Suggested Bible Reading: Judges 16-18
Devotional Thought:
Title: “Carnality, A Dead End!”
Judges 16 is a very sad chapter, but ends with a positive example of God’s mercy and grace. One of the saddest statements in the Old Testament is to be found in this final stage of Samson’s life: “And he wist not that the Lord was departed from him.” (vs. 20) There can be no more dangerous position for a Christian to be found in than this. It was serious enough that the Lord had departed from him but for him to be ignorant of this fact emphasizes his low spiritual condition. It was a far cry from his start: “and the child grew, and the Lord blessed him. And the Spirit of the Lord began to move him at times in the camp of Dan.” (13:24-25) Samson descended into a flesh-controlled condition as his days drew to a close. There is very little difference between the behavior of an unsaved person and a carnal Christian. They are both controlled by their flesh and are serving their own selfishness. However, the Christian will be miserable. The events that follow reveal the journey that Sampson took in reaching the lowest point of his life, the point when the Lord departed from him. Is there evidence in your life that God’s power and blessing is upon your life? Is there evidence that you are living a Spirit controlled life? It is one thing to be without God’s hand of blessing; it is quite another thing to be without it and not even know it. The sight of Samson failing to “shake” himself as he had done “at other times before” (vs. 20) was tragic enough but the next step on his journey was even more tragic. “But the Philistines took him, and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of brass; and he did grind in the prison house.” (vs. 21) On his previous visit to the city he had carried away the gates on his shoulders, (vs. 3) but now he was in the prison house grinding corn, a menial and humiliating task that was usually assigned to slaves. Taking up the imagery suggested by the word “shake”, the “lion” that had struck fear into the Philistines had lost his roar and the mane no longer rustled. The chapter that began with Samson taking a journey to Gaza of his own free will (vs. 1), concludes with him being taken back there by the Philistines against his will. Sadly, the Philistines took him when he was doing anything but carrying the battle to them. He was on their soil; loving a woman he had no right to love. Sin promises much but delivers only heartache and pain. Carnality is fun for a season, but there is a payday, some day. The pathetic figure of a man who had lost his Nazariteship, his sight and his freedom would appear to be a far cry from the man the angel announced would be the deliverer of Israel. From a human standpoint there was no possibility of a way back. The sight of Samson led the Philistines to the same conclusion as their leaders: “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.” (vs. 24) There was a real sense of relief in their voices that Israel’s deliverer, who had caused them so much distress, was now seemingly under their control. There was no disputing the fact that he had been delivered into their hands but their blindness meant that they were attributing the praise to the wrong god. The sight of “the daughters of the Philistines” rejoicing and “the daughters of the uncircumcised” triumphing over the fall of the deliverer did not go by unnoticed by the Lord and they would ultimately feel the force of His wrath. The chastening of the Lord is never intended to be an end in itself. He is always looking for restoration! It is sad that the victory God gave Sampson was always available to him, without the tragedy of giving the enemy occasion to blaspheme God. How sad it is when people decide to be carnal rather than committed. Will you determine by God’s grace to be committed to Christ?
Personal Prayer Requests:
- Lord, please help me to discern the lies of my flesh and forsake the philosophies of the world. Please help me to honor you in all my decisions.
- Lord, please help me to draw nigh unto you so that I can resist the Devil so he will flee from me.
- Lord, thank you for your grace and mercy. Please help me to never make decisions that will give the enemy occasion to blaspheme you in any way.