"Riddles That Kill"

"Now see to it that you drink no wine or other

fermented drink and that you do not eat anything

unclean.  You will become pregnant and have a son

whose head is never to be touched by a razor because 

the boy is to be a Nazarite, dedicated to God from the

womb.  He will take the lead in delivering Israel from

the hands of the Philistines."

(Judges 13:4-5)

"Samson loved another Philistine woman called Delilah." 

...The rulers of the Philistines went to her and said,

“See if you can lure him into showing you the secret

of his great strength and how we can overpower him

 so we may tie him up and subdue him. Each one of us

will give you eleven hundred shekels of silver.”

(Judges 16:5-6)

Samson and Delilah

The mighty Samson was to be a Nazarite from birth, according to the angel who instructed Manoah's wife about her pregnancy.  A razor was never to touch a hair of his head and therein was the secret of his strength.  He was to deliver Israel from the Philistines.  But, Delilah, Samson's love, was paid off by the Philistines to lure Samson into revealing this "secret."  Samson was "anointed" with the Nazarite vow, and he was to be holy, never to touch strong drink, and he was to let the locks of his hair grow, never to be cut.  Samson "played with" his anointing; he recited mysterious words over and over to this woman whom he thought loved him; they were "Riddles That Kill."

So Delilah said to Samson, “Tell me the secret of your great strength and how

you can be tied up and subdued.”   Samson answered her, “If anyone ties me

with seven fresh bowstrings that have not been dried, I’ll become as

 weak as any other man.”

(Judges 16:6-7)

Each time, Delilah told the Philistines the riddle and they came in armed and ready to take him down, but each time she said, "the Philistines are upon you," Samson rose up in his strength against them.  It had become a game!  Finally, she got to him, and his gaming of riddles became a killer, a killer of this holy thing within him, his anointing  ...

Then she said to him, “How can you say, ‘I love you,’ when you won’t confide

in me?  This is the third time you have made a fool of me and haven’t told me

the secret of your great strength."  With such nagging, she prodded him day after

day until he was sick to death of it.  So he told her everything.  "No razor has

ever been used on my head," he said, "because I have been a Nazarite dedicated to

God from my mother's womb.  If my head were shaved, my strength would leave 

me, and I would become as weak as any other man."

(Judges 16:15-17)

 "After putting him to sleep on her lap, she called for

someone to shave off the seven braids of his hair, and so began

to subdue him.  And his strength left him."

(Judges 16:19)

Samson's unwise game was over; his amusing toying with the anointing of God had come back to toy with "him" in a big way.  The Philistines seized him, gouged out his eyes, binded him with bronze shackles, and set him to grinding grain in the prison.  But, the hair on his head began to grow.

                           

Whatever you do, Philistines, don't let Samson's hair grow back!  But, they didn't have the wisdom to stop it.  That's the way it is with coming back to God; repentance brings His presence.  It happened that the Rulers of the Philistines assembled to have a great celebration and sacrifice to their god, Dagon, because they believed their god had delivered the great Samson into their hands, and they shouted to have Samson brought out from the prison to entertain them.  Samson told the servant to put him where he could feel the two pillars in his hands.

 'Now the temple was crowded with men and women; all the rulers of the Philistines

were there, and on the roof were about three thousand men and women

watching Samson perform. Then Samson prayed to the Lord, “Sovereign Lord,

remember me.  Please, God, strengthen me just once more, and let me with one blow

get revenge on the Philistines for my two eyes.”  Then Samson reached toward

the two central  pillars on which the temple stood. Bracing himself against them,

his right hand on the one and his left hand on the other, Samson said, “Let me

die with the Philistines!” Then he pushed with all his might, and down came the temple on

the rulers and all the people in it. Thus he killed many more when he

died than while he lived.' 

(Judges 16:27-30)

The tragedy of this story is what happens when we don't take seriously the anointing and power of God.  We've seen the downfall of those who are called and chosen, but they have let the lusts of the flesh come in to reside with the anointing.  It never works; one of them has to go, so the anointing takes a back seat.  It doesn't leave completely, because the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.  (Romans 11:29)  This means God does not take it back, when He gives us a gift or a calling.  In Samson's case, the prerequisite to his strength was his nazarite obedience to the vow of never cutting his hair; his hair was cut, so his strength was dormant until his hair grew back.  So it is with us; our obedience to God's Word and His commandments brings strength and blessings; the blessings and strength cease when sin arrives.  We've heard the story of a preacher sitting drunk in a bar, but getting a powerful sermon.  The gift is still there; the anointing lays dormant within his drunken spirit, until he repents.  

Here is understanding and wisdom:  This is why people call Christians hypocrites when they see us fall, yet we still profess to believe and still have the gifts.  It's called "human."  I do not condone sin; however, anyone living in earth can be tempted, and yes, we must resist temptation and be all that God has called us to be.  However, this is for YOU out there who have made mistakes, and you think you could never preach again, never sing again, never let the Gifts of God, lying dormant in you, operate again.  

In other words, repent, get up, dust yourself off, and begin again.  True and sincere repentance will restore you; it may take time, and perhaps it could even require relocation, but know this; You are still getting sermons, songs, or whatever gifts you have, in your spirit and in your dreams because God does not repent of the gifts He has given You.  You are still precious in His sight; you can still be used; you have a purpose to fulfill in this life; God is not through with You! 

Put behind you the past, the sin, the brokenness, the feelings of being unloved by God, the burned and marred reputation, the "Riddles That Kill," or the games that toy with His anointing, and rise up to break the forces of evil that tried to destroy You!  Joy Comes In the Morning! 

 

(Visit promiselandchurch.net and theexperience238.com.)

PromiseLand Church, Austin, Texas

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We are nearing the end of the Church Age, and then comes

the Rapture of the Church!  Are you ready?

Repent, be baptized "in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ"

for the remission of sins, and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost

and speak in tongues as God gives utterance.  Guard your heart,

your mind, your soul, and your spirit from all evil!

 

 

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