MESSAGE FROM THE PULPIT
…David lamented with this lamentation over
Saul and over Jonathan his son: …it is written in the book of Jasher.
The beauty of Israel is slain upon the high places: how are the mighty
fallen! Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Ashkelon;
lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice…How are the mighty fallen
in the midst of the battle! [II Samuel 1:17, 19, 27]
On that very auspicious day that David the
7th son of Jesse killed Goliath, the captain of the Philistines and
averted Israel’s national shame, as he was ushered into the king’s
presence, and had ended introducing himself as the son of Jesse the
Bethlehemite, the Bible says, “…The soul of Jonathan (the heir apparent)
was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own
soul” (I Samuel 18:1). That love graduated into a covenant; to the point
that Jonathan relinquished his prince’s robe, garments, sword, bow, and
his girdle to David. Ah, what a love!
Because of this love of these two friends which surpassed the love of women, when David heard of the death of Jonathan in company of his father in the battle front, he wept! In fact, he lamented! To him the fall of the two was a fall of the mighty;
Because of this love of these two friends which surpassed the love of women, when David heard of the death of Jonathan in company of his father in the battle front, he wept! In fact, he lamented! To him the fall of the two was a fall of the mighty;
HOW ARE THE MIGHTY FALLEN.
Many mighty men had fallen in the past, many more have fallen in the present day. We are not here to laugh at their fall. We are here to learn from their fall, and to say to ourselves, “I shall not fall!” Indeed, you cannot afford the ridicule, the shame and disaster of a fall as a mighty man.
This morning, we shall learn from the fall of Samson.
HE HAD A DIVINE PURPOSE
Like every mighty man here, Samson came for God’s great purpose: “To deliver Israel out of the hands of the Philistines” (Judges 13:5). Every mighty man in this house is primarily a deliverer.
HE HAD DIVINE RULES TO OBEY
Like every man with the divine purpose to deliver, Samson had divine laws to obey: “For the child shall be a Nazarite to God from the womb to the day of his death” (Judges 13:7). Thus, his mother shall not take alcohol, and shall not eat unclean thing. And for the child Samson, no razor shall go on his head (Judges 13:4, 5).
HE HAD THE SUPERNATURAL BACKING
Like every mighty man packaged for a divine purpose to deliver and wrought exploit, Samson received the unconquerable supernatural power: “And the Spirit of the Lord began to move him…” (Judges 13:25). Thus on his way to Timnath he killed with his bare hand a young lion (Judges 14:5,6). At Ashkelon he slew thirty men and took their spoil (Judges 14:19). He caught three hundred foxes (Judges 15:4, 5). Angered for the burning of his father in-law and his betrothed wife
by the Philistines, Samson smote them hip and thigh with a great slaughter (Judges 15:8). At the shout of the Philistines at Lehi, and with a jaw-bone of an ass Samson slew a thousand men (see Judges 15:15). And at Gaza, in the midnight Samson took the doors of the city gate and two posts, and went away with them, bar and all, and put them upon his shoulders up to the top of the hill before Hebron (Judges 16:3). What a mighty man in Samson!
BUT HE BROKE THE HEDGE
This is where every mighty man; every extra-ordinary christian, unlike Samson must thread with caution. Samson broke the covenant that made him mighty. He touched the carcase of the lion he killed (Judges 14:8, 9). Above all, he, on the lap of Delilah the prostitute had his hair shaved (Judges 16:16-20). Thus the mighty man became weak and was turned from extra-ordinary to ordinary. His eyes were put out, he became a grinder in the prison, a thing of mockery and a glory to Dagon, the gods of the Philistines. How are the mighty fallen! (Judges 16:21-25).
All hope was not lost however. Samson realized his error and prayed to the God of Israel for the restoration of his might, at least to avenge his enemies the last time. His hair began to grow again; the covenant of his might was on the hair. Thus, the number he killed at death was greater than he killed at his life time (Judges16: 21, 26-30)
O mighty man, don’t fall! You cannot afford the disaster and the shame. Decide today never to fall no matter what. But if you have fallen, you can be restored to might like Samson, Getting back to God is the answer.
Rev Izuchukwu Uwa (07037734132)Many mighty men had fallen in the past, many more have fallen in the present day. We are not here to laugh at their fall. We are here to learn from their fall, and to say to ourselves, “I shall not fall!” Indeed, you cannot afford the ridicule, the shame and disaster of a fall as a mighty man.
This morning, we shall learn from the fall of Samson.
HE HAD A DIVINE PURPOSE
Like every mighty man here, Samson came for God’s great purpose: “To deliver Israel out of the hands of the Philistines” (Judges 13:5). Every mighty man in this house is primarily a deliverer.
HE HAD DIVINE RULES TO OBEY
Like every man with the divine purpose to deliver, Samson had divine laws to obey: “For the child shall be a Nazarite to God from the womb to the day of his death” (Judges 13:7). Thus, his mother shall not take alcohol, and shall not eat unclean thing. And for the child Samson, no razor shall go on his head (Judges 13:4, 5).
HE HAD THE SUPERNATURAL BACKING
Like every mighty man packaged for a divine purpose to deliver and wrought exploit, Samson received the unconquerable supernatural power: “And the Spirit of the Lord began to move him…” (Judges 13:25). Thus on his way to Timnath he killed with his bare hand a young lion (Judges 14:5,6). At Ashkelon he slew thirty men and took their spoil (Judges 14:19). He caught three hundred foxes (Judges 15:4, 5). Angered for the burning of his father in-law and his betrothed wife
by the Philistines, Samson smote them hip and thigh with a great slaughter (Judges 15:8). At the shout of the Philistines at Lehi, and with a jaw-bone of an ass Samson slew a thousand men (see Judges 15:15). And at Gaza, in the midnight Samson took the doors of the city gate and two posts, and went away with them, bar and all, and put them upon his shoulders up to the top of the hill before Hebron (Judges 16:3). What a mighty man in Samson!
BUT HE BROKE THE HEDGE
This is where every mighty man; every extra-ordinary christian, unlike Samson must thread with caution. Samson broke the covenant that made him mighty. He touched the carcase of the lion he killed (Judges 14:8, 9). Above all, he, on the lap of Delilah the prostitute had his hair shaved (Judges 16:16-20). Thus the mighty man became weak and was turned from extra-ordinary to ordinary. His eyes were put out, he became a grinder in the prison, a thing of mockery and a glory to Dagon, the gods of the Philistines. How are the mighty fallen! (Judges 16:21-25).
All hope was not lost however. Samson realized his error and prayed to the God of Israel for the restoration of his might, at least to avenge his enemies the last time. His hair began to grow again; the covenant of his might was on the hair. Thus, the number he killed at death was greater than he killed at his life time (Judges16: 21, 26-30)
O mighty man, don’t fall! You cannot afford the disaster and the shame. Decide today never to fall no matter what. But if you have fallen, you can be restored to might like Samson, Getting back to God is the answer.
