Samson - The Strong and Weak Combatant
After the chosen people were settled in Israel , God "personally" led them. During that period, He appointed JUDGES like Gideon and Samson to be His instruments in delivering His people from oppression of the enemies. This was before the appointment of Saul, the first king. One incident during the time of the JUDGES was the oppression of the chosen people by the Philistines.
Judges 13:1 " And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD delivered them into the hand of the Philistines forty years."
God chose Samson:
Judges 13:2 " And there was a certain man…of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren, and bare not. 3And the angel of the LORD appeared unto the woman, and said unto her, Behold now, thou art barren, and bearest not: but thou shalt conceive, and bear a son."
Judges 13:5 " For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no razor shall come on his head: for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb: and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines."
Judges 13:24 " And the woman bare a son, and called his name Samson: and the child grew, and the LORD blessed him."
Samson, like Isaac, Samuel and John the Baptist, was a child of a barren woman. God's choice is based on His foreknowledge as He demonstrated it in the case of Jeremiah.
Jeremiah 1:4 " Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 5Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee…"
Samson was a Nazarite. These are the characteristics of a Nazarite:
Numbers 6:2 " Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When either man or woman shall separate themselves to vow a vow of a Nazarite… 3He shall separate himself from wine and strong drink…. 5All the days of the vow of his separation there shall no razor come upon his head:…and shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow. 6All the days that he separateth himself unto the LORD he shall come at no dead body."
- "No razor come upon his head and let the locks of the hair to grow."
- "Separate himself from wine and strong drink."
- "Shall come at no dead body."
Samson killed a lion
Against the will of his parents, Samson married a Philistine woman:
Judges 14:1 " And Samson …saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines. 2…and told his father and his mother… get her for me to wife. 3Then his father and his mother said unto him, Is there never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said unto his father, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well."
This incident however would reveal God's gift of strength to Samson. On his way to the Philistine woman, he met a lion:
Judges 14:5 " Then went Samson down…to Timnath…and, behold, a young lion roared against him. 6And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done. 7And he went down, and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson well."
What is surprising is when he went to see the dead lion he found honey in its carcass. He took and gave some to his parents and ate it.
Judges 14:8 "And after a time he returned to take her, and he turned aside to see the carcase of the lion: and, behold, there was a swarm of bees and honey in the carcase of the lion. 9And he took thereof in his hands, and went on eating, and came to his father and mother, and he gave them, and they did eat: but he told not them that he had taken the honey out of the carcase of the lion."
There were other spectacular events in the life of Samson showing His strength and wit. To show his hatred against the Philistines, he used 300 foxes to burn their standing corn, vineyard and olives.
Judges 15:4 " And Samson went and caught three hundred foxes, and took firebrands, and turned tail to tail, and put a firebrand in the midst between two tails. 5And when he had set the brands on fire, he let them go into the standing corn of the Philistines, and burnt up both the shocks, and also the standing corn, with the vineyards and olives.
Without God explaining His words, all these things are simple events that happened in the past, just like stories, fables and legends found in novels. However, the story of Samson is part of the word of God. Because God (John 1:1) and Jesus Christ (Revelation 19:13 ) is represented by His words, just as God and Jesus Christ is alive, so are these events must be "living words." Later, let God explain the spiritual significance of each event.
Delilah the enemy's agent
For the enemy to subdue Samson, they thought of using Delilah to reveal the secret of his strength.
Judges 16:4 " And it came to pass afterward, that he loved a woman in the valley ofSorek , whose name was Delilah. 5And the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and said unto her, Entice him, and see wherein his great strength lieth, and by what means we may prevail against him, that we may bind him to afflict him: and we will give thee every one of us eleven hundred pieces of silver.
Samson succumbed to temptation. He tested his God-given strength and found joy in showing it. The temptress made Samson to buckle down and, finally, he fell into the power of the enemies.
The 7 Green withs (twine or fiber)
Judges 16:6 " And Delilah said to Samson, Tell me, I pray thee, wherein thy great strength lieth, and wherewith thou mightest be bound to afflict thee. 7And Samson said unto her, If they bind me with seven green withs that were never dried, then shall I be weak, and be as another man. 8Then the lords of the Philistines brought up to her seven green withs which had not been dried, and she bound him with them. 9Now there were men lying in wait, abiding with her in the chamber. And she said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he brake the withs, as a thread of tow is broken when it toucheth the fire. So his strength was not known."
