The Men Of Judah... Samson pt 8

https://billrandles.wordpress.com/2021/11/13/the-men-of-judah-samson-pt-8/ ^ | 11-13-21 | Bill Randles

[pastorbillrandles]

And he smote them hip and thigh with a great slaughter: and he went down and dwelt in the top of the rock Etam. Then the Philistines went up, and pitched in Judah, and spread themselves in Lehi. 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. 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. 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. 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. ( Judges 15:8-13)

Samson was becoming quite a trouble to the Philistines. Testimonies of killings and even stripping of the corpses, burning fields, and heaps of bodies of Philistines, having been slain “Hip and thigh” had gotten all the way up to the leadership of the Philistine occupiers. Obviously this Samson had to be death with.

But Samson was also becoming a trouble to Judah and the other tribes. They had followed a policy of appeasement and co operation with this obviously superior culture. Judah and Israel wanted peace with them, even if it meant the loss of national sovereignty and forfeiture of the heavenly calling upon them.

But Samson was stirring things up, he was making too much trouble and if they didn’t deal with Him, He was going to get them all killed or make their enslavement even worse than it already was.

These events foreshadow the situation centuries later with the true Strongman, and the final deliverer of Israel.

But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had done. Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles. If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation. And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all, Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not. (John 11:46-50)

After meeting with the Philistines, the decision was made by the elders of Judah, to hand Samson over to the hands of the Gentiles. A delegation was formed to arrest Him, but they weren’t taking any chances, the arresting posse was 3000 strong.

The consultation between Samson and the arresting party of Jewish elders was revealing,

“Don’t you know that the Philistines are rulers over us? Look at what you have done to us…”

In this way the Men of Judah not only foreshadow the High Priest and the elders in the days of the Messiah, but they are also re enacting Samson’s wife. They fear the Philistines, and not God. They want to work with them, and Samson is making things difficult.They do not believe in the Deliverance that He was born and dedicated to begin, they took the dark side in the conflict.

But in this instance, Samson foreshadows the Messiah again, and is “led like a lamb to the slaughter.”. All He wants is assurance that his own people will not fall on Him, but that they will deliver Him into the hands of the Gentiles instead. So He stretches out his hands and allows Judah to bind Him, and to lead Him away. Just as Abraham bound Isaac, and as The Pharisees and Saducees would bind Jesus, and is led meekly to the slaughter.