Judges 16-18
7/66 | Author: Unknown | Old Testament | Genre: Historical | 1375 -1050 B.C. (estimated)
16: Samson and Delilah
Samson met a woman named Delilah. The Philistines approached Delilah with a mission to discover how Samson was as mighty as he was in exchange for silver. Accepting the deal, she manipulates Samson into revealing that his strength is due to his Nazirite hair, which had never been cut.
She delivered this message to the Philistines and shaved Samson's head while he was sleeping. He awoke to the approaching Philistine men without realizing that his strength had been dissolved. He was captured, tortured, and enslaved.
He was ushered out in front of the Philistine leaders, their friends, and their wives as entertainment. Samson devised a plan and prayed to God.
"Lord God, please remember me. Strengthen me, God, just once more. With one act of vengeance, let me pay back the Philistines for my own two eyes." (Judges 16:28, CSB)
Then, Samson stood between two of the supporting beams and leaned with his weight until the building came crashing down on everyone inside. He died with his enemies.
17: Micah
A man named Micah retrieved silver and gave it to his mother. The mother dedicated the silver to idols crafted for Micah.
"In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did whatever seemed right to him." (Judges 17:6, CSB)
A Levite man searching for housing stayed with Micah. Micah provided him aid and became excited over the idea of being blessed by the presence of his very own Levite priest.
18: The Tribe of Dan
The Dan tribe searched for land to occupy. Men surveyed the area where Micah lived and discovered the familiar voice of a Levite. Believing they had received God's blessing to invade, they assessed another area. On their way back to the rest of their tribe, they stopped by Micah's and retrieved his idols and priest. They killed the people of a small village and settled in their land.
Samson and Delilah let their selfish desires feul their every move, leading to their downfall. Both thought they were complete with things that they were misusing to begin with. Samson's journey is a testament to God's ability to work wonders and turn our shortcomings into strengths, even in our moments of weakness and failure. It wasn't until the vulnerable end of Samson's life that his weakness became his greatest strength, which God used for His glory!
Micah's story is also one of idolatry. He returned stolen silver to his mother, who rewarded this behavior with carved idols. Obtaining gold and silver statues, along with his very own priest, made him feel like he was excelling in his spiritual relationship. The Danites' actions reflect a sense of entitlement and a disregard for God's true character. Believing that their status hinged on acquiring land like their neighbors, they resorted to theft and murder by taking Micah's possessions and settling in a territory that was not rightfully theirs. This act of trespassing symbolizes the destructive consequences of greed and the decline of morality in the pursuit of personal gain. Ultimately, Micah and the Danites grappled with the repercussions of their misplaced priorities and sinful actions.
Sometimes, we are so focused on our own glamorized idea of a certain achievement that we forget what worship means and allow ourselves to diminish its sanctity. Desperate moments of selfishness hinder our perspective of God. We alter biblical history and the message behind the Lord's lessons to support our decision-making. The Israelites justified their actions as lacking a human king, which resulted in holding themselves accountable. Surprise, surprise, this is not uncommon today when we disagree with authority and turn to our self-defined value system that serves our needs (I am still guilty of this!). But our King is immortal, wise, righteous, and never-changing. Something I am still trying to harness is remaining familiar with scripture to create spiritual boundaries amidst the world's way of things. It is extremely reassuring that even when we feel low, God has called us to higher places and intends to see us get there!
Gratitude List:
Starbucks' holiday menu
New Bible studies
Oversized holiday-themed sweatshirts
Christmas trees in November
New cups for my iced water fixation
Pregnancy nail growth
Hearing "You're almost there!" from doctors
Patriotism & our veterans!
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References:
Myers, R., & Williams, A. B. (2020). She Reads Truth Bible. Holman Bible Publishers.
