Parents' Corner | August 18, 2019
Dear Parents,
Samson was the last of the major judges of Israel. He was born to parents who dedicated him to the Lord as a Nazirite after the Angel of the Lord announced that Samson would be born to save the Israelites from the power of the Philistines. Samson grew up, and God blessed him with great strength. But when Samson requested to marry a Philistine woman, his parents were confused. Samson was supposed to deliver the Israelites from the Philistines. Why would he want to marry one of them? But God had a plan in all of this. (See Judg. 14:4.)
As Samson prepared for the wedding, he gave a riddle to the men with him about an event that occurred on his way to Timnah. (See Judg. 14:9-14.) Days passed, and the men convinced Samson’s wife to tell them the answer to the riddle. This action sparked a series of events that would eventually lead to the death of Samson.
When the men solved his riddle, Samson was so angry that he torched the fields of the Philistines. He used the jawbone of a donkey to kill 1,000 men, and he left his wife. The
Philistine leaders determined to kill Samson. When Samson fell in love with a woman named Delilah, the leaders bribed her into telling them where Samson’s strength came from.
A man came and shaved the braids from Samson’s head. He lost his strength and became helpless. The Philistines gouged out his eyes and took him prisoner. They had him stand between the pillars of a pagan temple. In a final plea to God, Samson asked for his strength back. God gave him strength, and Samson knocked over the pillars, collapsing the temple. In his death, Samson killed more Philistines than he had killed in his life. (Judg. 16:30)
Though Samson disobeyed God, God used him to accomplish His purpose of delivering the Israelites from the Philistines. Jesus would come as the last Deliverer, saving through His life and His death those who would trust in Him.
God Bless,
David Feiser
Family Ministry Pastor
The Well Community Church
Family Starting Points
August 18, 2019
Scripture Memory: 2 Corinthians 5:17
“If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old is gone, and the new has come.”
Big Picture Question:
Whom does God use in His plan? God uses people in His plan.
Bible Story: Samson (Judges 13-16)
- God chose Samson to deliver Israel from the Philistines.
- God made Samson strong as long as he did not cut his hair.
- Delilah told the Philistines the secret to Samson’s strength.
- Samson pushed on the pillars of the Philistine temple and it collapsed.
Family Discussion Starters:
- Do you think Samson loved God like he should have? How do we fail to love God at times?
- What are you good at? How can you use that talent to give glory to God?
Family Activity:
- Conduct a family olympics or feats of strength competition.
- Go further: Take bottled water or sports drinks to a local park where people run/exercise and give them away for free.