OceanSide church of Christ
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THE LIFE OF SAMSON
Lesson #24
The Demise of Samson (5)
Judges 16:1-31
Victor M. Eskew
I. THE DOORS CARRIED OFF (Judg. 16:1-3)
II. DELILAH CONQUERS SAMSON (Judg. 16:4-22)
A. The Relationship (Judg. 16:4)
B. The Reward (Judg. 16:5)
C. The Requests (Judg. 16:6-14)
D. The Resignation (Judg. 16:15-17)
1. The Charge (Judg. 16:15a)
2. The Complaint (Judg. 16:15b)
3. The Coercion (Judg. 16:16)
4. The Confession (Judg. 16:17)
E. The Restraint (Judg. 16:18-21)
1. The Call to the Philistines (Judg. 16:18).
a. Recognition
And when Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart…
1) There are times when a person can recognize when another is being sincere in all that he/she says.
2) There is an openness, an honesty, and a humility that is unmistakable.
3) When a person makes a decision to do this, he/she becomes vulnerable.
a) A friend will protect the information and keep it confidential.
b) An enemy will use it to exploit and defeat his opponent.
b. The Revelation
…she sent and called for the lords of the Philistines, saying, Come up this once, for he hath showed me his heart…
1) Delilah could not wait to share this information with the Philistine lords.
2) Lesson: “Unfortunately there are a number of folk in every church who reflect Delilah’s betrayal habits more than they do the faithful confidences of a Christian friend. Once they learn any inside information at church, they quickly go to their Philistine friends and broadcast it” (Butler, 153).
3)
c. The Rally
Then the lords of the Philisintes came up unto her…
1) This was very positive news to the enemy.
2) They quickly rallied together and came to Delilah’s house.
d. The remuneration
…and brought money in their hand.
1) Delilah probably reminded them to bring the reward.
2) To the Philistines, this was a small amount to have to pay to rid themselves of their enemy.
2. The Cutting of Samson’s Hair (Judg. 16:19)
a. The Comfort of Sleep
And she made him sleep upon her knees…
1) We wonder how he could sleep knowing that Delilah was probably going to call the Philistines again.
2) Why he slept:
a) He was in the lap of his love.
b) His secret was out, but only to Delilah. Perhaps he was content with “pouring out” his love to her.
c) His strength had never failed him in the past.
d) Perhaps he was tired from his daily activities.
e) Another suggested that God put him to sleep this time because he was in complete rebellion to his Nazarite vow.
b. The Clipping of His Hair
…and she called for a man, and caused him to shave off the seven locks of his head…
1) A man of the Philistines was ready to cut Samson’s hair, and he did!
2) Lessons:
a) T. DeWitt Talmage: “There is always a shears ready to destroy” (as quoted by Butler, 153).
b) Satan wants to clip from all of us our spiritual strength.
c) Samson had allowed Delilah to influence his decisions. He was entrapped by Delilah. We, too, can allow the Delilahs of the world to erode us of our spiritual strength. Our associations are important.
c. The Curiosity of Delilah
…and she began to afflict him, and his strength went from him.
1) Delilah began to afflict Samson.
a) Strong (6031): to depress, browbeat, chasten, deal harshly with
b) Thayer: to humble, mishandle, afflict, humiliate
2) Perhaps Delilah began to make fun of Samson in some way. She began to tease him to bring him out of his sleep.
3. The Capture of Samson (Judg. 16:20-21).
a. The Cry (Judg. 16:20a).
And she said, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson…
1) This is the fourth time Delilah was made this cry (Judg. 16:9, 12, 14, 20).
2) Three times the Philistines responded to this cry with no success. Three times prior Samson had been successful.
b. The Certainty (Judg. 16:20b)
...And he awaked out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before and shake myself.
1) Samson had flirted with evil and came out “okay” several times. He thought all would be fine this time.
2) Lesson: We might flirt with evil a few times and seem to come out unscathed. At some point, however, our strength, and luck, will fail us.
c. The Cretinous (Judg. 16:20c)
…And he wist not that the Lord was departed from him.
1) “His departure was the greatest curse that can fall upon man” (Adeney, as quote by Butler, 155).
2) God had left Samson, and Samson was not aware of it.
3) Lessons:
a) Some Christians are this way. They think they have God, but God has left them.
b) It is sad when we are standing before our enemy ready to fight the battle of our lives, and God is not with us.
c) Can you imagine standing in the presence of God in the last day, and not have His presence with you (Matt. 7:22-23).
Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name: and in thy name cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
d. The Cruelty (Judg. 16:21)
1) Enchained by the enemy
But the Philistine took him…
a) Heretofore Samson had ruled the Philistines at his will.
b) Now Samson was completely under the control of the enemy.
c) Lesson: Sin takes away our strength and we are brought under its control (See Rom. 5:6).
For when we were without strength…
2) Extinction of eyesight
…and put out his eyes…
a) “Just as he uprooted the gates of Gaza, now they pulled out the gates of his face and soul” (Grossman, 135).
b) This was a great loss for Samson as we will see later (Judg. 16:28).
c) “If Samson had been more careful about the use of his eyes, he would not have lost his sight” (Butler, 156).
d) Lesson: “The best preservation of the eyes is to turn them away from beholding vanity” (Matthew Henry).
3) Exported to Gaza
…and brought him down to Gaza…
a) Gaza was the place from which Samson had removed the gates of the city.
b) Victory now ends in defeat.
c) Lesson: “Sin humbles. The arrogant sinner will someday be brought low” (Butler, 157).