Judges Part 16

XVI. Judges 16. A. This chapter sets forth the transition of Samson the Nazarite to Samson the Not So Bright, and it is a warning to believers against the foolish assumption of invincibility, and the foolish assumption that God is obliged to always help His worthies, even in their folly. 1. Paul understood that even as chief apostle, he could still become a castaway if he did not control his fleshly desires. 1CO 9:27. 2. Samson fell prey to the things warned against in 1JO 2:16. 3. No man other than Jesus Christ is irreplaceable. B. vs. 1-3. 1. harlot: Applied to a woman. a. As a general term of execration... b. A female juggler, dancing-girl, ballet-dancer, or actress... c. spec. An unchaste woman; a prostitute; a strumpet. (Very frequent in 16th c. Bible versions, where Wyclif had hoore, whore; prob. as a less offensive word.) 2. It is only speculation that Samson was using the old spy tactic employed at Jericho in the days of Joshua (JOS 2:1) and evangelists don’t persuade harlots to repent by laying till midnight at the harlot’s house. a. It is more likely that Samson, whose weaknesses were his eyes and alluring women, joined himself to the harlot. c/w 1CO 6:16-17. b. Considering the powerful emotional experiences of JDG 15 in which his in-laws betrayed him, his wife was killed, his countrymen betrayed him, and then his Spirit-empowered victory over the Philistines ultimately justified him, he was in a vulnerable position of pride and natural desire: two powerful forces that can bring a man low, especially when combined. c. NOTE: some of the most perilous times of Christian experience are in the wake of great victories and high emotions. Consider how personal interaction with the resurrected Christ generated joy which neutralized faith. LUK 24:36-41. 3. As in JOS 2:2, the enemy somehow knew Samson’s comings and goings, and would use that information against him. Clearing his browser history would likely not have made any difference. 4. Samson dramatically escaped the Philistines’ designs. God had not yet withdrawn from him. The gates of the enemy were no match for the man of faith. v. 3 c/w MAT 16:18. C. vs. 4-5. 1. It might be wondered if Samson’s escape from the harlot’s house and the Philistines’ designs was interpreted by him as positive reinforcement of his choices by God. Beware of such unfounded assumptions. Jonah’s bad choice “seemed” to be validated by finding a ship bound for Tarshish. JON 1:3. 2. Samson fell for Delilah, whose name means feeble, languishing. Perhaps she was of a weak constitution or was of reduced circumstances and Samson had a soft spot for such. Rescuing poor stray cats does not always work out well. a. One thing is certain: her tactics left Samson feeble and languishing. b. No mention is made of a marriage, and a marriage would have implied that he would take her to his home (which also is not mentioned). c. As her tactics show, she aligns more with the likes of the strange woman who “...hath cast down many wounded: yea, many strong men have been slain by her” (PRO 7:26). d. NOTE: false religion can be a Delilah or strange woman, alluring through flattery, lust and sensual enticements: pomp, splendor, grand music and architecture. If a religion empowers you by feeling good more than by knowing and doing good, it is not the true religion but a harlot religion like REV 17:4-5.

