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July 2, 2021 2:00 am
Some people make us scratch our heads in wonder and wipe our eyes in sorrow. In the message "A Superhero Loses His Cape," Skip shares some important lessons you can learn from the life of Samson.
This teaching is from the series Crash & Burn.
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Sampson really was a complicated person you sort of a puzzle walking enigma was empowered by the spirit of God.
We are told, but yielded to the appetites of the flesh. He was long before men. He was weak before women could conquer the enemies around him, but he could not conquer the biggest enemy inside of him. Paul wrote to believers.
You have been called to live in freedom but don't use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature today on connect with Skip Heiser.
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Both resources are our things, or gift of $25 or more to help and idle teaching outreach to get online securely connectwithskip.com/offer or call 800-922-1888 Judges chapter Skip to get into today's message so Batman and Robin were That after they cooked their meal and set up their tent fell asleep in the middle of the night Batman woke Robert up and he said Robin what you see and Robin said will holy jeepers Batman I see lots and lots of stars and Batman said it was a tell you Robin. Robin said well astronomically. It tells me that there are probably millions if not billions of stars and potentially billions of other galaxies astrologically. It tells me that Saturn is in Leo chronologically. I can deduce that it's approximately 315 in the morning. Theologically, it shows me that God is very big and we are small and insignificant meteorologically I can to do so were going to have a beautiful day tomorrow and then he said what is that tell you Batman Batman said dummy somebody has stolen our tent. You can be a superhero and not be supersmart were studying in the book of Judges chapter 14 the superhero of the Old Testament somebody. Everyone is heard of.
If you been the Sunday school. Everybody knows stories about Samson's story is found in the four chapters of the book of Judges chapter 13, 14, 15 and 16. A full 1/5 of the book is devoted to this judge known as Samson and Sampson really was a complicated person. He was sort of a puzzle walking enigma. He was empowered by the spirit of God. We are told, but yielded to the appetites of the flesh.
He was strong before men. He was weak before women he could conquer the enemies around him, but he could not conquer the biggest enemy inside of him. He's a guy who fought the Lord's battles by day, but disobeyed the Lord's commandments by night Sampson was what James said is a double minded man unstable in all of his ways. Interestingly, the name Sampson means sunny like SU and NY sunny brightness or bright one. I'm sure he brought lots of joy and laughter into his parents home and they come sunny but what's ironic about that is, he dies, unable to see anything. He is blinded by the enemy in his camp as he takes his life along with that of the Philistines, applying the slave something else you should know about him before we can even get into the taxi is found in Hebrews 11 you know about the hall of faith chapter of faith in Hebrews 11 he is named in a sentence among a host of others as being a person of faith from the Old Testament, but I want to say though he was a man of faith. He was, not a faithful man. He was not faithful to his parents.
He was not faithful to his vows. He was not faithful to his God. Yet God did use him in in a strange kind of a way you'll see part of it. We don't have time to look at all of these chapters to look at chapter 14, so I want to give you the setting. The setting is that the the Philistines have occupied the land. I know that you've heard of the Philistines, let me just tell you who they were Philistines were people from Greece. The a GNC region: 1200 BC decided to leave where they were and migrate to the southern Mediterranean climate. So they attacked Egypt in 1200 BC.
That didn't go very well so they were forced northward and they settled along the coast of Israel so they became for hundreds of years perpetual enemies to the children of Israel, and they occupied five cities, principal, Ashkelon, Ashdod, Gaza, Gath and Akron were all stronghold cities of the Philistines, so God will raise up judges that's with the book of Judges is about to push them away into take them out in one of the principal ones is a guy by the name of Sampson. Sampson is unsuccessful. He makes a little aunt in the problem but does not fix the problem or he doesn't reach the potential that God had for him as a deliver. And I want you to see why that is. Let's see how he crashed and burned. Sampson took five steps downward and I want you to look at them with me. In chapter 14, but let me say before we jump in that some of you may be taking one or more of these steps, any one of them is bad, all of them together will I can guarantee you because failure. So let's look at the first downward step that he took. He disrespected his parents. Verse one.
Judges 14 now Sampson went down to Temne, and he saw a woman in Tim, not the daughters of the Philistines, so he went up and told his father and mother saying I've seen a woman in Temne of the daughters of the Philistines.
Now therefore get her for me as a wife and his father mother said him is there no woman among the daughters of your brethren are among my people, that you must go and get away from the uncircumcised Philistines, and Sampson said to his father get her for me, for she pleases me.
Well, you need to know that Sampson did have a godly heritage was by divine revelation to his parents that he would be born, and when he was born he was raised to honor God. His parents dedicated him to God with a special bow called the bow of the Nazirite that might ring a bell. The sum of you if you know the Old Testament in the book of Numbers chapter 6 there was a special vow of holiness or valve of dedication consecration called the bow of a Nazirite as soon as Samson was born. The last verse of chapter 13 of Judges says the Lord blessed him.
I always like to read that the Lord blessed him, and the spirit of the Lord began to move upon him, but as soon as we get to the very next chapter which is the initial stages of his public life.
