On Who's Side
Blue v7-15 Ch 15 Jud
Samson
experiences injustice
wants revenge
slaughters enemies
Philistines
want to take Samson prisoner (v10)
have eye for an eye attitude (v10), do to him as he had done to us
tribe of Judah
Even though God stirred it up because He wanted to move against the Philistines, and even though Samson is stepping out and is moving against them as was God's plan, and even though character weaknesses plagued both sides of the argument and Samson is using his gifting, people from Samson's side {3,000 christian brothers (v11)} are affected and do not appreciate this, not understanding how God is using Samson and so assume that he is in error all together, looking on his weaknesses, how those weaknesses have pulled them into the story. Unable to see their own selfishness or that it was God Who originally stirred all this up so He could move against the Philistines and so indirectly the message being said is we don't want to suffer for or alongside you Samson, no matter that God is or is not using you, we will not protect, defend, nor fight with you on your side because we don't even know why you are doing this? Did the Philistines wrong you? So what! Why do we care, this is too much trouble, especially since the Philistines are our rulers (v11)! You have inconvenienced Us Samson and have made the Philistines want to come fight Us... "What have YOU done to US?" "We've come to tie you up and hand you over to the Philistines (v12)..." Even if you have a good justifiable reason, it's too much, we are going to side with them and give them what they want so WE have peace... (and can you have peace based on selfishness...)
God Turns Our Bad Around For The Good
What appeared to be the character mistake on part of the Judahites is now being used to help fulfill God's plan- After binding Samson with ropes (v13) then approaching the shouting Philistines (v14), the Spirit of the LORD came upon Samson and charred the ropes to drop the bindings from off his hands (v14), then Samson struck down 1,000 non-covenantial (uncircumcised) Philistines (v15) and was doing the plan originated by the LORD.
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