Judges 14:1-15:8 – UNDER CONTROL
When a vehicle is “out of control” there is no stopping what it will do.
When a child is “out of control” he or she behaves in outrageous ways.
The opposite of being out of control is being “under control”.
Through the power of the Holy Spirit a Christian should allow God to control all areas of his life (Romans 12:1, Ephesians 5:18).
Samson was a great man, but would have been greater if he wasn’t often out of control. There are at least four areas in this passage in which Samson should have been under control. We can learn from Samson’s mistakes to:
CONTROL YOUR THOUGHTS – 14:1-4
People say “You are what you eat.” In reality, you are what you think. Proverbs 23:7a, Matthew 15:19
Samson saw a woman, and it was “Lust at first sight.” He hadn’t met her but wanted her. He had all sorts of fantasies in his mind. Vss. 1-2
Samson’s parents were rightfully opposed. Vs. 3, Deuteronomy 7:1-4
Samson insisted on having his own way. Vs. 3
Vs. 4 – God did not approve of Samson’s sin. In fact, the sin that comes Samson’s way is certainly an indication that he was out of the will of God. God, however, would use the situation to bring glory to himself, and to give a problem to the Philistines. If you look carefully, you will notice that God does not need perfect people or perfect situations in order to accomplish His perfect purposes.
Samson would have avoided this whole situation if his thoughts had been under control. We will avoid a lot of grief too if our thoughts are under control. Romans 12:2, Philippians 4:8
CONTROL YOUR TESTIMONY – 14:5-11
Samson was to be a Nazarite from his birth. A Nazarite was to live a life of separation. He was not to touch dead bodies. He was not to partake of the fruit of the vine, and he was not supposed to cut his hair. In these verses we find:
- Samson in a vineyard Vss. 5-7
- Samson touching a dead body Vss. 8-9
- Samson hosting a drinking party Vss. 10-11
All of these things hurt Samson’s testimony for God.
We must be careful to maintain a clear testimony for our Savior. Matthew 5:14-16, 1 Thessalonians 5:22
CONTROL YOUR TONGUE – 14:12-18
Often Samson’s tongue got him in trouble. In this case, if he hadn’t given the riddle there would have been no problem. Then, if he hadn’t told his wife the solution to the riddle there would have been no difficulty. We must learn to keep our tongues under control as well. Psalm 141:3, James 3:2-5.
CONTROL YOUR TEMPER – 14:19-15:8
Samson’s temper was certainly not under control. When we do not have our tempers under control we will also do damage. Ephesians 4:26-27, Galatians 5:22-23