Samson — William MacDonald

Last week, we had an introduction to the book of Judges. And today, I'd like to talk to you about the last of the judges in that book, whose name was Samson. His nickname was Sonny. There's some connection between the word Samson and the word son.

The Cycle of Sin in Judges

Shall we turn to chapter 13 of the book of Judges, please? Verse one has a familiar sound to it. All through this book, we've encountered this cycle. Sin. Servitude. Supplication. Salvation or deliverance.

That same dreary cycle. Rebellion. Retribution. Repentance. And rest. Here you have it again in verse one. Again, the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord. This was a little different from the time of the other judges.

They were ruled by the Philistines. But it doesn't say they were oppressed. And they were quite happy to have it that way. It was a sort of coexistence. And they really resented Samson a little because he was troubling the Philistines.

At one time, the men of Judah actually turned Samson over to the Philistines. They bound him and turned him over to their own enemies. This book is not just ancient history. It's current events. You have that sort of coexistence today where the church is happy to be in league with the world.

Happy to be in league with other religions. The ecumenical movement. Peace at any price. That's what it was during this time. The children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord. And the Lord delivered them into the hand of the Philistines for 40 years.

Samson's Miraculous Birth and Calling

Now it says there was a certain man from Zorah of the family of Danites whose name was Manoah. And his wife was barren and had no children. In other words, Samson was going to be born miraculously. That's promising.

Whenever God has a great work to do in the world, a baby is born. Moses. Was born at a very critical time in the history of the nation. To deliver. Israel from Egypt. Here you have Samson going to be born.

To deliver Israel from the Philistines. And best of all. You have the Lord Jesus born in Bethlehem. To be the savior. Of the world. Whatever God has a great program. To fulfill a baby. Is born. Well, now in verse three, you have the appearance of the angel.

The Angel of the Lord and the Nazarite Vow

Of the Lord. Wherever you have expression in the Old Testament, the angel of the Lord. It means Lord Jesus. In a pre incarnate appearance. And before the end of the chapter is quite clear. It's an appearance of God.

The expression and angel of the Lord doesn't mean that at all. But the angel of the Lord. Correct in most modern translations. Means God. Appearing to man. An appearance of God. To man. Just think of.

The Lord Jesus. Appearing as an angel. To this dear woman. With good news for her. I wonder if it made him think forward to the time. When he would be born. Of a virgin. In Bethlehem. In each case, a miraculous.

Birth. Now, it's interesting to me that he appeared. To the mother. To the would be mother. He didn't appear to Manoah. He appeared to Manoah's wife. Why? Well, I think we know why. Because it's the mother.

That has the most formative influence. At the life of a child. That was to be the case. Here. Also. And so the angel. Of the Lord gives instructions to the mother about this child. That's going to be born.

He's going to be a Nazarite. That word has nothing to do with Nazareth. Whatever. Nazarite really means separation. Separate. And he gives the mother certain instructions. She herself. Because she's going to be his mother.

Not going to partake of any of the fruit of the vine. Grapes. Raisins. Wine. Strong drink. He's going to live a life. She's going to live a life of separation. In preparation for this child. Apparently the.

Nazarite could come about in two ways. First of all. Samson had no choice in this matter. He was a Nazarite from his mother's womb. In other cases. A man could take the vow of a Nazarite. And here we have Samson and Nazarite from birth.

Notice the terms of the vow. He must eat or drink nothing of the fruit of the vine. He must eat no unclean food. No razor on his head. And he must not not touch any dead body. It's interesting to me that.

All of those things were broken. As a life of Samson. He did everything. That a Nazarite. Shouldn't do. Samson is a riddle to me. I would never know. That he was a saved person. If it weren't for Hebrews chapter 11 where he's listed.

In the honor roll of faith. He was a womanizer. It was a wild man in many cases. Physically strong. Morally weak. I want to tell you something. God saw faith there. That's a big lesson to me. God can often see faith where I can't see it.

Sometimes we see a Christian fall into sin and we wipe them out. But you're not. Never was really saved at all. Don't be too sure. You think not a lot was never saved at all. But he was. He was. And so was Samson.

All Christians are to be Nazarites. Not by taking a vow. But by being sanctified in Christ Jesus. By the Holy Spirit. We are to walk in separation to God. In separation from sin. Living sober lives. Not becoming intoxicated by the fruit of the vine.

Touching no dead bodies. But separation from defilement in our lives. What about the shaving of the head? Well, I want to tell you this. There was no magic in the hair. It's what the hair spoke of. It spoke of separation.

