I am referring to the last post on September 1, 2022, regarding The Home – Is it Made, Purchased, or Given. The portion of this series was comparing Jacob’s home life as a picture of Christ’s church. We pick back up with the second mistake Samson made was to go to the Harlot in Gaza. From the words written about him in Judges 16:1-3, Samson became a participant in the breaking of God’s law in this matter. There is no record that Samson was weakened physically through this disobedient act, but what went on from within, no one knows. One thing for sure, he was treading the wrong path. If sincere love turns sour once, wait on God, He can cause you to love again.
Samson’s third and fatal mistake came when he revealed the true secret of his strength. Delilah was Samson’s second love, but from what Samson did, it indicated that he had truly loved again. Once again Samson had fallen in love with one of the enemies’ forces. Once again, she began to pry into the secret of his strength. For three times Samson told her something false to do and his strength would be gone, and for three times he found that Delilah had done exactly what he had told her to do. We are often prone to say that if three times Samson had seen evidence that his strength would be taken from him, he should have had sense enough to see the plot. Well, they say love is blind, here is proof. Yet, his love must have been true love, and he loved to the end, and even to destruction. Delilah did abuse him and use him, and this time it proved to be for the money she received.
When Samson revealed the source of his strength, it was taken away, and he was captured, and tortured. The Spirit of the Lord left, and he was helpless. “The Philistines took him, and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of brass; and he did grind in the prison house.” Judges 16:21. “Can two walk together except they be agreed?” Amos 3:3. Samson, a great and strong man was brought down because the two did not have the same God, and the same interests, and values in life. The time of courtship is the time to find the divisions, or the ties which bind together, but one thing is important, keep your eyes open. I once told a group of young people of dating age, before marriage keep your eyes open, and then after marriage close them. By this I mean, search, and find those qualities unbearable in the other before marriage, and don’t be afraid to see the wrong attitudes and qualities so that the right one may be found. After marriage, close your eyes to the pretty things which make you angry and seek God’s strength to make the marriage in the sight of God.
Samson made his life miserable by not keeping himself pure, and by allowing himself to be entangled with the enemy. The enemy, Satan, can cause much trouble in the family life if we do not keep ourselves from his trap. “Walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh.” Galatians 5:16.
We will pick back up with The Home – Sealed in Marriage.
Bro. Jim