Judges
Lesson 7Samson: Part 3 of 3
With this lesson, we conclude our three-part look at the life of Samson. The story of Samson and Delilah is perhaps one of the most famous, or infamous, stories in the entire Bible. We will discover, once again, that Samson’s wandering eyes and weakness around manipulative women will be his downfall.
It will also be clear that, through all of this, God’s purpose, the eventual destruction of the Philistines and the end of their oppression of the Jews, is moved forward through the life and acts of Samson. In spite of his total disregard for his Nazirite Vow; and despite, at times, his total disregard for God and God’s presence in his life, Samson will nevertheless play a key part in the eventual destruction of the Philistines.
Read Judges Chapter 16 and answer the following:
- How long did Samson lead Israel? (Judges 15:20 and 16:31)
- Review Judges 16:1, and answer the following questions pertinent to Samson’s trip to Gaza.
- What did he do as soon as he got there?
- Is this what you would expect the leader of Israel to do?
- Have we ever observed this type behavior in other world leaders?
- What is the common reaction to this type behavior when it is made public?
- Delilah made four attempts to learn the source of Samson’s strength. Each time he gave her a different answer. List each of them below.
- Judges 16:6-9
- Judges 16:10-12
- Judges 16:13-14
- Judges 16:15-17
- Why did Samson finally tell Delilah the truth? (Judges 16:16)
- What was the sad truth that Samson did not know when he awoke and discovered that his hair had been cut? (Judges 16:20)
- After they subdued him, what did the Philistines do to Samson, and where did they take him? Can you see the irony here, both in what they did and where they took him? (Judges 16:21)
- God gives Samson a new beginning. How do we know this? (Judges 16:22)
- What notable people were present at the celebration described in Judges 16:23?
- Who did Samson eventually turn to for help? (Judges 16:28)
- What does Judges 16:30 tell us about Samson’s greatest achievement?
- If Samson’s story is in the book of Judges because his life symbolizes something to the Jews, what is it? Was he a living picture of something that the Jews might recognize?
As Samson’s life comes to a tragic but victorious close, God’s purpose to discomfort the Philistines is dramatically achieved. Looking at it from the outside, we see Samson and his life in a way that Samson himself could not see. His pride, lustful eyes, and unholy lifestyle blinded him both figuratively and literally from seeing God’s will for his life
Let’s pray that we will never be this blind, and that we will always be mindful of the things around us that can so easily distract us from seeing and knowing God’s will.
Romans 12:1-2 comes immediately to mind, due to relevance to this lesson. Can we commit this week to begin the process of asking God to cleanse us from our sin, so that we can offer ourselves as a living, holy sacrifice; and asking Him to transform us so that we may know and do His perfect will?
Let’s vow to learn from Samson’s mistakes, and to avoid the lusts and desires of this world so that we may live and walk uprightly with God.
May God richly bless you as you continue to read and study His Holy Word!
In Christ,
Wes
[2018]