enjoy
the power
first he's
wandered from
home
and we don't
know the
geography
very well
and so we
need to be
instructed
you see
Gaza
was a place
that was not
just had
pagan deities
as we're going
to see at
the end of
this story
but geographically
it is as far
as he could
be away
from home
at least
in the
Philistine
world
he's moved
to the edge
he's moved
as far away
as he can
be
and then we're
going to see
in chapter 16
there is no
explicit mention
of the spirit
of the Lord
coming upon him
we saw that
once in chapter
13
we saw it
once in chapter
14
we're going to
see it
twice in
chapter 15
four times
the spirit
of God
comes on
Samson
in this
narrative
and yet
in chapter
16
the spirit
of God
is not
mentioned
now it
doesn't mean
that the spirit
of God
is not
there
he's present
he's just
not mentioned
and
the reason
he's not
mentioned
I think
is because
Samson is
beginning to
wonder
if the power
that he enjoys
is a power
that is
resident
within himself
that's why
he's beginning
to experiment
he's beginning
to believe
the press
reports
that he's
invincible
and yet
for all of
Samson's
physical strength
in resisting
the power
of enemies
there's one
enemy
he's been
unable
to address
the enemy
of his
flesh
succumbing
to women
what does
he do
well he gets
up at
midnight
we're to
presume
that it's
dark
somehow
he slips
out past
the guard
he's able
to pick
up these
gates
he tears
them up
he places
them on
his shoulder
he walks
to Hebron
he sets
it in
place
now Hebron
is 40
miles
away
40
miles
away
how do
you suppose
Samson
did that
it was
another
indication
of the
power of
God
that was
resident
on his
life
even though
Samson
was completely
oblivious
to this
power
and even
though the
narrator
will now
begin to
conceal
this power
it's clear
through the
activity
that God
is still
allowing
his presence
to remain
on
Samson
to accomplish
these miraculous
things
it wasn't
through Samson's
strength
Samson's
confidence
though is
growing
his boldness
and arrogance
is growing
he's feeling
like he is
invincible
no one can
touch him
so he's
exploring
he's
experimenting
he's
testing
the limits
he's
seeing
where
those
boundaries
are
he's
wondering
if
this
strength
is really
resident
in himself
but God
continues
to empower
we move
to this
next story
the one
that you're
familiar
with
Samson
and Delilah
in verse
4
after this
he loved
a woman
in the
valley
of
Sorak
whose
name
was
Delilah
the
lords
of the
Philistines
came up
to her
and said
to her
seduce
him
and see
where his
great
strength
lies
and by
what
means
we may
overpower
him
that we
may
bind
him
to
humble
him
and we
will
see
we will
give
you
1100
pieces
of
silver
so
Delilah
said to
Samson
please
tell me
where your
great
strength
lies
and how
you might
be bound
that one
could subdue
you
you know
the story
Samson
again is
driven by
his cravings
he sees
another woman
he wants
her
he gets
her
and under
the cover
what we're
led to
understand
is even
these heathen
individuals
even these
pagan
individuals
in Philistia
who worship
Dagon
understand
that Samson's
power
is coming
from somewhere
Samson may be
oblivious
to where this
power is coming
from but even
those that
watch
and look
they know
where is
the secret
to this
power
so they
they have
this fourfold
strategy
they want
to see
where the
power is
coming from
they want
to overpower
Samson
they want
to bind
Samson
they want
to humble
Samson
and so
they pay
Delilah
1100
shekels
of silver
to get
this done
now this
is 1100
shekels
by the way
for each
of these
Philistine
lords
and so
it's
closer to
5500
shekels
not 11
shekels
because there
are five
Philistine
lords
and to give
you some
some comparison
10 shekels
as we're going
to see in
the next
narrative
from chapter
17 to 21
10 shekels
of silver
is what it
was going
to cost
to pay
for the
services
of this
Levite
who would
come
to Micah's
house
and to
perform his
duties
10 shekels
in a year
do the math
1100 shekels
divided by
10
110
years
and then
multiply that
by five
550 years
of income
is what they
were willing
to pay
Delilah
to find out
what the
secret was
you're familiar
with the story
Delilah
goes to work
she pleads
with Samson
to tell her
the secret
and we see
that
in verse
6
so Delilah
says to
Samson
please tell
me where
your great
strength
lies
and how
you might
be bound
that one
could subdue
you
Samson
will say
will bind
me with
seven fresh
bow strings
then I will
become weak
like any
other man
that's in
verse 7
what is
lost
with us
because of
the cultural
distance
from where
we are
is these
bow strings
were typically
made from
the carcasses
of dead
animals
the sinews
or the
ligaments
of these
dead
animals
he's asking
for fresh
seven fresh
bow strings
which means
he's defiling
himself
by touching
a dead
animal
becoming
unclean
beginning to
flirt a little
bit more
beginning to
experiment
a little bit
more
beginning to
push the
boundaries
just a bit
more
will this
nullify
my power
he's flirting
with the
edges
of course
these seven
fresh
bow strings
are bound
on Samson
and Delilah
will say
in verse 9
the Philistines
are upon you
and he'll be
able to break
those bow
strings
he'll be able
to free
himself
and then
he says
in verse 11
bind me with
new ropes
that have
never been
used
second
strategy
and Delilah
does it
and she
says in
verse 12
the Philistines
are upon
you
he breaks
those ropes
he frees
himself
and the
cycle
continues
and now
Samson's
playing
with fire
in verse 13
Delilah
says to
Samson
until now
you have
mocked me
and told
me lies
tell me
how you
might be
bound
and he
said to
her
if you
weave
the seven
locks
of my
head
with the
web
and fasten
it tight
with the
pin
then I
shall
become
weak
and be
like
any
other
man
so
Delilah
does it
we find
in verse 14
the Philistines
are upon
you
he's able
to pull
out the
pin
he's able
to free
himself
and he's
able
to
remove
the oppression
then we
come to
verse 15
she says
to him
how can
you say
I love
you
when your
heart
is not
with me
you have
mocked me
these three
times
you have
not
told me
where your
great strength
lies
so Samson
says
he told her
all his
heart
no razor
has come
upon my
head
for I
have been
a Nazarite
to God
from my
mother's
womb
if I
am
shaven
then my
strength
will
leave me
this is the
first time
that
that Samson's
acknowledging
where his
strength
finally
lies
and what
his calling
has been
this divine
calling
on his
life
to be
a Nazarite
to God
and now
he finally
submits that
to Delilah
this is the
purpose
for which
God has
raised me
up
in this
significant
moment
he refers
though
to God
only as
Elohim
and not
as Yahweh
see Delilah
knows now
that he has
told her
all his
heart
and so
she
lulls him
to sleep
she cuts
his hair
she says
the Philistines
are upon
you
and then
we come
to chapter
16
verse 20
he woke
up from
his sleep
and said
I will
go out
as before
at other
times
and shake
myself
free
but he
did
not
know
that the
Lord
had departed
from him
God's
presence
gracious
presence
had been
with
and on
Samson
and he
was totally
oblivious
all of
this
strength
all of
this
power
all of
this
potential
God
graciously
had given
to him
and he
was totally
oblivious
and now
it's gone
and he
doesn't even
know
this devastating
reality
that Samson
went out
as before
he thought
I can
take care
of business
I can
do
what I've
done
all along
believing
that he
was truly
invincible
not
appreciating
the fact
that it
was only
in all
ways
of God
then in
verse 21
the Philistines
seized him
and gouged
out his
eyes
and brought
him down
to Gaza
and bound
him with
bronze shackles
and he
ground at the
mill in the
prison
but the hair
of his head
began to
grow again
after it
had been
shaved
overnight
this man
is transformed
transformed
by one
whose life
was governed
by what
was right
in his eyes
to an
individual
now
who has
no eyes
who has
no sight
who has
no vision
overnight
a life
of coming
and going
at his
pleasing
has now
turned into
a life
of bondage
Samson
has now
been humbled
but we
have this
this glimmer
of hope
in verse 22
but the hair
of his head
began to
grow
again
after
it had
been
shaved
once we
turn to
verse 23
we not only
recognize that
God is
present
we recognize
that God
graciously
continues to
answer prayer
God
continues
to answer
prayer
in spite
of the wicked
heart of
Samson
verse 23
says
now the
lords of
the Philistines
gathered to
offer a
great sacrifice
to Dagon
their God
and to
rejoice
and they
said our
God has
given Samson
our enemy
into our
hand
and when the
people saw
him they
praised
their God
for they
said our
God has
given our
enemy into
our hand
the ravager
of our
country
who has
killed
many of
us
and when
their hearts
were merry
they said
call Samson
that he may
entertain us
so they
called Samson
out of the
prison
and he
entertained
them
and they
made him
stand between
the pillars
Dagon was
the God of
the Philistines
and it seems
that Samson
was put on
public display
in this place
of humility
now Samson
will call on
God for help
we see that
in verse 28
then Samson
called to
the Lord
and said
oh Lord
God
please
remember me
and please
strengthen me
only this
once
oh God
that I may
be avenged
on the
Philistines
for my
two eyes
now again
Samson
calls on
the Lord
he's called
on the Lord
previously
in chapter
15
verse 8
he was
thirsty
and God
graciously
gives him
water
miraculously
gives him
water
and now
here he is
again
humbled
again
desperate
again
his strength
has failed
again
he's praying
now
to God
one more
time
but in this
episode
we find
that he speaks
to the Lord
God
the word
there
Lord
is the word
Adonai
it's the word
sovereign
it's the word
king
and this word
for God
is the word
Yahweh
he does
finally
acknowledge
the Lord
God
the God
of Israel
this covenant
keeping God
and he asks
that God
would remember
him
now remember
back to
Judges
chapter 8
verse 34
it says
and the people
did not
remember
the Lord
their God
who had
delivered them
from the hand
of the enemies
and now
Samson is asking
God
please remember
me
but then we see
this motive
what was the motive
the underlying
purpose
for Samson's prayer
we see this again
in verse 28
remember me
and strengthen me
only this once
oh God
that I may be
avenged
on the Philistines
for my two eyes
he wants
strength
again
to be
avenged
nothing
has changed
in Samson's heart
one final act
one underlying
motive
revenge
settling a score
getting even
you see
Yahweh
is the one
who needed
to be avenged
Yahweh
was the one
whose reputation
was being
violated
in the company
of the Philistines
as they celebrated
their God
Dagon
look what
Dagon has done
and all Samson
can think of
is not the glory
and renown
and reputation
of Yahweh
but the glory
and renown
and reputation
of Samson
remember what David
will eventually say
in 1 Samuel
17 26
when Goliath
comes and
confronts
the nation
of Israel
he will say
who is this
uncircumcised
Philistine
that he
should defy
the armies
of the living
God
David's
desire
was the reputation
of the Lord
himself
of God
how
can anyone
defy
the name
and renown
of our living
God
may it not
be so
give me a shot
at making
this right
I want God's
name to be known
but here we find
the same old
Samson returns
this Nazarite
who'd been set
apart for service
to God
wants to die
with the
uncircumcised
Philistines
this man
who
with his
unprecedentedly
high calling
and his
extraordinary
divine gifts
has wasted
his life
indeed
he has
accomplished
more for God
dead
than alive
but God
change
changes
and with that
I close
with
with Ezekiel
chapter
36
verses 25
and 27
it says
I will sprinkle
clean water
on you
and you
shall be
clean from
all your
uncleanness
and from
all your
idols
I will
cleanse
you
and I
will give
you
a new
heart
and a new
spirit
I will put
on you
and I
will remove
the heart
of stone
from your
flesh
and I
will put
my
spirit
within you
and cause
you
to walk
in my
statutes
and be
careful
to obey
my
rules
this
is the
age in
which we
live today
the age
of God's
forgiveness
sending
his son
Jesus
Christ
who
died
for our
sins
on the
cross
who paid
the price
the penalty
for our
sin
the price
that we
could not
pay
that sin
demands
punishment
and that
punishment
is death
and separation
from God
forever
but God
has sent
his son
Jesus
Christ
to pay
that price
so that
anyone
who comes
to him
and believes
in him
for forgiveness
of their
sins
and asks
and confesses
that Jesus
Christ
has died
and risen
again
and that he
is Lord
will enjoy
the benefits
of salvation
the psalmist
will say
blessed
is he
whose
transgressions
are forgiven
whose sin
is covered
blessed
is the one
to whom
the Lord
does not
impute
iniquity
we are
living
in a
blessed
day
we are
living
in an
age
where the
Holy
Spirit
can change
us
fundamentally
from the
inside
out
and what
Samson
never
experienced
we can
experience
not because
we deserve
God's work
of initiating
power
but because
God is
worthy
God is
worthy
so wherever
you are
on the
continuum
of spirituality
if you feel
like you've
fallen
you feel
like you've
departed
you feel
like you
have pushed
God away
God continues
to extend
himself
his offer
of forgiveness
in the
joy that
we can
have
in the
presence
of God
the cleansing
power
of the
Lord Jesus
Christ
who can
change us
from the
inside out
I love
what Paul
will say
in 2 Corinthians
chapter 3
verse 18
he talks
about
the
spirit
of the
Lord
who changes
us
from one
degree
of glory
to the
other
and that
isn't
because
of us
that's
not
glory
to us
that is
glory
to God
and that
offer
is available
here's what
often stands
in our way
is that
while the
offer is
there
and many
of us
have even
enjoyed
the benefits
of the
spirit's
indwelling
power
it is
not a
guarantee
that we're
going to
be
transformed
because
we can
push
that work
away
we can
grieve
the Holy
Spirit
we can
quench
the Holy
Spirit
and if
that's
true
of our
life
we're
not
going
to enjoy
the benefits
of that
transformation
that's
offered
to us
we need
to have
hearts
and lives
that are
pliable
that are
submissive
that give
way to
God's
work
in our
life
so that
when
the Holy
Spirit
convicts
us of
sin
we not
just
confess
that sin
but we
turn away
from it
we find
ways
to
pursue
the Lord
Jesus
so that
redemptive
changing
transforming
work
can continue
to happen
within us
praise the
Lord
for the
book of
Judges
in the
reminder
that God
delights
in saving
sinners
he delights
in making
much of
himself
and as
the world
around us
gets darker
it's a
chance
for the
light of
Christ
to shine
more brightly
in and
through us
may God
help us
to shine
brightly
for his
glory
oh God
we praise
you
that you
have not
given up
on us
and I
pray that
you would
help us
to give
way to
you
to submit
to you
not to
resist
you
but to
allow you
to have
your way
in our
life
thank you
for this
story
and the
reminder
that you
are faithful
that you
will honor
your word
and I
pray that
our lives
would be
a testament
to your
working
and wondrous
power
in Jesus
name
amen
you have
a great
week
thanks for
coming today