Journaling: Judges 14-17
- God uses even the compromise/sin of people to accomplish His plans (14:1-4; “His father and mother did not know it [Literally, “she”] was from the Lord” = They did not know God was intending to use Samson’s sin w/this Philistine woman to strike them down; Pro 16:4; e.g. Eze 21:21-23).
- Parental complicity in relation to their children’s sin (14:5 w/10; Deu 7:1-3; Jug 3:6) is not excused by: 1) previous attempts to persuade the child to do otherwise (14:1-3a), 2) the stubbornness of the child (14:3b, 7-8a), 3) knowing God uses even our sin/compromise to accomplish His plans (contra 14:4).
- “Uncircumcised” was a sign of those not in covenant w/God (or unsaved) (14:3, 15:18; Eze 31:18; Hence another reason circumcision was such a big deal to the Jews in the NT).
- Not taking immediate action to repent when we violate the parameters of those great privileges or power that God gives us will eventually lead to: 1) false bravado and further violations (14:5-9 = Samson did not tell his parents about his eating of the grapes while in the vineyards of Timnah [not the account of the lion]. Samson also did not tell his parents about taking the honey from the dead body of the lion. The reason was bc both were a violation of his Nazirite vows. Samson’s seeming ability to get away w/the first violation [of the grapes] – as demonstrated thru his privileged power and victory over the lion emboldened him in re: to the second [w/the honey]) – as well as in his desire to marry the Philistine. The pattern of false bravado leading to further violations is demonstrated also in the sexual immorality that follows (15:14-16 w/16:1; 16:2-3 w/4; 16:17-20 = Samson’s continuous supernatural victories combined w/his constant violations ultimately lead him to believe he was invincible; that God would never take his great privilege/power away – even when other Nazirite vows were violated. Hence verse 20 – “He did not know the Lord had left him” [though he did know his hair was gone].), 2) others taking advantage of us (14:10-18, 16:4-17), 3) a use of our privilege/power that ends in great loss and sorrow (14:19-20, 16:22-31), 4) the temporary or permanent loss of our privilege/power (16:21).
- A man’s jealousy for his wife is effective in producing great wrath (14:20-15:8; Pro 6:34, 27:4; In re: to God – Psa 79:5).
- Revenge often leads to retaliation (15:9-11).
- The Spirit’s empowerment is effective in accomplishing great tasks (14:6, 19, 15:12-17; Zec 4:6).
- Even those empowered by God’s Spirit need to rest and be revived if they are to continue in delivering God’s people from their enemies (15:18-20).
- A woman’s seduction, emotional manipulation and nagging are effective in accomplishing great compromise (14:17-18, 16:1, 4-17, 4, 15-16; Pro 5:3, 7:1-27).
- The discipline of God’s people is often viewed by the world as the victory of their false religion/gods (16:23-25; 1Sa 4:1-11, 5:1-2; Isa 10:5-14).
- Not all forms of suicide are wrong (16:28-31).
- Right interpretation requires recognizing repetition (The repetition of “1,100 pieces of silver” in 16:5 and 17:1-3 considered along w/: 1) their deliberate and close proximity in the book, 2) the probability of this as a valid option [there are no apparent contradictions w/this as an option], 3) Jewish [midrashic] tradition which views Delilah as Micah’s mother, 4) the exorbitant amount this money represents mitigates against it being coincidental [110 yrs worth of wages – see 17:10]).
- Possessing a strong biblical name (“Micah”) means nothing if the person possessing it is a momma’s boy (17:1-4).
- People prove they don’t possess God as their “king” and are instead following their own laws (17:6) when they: 1) think/respond to God according to what is prohibited (17:3-5a; Exo 20:4), 2) start their own churches and appoint their own pastors (or “priest”) (versus following God’s paradigm) (17:5b-12), 3) think that as long as the pastor (or “priest”) is for them/working for their good, they are good with God (17:10, 13).