Lesson 23

background notes

doctrinal / teaching points

1. Ungodly anger and revenge bring about great destruction.

2. Godly faith and courage bring about great victory.

practical application

1. If you have a physical need, pray about it.

questions

1. Samson judged Israel for twenty years. Was this a peaceful time?

2. In Chapters 13 and 14, we read that the Spirit of the Lord came upon Samson. In Chapter 15, when did the Spirit of the Lord not come upon him?

3. How did Israel help Samson overcome the Philistines?

4. Was Samson a good witness for the Lord?

5. How many men did Samson kill with the jawbone of a donkey?

answers

1. No, the Philistines were a very powerful enemy over Israel, and Samson had only begun to deliver Israel from their hand (13:5).

2. When he was acting in anger and with ungodly revenge (15:7).

3. For the most part, Israel was content to live as they were and did not rise up to fight with Samson. The people were apathetic and reluctant to resist the enemy. So, for the most part, Samson fought the Philistines alone.

4. Because of his disobedience to God's laws and to his Nazarite vows, and because of his wilfulness and uncontrolled anger, it is doubtful that he was a good witness for God.

5. One thousand men. (15:15-16)

discuss / consider

1. Samson disobeyed God's law by marrying a pagan Philistine woman. This disobedience resulted in further wrong-doing, uncontrolled anger and revenge. There is always bad fall-out from disobedience. There is always a negative consequence of uncontrolled anger. Have you found this to be true? Samson did many things in the name of Samson, not in the name of the Lord. Are you doing God's work in God's way to bring honor to His name?

2. Samson showed some acts of courage and faith because he knew the deliverance of God. What evidence is there in your life of acting on faith? Is your witness one of anger and ungodly revenge or one of faith and courage?

challenge

1. Samson was extremely thirsty after his battle with the Philistines. When he asked God to meet his physical need, God met it in a most miraculous way. Do you ask God to meet your physical and spiritual needs? Remember, there is difference between physical wants and physical needs.

memorize

• "Samson said, 'I will surely taken revenge on you...so he attacked them with a great slaughter... Samson said, 'This time I shall be blameless regarding the Philistines if I harm them!" Judges 15:3, 7-8

• "Samson cried out to the Lord, 'Shall I now die of thirst?" Judges 15:18

• "God split the hollow place...and water came out. Samson drank, and his spirit returned, and he revived." Judges 15:19