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The Riddle - The Book of Judges · Bible in a Year with Jack Graham

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  Speaker 1: And he said unto them, Out of the eater came
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  Speaker 1: forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness.
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  Speaker 1: And they could not in three days expound the riddle.
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  Speaker 1: Judges 14.14 Lord, today I realize that my similarities create
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  Speaker 1: my comfort, but it is my difference that creates my reward.
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  Speaker 1: So I will not be afraid to be different, think different,
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  Speaker 1: and execute my life's plans differently from others, as long
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  Speaker 1: as I remain tethered to you and to your Word, God.
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  Speaker 1: I declare that nothing toxic will enter my mind, my speech,
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  Speaker 1: or my heart. When the lions of this world try
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  Speaker 1: to attack me, I will conquer them as Samson did.
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  Speaker 1: As I live my life as an uncommon achiever, Holy Spirit,
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  Speaker 1: give me the discernment to know and point out manipulative
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  Speaker 1: people who are working against my purpose. I will not
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  Speaker 1: allow my fondness to become the foolishness that sets me
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  Speaker 1: up for failure. When I do make a mistake, Lord,
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  Speaker 1: cover me and protect my anointing so that I still
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  Speaker 1: may be able to accomplish my task here on earth.
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  Speaker 1: Your hand on my life is undeniable. The source of
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  Speaker 1: my strength to some is a riddle. However, the truth
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  Speaker 1: remains that I am set apart, anointed, and appointed. In Jesus' name. Amen.
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  Speaker 1: Thank you for praying with us today. Continue your time
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  Speaker 1: with God by listening to today's Bible story, brought to
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  Speaker 1: you by BibleInAYear.com.
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  Speaker 2: In our last story, we learned about the birth of
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  Speaker 2: Samson and how God was grooming him to be a
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  Speaker 2: mighty judge over Israel against the Philistines. Samson was raised
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  Speaker 2: to drink no wine or strong drinks, eat only clean foods,
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  Speaker 2: and abstain from cutting his hair. In this story, we
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  Speaker 2: learn about how Samson's strength is no match for the
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  Speaker 2: power of a beautiful Philistine woman. Samson's lust and hubris
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  Speaker 2: is put on display as inspired by the book of Judges.
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  Speaker 3: Hello, this is Jack Graham with today's episode of the
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  Speaker 3: Bible in a Year podcast. In yesterday's episode, we heard
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  Speaker 3: the story of Samson's parents receiving unexpected news. They were
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  Speaker 3: going to have a baby, and Samson would not be
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  Speaker 3: just an ordinary baby. So God sent an angel to
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  Speaker 3: deliver the news and special instructions for how this young
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  Speaker 3: boy was to be raised. It is a story of
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  Speaker 3: wise parents seeking wisdom in parenting, and because of their faithfulness,
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  Speaker 3: Samson would grow up as one set apart. In today's reading,
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  Speaker 3: we'll learn how Samson grew stronger than any other man,
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  Speaker 3: but how his physical strength was overcome by the weakness
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  Speaker 3: of his will. And he gives in to lust over
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  Speaker 3: a pagan Philistine woman, his desires and pride will be
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  Speaker 3: his undoing. So listen now to today's episode.
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  Speaker 2: Samson walked around Timnah, a Philistine city. He had grown
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  Speaker 2: into a strong young man, filled with might and favor
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  Speaker 2: from God. Samson feared nothing. Therefore, he felt completely comfortable
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  Speaker 2: strolling through the land of the Philistines. The city was
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  Speaker 2: loud and bustling. Smells of cooking meat filled the air,
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  Speaker 2: and vendors could be heard haggling and yelling at their customers.
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  Speaker 2: As Samson was walking through the chaos, a beautiful woman
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  Speaker 2: caught his gaze. Everything seemed to stand still for Samson.
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  Speaker 2: She was truly breathtaking, and he could not take his
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  Speaker 2: eyes off her. It was truly love at first sight.
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  Speaker 2: He got her name and immediately ran back to his
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  Speaker 2: father and mother. I have found the woman I am
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  Speaker 2: meant to marry, Samson said. The fact that the woman
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  Speaker 2: was Philistine concerned Samson's parents. The Philistines were an oppressive
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  Speaker 2: force over Israel, and they knew they would harm Samson
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  Speaker 2: if he got too close. Isn't there any other woman
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  Speaker 2: in our tribe? they said. Why would you choose a
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  Speaker 2: woman among our enemies? Yet Samson would not listen. He
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  Speaker 2: burned with lust. and wanted what was pleasing to him.
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  Speaker 2: She is pleasing to the eyes. It shall be her
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  Speaker 2: and no one else, Samson demanded. So Samson's parents did
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  Speaker 2: not protest any further, and the three of them headed
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  Speaker 2: to Timnah. They were unaware that God was working in
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  Speaker 2: and through Samson's imperfections. Samson's brutish behavior and childlike self-control
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  Speaker 2: would be a tool in the hands of God to
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  Speaker 2: infiltrate the Philistines. Samson traveled behind his parents. He was
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  Speaker 2: walking through a vineyard, daydreaming of his wife-to-be. The birds
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  Speaker 2: chirped and picked up fallen grapes, and the warm spring
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  Speaker 2: breeze whistled through the valley. It was peaceful and quiet. Then,
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  Speaker 2: in an instant... A lion sprang out from the bushes
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  Speaker 2: and latched onto Samson's back, tackling him to the floor.
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  Speaker 2: The beast clawed at Samson, but he held its arms
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  Speaker 2: back and thrust it off of him. The lion paced
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  Speaker 2: around him, and Samson looked it in the eyes, beckoning
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  Speaker 2: it to pounce again. The lion leapt towards him, and
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  Speaker 2: Samson grabbed it by the throat mid-air and slammed it
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  Speaker 2: onto the ground. The lion squirmed under the hands of
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  Speaker 2: Samson in the dirt. The spirit of the Lord filled
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  Speaker 2: his veins with strength. And Samson crushed the lion's throat
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  Speaker 2: with his grip and tore it to shreds like paper.
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  Speaker 2: Samson did not tell anyone of what had happened between
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  Speaker 2: him and the lion. Instead, he went down to Timna
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  Speaker 2: to speak with the woman of his dreams. He spoke
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  Speaker 2: with her and made arrangements to be married. She was
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  Speaker 2: truly intoxicating to Samson, and the man who had killed
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  Speaker 2: a lion with his bare hands was weak in the
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  Speaker 2: knees by a beautiful woman. Days had passed, and Samson
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  Speaker 2: returned to Timna to take his bride. He passed through
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  Speaker 2: the vineyard again and stumbled upon the dead carcass of
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  Speaker 2: the lion he killed. The body reeked and was decaying,
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  Speaker 2: but a swarm of bees had made their hive in
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  Speaker 2: the dead body. Bees swarmed around it and Samson could
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  Speaker 2: see honeycomb oozing from the lion's body. Samson approached the carcass,
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  Speaker 2: paying no attention to the bees around him, and scooped
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  Speaker 2: up the honey from the dead body. He hummed and
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  Speaker 2: ate the honey on the rest of his way. He
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  Speaker 2: feasted on the honey, happily eating. Yet he was a Nazirite,
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  Speaker 2: and had taken a vow to not eat anything unclean.
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  Speaker 2: This would be one of many compromises Samson would make
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  Speaker 2: in his life. Samson prepared a feast for him and
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  Speaker 2: his new wife. Over thirty people were in attendance, drinking
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  Speaker 2: and feasting in celebration. Samson, having vowed to never touch
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  Speaker 2: wine or strong drink, found himself surrounded by drunken revelry.
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  Speaker 2: The music played and the drinks flowed, and Samson was
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  Speaker 2: enthralled with the positive attention. Samson said to the men
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  Speaker 2: in attendance, Let me give you a riddle. If you
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  Speaker 2: can guess it within the seven days of the feast,
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  Speaker 2: then I will give you thirty of my garments and
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  Speaker 2: another thirty change of clothes. But if you cannot guess it,
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  Speaker 2: then you shall give them to me. They agreed to
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  Speaker 2: his riddle immediately, for thirty linen garments was worth a
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  Speaker 2: great amount of silver. Samson composed himself and spoke clearly.
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  Speaker 2: He gave them the riddle, saying, Out of the eatery
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  Speaker 2: came something to eat. Out of the strong came something sweet.
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  Speaker 2: For three days they pondered the riddle. The feast was
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  Speaker 2: still in full force, and their minds had been consumed
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  Speaker 2: with alcohol. On the fourth day they came to Samson's
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  Speaker 2: wife and said, Seduce your husband to tell you the
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  Speaker 2: answer to the riddle. If you don't, we will burn
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  Speaker 2: your father's house to the ground. Your husband seeks to
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  Speaker 2: impoverish us with his bets, and we will not be humiliated.
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  Speaker 2: So Samson's wife wept over him. She polled at him
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  Speaker 2: with her cries. You hate me, she yelled. You have
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  Speaker 2: put up this riddle to my people but have refused
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  Speaker 2: to give me the answer. Samson held his composure and
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  Speaker 2: refused to tell her. I have not told even my parents.
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  Speaker 2: Why should I tell you? So she wept for the
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  Speaker 2: remainder of the feast, wearing Samson down with her constant tears.
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  Speaker 2: Her annoyance was constant. and her manipulation knew no end. Finally,
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  Speaker 2: on the seventh day, Samson caved. She had worn him down.
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  Speaker 2: He told her the story about the lion and the honey,
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  Speaker 2: and she immediately told her people the answer. That night
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  Speaker 2: Samson was around the feasting table with his companions, sure
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  Speaker 2: of himself that he would win the riddle. The men
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  Speaker 2: of the city smirked and told him, What is sweeter
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  Speaker 2: than honey, and what is stronger than a lion? Samson
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  Speaker 2: knew immediately that his wife had told them. His anger
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  Speaker 2: boiled against them and her. If you had not plowed
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  Speaker 2: with my heifer, you would have not found out my riddle,
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  Speaker 2: Samson said. The beautiful bride he once craved now reduced
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  Speaker 2: to being called a cow. God, who was seeking an
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  Speaker 2: opportunity for Samson to war against the oppressive Philistines, came
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  Speaker 2: upon Samson. He traveled to the city of Ashkelon and
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  Speaker 2: slew thirty Philistine men. He took their garments and fine linens,
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  Speaker 2: and gave them to those who had solved the riddle.
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  Speaker 2: Samson paid his debt, but he did so with blood
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  Speaker 2: of the Philistine enemies. Samson had won the battle, but
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  Speaker 2: he had lost the war. His wife left him for
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  Speaker 2: his best man. Samson, alone and frustrated, sat in his anger.
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  Speaker 2: He hurt, but God was at work in his life.
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  Speaker 2: Although he was a foolish brute, Samson would be used
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  Speaker 2: as a tool of liberation.
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  Speaker 3: Today's reading begins with Samson, now a young man, venturing
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  Speaker 3: into the Philistine town of Timnah. He has grown strong
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  Speaker 3: and bright, and he has the Lord's favor. But this
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  Speaker 3: trip into enemy territory is a dangerous game, and while
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  Speaker 3: he's there, Samson sees a young woman. She is beautiful, exotic,
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  Speaker 3: and forbidden. God's people were not to marry foreigners and
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  Speaker 3: risk becoming corrupted by worshiping other gods. But this girl
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  Speaker 3: was not just a foreigner, she was a Philistine. Her
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  Speaker 3: people mercilessly oppressed Israel. But lust overcame Samson and he
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  Speaker 3: told his parents he wanted her. His concerned parents suggested
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  Speaker 3: he find a good Hebrew girl to marry, but Samson
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  Speaker 3: was resolved this girl was for him. But God would
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  Speaker 3: use this relationship. And Judges 14 verse 4 says this,
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  Speaker 3: His father and mother did not know that it was
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  Speaker 3: from the Lord, for he was seeking an opportunity against
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  Speaker 3: the Philistines. You have to ask yourself, was Samson's choice
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  Speaker 3: of a Philistine woman God's plan and desire all along?
