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

• 0:00
  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.
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  Speaker 2: Amen.
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  Speaker 1: Thank you for praying with us today. Continue your time
• 1:47
  Speaker 1: with God by listening to today's Bible story. Brought to
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  Speaker 1: you by BibleInAYear.com.
• 2:01
  Speaker 3: In our last story, we learned about the birth of
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  Speaker 3: Samson and how God was grooming him to be a
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  Speaker 3: mighty judge over Israel against the Philistines. Samson was raised
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  Speaker 3: to drink no wine or strong drinks, eat only clean foods,
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  Speaker 3: and abstain from cutting his hair. In this story, we
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  Speaker 3: learn about how Samson's strength is no match for the
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  Speaker 3: power of a beautiful Philistine woman. Samson's lust and hubris
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  Speaker 3: is put on display as inspired by the book of Judges.
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  Speaker 2: Hello, I'm Jack Graham with today's episode of the Bible
• 2:44
  Speaker 2: in a Year podcast. But before we begin, I want
• 2:47
  Speaker 2: to let you know about a unique e-book that's yours
• 2:51
  Speaker 2: to download absolutely free today. It's called Breaking Free from Stress.
• 2:56
  Speaker 2: And my prayer is that it will help you conquer
• 2:59
  Speaker 2: the daily tasks and pressures and burdens that bring stress
• 3:02
  Speaker 2: in your life. Download your free copy of Breaking Free
• 3:06
  Speaker 2: from Stress today by visiting jackgram.org slash stress. That's jackgram.org
• 3:13
  Speaker 2: slash stress. In yesterday's episode, we heard the story of
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  Speaker 2: Samson's parents receiving unexpected news. They were going to have
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  Speaker 2: a baby. And Samson would not be just an ordinary baby.
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  Speaker 2: So God sent an angel to deliver the news and
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  Speaker 2: special instructions for how this young boy was to be raised.
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  Speaker 2: It is a story of wise parents seeking wisdom in parenting,
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  Speaker 2: and because of their faithfulness, Samson would grow up as
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  Speaker 2: one set apart. In today's reading, we'll learn how Samson
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  Speaker 2: grew stronger than any other man, but how his physical
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  Speaker 2: strength was overcome by the weakness of his will. And
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  Speaker 2: he gives in to lust over a pagan Philistine woman,
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  Speaker 2: his desires and pride will be his undoing. So listen
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  Speaker 2: now to today's episode.
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  Speaker 3: Samson walked around Timnah, a Philistine city. He had grown
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  Speaker 3: into a strong young man, filled with might and favor
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  Speaker 3: from God. Samson feared nothing. Therefore, he felt completely comfortable
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  Speaker 3: strolling through the land of the Philistines. The city was
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  Speaker 3: loud and bustling. Smells of cooking meat filled the air,
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  Speaker 3: and vendors could be heard haggling and yelling at their customers.
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  Speaker 3: As Samson was walking through the chaos, a beautiful woman
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  Speaker 3: caught his gaze. Everything seemed to stand still for Samson.
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  Speaker 3: She was truly breathtaking, and he could not take his
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  Speaker 3: eyes off her. It was truly love at first sight.
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  Speaker 3: He got her name and immediately ran back to his
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  Speaker 3: father and mother. I have found the woman I am
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  Speaker 3: meant to marry, Samson said. The fact that the woman
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  Speaker 3: was Philistine concerned Samson's parents. The Philistines were an oppressive
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  Speaker 3: force over Israel, and they knew they would harm Samson
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  Speaker 3: if he got too close. Isn't there any other woman
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  Speaker 3: in our tribe?
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  Speaker 1: They said.
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  Speaker 3: Why would you choose a woman among our enemies? Yet
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  Speaker 3: Samson would not listen. He burned with lust. and wanted
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  Speaker 3: what was pleasing to him. She is pleasing to the eyes.
