PLAYING WITH THE FIRES OF HELL

JUDGES 16:1

A. THE STORY OF SAMSON RANKS AMONG THE MOST FASCINATING BIBLE STORIES
  1. One can see the great potentials of a life under the power of the Holy Spirit:
    1. Samson had been chosen for a special work before he was born.
    2. He was to be a Saviour of his nation.
  2. But sin in his life changed God's plan, and ruined Samson's life:
    1. The lust of the eye and the lust of the flesh became his master.
    2. A life of great possibilities became a spectacle of sin and ruination.
B. PLAYING WITH THE FIRES OF HELL
  1. Samson before:
    1. His birth was foretold by the angel of the Lord - Judg. 13:21
    2. Only two other births, outside of the birth of Christ, were foretold by an angel -
      1. The birth of Isaac - Gen. 18:10
      2. And the birth of John the Baptist - Luke 1:13
    3. He had God-fearing parents - Judg. 13:9
    4. Samson was moved by the Holy Spirit; that made him a man of power. Judges 14 to 16 give vivid evidence of the unusual power of the man Samson.
  2. Samson after:
    1. He played with the fires of hell -
      1. "He saw a woman" - Judg. 14:1
      2. That is what happened to king David and his son Solomon - 2 Sam. 11:2; Neh. 13:26
    2. He argued with his parents; thinking them old fashioned when they counseled him to marry a believer.
    3. "Then went Samson down" -
      1. He went down and talked with a Philistine woman, and she pleased him; that is what happened in the days of Noah - Gen. 6:1-6
      2. Philistines gave him plenty of company later.
      3. His marriage went on the rocks; that was when his eyes were opened!
  3. "Then went Samson down and saw there an harlot":
    1. Picture, if you please, a man of God going down to see an harlot!
    2. Near the harlot's bed are a thousand devils waiting to work Samson's doom.
      1. "Entice him, and see where his great strength lieth, and by what we may destroy him."
      2. She, being loyal to her nation, pressed him day after day until he gave away the secret of his strength and his life.
C. WHAT A PICTURE BEFORE OUR MIND
  1. Samson before:
    1. Samson was destined to be the Saviour of his nation -
      1. God's plans for Samson were full of great promise -- no limit to the usefulness of a life under the power of the Holy Spirit.
      2. His home environment was conducive to a proper preparation for service.
    2. He made a wonderful beginning.
  2. But think of what happened!
    1. He saw a Philistine woman.
    2. He saw his marriage destroyed.
    3. He saw a harlot, and from here on Samson went down, down to utter ruin and disgrace.
  3. Does that not make one hate sin for what it is, and for what it does?
    1. How many bright lights went out because they saw the wrong woman!
    2. How sad it is that the history of great and useful lives is marred by the lust of the eyes and the lust of the flesh! EXAMPLES -
      1. David
      2. Solomon
      3. And many, many other bright lights in the history of the church have gone out because of sin.
  4. The saddest part of all was that Samson slept in the lap of her that had the means to remove the symbol of physical power:
    1. Sin is a dope; it makes you unconscious of your condition.
    2. Still sadder yet was the fact that Samson knew not that the Lord had departed from him.
    3. All because he played with the fires of hell.


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