Christian Separation From the World

And Christians are to be separated. You have to be. Christians have to be separated from the world. In order to have influence on it. I think that's one of the great lessons in the book of Judges. You have to be separated from the world.

In order to have influence on it. Archimedes said. Give me a fulcrum. Outside of the world. And I can move the world. That's good. Give me a fulcrum. Outside the world. And I can move the world. But the lesson is you have to get outside the world.

In order to have influence on it. If I conform to the world and all its patterns. It's lifestyle. At all the rest. I'm never going to have an influence on it. You have to be outside. There are two sides to the truth of separation.

One is we're in the world but not of it. Do not love the world or the things that are in the world. If any man loved the world. The love of the father. Is not in him. Very clear. Isn't it. We're to be separate.

And the Lord Jesus said in John 17. They are not of the world. The disciples. Even as I am not. Of the world. James said. Do you not know that friendship. With the world. Is enmity. With God. That's wrong.

Isn't it. Friendship. With the world. Is enmity. With God. And. Second Corinthians six. The apostle Paul says come out from among them. And be separate and touch not the unclean thing. And I will be a father to you and you will be my sons.

And daughters. But we're still in the world aren't we. And we're in the world. To have an influence to have a ministry. To. The world. The Lord Jesus didn't pray that. God the father would take us out of the world but that he would preserve us.

In the world. Preserve us as salt. And light. In. The world. So separation doesn't mean isolation. But neither does it mean imitation. Or conformity. To the world. I think you see the proper balance in the life of the Lord Jesus.

Don't you. He was in the world. But he ate with publicans and sinners. But in eating with publicans and sinners he didn't condone their sin. He spoke out against it. I remember when he went to the house of a Pharisee.

And he spoke to that Pharisee says I came to you. And you didn't wash my feet. This woman from the time I came in. Hasn't ceased to wash them with her tears. To wipe them with the hairs around. He rebuked.

He was faith when the Lord Jesus was with the public and sinners. He was faithful to God the father. And all things. That's the proper balance. Isn't it. I admire Christians that can do that. And be. With the people of the world.

And be a witness. For Christ. And at the same. Time. Somebody has said a. Separated Christian. Is a Bible centered. Christ controlled Christian. In which God is reproducing his character. By the Holy Spirit.

I like that. A Bible centered. Christ centered Christian. In whom Christ is. Reproducing his character by the Holy. Spirit. Noah came. His wife told him about this. Visitor and he came. And. He prayed for the return of the man of God.

It says there. And God. Listened. To the voice. Of men Noah. You know. Sometimes you get these short sentences in the Bible. And they're so meaningful. Aren't they. God. Listened. To the site. To the.

Prayer of the Noah. Did God listen to your prayer this morning. Interesting isn't it. The great God of the universe. The one who. Hurled the stars into space. And who controls him now by his mighty power.

And he hears your prayers. And he hears my prayers. Many different languages too. And all. Over the world. And. On the second visit of the angel of the Lord. Noah wants to know. The rule of life. Of the child.

And. His work. What. What's it going to be his rule of life. And what is going to be his work. Well. It's already been answered. His rule of life is to be that of a. Nazarite. Of a. Separated person. And his work is going to be.

To deliver Israel. From. The Philistines. In answering. The prayer. The angel of the Lord. Just mentioned. Repeated again. The instructions concerning. The Nazarites. Separation. The next. Next. Scene.

Manoah's Encounter With the Angel of the Lord

In this chapter. Is that. But no one wanted to make a meal. He wanted to go out and kill a kid. And in typical Middle Eastern. Hospitality. Provide a meal. And it's very strange. The angel of the Lord said no I don't want you to do that.

I want you to offer. A sacrifice. Bring an offering. What was that all about. Well I would suggest this to you. But Noah. Still thought. Of him. As an angel. A created being. He didn't realize he was talking to God.

He thought him as a created being. Come on in and have. A meal with us. You know. You know. I want you to offer. An offering. And I'm going to show you something in it. So. Noah did offer. The kid. He did offer the offering.

To the Lord. He said what is your name anyway. I forgot to ask you your name. He said. My name is wonderful. And when he said wonderfully. He wasn't using an adjective. He was using a noun. It is an adjective as well.

It could be an adjective as well. He is wonderful. But his name is wonderful. The name shall be called. Wonderful. Counselor. Mighty God. Principles. Father of eternity. That's who it was. The Lord Jesus.

Whose name. Is wonderful. And. There in the fire. Of the offering. He did wondrously. It says. He did wondrously. Connected with his name. Wonderful. And. Went up to heaven. In the fire. Of the offering.