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  Speaker 3: It shall be her and no one else, Samson demanded.
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  Speaker 3: So Samson's parents did not protest any further, and the
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  Speaker 3: three of them headed to Timnah. They were unaware that
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  Speaker 3: God was working in and through Samson's imperfections. Samson's brutish
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  Speaker 3: behavior was and childlike self-control would be a tool in
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  Speaker 3: the hands of God to infiltrate the Philistines. Samson traveled
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  Speaker 3: behind his parents. He was walking through a vineyard, daydreaming
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  Speaker 3: of his wife-to-be. The birds chirped and picked up fallen grapes,
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  Speaker 3: and the warm spring breeze whistled through the valley. It
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  Speaker 3: was peaceful and quiet. Then, in an instant... A lion
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  Speaker 3: sprang out from the bushes and latched onto Samson's back,
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  Speaker 3: tackling him to the floor. The beast clawed at Samson,
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  Speaker 3: but he held its arms back and thrust it off
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  Speaker 3: of him. The lion paced around him, and Samson looked
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  Speaker 3: it in the eyes, beckoning it to pounce again. The
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  Speaker 3: lion leapt towards him, and Samson grabbed it by the
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  Speaker 3: throat midair and slammed it onto the ground. The lion
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  Speaker 3: squirmed under the hands of Samson in the dirt. The
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  Speaker 3: spirit of the Lord filled his veins with strength, and
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  Speaker 3: Samson crushed the lion's throat with his grip and tore
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  Speaker 3: it to shreds like paper. Samson did not tell anyone
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  Speaker 3: of what had happened between him and the lion. Instead,
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  Speaker 3: he went down to Timna to speak with the woman
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  Speaker 3: of his dreams. He spoke with her and made arrangements
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  Speaker 3: to be married. She was truly intoxicating to Samson, and
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  Speaker 3: the man who had killed a lion with his bare
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  Speaker 3: hands was weak in the knees by a beautiful woman.
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  Speaker 3: Days had passed, and Samson returned to Timna to take
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  Speaker 3: his bride. He passed through the vineyard again and stumbled
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  Speaker 3: upon the dead carcass of the lion he killed. The
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  Speaker 3: body reeked and was decaying, but a swarm of bees
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  Speaker 3: had made their hive in the dead body. Bees swarmed
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  Speaker 3: around it and Samson could see honeycomb oozing from the
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  Speaker 3: lion's body. Samson approached the carcass, paying no attention to
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  Speaker 3: the bees around him, and scooped up the honey from
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  Speaker 3: the dead body. He hummed and ate the honey on
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  Speaker 3: the rest of his way. He feasted on the honey,
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  Speaker 3: happily eating. Yet he was a Nazirite, and had taken
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  Speaker 3: a vow to not eat anything unclean. This would be
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  Speaker 3: one of many compromises Samson would make in his life.
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  Speaker 3: Samson prepared a feast for him and his new wife.
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  Speaker 3: Over thirty people were in attendance, drinking and feasting in celebration. Samson,
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  Speaker 3: having vowed to never touch wine or strong drink, found
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  Speaker 3: himself surrounded by drunken revelry. The music played and the
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  Speaker 3: drinks flowed, and Samson was enthralled with the positive attention.
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  Speaker 3: Samson said to the men in attendance, Let me give
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  Speaker 3: you a riddle. If you can guess it within the
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  Speaker 3: seven days of the feast, then I will give you
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  Speaker 3: thirty of my garments and another thirty change of clothes.
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  Speaker 3: But if you cannot guess it, then you shall give
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  Speaker 3: them to me. They agreed to his riddle immediately, for
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  Speaker 3: thirty linen garments was worth a great amount of silver.
