Judges 13:1- Samson Part One

Judges 13:1 says, “And the people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, so the Lord gave them into the hand of the Philistines for forty years.” In Judges 13 Israel is in subjection to the Philistines, but they are not crying out to God for help. Israel, like His church today, are like wheat that is growing up among many thorns; therefore we need to often seek God’s help. (Matthew 13:24-30,36-43)

Israel is not crying out for help because they are not convicted by the sin. They are not troubled by those things that the LORD sees as evil. They are not praying because God’s people have been deceived by suppressing the truth in ungodliness. (Romans 1:18)

By this time in our study of the Book of Judges, we have become familiar with phrases like, “And the people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the LORD…”. (2:11,3:7,12,4:1,6:1,10:6) Or the phrase, “...so the Lord gave them into the hand of…(their enemies)”. These phrases are part of a cycle that repeats itself over and over again.

• God’s people enjoy God’s blessing, but they fall away from Him and sin. (Dt. 31:20)

• Israel does not repent; therefore, God disciplines them. (Dt.31:21)

• In distress, Israel cries out to the LORD for help. (Psalm 30:1-2,10)

• When this is done, the LORD graciously raises up a judge to deliver them.

• The people serve the LORD, but then Israel falls away again. Each time Israel falls deeper into apostasy.

Having reviewed this cycle, you may notice that in Judges 13 something is missing from this cycle. Even after 40 years of suffering Israel has not called out to the LORD for help as was done in the past. (3:9,3:15,4:3,6:710:10-16) 40 Years is an entire generation. To put this in perspective, this year Community Church will turn 40 years old on December 6^th, 2026. Think of all the things that have been done in the life of this church during these past 40 years. Think of all the...

• Sermons, Outreaches, Bible Studies, Benevolence, Missions, Baptisms, Weddings, Funerals, Prayer Services, Sunday School, etc.

What if over these last 40 years this church did not pray, study the bible, worship the LORD, missions, or discipleship. That is what is happening in Israel in Judges 13. Even worse, God’s people are fitting in and conforming to the culture around them. God’s people, like some churches and denominations today, are not repenting and are in declension and becoming apostate. (Revelation 2&3)

God’s people are not praying because they have discovered that they can live a comfortable life if they fit in and assimilate into the culture that is around them. We will see this when Samson chooses to marry a Canaanite woman and this is acceptable in the eyes of virtually everyone. Samson’s parents are hesitant, but they offer no real resistance. (Judges 14:1-3; Dt. 7:3)

Israel is not praying because they are scared to do anything that might upset their rulers. We see this in Judges 15 when Samson upsets the Philistines and the people of Israel came to him, saying, “Do you not know that the Philistines are rulers over us? What then is this that you have done to us?” Israel is more scared of the Philistines than they fear the LORD. (15:11; Ex. 5:20-21) Israel is like Jacob in Genesis 34 when his daughter had been defiled and his two sons avenged this wrongdoing by killing everyone. Jacob, who did not confront the one who defiled his daughter, confronts his sons, saying, “You have brought trouble on me by making me stink to the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites and Perizzites. My numbers are few, and if they gather themselves against me and attack me, I shall be destroyed, both I and my household.” (30-31)

Israel will never be able to be free from their enemies unless they cry out to the LORD, but they are not praying. (James 4:2-3) Israel doesn’t like being in subjection to the Philistines, but they are comfortable. When this comfort is threatened Israel becomes scared and stressed out. It has been 40 years and there is no signs that this will change. The LORD raises up a Judge but He will not completely defeat Israel’s enemies.

We read in Judges 13:15, “He (Samson) shall begin to save Israel from the hand of the Philistines.” Question: Why is Samson unable to complete this task? It is easy to place all the blame on Samson because he has many faults; however, doesn’t the fault also lie with Israel who will not turn to the LORD in prayer? Context: Judges 13-18 centers our attention upon Samson and his Tribe- Dan. Samson shows what Dan should have been: set apart, Spirit‑empowered, devoted to Yahweh, deliverer of Israel. Samson also shows what Dan actually was: compromised, drawn to forbidden things, spiritually careless, unable to fulfill its calling.

