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.