Death of Samson
Notes
Transcript
Intro
Intro
We live in a spiritually oppressive world
We live in a spiritually oppressive world
Now the lords of the Philistines gathered to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god and to rejoice, and they said, “Our god has given Samson our enemy into our hand.” And when the people saw him, they praised their god. For they said, “Our god has given our enemy into our hand, the ravager of our country, who has killed many of us.” And when their hearts were merry, they said, “Call Samson, that he may entertain us.” So they called Samson out of the prison, and he entertained them. They made him stand between the pillars. And Samson said to the young man who held him by the hand, “Let me feel the pillars on which the house rests, that I may lean against them.” Now the house was full of men and women. All the lords of the Philistines were there, and on the roof there were about 3,000 men and women, who looked on while Samson entertained.
State: For much of Samson’s life, he enjoyed complete dominance over everyone and everything. He did what he wanted, when he wanted, how he wanted, where he wanted, with who he wanted, and managed to do so with seemingly little personal consequence for pretty much his entire 20 years as judge in Israel.
That has very much changed in our passage tonight. He has “flown too close to the sun,” if you will. His actions have finally caught up with him. He finally slipped in a destructive way. He has found himself with empty eyesockets, rotting in darkness in a Philistine jail cell in the temple of a pagan god. When he is brought out of his jail cell, it is only so that he can be mocked while he serves as the entertainment for the Philistine elites.
We don’t know exactly what Samson was forced to do to entertain the Philistines, and perhaps it was good enough for them to simply see the judge of God’s people stumble around blindly while they got drunk and threw things at him. Here was the man that had been the thorn in their side, powerless to defend himself against their insults and actions.
Once a dominant force against his enemies, Samson has found himself in a spiritually oppressive existence. When he was weak, the Philistines brought him into slavery. He was hated, despised, spit upon, mocked, and tortured at the hands of the Philistines, sworn enemies of God.
Illustrate: a person who had it all but was eventually oppressed by what he once thought to control.
Apply: We may live comfortable lives that lure us into thinking that we live in a spiritually comfortable world, but we don’t.
Spiritual oppression for us looks like:
A world that increasingly dislikes God and mention of him
Neglecting spiritual matters altogether (we aren’t interested)
Pushing wicked material in front of all of us, even our children (social media, hollywood,
Christians in America have almost no need to worry about physical oppression due to our faith; this is something we can and should be thankful for. However, don’t let that lull you into believing that America is somehow a spiritual sanctuary for Christians where danger is nowhere to be found. Look around you, what do you see in this nation? Are we living in a part of the world that is defined by spiritual fortitude, moral certainty, strong faith? No, what we see is endemic anxiety, depression, worry, burnout, and complete confusion on even the most basic moral questions.
Christ has overcome our spiritual enemies
Christ has overcome our spiritual enemies
Then Samson called to the Lord and said, “O Lord God, please remember me and please strengthen me only this once, O God, that I may be avenged on the Philistines for my two eyes.” And Samson grasped the two middle pillars on which the house rested, and he leaned his weight against them, his right hand on the one and his left hand on the other. And Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines.” Then he bowed with all his strength, and the house fell upon the lords and upon all the people who were in it. So the dead whom he killed at his death were more than those whom he had killed during his life. Then his brothers and all his family came down and took him and brought him up and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the tomb of Manoah his father. He had judged Israel twenty years.
State:
Illustrate:
Apply:
Rest in Christ’s victory
Rest in Christ’s victory
State:
Illustrate:
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