And his perceptive wife. Was very good. She said. We've seen God. We're going to die. Or. You know. They thought. No man can look on God. And live. But her logic. Was very good. If. We were going to die.

He would have killed us. Before now. That's what she said. It's wonderful. That. The dear woman's. Logic. Defeated. The poor man's. Fears. Really did. Really did. It's really a beautiful chapter. I recommend that you spend.

Time in it. What did they do? They worshipped. They worshipped. The Lord. Now that they knew. Exactly. Who had been speaking. To them. And then you have the birth. And early life. Of Samson. And you know.

You come to the end of that chapter. And everything's fine. Child is going to be born. Wonderful. And. He's going to deliver. Israel. From the Philistines. This is great. Come to chapter. The next chapter.

Samson's Desire and the Meaning of Sin

Maybe you just like to go over it. With your. Thumb. As we move along. Samson is now born. It says. He went down. To Timna. Verse 1. And saw. A woman. In Timna. Of the daughters. Of the Philistines. So he went up.

And told his father. And mother saying. I have seen a woman. In Timna. Of the daughters. Of the Philistines. Now therefore. Get her from me. As a wife. Red. Lights are flashing. All over the landscape.

Aren't they? Here's a child. Born. With such promise. Such a godly. Family background. And now. He said. Here's a woman. She's pleasing to me. Get her for me. That is a familiar. Sign. Sound. She's pleasing.

To me. There was no king. In Israel. In those days. And every man. Did that. Which was. Pleasing. In his own eyes. Fits in. Perfectly. You know. You'd like to take. Dear Samson. Aside. At this point. And have a nice little talk.

With him. I think I'll do that. And you can listen. What is sin? Well first of all. How do you spell sin? You spell it. S I N. What's the middle letter. In sin. I. Oh. Get her for me. She pleases me well.

Sin. Is not only. Doing what's wrong. Almost forbidden by the word of God. It's failing to do what is right. Isn't it. So I didn't sin. I didn't do anything wrong. No. Did you do what is right. Whatever is not of faith.

Is sin. We read in Romans. Sin is lawlessness. John tells us. What does that mean. Sin is lawlessness. I want my way. I don't care. What anybody else says. This lawlessness. Means taking the law. My life in my own hands.

And doing. What I want to do. Sin is unrighteousness. What does that mean. It means. It means anything that's not right. Sin is missing the mark. Oh yes. What is the mark. The mark is the glory of God.

All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. What is the glory of God. The glory of God is his perfect standard. His standard. Of perfection. You know. If we're all to stand. And let's say. The ceiling here.

Is the glory of God. That's the mark. Some would get closer to the mark. Than others. But we'd all be short. Wouldn't we. We'd all fall short. A plane crashes into the side of the mountain. It's 500 feet from the top of the mountain.

But I want to tell you something. The people would be just as dead. If it had crashed 50 feet from the top of the mountain. Came short. That's what sin. That's what sin is. It's missing. The mark. People say.

Well. God can't give you. A standard. That you can't attain to. Can he. God can't give you a rule. That he. You cannot attain to. God never gives you a rule. That you can attain to. Because his rule. Is perfection.

And you can't attain to that. And I can't. For instance. It says in 1st John 2. My little children. These things write unto you. That you sin not. And you fulfill that. So you can come closer. You can grow in holiness.

But we're all short. Of the mark. What is sin. Sin is. Failure to love. The Lord your God. With all your heart. Soul. Mind. And strength. Anybody here guilty. Well I certainly am. Failure. To love your neighbor.

As yourself. You know. That commandment. Just exposes. The selfishness. Of my heart. Doesn't it. The selfishness. You love your neighbors. That's what sin is. Failure to believe God. That's a sin. In fact.

If you don't believe God. You're calling him a liar. John says in 1st John 5. That's serious. God is the only person. In the universe. Who's absolutely reliable. And then you turn around. And call him a liar.

Failure. To believe. God. Lying. Is a sin. Why do people lie. Oftentimes lie to escape punishment. But rather lie. Than take the punishment. Anybody innocent. Cheating. On exams. At school. I wish I could say I never did that.

I did. Private profanity. You wouldn't say it in public. But there in the privacy. Of your home. Sometimes it slips out. Taking the name. Of the Lord. Your God. In vain. Not a pretty picture. Lusting.

Hollywood. Is lust. Lust. Cannot wait. To get. Love cannot wait. To give. Lust. Is sin. Living in a world. Of mental. Fantasy. Anger. Is sin. Road rage. Oftentimes it leads to murder. Shooting a person dead.

