But to the wicked God says: “What right have you to recite my statutes or take my covenant on your lips? For you
hate discipline, and you cast my words behind you. If you see a thief, you are pleased with him, and you keep company with adulterers.” (Psalm 50:16-18 ESV, continued next week)
Thorncrown Chapel
Eureka
Springs, Arkansas
Eureka
Springs, Arkansas
Judges 13
Nazarite
§The Philistines are a group of people that stay prominent in Israeli history for quite a long time. The word Palestine is a Greek word and most likely derives from Philistine.
§The Philistine people were an Aegean Sea people (more closely related to the Greeks) who conquered 5 cities on the Mediterranean coast of Israel some time in Biblical history.
§Archaeological evidence links the Philistines to the Mycenaeans who were forced to evacuate their own homeland of Crete in the Aegean Sea after a volcanic eruption.
§The Mycenaeans were a prominent seafaring people who were more technologically advanced than the Israelites of the days of the judges.
§An unnamed woman and a man named Manoah were a childless couple living in the territory of Dan (Dan means “judge”).
§Once again we have the Angel of the Lord appear here in the book of Judges. The woman is awe-struck by his presence and even says that his appearance was like the Angel of God.
§If you think that the phrase Nazirite looks familiar, you would be right. Yahweh gave Moses the framework for a Nazirite vow in Numbers 6:1-8.
§A Nazirite (one who is separated, consecrated) was one who had made a specific vow to be completely holy for Yawheh. Some Nazirite vows were temporary and some were made for life.
§Samson was to be born into a Nazirite vow and live it for life as someone who was set apart by the Lord for a specific purpose (to judge the Philistines).
§The Philistines are a group of people that stay prominent in Israeli history for quite a long time. The word Palestine is a Greek word and most likely derives from Philistine.
§The Philistine people were an Aegean Sea people (more closely related to the Greeks) who conquered 5 cities on the Mediterranean coast of Israel some time in Biblical history.
§Archaeological evidence links the Philistines to the Mycenaeans who were forced to evacuate their own homeland of Crete in the Aegean Sea after a volcanic eruption.
§The Mycenaeans were a prominent seafaring people who were more technologically advanced than the Israelites of the days of the judges.
§An unnamed woman and a man named Manoah were a childless couple living in the territory of Dan (Dan means “judge”).
§Once again we have the Angel of the Lord appear here in the book of Judges. The woman is awe-struck by his presence and even says that his appearance was like the Angel of God.
§If you think that the phrase Nazirite looks familiar, you would be right. Yahweh gave Moses the framework for a Nazirite vow in Numbers 6:1-8.
§A Nazirite (one who is separated, consecrated) was one who had made a specific vow to be completely holy for Yawheh. Some Nazirite vows were temporary and some were made for life.
§Samson was to be born into a Nazirite vow and live it for life as someone who was set apart by the Lord for a specific purpose (to judge the Philistines).
Nazarite continued
§On another note, there is only one man specifically named in the Bible as a Nazirite: Samson.
§When the Angel first appears to Samson’s mother she is impressed by him but does not realize who he is.
§Manoah prays and the Angel of the Lord comes again and they offer to prepare a goat as food for him, making him the honored guest.
§Apparently the Angel of the Lord didn’t eat because when Gideon made him food he consumed it with fire, just like he does here.
§When Jesus refers to what his name is, he says his name is “wonderful”. This comes from a Hebrew word that means incomprehensible.
§In Isaiah when Jesus is foretold he is called “wonderful counselor.” This Hebrew word for wonderful literally meant“unused” as in the word was so holy that it was never used.
§On another note, there is only one man specifically named in the Bible as a Nazirite: Samson.
§When the Angel first appears to Samson’s mother she is impressed by him but does not realize who he is.
§Manoah prays and the Angel of the Lord comes again and they offer to prepare a goat as food for him, making him the honored guest.
§Apparently the Angel of the Lord didn’t eat because when Gideon made him food he consumed it with fire, just like he does here.
§When Jesus refers to what his name is, he says his name is “wonderful”. This comes from a Hebrew word that means incomprehensible.
§In Isaiah when Jesus is foretold he is called “wonderful counselor.” This Hebrew word for wonderful literally meant“unused” as in the word was so holy that it was never used.
Reflection
§Here are some things to think, think, think about:
§1) Why is there only ever one man specifically named as a Nazirite and would a Nazirite vow be anything that you’d be able to undertake?
§2) Jesus appeared to the people as the Angel of the Lord, but nobody seemed to be able to tell that he wasn’t a normal man. How would we know if he appeared to us today?
§3) The name of God was so holy that the Hebrew people wouldn’t even write it, let alone speak it. How does this contrast with our modern day culture’s usage and more specifically to you?
§1) Why is there only ever one man specifically named as a Nazirite and would a Nazirite vow be anything that you’d be able to undertake?
§2) Jesus appeared to the people as the Angel of the Lord, but nobody seemed to be able to tell that he wasn’t a normal man. How would we know if he appeared to us today?
