OceanSide church of Christ
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THE LIFE OF SAMSON
Lesson #21
The Demise of Samson (2)
Judges 16:1-31
Victor M. Eskew
I. DOORS CARRIED OFF (Judg. 16:1-3)
A. Sin with a Harlot (Judg. 16:1)
B. Strategy to kill Samson (Judg. 16:2)
And it was told the Gazites, saying Samson is come hither. And they compassed him in, and laid wait for him all night in the gate of the city, and were quiet all night, saying, In the morning, when it is day, we shall kill him.
1. The Alert: Samson is come hither
a. Some believe that Samson did not consider the impact of his coming to Gaza. “He did not take into due consideration the impact his visit would have upon the Philistines” (Butler, 134).
1) If Samson thought he would not be found out, he was foolish.
2) If Samson thought the Philistines would turn their heads to his visit, he was even more foolish.
b. Surely Samson knew how the Philistines would react to his visit, but he did not care.
2. The Ambush:
a. Surrounded: they compassed him in
b. Subdued: laid wait for him all night
c. Silent: quiet all night.
d. Lessons:
1) The enemy will always take advantage of his opportunities.
2) Sin will use these same tactics against us in order to slay us.
3. The aim: We will kill him
a. The Philistines have no respect for Samson’s life.
b. They see him as a threat that needs to be completely extinguished.
c. Lesson: Our enemy has this same end in min for us (I Pet. 5:8).
…seeking whom he may devour.
C. Strength over the Philistines (Judg. 16:3)
And Samson lay till midnight, and arose at midnight, and took the doors of the gate of the city, and the two posts, and went away with them, bar and all, and put them upon his shoulders, and carried, them up to the top of a hill that is before Hebron.
1. The when: midnight
a. The gates of the city were only opened during the day. They were closed at night and the guards would sleep, thinking that all was well in the city.
b. Samson took advantage of their “security” of mind. While they slept, he acted.
2. The weight: gate, two posts, bar and all
a. No one that I have read has ever tried to estimate the weight of this gate. It had to weigh several hundred pounds.
b. Had the gate been broken down and cast aside, it would have been an unbelievable feat of strength.
3. The where: Hebron which was some 35 to 38 miles away
D. Important points to consider:
1. The strength required to accomplish such a feat as this was not mere human strength. This was supernatural strength, strength given by God.
2. Samson’s feats of physical strength endear him to many people.
a. Often we are tempted to overlook moral deficiencies of men if they are strong and powerful (e.g., sports figures, actors, politicians).
b. We need to ask ourselves: “Why do we do this?”
c. Physical strength does not make up for moral weakness which was seen in his being with a harlot. We need to change our perspective and see try to see people as God sees them.
3. The city of Gaza and the Philistines are now extremely vulnerable.
a. Remember: The name “Gaza” means “stronghold.” It is now compromised.
b. The gates being removed made the city vulnerable to attack. Its “authority” had been taken away.
4. Samson is free again.
5. “This is not the first time Samson has been saved from perilous situations because of the grace of God. But it will be the last time! There are indeed limits to God’s grace…” (Butler, 139).
II. DELILAH CONQUERS SAMSON (Judg. 16:4-22)
A. The Relationship (Judg. 16:4)
And it came to pass afterward, that he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah.
1. The passage of time: And it came to pass afterward…
a. Good things happen in the life of a person and evil things happen. After they happen, time continue to pass by.
b. Some men learn from their mistakes and do better. Others never learn and do worse.
c. Lesson: Samson never did learn. Do we?
2. The problem of Samson: …that he loved a woman…
a. This is the third woman with whom Samson has had some form of relationship.
b. “It is not, of course, necessarily evil for a man to love a woman. What makes it evil is when the woman loved is an evil woman.
1) All three of the women in Samson’s life were evil.
a) The first was a Philistine.
b) The second was a harlot.
c) The third was Delilah.
2) He was attracted to filthy females like flies are attracted to garbage.
c. Lesson: When one’s sensual appetites dominate him, he will be blind to the perils of his pursuit (Prov. 7:22).
He goeth after her straightway as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks.