Samson and His Jawbone

Samson and His Jawbone

 

I would like to take our study from the story where Samson defeated a 1000 Philistines with the jawbone of an ass.   Here is that passage of scripture.

Judges 15:9-20, KJV

(9)  Then the Philistines went up, and pitched in Judah, and spread themselves in Lehi.   (10)  And the men of Judah said, why are ye come up against us? And they answered, to bind Samson are we come up, to do to him as he hath done to us.   (11)  Then three thousand men of Judah went to the top of the rock Etam, and said to Samson, Knowest thou not that the Philistines are rulers over us? What is this that thou hast done unto us? And he said unto them, as they did unto me, so have I done unto them.   (12)  And they said unto him, we are come down to bind thee, that we may deliver thee into the hand of the Philistines. And Samson said unto them, Swear unto me, that ye will not fall upon me yourselves.   (13)  And they spake unto him, saying, No; but we will bind thee fast, and deliver thee into their hand: but surely we will not kill thee. And they bound him with two new cords, and brought him up from the rock.   (14)  And when he came unto Lehi, the Philistines shouted against him: and the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and the cords that were upon his arms became as flax that was burnt with fire, and his bands loosed from off his hands.   (15)  And he found a new jawbone of an ass, and put forth his hand, and took it, and slew a thousand men therewith.   (16)  And Samson said, with the jawbone of an ass, heaps upon heaps, with the jaw of an ass have I slain a thousand men.   (17)  And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking, that he cast away the jawbone out of his hand, and called that place Ramathlehi.   (18)  And he was sore athirst, and called on the LORD, and said, Thou hast given this great deliverance into the hand of thy servant: and now shall I die for thirst, and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised?   (19)  But God clave a hollow place that was in the jaw, and there came water there out; and when he had drunk, his spirit came again, and he revived: wherefore he called the name thereof Enhakkore, which is in Lehi unto this day.   (20)  And he judged Israel in the days of the Philistines twenty years.

This is a story of good versus evil.   This event literally happened but is also very symbolic, giving us information about the work of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Here are some facts in this story.

Ø The time of the year was the wheat harvest which was also the time of Pentecost.    During this time frame the Philistines ruled over Israel.  
Ø The term corn was a term for wheat.  
Ø Samson's name means "sunlight".  
Ø Philistine's name means, "rolling, a primitive root; to roll (in dust): - roll (wallow) self'".  
Ø Etam means:  A primitive root; to swoop down upon (literally or figuratively): - fly, rail.   A hawk or other bird of prey: - bird, fowl, ravenous (bird).   Hawk ground; Etam, a place in Palestine: - Etam.  
Ø Jawbone of an Ass, under the law the firstling ass was redeemed just like a first born male was.    The scripture for this is in Exodus 34:19-20 and here it is.   (19)  All that openeth the matrix is mine; and every firstling among thy cattle, whether ox or sheep, that is male.   (20)  But the firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb: and if thou redeem him not, then shalt thou break his neck. All the firstborn of thy sons thou shalt redeem.   And none shall appear before me empty.

Here is the back history for this event.

Starting in Judges 15:1, Samson went to see his wife but her father had given her away to someone else.   Samson said to everyone there, “Now shall I be more blameless than the Philistines, though I do them a displeasure".   Implying that he was going to take revenge on the Philistines for himself and Israel.   For revenge, Samson sets on fire their wheat fields, vineyards and olives.   The Philistines went to Samson's wife's father and ask who had done this, they told them Samson had.    After they told them, they killed Samson's wife and her father.   They found Samson and he smote them hip and thigh with a great slaughter: and he went down and dwelt in the top of the rock Etam.  

Now about Samson's defeat of 1000 Philistines.    This is a wonderful metaphoric story of what happened on the day our Lord was crucified.    Samson is a type of Christ Jesus, remember from the facts above, Samson's name means "sunlight" and Jesus is the light of the world and the light of the Church.   When John saw Jesus this is what he said; And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. (Revelation 1:16)   The Philistines' name is defined as being rolling, wallowing in the dust.   Doesn't this sound like the serpent in the garden after God cursed it?   I certainly believe it does.

Here are some important comparisons Samson and Jesus:

Samson went upon the rock of Etam; Jesus went upon the Mount of Olives.  (Matthew 26:30; Mark 14:26).

Three thousand men of Judah came to get Samson and delivery him to the Philistines; for Jesus a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people.   This great multitude were Judeans.  (Luke 22:42-47).

The Judeans bound Samson and delivered him to the Philistines; the Judeans bound Jesus and delivered Him to Pilate.  (Mark 15:1)

When the Philistines started shouting against Samson, the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him; for Jesus it was when the chief priests, elders and the crowd started shouting "crucify Him", "crucify Him".  (Mark 15:13-14).   The Roman soldiers took Jesus and made mockery of Him (Mark 14:65; 15:17-20, 15:29-31).

Samson found a new jawbone of an ass and killed 1000 men; Jesus during His ministry He oft times just used His words to cast out devils and put to silence the gain-Sayers and on the day of His crucifixion, He totally surrendered to the will of the Father to be the sacrifice for sin. 

(Mark 15:13,14; John 19:6,15)

When the battle was over Samson cried, " Thou hast given this great deliverance into the hand of thy servant: and now shall I die for thirst, and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised?”   The Lord clave a place in the jawbone and then came forth water, he drank and his strength was renew.   While hanging on the cross, Jesus cried saying, "I thirst", they gave Him vinegar and He received it and cried again "It is finished" and died.   Jesus was relieved of the great tribulation that was upon Him.  (John 19:28-30).

Samson's battle and victory was physical and by the power of God to free God's people; Jesus' battle and victory was spiritual and by the will and power of God, the Father, to free from sin and death those who believed on Him.   The way that the victory was won was just opposite of each other.   Samson's defeat of these Philistines was a wonderful picture of Jesus defeating Satan and his followers, by being the sacrifice for sin.  (Isaiah 53:10; Romans 4:25; 8:32; Hebrews 2:14).

Samson used the jawbone of an ass as if it was a sword, this is easy to see.   In the New Testament Covenant or the Church or the Bride of Christ, in serving our Lord, we use the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God.   Our using the sword represents, Christ's saints proclaiming the true gospel of Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Ghost.   In reference to the ass or donkey, it took the same redemption (a lamb) for the first born male as the firstling ass. 

(Exodus 34:19-20).

In conclusion, this story about Samson was both an actual event and a metaphor about Jesus Christ the Son of God.   We in this modern day should prepare for the daily battle against Satan by putting on the whole armor of God as Paul instructed.

I encourage each person that is saved by the grace of God, to serve Him with all your strength and mind, the Word of God is our road map.   It is our responsibility and we will be accountable on how we travel this road for Christ.   We CANNOT put our responsibility on preachers and teachers.   They have their own responsibilities.

Paul gives us instruction on what we have to do.   Paul tells us, "And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: (Ephesians 6:17).   He tells Timothy and you and I, "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."  (2 Timothy 2:15).   Base on the Hebrew writer, you and I are handling a very powerful piece of equipment to use in battle against Satan.   He writes, "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart".   (Hebrews 4:12 ).   Expounding the Word of God in the power of the Holy Spirit accomplishes the Lord will.  (Isaiah 55:11)

Remember our warfare is not carnal for Paul says, "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:  (4) (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds ;)  (5) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; (6) and having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled."  (2 Corinthians 10:3-6).

May God Richly Bless each and every one of you, as you renew your minds by the Holy Ghost and the Word of God

 

Your Brother in Christ,

Commie Dunn