Welcome, friends, to another
broadcast of Morsels for Zion's Poor. Well-meaning moralists,
some would call them conditionalists, see all of the what-ifs of the
various accounts of God's dealing with his people in the scripture,
but usually fail to see the glory of the what-was. Those who would
only see the immorality of David with Bathsheba and the resultant
heartache and sin brought on by that union often miss the
fact that God directed this whole incident to occur to fulfill
prophecy and to demonstrate to David the depravity of his own
heart and in it to remind every sinner he is called after David,
that unless the Lord restrains us, we shall all fall into the
same thing, if not worse. Who among the saints of God has
not read Psalm 51 and identified themselves with the lament of
David, or have been comforted by the hope which he expressed?
Likewise, when these moralists look at the book of Job, they
see wisdom in the words of Bildad, Eliphaz, and Zophar. They see
all of Job's failings, but they cannot see the sovereign hand
of God dealing with Job according to his purpose and not according
to some conditionalist concept wherein Job could earn the blessings
of God or have them withheld simply because of disobedience.
They cannot see that any obedience which might occur in the sons
of God is the product of his work in them. When they look
at Samson, they see a sad tale of the wasted potential of Samson's
life. Now indeed, who can fail to see
the demonstration of man's stupid, headlong rush to his own doom?
But the account of Samson is given to teach us a much greater
lesson than any of that. God would demonstrate that the
power of his might is that which enables his children to triumph.
It seems quite apparent that Samson was not built like the
Incredible Hulk, or it would have been obvious to his enemies
wherein his strength lay. He was just an ordinary man who
was indwelt with the extraordinary power of God. God would have
all of the glory in Samson's triumphs, his seeming defeat,
and his ultimate triumph in the destruction of the Philistines.
The Lord's people need the continual exhortations of the Scriptures,
which remind us that it is not by might nor by power, but by
my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts. The stabs of Samson which
led him to Delilah's house were as much ordered of the Lord as
those which he took in slaying a thousand Philistines with the
jawbone of an ass. God would raise up Samson to
make his power known in the earth, and he would bring Samson down
to demonstrate the same. He would especially manifest
the latter to Samson himself that he might know wherein his
power lay. Some have surmised that Samson's strength was in
his hair. But it was not his hair, even that he was unaware
had been taken from him when Delilah bid him rise, but the
very presence of God. His hair was but a symbol and
not the substance of his strength. The Lord brought Samson to a
place where he would ask the Lord for strength. When he said,
O Lord God, remember me, I pray Thee, and strengthen me, I pray
Thee, only this once, O God. In the life of Samson, we see
the fact that the power of God alone is that which would enable
his children to accomplish anything of value. We see that when that
power is removed, they can do nothing. Because of the dullness
of our hearts and the weakness of our minds, we are often not
even aware when he departs. This is why man is so in love
with his own religious ways. It is easier to rely on the arm
of the flesh, but ultimately that can bring no satisfaction
to the sons of God. The greater lesson taught in
the life of Samson is the depiction of redemption in type and foreshadow. Samson was not apparently different
looking from other men. The Lord Jesus Christ took upon
himself the likeness of sinful flesh and only stood out from
other men because of the power that he possessed. Samson was
brought low, even to the valley of the shadow of death because
of sin. The Lord Jesus Christ was delivered up to his tormentors
for the same. Whereas Samson suffered for his
own sin, the Lord Jesus Christ had no sin of his own, but gladly
took upon himself the guilt of those whom he came into the world
to redeem. Samson's greatest triumph came
before a mocking crowd, and he destroyed his and his people's
enemies in his death. So too the Lord Jesus Christ
was brought as a lamb before its shearers. But in that ignominious
death on Calvary's cross, he accomplished exactly what he
intended, blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against
us, which was contrary to us. and took it out of the way, nailing
it to His cross. And having spoiled principalities
and powers, He made a show of them openly, triumphing over
them in it. He is our champion in death and
life. For a free CD containing 15 of
these radio broadcasts, send an email to forthepoor at windstream.net.