Do You Dabble With Sin?
June 11th 2007 20:14
And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD delivered them into the hand of the Philistines forty years. Judges 13:1
Someone said that Sept. 11th occurred because this nation had over the past several decades departed from the Lord. Some were offended by this statement and the person who said this appologized publicly. But as offended as they might have been, there is some truth in it. Yes, it is true we have departed from serving God in America. And as it happened in Israel it can still happen today. God can and will turn us over to our enemies to drawour attention away from the path to self destruction. Hopefully, we will take heed before it is too late!!
An example of this dabbling with sin is illustrated in the story of Sampson. Sampson was to deliver the Israelites from the hand of the Philistines. But, he made a mistake. He got involved with a woman from the enemy's camp. It states: And Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines. Verse 1 Chapter 14 of Judges. He went home and told his parents that he had found a woman and he wanted to marry her. Jdg 14:2 And he came up, and told his father and his mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines: now therefore get her for me to wife. They strongly disagreed and tried to talk him out of this foolish decision but, he didn't listen and wanted to do it his way. In fact, they asked him why he was interested in a woman from the Philistines when there was plenty of choice candidates from the daughters of his bretren in his own home country. Jdg 14:3 Then his father and his mother said unto him, [Is there] never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said unto his father, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well. He was more interested in satisfying his own lustful desires than doing God's will.
Now sometimes it is in the Lord's plan to use even an unequally yoked relationship to work out his will as in this case, as illustrated in the verse following: Jdg 14:4 But his father and his mother knew not that it [was] of the LORD, that he sought an occasion against the Philistines: for at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel. While they were on their way down to check this woman out, a young lion began to attack him Sampson went into action and slew it before it had a chance to cause any problems. Somehow,his parents didn't witness the attack and he didn't tell them of it. Jdg 14:6 And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and [he had] nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done.
Afer this, he went on and checked out this woman and after having a brief discussion with her, he found her pleasing to him. He then went home and after a while, he went back to take this woman. On the way there, as he went he stopped to look upon the dead lion (the one he killed earlier) He noticed that a swarm of bees had made a nest in the carcase and since he must have been hungry, he took some of the honey and ate it. This was a blatent violation of the law laid down by the Lord through Moses his servant. Lev 11:27 And whatsoever goeth upon his paws, among all manner of beasts that go on [all] four, those [are] unclean unto you: whoso toucheth their carcase shall be unclean until the even. He then resumed his journey. As he went along eating, he rejoined his parents and shared some of the honey with them but he didn't tell them where he got it. There is eveidence here that he knew that this was not in keeping with the law and if he would have told them the truth, they would have been displeased with him. It is also possible that he lied to them about it. Jdg 14:9 And he took thereof in his hands, and went on eating, and came to his father and mother, and he gave them, and they did eat: but he told not them that he had taken the honey out of the carcase of the lion. So far, as you can plainly see, he made small seemingly insignificant comprimises as he went along. And this is where many believers as well as non-believers run into big problems down the line.
Later on, as a result of a riddle, his wife was given to another man and for this he burned up a field of corn that belonged to the philistines. As a result of this action, the Philistines were angered and wanted more than ever to capture Sampson to bind him. His own people tried to bind him to turn him over to appease the Philistines, but he broke the ropes as if they were flax burned with fire.The following verses explain this episode:
Jdg 15:5 And when he had set the brands on fire, he let [them] go into the standing corn of the Philistines, and burnt up both the shocks, and also the standing corn, with the vineyards [and] olives.
Jdg 15:6 Then the Philistines said, Who hath done this? And they answered, Samson, the son in law of the Timnite, because he had taken his wife, and given her to his companion. And the Philistines came up, and burnt her and her father with fire.
Jdg 15:7 And Samson said unto them, Though ye have done this, yet will I be avenged of you, and after that I will cease.
Jdg 15:8 And he smote them hip and thigh with a great slaughter: and he went down and dwelt in the top of the rock Etam.
Jdg 15:9 ¶ Then the Philistines went up, and pitched in Judah, and spread themselves in Lehi.
Jdg 15:10 And the men of Judah said, Why are ye come up against us? And they answered, To bind Samson are we come up, to do to him as he hath done to us.
Jdg 15:11 Then three thousand men of Judah went to the top of the rock Etam, and said to Samson, Knowest thou not that the Philistines [are] rulers over us? what [is] this [that] thou hast done unto us? And he said unto them, As they did unto me, so have I done unto them.
Jdg 15:12 And they said unto him, We are come down to bind thee, that we may deliver thee into the hand of the Philistines. And Samson said unto them, Swear unto me, that ye will not fall upon me yourselves.