Let us ask a couple questions. First, “Since we see that Israel isn’t praying, does it concern you that this could happen to us?” Second, “What can we do to make sure that this does not happen to us as individuals and as a congregation?”

In consideration of this let’s look at Psalm 5. From the beginning of this psalm we see that David was a man of prayer! This psalm opens with these words, “Give ear to my words, O LORD; consider my groaning. Give attention to the sound of my cry, my King and my God, for to you do I pray. O LORD, in the morning you hear my voice; in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch.” (vv.1-3) Wouldn’t it be great if our leaders were like David? We cannot control their prayer life, but we can make sure we are praying for them. (1 Timothy 2:1-2)

In Psalm 5 David is in trouble and needs God’s help. Before the sun rises David is already praying to the LORD. Question: “Do we think that David did this every morning?” Yes, like many of us, David begins each day by praying to the LORD. Like us, David does this daily because he lives in a sinful and faithless world. David prays and then watches for the LORD will answer. The scriptures encourages all believers to pray always without ceasing. (1 Thess. 5:17; Eph. 6:18; Col. 4:2)

The scriptures encourage us that the LORD will respond to the prayers of His people. For example, when Israel was enslaved in Egypt, “God heard their groaning”. (2:23-25) When the LORD spoke to Moses He said, “I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry...I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians…”. (3:7-8) This would fulfill the promise made to Jacob in Genesis 46:4 when the LORD said, “I myself will go down with you (Jacob) into Egypt, and I will bring you (your descendants) up again. (430 years later!)”

David was confident that the LORD hears and answers the prayers of His people. The LORD says in Exodus 22:27 says, “...if he cries to me, I will hear, for I am compassionate.” Our heavenly Father encourages us to pray and He will listen, not because of our eloquence, but because He is compassionate. (2 Cor. 1:8-11) Yet, Israel is not praying!

Illustration: My friends, it seems to me that this should make every believer quick to pray with confidence when an opportunity comes. Recently, I watched the President speak to the press core and when they are given a chance to speak each of those reporters called out to be heard by the President. Similarly, when we gather together around His Word in worship we should be compelled to pray.

• Why are we so hesitant to pray when we are commanded to offer prayers, intercessions, petitions, and supplications?

• Why are we so slow to pray when we can pray, cry, plead, and groan before God?

• Why are we negligent to pray when we have access through Christ to come boldly before the Throne of Grace to receive grace and mercy?

David prays in the morning because God does not tire, He does not sleep, and He does not slumber. In the morning David cries out with words, and cries, and with groans. This does not annoy or frustrate God. No, the LORD hears and David waits to see what He will do.

In other words, God is not like a parent who hears their kids open the bedroom door in the morning so they pretend that they are still sleeping. Parents love their kids, but we get tired. For all you tired parents and caregivers I read this prayer and found it comforting, “Love is wearying, and even we who deeply love the ones we serve, need grace upon grace upon grace lest we despair. For in our giving, we are over drained and so often depleted. We long for what we are too long without; respite and refreshment. So be our rest, O Christ, because there is no other rest to find.” As king, perhaps many mornings David prayed for things such as these.

In Psalm 5, what is motivating David to pray like this every morning? When you read this psalm you discover that David knew that he lived in a sinful world that was constantly tempting him throughout the day. David, unlike those in Judges 13-16, knew he was facing three great enemies: indwelling sin, sin in the world, and Satan. Therefore, David prays in another psalm, “Preserve me, O God, for in You I take refuge. I say to the LORD, ‘You are my LORD; I have no good apart from You.’” (Psalm 16:1-2)

In Judges 13 Israel tries to live comfortably among the Philistines. David, however, knows he has three great enemies who are relentless. Therefore, David prays and speaks biblical truths to God according to His Word every morning and then he waits and watches for the LORD’s help.

