Judges 14 - Samson Breaks His Vow

Judges 14

However, his father and mother did not know that it was of the Lord, for He was seeking an occasion against the Philistines. Now at that time the Philistines were ruling over Israel. - verse 4

Message: Samson Breaks His Vow

Time: Judges covers about 250 years from death of Joshua to birth of Samuel (1360-1110 BC). The people of Israel largely divided with different local triable judges. It was a period of stirring interventions by the Lord and also great disobedience on the part of the Israelites. Without a king, everyone did right in their own eyes (Judges 21:25). 

What the Lord is Saying: This chapter starts with Samson traveling to Timnah. Timnah is not far from Zorah, 4 miles SW. He saw a woman there that looked very good to his eyes and he wants her (v.3). She is a Philistine. This would be a great disrespect to Monoah, his father, and those around him. It was the father’s business to arrange a marriage and the amount of the dowry. To marry a Philistine is not advisable. But verse 4 records that this marriage is of the Lord. The author of this book of Judges remarks a larger purpose present in this marriage. That God will do something because of this marriage. He has a divine purpose even though by appearance the marriage does not seem to be of the Lord. In 2 Kings 6:33 are the words, "Behold, this evil is from the LORD." God can use evil for His Glory, to carry out his purposes. 

Samson heads to Timnah with his parents. A lion comes upon Samson, but the author states, "The Spirit of the Lord" came upon Samson and he tore the lion in two (v. 6). These words again about the Spirit of the Lord mean that this individual, at this time Samson, will do something that is not possible for a simple man to do. The phrase has been used at other times, with Jephthah and Gideon, to name a few. He spoke to the woman of Timnah. She looks good to him. He later would come for her and coming back saw the lion he had killed and bees were around. He took the honey from the bees, giving some to his parents, but not telling them where it came from (v. 9). Numbers 6:6 says, "All the days that he separates himself to the LORD he shall not go near a dead body." Numbers 6:3 also states, "he shall separate himself from wine and strong drink. He shall drink no vinegar made from wine or strong drink and shall not drink any juice of grapes or eat grapes, fresh or dried." Samson and his family had been told to keep a Nazarite vow to be set apart from the Lord for a special purpose (Numbers 13:4-5). And with that came stipulations that he would need to abstain from things. He broke that by going to the carcass of the lion and taking bee from it. And then broke it again, during the ceremony (14:10, 14:12) and feast refers to weeklong drinking party. 

Samson gives a riddle and his wife reveals the secret of it. Thus, showing her disloyalty to Samson. Following this, the Spirit of the Lord comes upon Samson once again to kill 30 of the men of Ashkelon given their clothes to the men that had solved the riddle (though the answer was given to them by Samson's wife). And then Samson loses his wife, as his wife's father gives Samson's friend to be her husband. 

Ultimately, in these verses we see the power of God and the work of the Spirit of the Lord in a man that had been given a vow but often broke it, but God still used him for his purposes. God works in unlikely people, but He still works out things for his good purpose. 

Summary:  Samson goes against the way of God multiple times but God consecrated him for a purpose and the Spirit of the Lord continue to come upon him to do His work. 

Promise: Our sin does not thwart God’s ability to work out His good plan, but it is better for us if He works out His plan through our obedience, not our misdeeds.

Prayer: O God, we are a people that fail you continually. We act in ways that are not becoming. And yet you continue to provide for us in ways we don't deserve. You bless me so much Lord despite the sin that we commit. Samson broke his vow and I know that I break vows as well. I ask and hope in me that I would be a person that would honor you. I am not sure if I made number one even this past weekend, as I celebrated with my classmates our reunion. I wrote that I want them to be in heaven, but bringing you up was not prominent in my speech. Instead I let someone else parade her views, her idolatry of fitness before me in the name of beauty. Lord, I do not know sometimes what is the best way or what I need to do. I am confused. I suppose I am like Samson. Bring me back to you, to wait on you. I need to trust in you. 

Note: If you are interested in other studies/devotions, check out my index of Bible Study's.

Romans 8:28 - The Comfort of God's Sovereign Providence

Romans 8:28
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Message: The Comfort of God's Sovereign Providence

Time: This book was probably written between 56 and 57 B.C. Paul was in Greece, probably Corinth when he wrote. It was sent to Gentile believers, but also believers with a strong Jewish element.

