Judges 13-15

Day 83

Ahhhhhhhh! Maybe we are all well!  Thank you, Jesus!!   

Chapter 13    Samson was born and was  set apart for his task from conception!  His hair, because he was a Nazarite, was never to be cut. I think this comes from Numbers 6 where it talks about the Nazarite vow.  So Mrs. Monoah was pretty certain that God was not going to kill them...they have been given a task to complete....to give birth to Samson.  Poor Monoah thought they were going to die for seeing an angel of the Lord.  But Mrs Manoah was rather calm about it all.... if he were going to do it, He wouldn't have accepted our burnt offering.  So there.  Samson was born and grew up in the Spirit of the Lord. 

Chapter 14  Samson gets married ....to someone he really wasn't supposed to marry.  He wanted to marry an outsider and not one of the local Israelite girls.  God had already previously commanded the Israelites not to intermarry with  the nations  around them....they worship other gods (Deut 7).  But Samson was weak.  He had his dad arrange the marriage for him and they had a 7 day feast.  So here comes this crazy riddle. I don't think I ever knew that the Bible had riddles in it!!! Now I know!!  The heifer in the riddle was Samson wife and the people threaten her ("plow" with her) and threaten her family.  Finally, Samson gives in and tell the answer to the riddle to her.  He has been deceived.  

Chapter 15    So....Samson goes and seeks vengeance on the Philistines.   He wants to get back and do to them what they did to him.  Samson led Israel for 20 years even while the Philistines were ruling over them.  

lessons learned:  Even though Samson broke the commands of the Lord, he was still used by God to accomplish His purpose and will.  And....in spite of Samson's foolishness...and in spite of ours....God purposes will still be fulfilled!  Amen?!  Amen!!!

Tomorrow:  chapter 16-18

Praise God from whom all blessings flow..............