Samson: The Strongest Judge Yet The Worst Failure – His Parents

By: Rev. Jeremiah Cheung

[iframe http://www.youtube.com/embed/videoseries?list=PL177258CA580C8A11&hl=en_US 500 500]

Moses was the leader of the first generation of Israelites; he led the Israelites out of slavery from Egypt. Joshua is the leader of the second generation. He led the Israelites from the wilderness into Canaan. The Judges were the leaders of the third generation of Israelites.

The first judge was Othniel, the last was Samuel. There were twelve judges recorded in the book of Judges, and the most powerful was Samson, but he was also the worst failure. We shouldn’t be arrogant at all, for the strongest person may not necessarily be the most successful, and the most successful may not necessarily be the most powerful.

Samson had a pair of God-fearing parents. They took particular precautions for his sake, but Samson lived his life recklessly. As a result, the strongest judge became the greatest failure. Each one of us must take our own precautions. This is the truth I want to share with you today.

I. Samson’s Father – Manoah

1. He humbled himself for the sake of his family
– He humbly obeyed God’s arrangements

2. He prayed for his child
– He prayed for his son’s spiritual life

II. Samson’s Mother

1. She was a mother who knew the truth
– She knew what a Nazirite was
– She rebuked her son for wanting to marry a pagan

2. She was a mother who took precautions for her child
– She forsook her rights and lived as a Nazirite for her son’s sake

Samson: The strongest judge yet the worst failure. Why? The Lord had arranged a set of godly parents, who took precautions for his’ sake, but Samson himself did not take precautions, and this was the reason for his failure. How about you, have you taken precautions for yourself?