Samson: The Final Chapter
Judges 16
Samson was called to the Lord’s service but like Jonah, went the other direction. He fell prey to the very people he was supposed to be overcoming. After being betrayed by his wife and her father, who were subsequently executed, Samson took revenge by killing a thousand Philistines. He then led Israel for the next 20 years, but lived his life in loneliness, which created a deep vulnerability for women. That’s where we pick up his story today.
- Woman #2 – a One Night Stand
- Samson was looking for love in all the wrong places by being
attracted to a Philistine P__________________. 16:1
- Why did God say, “it wasn’t goo to be alone” Genesis 2:18
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- How did Samson maintain God’s super-natural endowment? 16:3
- Solomon kept his super-natural endowment despite his
spiritual compromise. 1 Kings 11:1-3, Ecclesiastes 2:3-10. Why?
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- Woman #3 – a One Track Mind 16:4
- What’s love got to do with it? Delilah was in it for the
m___________ more than the man. 16:5
- Four times she tries to seduce him to reveal the secret of his
strength, 16:6-16. The secret of course was God’s endowment and
keeping his pledge to not cut his hair, not so much the hair itself.
Why does Samson put up with her constant begging? __________
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- Delilah finally overpowers him with her constant plea. 16:17
Why does Samson think the Lord will continue to empower him?
- In what sense did the Lord leave Samson? Vs 20
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- In what sense was Samson’s eyes opened after he was blinded,
chained and imprisoned ? Vs 21-22
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- In what sense were the crowds being entertained by the man of
God? Vs 25-26 Does this ever happen in church?
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- One Last Request, vs 27-30
- Samson’s last request was for God to restore his strength so he
could take revenge for the loss of his eyesight. That wasn’t the
best motivation for wiping out the Philistines, but God used it.
What should have been his motivation? ______________________
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Life Application
- The end of Samson’s story points to the end of the E________.
God’s judgment on the Philistines points to God’s final Day of
J___________________.
- How can you avoid being condemned on the Day of Judgment?
Believe Jesus is who He c______________ to be. John 8:24
Understand, we have all b____________ God’s law and the effect
is the same no matter the number of magnitude of your sins.
James 2:10
Understand, the penalty of sin is d__________ but Jesus took our
death penalty. Salvation is reserved for those who place their f____
in His blood as the final payment for sin and then identify with his
death, burial and resurrection in b_______ to be raised to life
eternal. Are you ready for Judgment Day? 2 Corinthians 5:10