Samson, The thirteenth Judge. Judges 13

Judges 13, Samson, the Thirteenth Judge

 

Manoah and his wife did not have any children because she was barren. So, the birth of Samson was miraculous. Before Samson was born, God singled him out. God raised him up to perform a gigantic task, he was to deliver Israel.

They were in a bad way because God had delivered them into the hands of the Philistines. The Philistines were probably the worst enemies that Israel had. This oppression lasted for forty years. The angel of the Lord that appeared to the mother of Samson told her what her son was to be – a Nazarite. He was not to touch strong drink or use grapes in any form. He was not to cut his hair. He was not to go near a dead body. He was God’s man and that was the secret of the success he had.  He was raised up for a great purpose, and his success was in God.

He began to deliver Israel, but he never finished the task. Samson’s strength was not in his arms, although he killed a thousand Philistines with those arms. His strength was not in his back, although he carried the gates of Gaza on his back. His strength was not in his hair, although he was weak when it was cut. Samson was strong only when the Spirit of God was moving him. The Spirit of God was not moving in him when his hair was cut, because he failed in his vow. When the Spirit was not upon him, he was as weak as water.

 

Please read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com.

J. Vernon McGee Commentary and Nelson’s Quick Reference Commentary.

 

  

Samson's Riddle. Judges 14

 

Judges 14 – Samson’s Riddle

 

Samson is going to use his marriage as a ruse in order that he might deliver Israel from the Philistines.  He starts off well.

 

On his way to Timnath with his parents, Samson was attacked by a lion. He killed the lion with his bare hands. On another trip Samson discovered a swarm of bees and honey in the carcass of the lion. He scooped the honey out with his hands and ate it. He also gave some to his parents but didn’t tell them where it came from. Having contact with a dead carcass was a violation of the Nazarite vow.

 

Later, Samson put on a marriage feast and invited the Philistines. He gives his guests a riddle and seven days to come up with an answer. Without knowing about the slain lion and the hive of bees in the carcass, there was no way the thirty guests could solve the riddle.

The Philistines threatened Samson’s wife that if she didn’t tell them the answer they would burn her father’s house down with her in it. For seven days, his wife cried, begging for the answer. Finally, Samson gave in and told her.

 

When the Philistines gave him the answer, he knew they got it from his wife.

He then went and killed thirty men to get thirty changes of raiment that he needed to pay off his wager.

 

 

 

Please read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com.

J. Vernon McGee Commentary and Nelson’s Quick Reference Commentary.

 

 

Jealousy of Ephraim Judges 12

 

Judges 12. Jealousy of Ephraim

 

The men of Ephraim demanded that Jephthah give them the reason why he did not ask their help in the battle of the Ammonites. Jealousy was the problem here. Jephthah had to protect himself.  The men of Ephraim were going to burn his house down right over his head.

 

The Gileadites were successful in defeating the Ephramites.  Then they selected a password that would be difficult to pronounce because it contained a consonant which was not in the Ephramite dialect. The word was Shibboleth. It was a difficult word for the Ephramites to say because they could not put the “h” in it. Jephthah’s death ended six eventful years.

 

After Jephthah, the tenth judge was Ibzan. He was from Bethlehem. He had thirty sons and thirty daughters. Ibzan was a man who gave all his time to his family. There is nothing wrong with that, but it was not what he was called to do. Elon, the Eleventh judge did nothing- he didn’t even have a large family. Abdon, the twelfth judge had forty sons and forty nephews. All three of these judges apparently did nothing constructive as judges.

 

 

Please read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com. J. Vernon McGee Commentary and NKJ Bible and Nelson’s Quick Reference.

 

 

Jephthah, The Ninth Judge. Judges 11

 

Judges 11- Jephthah, the Ninth Judge.

 

Jephthah had become a leader of a band of desperados. He is a son of a harlot; he has been exiled by his brethren; and he is the leader of a despised, rejected group. He is not a very likely man to be used; but God uses men like this.  God moves in mysterious ways, and He chooses men that are despised in the world.

Our Lord humbled Himself. “Despised and rejected of men.” He is the “Stone the builders rejected.” His enemies said, “We will not have this Man reign over us.” Yet God has highly exalted Him and given Him a name that is above every name.

Jephthah outlines the way that the Ammonites came into the land. He makes it clear that the land really belonged to the Israelites who gained the land in a legitimate way.  The Ammonites were attempting to not only drive the Israelites off the land but were also trying to exterminate them.

