Samson and the Philistine women

[fozzy]

I have been studying thru the old testament and recently while reading Judges I came across the story of Samson. This story should be familiar to most but Judges chap. 14 had something very interesting that I never remembered reading before.

Samson had grown into a man and he went down to Timnath to see the daughters of the Philistines. He saw one particular woman that pleased him very well and told his mother and father about her. They were of course not happy at all about this and urged him to choose a wife from his own kinsman but Samson would not be persuaded. He had to have this woman from the uncircumcised Philistines. Now this story could play out in our day just as easy because this happens all the time. Solomon said that love is as strong as death; it is a fire that cannot be quenched.

The last part of the story is what really surprised me. The bible says that Samson's father and mother knew not that this thing was from the Lord because he sought an occasion or quarrel with the Philistines. So God himself actually put these desires in Samson for a heathen woman. I wonder if that would make a good sermon - God puts sexual desire in one of his chosen servants for the idolatrous Philistine woman? I don't think that would go over very well especially since all thru the old testament God forbade intermarriage with idolaters.

What are your thoughts on this?

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

Yhvh is Perfect and He knows all things and what to do about everything.

Find, as another example, where His prophet is told to marry a prostitute, and have children with her, and buy her when she turns up at the marketplace again -
as
a demonstration of G-D's Love for HIS OWN ADULTEROUS PEOPLE.

If G-D didn't have such a great and wonderful love for 'christians', and mercy and forgiveness,
no one would survive. All of His Word is to teach and train and prepare and edify His people . (but, realize that few find His Way anyway - a lot just go along for the ride and think that hanging out with the 'good' crowd will somehow rub off on them).
(come to think of it , that's in Scripture too. Yhvh says it won't do them any good if they don't ever repent of their selfish sinful lives. Just hanging out with christians doesn't save anyone, no matter how good their lives and company they keep look.)

There's so much more in the Bible, that people never hear nor see. Yhvh says there is a famine in the hearing of the Word of Yhvh,,,, "the hearing".... and in many more ways HE SAYS they have eyes and cannot see, ears and cannot hear..... and HE tells why. Find it in His Word. not from men. they can't open up anyone's mind or spirit to understand - only Yahshua is able to give anyone the understanding - it can't be bought, or earned, or learned. (see how Yahshua treated His Own disciples, and how they didn't understand until He breathed on them and gave them understanding;;; if HIS OWN DISCIPLES didn't understand until HE DID IT FOR THEM, how does anyone today think they can understand today!? (yet they keep trusting men/flesh/ instead of trusting G-D !!).

 

[BryanW92]

if HIS OWN DISCIPLES didn't understand until HE DID IT FOR THEM, how does anyone today think they can understand today!? (yet they keep trusting men/flesh/ instead of trusting G-D !!).

That's simple. We already have the Holy Spirit residing in us. All we have to do is listen to him.

 

[Steeno7]

I have been studying thru the old testament and recently while reading Judges I came across the story of Samson. This story should be familiar to most but Judges chap. 14 had something very interesting that I never remembered reading before.

Samson had grown into a man and he went down to Timnath to see the daughters of the Philistines. He saw one particular woman that pleased him very well and told his mother and father about her. They were of course not happy at all about this and urged him to choose a wife from his own kinsman but Samson would not be persuaded. He had to have this woman from the uncircumcised Philistines. Now this story could play out in our day just as easy because this happens all the time. Solomon said that love is as strong as death; it is a fire that cannot be quenched.

The last part of the story is what really surprised me. The bible says that Samson's father and mother knew not that this thing was from the Lord because he sought an occasion or quarrel with the Philistines. So God himself actually put these desires in Samson for a heathen woman. I wonder if that would make a good sermon - God puts sexual desire in one of his chosen servants for the idolatrous Philistine woman? I don't think that would go over very well especially since all thru the old testament God forbade intermarriage with idolaters.

What are your thoughts on this?

There is nothing wrong with our God given human desires. What is wrong is fulfilling those desires in ungodly ways. Which is what temptation is all about...making crooked the straight ways of God.

I think that God being pleased to allow Samson to follow his own inclinations, does not mean that God put sexual desire in him for the idolatrous Philistine woman, but merely that He allowed Samson to go his own way knowing He would eventually bring good out of it. Which is what God does, He takes what is meant for evil and turns it to good.

 

[fozzy]

Find, as another example, where His prophet is told to marry a prostitute, and have children with her, and buy her when she turns up at the marketplace again -
as
a demonstration of G-D's Love for HIS OWN ADULTEROUS PEOPLE.

I forgot about that one!

Find it in His Word. not from men. they can't open up anyone's mind or spirit to understand - only Yahshua is able to give anyone the understanding - it can't be bought, or earned, or learned.

Amen.

 

[fozzy]

There is nothing wrong with our God given human desires. What is wrong is fulfilling those desires in ungodly ways. Which is what temptation is all about...making crooked the straight ways of God.

I think that God being pleased to allow Samson to follow his own inclinations, does not mean that God put sexual desire in him for the idolatrous Philistine woman, but merely that He allowed Samson to go his own way knowing He would eventually bring good out of it. Which is what God does, He takes what is meant for evil and turns it to good.