His first public act is to go to the wrong place and look for the wrong person.
He goes down to Temne, about 4 miles from where he was from Tim that is in Philistine country and he went down there and the corset speaking geographically, topographically, he went down, but I also see this is a spiritual reference point. As soon as he's out of the chute. His life goes south. He goes down to Temne and of course when you hang out in the wrong places you usually hook up with the wrong people. And so it says he saw a woman of the Philistines and elected that beautiful Philistine check and he thought that love at first sight got to have her as my wife had even spoken to her yet. According to the custom of those days he went to his father and said I like her get her for me as a wife. So what this really was was not love at first sight this was lust at first sight.
He is living through his eyeballs.
He is growing completely by his senses, which by the way in our culture we have taught men the same thing whether it's by the beautiful models in magazines.
The display a product or it's by manikins in a store who on earth could fit into the close of manikin workers came and she said wheat we are teaching young men to look for women that do not exist or that have a special need meal need. If they do exist. I mean, these are these are the values that we instill in the young man so that I speak to guys all the time about what they wanted a wife and you know it's like why I don't want much, she just has to have the IQ of Albert Einstein. She has to be a supermodel and an Olympic athlete. That's all. In my first question is why on earth would she ever be interested in you but his parents thought you know what don't marry that girl marry one of your own girl a good Jewish girl.
Now why would dad say that why would Mom and dad are they just stupid. Are they just so narrowminded they don't understand.
This is real law they don't get it. Probably those thoughts were going through Sampson's mind. But the reason they said this is because they knew their Bibles.
They knew Deuteronomy 7. They knew Exodus chapter 34 where God said when you go into the land that you are going into that I'm bringing you into do not intermarry the people of that land don't give your daughters to their sons don't take their daughters for your sons because God said those daughters will turn the hearts of your sons away from me don't marry an unbeliever.
The unbeliever will steer you away from God, but can you hear the impudence in his voice. She pleases me well get her farming and that's just sassy.
If I spoke like that. My mom would've washed my mouth out with soap and she did that a few times literally he is just rude and in his response to his father says in Proverbs chapter 30 verse 11 there is a generation that curses their fathers and does not bless their mothers. Sampson was of that generation.
I was impressed. The first time I went to the South and I saw how they are taught manners in the South was a whole new level. I'm a California so the best you get when you come into a room to California is a pace and outside yeah I acknowledge that you live with.
That's about it.
Not in the South. They stand up when a woman enters the room.
They say yes sir no sir yes ma'am no ma'am, it's a culture shock to me and I thought boy I like that the whole nice and new level of respect. Will Sampson did know those kind of manners but notice something in verse four. There's a footnote that says but his father and mother did not know that it was of the Lord that he was seeking an occasion to move against the Philistines for that time the Philistines had dominion over us will not have to explain what that means, that doesn't mean you can live any way you want make any choice you want and God will God will cover you.
It does mean that when you don't allow God to rule over you. God may have to overrule you. That's what it means. So God wanted you Sampson as a mighty deliverer of the people in and out different manner in long-standing and effective manner, but he wouldn't let that happen. Sampson would so got overruled when God cannot rule over you. He will overrule you as Warren wears me put it, God will accomplish his purposes either with us or in spite of us and it was the latter that God did with him so he disrespects his parents. That's the first step downward. The second is he disregarded his God. Verse five. So Sampson went down to Temne with his father and mother they're going to make the marriage plans now, and it came to the vineyards of Temne that is surprised a young lion came roaring against him in the spirit of the Lord came idly upon them, and he tore the lion apart as one would have torn apart a young goat, though we had nothing in his hand but he did not tell his father or mother what he had done. Then he went down and talked with the woman first record that he's even talking to this gal he's in love with and she plays Sampson well after some time. When he returned to get her. He turned aside to see the carcass of the lion, and behold, a swarm of bees and honey were in the carcass of the lion.
He took some of it in his hands and he went along, eating when it came to his father and mother. He gave some to them and they also ate. But he did not tell them that he had taken the honey out of the carcass of the line so he's traveling down to Temne with mom and down. Dad and evidently he leaves the main road and goes through a vineyard without them. The lion attacks them. You know the story here's a question what's the Nazirite doing a vineyard that I want to refresh your memory, I Nazirite Val which Sampson took involved three things number one you don't cut your hair below to grow so there like the original hippies, but with the purpose. The idea of the long hair was a sign of humiliation. That's number one number two I Nazirite wasn't allowed to touch a corpse because they would become defiled. So even if a relative died. They couldn't be around a corpse which means they wouldn't have. Participation in the funeral of even a parent, so it was quite about to take quite a sacrifice to make. Third, I Nazirite could drink no intoxicating drink at all. No wine, no intoxicating drink could eat no grapes could eat no raisins at all.
Nothing from the fruit of the line. It is interesting to note that he is walking through a vineyard. It's dangerous for Nazirite should even walk through the vineyard because you're just kinda placing yourself in a contemptible position. The breaker bounty and some grapes.
Maybe not a big deal, but to a Nazirite.