On the spot. Hatred. Is sin. The Lord Jesus brought that out very clearly. You hate your brother. You kill him. Sin begins in the mind. All sin begins. In the mind. Gossip is sin. Speaking about. Another person in order to put him down.

And put yourself up. Sharing information with a person when it's not. When they're not part of the problem. Or part of the solution. Of the problem. Either. Envy. Is sin. Jealousy. You know that. You know that's found among.

Full time Christian workers too. Don't get the idea that just because people are in full time Christian work. They're exempt from these things. One man can be sitting there and. Listening to another man.

And saying. I wish he'd quit so I can get up there. Political corruption. Judicial corruption. You read about it every day. The papers adultery is sin. Fornication is sin. Homosexuality is sin. Teen pregnancies.

Are sin. Live in loving. Live in lovers. Openly flaunted today. But I want to tell you. The guilt remains. That's a marvelous thing isn't it. We can sin. But we don't get away with it. The guilt. Remains there.

Unbiblical divorce is sin. Notice I said unbiblical divorce. I believe there is scriptural ground for divorce. Abortion. In most cases is sin. Pornography is sin. Drug abuse. Alcoholism. Racism is sin.

Pride and conceit. Pride. Pride is the parent sin. The first sin took place in heaven. Not on earth. When Satan. Wanted the throne of God. And he was cast out. Rudeness is sin. I thank God that my savior was a gentleman.

He was courteous. Rudeness is sin. It's an insult to the Holy Spirit. Selfishness is sin. We've gone over that. Revenge. Quickness of temper. Irritability. And you know all sin is against God. Against thee the only have I sinned.

David said. Done this evil. In thy sight. Sin not only breaks God's law. It breaks his heart as well. And when a Christian sins. It's like slapping the face of Christ. He died to put away sin. By the sacrifice of himself.

The Universality and Enslaving Power of Sin

And I go in and that which causes. Which caused his sin. In. The first place. Sin is universal. All have sinned. All means all. There's not a just man on earth that do with good and sin is not. Says. In Ecclesiastes.

Not a just man on earth. Who do with good and sin is. Not. You know every. Person should be able to say from his heart. I truly deserve to go to hell. I think that. I think that's when a person is right for salvation.

When he honestly say that from his heart. I truly deserve. To go to hell. Sin is affected. Every part of our being. You get that in Romans chapter three. Don't you. Verses 13 to 15. It's. Affected our throat.

Our tongues. Our lips. Our mouth. And our feet. Our feet. Swift to shed blood. It's interesting. You just. Put a new patch of cement down on the sidewalk in front of your house. And somebody comes along.

And in an effort to achieve immortality puts his. Initials in the cement. Or you've just. Painted your fence white. And somebody walks along. And. To test. The truth of the sign that says wet paint. And that's what the Bible says destruction and misery are in their ways and their.

The way of peace. Have they. Not. Known. James reminds us that to break one commandment of the law is to break them all. The law is a chain. Ten links break one. You've broken them all. You may think you're not a great sinner.

But it's not what you think that counts. It's what God thinks isn't it. You may not have committed every sin. But you're capable of it. And so am I. You know when Adolf Eichmann was put on trial. For the slaughter of so many dear Jewish people.

There was a man called to the trial. His name is Jahiel. Dinor. Jewish man. He had been in the concentration camps. Suffered under Adolf Eichmann. And one day that day he first walked into the courtroom.

And he looked. When he saw Eichmann. He really went into sort of a fit. And he finally collapsed. You say. He was filled with hatred when he said. No it wasn't that. They asked him afterwards. What was all that about.

And he said. I saw that Adolf Eichmann was not the God. God man that. Ran the camps. He said. That I saw that he was just. A human being. Just like myself. He said. And Mike Wallace who was telling this story said.

Adolf Eichmann is in every one of us. Robert Murray chain who wrote some of our hymns. He wrote. I have discovered. That me in me. Is the seed. Of every sin. It's true. I've discovered that too. I'm appalled when I look within myself.

And think of my capabilities for evil. Sin is like. And that's why I'd like to talk to Samson at the beginning of that. Before he takes the terrible plunge. But I'm afraid it's too late. All sin begins in the mind.

I've already said that Malcolm Muggeridge was in India. One. This is before he was ever saved. He was in India at one time and he went into the river. For his morning plunge. And he looked in in the distance.

He saw a woman bathing. And lust arose in his heart. And he started to swim. He swam. He swam. And he swam. His mind filled. With fantasies. Finally he got close. So they could see her. But he saw that she was leprous.

