Judges 13:24-14:14. \u00a0Yesterday we were introduced to a couple who had no child. \u00a0God told them they were going to have a son and that he needed to be dedicated to God from his conception. \u00a0he was to follow the Nazarite rules of dedication (Numbers 6:1-21)\u00a0his whole life. \u00a0Even mom had to follow the rules while she was pregnant. \u00a0We also learned yesterday that the Israelite people had been living under the control of the Philistines for 40 years. \u00a0The Philistines were a neighboring tribe that mostly lived on the lowlands near the Mediterranean Sea. \u00a0The interesting thing is that the Israelites had not begged God to save them from Philistine rule. \u00a0Today we will see that they had become very comfortable with sharing the promised land.<\/p>\n
So the baby arrives, is given the name Samson (which means “Like the sun”. \u00a0Check out the “What’s in a Name”<\/a> page), and grows up. \u00a0And God was looking after him. 16 years give or take and we are only one verse into the reading. \u00a0He was born and grew up in and around a town called Zorah. \u00a0Verses 25 tells us that he was in “the camp of Dan” (Mahaneh-Dan) between Zorah and Eshtaol (Dan is the name of the tribe Samson was part of. See “The Twelve?”<\/a>).<\/p>\n Israel is kind of like Southern California. \u00a0There is a wide low area or plain near the coast. \u00a0The central part of Israel contains hills and mountains that reach heights of 3000-4000 feet. \u00a0(Mount Baldy in the San Gabriel Mountains is over 10,000 feet and Saddleback Mountain is about 5700 feet). \u00a0East of the central mountains is a huge gash in the Earths surface called the Rift Valley. \u00a0It contains the lowest land elevation on the planet, the Dead Sea. \u00a0The Jordan River runs down the Rift Valley. \u00a0Eshtaol and Zorah were neighboring towns about 5 miles up in the hills and about 22 miles from the Mediterranean Sea. They were about 12 miles west of Jerusalem.<\/p>\n It seems kind of interesting that in Judges 13:1 that the parents are from the town of Zorah but now in verse 25 we find Samson living in “the camp of Dan” between the two towns. \u00a0The lifestyle of most Israelites in those days would have been rural, most of them would have been farmers and had flocks or herds. \u00a0The fact that Samson does not live in town indicates to me that he was a country boy. \u00a0“Like the sun” with hair that many women would die for, and stuck on the farm.<\/p>\n Verse 25 is a little troubling because it says the “Spirit of the Lord began to stir him” while he was there on the farm. \u00a0It’s troubling because of where the story goes next. \u00a0Sampson went down to the plain to a town called Timnah and was checking out the girls. \u00a0It was clearly a Philistine settlement and he saw a Philistine girl that he just had to have. \u00a0The Old Testament is crystal clear that the Israelites were not to marry the inhabitants when they took over the promised land (Deuteronomy 7:1-4). \u00a0They were to get rid of them. Next he went home and basically ordered his parent to get her for him. \u00a0It looks like they might have known the verses from Deuteronomy because they encourage him to get a wife from his relatives but he refused. \u00a0Another violation of God’s commandments (Exodus 20:12, Deuteronomy 5:16). \u00a0So they went to Timnah and arranged a marriage between the two. \u00a0It’s troubling to think that God would “stir” Samson to do things that He had said not to do. \u00a0Judges 14:4 even kind of repeats the thought. \u00a0So why is this all a problem? \u00a0God is God and can do whatever He wants to can’t He? \u00a0Well, No. \u00a0“Argggggg! \u00a0Myron’s going crazy saying God is not sovereign,” \u00a0you might say. \u00a0No God is in complete control, but He even controls Himself.<\/p>\n 2 Timothy 2:13 says that God cannot deny Himself. \u00a0He has certain characteristics that will never change. \u00a0That passage in 2 Timothy lists one of them, faithfulness. \u00a0Important for what we are reading today is James 1:13-15. \u00a0That verse tells us that God is not tempted by sin and he does not try to get other to sin either. \u00a0 You might ask, “What about Pharaoh? \u00a0Didn’t God make his heart hard so he would not let the people go?” \u00a0Well it does say that God hardened Pharaoh’s heart. \u00a0But what does that mean and how did he do it? \u00a0I have five children and sometimes I had to discipline them when they were growing up. \u00a0They didn’t always respond well to the discipline. \u00a0Sometimes they would continue to do what ever I was trying to get them to stop doing and would get very angry on top of it. \u00a0then they would tell me I was , “Provoking them to wrath” (See Ephesians 6:4). \u00a0Was their rebellion my fault? \u00a0No. Was their anger my fault? \u00a0Sort of but not really. \u00a0As a parent I am supposed to help my children grow up and become mature. \u00a0I also have to keep them in control. \u00a0If they are completely set on doing something that I think they shouldn’t then there is going to be trouble. \u00a0In a sense they are becoming hardened and in a way it’s my fault for not giving in. \u00a0But if I’m going to be a good parent and I cannot give in to certain things. \u00a0God was not going to give in to Pharaoh. \u00a0The Israelites had to leave and so Pharaoh became more and more stubborn, his heart was hardened. \u00a0In reality though it was really the fault of my children (if I was right in what I was doing) and in Pharaoh’s case it was his fault, because God is alway right in what He does. \u00a0It goes back to the idea of God being like a master chess player from a couple of posts back. \u00a0No matter what move we make God will bring the game back to get what he wants done done. \u00a0So God is masterfully powerful and completely in control even though he has given us real choices.<\/p>\n Judges 14:4 tells us just what God was doing too. \u00a0God was creating a situation where the Israelites had to do what it was they were supposed to be doing, getting rid of the Philistines. \u00a0And he was using Samson’s sinful moves to get the job done. \u00a0They were still Samson’s moves, God was just way ahead of him. \u00a0In the rest of todays reading we see Samson breaking one of the conditions of his vow. \u00a0Remember that a Nazirtite could not touch anything dead. \u00a0But he does that and worse when he returns to the dead lion and eats honey from a comb inside of the lion. \u00a0Yuck.<\/p>\n It’s good to know that, no matter what we do, we cannot out play God. \u00a0God’s will will be done. \u00a0The question is are you on his side. \u00a0Because there are consequences if you are not. \u00a0Pharaoh paid, Samson will pay, my children paid, and I pay when I disobey God. \u00a0We need to be careful to look at all of the Bible and find out what God is doing and join Him. \u00a0Lord help me join you. \u00a0Help me understand the love letter you have written to me and see what good things you are doing. \u00a0Let me see what you have provided here and now for me and be satisfied. \u00a0Keep me from wandering into the enemies camp. \u00a0Help me not want what the enemy has to offer. \u00a0God thank you for being faithful. \u00a0Help me agree with you in my life and not tell you no.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Judges 13:24-14:14. \u00a0Yesterday we were introduced to a couple who had no child. \u00a0God told them they were going to have a son and that he needed to be dedicated to God from his conception. \u00a0he was to follow the Nazarite rules of dedication (Numbers 6:1-21)\u00a0his whole life. \u00a0Even mom had to follow the rules 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