Jdg 15:13 And they spake unto him, saying, No; but we will bind thee fast, and deliver thee into their hand: but surely we will not kill thee. And they bound him with two new cords, and brought him up from the rock.
Jdg 15:14 ¶ [And] when he came unto Lehi, the Philistines shouted against him: and the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and the cords that [were] upon his arms became as flax that was burnt with fire, and his bands loosed from off his hands.
Jdg 15:15 And he found a new jawbone of an ass, and put forth his hand, and took it, and slew a thousand men therewith.
As time went on, the Philistines plotted against Sampson and soon discovered his weakness and went about to exploit it. His toying with sin would soon come back to bite him.
Comprimise lead to comprimise and for some reason, he decided to visit Gaza. You would think that by now Sampson would wise up to what was happening to him. When the Gazites heard that Sampson was coming into their city, they set up an ambush and waited all that night to kill him in the morning. Jdg 16:2 [And it was told] the Gazites, saying, Samson is come hither. And they compassed [him] in, and laid wait for him all night in the gate of the city, and were quiet all the night, saying, In the morning, when it is day, we shall kill him. But, long before they had the chance to attack him, he got up at midnight, he picked up the gate of the city and carried it up to the top of a hill near Hebron. Jdg 16:3 And Samson lay till midnight, and arose at midnight, and took the doors of the gate of the city, and the two posts, and went away with them, bar and all, and put [them] upon his shoulders, and carried them up to the top of an hill that [is] before Hebron. He in effect was showing off his strength to them. The stage was now set for his downfall.
Once again the lustful desires of the flesh took over and he got involved with a woman (once again in the enemy's camp) named Delilah. Jdg 16:4 ¶ And it came to pass afterward, that he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose name [was] Delilah. The higher ups in the Philistine government caught wind of this relationship and consulted with her and told her to find out where his strength originated and they promised her a generous reward.
THE PLOT
Jdg 16:5 And the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and said unto her, Entice him, and see wherein his great strength [lieth], and by what [means] we may prevail against him, that we may bind him to afflict him: and we will give thee every one of us eleven hundred [pieces] of silver. She then began to entice him and at first, he referred to the type of binding material as being the secret. It states: Jdg 16:7 And Samson said unto her, If they bind me with seven green withs that were never dried, then shall I be weak, and be as another man.
When this didn't work, he then said new ropes that never had been used. After she tried that and it still didn't work, she began to get frustrated with him and said he lied to her. Jdg 16:13 ¶ And Delilah said unto Samson, Hitherto thou hast mocked me, and told me lies: tell me wherewith thou mightest be bound. And he said unto her, If thou weavest the seven locks of my head with the web. Thus, he edged closer to the truth by making reference to his hair. Here, he was in very great peril since he now was comprimising his life away.
THE TRUTH COMES OUT
Jdg 16:15 ¶ And she said unto him, How canst thou say, I love thee, when thine heart [is] not with me? thou hast mocked me these three times, and hast not told me wherein thy great strength [lieth].
Jdg 16:16 And it came to pass, when she pressed him daily with her words, and urged him, [so] that his soul was vexed unto death;
Jdg 16:17 That he told her all his heart, and said unto her, There hath not come a razor upon mine head; for I [have been] a Nazarite unto God from my mother's womb: if I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak, and be like any [other] man.
So, after using her emotions and taking him on a guilt trip,(...if you love me...) day after day. he finally gave in to her and revealed the secret.
CONCLUSION
One thing lead to another and Samson was blinded bound in fetters and sent to the prison in Gaza to grind. But, even though the Philistines thought they had him, his hair began to grow back and God would be soon vindicated.
Jdg 16:22 Howbeit the hair of his head began to grow again after he was shaven.
Jdg 16:23 ¶ Then the lords of the Philistines gathered them together for to offer a great sacrifice unto Dagon their god, and to rejoice: for they said, Our god hath delivered Samson our enemy into our hand.
Jdg 16:24 And when the people saw him, they praised their god: for they said, Our god hath delivered into our hands our enemy, and the destroyer of our country, which slew many of us.
Jdg 16:25 And it came to pass, when their hearts were merry, that they said, Call for Samson, that he may make us sport. And they called for Samson out of the prison house; and he made them sport: and they set him between the pillars.
Jdg 16:26 And Samson said unto the lad that held him by the hand, Suffer me that I may feel the pillars whereupon the house standeth, that I may lean upon them.
