Samson and Delilah (Part A)

When you say the gates of hell will not prevail.

The plans of Satan will not stand but it is a twofold meaning also that we are supposed to go into the world. That is to we are to be on offense, not defense attacking the gates of hell goes behind those gates of the lost souls of the world and by attacking those gates with the gospel. We are used to be deliverers under deliverers as the judges were supposed to be for the goals lost soul. This is cross reference radio with our pastor and teacher. Rick asked Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville. Rick is currently teaching through the book of Judges. Please stay with us after today's message to hear more information about cross reference radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching, but for now let's join Pastor Rick in the book of Judges chapter 16 as he begins his message. Samson and Delilah Judges chapter 16, Samson and Delilah, it says here in verse one.

I saw a harlot there is a second Gentile woman that he entangles himself with in the record.

We have no reason to think that there were only two Bad company.

Delilah will be the third. And of course from Satan's perspective, these indulgences were softening in for the kill, and it almost worked. In the end must insert this now because when I thought a mystery, not trying to hold back way.

We all wait for later.

Although sometimes I do try to keep your attention, but I think that in the end this. It's a victory as tragic as it is he. He inflicts heavy damage on the Philistines that otherwise would not have happened is as I mentioned in the beginning this evening's consideration. So here is not surrendered, reluctant, why would he find a nice Jewish girl again brought this up before oh maybe there was nothing in him. The Jewish girl wanted were not told outright why. Maybe he wanted to shield the Jewish women from sin.

So when you get married one lot of questions asked why such an enigma. Why did not Samson.

Have a good friend why is there no mention of a body that could have said, Samson what are you doing in Gaza wouldn't be so bad if he said somewhat tongue-in-cheek or beating up Philistines.

That's not what the story says there in verse one, he wasn't interested in the Philistines is an enemy was interested in.

The Philistines is place for sin. Verse two when the God sites were tall. Samson has come here.

They surrounded the place and lay in wait for him all night at the gate of the city.

They were quiet all night saying in the morning when it is daylight. We will kill him well whenever he goes into enemy territory. He's going down both geographically and spiritually. The territory of the Philistines was on the West Coast of the land, but if you look if you have your Bible, still open. Return to chapter 14 of Judges. In verse one. You'll say Samson went down to Tim and Saul woman. Then again in verse five. So Samson went down to Tim and then again in verse seven he went down and talked with the woman and then again in verse 10, his father went down to the woman everything connected with his desire for this unbelieving wife was taking him down was a similar story with Joan of course and still Gentile in connection with the Gentiles.

God wanted Jonah to preach to the Gentiles not to slay them. Jonah would have nothing to do with because of races and he went down to Joppa. He founded to note that down into the boat.

He kept going down those lessons. A deliberate God wants us to pick up on that that dissent the devolution into sin. So here he Bad company. Delilah being the third interesting note in Genesis chapter 4 concerning Kane, the killer of his brother. God said if you do well, will you not be accepted and if you do not do well, sin lies at the door and its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.

And those words would've been in print in the days of Samson. Remember again Samson small incident is an intelligent man and he is very witty and he probably was a lot of fun going to have fun with Delilah but will be worth it says here in verse two they were quiet all night in the morning. We will kill him. Is this is a first-rate personification of hell's objective life of every believer soon as we can. We going to kill him now. By this time he had already taken out a thousand men and one flight battalion of men and what gave them the right to think that they could take him hatred.

That's what they hated him so much he feared it would've been another slaughter and maybe maybe you can say the singing of the goodness of this something in the heart of Samson city.

I don't want to kill all these guys.

So he decides to do a practical chalk hook verse three Samson lay low till midnight. Then he arose at midnight took hold of the doors of the gate of the city and the two gate posts pull them up barn all put them on his shoulders and carry them to the top of the hill that faces have run. Well he allow the guards if they were posted to fall asleep disciplined troops won't do that they will stay up fall asleep. Guard duty is something that's not pardonable and this Samson lay low to midnight waiting for them to cosleep be caught off guard and he arose midnight took hold of the doors of the given city to gates pull them up barn all it's almost comical how he affiliated to them. The enemy, but the amount of strength necessary regarding your fencepost when you get home. Try to pull it up. You carjacked it dictation that thing up for porta power, something hundreds of pounds of just weight of gait, then add to that that there in the ground any hoist him on his shoulders. And he probably walked 10 miles uphill. Since hysterical to destroy them.