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  Speaker 3: Samson composed himself and spoke clearly. He gave them the riddle, saying,
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  Speaker 3: Out of the eatery came something to eat. Out of
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  Speaker 3: the strong came something sweet. For three days they pondered
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  Speaker 3: the riddle. The feast was still in full force, and
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  Speaker 3: their minds had been consumed with alcohol. On the fourth
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  Speaker 3: day they came to Samson's wife and said, Seduce your
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  Speaker 3: husband to tell you the answer to the riddle. If
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  Speaker 3: you don't, we will burn your father's house to the ground.
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  Speaker 3: Your husband seeks to impoverish us with his bets, and
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  Speaker 3: we will not be humiliated. So Samson's wife wept over him.
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  Speaker 3: She polled at him with her cries. You hate me,
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  Speaker 3: she yelled. You have put up this riddle to my
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  Speaker 3: people but have refused to give me the answer. Samson
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  Speaker 3: held his composure and refused to tell her. I have
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  Speaker 3: not told even my parents. Why should I tell you?
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  Speaker 3: So she wept for the remainder of the feast. wearing
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  Speaker 3: Samson down with her constant tears. Her annoyance was constant,
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  Speaker 3: and her manipulation knew no end. Finally, on the seventh day,
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  Speaker 3: Samson caved. She had worn him down. He told her
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  Speaker 3: the story about the lion and the honey. and she
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  Speaker 3: immediately told her people the answer. That night Samson was
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  Speaker 3: around the feasting table with his companions, sure of himself
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  Speaker 3: that he would win the riddle. The men of the
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  Speaker 3: city smirked and told him, What is sweeter than honey,
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  Speaker 3: and what is stronger than a lion? Samson knew immediately
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  Speaker 3: that his wife had told them. His anger boiled against
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  Speaker 3: them and her. If you had not plowed with my heifer,
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  Speaker 3: you would have not found out my riddle, Samson said.
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  Speaker 3: The beautiful bride he once craved now reduced to being
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  Speaker 3: called a cow. God, who was seeking an opportunity for
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  Speaker 3: Samson to war against the oppressive Philistines, came upon Samson.
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  Speaker 3: He traveled to the city of Ashkelon and slew thirty
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  Speaker 3: Philistine men. He took their garments and fine linens, Samson
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  Speaker 3: paid his debt, but he did so with blood of
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  Speaker 3: the Philistine enemies. Samson had won the battle, but he
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  Speaker 3: had lost the war. His wife left him for his
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  Speaker 3: best man. Samson, alone and frustrated, sat in his anger.
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  Speaker 3: He hurt, but God was at work in his life.
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  Speaker 3: Although he was a foolish brute, Samson would be used
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  Speaker 3: as a tool of liberation.
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  Speaker 2: Today's reading begins with Samson, now a young man, venturing
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  Speaker 2: into the Philistine town of Timnah. He has grown strong
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  Speaker 2: and bright, and he has the Lord's favor. But this
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  Speaker 2: trip into enemy territory is a dangerous game, and while
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  Speaker 2: he's there, Samson sees a young woman. She is beautiful, exotic,
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  Speaker 2: and forbidden. God's people were not to marry foreigners and
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  Speaker 2: risk becoming corrupted by worshiping other gods. But this girl
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  Speaker 2: was not just a foreigner, she was a Philistine. Her
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  Speaker 2: people mercilessly oppressed Israel. But lust overcame Samson and he
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  Speaker 2: told his parents he wanted her. His concerned parents suggested
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  Speaker 2: he find a good Hebrew girl to marry, but Samson
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  Speaker 2: was resolved this girl was for him. But God would
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  Speaker 2: use this relationship. And Judges 14 verse 4 says this,
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  Speaker 2: His father and mother did not know that it was
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  Speaker 2: from the Lord, for he was seeking an opportunity against
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  Speaker 2: the Philistines. You have to ask yourself, was Samson's choice
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  Speaker 2: of a Philistine woman God's plan and desire all along?
