building strong hearts, cultivating deep life! judges 16:4 – 31
TRANSCRIPT
Building Strong Hearts, Cultivating Deep Life!
Judges 16:4 – 31 Judges 16:4 – 31
Let’s look at Samson &
the last woman of his life…
means…
• “delicate”
• “devoted”
• “coquettish” (flirtist)
• “amorous” (full of sexual desires)
• “delicate”
• “devoted”
• “coquettish” (flirtist)
• “amorous” (full of sexual desires)
“Some time later, he fell
in love with a woman
in the Valley of Sorek
whose name was Delilah.”
[TNIV]
“Some time later, he fell
in love with a woman
in the Valley of Sorek
whose name was Delilah.”
[TNIV]
Judges 16:4….Judges 16:4….
The Valley of Sorek was“the place of thechoice red grape”
The Valley of Sorek was“the place of thechoice red grape”
connotesconnotes
(sensuality)(sensuality)
One author writes….
“[Delilah] was presumably
a Philistine, though that is not
expressly stated, only that she
belonged to the valley of Sorek.
She is not spoken of as
Samson’s wife, …
“[Delilah] was presumably
a Philistine, though that is not
expressly stated, only that she
belonged to the valley of Sorek.
She is not spoken of as
Samson’s wife, …
…. though many have
understood the account in
that way. The text simply says
that he loved her (verse 4).
The Philistines paid her a very
high price for her services:
eleven hundred pieces of silver
[each]. …
…. though many have
understood the account in
that way. The text simply says
that he loved her (verse 4).
The Philistines paid her a very
high price for her services:
eleven hundred pieces of silver
[each]. …
…. The account indicates that
for mental ability, self-
command,
and nerve, she was a
remarkable woman.
Unfortunately,
she put her gifts to an evil use
by exploiting Samson’s love.”
…. The account indicates that
for mental ability, self-
command,
and nerve, she was a
remarkable woman.
Unfortunately,
she put her gifts to an evil use
by exploiting Samson’s love.”
“The rulers of the Philistines
went to her and said,
‘See if you can lure him into
showing you the secret of
his great strength and how
we can overpower him ….
Judges 16:5….Judges 16:5….
…. so we may tie him up
and subdue him. Each one
of us will give you eleven
hundred shekels of silver.’”
[TNIV]
Judges 16:5….Judges 16:5….
The Hebrew word
“lure” means…
“to find an opening”
– a point of vulnerability.
“But each of you is tempted
when you are dragged away
by your own evil desire
and enticed (lure).”
[TNIV]
“But each of you is tempted
when you are dragged away
by your own evil desire
and enticed (lure).”
[TNIV]
James 1:14….James 1:14….
For Samson,the enticement is
the lure of the
“unattainable” woman….
… illustrates that there is
pleasure in sexual sin
– grapes are quick
to ferment and sour.
When we’re aware of our weaknesses and turn them over to the Lord, He can use us more fully (see 2 Corinthians 12:9).
When our weaknesses are blind spots, however, we’re in trouble.
What is your weaknesses? What is your weaknesses?
The Philistines could
see Samson’s weakness. The Philistines could
see Samson’s weakness.
Why don’t you ask a few friends, your spouses or
parents/children for a candid film review
of your life?
“Faithful are the
wounds of a friend,
but deceitful are
the kisses of an
enemy.”[NASB]
“Faithful are the
wounds of a friend,
but deceitful are
the kisses of an
enemy.”[NASB]
Proverbs 27:6….Proverbs 27:6….
Judges 16:6-14 records
Delilah’s attempts to
unravel the mystery of
Samson’s strength
in order to weaken him
for the Philistines.
“Then she said to him,
‘How can you say,
'I love you,' when you
won't confide in me?….’ ”[TNIV]
“Then she said to him,
‘How can you say,
'I love you,' when you
won't confide in me?….’ ”[TNIV]
Judges 16:15….Judges 16:15….
• Judges 16:16…. • Judges 16:16….
Samson reveals his
secret to Delilah.
Samson finally fell under
pressure.
• Judges 16:17…. • Judges 16:17….
Judges 16:17….Judges 16:17….
“So he told her everything.
‘No razor has ever been used on my head,’ he said,
‘because I have been a Nazirite dedicated to God
from my mother's womb. ….
…. If my head were
shaved, my strength
would leave me, and I
would become as weak as
any other man.’ ”
[TNIV]
Samson’s hair … an outward symbol of his INWARD COMMITMENT to God.
In reality, Samson’s
superhuman strength lay not in
his uncut hair, but in the
mighty presence of God in
his life.
The fall ofcan be traced to 2 things….
He did not know his
WEAKNESS.
He did not know his
STRENGTH.
He did not know his
WEAKNESS.
He did not know his
STRENGTH.
Mistakenly, Samson
did not realize that
God is the real source
of his strength.
God allows Samson’s
strength to be taken
from him so that
in painful circumstances
he will learn that without
the omnipotent God,
he is impotent.
Samson had grown to
depend on his ownstrength instead of God’s.
God sometimes removesour crutches – gently,but suddenly and without warning.
“10 The name of the LORD is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe. 11 The
wealth of the rich is their fortified city; they imagine it
a wall too high to scale.”[TNIV]
“10 The name of the LORD is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe. 11 The
wealth of the rich is their fortified city; they imagine it
a wall too high to scale.”[TNIV]
Proverbs 18:10-11….Proverbs 18:10-11….
During Samson’s dark
experience in the dungeon,
God’s gracebegins to glimmer.
Samson’s hair starts
growing back.
During Samson’s dark
experience in the dungeon,
God’s gracebegins to glimmer.
Samson’s hair starts
growing back.
Judges 16:22….Judges 16:22….
“But the hair on his head
began to grow again
after it had been shaved.”
[TNIV]
And as his hair grows,
so does his strength
and his relationship
with the Lord.
Now humbled and completely dependent
on God,
Samson turns his thoughts and heartback to his Father.
In a final, momentous act of
courage and self-denial,
Samson fulfills his
destiny and begins
“to deliver Israel from the
hands of the Philistines” (Judges 13:5).
With beggar’s hands of faith,
Samson reaches out to
touch the feet of his God.
He said, “Sovereign LORD,
remember me....”(Judges 16:28).
If you’re an unbeliever,
you can pray with
the thief on the cross
– “Remember me” –
you will be with Jesus in
paradise (Luke 23:42-43).
If you’re a believer
With a burden, you can
pray with Hannah
– “Remember me” –
His compassionate love to help
you cope with your difficult
circumstances (1 Samuel 1:1-
20).
If you’re a believer
who has blown it in life,
you can pray with Samson
– “Remember me” –
God’s strength can help you
overcome your defeated past
(Judges 16:28-30).