§3) The name of God was so holy that the Hebrew people wouldn’t even write it, let alone speak it. How does this contrast with our modern day culture’s usage and more specifically to you?
Judges 14
Samson's (Failed) Marriage
§Quick! Give me the name of Samson’s Philistine wife:
§If you said “Delilah” you are wrong!
§If you read carefully through chapter 14 the woman who becomes Samson’s wife is never explicitly named, but when you get to chapter 16 (in the next lesson) Samson falls in love with Delilah and it explicitly names her as Delilah (though it never says that they get married).
§Arranged marriages were a custom that happened all the time in the culture but notice that Samson saw the woman and knew that he loved her and wanted to marry her. His parents didn’t even want the marriage to happen.
§Behind the scenes Yahweh had his hand on the situation and let it happen so that Samson could get close enough to the Philistines to deal them a loss.
§On the way down to talk to the woman Samson just happens to be passing near the vineyards (which even touching a grape would violate his Nazarite status) when he gets attacked by a lion.
§I’m not sure how many of you have ever tore a young goat (which I’m going with there are not too many) but I would even imagine that tearing a young goat would not be an easy process but Samson here takes and tears a lion limb from limb with his bare hands.
§Quick! Give me the name of Samson’s Philistine wife:
§If you said “Delilah” you are wrong!
§If you read carefully through chapter 14 the woman who becomes Samson’s wife is never explicitly named, but when you get to chapter 16 (in the next lesson) Samson falls in love with Delilah and it explicitly names her as Delilah (though it never says that they get married).
§Arranged marriages were a custom that happened all the time in the culture but notice that Samson saw the woman and knew that he loved her and wanted to marry her. His parents didn’t even want the marriage to happen.
§Behind the scenes Yahweh had his hand on the situation and let it happen so that Samson could get close enough to the Philistines to deal them a loss.
§On the way down to talk to the woman Samson just happens to be passing near the vineyards (which even touching a grape would violate his Nazarite status) when he gets attacked by a lion.
§I’m not sure how many of you have ever tore a young goat (which I’m going with there are not too many) but I would even imagine that tearing a young goat would not be an easy process but Samson here takes and tears a lion limb from limb with his bare hands.
Samon's Marriage continued
§Upon seeing this woman Samson again decides that she looks good enough for him so when he returns to get her so they can be married he saw the carcass of the
lion. Touching dead things violated the Nazirite vow as well.
§Samson then has a week long wedding feast (where there would undoubtedly be lots of drinking- another violation of his vow).
§Samson then poses a riddle to his Philistine guests about his eating honey out of the dried lion carcass:
§“Out of the eater came something to eat. Out of the strong came something sweet.”
§The Philistines can’t answer the riddle but they do know what Samson’s weak-side is; women. They threaten to burn down his new wife’s house and her father’s house if
she doesn’t get the answer for him.
§The Philistine wife uses an approved wife tactic called “weeping” and basically goes about shaming Samson for three entire days before he gives in and gives up the
answer to her.
§Samson throws a temper tantrum and kills 30 Philistine men because his wife (whom he calls a heifer) had given up the answer.
§He leaves and the best man gets to consummate the marriage.
§Upon seeing this woman Samson again decides that she looks good enough for him so when he returns to get her so they can be married he saw the carcass of the
lion. Touching dead things violated the Nazirite vow as well.
§Samson then has a week long wedding feast (where there would undoubtedly be lots of drinking- another violation of his vow).
§Samson then poses a riddle to his Philistine guests about his eating honey out of the dried lion carcass:
§“Out of the eater came something to eat. Out of the strong came something sweet.”
§The Philistines can’t answer the riddle but they do know what Samson’s weak-side is; women. They threaten to burn down his new wife’s house and her father’s house if
she doesn’t get the answer for him.
§The Philistine wife uses an approved wife tactic called “weeping” and basically goes about shaming Samson for three entire days before he gives in and gives up the
answer to her.
§Samson throws a temper tantrum and kills 30 Philistine men because his wife (whom he calls a heifer) had given up the answer.
§He leaves and the best man gets to consummate the marriage.
Reflecting Back
§Samson obviously doesn’t take his Nazarite vow seriously. Is this possibly due to the vow being given to him before birth, when he didn’t have a chance to make a decision for himself?
§Speaking of temptation: what is the easiest way to defeat temptation? Don’t put yourself in the position in the first place.
§It isn’t good enough to just avoid evil- avoid all appearance of evil.
§How about Samson’s failed marriage-is it enough to go on looks? If you ask the group Jimmy Soul they would tell you, “If you wanna be happy for the rest of your life never make a pretty woman your wife,” but
marriage is a little more complicated than that.
§Speaking of temptation: what is the easiest way to defeat temptation? Don’t put yourself in the position in the first place.
§It isn’t good enough to just avoid evil- avoid all appearance of evil.
§How about Samson’s failed marriage-is it enough to go on looks? If you ask the group Jimmy Soul they would tell you, “If you wanna be happy for the rest of your life never make a pretty woman your wife,” but
marriage is a little more complicated than that.