He said I realized. In a moment of time. It wasn't the woman who was leprous. Was Malcolm Muggeridge that was leprous. And that's it. That's it. Sin is attractive. In anticipation. And repulsive. In retrospect.

That's what the Bible warns us about. Beautiful in prospect. But hideous. In retrospect. Amnon. Committed immorality with his sister. It says that after you committed the immorality. The hatred with which he hated her.

Was greater than the love with which he had loved her. I don't doubt that that rings bells. In some of our hearts here. Today. The more you think about a sinful temptation. The more apt you are to commit it.

Do you ever think about that. The more you think about a sinful temptation. The more you are apt. James describes the birth of sin there in the first chapter of his epistle. That's what he's saying in effect.

Think about it long enough. You'll do it. And the more we sin. The easier it is to sin. When you first committed a sin. Your consciousness. You do it the second time. Your consciousness. Don't do it. After a few times.

Your consciousness. Don't do it. But it's easier to do it. You know why. Because it uses that expression in Ephesians. Who being past feeling. They've become used to it. It no longer. Has the same. Effect.

On us. Sin is enslaving. Really. It really makes slaves of us. One day Johnny was out in the back of his. Backyard and. His mother had a favorite duck out there and. Johnny had a slingshot. And you know the rest of that story.

It was a good shot and he killed the duck. And he took and hit it. But his sister saw what happened. There's always somebody that sees. That night after supper the mother asked. Said to the girl. Now help me with the dishes.

She said oh no mother. Johnny wants to do the dishes. Don't you Johnny. Then a little later the father had some program. To take Johnny out. And the sister said. Oh I don't think Johnny wants to go. Do you Johnny.

I'll go. Johnny was enslaved. Finally he couldn't stand it any longer. And he went to his mother. And he told her what had happened. She said. I know Johnny. I saw it happen. Why didn't you tell me sooner.

Confession, Forgiveness, and the Gospel

If we confess our sins. He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins. And to cleanse us. From all. Unrighteousness. Sin has a way of finding a person out. Man. Aram committed murder. And he. Buried the body.

Under a pile of leaves. That night. A great storm arose. The leaves all blew away. He went back and saw it. And it was just completely exposed. He put it down in the depths of the river. The river went dry.

River went dry. He realized he wasn't going to get away with it. He covered the body with stones. But in the course of time. It was discovered. And. He was put to death. The port said and sought the black accursed pool.

With a mild misgiving eye. And he saw the dead in the riverbed. For the faithless stream. Was dry. Then down I cast me on my face. And first began to weep. For I knew my secret. Then was one that Earth.

Refused. To keep. Land or sea. Though it should be. Ten thousand. Fathoms. The. Preset. That isn't the whole story. Listen. I got good news for you. At the end of the meeting. The blood of Christ. Washes a person from every sin.

You tell me that isn't wonderful. I don't care what your past has been. You can come to the Lord Jesus Christ. Believe on him. Accept him as your Lord and Savior. Believe that he died for you. On the cross of Calvary.

That he paid the penalty for your sins. On the cross of Calvary. The slate is clean. Good news. I would say so. I would say. There's not a sin. That his blood. Will not cleanse. He may be speaking to somebody here in the meeting this morning.

And you're burdened with guilt. More than anything else you want peace. You can have it. Being justified by faith. We have peace with God. Through the Lord. Jesus. Christ. Would you be free from your burden of sin.

There's power in the blood. Would you or evil a victory win. There's a wonderful power. In the blood. Power. In the blood. Of the Lamb. Come to the cross. Acknowledge that you are a sinner. That you deserve to go to hell.

And with the hand of faith reach out. And claim Christ. As your Lord. And Savior. And go away rejoicing. Knowing that God will never remember those sins again. You might. But God will never remember them again.

He'll never. Fish them up again against you. The account. Was settled. Long ago. Shall we pray. Father we rejoice at the truth of your word you have said. That we've all sinned and we acknowledge it today.

Prayer for Repentance and Salvation

You said be sure your sins will find you out and we know that that's true. They have a way of finding us and we know there's a guilt connected with our sin. And it drags us down. But oh how we thank you today.

Blessed Lord. That the Savior died for us. He loved us. And he died for us to clear us. From the penalty. And guilt. Of sin. That it's free. It's open to all. But all we have to do is come. And all our sin and all our guilt.

And say yes Lord Jesus. I accept you. As my Lord and Savior. I believe you died for me. And that your death is effective. For putting away. All my sin. You pray that some might respond positively. To the voice of the Lord Jesus today.

In his worthy name. Amen.