Commentary on "The Fruit of the Spirit is Self-Control"

PHIL HARRIS

 

Day 7: Friday, March 5, 2010

 

Overview

For further study, today’s lesson centers around what Ellen White has to say about Samson in Patriarchs and Prophets, page 562.

 

Observations

Since, on Tuesday, we have already dealt with Samson’s supposed failure, we will turn our attention to how Ellen’s words compare with our biblical understanding of whom God is, as it relates to the life of Samson.

First off, we know Samson is listed in Hebrews as a man of faith. If our God who inspired the Bible declares him a man of faith and someone to look up to as an example of faith, how dare anyone insist that his life was a failure?

Notice what the angel of the Lord has to say about Samson:

“for behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. No razor shall come upon his head, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb, and he shall begin to save Israel from the hand of the Philistines" (Judges 13:5 ESV).

Samson did exactly as the angel of the Lord declared he would do.

Ellen says; “But association with idolaters corrupted him.” Compare that with what God’s plan was:

But his father and mother said to him, "Is there not a woman among the daughters of your relatives, or among all our people, that you must go to take a wife from the uncircumcised Philistines?" But Samson said to his father, "Get her for me, for she is right in my eyes." His father and mother did not know that it was from the LORD, for he was seeking an opportunity against the Philistines. At that time the Philistines ruled over Israel (Judges 14:3-4 ESV).

When Ellen editorializes against the actions of Samson in this matter she is in defiance of what God intended for Samson to be doing.

Ellen says; “The divine promise to Manoah”. The angel of the Lord made no promise of any kind to Manoah, only to his wife. Notice what the angel did say when Manoah asked a direct question about this:

And Manoah said, "Now when your words come true, what is to be the child's manner of life, and what is his mission?" And the angel of the LORD said to Manoah, "Of all that I said to the woman let her be careful (Judges 13:12-13 ESV).

The angel of the Lord made no promise to Manoah. He only instructed him to make sure his wife obeyed all that the angel had said. At the end of this meeting the angel disappears in the flames of the sacrifice and was seen no more.

When you read the biblical account, knowing God was working in the life of Samson throughout his life, you will see that it was within God’s providence with what happened at the end of Samson’s life.

Then Samson called to the LORD and said, "O Lord GOD, please remember me and please strengthen me only this once, O God, that I may be avenged on the Philistines for my two eyes." And Samson grasped the two middle pillars on which the house rested, and he leaned his weight against them, his right hand on the one and his left hand on the other. And Samson said, "Let me die with the Philistines." Then he bowed with all his strength, and the house fell upon the lords and upon all the people who were in it. So the dead whom he killed at his death were more than those whom he had killed during his life (Judges 16:28-30 ESV).

What happened here when the pagan temple collapsed led to the fall of the Philistines exactly as the angel of the Lord prophesied.

 

Summary

1. Regardless of his personal weaknesses Samson was a great man of faith chosen by God.
2. God worked mightily against the enemies of Israel through Samson in spite of Samson’s weaknesses.
3. We should look to our mighty God for strength, not the works of Joseph or Samson who were simply humble men of faith.
4. Samson’s testimony shows us that no matter how weak we are, when we turn to God and cry out in faith God will work mightily in our lives.
5. We must look to the Bible, the very words of God, to find this mighty God, Lord and Savior of our lives.
6. Samson’s example teaches us that godly intended self control can only come from God and is unrelated to our personal strength.

 

 

Copyright 2010 BibleStudiesForAdventists.com. All rights reserved. Revised January 25, 2010. This website is published by Life Assurance Ministries, Glendale, Arizona, USA, the publisher of Proclamation! Magazine. Contact email: BibleStudiesForAdventists@gmail.com.

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