Judges 13-16 - Outline

[Jim Watt]

“*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE” MINISTRIES*

*Jim & Marie Watt*

*Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com*

*Web: www.2rbetter.org*

August 31, 2012


 *MAY 6 - JUDGES 13-16 - SAMSON AND PHILISTINES*


 *1. 13:1 PHILISTINES OPPRESS ISRAEL. “And the people of Israel again did
what was evil in the sight of the LORD, so the LORD gave them into the hand
of the Philistines for forty years” (ESV). *Your judgments are
*just*Father, and You chasten us as sons for
*our good* because You love us. But what a long time of judgment to bring
Israel to their senses! *Hallowed be your :name!*


 *2. 13:8 (13:2-23) SAMSON: HIS GODLY PARENTS. “Then Manoah prayed to the
LORD and said, ‘O Lord, please let the man of God whom you sent come again
to us and teach us what we are to do with the child who will be born.’” *You
Father, honor the headship of the husband in family relationships. We too
honor Your appointments and way of doing things! *Your :kingdom come.*


 *3. 13:24-25 SAMSON: HIS BIRTH. “And the woman bore a son and called his
name Samson (Sun-like). And the young man grew, and the LORD blessed him 25 And
the Spirit of the LORD began to stir him in Mahaneh-dan, between Zorah and
Eshtaol.” *How faithful You are Father, in bringing Your Word to pass! We
absolutely depend on You. Yes, we honor You! *Your :will be done, As in
heaven, so on earth!*


 *4. 14:4 (14:1-20) SAMSON: HIS FIRST LOVE. “His father and mother did not
know that it was from the LORD, for he was seeking an opportunity against
the Philistines. At that time the Philistines ruled over Israel.” *Some of your
ways are strange Father, and past finding out. You make *all* things work
together for good, even things of which You do not fully approve. But we
know *You* are righteous and merciful, and we fully trust in You. *Our
:daily :bread Give us this day.*


 *5. 15:15 (15:1-20) SAMSON: OCCASION FOR VENGEANCE. “And he found a fresh
jawbone of a donkey, and put out his hand and took it, and with it he
struck 1,000 men.” *Here You are surely answering prayer Father, and even
in Israel’s back-slidden position starting to deliver them from judgment,
because they cried unto You. We marvel at Your grace. You fulfill 2 CHR
7:14! *And forgive us our :debts, As we also have forgiven our :debtors.*


 *6. 16:3 (16:1-3) SAMSON: ANOTHER CAUSE FOR VENGEANCE. “But Samson lay
till midnight, and at midnight he arose and took hold of the doors of the
gate of the city and the two posts, and pulled them up, bar and all, and
put them on his shoulders and carried them to the top of the hill that is
in front of Hebron.” *Samson’s life was in jeopardy. But *You* Father,
watched over this carnal man, warned him, awoke him in time, and
supernaturally delivered him. *And bring us not into temptation!*


 *7. 16:21 (16:4-31) SAMSON AND DELILAH: HUMILIATION AND VENGEANCE. “And
the Philistines seized him and gouged out his eyes and brought him down to
Gaza and bound him with bronze shackles. And he ground at the mill in the
prison.” *Here is a saved man in the hands of sin. You say, “That can’t
happen to me.” You Father, tell us that it can happen to anyone of us (ROM
1:18-32), if we walk carelessly. We submit to You in Your holiness! *But
deliver us from the evil one!*


 *NOTE**: 14:6 (14:1-20) SAMSON: SECRET OF HIS STRENGTH. **“Then the Spirit
of the LORD rushed upon him, and although he had nothing in his hand, he
tore the lion in pieces as one tears a young goat. But he did not tell his
father or his mother what he had done.”* What a strange young man! You use
what is available in days of evil Father, and none of us Your servants are
righteous altogether. We magnify You for Your ability and wisdom.


 There are significant lessons for us to learn from this passage.


 One is the spirituality of Samson’s mother. It was to her that God sent
His angel first. But then He honored the eldership of Manoah by sending the
angel the second time, just as He honored Aquila before Priscilla in
eldership. (Note though, that in the 6 times these two are referred to in
the New Testament, Priscilla appears 4 times before Aquila - because like
the mother of Samson, she had the deeper sensitivity to the things of God.)


 Consider the ministry of Kathryn Kuhlman. God had called 4 men for this
ministry, but for them the cost was too high. Kathryn was his fifth choice,
and she paid the heavy price to walk in this strong anointing.


 And Samson - a worthy man? Not especially so - but rather a carnal man.
Yet God used him to deliver Israel from the yoke of the Philistines, and to
Judge Israel. Is it easy to understand this passage? Not at all.
Nevertheless we do see the variegated choices of God in Israel’s Judges -
especially in Samson from the tribe of Dan.


 It is good for all of us to take a page out of Billy Graham’s book! He too
did not understand the meaning of parts of the Bible, nor the wisdom of God
behind some of His leadings. But very early in his ministry in the High
Sierras - he came to a serious and sober decision. To God he made the
following promise: “Lord, I do not understand many things in Your Word. But
from this day forth - by faith I will always declare - ‘The Bible says!’”


 I too by faith take the entire Bible as God’s Word. I find I can meditate
over it all - from Genesis to Revelation. Much of it then comes clear. And
what does not - I confidently hold in abeyance, knowing that God in His
timing will make it clear to me.


 *Our Psalm for the Day - 126:6 RESTORE OUR FORTUNES, O LORD! “He who goes
out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of
joy, bringing his sheaves with him.” *This is a meaningful Psalm, and a
meaningful verse. Father, we believe Your faithful promise here. We embrace
it. We say, “It shall be as You have said!” *Hallowed be your :name!*


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