Jdg 16:27 Now the house was full of men and women; and all the lords of the Philistines [were] there; and [there were] upon the roof about three thousand men and women, that beheld while Samson made sport.
Jdg 16:28 ¶ And Samson called unto the LORD, and said, O Lord GOD, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.
Jdg 16:29 And Samson took hold of the two middle pillars upon which the house stood, and on which it was borne up, of the one with his right hand, and of the other with his left.
Jdg 16:30 And Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines. And he bowed himself with [all his] might; and the house fell upon the lords, and upon all the people that [were] therein. So the dead which he slew at his death were more than [they] which he slew in his life.
Jdg 16:31 Then his brethren and all the house of his father came down, and took him, and brought [him] up, and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the buryingplace of Manoah his father. And he judged Israel twenty years.
THE LESSON HERE
Today, if you are dabbling in sin as Samson did, you will end up just like him blind, bound and in prison. Not a physical blindness or physical bondage perhaps,but spiritually speaking the Devil will have you where he wants you. To you, a little comprimise may seem inconsequential now, but down the road, you will reap bitter fruit. Yes, God still had his way in the end, but the things that happened to Samson wasn't in the original plan. Sin always brings chastisement on a believer who has strayed from the path of righteousness.
Hbr 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
Someone said that Sept. 11th occurred because this nation had over the past several decades departed from the Lord. Some were offended by this statement and the person who said this appologized publicly. But as offended as they might have been, there is some truth in it. Yes, it is true we have departed from serving God in America. And as it happened in Israel it can still happen today. God can and will turn us over to our enemies to drawour attention away from the path to self destruction. Hopefully, we will take heed before it is too late!!
An example of this dabbling with sin is illustrated in the story of Sampson. Sampson was to deliver the Israelites from the hand of the Philistines. But, he made a mistake. He got involved with a woman from the enemy's camp. It states: And Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines. Verse 1 Chapter 14 of Judges. He went home and told his parents that he had found a woman and he wanted to marry her. Jdg 14:2 And he came up, and told his father and his mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines: now therefore get her for me to wife. They strongly disagreed and tried to talk him out of this foolish decision but, he didn't listen and wanted to do it his way. In fact, they asked him why he was interested in a woman from the Philistines when there was plenty of choice candidates from the daughters of his bretren in his own home country. Jdg 14:3 Then his father and his mother said unto him, [Is there] never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said unto his father, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well. He was more interested in satisfying his own lustful desires than doing God's will.
Now sometimes it is in the Lord's plan to use even an unequally yoked relationship to work out his will as in this case, as illustrated in the verse following: Jdg 14:4 But his father and his mother knew not that it [was] of the LORD, that he sought an occasion against the Philistines: for at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel. While they were on their way down to check this woman out, a young lion began to attack him Sampson went into action and slew it before it had a chance to cause any problems. Somehow,his parents didn't witness the attack and he didn't tell them of it. Jdg 14:6 And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and [he had] nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done.
Afer this, he went on and checked out this woman and after having a brief discussion with her, he found her pleasing to him. He then went home and after a while, he went back to take this woman. On the way there, as he went he stopped to look upon the dead lion (the one he killed earlier) He noticed that a swarm of bees had made a nest in the carcase and since he must have been hungry, he took some of the honey and ate it. This was a blatent violation of the law laid down by the Lord through Moses his servant. Lev 11:27 And whatsoever goeth upon his paws, among all manner of beasts that go on [all] four, those [are] unclean unto you: whoso toucheth their carcase shall be unclean until the even. He then resumed his journey. As he went along eating, he rejoined his parents and shared some of the honey with them but he didn't tell them where he got it. There is eveidence here that he knew that this was not in keeping with the law and if he would have told them the truth, they would have been displeased with him. It is also possible that he lied to them about it. Jdg 14:9 And he took thereof in his hands, and went on eating, and came to his father and mother, and he gave them, and they did eat: but he told not them that he had taken the honey out of the carcase of the lion. So far, as you can plainly see, he made small seemingly insignificant comprimises as he went along. And this is where many believers as well as non-believers run into big problems down the line.
Later on, as a result of a riddle, his wife was given to another man and for this he burned up a field of corn that belonged to the philistines. As a result of this action, the Philistines were angered and wanted more than ever to capture Sampson to bind him. His own people tried to bind him to turn him over to appease the Philistines, but he broke the ropes as if they were flax burned with fire.The following verses explain this episode:
Jdg 15:5 And when he had set the brands on fire, he let [them] go into the standing corn of the Philistines, and burnt up both the shocks, and also the standing corn, with the vineyards [and] olives.