The Meadows of BC the monster to them brings to mind what Jesus said the gates of hell shall not prevail if a man of such low morality, such as Samson prevails against the gates. Imagine have to regift the connection.

The Lord said to gates of hell will not prevail. Samson has the city gates.

Now the gates a twofold meaning for the ancient cities. One is, it is actual gait by which people come in and out or locked in a locked out and the other is at the gate is where the city Council war Council would meet and so when you say the gates of hell will not prevail. The plans of Satan will not stand what it is.

It's a twofold meaning also that we are supposed to go into the world. That is to we are to be on offense, not defense attacking the gates of hell. Because behind those gates of the lost souls of the world and by attacking those gates with the gospel. We are used to be deliverers under deliverers as the judges were supposed to be for the for those lost souls, and it is an ongoing war.

So again, this is quite extraordinary and and and comical and he had to be giggling. Watch this I'm going to do this you have to use mules and horses and also some stuff to get the skates up like this put them on his shoulders and carry them to the top of the hill that faces have brought something that he went to have gone with the gate that would be 40 miles uphill. Pretty much all the way well it already exercise the victory is the point really going further, you could read it both ways. I think he just went up to the hill. The faces have gone about 10 miles away from Gaza.

You can identify their and he mission was accomplished yes insult the people of the city by removing the gate and say to yourself what if Israel had rallied behind a man like this well what if that man was someone who people would want to rally today. That makes me ask myself in my the kind of person that people would not want to rally with or have me a part of their team.

You like to go back to the child or when you're picking up your members will be a play on your basketball team. I think this will take you going to be the last guy okay I got him. But Samson, nobody is never anybody with him all of the strength wasted in their people to become prima donnas you know they think that they have some talent or some skill and everybody needs to, you know, part the way for them. That's not Christianity and that is one of the many lessons of our giving her a Bible study to idealists.

Musicians were very talented. This would be a good place to go for because it would be susceptible to this people always coming up.

He knows a great song I mean think about it, the churches will pay thousands of dollars to have people come in and sing songs to the congregation, but they will pay that to some of the country's the word to the country. In fact, those who will preach the word will come for free.

The real preachers of the word. You have to pay them.

If you do the going to take an these side discrepancies shouldn't be this way. Well, it is this way can pastors become prima donnas, absolutely Jesus and don't be like the Pharisees out in the marketplace is taking the house from everybody who is a sighting of Rabbi so-and-so hello Rabbi so-and-so, we have to watch if we are having success in the Lord, that we are not basking in fame as though we are word well anyway verse four afterword, it happened that he loved the woman in the Valley of psoriatic whose name was Delilah that you know some of the valleys in Scripture. They stick out. You know the Valley of psoriatic not good. The Valley of the law. David slays Goliath in the Valley of the law but it says after when it happened will ignore really didn't just happen not the story. The story in the same there's been a period of time since he last visited Gaza and took the gates. Now he goes to the Valley of sarin. Again, the heart of the Philistines were their territory again. Should he be going to. Should the believer be going to Las Vegas for vacation.

What is there for him to get those free meals at the hotel casinos in the internal I've heard that the first time I'd been there but I was in the believer.

