Samson and Delilah (Part B)

Also, it is a message to us is no reason to abandon you principles is no reason to depart from what you know is right being pestered moms might have a little guilt about that Abu Ghraib was little they will pester you till they get that popsicle thereafter, but the principle remains the lesson is there. That's not reason to give in and these things on easy else stories would have to be told to us. 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 today.

Pastor Rick will continue teaching through his message called Samson and Delilah taught from Judges chapter 60 verse five 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 strong men 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 the student 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 with reading what we wanted to say what we wanted to believe it says we are trying to understand what it is telling us what's coming out of the Scripture. That's how you get people misusing the Scripture calls 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 you to tailor for some goofy belief and that's why context is so critical to not to to settling disputes as to the meaning of the versus now these five lords of the Philistines. They travel to Saul right from the various major towns, Gaza, Ashkelon, that the Philistines held because they wanted Samson that badly. They went out of their way to come to this valley of psoriatic to find someone who could take what they had spies out there are people who 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 with his 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 where the warriors find out where his great strength lies.

They knew where his weakness was his weakness was with the Philistine women.

They just ignored her 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 I just alternate victors that you know what what we can beat you over here can over there and 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 lie so I would like to be a Goliath armor bearer one no shield is having somebody else anyway. Also, if you look strong.

His wife probably would've went to him under duress either trying 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 it.

Delilah said that to 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 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 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 which we cannot be absolutely sure, but if it is these they going to make our rich even if it's not the identical standard that'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 get, he 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 answer you don't treat them the way you might treat somebody else that will put up with it 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 said I'll 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 do, yes, yes it was, she could she possibly have been direct yes because he was that dumb. In the 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 and 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 about it and 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 social 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 yet tried 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 drive.

When did you get them. I mean this is something a lady carries with her. You would think in 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 and she's making a fool of you who first of who would dare while 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 is 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 we might've told the story to when he was blinded and in jail and some time went by before his end good, told the story which he very likely did not been incarcerated, but my understanding is a lot of them like to talk about what happened there version at least.

But this is this verse nine is suggestive of Satan's ambush men lying in wait right there just and out of sight just out of sight, but very ready to pounce. Verse 10 then Delilah said to Samson.

Look, you've mocked me and told me lies now.

Please tell me what you may be bound with I is just ridiculous that he participates in this.

How do I enslave you, you big dummy man of God. She is accusing this man of God, of lying to her didn't tell me the truth you mocking me you making fun because to him. It was just all all a joke his consecration. Everything was a joke and so she wants to get this all wish to get the cash. Samson the others 5500 pieces of silver just waiting for me if you would just tell me how do we destroy verse 11. Now a pause maybe she was in the Philistine and he was that foolish to think that therefore she's not collaborating with the enemy that doesn't matter. She could have been Jewish. He could've been a neighbor guy would've told anybody this verse 11. So he said to her, if they bind me securely with new robes that had never been use and I should become weak and be like any other man.

There is a second statement realizing that we understand that he understands that he's not like any other man. At this point in his life members.

20 years into his judgeship.

Verse 12 therefore the latter took new robes and bound him with them and said to him, the Philistines are upon you Samson men lying in wait staying in the room were lying and wasting in room but he broke them off of his arms like a thread. Again, it's not daunting on him. He thinks she can get to strengthen no one else cannot is already given up secrets in the pastor's wife there and Temne told his parents about the lien yell the secrets for a while but he couldn't keep them and that's a good lesson. You know, someone may confide in you. It's not is not supposed to be a shelflife on that. Okay, tell me the secret to be good for year and five days or once you say it's a secret is supposed to be until the other person can tell you okay you can tell the story or that comes out and then even if then you got to be careful and wise going to be a gossiper join ranks with those who are I should become weak like any other man.

Verse 13 Delilah said to Samson. Until now you've mocked me and told me lies tell me what you may be bound with Excedrin if you weave the seven locks of my head in to the web of the loom I mean is like asking for a headache, it's so scope that I would. Well, he's having a grand old time on the way to the slaughter. Up to now, you've been trying to destroy me. He should've said that's what he is reply should have been.

But you know Samson tell me how I can afflict you if you weave the seven locks of my head into the web of the loom. So now he is letting her toy with the emblem of his devotion. Now it's getting serious and spiritual realm, but there is a spiritual warfare is indisputable. Paul makes it clear. Daniel makes it clear around us are spiritual forces when we don't understand why God is not doing this or that it is because there are laws within the spiritual realm of war that we do not know about what we do know is that the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but spiritual prayer.

The word Fellowship communion with Christ are things we can do but they're not guarantees because it is still a war. There are uncertainties as to the results, but our response to the results are always supposed to be faith-based so he just with her team. He jokes with her about the entanglement of his hair because he's entangled in private meetings with could be little things they work. He may make some easy entangled with the hair entangled, probably because that's what was happening. It's not corny preaching fact, verse 14, so she wove it tightly with the batten of the loom and said to him, the Philistines are upon you Samson and he awoke from his sleep and pulled out the batten of in the web of the loom to erect the French correct tour love. I don't know that where the Delilah so by this time I think she knows she can get to him. She still got them on the hook. She's very determined. The fresh bowstrings got your driving the new robes. The seven locks verse 15 then she said to him, how can you say I love you when your heart is not with me. You have mocked me these three times and have not told me where your great strength is excuse me sister where is it written that I have to tell you know he's not the kind of man with three would've been that got a man with a man is a will, who tells you, I gotta tell you anything not not with Delilah and anyone who would use love to manipulate or to exploit someone don't love you. Don't use love to take advantage not of course he does to this zero-sum margin in their human relationships Omak to try to save you know figure it out. Next but certainly not to the harm of the other person not to the harm of the other person saying if you love me hurt yourself.