Unlike Israel in Judges 13-16, David was not content to fit in, be like the world, and to be conformed to it. David says in vv. 4-6, “For you are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil may not dwell with you. The boastful shall not stand before your eyes; you hate all evildoers. You destroy those who speak lies; the LORD abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.” Then David prays in vv. 7-8, “But, I through the abundance of your steadfast love, will enter your house. I will bow towards your holy temple in the fear of you. Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness because of my enemies; make your way straight before me.”

In Judges 13-16 Israel is not praying and asking for the LORD’s help against their enemies. But in Psalm 5 David prays these words in verses 9-10, “For there is no truth in their mouth; their inmost self is destruction; their throat is an open grave; they flatter with their tongue. Make them bear their guilt, O God; let them fall by their own counsels; because of the abundance of their transgressions cast them out, for they have rebelled against you.”

Psalm 5:9 is quoted by the apostle Paul in Romans 3 when he makes the charge that all people, Jew and Gentile, are under sin. Paul says, “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands. No one seeks for God. All have sinned and turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one. Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive. The venom of asps is under their lips. Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood; in their paths are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they have not known. There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

If we really believed these things we would be compelled to pray as David did every morning. Anyone who knows the truth about this world in which we find ourselves will pray out of desperation for God’s help and deliverance from our three great enemies. We would say these words with David in Psalm 5:11-12, “But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them ever sing for joy, and spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may exult in you. For you bless the righteous, O LORD; you cover him with favor as with a shield.”

Last week our Vision Team met with Jed and Dave and they asked us if we had a discipleship culture here at Community Church? In the illustration they provided there were four quadrants that a church could find themselves in.

• One quadrant was ‘cozy’. That type of church would want to be invited to draw closer to the LORD, but they do not want to be ‘challenged’. (Matthew 8:19-22) They have a choice to make, they will either move toward ‘discipleship’ or towards ‘spiritual boredom or death’. But if they do nothing they will always drift towards ‘spiritual boredom or death’. This is why Jesus says to the church in Ephesus, “I would rather you be hot or cold…”. (Rev. 3:15-17)

• Another quadrant is called the ‘stressed out’ quadrant. These people who are stressed are challenged to be a disciple but they never respond to the invitation to be in relationship with the LORD. They are like Martha who busies herself but does not accept the invitation to sit at Jesus’ feet. This person also has a choice to make. They will either move closer toward ‘discipleship’ or toward ‘spiritual boredom or death’

• If we are to live a well balanced life of faith, we need to be willing to receive the gospel invitation to be with Christ and also be willing to be challenged to become more Christlike through faithful obedience.

In Judges 13-16 Israel had chosen a ‘cozy’ life. They did whatever it took to keep the peace with the Philistines. They did not accept the invitation to be God’s peculiar people. They were fearful; not faithful. They would not pray because they knew that this would cause tension between them and their enemies. Therefore, they continually drifted towards spiritual apostasy and death!

They lived in fear of the invitation to be the people God, and they were stressed over any challenges that God would give them. Therefore, they drifted away from a discipleship culture. They did not know the Word of God and they were not praying. David, who was not like this, would deliver Israel from their enemies. David was willing to accept the invitation and the challenge. David was willing to be a disciple so the LORD could finally do what Israel was unable to do in Judges 13-16.

Question: What quadrant are you in? What quadrant are we in as a church?

1. Do you hear the invitation and accept the challenge to be a disciple of Jesus?

2. In your devotions, do you hear the invitation and accept the challenge to be a disciple?

If you find yourselves in the cozy or the stressed quadrant you have an important choice to make. The choice you make will either lead you to become a disciple of Jesus or to drift towards spiritual deadness like Israel in Judges 13-16. Today we have been invited and challenged to be a disciple of God’s Word and of prayer. Will you accept this challenge? Will you accept this invitation? Will you, like David, acknowledge your enemies and take refuge in the LORD.