Then even then it like it that's pretty bad but anyway psoriatic. It is the place of the choice vines again. Here he is a Nazirite assessable having to do a divine these things him, he would've known that and it it doesn't bother him at all has we read from 14 verse one just reading it again. Samson went down to Tim and saw a woman in timber of the daughters of the Philistines, and here he is at it again this Delilah is not explicitly said she's a Philistine, but it is certainly implied says that he loved a woman whose name was Delilah. Remember she did not love him back in his love was that carnal animal kind of love. It was not that genuine love because he had there was nothing there that he if there was it was just carnal. It was not spiritual is not one of the daughters of the faith. So woman in Tim that he saw her. Then he went to Gaza, he saw a harlot there and now he goes to psoriatic The Valley of psoriatic and he sees Delilah and again he is more devoted to his flesh than anything else. The name Delilah those who handle these things can agree that the naming devotee does the name mean delicate as in fragile is the name mean of the night different names because or reusing the root words of the Hebrew are we using another language itself and I say that because if you looking your Bible dictionaries you may read it says devoting to look at another one, consisting of tenant or fragile in look. Another one in an S because they're using taking different approaches to address this matter to us far as we're concerned Delilah is the one that took out Samson and there are Delilah's today in some form for men and women. Some something that will destroy you. That is attractive to you and it was easy for Samson to love this way, but we we don't find of anyone, loving him back except mom and dad at the beginning of the story and this is a good thing. I think the read to little children to get them to think you know there's a man that nobody wanted this doesn't seem to want to be with a made sport of temptation here. You don't hear him expressing something ugly. Leave me not into temptation Mr. Joel missing from his faith in the Valley of sora wrecked the choice vines very fruit he was to abstain from the symbolism, as is clear in his dedication to God was distant, but the world was not and is Nazirite valves his hair. The just symbolic to him. Proverbs 24 her house leads down to death, and her paths to the dead, that is so tailored for Delilah in the story of Samson verse five and the Lord of the Philistines came up to her and said to her entice him and find out where his great strength lies and by what means we may overpower him, that we may bind him to afflict him and every one of us will give you 1100 pieces of silver lords of the Philistines came up to her and said so once again we see that the strongmen cannot be beaten by strong men, but they can be taken out by the women is a fact of life than the feminist may not like to hear but who cares what the feminist like to hear what they don't like to hear what we care about is the word of God and what it is telling us, and that is the purpose of this unit of the word which is to be every believer is to become the description we read it and we don't try to fit into what would reading what we wanted to say what we wanted to believe it says we're trying to understand what it is telling us what's coming out of the Scripture. That's how you get people misusing the Scripture cults do that was so cultic about them as they use the Bible the same Bible we use, but they're not listening to what it's saying they are dictating to it. Looking forward to it to Taylor for some goofy belief and that's why context is so critical to not to to settling disputes as to the meaning of the verses. Now these five lords of the Philistines. They travel to sora wrecked from the various majors, towns, Gaza, Ashkelon Philistines held because they wanted Samson that badly. They went out of their way to come to this valley of sora wrecked to find someone who could take what they had spies out there people would pass information to them. A Samson's and Florek and is likely living with Delilah because she pestered him daily.

And anyway, these are the voices of the devil. They came to her and said, entice him, that we may find it was great strength lies and by what means we may overpower him, we may bind him to afflict him, so she knows what this is about is not like are you just going to arrest the bad boy she knows they going to do damage to him in the story is. She is the flash, she's that selfish instrument, but there's a greater enemy behind that selfish instrument of flesh of horses is an instrument of of hell is that sinful nature that were born with, and that's with the warriors. Find out where his great strength lies. They knew where his weakness was his weakness was with Philistine women adjusted in order. Strength was a tight life. The more I think about his rock paper scissors that you think he thinks it's as though many things that are just alternate victors that you know what what we can beat you over here can over there always goes around the circle asking such a question is this where it is a strength lies indicates that he did not look strong because if you look strong. Nobody would ask the question is receipt of these unusually large others like no one would say that the Goliath when is your strength lies so I would like to be a Goliath armor bearer 10 that shield is heavy is somebody else anyway.

Also, if you look strong. His wife probably would've went to them under duress say they tried to get get to you through me. Can you go beat them up early probably look like everybody else. None of these Philistine women.

