Part 2: The downward spiral of Israel’s apostasy (Judges 3:7-16:31)

Samson (Judges 13:1-16:31)

Samson and the Philistines, part 2 (Judges 16:1-31)

• Judges 16:1-3 – The gates would have weighed close to 5,000 pounds. Removing these gates would have also weakened the defenses of the city.
• Judges 16:4 – It is not stated what Delilah’s nationality was. It’s possible she was either Philistine or Israelite.
• Judges 16:5 – Why did the Philistines think there was something that could diminish his power? Samson could have just said his strength was a blessing from God and left it at that.
• Judges 16:7-17 – Samson lied three times before telling her the truth.
• Samson continually flirted with sin and acted with hubris, considering himself untouchable. This got him in trouble, just like it would us.
• Samson could not see the danger he was putting himself in. How often do we do the same? After not being able to see, it’s ironic that his greatest act of deliverance came once he lost his eyes.

Part 3: The depths of Israel’s apostasy (Judges 17:1-21:25)

Religious corruption (Judges 17:1-18:31)

Religious corruption of a household (Judges 17:1-6)

• Judges 17:1 – Micah is an abbreviation of Micah-yehu, which means “who is like Yahweh?”

Religious corruption of a Levite (Judges 17:7-13)

• Judges 17:6 – Are we effectively leaderless today, doing what is right in our own eyes?

Class 11 Takeaway

• Samson was strong and heroic but lacked an essential characteristic to be pleasing to God: self-control (Proverbs 25:28; Galatians 5:23). His Achilles’ heel was lust for women, and he was driven by that lust – and revenge – to his downfall.
• Left unchecked, our desires will lead us down the same deadly road Samson was on. When we fail to exercise self-control, our unbridled desires separate us from God and leave a damaging wake in our path, jeopardizing others’ souls (II Peter 1:6, 8-11). Like Samson, we may do some good, but it will be nowhere near what God intends.

Introduction

• What kind of student, employee, husband, wife, leader, or influence will I be this year?
• Psalms 133:1-3 – This entire Psalm is about unity.
• Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

Unified by God’s word for God’s purposes

Unity apart from God

• Genesis 11:1-9 – These people were 100% united, but they were in error.

Unity through God

• Philippians 1:27
• Colossians 3:17
• Isaiah 3:21
• Acts 2:41 (Acts 6:3-5; I Corinthians 3:6)

Unified by looking forward, not backwards

• Philippians 3:8-14 – Let go of things from the past, both good and bad.

Unified in our actions

• Everyone here can be an encouragement to others.
• Don’t make excuses for not doing more.
• Exodus 4:10-14 – Moses tried to make excuses.
• Jeremiah 1:6-7
• I Corinthians 12:18
• (Matthew 25:30)

Unified in our love for one another

• I Peter 3:8-9
• Romans 12:15
• Matthew 5:44
• John 13:34-35

• Hebrews 4:14 – The writer tells us Jesus is our high priest. See Hebrews 7:11-14. Jesus could not be a high priest under the Law of Moses because that law said nothing about priests from the tribe of Judah.
  • Leviticus 10:1-2 – Nadab and Abihu sinned by doing something they did not have authority to do.
  • II Chronicles 29:25 – Instruments for music were commanded at this time.
• In 1789, the same argument came up in regard to having a national bank in the United States, which the constitution made no provision for. The Constitution did not prohibit it, but it also did not authorize it.
• John 13:34-35 – In two verses, we have command, example, and inference.
• Romans 1:18
• John 20:30-31 – This book was written to teach us about the deity of Christ.
  • John 2:1-12 – Jesus shows mastery over matter.
  • John 4:46-54 – Jesus shows master over space and distance.
  • John 5:1-9 – Jesus shows mastery over time by curing instantly an affliction the man had for thirty-eight years.
  • John 6:1-14 – Jesus shows mastery over quantity.
  • John 6:16-21 – Jesus shows mastery over natural law.
  • John 9:1-12 – Jesus shows mastery over misfortune.
  • John 11:1-44 – Jesus shows mastery over death.
• We are supposed to draw conclusions based on the evidence.
• Acts 17:1-3
• The better we have the word in our minds, the better we will be able to grow.
• Mark 2:1-12 – They were so close to drawing the right conclusion!

Part 2: The downward spiral of Israel’s apostasy (Judges 3:7-16:31), continued

Samson (Judges 13:1-16:31), continued

Samson and the Philistines, part 1 (Judges 14:1-15:20)

• Samson disregarded his parents’ advice, although they stopped short of condemning his choice.
• Judges 14:5-6 – Lions were unclean under the Law of Moses, which might have had something to do with why he did not tell his parents. See Leviticus 11.
• Judges 14:7 – Samson was apparently short-circuiting the social conventions of the time by talking to the woman directly.
• Judges 14:14, 18 – The quotes here are all six words long in two lines in the original Hebrew.
• Judges 15:11-13 – The men of Israel showed no inclination of trying to align with God and Samson or overthrowing the Philistines. Instead, they were just trying to avoid violence from the Philistines.
• Judges 15:19 – En-hakkore means “the stream of him who calls.”

Class 10 takeaway

• Samson’s parents refused to condemn his relationship with the Philistine woman. They may have justified it by saying, “He’s going to do whatever he wants anyway, so what’s the point?”
• We do others a great disservice by not sharing God’s will with them when they are heading down a dangerous path spiritually. Let’s not be like Samson’s parents in enabling sin, but helping others avoid and overcome it (which was Jesus’ mission).

Introduction

• John 15:12 – Jesus was the example of brotherly love.

Help them center their lives around serving God and going to Heaven.

• Luke 9:57-62 – Nothing was more important than kingdom word. The way Jesus loved people was by telling them how to love God.
• Luke 9:23-25
• Do people feel like their spiritual cup is being filled when they are around me?

Allow them to move on from sin.

• Luke 19:5-10 – Jesus said Zaccheus was also a son of Abraham. He helped Zaccheus to move on from sin. The grumblers were working against Jesus. Are we doing the same?
• Luke 15:1-7 – Jesus corrects the grumblers. They should have been rejoicing!
• If people have put sin behind them, we must let that be in the past and move on. Don’t continue to label them with sin from their past.
• Galatians 5:14-6:2
• Let us not create a culture where if we ever sin, we will always carry that label and never be equal to other Christians.

Express optimism about their future.

• Luke 22:31-34 – Jesus told Peter what would happen but was already preparing Peter for his recovery after sin.
• Philippians 1:6-11 – Paul was looking forward to the great things they would do.
• There is something powerful about optimism.
• I Corinthians 13:4-7 – Love is optimistic!
• II Corinthians 7:3-4, 16 – Paul was saying this about a church riddled with problems!
• Hebrews 10:24