What the Lord is Saying:

I've studied this passage before. At the time I focused more on the fact that this verse is used often by people to help defend that all of life will work out in a way that is most pleasing to each of us. So, I focused instead on the words all things and for good. 

But, as I shift back to this study at the moment of God's Sovereign Providence which means that God is actively controlling all that occurs in His creation. His decree is eternal. God is active in His creation. He is providential in that He has decided what is necessary. God is fair and providential towards everyone. His creation impacts everyone. His eternal decree is over big things like governments, dynasties, and empires. But He is also over what we would call small things, like the flip of a coin. He works through people and life, through means. At times He will suspend momentarily natural laws and work in a miracle. He is the only true cause, yet he establishes natural laws and then lets them fall out necessarily; he creates man and gives him the means to choose freely; and he can therefore work out his ways based upon whether a choice goes one direction or another. And despite man choosing, God still controls all and uses man's choices for His glory. He is never responsible for man's sin nor evil, but He is sovereign over evil.

But now as I move beyond this theory of God being over all and actively in control of all, I see the application in this verse that for those that love God, that seek after Him and are called according to His purpose, for those people God works all things together for good. In the midst of all that is happening over this entire creation, God is there for me, for each of us.

This is a comfort for it reminds me that He can work through wrong choices as he can work through  good choices. This doesn't mean that everything leading up to good is good. In fact, his decree allows for our wrong choices to occur and yet he still works it out for our good.

In many ways it is too great to comprehend. Perhaps, this is what I see more and more as I continue to study these words and doctrines. The more I think I understand it, the less I do. The more I am to trust in God.

Promise: God ordains and governs whatsoever comes to pass. God will get the glory and will be glorified. I can remain confident in this.

Prayer: Lord, sometimes I don't know where to start as I come before you to voice a prayer. You are over all and know it all and yet you still want to hear from me. You want me to pray. You want me to say "Hallowed be thy name." I was reminded yesterday of my need to call on You. I live too often to protect myself from hurt. Keep me resting on Your promises. Keep me aligned with You. And give me wisdom each day as I live for You. Thank you for working it all out for good. Yesterday, I forgot about this. I got discouraged and deflated and forgot that You were still working. Keep brining me back to You.

Note: I follow the readings from the Tabletalk Magazine devotional, though I am a little behind and working through 2017 devotionals. 2017 is a study of key biblical doctrines with March being about the sovereign providence of God and looking at how the Bible reveals His control over all things.

James 1:16-17 - Sovereign Over Good

James 1:16-17
16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. 17 Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.

Message: Sovereign Over Good

Time: James is thought to be the brother of Jesus. He did not follow Jesus while he was on the earth, but became a follower and leader of the church at Jerusalem after Jesus' resurrection. It is written about AD 45-48. It is practical application of living a holy life. Faith produces a real change in a person.

What the Lord is Saying:

I have definitely slowed down this month in doing these devotionals on a daily basis. I think it is partly the subject matter: the sovereignty of God which says that God controls everything in life. While I have studied about man having free will it still remains difficult to see at times how they fit together. My conclusion is that man chooses and God works everything out for His good purpose based upon those choices. Yet there are physical laws that make things fall into place based upon those laws. And at times God has used miracles as well. Thus, to expand on this idea, God is first cause and He works through secondary causes. But, even as a sit here and describe this, it is hard to put it all together.

As I use this study and read these words from Tabletalk it continues to catch me off guard. Today's lesson starts with, "In affirming God's sovereign providence, we are careful to not that He is in full control of all that happens." Those words continue to make me stumble with the idea that there is free will. It says, "directing everything according to His purposes." Thus, is he directing our free will? This is supported from this verse in Ephesians 1:11 - we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will which I commented on in the previous study. My conclusion was this idea that "he is in full control of all that happens" means he has created man's position, namely the will of man to choose.

