Nathan W. Bingham

So out of 20 years, we really only have the story of a few weeks in his life. But obviously, these are the things that the Lord wants us to know. These are the highlights. These are the spiritually key factors in the life of Samson. And it's intriguing that each of these four acts in the life of Samson revolves around a woman. Now, this is part of the key to Samson.

So out of 20 years, we really only have the story of a few weeks in his life. But obviously, these are the things that the Lord wants us to know. These are the highlights. These are the spiritually key factors in the life of Samson. And it's intriguing that each of these four acts in the life of Samson revolves around a woman. Now, this is part of the key to Samson.

Women are important in the life of Samson, more important maybe than they ought to be. But each of these four acts revolves around a woman. Act one is about his mother, a pious woman we'll see. Act two is about his Philistine wife. Act three is about a Philistine prostitute. And act four revolves around Delilah.

Women are important in the life of Samson, more important maybe than they ought to be. But each of these four acts revolves around a woman. Act one is about his mother, a pious woman we'll see. Act two is about his Philistine wife. Act three is about a Philistine prostitute. And act four revolves around Delilah.

So, women are very important in the life of Samson, and part of what's being said, as is being said in the whole book of Judges, women are very important in the history of redemption for good, as is the case with his mother, or for evil. as is the case particularly with Delilah, but with the other two Philistine women as well. So, this is a very intricately told story.

So, women are very important in the life of Samson, and part of what's being said, as is being said in the whole book of Judges, women are very important in the history of redemption for good, as is the case with his mother, or for evil. as is the case particularly with Delilah, but with the other two Philistine women as well. So, this is a very intricately told story.

It's very thoughtfully put together, and its intentionality is going to help us see what is the message the Lord wanted to have for his people through this. So, let's begin Act 1. There are several scenes in this act. if we want to continue the theatrical image here.

It's very thoughtfully put together, and its intentionality is going to help us see what is the message the Lord wanted to have for his people through this. So, let's begin Act 1. There are several scenes in this act. if we want to continue the theatrical image here.

And scene one tells us there was a certain man of Zorah, that's the town, of the tribe of the Danites, that's the region not far from the Philistines, whose name was Manoah. So Manoah is the father of Samson. And his wife was barren and had no children. Now, what's interesting here is that as we think about the women in the life of Samson, the first three are nameless.

And scene one tells us there was a certain man of Zorah, that's the town, of the tribe of the Danites, that's the region not far from the Philistines, whose name was Manoah. So Manoah is the father of Samson. And his wife was barren and had no children. Now, what's interesting here is that as we think about the women in the life of Samson, the first three are nameless.

His mother is not—she must have had a name, but we're not told the name of his mother. We're not told the name of his Philistine wife. We're not told the name of the Philistine prostitute. It's only Delilah who has a name in the story. We'll talk about her name when we get to her. It's an interesting name. But here is a mother who is nameless, and as we look at her, what are we told about her?

His mother is not—she must have had a name, but we're not told the name of his mother. We're not told the name of his Philistine wife. We're not told the name of the Philistine prostitute. It's only Delilah who has a name in the story. We'll talk about her name when we get to her. It's an interesting name. But here is a mother who is nameless, and as we look at her, what are we told about her?

we are told that she was barren and had no children. And we know that in Israel, barrenness was seen, not always rightly, I think, but was seen as a curse of the Lord. Not to have children meant the family wouldn't continue. Not having the family continue meant not only that family property might be lost, but the line of Messiah might die out in Israel. So at the end of the book,

we are told that she was barren and had no children. And we know that in Israel, barrenness was seen, not always rightly, I think, but was seen as a curse of the Lord. Not to have children meant the family wouldn't continue. Not having the family continue meant not only that family property might be lost, but the line of Messiah might die out in Israel. So at the end of the book,

There's a panic because it looked like the whole tribe of Benjamin might die out. So the dying out of families in Israel is a very serious matter. And so here, clearly, the parents of Samson are being presented to us as participating in the kind of judgment and chastisement of the Lord upon his people. And you get a sense, I think, that they are very... fatalistic about this. They're resigned.

There's a panic because it looked like the whole tribe of Benjamin might die out. So the dying out of families in Israel is a very serious matter. And so here, clearly, the parents of Samson are being presented to us as participating in the kind of judgment and chastisement of the Lord upon his people. And you get a sense, I think, that they are very... fatalistic about this. They're resigned.

They've given up. Samson's mother, it seems to me, stands in marked contrast with Hannah. You know, when Hannah was not able to have children, what do we read? She pled with the Lord. She prayed. She begged the Lord. She offered vows before the Lord. She You know, she just was engaged in the Lord coming to her need. This woman seems not engaged in that at all.

They've given up. Samson's mother, it seems to me, stands in marked contrast with Hannah. You know, when Hannah was not able to have children, what do we read? She pled with the Lord. She prayed. She begged the Lord. She offered vows before the Lord. She You know, she just was engaged in the Lord coming to her need. This woman seems not engaged in that at all.

Neither she nor Manoah seem to be praying about this situation. And there's this sense throughout the Samson story that... sort of the life has gone out of Israel. The hope has gone out of Israel. It's almost after 40 years, they're not even looking for the Lord to act anymore. They're resigned to their fate.

Neither she nor Manoah seem to be praying about this situation. And there's this sense throughout the Samson story that... sort of the life has gone out of Israel. The hope has gone out of Israel. It's almost after 40 years, they're not even looking for the Lord to act anymore. They're resigned to their fate.