Jdg 15:6 Then the Philistines said, Who hath done this? And they answered, Samson, the son in law of the Timnite, because he had taken his wife, and given her to his companion. And the Philistines came up, and burnt her and her father with fire.
Jdg 15:7 And Samson said unto them, Though ye have done this, yet will I be avenged of you, and after that I will cease.
Jdg 15:8 And he smote them hip and thigh with a great slaughter: and he went down and dwelt in the top of the rock Etam.
Jdg 15:9 ¶ Then the Philistines went up, and pitched in Judah, and spread themselves in Lehi.
Jdg 15:10 And the men of Judah said, Why are ye come up against us? And they answered, To bind Samson are we come up, to do to him as he hath done to us.
Jdg 15:11 Then three thousand men of Judah went to the top of the rock Etam, and said to Samson, Knowest thou not that the Philistines [are] rulers over us? what [is] this [that] thou hast done unto us? And he said unto them, As they did unto me, so have I done unto them.
Jdg 15:12 And they said unto him, We are come down to bind thee, that we may deliver thee into the hand of the Philistines. And Samson said unto them, Swear unto me, that ye will not fall upon me yourselves.
Jdg 15:13 And they spake unto him, saying, No; but we will bind thee fast, and deliver thee into their hand: but surely we will not kill thee. And they bound him with two new cords, and brought him up from the rock.
Jdg 15:14 ¶ [And] when he came unto Lehi, the Philistines shouted against him: and the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and the cords that [were] upon his arms became as flax that was burnt with fire, and his bands loosed from off his hands.
Jdg 15:15 And he found a new jawbone of an ass, and put forth his hand, and took it, and slew a thousand men therewith.
As time went on, the Philistines plotted against Sampson and soon discovered his weakness and went about to exploit it. His toying with sin would soon come back to bite him.
Comprimise lead to comprimise and for some reason, he decided to visit Gaza. You would think that by now Sampson would wise up to what was happening to him. When the Gazites heard that Sampson was coming into their city, they set up an ambush and waited all that night to kill him in the morning. Jdg 16:2 [And it was told] the Gazites, saying, Samson is come hither. And they compassed [him] in, and laid wait for him all night in the gate of the city, and were quiet all the night, saying, In the morning, when it is day, we shall kill him. But, long before they had the chance to attack him, he got up at midnight, he picked up the gate of the city and carried it up to the top of a hill near Hebron. Jdg 16:3 And Samson lay till midnight, and arose at midnight, and took the doors of the gate of the city, and the two posts, and went away with them, bar and all, and put [them] upon his shoulders, and carried them up to the top of an hill that [is] before Hebron. He in effect was showing off his strength to them. The stage was now set for his downfall.
Once again the lustful desires of the flesh took over and he got involved with a woman (once again in the enemy's camp) named Delilah. Jdg 16:4 ¶ And it came to pass afterward, that he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose name [was] Delilah. The higher ups in the Philistine government caught wind of this relationship and consulted with her and told her to find out where his strength originated and they promised her a generous reward.
THE PLOT
Jdg 16:5 And the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and said unto her, Entice him, and see wherein his great strength [lieth], and by what [means] we may prevail against him, that we may bind him to afflict him: and we will give thee every one of us eleven hundred [pieces] of silver. She then began to entice him and at first, he referred to the type of binding material as being the secret. It states: Jdg 16:7 And Samson said unto her, If they bind me with seven green withs that were never dried, then shall I be weak, and be as another man.
When this didn't work, he then said new ropes that never had been used. After she tried that and it still didn't work, she began to get frustrated with him and said he lied to her. Jdg 16:13 ¶ And Delilah said unto Samson, Hitherto thou hast mocked me, and told me lies: tell me wherewith thou mightest be bound. And he said unto her, If thou weavest the seven locks of my head with the web. Thus, he edged closer to the truth by making reference to his hair. Here, he was in very great peril since he now was comprimising his life away.
THE TRUTH COMES OUT
Jdg 16:15 ¶ And she said unto him, How canst thou say, I love thee, when thine heart [is] not with me? thou hast mocked me these three times, and hast not told me wherein thy great strength [lieth].
Jdg 16:16 And it came to pass, when she pressed him daily with her words, and urged him, [so] that his soul was vexed unto death;
Jdg 16:17 That he told her all his heart, and said unto her, There hath not come a razor upon mine head; for I [have been] a Nazarite unto God from my mother's womb: if I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak, and be like any [other] man.
So, after using her emotions and taking him on a guilt trip,(...if you love me...) day after day. he finally gave in to her and revealed the secret.