This is further clarified by asking the question - Can God do what is evil? Since he is in control of all things, does he then do what is evil which seems to be what people often think of God in statements such as - Why does God allow so much evil to occur in this world? My sense is that question can be further clarified to mean - Why does God allow so much human suffering if He is Love and He is Good? It seems that the world has concluded then that there is no God and also there is no good and evil. Good is only present because we have the contrast between good and evil. If there was no evil, then there would be no good.

I've never really struggled with this issue of good and evil because they must most be present in life. You can't have one without the other. The Bible supports continually the idea that God is good. It also supports that man is a sinner. Sinners are in need of God because sin separates man from God. This is supported by today's passage from James 1 - Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above. 

Now I am always amazed at how the Bible speaks often to present day issues. James 1:16 starts with Do not be deceived. Deception is the crux of the differences that people hold. Most people fall victim to this deceit, believing to be defined by human will rather than seeing that God designed human will and is the first cause. We read the words of God and sometimes they make sense to us, but when they do not we look to other solutions from man and in so doing, if we believe those words, we then can be deceived.

James 1 provides us warnings about the events that occur in life. He starts with trials and reminds us that those trials can be approached with joy because our faith is often tested in those trials. As we have faith through those trials it produces a good in us and every good thing is from above.

Contrary to the sun and the way it moves throughout the earth produces sunlight at times and shadows at others, thus variation and shifting shadow, the Father of lights has no variation or shifting shadow. John 3:19 records This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. Darkness is evil. Men gravitate towards what is dark, our selfishness, our pleasing of self. Therefore, God is not evil and evil is not done by God. But our testing, our trials, our sufferings God can still use for good outcomes.

Promise: God only does what is good. He is the author only of good.

Prayer: Lord, forgive me for thinking that you author evil and that evil comes from you. Thank you for reminding me and showing me that you are only the author of good. Yes, evil exists but it is the outcome of man's free will choices to please self. We are sinners and imperfect and sin results from this as does suffering. Keep reminding me that you are good and only good.


Note: I follow the readings from the Tabletalk Magazine devotional, though I am a little behind and working through 2017 devotionals. 2017 is a study of key biblical doctrines with March being about the sovereign providence of God and looking at how the Bible reveals His control over all things.

James 1:12-18 - The Goodness of God

James 1:12-18
12 Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. 14 But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. 15 Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death. 16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. 17 Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.18 In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures.

Message: The Goodness of God

Time: James is thought to be the brother of Jesus. He did not follow Jesus while he was on the earth, but became a follower and leader of the church at Jerusalem after Jesus' resurrection. It is written about AD 45-48. It is practical application of living a holy life. Faith produces a real change in a person.

What the Lord is Saying:

Our creator is incapable of doing evil. Instead God can only do good. Trials or difficult times are a part of the live that we live on earth. James points out that Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. So the person who perseveres under a trial is blessed. I've often personally said that trials are times of being mad, sad, and then glad. The calling card though of being human is experiencing trials. Jesus after being baptized immediately experienced trials for 40 days.

In the realm of trials James wants to clarify that God is not tempting us. God is never the agent in moving us away from righteousness.  Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. While God doesn't tempt us from righteousness He is a God that carries out His justice. He is good and just. Divine justice serves God's goodness to his creation.

Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above. James is remarking that people were often putting God's goodness to trial.

God is good toward his people, working out all things for the good of His people (Romans 8:28). He manifests goodness in punishing our sins. God still loves what is good but as a judge of evil His believers are judged in Christ. God disciplines us for our own good. He has mercy toward us.

While God is good and he never has anything to do with tempting us, He does discipline us. Discipline may produces a trial in our lives. But, trials that are a result of sin are nothing that God directly does to us.

Promise: Let us proclaim all aspects of God's goodness and call people to repent so that they will receive God's goodness and mercy.

Prayer: Lord, there are a lot of truths here that you are expressing to me. You are a good God and yet you discipline me because you do not want to see your people stray from truth. You don't tempt people an cause them in any way to do evil. Thank you for the trials in my life that are there for you teaching me and thank you for using all things in my life to work together for good. Help me to keep my focus on You at all times and lean on You and trust You. I thank you for mornings for when I am sharp and focused on You.

Note: I follow the readings from the Tabletalk Magazine devotional, though I am a little behind and working through 2017 devotionals. 2017 is a study of key biblical doctrines with January being about the doctrine of God.