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  Speaker 2: Was it okay to bend the rules to serve a
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  Speaker 2: greater good? Well, not at all. This isn't a story
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  Speaker 2: about God compromising his principles. He never does that. This
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  Speaker 2: is about God making good out of bad decisions. Even
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  Speaker 2: in Samson's eras, God would find a way to use
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  Speaker 2: him to accomplish his purposes for his people. Samson's parents
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  Speaker 2: went down to Timnah with him to arrange the marriage.
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  Speaker 2: And while he was walking through the vineyards, Samson was
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  Speaker 2: attacked by a lion. He overcame the lion and killed
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  Speaker 2: it with his bare hands. What incredible strength! But Samson
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  Speaker 2: told no one. A few days later, he passed by
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  Speaker 2: the lion on the side of the road, and he
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  Speaker 2: saw a honeycomb inside the dead animal. Samson took some
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  Speaker 2: of the comb, ate it, and gave some to his parents,
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  Speaker 2: who knew nothing about its origin. As a Nazirite, you see,
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  Speaker 2: he was to keep away from unclean things, and a dead,
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  Speaker 2: rotting lion carcass was definitely unclean. Samson further compromised himself
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  Speaker 2: in this. Samson threw a feast, and many of his
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  Speaker 2: bride's countrymen attended. He wanted to show how smart he was,
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  Speaker 2: so he foolishly wagered a bet with them. He tells
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  Speaker 2: a riddle which they must solve in seven days. And
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  Speaker 2: if they succeed, they'll receive a hefty payout from Samson.
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  Speaker 2: If they fail, they must pay. He cleverly devises a
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  Speaker 2: riddle based on his encounter with the lion and the
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  Speaker 2: honeycomb that was unsolvable to anyone but him. The Philistines
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  Speaker 2: pressured his wife to entice Samson to reveal the answer,
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  Speaker 2: threatening to burn her and her family otherwise. So she
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  Speaker 2: pleaded with Samson, but he held his ground. She continued
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  Speaker 2: badgering him until he revealed the answer, which she passed
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  Speaker 2: on to the men Samson had challenged. Samson was defeated
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  Speaker 2: and humiliated. The woman he so desired had betrayed his trust. Incensed,
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  Speaker 2: Samson lashed out, even comparing his wife to a heifer.
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  Speaker 2: These were not kind words. Then he went to a
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  Speaker 2: nearby village in a rage and killed 30 Philistines to
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  Speaker 2: extract the payment for the bet. But he's left with
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  Speaker 2: nothing but loss. He's lost his moral compass. He's lost
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  Speaker 2: his temper. He's lost his way. He's lost his girl.
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  Speaker 2: His wife was given to his best man, and Samson
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  Speaker 2: returned angry and alone to his father's home. God was
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  Speaker 2: still with Samson. He still had a purpose for him.
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  Speaker 2: But Samson's troubles were far from over, and we'll hear
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  Speaker 2: more about his struggles, successes, and shortcomings and sins in
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  Speaker 2: the next episode. Dear God, thank you for this story
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  Speaker 2: that we have learned today, how it shows us the
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  Speaker 2: slippery slope of moral compromise. Help us not to allow
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  Speaker 2: selfish desires and pride and unbelief to cloud our judgment.
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  Speaker 2: We want you always to be number one in our lives.
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  Speaker 2: In Jesus' name, amen. Thank you for listening to today's
• 15:56
  Speaker 2: Bible in a Year podcast. Before we go, I want
• 15:59
  Speaker 2: to let you know about a unique e-book that's yours
• 16:02
  Speaker 2: to download absolutely free today. It's called Breaking Free from Stress.
• 16:08
  Speaker 2: And my prayer is that it will help you conquer
• 16:10
  Speaker 2: the daily tasks and pressures and burdens that bring stress
• 16:13
  Speaker 2: into your life. Download your free copy of Breaking Free
• 16:17
  Speaker 2: from Stress today by visiting jackgram.org slash stress. That's jackgram.org
• 16:25
  Speaker 2: slash stress.