CONCLUSION
One thing lead to another and Samson was blinded bound in fetters and sent to the prison in Gaza to grind. But, even though the Philistines thought they had him, his hair began to grow back and God would be soon vindicated.
Jdg 16:22 Howbeit the hair of his head began to grow again after he was shaven.
Jdg 16:23 ¶ Then the lords of the Philistines gathered them together for to offer a great sacrifice unto Dagon their god, and to rejoice: for they said, Our god hath delivered Samson our enemy into our hand.
Jdg 16:24 And when the people saw him, they praised their god: for they said, Our god hath delivered into our hands our enemy, and the destroyer of our country, which slew many of us.
Jdg 16:25 And it came to pass, when their hearts were merry, that they said, Call for Samson, that he may make us sport. And they called for Samson out of the prison house; and he made them sport: and they set him between the pillars.
Jdg 16:26 And Samson said unto the lad that held him by the hand, Suffer me that I may feel the pillars whereupon the house standeth, that I may lean upon them.
Jdg 16:27 Now the house was full of men and women; and all the lords of the Philistines [were] there; and [there were] upon the roof about three thousand men and women, that beheld while Samson made sport.
Jdg 16:28 ¶ And Samson called unto the LORD, and said, O Lord GOD, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.
Jdg 16:29 And Samson took hold of the two middle pillars upon which the house stood, and on which it was borne up, of the one with his right hand, and of the other with his left.
Jdg 16:30 And Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines. And he bowed himself with [all his] might; and the house fell upon the lords, and upon all the people that [were] therein. So the dead which he slew at his death were more than [they] which he slew in his life.
Jdg 16:31 Then his brethren and all the house of his father came down, and took him, and brought [him] up, and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the buryingplace of Manoah his father. And he judged Israel twenty years.
THE LESSON HERE
Today, if you are dabbling in sin as Samson did, you will end up just like him blind, bound and in prison. Not a physical blindness or physical bondage perhaps,but spiritually speaking the Devil will have you where he wants you. To you, a little comprimise may seem inconsequential now, but down the road, you will reap bitter fruit. Yes, God still had his way in the end, but the things that happened to Samson wasn't in the original plan. Sin always brings chastisement on a believer who has strayed from the path of righteousness.
Hbr 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
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Comment by David
The US is a country set up by Pilgrims who protested against the Protestants (who had already protested).
The US constitution is little more than a document asserting the rights of man versus the rights of God.
It's a freemasonic country masquerading under the banner 'In God We Trust'. Look at your own Dollar Bill and its Freemasonic symbols.
The answer lies in Pope St Pius X's Papal Encyclical Pascendi Dominici Gregis. Click on the link and have a read of the real answer to the problem.
Australia isn't much better. Only slightly. The Australian constitution was formulated by first generation Protestants.
But fear not. We're catching up.
Regarding sin itself? Read Bl Abbot Dom Columbia Marmions spiritual masterpiece Christ The Life of the Soul, and the chapter Delicta Quis Intelligit (Who Can Understand Sin?).
Quoting slabs and slabs of Sacred Scripture won't solve the problem.
American Evangelists are (in)famous for that.
Imitating Christ (the Child Jesus) by sitting in the temple listening to the Doctors and Fathers of the Church and asking questions will go a long way to making one understand that only Divine Intervention and the Grace of God will solve the problem. And it starts at home. And he went down to Nazareth and was subject to them.
Read the life of St Francis of Assisi. He said, "The only person we should preach to, is ourself."
Have a really good read of the Gospels and pay close attention to how simply Christ Himself spoke. But pay even closer attention to how He lived. And when you can act and speak like Him? Then you're a true Christian (a follower of Christ). For he began to do and to teach. He didn't teach before He practised what He was going to prach about for thirty years.
It's time a few 'evangelists' did their apprenticships in the real world or a carpentry shop, not on TV or the net.
I could quote Sacred Scripture all day long, but where is that going to get me? I think St Paul had the answer. I have become a tinkling cymbol.
Simplicity is the key. Not quoting slabs and slabs of Sacred Scripture. Christ didnt' come on earth to abolish the Old Testament. He came on earth to perfect it and fulfil its prophecies. Why is it that so many modern 'Christians' get bogged down in the Old Testament? If they read the New Testament, they'd comprehend the Old Testament. Not quote it ad nauseum. The Jehovah's Witnesses are already doing that.
A Christian (a follower of Christ) who is not familiar with the New Testament and Christ's life itself, is an Old Testamentarian, not a Christian.
Just a few random thoughts. Turn the other cheek if they upset you.
David ...