This man had spent years in exile and then suddenly he is exalted to the highest position. He is made a judge. In his excitement, he makes a rash promise. God did not require him to make a vow. It was the hand of God that had elevated him to this position. He should have recognized that. “Whatever comes out to meet me I will deliver it to the Lord.” He had no right to offer that individual to the Lord. God’s commandment is “Thou shall not kill”. He also gave specific instructions about offering children. The daughter is the one who comes through the doors to greet him, and he offers her up to the Lord. That means she shall never marry. She did not understand his promise to be a burnt offering or sacrifice, but that she is not going to marry. Her life is to be dedicated to the Lord.

 

We would do well to promise God only what we think we can execute.

 

Please read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com. Nelson’s Quick Reference Commentary

 

 

Slaves to the Philistines and Ammonites. Judges 10

 

Judges 10. Slaves to the Philistines and Ammonites.

 

You would think that after all the experiences, the Israelites would learn that when they turned to idolatry, trouble came upon them. Because of their idolatry, they went into slavery again – they served the Philistines and the Ammonites for eighteen years.

 

We are in a nation that is in trouble.  We have tried every method, political scheme, and political party, and none of them has worked. Only a turning to God will get us on the right path. God does not have to have any of us. He is not dependent upon us at all. We are, however, dependent upon Him.

 

The Israelites finally got so desperate that they called upon God. The Israelites lacked leadership. There has been a lack of leadership in the world for many years. Now they are going to turn to a most unusual man for guidance. Jephthah, the ninth judge was illegitimate, the son of a harlot. He was a Gileadite. His wife was a Gentile. He was excommunicated, and ostracized and exiled. More of his story will be in tomorrow’s lesson.

 

Please read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com.

 

J. Vernon McGee Commentary and New King James Bible. Nelsons Quick Reference Commentary.

Abimelech, Gideon's Son. Judges 9

 

Judges 9. Abimelech, Gideon’s Son

 This boy Abimelech was very ambitious. He had heard about the nation wanting Gideon to become ruler over them. Since he is a son of Gideon, he wanted to become King. He brutally murdered the seventy sons of Gideon and set himself up as King.

People get the ruler they deserve. The people of Israel wanted this boy Abimelech to rule over them; and they got the caliber of man they deserved.

God judged Abimelech for the awful thing he did, and He also judged the men of Shechem for making him King. Civil war came about because there were many people who did not want Abimelech. This is a sad ending for the life of Gideon who fathered this illegitimate son, Abimelech. God lifted Gideon from a very humble position to be the deliverer and judge of His people. How that a man who accomplished so much good should allow this in his life of which God did not approve and which resulted in Civil war in Israel.

If good men and women will not pay the price and lead, we must settle for the bramble.

Abimelech’s sin caught up with him, but he certainly did a lot of damage to his people and family. Psalm 34:21, Proverbs 11:3,19.

 

Please read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com.

 

J. Vernon McGee Commentary and New King James Bible.

 

Not a King. Judges 8

 

Judges 8.  Not a King

 

God told the Israelites in the beginning that He did not want them to have a king like the nations round about them. But because Gideon had delivered them from bondage, they wanted him to accept the position of king. He was the first one to be offered this position and he turned it down. God wanted to rule over His people. It was God who used Gideon so remarkably, but it is Gideon who Israel wants to rule over them. They not only wanted Gideon but his son and his son’s son also to rule. This meant they wanted a king like the nations around them. This young man who threshed grain down by the winepress, recognized that he was a coward. He knew that it was God who had given them the victory. He realized God had raised him up for this purpose.

As long as we are willing to let God have His way, it is remarkable what God will do.

Gideon had many wives and a concubine besides. He had a total of seventy-one sons. Gideon took these wives and had all these children after the battle. God did not approve of what he did. His actions brought tragedy to the nation of Israel.  God had forbidden intermarriage outside the nation.  He had forbidden the Israelites to have more than one wife. God did not create several eves for Adam. He created only one. God did not remove all of Adam’s ribs. God took only one rib.

That was the sin of Abraham, and God never blessed that. God did not bless Solomon’s actions. He did not bless Gideon either. In fact, Gideon’s actions split the kingdom and caused real tragedy.

At first they were a nation that served God, then they forsook God, turned to Baal, and God sold them into slavery. Then they cry out to God. They repent, and God raises up a judge to deliver them. As soon as Gideon was dead, the Israelites turned from God and worshipped Baalim.

This up and down business is the story of nations, churches, and individuals. God never intended our spiritual lives to be that way.

 

 

Please read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com.

 

J. Vernon McGee Commentary and New King James Bible. Nelsons Quick Reference Commentary.