v.3 - This area of Samson's life is reflected in language speaking of Jesus

More links with Jesus death

V.23 The god of the Philistines was Dagon.  Dagon (Heb. dag = fish) comprised a man's upper body on top of the lower form of a fish, as a mermaid is depicted.  A slightly-open-jawed fish head formed a mitre on the top of the man's head.   

Priests of Dagon would wear fish-head mitres attached to cloaks, in the form of fish bodies, which flowed down their backs. This open-jawed fish-head mitre was subsequently incorporated into the dress of other religions. 

Today it can notably be seen in the mitres of the Pope and the Archbishop of Canterbury.  Flowing robes are also part of their dress, although they do not incorporate the fish motif.  

Is there any possible practical lesson from the fall of this great man, Samson, by the hands of the woman he loved?

In 15:6 he had experienced the burning alive of his wife.  Not only that, but he had not even been allowed to sleep with her.  From the record in 15:19 we read that he Judged Israel for twenty years.  We also know that his relationship with Delilah was towards the end of this period.  Samson, therefore, may have been around for thirty five or forty years before he met delilah - before he could finally lie peacefully in the arms of a woman.  Would any of us deny him this?  All his life he had been hounded.  He had even spent time living in a rock face (15:8).  How lonely was this man by the time he met Delilah?  Does any of this put his actions towards Delilah in context?

We may come accross brothers and sisters who have lived similar lives of dedication to God.  Some of them may have led very lonely lives because God had decreed this in His purpose for them.  Let's not Judge these too harshly if they suddenly seem to run off with the wrong woman or man, seemingly blinded to their own impending doom.  As with Samson, God still has a purpose with us all.

What is fantastic about this account of Samson is the parallel on a prophetic plain. As it has been suggestion, Samson types Israel. So when we read the account of Samson and his failures, we also see the failure of Israel and the mercy Yahweh will pour out upon them in due course. Notice then how this chapter enacts armageddon, and specifically the fall of the Gogian host. How so?
The meaning of Gog(Ezekiel 38 for example) is "a roof" and Hamon-Gog(Ezekiel 39) then "multitude on the roof". Notice that the destruction of the philistines( symbol of flesh through scripture) was "on the roof". Samson(Israel typed) after renewing his strength(brought back from the sword) overthrew it. So Samson types Israel, on behalf of whom Gog is destroyed.

Also, In Numbers 24:7, Ballam predicted that Israel's future King "shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted". Look this up in the Septuagint and you will find 'Agag' rendered as"Gog". So , if we accept that translation, Balaam saw prophetically Gog destroyed at the hands of the multitudinous Christ, and the exultation of the kingdom of Yahweh over Edom, or that of the flesh- here styled 'the philistines'.

16:6-18 Delilah was ‘married’ to the world and Samson.  She had to ‘masters’ she could not love them both so she chose the world. Samson could not see, it seems, the dangers of association with a woman who had one foot in the world – or maybe she had both feet in the world? How often do we work in a compromised situation thinking that we have the strength to resist temptation?

A number of people, such as Peter Forbes, have raised similarities between Christ and Samson including their birth and circumstances of their betrayal by one close to them for silver. God strengthened each of them. Jesus associated with sinners and tax collectors, died for Jew and Gentile and many who come to Christ are not faithful just as some Samson knew and loved were unfaithful to him. Samson was blinded and humiliated much as Christ was blindfolded and mocked. Both Jesus and Samson were in bondage. In death Samson and Jesus achieved their greatest victory. So it would appear that Samson is perhaps a type of Christ.

Similarly, Jesus and Samson are perhaps representatives of Israel. The Gospel in the Book of Judges by Ian Giles notes Hos 11:1 "When Israel  was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt." and this is picked up in Matt 2:15. Also, Samson took on a priestly status for his people as a Nazarite Num 6:3-8 which had similar requirements to that of a high priest who's job was to represent Israel such as on the day of atonement.

Samson, as Matt Drywood and Ian Giles have suggested, is perhaps a type of Israel. Israel were separated for God's service Lev 20:24-26; Israel married those of different lands and whored after the gods of the Canaanites Exo 34:15; Israel and Samson broke their covenants and lost the strength to defend themselves; Zedekiah, Israel's last king was blinded and put in fetters of brass 2Kin 25:7; national blindness in Israel remains Rom 11:25-26.

V.3 The distance from Gaza to Hebron is about 38 miles, mainly uphill.  That is a long way to haul the doors and posts of the city gate.  Just demonstrates the strength and stamina of Samson.                    

V.4 Delilah means languishing which comes from a root word meaning to dangle. This probably refers to hair.  I wonder if Delilah had long, dangling hair like Samson's.  Perhaps this was a feature which attracted Samson to her.

In Peter Forbes 2004 comments he raises the question of the significance of 1100 in Judg 16:4; 17:2,4. I would be the first one to admit I'm not sure either.

In the book Numbers and Colors  by M.D. Stwart, the number 11 is said to refer to disorder, disorganization and disintegration. And this some what reflects the 11th hour turmoil just before Christ's second coming in Matt 20:6,9 and we read in Judg 16:6 that everyone in Israel at the time of the judges did what was right in their own eyes. Perhaps the hundred times 11 refers to many or much disorder, turmoil, etc. We see several instances of the number two in Judg 16:3,28,29;17:4and perhaps refers to division or internal conflict between the way of right and the way of the flesh. We see how Samson was tempted (Judg 16:4,6,15,16) and bound several times each time edging closer to being captured by sin's grasp (Judg 16:8,12,21) yet struggled to break away from sin and be free (Judg 16:9,12,20,30bronze perhaps referring to imperfect flesh/sin). Only Christ, who was tempted as we are was able to totally break free as a result of his sacrifice. We read of a great sacrifice in Judg 16:23,30. Because of Christ and his unblemished sacrifice we have hope despite that we all fall short.  Perhaps there are indications of this hope here as well. We read of the number three which perhaps suggests the sacrifice and resurrection on the third day (Judg 16:15,27). We read of the number seven mentioned which reminds us of the millenial day of rest when Christ will establish his kingdom on earth (Judg 16:7,8,13,19). The tomb where Samson was buried was his father's and his name, Manoah (4495) means "rest". The mention of silver (Judg 16:5,18; 17:2,3,10) also suggests redemption. Finally, we have the number 10 (Judg 17:10) and that is thought by many to refer to "divine order" (or by some "judgment") and is mentioned in the context of father and priest which reminds us of Christ who will soon return.

16:23  In saying ‘our god has delivered Samson’ the Philistines set themselves on a route to destruction. The destruction came when Samson killed the Philistines in the house of the very God that they said had delivered Samson into their hands.

V.5 The Nazarite Samson was betrayed by Delilah for 5500 pieces of silver.  Another Nazarite, Jesus, was betrayed by Judas for over 180 times less (Matt 26:15).

V.1 Gaza is really Azzah, but in some translations a G was added.  Azzah comes from the root azaz which means to be strong. 

Samson: saw there an harlot, and went in unto her (KJV). The word harlot in Hebrew is zonah which definitely means a woman who sells her body for sexual purposes.  However, there is a possibility it also could mean inn-keeper.  If so, this woman could have entertained travellers in the bed-and-breakfast sense without prostituting herself. 

This might also be the case of Rahab whose house was on the city wall (Josh 2:1).  Here the spies just lodged.  Maybe the deal was that a harlot’s house could accommodate travellers in two ways: 1) a room for the night; 2) a room for the night with personal extras.

Vs.16,17 Samson was highly attracted to Delilah and he loved her (v.4).  I am sure that Samson’s strength was attractive to Delilah.  But, Samson’s strength was no match for the cajoling of Delilah.  Perhaps Henry Ellis says it best: Charm is a woman's strength just as strength is a man's charm.

Judg 16:3 - noting the 2003 comments of Peter Forbes, Samson literally fulfilled (in part) the Genesis promise "thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed" (Gen 22:17-18;Gal 3:8-9,16,26-29). Samson carried those heavy gates some 30 miles  to the burying place of his father Abraham - he didn't do this for no reason, this was the act of a man of great faith.

Judg 16:30 - "Let 'me' ["nephesh" (5315) means "a living breathing creature, soul, self, person, life"] die with  the Philistines."  This use of "nephesh", the usual word for "soul", proves that in the Hebrew Old Testament Scriptures the word did not convey the idea of something immortal and immaterial. "Nephesh" here refers to Samson, not something said to be capable of existing apart from the body.

16:30 Samson delivered Israel more effectively in his death tan in his life. This was true of Jesus. It was through his death that eternal life became available. In that Samson ‘bowed himself’ we see his submitting to God’s will as Jesus did – John 19:30

V.8 Hezekiah did show remarkable faith under the threats of Sennacherib. But, are we now seeing Hezekiah relaxing his faith?  It seems that begging for extended life is questionable.  Then, after he had received fifteen more years of life he became boastful. He opened up to the Babylonians who sought an alliance with him against the Assyrians. This showed a lack of faith in Yahweh.

Having had this sin pointed out to him, and the subsequent punishment, he was joyful that it would not take place in his lifetime. Whew! he might have thought, I'll be o.k.  This sounds pretty self-serving.

It might seem that Hezekiah was simply being human.  But God looks on the heart. Here was Hezekiah’s first contact with Babylon – a far off country. There must have been a certain amount of pride in the king’s heart as he opened all his treasures to the gaze of the Babylonians. How true Isaiah’s prophecy came! (Isa 39:5-7)

39:7  This was fulfilled when Daniel and his friends (Dan 1:2,3,7) were taken to Babylon.

39:3 Hezekiah had stripped the gold from the temple – 2Kin 18:16- and after his recovery from his sickness had treasures heaped upon him – 2Chron 32:23- by the nations round about. This is how Hezekiah managed to have wealth to show the Babylonians even though he had tried to buy them off with the riches that he had before his sickness.

39:3 We may wonder why it was that Hezekiah was reproved by the prophet Isaiah. We should notice that Hezekiah describes the origins of the Babylonians using the same language that Isaiah had already used – Isa 13:5 – when he had spoken of the evil of hat nation and what they would do to Israel. The inference is that Hezekiah should have understood that the Babylonians were not a nation who he should have favourable dealings with.

V.1 Merodach-baladan is alternatively called Berodach-baladan (2Kin 20:12).  Merodach-baladan seized Babylon at the death of Shalmaneser in 721BC.  He was a constant antagonist of Sargon II and his son Sennacherib.  Finally, in 709BC, Sargon II drove out Merodach-baladan.

V.7 This prophecy was fulfilled when Daniel, amongst other royal seed, went into captivity in Babylon (Dan 1:2,3,7).

39:2-4 Notice the repeated emphasis that it is Hezekiah’s goods that are shown – not God’s.

Doing the 'daily readings' is probably the best way to keep these things in our minds.

3:15-16 Peter, by speaking of Paul's writings, indicates that the letter Paul wrote were accepted as inspired Scripture in the first century. It was not some decision made at a late date by church fathers.

3:1 In speaking of the ‘pure mind’ of his recipients Peter does not presume evil intent or error even though there was a need to write tot hem. Clearly there would have been some who received the letter whose minds were not ‘pure’. However Peter does not make that presumption. How often when we know of a problem in an ecclesia do we also form judgments about individuals without even speaking to them?

3:5 Peter is saying that those scoffers were ignorant of what Scripture says, quoting Psa 33:6

3:2     In reminding them of the words of the prophets Peter is making it clear that his letters are not his own word but in reality are a continuation and exposition of the words of the prophets. A powerful point to make to the Jewish believers to whom he wrote.

Vs.12,13 Here, Peter is talking figuratively. The physical heavens and earth will not be destroyed and be replaced by new heavens and a new earth (Ecc 1:4). 

Peter is referring to the sinfulness, corruption, cruelty etc. that exists in the political heavens and earth. These things, and the people who produce them, will be destroyed and a new, just society will take its place.  All this will happen when Jesus returns to set up His righteous rule on earth (Rev 5:13).

3:2 Notice how Peter gives the words of the prophets and the commandments of the apostles the same status. He does this again – 2Pet 3:16. It would not be surprising in the first century if Jewish believers in particular might view the Old Testament as having more status and credibility than the apostles teaching and writing

“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise” (2Pet 3:9). God is not slow, nor does He delay. If He has said that Jesus will come to set up the kingdom, then He will. The remainder of that verse explains it to us. Because the day that God has appointed has not yet arrived it means that others can come to Him to be saved. Let’s carry on preaching.

Vs.3,4 Scoffers of the Truth have always existed, but they became particularly prevalent in the first century and onward.  Today, we live in a world that has declared God is dead; creation came about by a cosmic accident, not by divine design; Humanism is worshipped.  We must be careful not to entertain any idea that cannot be borne out by the Word of God.

The world at large is not expecting Christ to return.  More to the point, are we living in expectation of the Lord's return?  The signs in the political heavens tell us that His return is close.  Remember that world history does not have to complete its course before Jesus returns to collect and judge His own.  Are we constantly talking to each other with nervous, yet joyous, anticipation of His return and the Kingdom which he will bring?  Or are we too bogged down with the cares of this life? (Luke 21:34).  Do we honestly care? (Matt 6:21).  

V.8 Yahweh is eternal and beyond time (Psa 90:4). Humans have a finite existence and need to compartmentalize their lives by using time slots (Psa 90:10).

3:18 Having learnt the truth’ we cannot sit back on our laurels. Even if we have avoided being ‘led astray’ we need to continue to ‘grow’ be continuing to learn more of Jesus – not just as a theory but as a practical example of a life we are to follow.