"We see, in many a land, the proudest dynasties and tyrannies still crushing, with their mountain weight, every free motion of the Consciences and hearts of men. We see, on the other hand, the truest heroism for the right and the greatest devotion to the Truth in hearts that God has touched. We have a work to do, as great as our forefathers and, perhaps, far greater. The enemies of Truth are more numerous and subtle than ever and the needs of the Church are greater than at any preceding time. If we are not debtors to the present, then men were never debtors to their age and their time. Brethren, we are debtors to the hour in which we live. Oh, that we might stamp it with Truth and that God might help us to impress upon its wings some proof that it has not flown by neglected and unheeded." -- C.H. Spurgeon . . . "If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." John 8:31, 32 . . . . .

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Saturday, November 25, 2017

WALKING WITHOUT STUMBLING: PART 1 of 5 - The LIFE and TIMES of SAMSON The JUDGE of ISRAEL

~ By James Fire

A Five Part Series Examining the Lives of Samson, Samuel, Saul, Solomon and the Savior

The Scripture admonishes us as believers to “walk in the Spirit” and by so doing, we will not “fulfill the lusts of the flesh” (GAL 5:16). 

We want to walk in victory, in the life that the Spirit gives to us, without stumbling, and falling into sin.

This is not to say that we will ever – (while in these corrupted bodies upon which the curse of sin remains until they too, like our hearts, are redeemed at the coming of the LORD; ROM 8:23) – walk in sinless perfection, as is believed by some, but that we are to grow in the knowledge and grace of our LORD and in holiness (2 PET 3:18; 2 COR 7:1).

Just as babes take their first steps, they tumble and fall as they teeter, trying to gain a sense of balance and coordination but grow and mature and finally walk effortlessly with assured confidence; we also as saints, should mature spiritually until we walk with assured confidence in Christ and His enabling Spirit. 

Yet just as we adults may still stumble and fall occasionally, so too we saints may do so. It should be the aim of every disciple of Christ to establish safeguards and parameters, lessons and living in such a way that promote a walk without stumbling.

In this study we will examine the lives of five men; their challenges, struggles, weaknesses, their downfalls as well as their victories and successes: Samson, who was a Judge of Israel; Samuel who was also a judge as well as a prophet of Israel; Saul, the first King of Israel; Solomon, the second King of Israel from the tribe of Judah and finally the LORD Jesus Christ the Messiah and Ultimate King of Judah – in whom there was never any downfall, though He had met many challenges, and succeeded with unequaled supremacy!

So, let us begin with PART ONE of this STUDY: The Life of SAMSON:

UPDATE: 9/25/2021
SHINE BRIGHT CHURCH HAD A MORE GOD/LESS ME Conference and the theme this year was "WALKING Without STUMBLING" based on these five character studies. Five different teachers for each of them.

Facebook video for SAMSON, SAMUEL and SAUL can be watched here.
For Solomon and the Savior: The LORD Jesus Christ, a link has been provided for these two in the article addressing Solomon.
~ End of update.

From the days of Moses (the meekest man of all) and Joshua (one of the most courageous, ingenious warriors of Israel), and their strong leadership, the LORD led His people Israel through the wilderness, having delivered them in the great EXODUS from Egypt, and into the land that He promised Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

While Moses was disqualified from entering the Promised Land due to a significant stumbling of his own (NUM 20:7-12), Joshua did in fact lead the Hebrew nation into Canaan (along with Caleb: the only TWO people of the original generation that left Egypt to enter there!). Joshua was not only the Supreme General of Israel’s army, but also represented the first Judge or Deliverer over God’s people. Israel had no earthly king at that time because the LORD Himself ruled over Israel in the only legitimate Theocracy in all history. 

Joshua’s last words to the people of Israel were recorded in JOSH 24:14-33.
Joshua and all of his generation died, and the next generation continued in battles against the Canaanites but didn’t drive them out entirely. With some they made “leagues” (treaties) and allowed their pagan altars to remain (JUDGES 2:1-5). 

The second generation then died off and it was in the third generation that the people “knew not the LORD”! Their parents were negligent in teaching their children the ways of the LORD and His Word, neither their history and heritage with the LORD! See JUDGES 2:11-16

Yet the LORD raised up judges when the people played the harlot and worshiped the false gods of the Caananite nations around them, and they delivered Israel from their distresses – that they brought upon themselves by their idolatry.

Judges (“Deliverers”) in Israel were such as Otheniel, the son of Kenaz, who was Caleb’s younger brother (JUDGES 3:9). The Book of Judges mentions eleven other leaders who judged Israel after Otheniel: Ehud (JUDGES 3), Shamgar (JUDGES 3,5), Deborah (JUDGES 4, 5), Gideon (JUDGES 6,8), Tola and Jair (JUDGES 10), Jephthah (JUDGES 11,12), Ibzan, Elon and Abdon (JUDGES 12), and finally Samson (JUDGES 13). The First Book of Samuel mentions Eli and Samuel (1 SAM 3), as well as Joel and Abiah (two sons of Samuel; 1 SAM 8). The First Book of Chronicles mentions Kenaniah (1 CHRON 15:22-29) and his sons.

The story of Samson begins in JUDGES 13. We have completed a study on Samson, FROM The MIND Of FIRE, and you may read the article here as PART One of this series:

The SAMSON SYNDROME aka The DELILAH DILEMMA - click here to read this article in full. Below is the introduction to this article.

IntroductionHEBREWS 11 is often called 'the Hall of Faith', where all of the heroes of the faith, who themselves expressed strong faith in the LORD are mentioned. From Abel to Enoch to Noah, and Abraham ('the father of the faithful'), Isaac and Jacob, as well as Joseph, Moses and Joshua - and so many others. 

We might think it strange therefore that in the midst of these, we have someone like Samnson - whose very name strikes a chord with us as someone who was an abject failure - and yet there he is, listed in HEB 11:32, just two names before King David (who certainly took that mis-step into The SIX LETHAL LEVELS of SIN with Bathsheeba, but whose character is otherwise mentioned by God Himself as "a man after my own heart" ACTS 13:22).

Samson was a Nazarite, as well as a Judge of Israel. What is a Nazarite? From GOT QUESTIONS we have the following:

"The Nazirites [were] individuals who voluntarily dedicated themselves to God . . . on the part of people whose desire is to yield themselves to God completely. By definition, the Hebrew word nazir, simply means “to be separated or consecrated.” The Nazirite vow, appears in NUM 6:1-21 . . . 

In this five-part series we will examine the life of the prophet Samuel as PART Two.
Until then, may the LORD bless and keep us in JESUS HOLY, RIGHTEOUS, GLORIOUS NAME!

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