Or we could put it this way because I think this is good for ministry to the lost souls of the world where was the Rahab and Ruth of the Gentile world in these areas. Why didn't Rahab stand up and say no, no, these are God's people. And we know what they're going to do or Ruth Ruth 117, where you die I will die there. I will be very Yahweh do so. To me, and more anything but death parts you from me. Imagine a Delilah said that the Samson imagine if he had enough respect for women to see them as helpmeets, and I must add in a marriage and a good Christian marriage. There is no greater helpmate than the one assigned by God. This is the role of the woman which is Satan is committed to destroying and we are seeing it in our society. Men are committed to abusing well. We are supposed to be grounded in our understanding of God's design in the world that is falling he says here in verse six, every one of us will. These are the Philistine lords.

There were five of them and probably there. Of course their assistance.

Every one of us will give you 1100 pieces of silver that is a great deal of money, so much so when we get to the story of Micah and chapter in the next chapter. Chapter 17 it gets 10 pieces of silver plus free room and board for year so that was an attractive young 10 pieces. So, for what she's getting 5500 pieces of silver as to if it's the same standard we cannot absolutely sure what it is these the going to make our rich even if it's not the identical standard. It's enough for her to sell doing, why don't they say to her will kill you if you talk were not told, we can only guess. Or perhaps they wanted. I would say that they wanted to give her incentive to do a good job. She would've come back. I just caddie won't tell me are blue it.

But now you know what, let's really make this attractive to her first six or Delilah said to Samson.

Please tell me where your great strength lies and with what you may be bound to afflict solar respect for the meathead that she just comes right out what your pin number to me it just this is how I had to have carried in the other certain people you know you don't ask that you don't treat them the way you might treat somebody else that will put up with you be looking at a fat lip and so he must've cared him of himself in such a way that she fell below his Tom. He's all ask him anything. She comes right out and says where's your strength that I can get to it so you can be harmed.

You think he would've said you know what I will not be back tonight I GNC simple she could she possibly have been direct yes because he was that Dominus story guarantees us that he was his stupidity was born out of arrogance and recklessness.

The only thing dumber than the question is the one being asked the question, Samson wanted to end the affliction by affliction is to be conquered and in that the implications were clear, so lust for her arrogance for himself and shallowness before God. That's the recipe that made him ripe pickings for the devil and incidentally if I didn't say already.

There's nothing good about Delilah is there's no redeeming feature in the story. You cannot make a love story out of this without butchering the text which is which of the story and for that to speak of other names and do other things like give people the impression that the Bible is telling some sort of love story here. Samson said her verse seven if they bind me with seven fresh bowstrings not yet tried. That's important, really not. But then I will become weak and be like any other man. Samson is of course the story that is warning all of us of our folly that it's you don't choke with the enemy is there the bike by definition being the enemy then joking with you, Samson thought that sin was something you toy with three times we will hear him in the story say that I will be like other men in verse seven, 11 and 17 and will probably cover it again as we get closer. Verse eight, so the lords of the Philistines brought up to her seven fresh bowstrings not get dried and she bound him with them. Now it's unclear you know that how much time is passing before these things, but you would think Samson would say when he realizes what's happened when did you get the seven you know bowstrings not you dried witty to Them. I mean this is something a lady carries with her you were thinking the story that these things would register with him and they told the nice girl like you doing with seven fresh bowstrings not yet tried silly Samson having too much fun to think what a lesson there for a child fun. You know we all like fun, but we have to be so rude with it. Anybody anybody close to the story would've been able to see Santa.

She's making a fool of you who first of who would dare well. Secondly, you probably didn't have again is no indication he had anybody close to him. Verse nine. No men were lying in wait staying with her in her room. She said to him, the Philistines are upon you Samson but he broke the bowstrings as a strand of yarn breaks when it touches fire so the secret of his strength was not known now for someone to learn that she had to have told these the story he might've told the story to when he was blinded and in jail and some time went by before his end. The good told the story which he very likely did not incarcerate one of them like to talk about what happened there version at least. But this is this verse nine. This just about Satan's ambush men lying in wait to move.

Thanks for tuning in to cross reference radio for this study in the book of Judges cross reference radio is the teaching ministry pastor Rick Gaston of Calvary Chapel in Mechanicsville, Virginia.

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