And of course Delilah passionately loved herself, as do those who manipulate someone whom they say they love it up the whole time are doing them damage when your heart is not with me that is trip she is laying on him define what you mean by that. Verse 16 and it came to pass, when she pestered him daily with her words and pressed him so his soul was vexed to death again. She's determined to get that money.

She's already got a plan which is going to do it. You write a book bestseller book how I got the keys from sales Samson this again being pestered daily suggest that he is living with her and also it is a message to us. This is no reason to abandon your principles is no reason to depart from what you know is right being pestered moms might have a little guilt about not read a bunch of little ones because they will pester you till they get that popsicle is the thereafter. But the principle remains the lesson is there.

That's not reason to give in and these things on easy else the stories would have to be told to us no fight against sin is easy, there's a brand out there that is got our name on it.

So do those who nag care about the person that they are nagging question. She didn't care about him. It says with words another where she wouldn't shut up she would let alone.

You would think he would say you know something is wrong with you this you you just obsessed with this and I can't take this anymore know he has no and as articulate as he is, that does not come into the story, not Delilah wanted to be taken seriously. Well, that's fine, but not to my destruction and Proverbs 721 with her enticing speech she caused him to yield, with her flattering lips. She seduced him and says, and pressed him, she just kept going Crime getting annoyed reading it. I like the jumpiness exams images handle this right but I want you to sign here that you not alert me what I put this woman in her place for you. That won't happen because when a man loves a woman turns back in his best remedy puts her down at the other song goes, because that's the fact of love life he has is not the first time he's been down this road. Judges chapter 14 verse 17. Speaking of his wife and Temne now she had wept on him seven days while their feast lasted and it happened on the seventh day that he told her because she pressed him so much.

Then she explainable to the sons of her people. So cheek pressed him to get it out of him. I could walk away from is found something. It was adorable. It was cute playing with fire.

And you can't take fire to your bosom without your garments going up in flames and that means you going with them so that his soul was vexed to death if there wasn't such a tragic story would be it would be a comedy. It was a full to subject himself to this now back to the question.

You know, so this can sound you know as though the Bible is God is saying only women nag that's not so. Second Kings chapter 2. This is a story when a large of the prophet is being taken up a chariot of fire. He's gone now, so Eliza, the disciple comes back and there sees the school of the prophets the students of the prophets, you know, the college students the seminary students in this case a good and fun place to riot. So get out of class right I was rooting for the cops in the 60s and I'm rooting for them. The 2020s is where it is anyway. Second Kings of a live show comes back and is aware is Eliza he's gone to find him, he kept bugging me of so here we go thinking September 17 but when they urged him till he was ashamed to send them. Therefore, they sent 50 men and they search for three days but did not find they just they just made a mistake like Naomi to tell you he's gone. Okay fine, go look for in a go out for three days they were obsessed. We can't let, we cannot live a lie should be right. We gotta find Eliza so we can go back. I can go back and say okay you're right. What a mess while anyway we need all guard against that you want something too much.

It's a problem. Sin did not vex his soul.

The nagging woman did. And that is what another strike for Samson some suppose and and and I think there's a lot of merit to this is a would be bringing it up that she was withholding herself from him and that's where the breakdown really know what I going to get this reversed and use that also human nature cannot rule that out.

Verse 17 that he told her in all his heart and said to her, no razor has ever come upon my head, for I have been a Nazirite to God from my mother's womb. If I am shaven my strength will leave me and I shall become weak and be like any other man is the third time he says and it's seals his feet. What a blessing to have a mom and dad that would lay this out for him. He knew because they told him they raised him the right way that he is behaving like a beast that's on him. That is not on Manoa.

Mr. and Mrs. Manoa is totally on Sampson. They were good and godly people and you read that 13th chapter of Judges and you just love those to you want to know more about them such a little tagteam the way they interact with each other the way they interact with the angel of the Lord.

What will be the child's way of life know you wrong if that will help you see God and I would be dead to me just to send a dear story know he has no one to blame for himself and he'll be thinking about this, he was not tricked incidentally by Delilah. He was just stupid that's that's what it is and said to her, no razor has ever come upon my head. Now we all know we know our Old Testament.

We know that there was a law in Israel that no tool iron instrument was to be lifted over the altar. In fact, in the building of the temple when they use the tools to quarry the stone for the temple you didn't do it off-site when you got to the to the temple grounds the no tools no iron tools were to be used and that altar is to be dedicated to God, the altar that was, not the victim of iron tools was dedicated to God, and of course the Nazirite was a man dead. It didn't have to be a man know that, but an individual dedicated and consecrated to God, so no iron tool. No razor was to touch the head. The altar was not to have iron make contact with his on shorn locks spoke of his dedication. The source of his strength. They were signs of devotion they want. They actually wasn't his. His hair was, and actually, you know, those of strength in the hair nor was his strength and just having long hair like Absalom and even in the story when his hair grows back. He still has the asked spring doesn't just come exist just one time that Moses prayer is blinded with us here is grown back.

That of course next session. Same chapter mom 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.

If you'd like more information about this ministry, we invite you to visit our website cross reference radio.com you will find additional teachings from Pastor Rick available there, and we encourage you to subscribe to our podcast by doing so you will be notified of each new edition of cross reference radio. You can search for cross reference radio on your favorite podcast out for just follow the links and cross reference radio.com that's all the time we have for today. Join us next time to continue learning more from the book of Judges right here cross reference rate