New ropes
Judges 16:10 "And Delilah said unto Samson, Behold, thou hast mocked me, and told me lies: now tell me, I pray thee, wherewith thou mightest be bound. 11And he said unto her, If they bind me fast with new ropes…then shall I be weak, and be as another man. 12Delilah therefore took new ropes, and bound him therewith, and said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And there were liers in wait abiding in the chamber. And he brake them from off his arms like a thread."
7 locks of hair
Judges 16:13 "A nd Delilah said unto Samson, Hitherto thou hast mocked me, and told me lies: tell me wherewith thou mightest be bound. And he said unto her, If thou weavest the seven locks of my head with the web. 14And she fastened it with the pin, and said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awaked out of his sleep, and went away with the pin of the beam, and with the web."
The downfall
Samson forgot to "eat" the spiritual food from God and this is the Living Word (Jeremiah 15:16):
Proverbs 6:27-28 " Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned? Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned?"
Samson found joy to boast of his gift of strength to unbelievers who did not value it.
James 4:16 "But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil."
Finally, he fell into the trap of Delilah:
Judges 16:15 " And she said unto him, How canst thou say, I love thee, when thine heart is not with me? thou hast mocked me these three times, and hast not told me wherein thy great strength lieth. 16And it came to pass, when she pressed him daily with her words, and urged him, so that his soul was vexed unto death; 17That he told her all his heart, and said unto her, There hath not come a razor upon mine head; for I have been a Nazarite unto God… if I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man."
His secret revealed, Samson became an easy prey to the enemies:
Judges 16:18 " And when Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent and called for the lords of the Philistines, saying, Come up this once, for he hath showed me all his heart. Then the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and brought money in their hand. 19And she made him sleep upon her knees; and she called for a man, and she caused him to shave off the seven locks of his head; and she began to afflict him, and his strength went from him. 20And she said, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep… 21But the Philistines took him, and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza , and bound him with fetters of brass; and he did grind in the prison house."
The final victory of Samson -- in death:
Judges 16:22 "Howbeit the hair of his head began to grow again after he was shaven. 23Then the lords of the Philistines gathered them together for to offer a great sacrifice unto Dagon their god, and to rejoice: for they said, Our god hath delivered Samson our enemy into our hand. 24And when the people saw him, they praised their god: for they said, Our god hath delivered into our hands our enemy, and the destroyer of our country, which slew many of us. 25And it came to pass, when their hearts were merry, that they said, Call for Samson, that he may make us sport. And they called for Samson out of the prison house; and he made them sport: and they set him between the pillars. 26And Samson said unto the lad that held him by the hand, Suffer me that I may feel the pillars whereupon the house standeth, that I may lean upon them. 27Now the house was full of men and women; and all the lords of the Philistines were there; and there were upon the roof about three thousand men and women, that beheld while Samson made sport. 28And Samson called unto the LORD, and said, O Lord GOD, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes. 29And Samson took hold of the two middle pillars upon which the house stood, and on which it was borne up, of the one with his right hand, and of the other with his left. 30And Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines. And he bowed himself with all his might; and the house fell upon the lords, and upon all the people that were therein. So the dead which he slew at his death were more than they which he slew in his life."
THE "LIVING MESSAGE" OF THE STORY OF SAMSON
The story of Samson is not just an epic like those written by great writers. It is a part of the word of God. God (John 1:1) and Jesus Christ (Revelation 19:13 ) is represented by His words. Only God therefore can give the great message of the story through His words. God directs the reader of His words in finding this "living message":
Isaiah 28:10 (KJV) "For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little."
The Nazarite
Samson was a Nazarite, meaning, "there shall no razor come upon his head, and shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow." God does not make distinction between physical gender:
Galatians 3:28 " There is neither Jew nor Greek… there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus."
However, God gives significance to "long hair" as referring to a "spiritual woman." To God, His chosen are His "wife," both physical male and female.
Jeremiah 3:14 " Turn, O backsliding children, saith the LORD; for I am married unto you."
Isaiah 54:5 " For thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is his name…"
As a Nazarite therefore, Samson was a spiritual woman, wife unto God. This meant total submission and dependence on Him. Our Lord declared this:
Ephesians 5:22 " Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. 23For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church:…"
And, it is from this spiritual relationship with God that Samson derived his strength, not of his own. Thus, the extraordinary strength, literally, but having spiritual significance.
A spiritual woman totally dependent on God is similar to being a "babe" before God:
Matthew 11:25 " …Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes."
Psalms 8:2 " Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger."
Shaving the head or cutting the hair therefore indicates cessation of this spiritual relationship with God. If God is the "spiritual male" saying, "I am that I am;" shaving the head of Samson had the effect of making him also say, "I am". This means self-centeredness, self-will, self instead of God-dependent. It also meant not being a "babe" anymore that he did not have to depend on God but to himself.
Jesus Christ, showing the way by example, portrayed being a "babe" before the Father when He said:
John 5:19 "… Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself…"
The spiritual lion
God gives meaning to His words for they are in parables (Ezekiel 20:49).
Ezekiel 20:49 " Then said I, Ah Lord GOD! they say of me, Doth he not speak parables?"
Christ explains the parables to His disciples. Jesus is the Word of God (Revelation 19:13). Thus, through the Word, we find the spiritual equivalent of the lion:
1 Peter 5:8 " Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion , walketh about, seeking whom he may devour."
Samson, in killing the lion, therefore has the message of winning over evil.
Honey from the carcass of the lion
After killing the lion, Samson afterwards found honey on its carcass, took it, and ate it.
Judges 14:8 "And after a time he returned…to see the carcase of the lion: and, behold, there was a swarm of bees and honey in the carcase of the lion. 9And he took thereof in his hands, and went on eating, and came to his father and mother, and he gave them, and they did eat…"
Honey symbolizes the word of God:
Psalms 119:103 " How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!"
Honey from the body of the lion means Samson's triumph over evil. This gave him a refreshing spiritual food in the word of God. He shared this with his parents without giving the details of his exploits.
Samson's spiritual fall
Samson succumbed to temptation! The " strong" Samson turned into a " weakling" when he could not resist revealing the secret of his strength to Delilah:
Judges 16:15 " And she said unto him, How canst thou say, I love thee, when thine heart is not with me? thou hast mocked me these three times, and hast not told me wherein thy great strength lieth. 16And it came to pass, when she pressed him daily with her words, and urged him, so that his soul was vexed unto death; 17That he told her all his heart, and said unto her, There hath not come a razor upon mine head; for I have been a Nazarite unto God… if I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man."
Judges 16:18 " And when Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent and called for the lords of the Philistines, saying, Come up this once, for he hath showed me all his heart. Then the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and brought money in their hand. 19And she made him sleep upon her knees; and she called for a man, and she caused him to shave off the seven locks of his head; and she began to afflict him, and his strength went from him. 20And she said, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep…"
Samson lost his strength coming from God when he ceased to be a spiritual woman with the shaving of his spiritual hair. Thereafter, he only had his humanly strength. However, that is not enough to resist and overcome the enemies.
Judges 16:21 "But the Philistines took him, and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of brass; and he did grind in the prison house."
"Putting out his eyes" meant spiritual blindness. "Brought down to Gaza" means he was put under the control of the enemy. And, "Bound with fetters of brass and made to grind" means spiritual hardship. "In the prison house" means spiritual bondage. All these were caused by ceasing to be a spiritual woman in the eyes of God. Without God, man can do nothing in spiritual matters.
John 15:5 " I am the vine, ye are the branches… for without me ye can do nothing."
Samson was helpless, so is the real believer who ceases to be a "spiritual woman" before God. Like Samson, the real believer will become spiritually blind as not to see the light of the gospel of truth. He suffers spiritual hardships and remains in spiritual bondage. The enemy is:
Ephesians 6:12 " For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."
The spiritual enemies may refer to the following:
1st The people who would waylay the chosen with wrong beliefs and teachings. Christ saw this in the Scribes and Pharisees:
Matthew 23:13 " But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.