It is the principle I find is one that I see some Christians will ask questions like, hey can I do that and still be a Christian is okay if I get involved in this and still be a Christian site, wrong line of questioning this. I like how far up to the edge.
Can I get but some believers will sail their ship so close to the lake of fire that their sales get cinched you want to live that way. Sampson is living that way.
According to verse nine on his way back he takes honey from alliance corpse. Now again I remind you of the bow that is taken he is Nazirite and one of the things Nazirite can do is touch a corpse so reaching in and grabbing honey from a corpse of a lion is something that will break his bow is becoming defiled. Now he's ceremonially defiled. He's already relationally defiled, disrespecting his parents.
He's already morally defiled because always think about is what he can see with his eyes and looking at a Philistine check.
She's pretty now is ceremonially unclean. All of that to say here's a Nazirite who is not taking his vows very seriously and there's a good reason for the because they're not important to him. They're just not that important to him. Maybe one time they were, but they're not now. I meet people all the time who will say all I used to go to your church effect you dedicated me when I was a baby and I always ask you to work remained aware me are you.
You still dedicated to the Lord, are you following the well, you know, I've had a few setbacks I go to church twice a year, Easter and Christmas. I'm there, me and you see whatever past experience you had.
Whatever past expression of faith. You have made. It's all invalid unless it's translated into the present experience. Jesus said, many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name that we not cast out demons in your name. Have we not done wonderful things in your name and I will declare to them, I never knew you depart from me, you who practice lawlessness.
The problem that Sampson had with women was really a problem. Sampson had with God. God wasn't first in his life.
God was in supreme in his life.
The Bible is a word for that called idolatry. Anything or anyone that replaces supreme devotion to God is an idol so I know that God is your God by creation. You're here, you're alive, he created you. I know that for many of you, God is your God, by redemption, he saved you.
My question is, is God, your God, by devotion, you devoted him will I been dedicated to God.
Great. Are you devoted to him now Sampson was not.
He disregarded his God.
Listen to the third step he takes is going downhill with every step he distanced his friends. He distanced his friends in verse 10, not provocative versus and as we read them. I want you to notice what is there and what's not there burst and so his father went down to the woman and Sampson gave a feast there for young men.
He is to do so and it happened when they saw him, that they brought 30 companions to be with him. I notice what's there.
First of all there's a feast and the word for feast. The Hebrew word in the text for feast is a drinking feast day. So once again he's taken the bow of a about all the Nazirite Nazirite don't drink intoxicating drink.
This dudes having a beer bash. It's a bachelor party. Yes, young men used to do so, but not Nazirite young man that this young man. So this Nazirite has a drinking party at intoxicating beverages would certainly be a part of that and notice his dad is within. I don't know why his dad is with them, but I notice it as it is in the attack so I deal with it. One commentator says. Perhaps his father was there to reach out to his son. In one sort of last attempt to stop a marriage that he couldn't sanction is just a way to say please son don't don't do this, so that's what's there. What I want you to see is what's not there. There are 30 Philistine men in the groom's party that he doesn't even know they give him 30 dudes off the street to be part of the wedding party if he doesn't know her. He certainly doesn't know them. They just bring them in here is my question where are his friends were Sampson's friends. Why didn't he he bring his own. Listen carefully in Jewish weddings. There was a group of men called the friends of the bridegroom Jesus even mentions that in Matthew nine the friends of the bridegroom where the friends of this bridegroom, it suggests to me that Sampson didn't bring any of his friends that a round of 30 Philistine said be his new best friends for his own wedding. So why didn't he bring his friends. Well either. He didn't have any or they didn't want to come with them and be a part of this wedding. One of those two options either didn't have any. Or they didn't want to come and be a part or he just didn't tell anybody, so he didn't bring his own friends. One thing we know for sure about Sampson.
Whether you read it in chapter 13, 14, 15 or 16 is this guy was a loner noted know anybody like that giving up. Sure loner, there's no record of him marching with an army are working with a band of soldiers we never read of him strategizing with other leaders. We never see him surrounded by good friends. He always acts alone always alone and that is not good that is not healthy. Proverbs 18 verse one.
A wise or sees me a man who isolates himself seeks his own desire. He rages against all wise judgment that is Sampson. He's isolated himself. He rages against wise judgment as parents is God's vows is acting alone message from his serious question here. Skip to share how you can help keep this broadcast going strong, connecting more people like you to God's truth. Did you know that our spiritual war rages all around you. You don't have to be afraid. However, Jesus has already defeated the enemy and he invites you to be a victor with him. We want to share that good news with listeners like you and you can be a part of that when you give a gift today. Here's how you can give and help these teachings stay coming to you. Give us a call at 800-922-1888 to give a gift today 800-922-1888 Orbison connectwithskip.com/donate. That's connectwithskip.com/donate. Your generosity will keep this biblical encouragement coming your way and going out to help change more lives and just to remind tune in to watch connect with Skip Heitzig on the Hill song check on Saturdays at 4:30 PM on catch it on TBN on Sundays at 5:30 AM Eastern. Check your local listings next explore Sampson's line with Skip presentation of connection communications to go through ever-changing time