Posts Tagged ‘spiritual heritage’


Under Gods Command
Samson

Judges 14:1-4 Samson went down to Timnah and saw there a young Philistine woman.  When he returned, he said to this father and mother, “I have seen a Philistine woman in Timnah; now get her for me as my wife.”  His father and mother replied, “isn’t there an acceptable woman among your relatives or among all our people? Must you go to the uncircumcised Philistines to get a wife?” But Samson said to his father, “Get her for me.  She’s the right one for me.” (His parents did not know that this was from the LORD, who was seeking an occasion to confront the Philistines, for at that time they were ruling over Israel.) 

Samson’s parents objected to his marrying the Philistine woman for several reasons:

(1)  It was against God’s law (Exodus 34:15-17; Deuteronomy 7:1-4).  A stark example of what happened when the Israelites married pagans can be found in 3A:A5-7.

(2)  The Philistines were Israel’s greatest enemies.  Marriage to a hated Philistine would be a disgrace to Samson’s family.  But Samson’s father gave into Samson’s demand and allowed the marriage; even through he had the right to refuse his son.

(3)  He was supposed to be plotting the demise of the Philistines, but instead he was planning a wedding.  Imagine getting measured for a tux when you’re supposed to be planning an attack against your bride’s family!

When his parents did try to raise the issue of the girl’s spiritual heritage, Samson reacted harshly, nipping the discussion in the bud.  In essence, he said, “Who cares if she’s a pagan?  She’s hot and that’s all I care about” There was absolutely no consideration of the spiritual ramifications of romancing the girl.

Lets bring it home: The next time you feel a twinge of sexual desire toward someone or something illicit, stop and remind your self of a simple but important truth that Samson obviously forgot: that the primary difference between and an animal is that a man has the ability to act according to reason rather than instinct.  Let those two words settle in your mind.

Reason and instinct.  A man has the ability to reason his way through a situation, weighing the pros and cons, evaluating the risk and rewards, and considering the spiritual ramifications, while animals act entirely according to instinct.  This means that when you throw reason to wind and act solely according to the impulses of your flesh, you become no different than your dog or the old tomcat that prowls the alley behind your house.


Under Gods Command
Disobedience and defeat

Judges 3:8-9 The Anger of LORD burned against Israel so that he sold them into the hands of Cushan-Rishathaim King of Aram Naharaim, to whom the Israelites were subject for eight years. But when they cried out to the LORD, he raised up for them a deliverer, Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother who saved them.

Othniel was Israel’s first judge. In 1:13 we read that he volunteered to lead an attack against a fortified city. Here he was to lead the nation back to God. Othniel had a rich spiritual heritage-his uncle was Caleb, a man with unwavering faith in God (Numbers 13:30; 14:24). Othniel’s leadership brought the people back to God and freed then from the oppression of the King of Aram, Naharaim. But after Othniel’s death, it didn’t take the Israelites long to fall back into their neighbors’ comfortable but sinful ways.

Lets bring it home: How many of us, when we win battles by asking other people to pray to for us or even going to God when we need to win a battle forget about Him and go back to our sinful ways after being shown favor.