QT 11 Feb 13, We need God's word or else we ultimately fight losing battles in the world

Judges 15:1-8 (NIV) Later on, at the time of wheat harvest, Samson took a young goat and went to visit his wife. He said, "I'm going to my wife's room." But her father would not let him go in.

2 "I was so sure you thoroughly hated her," he said, "that I gave her to your friend. Isn't her younger sister more attractive? Take her instead."

3 Samson said to them, "This time I have a right to get even with the Philistines; I will really harm them." 4 So he went out and caught three hundred foxes and tied them tail to tail in pairs. He then fastened a torch to every pair of tails, 5 lit the torches and let the foxes loose in the standing grain of the Philistines. He burned up the shocks and standing grain, together with the vineyards and olive groves.

6 When the Philistines asked, "Who did this?" they were told, "Samson, the Timnite's son-in-law, because his wife was given to his friend."

So the Philistines went up and burned her and her father to death. 7 Samson said to them, "Since you've acted like this, I won't stop until I get my revenge on you." 8 He attacked them viciously and slaughtered many of them. Then he went down and stayed in a cave in the rock of Etam.

NOTE: At this point the story had degenerated into a story of revenge, back and forth killing. It is the world's way of dealing with another's actions. It is heavy in physical conflict, usually with no end in sight. Since Judges is a story of second generation believers, the lesson seems to be a complete disregard for God's method of resolving conflict but rather a worldly approach to conflict and getting even. In fact, new ways of committing evil are also prevalent, and Samson uses a new approach to burning up as much grain as possible (typing torches to the tails of 300 foxes). The very little direct mention of God in the Samson story. Essentially, Samson becomes a judge of Israel based on his great strength and little else. His strength does provide a relief from the Philistines, but it does not provide the greater need, strong teaching of the word of God. And so consequently, except for the reprieve, Samson does not slow down the continuing descent into even greater sin as a nation. The application is that without an emphasis on God's word, what do we really accomplish? I apply this to our church business meetings which should always feature God's word first. Otherwise, we will strive to solve problems using worldly approaches and ultimately make very little progress.