‍Judges // From Samson to Jesus

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Judges 13:1-5, 24

[1] 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.

[2] There was a certain man of Zorah, of the tribe of the Danites, whose name was Manoah. And his wife was barren and had no children. [3] And the angel of the Lord appeared to the woman and said to her, “Behold, you are barren and have not borne children, but you shall conceive and bear a son. [4] Therefore be careful and drink no wine or strong drink, and eat nothing unclean, [5] for behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. No razor shall come upon his head, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb, and he shall begin to save Israel from the hand of the Philistines.”

[24] And the woman bore a son and called his name Samson. And the young man grew, and the Lord blessed him.

Judges 14:1-2, 10-14

[1] Samson went down to Timnah, and at Timnah he saw one of the daughters of the Philistines. [2] Then he came up and told his father and mother, “I saw one of the daughters of the Philistines at Timnah. Now get her for me as my wife.”

[10] His father went down to the woman, and Samson prepared a feast there, for so the young men used to do. [11] As soon as the people saw him, they brought thirty companions to be with him. [12] And Samson said to them, “Let me now put a riddle to you. If you can tell me what it is, within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothes, [13] but if you cannot tell me what it is, then you shall give me thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothes.” And they said to him, “Put your riddle, that we may hear it.” [14] And he said to them, “Out of the eater came something to eat. Out of the strong came something sweet.” And in three days they could not solve the riddle.

Judges 14:15, 18-20

[15] On the fourth day they said to Samson's wife, “Entice your husband to tell us what the riddle is, lest we burn you and your father's house with fire. Have you invited us here to impoverish us?”

[18] And the men of the city said to him on the seventh day before the sun went down, “What is sweeter than honey? What is stronger than a lion?” And he said to them, “If you had not plowed with my heifer, you would not have found out my riddle.”

[19] And the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon and struck down thirty men of the town and took their spoil and gave the garments to those who had told the riddle. In hot anger he went back to his father's house. [20] And Samson's wife was given to his companion, who had been his best man.

Judges 15:4-6, 15

[4] So Samson went and caught 300 foxes and took torches. And he turned them tail to tail and put a torch between each pair of tails. [5] And when he had set fire to the torches, he let the foxes go into the standing grain of the Philistines and set fire to the stacked grain and the standing grain, as well as the olive orchards. [6] Then the Philistines said, “Who has done this?” And they said, “Samson, the son-in-law of the Timnite, because he has taken his wife and given her to his companion.” And the Philistines came up and burned her and her father with fire.

[15] 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.

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1. Jesus is the true and better Deliverer.

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In what ways does Samson show a disregard for God’s truth?

In contrast, how did Jesus uphold God’s truth during his earthly life?

How did Samson exhibit a lack of self-control?

How does Jesus show us strength under control?

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Philippians 2:5-8

[5] Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, [6] who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, [7] but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. [8] And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

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‍Samson only acted in self-preservation. In contrast, why was Jesus willing to humble himself and lay down his life?

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2. Spiritual maturity is growth in Christlike character

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Samson was a man with great gifts, talents, and strength. However, he lacked character and integrity. Why is it easy to believe that spiritual maturity is measured by our achievements and abilities?

“Who I am is more important than what I am able or not able to do.” Why do you have a hard time believing that personally?

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Galatians 5:16-21

[16] But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. [17] For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. [18] But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. [19] Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, [20] idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, [21] envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

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‍How do these verses remind you of Samson?

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Galatians 5:22-25

[22] But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, [23] gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. [24] And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

[25] If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.

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‍How do these verses remind you of Jesus?

Which fruit of the Spirit do you see lacking in your life? Why?