No, it says that this thing was from the Lord and that thing was an infatuation that led to marriage and eventually the death of his wife and her father by fire. I'm pretty sure there were plenty of Israelite women in his village and he didn't want any of them.

 

[Steeno7]

No, it says that this thing was from the Lord and that thing was an infatuation that led to marriage and eventually the death of his wife and her father by fire. I'm pretty sure there were plenty of Israelite women in his village and he didn't want any of them.

Indeed "he" didn't 'want' any of the Israelite women. What 'thing' was from the Lord?

 

[fozzy]

Indeed "he" didn't 'want' any of the Israelite women. What 'thing' was from the Lord?

You would need to go back to Judges 14 to get the big picture.

 

[seeingeyes]

I have been studying thru the old testament and recently while reading Judges I came across the story of Samson. This story should be familiar to most but Judges chap. 14 had something very interesting that I never remembered reading before.

Samson had grown into a man and he went down to Timnath to see the daughters of the Philistines. He saw one particular woman that pleased him very well and told his mother and father about her. They were of course not happy at all about this and urged him to choose a wife from his own kinsman but Samson would not be persuaded. He had to have this woman from the uncircumcised Philistines. Now this story could play out in our day just as easy because this happens all the time. Solomon said that love is as strong as death; it is a fire that cannot be quenched.

The last part of the story is what really surprised me. The bible says that Samson's father and mother knew not that this thing was from the Lord because he sought an occasion or quarrel with the Philistines. So God himself actually put these desires in Samson for a heathen woman. I wonder if that would make a good sermon - God puts sexual desire in one of his chosen servants for the idolatrous Philistine woman? I don't think that would go over very well especially since all thru the old testament God forbade intermarriage with idolaters.

What are your thoughts on this?

You'll find this sort of thing throughout the law and the prophets. The ancients believed that God was in charge. Today we often see Him as a poor dear who has been flummoxed by His own creation.

The ancients had it right.

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

You'll find this sort of thing throughout the law and the prophets. The ancients believed that God was in charge. Today we often see Him as a poor dear who has been flummoxed by His own creation.

The ancients had it right.

there's (apparently) a lot of posts inquiring about if Yhvh is in charge and if so then why aren't there 2 or 3 or 12 people(ecclesia, disciples, members) in agreement.

whether or not the motives are right and pure in the questioning, the questioning is (apparently) right on (as from Yhvh Who is In Charge !).

in contrast to the unity of ecclesia in Scripture, as little or as much as is seen ,
the dis-unity of 'christians' (broad and narrow stroke- accept everyone who claims to be, or accept only those who prove it by living righteously no matter what -- "uncompromising righteousness" )
is very widely recognized
and hardly ever, if ever , addressed in line with Scripture.

the joy of union in Yahshua , abiding in Him living righteous lives, and His Word (actually, truly) abiding in the believers immersed in His Name,

is evident only to a very few in the world.


there's a reason for this.


two reasons actually.

....
..
.

 

[Neogaia777]

I have been studying thru the old testament and recently while reading Judges I came across the story of Samson. This story should be familiar to most but Judges chap. 14 had something very interesting that I never remembered reading before.

Samson had grown into a man and he went down to Timnath to see the daughters of the Philistines. He saw one particular woman that pleased him very well and told his mother and father about her. They were of course not happy at all about this and urged him to choose a wife from his own kinsman but Samson would not be persuaded. He had to have this woman from the uncircumcised Philistines. Now this story could play out in our day just as easy because this happens all the time. Solomon said that love is as strong as death; it is a fire that cannot be quenched.

The last part of the story is what really surprised me. The bible says that Samson's father and mother knew not that this thing was from the Lord because he sought an occasion or quarrel with the Philistines. So God himself actually put these desires in Samson for a heathen woman. I wonder if that would make a good sermon - God puts sexual desire in one of his chosen servants for the idolatrous Philistine woman? I don't think that would go over very well especially since all thru the old testament God forbade intermarriage with idolaters.

What are your thoughts on this?

God allowed the temptation to be put before Samson, already knowing his heart and what he would choose, he (God) planned around Samson's choices accordingly...

God Bless!

 

[fozzy]

You'll find this sort of thing throughout the law and the prophets. The ancients believed that God was in charge. Today we often see Him as a poor dear who has been flummoxed by His own creation.

The ancients had it right.

This is very true. I don't believe in coincidence anymore. Things happen for a reason, good and bad.

 

[fozzy]

God allowed the temptation to be put before Samson, already knowing his heart and what he would choose, he (God) planned around Samson's choices accordingly...

God Bless!

That's a possibility. Do you think God puts desires inside of us? Most would say he puts good desire but never bad. We always have a black and white understanding with God doing all the good and Satan doing all the bad. God did some bad stuff in the OT, no two ways about it.

 

[Steeno7]

God did some bad stuff in the OT, no two ways about it.

God doing bad stuff? Nope.

 

[fozzy]

God doing bad stuff? Nope.

By bad I meant he did things that are hard for our western minds thousands of years later to process. War, killing, polygamy etc.