Samson: A Study of Ungodly Cycles

<aside> <img src="/icons/book_red.svg" alt="/icons/book_red.svg" width="40px" /> Judges 2:7-15 (NKJV) ****The Story pg. 109-110

VERSES

So the people served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the Lord which He had done for Israel. 8 Now Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died when he was one hundred and ten years old. 9 And they buried him within the border of his inheritance at Timnath Heres, in the mountains of Ephraim, on the north side of Mount Gaash. 10 When all that generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation arose after them who did not know the Lord nor the work which He had done for Israel. 11 Then the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and served the Ba als; 12 and they forsook the Lord God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt; and they followed other gods from among the gods of the people who were all around them, and they bowed down to them; and they provoked the Lord to anger. 13 They forsook the Lord and served Baal and the Ashtoreths. 14 And the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel. So He delivered them into the hands of plunderers who despoiled them; and He sold them into the hands of their enemies all around, so that they could no longer stand before their enemies. 15 Wherever they went out, the hand of the Lord was against them for calamity, as the Lord had said, and as the Lord had sworn to them. And they were greatly distressed.

• Summary of the Book of Judges: The Book of Judges recounts a period in Israel's history after Joshua's death, detailing a cycle of sin, oppression, repentance, and deliverance through charismatic leaders called "judges" who led the Israelites against their enemies.
• In a biblical context, "judge" can refer to a ruler or leader who makes political and military decisions and settles disputes. Judges were usually chosen by God and remained in office until their death.

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<aside> <img src="/icons/book_red.svg" alt="/icons/book_red.svg" width="40px" /> Judges 2: 10-11 (NKJV) ****The Story pg. 109

VERSES

When all that generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation arose after them who did not know the Lord nor the work which He had done for Israel. 11 Then the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord and served the Baals.

• The Next Generation
• Joshua led the under-20-year-old crowd.
• Without sharing our faith with the next generation, we could be one to two generations from a type of Christian extinction.
• We must explicitly teach our children and grandchildren the principles of our faith.
• Cycle: A cycle is a series of events regularly repeated in the same order. </aside>

<aside> <img src="/icons/book_red.svg" alt="/icons/book_red.svg" width="40px" /> Judges 13:3-5 (NKJV) ****The Story pg. 119

VERSES

And the Angel of the Lord appeared to the woman and said to her, “Indeed now, you are barren and have borne no children, but you shall conceive and bear a son. 4 Now therefore, please be careful not to drink wine or similar drink, and not to eat anything unclean. 5 For behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. And no razor shall come upon his head, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb; and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.”

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<aside> <img src="/icons/book_red.svg" alt="/icons/book_red.svg" width="40px" /> Judges 14:1-2 (NKJV) ****The Story pg. 120

VERSES

Now Samson went down to Timnah, and saw a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistines. 2 So he went up and told his father and mother, saying, “I have seen a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistines; now therefore, get her for me as a wife.”

• Samson’s APPETITE became his idol.
• Appetite: an inherent craving, a strong desire
• Samson had an appetite for strange women </aside>

<aside> <img src="/icons/book_red.svg" alt="/icons/book_red.svg" width="40px" /> Proverbs 7:10-12, 21-23 (NKJV) ****

And there a woman met him, With the attire of a harlot, and a crafty heart. 11 She was loud and rebellious, Her feet would not stay at home. 12 At times she was outside, at times in the open square, Lurking at every corner.

21 With her enticing speech she caused him to yield, With her flattering lips she seduced him. 22 Immediately he went after her, as an ox goes to the slaughter, Or as a fool to the correction of the stocks, 23 Till an arrow struck his liver. As a bird hastens to the snare, He did not know it would cost his life.

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<aside> <img src="/icons/book_red.svg" alt="/icons/book_red.svg" width="40px" /> James 1: 14-15 (NKJV)

14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. 15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.

• Remember a time when you experienced the presence of God. (Psalm 77:10-12)
• Get around people who’s lives are producing the fruit of an encounter with God. (Psalm 34:8)
• Worship Him (Psalm 40:2-4)
• Ask God to change your appetite. (Ephesians 3:16-21)
• REMEMBER: Salvation is not a behavior modification plan! </aside>

<aside> <img src="/icons/book_red.svg" alt="/icons/book_red.svg" width="40px" /> Psalm 42:1-2 (NKJV) ****

As the deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my soul for You, O God 2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?

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<aside> <img src="/icons/book_red.svg" alt="/icons/book_red.svg" width="40px" /> Psalm 27: 4(NKJV) ****

One thing I have desired of the Lord, That will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord All the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the Lord, And to inquire in His temple.

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<aside> <img src="/icons/book_red.svg" alt="/icons/book_red.svg" width="40px" /> Judges 16: 16-17(NKJV) ****The Story pg. 125

VERSES

And it came to pass, when she pestered him daily with her words and pressed him, so that his soul was vexed to death, 17 that he told her all his heart, and said to her, “No razor has ever come upon my head, for I have been a Nazirite to God from my mother’s womb. If I am shaven, then my strength will leave me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man.”

• Samson did not honor his covenant with God. (Oppression)

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<aside> <img src="/icons/book_red.svg" alt="/icons/book_red.svg" width="40px" /> Judges 16:20(NKJV) ****The Story pg. 125

VERSES

And she said, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” So he awoke from his sleep, and said, “I will go out as before, at other times, and shake myself free!” But he did not know that the Lord had departed from him.

• Samson lived in compromise for so long that he did not realize that God had withdrawn from him.
• Samson’s strength was not in his hair, it was in his relationship with God. </aside>

<aside> <img src="/icons/book_red.svg" alt="/icons/book_red.svg" width="40px" /> Romans 6:1-2(NKJV) ****

Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? 2 Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it?

• What you once conquered will conquer you! </aside>

<aside> <img src="/icons/book_red.svg" alt="/icons/book_red.svg" width="40px" /> Judges 16:28 (NKJV) ****The Story pg. 125

VERSES

Then Samson called to the Lord, saying, “O Lord God, remember me, I pray! Strengthen me, I pray, just this once, O God, that I may with one blow take vengeance on the Philistines for my two eyes!”

• Samson’s Return to God (A Cry for Help)
• Remember Me: Have mercy </aside>

<aside> <img src="/icons/book_red.svg" alt="/icons/book_red.svg" width="40px" /> Psalm 18:6 (NKJV)

In my distress I called upon the Lord, And cried out to my God; He heard my voice from His temple, And my cry came before Him, even to His ears.

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<aside> <img src="/icons/book_red.svg" alt="/icons/book_red.svg" width="40px" /> Judges 16:29-30 (NKJV) ****The Story pg. 125-126

And Samson took hold of the two middle pillars which supported the temple, and he braced himself against them, one on his right and the other on his left. 30 Then Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines!” And he pushed with all his might, and the temple fell on the lords and all the people who were in it. So the dead that he killed at his death were more than he had killed in his life.

• Samson’s Deliverance
• God never forsook Samson, even when he was disobedient.
• God’s mercies were there for Samson even in a Philistine prison.
• God’s mercy is there for us if we would repent and turn back to God. </aside>

<aside> <img src="/icons/book_red.svg" alt="/icons/book_red.svg" width="40px" /> Hebrews 11:32-34 (NKJV)

32 And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: 33 who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.

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Cycles

Cycles (feat. DOE)