Wrong doctrine means walking on the wrong Way. Wrong way will not lead to the Promised Land or eternal life. This is the warning:
Matthew 24:11 "And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many."
Matthew 7:15 "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
Matthew 24:24 "For there shall arise…false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect."
Matthew 7:22-23 "Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you…"
1 John 4:1 "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world."
False prophets are peddling "truth" using the Holy Bible as basis. Many people are deceived who cannot distinguish between God and humandoctrines. Both God and human doctrines are supported by Bible verses! TRUTH finds no contradiction to what is written although very repulsive to the intellect and feeling. DECEPTIONS or falsehood concocted through human wisdom with philosophy will surely find discrepancy with the word of God, provoking many questions remaining unanswered. That is how real Christians identify the spiritual enemy.
2nd The pull of the world and the flesh as to forget to feed the soul with the word of God.
Galatians 5:17 "For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. …19Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God."
This applies both to physical life and spiritual life. Example: In the case of idolatry, while it may not bring back the real believer to venerating images and statures, he is led back to looking up and exalting people. God alone should be looked up, respected (James 2:9) and exalted.
In the case of adultery, while the real believer may not resort to physical adultery, unwittingly, he is guilty of it when he begins to accept "strange seeds." Spiritually, God is the husband and the real believer, a spiritual woman, is the wife (Isaiah 54:5).
Isaiah 54:5 "For thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is his name…"
The "seeds" of God is the truth in His words (Luke 8:11 ). Deceptions in the words of God, the fruit of the intellect and feeling (Colossians 2:8), are the "strange seeds." This 2 nd enemy is true in the application of the other commandments of God.
3rd One's own-self in fighting the "old nature."
Romans 7:8 "For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. 19For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. 20Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 21I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. 22For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: 23But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 24O wretched man that I am ! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?"
Man's own soul, consisting of his intellect is his greatest enemy.
1 Corinthians 3:18 " Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. 19For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness."
Man's own soul, consisting of his feeling is his greatest enemy.
Jeremiah 17:9 "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?"
Just as Samson, in losing his long hair, was totally humiliated by the Philistines who praised their god Dagon; so is the real believer in the view of evil spirits exalting their god, Satan, when losing his "full dependence" on God in spiritual matters.
Judges 16:23 " Then the lords of the Philistines gathered them together for to offer a great sacrifice unto Dagon their god, and to rejoice: for they said, Our god hath delivered Samson our enemy into our hand. 24And when the people saw him, they praised their god: for they said, Our god hath delivered into our hands our enemy, and the destroyer of our country, which slew many of us."
Just as Samson was under the power of the enemies, so also is the real believer who cannot see the Light and cannot walk on the Way. Example is the Prodigal Son when he left his father.
Samson as a spiritual woman with his long hair is supposed to be weak; he is however strong for he received power from God. So also is the real Christian as Paul said in:
2 Corinthians 12:10 " Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong ."
The spiritual Delilah
It was Delilah who discovered the weakness of Samson and caused his downfall. Samson succumbed to the temptation of a woman by becoming "one flesh" with her, a prostitute:
1 Corinthians 6:16 " What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh."
Samson was tempted by the literal-physical Delilah who became "one flesh" with her. If having sexual relations with a woman means to be "one flesh" with her, the spiritual Delilah therefore could be the "woman" in the life of a believer. The "wife", a "woman," refers to the soul in the following:
Deuteronomy 13:6 " If thy brother, the son of thy mother, or thy son, or thy daughter, or the wife of thy bosom, or thy friend, which is as thine own soul, entice thee secretly…"
Our spiritual Delilah therefore refers to our soul, which dictates our mind and controls our feeling. God has this to say of these attributes of the soul:
ON THE CONDEMNED HUMAN WISDOM IN SPIRITUAL MATTERS
1 Corinthians 2:19 " …I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. 20 Where is the wise ? where is the scribe ? …"
Matthew 11:25 " At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent , and hast revealed them unto babes."
ON THE DECEPTIVE FEELING IN SPIRITUAL MATTERS
Jeremiah 17:9 "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?"