Judges 6-26-25 Page 32 3. She agreed to take money to betray him. She was not even threatened. Samson was cursed by bad relationships and betrayals, and sometimes the latter is almost guaranteed by the former. 4. The Philistines decided it was better to use human lust and natural affection to gain the victory rather than brute strength. Satan knows well how to allure through the lusts of the flesh (2PE 2:18) to capture souls, and the man who puts his foot in the snare makes himself a willing captive (and his pride makes it more difficult to be delivered from his captor). a. This is especially so with false religion’s snares. b. It is easier to deceive a man than it is to convince him that he was deceived by his choices. D. vs. 6-14. 1. Three times this deceitful woman tried to get Samson to reveal the source of his strength and she accuses him of lying. They were both adept at that. a. Warning: there are times when being tight-lipped in a relationship is necessary, but a relationship full of lies is a relationship full of Satan. JOH 8:44. b. An alternate approach: “Honey, I am under vow to God and I cannot in good conscience comply with your requests. Please respect my denial.” 2. Samson trifled with her temptations rather than shutting them down. Trifling with temptation is very unwise since it is making provision for the flesh to fulfil its lusts. ROM 13:14. 3. By the third time, Samson was getting closer to the fact that his hair might have something to do with it. She was wearing him down and, as it turns out, he was not as invincible as he thought. 4. As these verses and the ones to follow imply, Samson was too emotionally attached to this woman who was a destructive force in his life. a. No human relationship should be so strong that it would mean surrendering the faith to maintain its peace. MAT 10:34-39. b. If the relationship be lawful, it might justify some compromise on indifferent things and some forbearance and patience, but even lawful relationships have limitations to their bonds. 2TH 3:6. E. vs. 15-20. 1. Delilah played her trump card: “You don’t love me.” 2. Like his first wife who “...lay sore upon him...” (JDG 14:17), Delilah “...pressed him daily with her words, and urged him, so that his soul was vexed unto death” (v. 16). a. Samson’s choices, like Lot’s, were the cause of the vexation. 2PE 2:8. b. When Jesus promised us tribulation, He was emphasizing troubles that others bring upon us because of Him (JOH 16:32-33), not the ones we bring upon ourselves in spite of Him. Much of our suffering is self-inflicted. c. “The choices of life, not the compulsions, reveal character.” (A.W. Tozer) 3. He showed her all his heart, and she knew he had done so. Instead of honoring his new honesty, she ratted him out. a. Be wary in everyday matters about divulging your deepest secrets because some people will use them against you. b. God alone may be trusted in this regard. PSA 62:8. 4. Samson was either a very deep sleeper or had “help,” perhaps from something secretly administered. c/w PRO 23:35.

Judges 6-26-25 Page 33 a. Being past feeling is oft the cause of being overcome. EPH 4:19. b. He had given his strength to this woman. c/w PRO 31:3. c. His hair was not his strength. It was the token of God his Strength but the loss of the token made him weak. Our faith is a token from God for spiritual strength and the casting away of faith is certain spiritual weakness. HEB 11:34; EPH 3:16-19; ROM 4:20. d. When we sleep, our enemies don’t. MAT 13:25. 5. Samson had squandered the Lord his Strength and knew it not. v. 20. a. This is what sin and high-mindedness can do to a believer: deceive him into thinking that the Lord is always with him regardless of his conduct. b. (JOH 15:5) I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. F. vs. 21-31. 1. Samson was taken to Gaza where he had previously dallied with the harlot. v. 1. 2. They put out his eyes which had oft led him to bad relationships, and made him a grinding prisoner. a. Here is a warning to us to personally mortify our own eyes before sin does it to us. MAT 5:29 c/w PSA 119:37. b. Satan blinds the minds of unbelievers and so enslaves them. 2CO 4:3-4. 3. The idolatrous Philistines foolishly attributed their triumph to Dagon, an insult that God will not endure. ISA 42:8 c/w DAN 5:3-5, 23. 4. Samson had sported himself with his own deceivings (2PE 2:13) and was here put on public display to make sport for Philistines. Consider the image: a. The brutalized man of faith is publicly mocked. b. He is their entertainment (and he brought down the house). c. His arms are spread apart. d. He dies praying. e. He accomplishes his greatest victory over the enemy in death. f. There is much of Christ in all of this. 5. But there are distinctions. a. Samson died for his own errors but not Christ. 2CO 5:21. b. Samson prayed for vengeance but Christ prayed for forgiveness. LUK 23:34. c. Samson’s death was actively suicidal but Christ’s was by the hand of sinners. ACT 2:23. d. Samson died to slay men but Christ died to save men. 1TI 1:15. e. Samson remains dead. 6. Remember Samson’s pillars. a. The most sophisticated of religious errors often rest upon a couple of pillars that should be taken out. Concentrate on them. b. The many sins to which we fall prey likewise may be based upon a couple of pillars like spiritual malnutrition and making provision for the flesh. c. Christ took out sin and death, the pillars of Satan’s bonds.