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  Speaker 3: Was it okay to bend the rules to serve a
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  Speaker 3: greater good? Well, not at all. This isn't a story
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  Speaker 3: about God compromising his principles. He never does that. This
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  Speaker 3: is about God making good out of bad decisions. Even
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  Speaker 3: in Samson's eras, God would find a way to use
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  Speaker 3: him to accomplish his purposes for his people. Samson's parents
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  Speaker 3: went down to Timnah with him to arrange the marriage.
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  Speaker 3: And while he was walking through the vineyards, Samson was
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  Speaker 3: attacked by a lion. He overcame the lion and killed
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  Speaker 3: it with his bare hands. What incredible strength! But Samson
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  Speaker 3: told no one. A few days later, he passed by
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  Speaker 3: the lion on the side of the road, and he
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  Speaker 3: saw a honeycomb inside the dead animal. Samson took some
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  Speaker 3: of the comb, ate it, and gave some to his parents,
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  Speaker 3: who knew nothing about its origin. As a Nazirite, you see,
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  Speaker 3: he was to keep away from unclean things, and a dead,
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  Speaker 3: rotting lion carcass was definitely unclean. Samson further compromised himself
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  Speaker 3: in this. Samson threw a feast, and many of his
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  Speaker 3: bride's countrymen attended. He wanted to show how smart he was,
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  Speaker 3: so he foolishly wagered a bet with them. He tells
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  Speaker 3: a riddle which they must solve in seven days. And
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  Speaker 3: if they succeed, they'll receive a hefty payout from Samson.
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  Speaker 3: If they fail, they must pay. He cleverly devises a
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  Speaker 3: riddle based on his encounter with the lion and the
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  Speaker 3: honeycomb that was unsolvable to anyone but him. The Philistines
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  Speaker 3: pressured his wife to entice Samson to reveal the answer,
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  Speaker 3: threatening to burn her and her family otherwise. So she
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  Speaker 3: pleaded with Samson, but he held his ground. She continued
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  Speaker 3: badgering him until he revealed the answer, which she passed
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  Speaker 3: on to the men Samson had challenged. Samson was defeated
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  Speaker 3: and humiliated. The woman he so desired had betrayed his trust. Incensed,
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  Speaker 3: Samson lashed out, even comparing his wife to a heifer.
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  Speaker 3: These were not kind words. Then he went to a
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  Speaker 3: nearby village in a rage and killed 30 Philistines to
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  Speaker 3: extract the payment for the bets. But he's left with
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  Speaker 3: nothing but loss. He's lost his moral compass. He's lost
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  Speaker 3: his temper. He's lost his way. He's lost his girl.
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  Speaker 3: His wife was given to his best man, and Samson
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  Speaker 3: returned angry and alone to his father's home. God was
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  Speaker 3: still with Samson. He still had a purpose for him.
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  Speaker 3: But Samson's troubles were far from over, and we'll hear
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  Speaker 3: more about his struggles, successes, and shortcomings and sins in
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  Speaker 3: the next episode. Dear God, thank you for this story
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  Speaker 3: that we have learned today, how it shows us the
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  Speaker 3: slippery slope of moral compromise. Help us not to allow
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  Speaker 3: selfish desires and pride and unbelief to cloud our judgment.
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  Speaker 3: We want you always to be number one in our lives.
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  Speaker 3: In Jesus' name, amen. Thank you for listening to today's
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  Speaker 3: Bible in a Year podcast. I'm Pastor Jack Graham from Dallas, Texas.
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• 15:45
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  Speaker 3: bless you.
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  Speaker 1: This episode is sponsored by MediShare, an innovative health care
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