Real Christians receive "temptations" from the dictate of the intellect and craving of the feeling. Spiritual weaknesses originate from these attributes of the soul. This is the spiritual Delilah of the real Christians who see themselves as the spiritual Samson. Paul, a spiritual Samson, groans trying to resist the temptation of "spiritual Delilah" in:
Roman 7:15 " For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I."
Romans 7:23 "I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members."
A lad led Samson
As the Philistines held Samson captive, blind, for his eyes were taken out, a child led him:
Judges 16:26 "And Samson said unto the lad that held him by the hand, Suffer me that I may feel the pillars whereupon the house standeth, that I may lean upon them."
Like Samson in captivity, the real Christian who is in spiritual bondage cannot see the spiritual light. This was seen in John the Baptist. Did he not introduce our Lord to his listeners as the "Lamb of God who taketh away the sins of the world?" (John 1:29). Yet, when he was in prison, this means spiritual bondage, he sent two of his disciples to our Lord to confirm whether He is really the Messiah.
Luke 7:19 " And John calling unto him two of his disciples sent them to Jesus, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another? 20When the men were come unto him, they said, John Baptist hath sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another?"
While Samson was blind, he had to be led by a lad, or a child. This is true to a real Christian when he cannot see the spiritual light of the gospel. He has to be led by a spiritual child:
2 Timothy 3:15 " And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus."
Other characteristics of a Nazarite
As a Nazarite, Samson was bound by the following restrictions:
Numbers 6:2 " Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When either man or woman shall separate themselves to vow a vow of a Nazarite… 3He shall separate himself from wine and strong drink…. 5All the days of the vow of his separation there shall no razor come upon his head:…and shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow. 6All the days that he separateth himself unto the LORD he shall come at no dead body."
If the Natural Man perceives the word of God literally-physically, God has this to say of His words:
Romans 7:14 " For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal…"
John 6:63 "It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit …"
- We have seen the spiritual equivalent of "long hair" as indicating a female gender, meaning "wife unto God"
Isaiah 54:5 " For thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts …"
2. Literally separating oneself from "wine" would contradict what our Lord did:
Luke 7:33 "For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine; and ye say, He hath a devil. 34The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold a gluttonous man, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners!"
Spiritual "wine" may be gleaned from the following, which is actually a rebuke for emotionalism. The effect of literal wine is associated with emotionalism:
Psalms 69:12 " They that sit in the gate speak against me; and I was the song of the drunkards."
What is the "gate"? Is He not our Lord (John 10:9). Do not some people supposed to be "near our Lord" speak against Him by rejecting His words? Is this not caused by emotionalism entirely disregarding the truth? How many people justify their unscriptural beliefs with sincerity?
Romans 10:2 " For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge."
And because of spiritual ignorance, they praise God like spiritual drunkards, entirely forgetting God's standard of righteousness and following their own:
Romans 10:3 " For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God."
3. "shall come at no dead body." To take the word of God literally, morticians and relatives of a dead man would not qualify as a spiritual Nazarite. However, God is speaking spiritual things. The spiritually dead are the following:
Proverbs 21:16 " The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead."
The spiritually dead are the unbelievers who do not and refuse to understand the words of God. God could not have referred to social, economic, and political but to spiritual fellowship in the following:
2 Corinthians 6:14 " Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? …16And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 18And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty."
Names in the book of life
Is there any other book, aside from the Holy Bible, that may be considered the source of "life", that is, eternal life? Therefore, for our names to be "written in the book of life," we must be able to "identify" ourselves with the difference Bible characters. This can be done only if we submit to the truth that God's words are really expressed in parables with great spiritual meaning, God alone is the Authority to explain.
If this is so, can we identify ourselves with Samson? Do we recognize spiritual Delilah the cause of the downfall? Do we know our spiritual enemies to be able to fight them? Can we humble ourselves like Samson so that our "spiritual hair" will again grow that we regain our spiritual strength?
END
Footnotes...
Jeremiah 15:16 " Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts."
Ezekiel 20:49 " Then said I, Ah Lord GOD! they say of me, Doth he not speak parables?"
James 2:9 " But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors."
Colossians 2:8 " Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ."