Interesting official spoils of war.

Feminists will have a lot to say about this one. Animal activist should also raise a head for all the spoils of war as so much killing happens in the Bible for burnt offerings.

God instructed in Numbers 31v18: ‘But all the women children, that have not known a man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves.’ According to verse 32: ‘and the booty, being the rest of the prey which the men of war had caught, was 675000 and 5000 sheep, v33: And 12060 beeves, v34: And 1060 asses, v35: And 32000 persons in all, of woman that had not known man by lying with him.’

In Deut 21v10, God says, ‘When thou goest forth to war against thine enemies, and the LORD thy God hath delivered them into thine hands, and thou hast taken them captive, v11: And seest among the captives a beautiful woman, and hast a desire unto her, that thou wouldest have her to thy wife;

v12: Then thou shalt bring her home to thine house; and she shall shave her head, and pare her nails; v13: And she shall put the raiment of her captivity from off her, and shall remain in thine house, and bewail her father and her mother a full month: and after that thou shalt go in unto her, and be her husband, and she shall be thy wife.’

It goes on to say that,  ‘And it shall be, if thou have no delight in her, then thou shalt let her go whither she will; but thou shalt not sell her at all for money, thou shalt not make merchandise of her, because thou hast humbled her.’ Should it be that easy?

The spoils of war are also mentioned in Judges 21 v12: ‘And they found among the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead four hundred young virgins, that had known no man by lying with any male: and they brought them unto the camp to Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan.

v13: And the whole congregation sent some to speak to the children of Benjamin that were in the rock Rimmon, and to call peaceably unto them. v14: And Benjamin came again at that time; and they gave them wives which they had saved alive of the women of Jabesh-gilead: and yet so they sufficed them not.’

To solve the crises of insufficient women to perpetuate the Benjamin tribe, Judges 21 v21 says, ‘And see, and, behold, if the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in dances, then come ye out of the vineyards, and catch you every man his wife of the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin.’

And the children of Benjamin did so, and took them wives, according to their number, of them that danced, whom they caught: and they went and returned unto their inheritance, and repaired the cities, and dwelt in them. Wow.

Who God bless, no one curse.

Amongst the plagues of Egypt, the Red Sea opening, water from a rock, manna from heaven, the quails, the earth swallowing the wicked men of Korah by the earth in the desert, Sodom and Gomorrah, the birth of Isaac, the sacrifice of Abraham in Moria, the brass serpent that people looked up to and survived the snake bites, there is this one;

Numbers 22 v28: ‘And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?’ Balak solicited Balaam for his help in cursing Israel and joining forces to fight against them. God put an angel in the way of the donkey until it spoke these words.

Numbers 22 v29: ‘And Balaam said unto the ass, Because thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in mine hand, for now would I kill thee. v30: And the ass said unto Balaam, Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine unto this day?  was I ever wont to do so unto thee?  And he said, No.’

Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed down his head, and fell flat on his face.

Do not go against the word of God. Who God bless, no one curse. Talk to your problems and let them know they have to go away. They may be stubborn, but they must leave your life.

Marriages, Relationships or affairs?

Abraham was given a maid, Hagar, by his wife Sarah, to fulfill the prophesy of the ‘son of the promise’. Things turned sour after Sarah bore a son. Sarah was Abraham’s sister but from a different mother. The Bible stresses how very beautiful she was. Rebecca and Rachel are said to have been incredible beautiful. So when God blesses a man, he also gives a beautiful woman.

Jacob worked 7 years to marry Rachel but was given Leah. After working to marry Rachel, it turned out Rachel was barren, that she gave her maid, Bilhah to Jacob. Leah gave her maid, Zilphah to Jacob as well. Zilphah went on to bed Reubern, Jacob and Leah’s son.

Out of a betting scandal, aged Leah got to sleep with Jacob and bore Issachar and later Zebulun and a daughter called Dinah. (Rachel would finally mother Joseph and Benjamin). Dinah, Jacob’s only daughter, lost her virginity to Shechem, the son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of the country. Simeon and Levi killed all male and took all their possessions.

Later, Judah’s son Er, married Tamar who became widowed because God killed him for his wickedness. His brother Onan was given her to perpetuate his seed. Onan went in and spilled his sperm to the ground and God killed him for doing casual sex. Then Tamar tricked Judah, pretending to be a whore, getting his jewellery and sleeping with him. Judah had twins from his dead son’s wife, Phareh and Zarah. This Zarah brought his hand from the womb first, was marked, but then withdrew into the birth canal and Phareh was born first.

Joseph refused free sex from the amorous Potipher’s wife’s advances. Moses had a Midianite wife. Later, at around his 80’s, he married an Ethiopian woman, but his brother and sister, Aaron and Miriam started to murmur and God reproached them, punishing Miriam with 7 days leprosy.

God had killed over 24 000 people for fornication and adultery with the Moabites. One  man found himself a Midianite whore, crept into the tent with her. A Levite, Phinehas saw this and ran into the tent and drove a spear through them, killing them instantly while they had sex. God was pleased with his revolt and stopped killing people.

God refuses rewards for sex to be brought to his house, as set in Deut 23v18: ‘Thou shalt not bring the hire of a whore, or the price of a dog, into the house of the LORD thy God for any vow.’

Samson married Delilah and she betrayed him to the Philistines who cut his hair. Rahab the harlot housed Joshua’s spies and she and her family were saved. She is the ancestor of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Deut 24v5: ‘When a man hath taken a new wife, he shall not go out to war, neither shall he be charged with any business: but he shall be free at home one year, and shall cheer up his wife which he hath taken.’ My wife may sue some companies for the loss of ‘cheer’.

Do we consider Eve’s betrayal as a sexual affair with the serpent? My Bible does not hint that way.

Joys of a Muslim woman, True?

(This is said to have been written by a woman born in Egypt as a Muslim, Nonie Darwish) 

In the Muslim faith, a Muslim man can marry a child as young as 1 year old and have sexual intimacy with this child, consummating the marriage by 9.  The dowry is given to the family in exchange for the woman (who becomes his slave) and for the purchase of the private parts of the woman, to use her as a toy.
 
Even though a woman is abused, she cannot obtain a divorce. To prove rape, the woman must have (4) male witnesses. Often after a woman has been raped, she is returned to her family and the family must return the dowry.
The family has the right to execute her (an honor killing) to restore the honor of the family. Husbands can beat their wives 'at will' and the man does not have to say why he has beaten her. The husband is permitted to have 4 wives and a temporary wife for an hour (prostitute) at his discretion. The Shariah Muslim law controls the private as well as the public life of the woman.
 
In the Western World (America) Muslim men are starting to demand Shariah Law so the wife cannot obtain a divorce and he can have full and control of her. It is amazing and alarming how many of our sisters and daughters attending American Universities are now marrying Muslim men and submitting themselves and their children unsuspectingly to the Shariah law. By passing this on, enlightened American women may avoid becoming a slave under Shariah Law.
 
Ripping the West in Two. Author and lecturer Nonie Darwish says the goal of radical Islamists is to impose Shariah law on the world, ripping Western law and liberty in two.
 
She recently authored the book, Cruel and Usual Punishment: The Terrifying Global Implications of Islamic Law.
 
Darwish was born in Cairo and spent her childhood in Egypt and Gaza before immigrating to America in 1978, when she was eight years old. Her father died while leading covert attacks on Israe .  He was a high-ranking Egyptian military officer stationed with his family in Gaza.
 
When he died, he was considered a "shahid," a martyr for jihad. His posthumous status earned Nonie and her family an elevated position in Muslim society.
 
But Darwish developed a skeptical eye at an early age. She questioned her own Muslim culture and upbringing. She converted to Christianity after hearing a Christian preacher on television.
 
In her latest book, Darwish warns about creeping sharia law - what it is, what it means, and how it is manifested in Islamic countries. For the West, she says radical Islamists are working to impose sharia on the world. If that happens, Western civilization will be destroyed. Westerners generally assume all religions encourage a respect for the dignity of each individual. Islamic law (Sharia) teaches that non-Muslims should be subjugated or killed in this world.

Peace and prosperity for one's children is not as important as assuring that Islamic law rules everywhere in the Middle East and eventually in the world.

While Westerners tend to think that all religions encourage some form of the golden rule, Sharia teaches two systems of ethics - one for Muslims and another for non-Muslims. Building on tribal practices of the seventh century, Sharia encourages the side of humanity that wants to take from and subjugate others.

While Westerners tend to think in terms of religious people developing a personal understanding of and relationship with God, Sharia advocates executing people who ask difficult questions that could be interpreted as criticism.

It's hard to imagine, that in this day and age, Islamic scholars agree that
those who criticize Islam or choose to stop being Muslim should b executed. Sadly, while talk of an Islamic reformationist common and even assumed by many in the West, such murmurings in the Middle East are silenced through intimidation.

While Westerners are accustomed to an increase in religious tolerance over time, Darwish explains how petro dollars are being used to grow an extremely intolerant form of political Islam in her native Egypt and elsewhere.

In twenty years there will be enough Muslim voters in the U.S. to elect the President by themselves! Rest assured they will do so... You can look at how they have taken over several towns in the USA ... Dearborn Mich. is one... and there are others...I think everyone in the U.S. should be required to read this, but with the ACLU, there is no way this will be widely publicized, unless each of us sends it on!

It is too bad that so many are disillusioned with life and Christianity to accept Muslims as peaceful... Some may be but they have an army that is willing to shed blood in the name of Islam... the peaceful support the warriors with their finances and own kind of patriotism to their religion. While America is getting rid of Christianity from all public sites and erasing God from the lives of children the Muslims are planning a great jihad on America.

Women out number men, there should be a reason

You may have read a Reuters story of men preferring women who cheat with women to those who cheat with men. Women’s preferences were found to be reversed. It is basically a sinful fantasy by men of having multiple partners simultaneously. With women, it is an issue of comparison, and naturally, women are more forgiving than men when it comes to adultery.

Thank God, I and Adam married the one woman each. Abraham waited for the son of the promise far too long and his wife to give an Egyptian housemaid named Hagar, for the birth of the heir. At 86 years of age, Abraham obliged to having a younger fertile woman.

(I must mention how the Holy Bible expresses how very beautiful Sarah, Abraham’s wife was. Abraham thought people would kill him for his wife and twice denied her, saying she was her sister, to Abimeleck and to Pharoah. Sarah was actually a daughter of his father, but different mothers. At 100, Abraham was circumcised with Ishmael, the same year Isaac was born of an aged Sarah.)

Abraham lost his wife, Sarah at about 128 years old and buried her, and went on to marry one more wife, Keturah. Many of us would envy the man with the fire power to marry at that age. Keturah mothered for Abraham, Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak and Shuah. He had several concubines of his own. He died aged 175.

In ancient times, men’s pride lay with having seed to perpetuate the family name. As for people like Solomon who married 700 times and had 300 official concubines (and I am convinced there is more off record) it was a case of pleasure than need. Hard as it may for 2 women in bigamy, you see how the 700 harmoniously lived together, being at piece even with concubines. It is a gift men do not have.

Following his raw deal with uncle Laban, Jacob married Leah and then Rachel. Rachel gave in her maid, Bilhah, to Jacob for a concubine, and so did Leah. For sure, there were less grounds of jealousy here and maybe, that is why men had no fantasy of having more than one woman in bed. In the case of Solomon, it is safe to assume he did, because, how does one cater for a 1000 women?

Owed something? Try this.

The Philistines took the Ark of God from Ebenezer and brought it to Ashdod. They placed it in the temple of their god, Dagon. Each morning, they found their god fallen upon his face and finally broken into pieces.

The presence of the Ark in the enemy camp displeased God, and he destroyed them until they got rid of the Ark. They passed it around and many people died and suffered diseases of the genitals until they gave it back to Israel 7 months later with some sin offering of gold and silver.

They made a cart and sent it by untrained bullocks that delivered it without losing direction or their way until they came to the field of Joshua. The Ark was kept by Eleazar, Abinadab’s son for 20 years.

If there is one who owes you anything and are keeping it from you illegally and against your will or you have been robbed or cheated, pray that the same God can unleash the same power, that it can be released back to you. God’s power has not diminished since then, but you have to believe.

Hannah and Peninah

Hannah married Elkanah, who had Peninah as wife. Peninah had children while Hannah was barren. Peninah did to Hannah for her barrenness, the ‘na, nanana, na! Na, nanana, na! It worked wonders as it tore Hannah’s heart apart, to her delight.

Hannah grieved and prayed for a son and made a vow to God in front of the High Priest Eli, to dedicate him to Him. Hannah conceived and bore a son she called Samuel. She dedicated him to the Lord as per her vow. Hannah was to bear a further 3 sons and 2 daughters.

Eli’s sons were evil and corrupt, sleeping with women worshippers at the tabernacle of the congregation gate. This brought Eli’s family a curse, but Samuel grew and matured in spirit in the temple with Eli.

The Lord called Samuel while he slept, and all the 3 times, Samuel said, ‘Here I am’ rising and approaching Eli, perceiving he called him. Eli soon discerned that it was God calling him and instructed the boy accordingly. Samuel became famous as a prophet in Israel, though it was a time the Philistines oppressed them.

Israel went to war and lost badly until they remembered to bring the Ark of the Lord. They shouted loud at the Ark’s arrival, sending shivers down the Philistines’ spines. The Philistines knew how the Egyptians and the other nations were defeated with the presence of the Ark. They however did not want to entertain being ruled by Hebrews.

Hophni  and Phinehas, Eli’s sons were the Ark bearers. The Ark was captured the Eli’s sons died the same day. The 98 year old Eli died of shock, falling off his chair and breaking his neck, at the news of the capture of the Ark. Phinehas’s wife was pregnant at the time, and she went into labour upon hearing the news. She bore a son she named Ichabod and died too.

God answers enerst prayer. Pray without ceasing, believing every word you say and the promise of the Holy Bible.

The story of Ruth.

It is a little common and usually quoted for wedding invitation cards, the story of Naomi, having Orpah and Ruth as her daughters in law. Her her husband and sons, Mahlon and Chillion, died and she asked them to return to their homes. Orpah did, and Ruth stayed. In Bethlehem, Ruth gleaned Boaz’s field. Boaz was a rich close relative of Elimelech, Naomi’s late husband.

Boaz showed massive favours to Ruth and Naomi was impresses by it and gave her instruction about a visit to Boaz in the evening. Ruth 3v8: ‘And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was afraid, and turned himself: and, behold, a woman lay at his feet. v9: And he said, Who art thou?  And she answered, I am Ruth thine handmaid: spread therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid; for thou art a near kinsman.’ I guess he knew that code. If it was me, I would have been lost.

He told her that there was a nearer kinsmen and he was going to hook her up but she must keep the secret. Ruth had bathed and was sweet smelling indeed, as per Naomi’s instructions. She then slept until the morning ‘and she rose up before one could know another’ and was instructed ‘Let it not be known that a woman came into the floor.’

Boaz eventually married Ruth and she conceived and bore Obed. Obed fathered Jesse, the father of David. Incredible story of a Moabitish woman.

Israel's civil war

Following a horror Bible story of the levels of 'Friday the 13th' published here yesterday, here is a sequel of events that ended in a rather interesting way. As for today, ignore the gruelling act of brutality against women, though we are led through a cruel civil war of ancient times. At the end, somehow women were involved.

Israel took to arms against the Benjamites. Benjamites chose 700 left-handed soldiers, ‘every one could sling stones at an hair breadth, and not miss' according to the Holy Bible. But, however, they eventually lost the war. All women and children were killed and all of Israel was reconciled. However, they had vowed and sworn that no one would marry their daughters to Benjamites, but the Benjamites had to propagate somehow.

It was decided to attack and kill all Jabesh-gilead citizens and save the virgins only for Benjamites. The operation was successful but the numbers could not tally. Shiloh, north of Bethel and south of Lebanon had an annual virgin feast, probably like the South African or Swaziland Reed dances of virgins.

Judges 21 v 20: ‘Therefore they commanded the children of Benjamin, saying, Go and lie in wait in the vineyards; v 21: And see, and, behold, if the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in dances, then come ye out of the vineyards, and catch you every man his wife of the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin.’

Sounds like proper hunting tactics, but I guess these things work sometimes. God had compassion for the land despite all the sins and appalling acts. He can forgive you all your sins if you sincerely repent and call upon him and never going back that old life.

A very sad Bible story

One guy, a Levite, meaning a priest of God, dated a concubine a long while after Samson’s death. A concubine would either be a prostitute but largely an illicit cohabitant with men. She cheated on him and fled to her father’s house for 4 months. Her husband took a servant and 2 donkeys and followed her, to bring her back home.

Upon arrival, he was welcomed and his father in law ensured they stayed 3 days, at least. He begged them to stay a day, then 2, and 3, and so on. They ate and drank and partied. One night, he could not be detained anymore, and they left. The next night, tired and hungry, the passed Jerusalem and the servant asked the master if they could rest till the next day. The master convinced him that they pass and rest only in Ramah or Gibeah, which they did.

Without anyone hosting them, they sat on the street ready to sleep there. An old Ephramite man came from working his field and saw them. Though not a Benjamite, he had travelled to Gibeah. After they told their story of travelling from Bethlehem to mount Ephraim, he took them in and fed them.

As they relaxed and ready for sleep, there were men at the door wanting to sodomise the men, sons of Belial, as it happened with Lot’s visiting angels. Like Lot, the man offered his daughter and the guest’s concubine, for the perpetrators to quench their wicked thirst. As they strove to break his door, the host pushed the concubine out. They raped and abused her until the morning.

He took the weak concubine unto his donkey and they travelled till they got home. Judges 19 v 29: ‘And when he was come into his house, he took a knife, and laid hold on his concubine, and divided her, together with her bones, into twelve pieces, and sent her into all the coasts of Israel. v30: And it was so, that all that saw it said, There was no such deed done nor seen from the day that the children of Israel came up out of the land of Egypt unto this day: consider of it, take advice, and speak your minds.'

Japhtah, son of a harlot.

Israel had been worshipping idols again and deep in sin. Even at much praying, God told them to cry out to Baal and other idols for help from their enemies. He then felt pity for them and heard their cry. Now, they needed a leader to take them to war and found none.

Japhtah was a strong man of valour, the son of Gilead but born of a whore. Gilead’s wife’s sons chased him away since he was from a strange woman.

When the sons of Ammon came charging at Israel, they went to him and asked him to be captain. He said, ‘Did not ye hate me, and expel me out of my father's house?  and why are ye come unto me now when ye are in distress?’ Judges 11 v7. He demanded to be their King if he won and they were good.

Japhtah made a vow with God, to offer a burnt sacrifice of the first thing that would come of his house when he comes from war, if God him victory. It was so, that God was with him and he subdued the children of Ammon.

As he came home, his only daughter came out singing and dancing. Japhtah was greatly aggrieved and explained to her what had just happened. And she said that he should fulfil his promise but ‘Let this thing be done for me: let me alone two months, that I may go up and down upon the mountains, and bewail my virginity, I and my fellows.’ Japhtah agreed and in due time sacrificed her as a burnt offering. This guy had guts.

He judged 6 years, after which Ibzan took over. He had 30 sons and 30 daughters and was in for 7 years. Elon judged 10 years, after which Abdon was in for 8 years. He had 40 sons. Think about the vows you make, and once you make them, fulfill them immediately and without fail

A woman can kill you

Gideon had 70 sons besides Abimelech, born of a concubine and of corrupt nature. He went to his maternal uncles and with the help of his mother, convinced them to have him as King rather than the 70 sons of Gideon. He killed all but one of them escaped and Abimelech was made King. Israel had gone back to their corrupt ways. Abimellech’s brother, Jotham who survived the slaughter, was informed of these things and in his disgust and anger told this parable;

Judges 9:8: ‘The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said unto the olive tree, Reign thou over us. v9: But the olive tree said unto them, Should I leave my fatness, wherewith by me they honour God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees? v10: And the trees said to the fig tree, Come thou, and reign over us. v11: But the fig tree said unto them, Should I forsake my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to be promoted over the trees?’

‘v12: Then said the trees unto the vine, Come thou, and reign over us. v13: And the vine said unto them, Should I leave my wine, which cheereth God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees? v14: Then said all the trees unto the bramble, Come thou, and reign over us. v15: And the bramble said unto the trees, If in truth ye anoint me king over you, then come and put your trust in my shadow: and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon.’

Jotham was disturbed and questioned if Israel had ‘done truly and sincerely, in that ye have made Abimelech king’ saying ‘For my father fought for you, and adventured his life far, and delivered you out of the hand of Midian.’

Abimelech ruled for three years and killed many people of Shechem. In one of the wars, he pursued his enemies, coming to a high tower, and a woman saw him, dropped a grinding stone that broke his skull and he fell. Judges 9v54: ‘Then he called hastily unto the young man his armour bearer, and said unto him, Draw thy sword, and slay me, that men say not of me, A woman slew him. And his young man thrust him through, and he died.’

After him ruled Tola for 20 years and then Jahir 22 years who had 30 sons. Any problems can kill you, including women. Pray.

Tsendex's Blog: Mourinho's African Connection

Tsendex's Blog: Mourinho's African Connection

Anything is possible, only to those who believe

Israel offended God again for 7 years. Midianites oppressed so hard that they ended up staying in the caves. They did own a donkey or even a cat. They were church mice.

God’s angel appeared to one man who wanted a sign that indeed God sent him. That man was Gideon. The angel caused fire from a rock to consume the sacrifice Gideon had made. Gideon was to seek further signs to prove God would be with him in his assignments.

Judges 6:37: ‘Behold, I will put a fleece of wool in the floor; and if the dew be on the fleece only, and it be dry upon all the earth beside, then shall I know that thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said. v38: And it was so: for he rose up early on the morrow, and thrust the fleece together, and wringed the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water.

v39: And Gideon said unto God, Let not thine anger be hot against me, and I will speak but this once: let me prove, I pray thee, but this once with the fleece; let it now be dry only upon the fleece, and upon all the ground let there be dew. v40: And God did so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.’

God then reduced Gideon’s army from 22000, to a 1000 and finally a mere 300. Judges 7v22: ‘And the three hundred blew the trumpets, and the LORD set every man's sword against his fellow, even throughout the entire host: and the host fled to Beth-shittah in Zererath, and to the border of Abel-meholah, unto Tabbath.’ The Midianites killed themselves and gave Israel the victory.

Gideon pursued Zalmunna and Zebah, commanding the princes of Succoth to feed his war weary army. They questioned the logic because they were loyal to Zebah and Zalmunna. And he said to them, in Judges 8v7: ‘Therefore when the LORD hath delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into mine hand, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers.’ Men of war have humour sometimes. However, he carried out his threat and during his life, there was peace for 40 years.

Gideon had 70 sons of his own body, for he had many wives, and his concubine that was in Shechem, she also bare him a son called Abimelech. He died after living a long life. I do not know where he took the strength of satisfying his many wives and concubine and fight great wars. With God, anything is possible.

The power of seduction.

Samson was born at the times of the Philistines terrorizing the Israelites left right and centre. An angel of God appeared to his parents before his birth. His father, Manoah, asked what the angel’s name was.(He was not yet aware he was an angel) but then he said ‘Why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is secret?’ Manoah offered a burnt offering to God in his presence and ‘and the angel did wondrously; and Manoah and his wife looked on.’ Judges 13v20: ‘For it came to pass, when the flame went up toward heaven from off the altar, that the angel of the LORD ascended in the flame of the altar.’

We all know Samson was to be a Nazarite from his mother’s womb. That is to say, he drank neither wine nor strong drink, and never shaved his hair. Samson grew and went to the Philistines and met a beautiful lady named Timnath. His parent could not understand how he went, saw and wanted to marry a damsel of the uncircumcised Philistines while he could have married an Israeli woman, but he insisted, ‘Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well.’

Him and his parents went to see this girl. While at the fields, Samson left his parents and proceeded alone. He met a huge lion wanting to tear him apart. Samson killed him bare handedly, as if he dealt with a young kid or lamb, but he kept it a secret. After meeting his girl, he returned to his parent, passing by the lion carcass he killed. He saw bees on its body and there was honey. He took the honey and ate and brought to his parents.

Samson made a feast for his woman and challenged his in-law companions to solve a riddle for a price within a week.  Judges 14v14: ‘And he said unto them, Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness.  And they could not in three days expound the riddle.’ The young men threatened Tamnath with burning her father’s house if she did not get the answer from Samson. She then seduced him to telling the answer, which she passed on.

Judges 14v18: ‘And the men of the city said unto him on the seventh day before the sun went down, What is sweeter than honey?  and what is stronger than a lion?  And he said unto them, If ye had not plowed with my heifer, ye had not found out my riddle.’ Samson met his end of the bargain farely, killing 30 Ashkelon men and taking their spoils for the wedger. His girlfriend was then offered to his buddy.

Samson went and caught three hundred foxes, tied their tails in pairs and set the tails alight. The foxes, their tails alight, ran with great speed into the fields of the Philistines, burning all crops. They then burnt his wife and father in law with fire and he was still angry with them. Judges 15v8: ‘And he smote them hip and thigh with a great slaughter: and he went down and dwelt in the top of the rock Etam.’

The Philistines invaded Judah and demanded the arrest of Samson. 3000 men of Judah went to the mountain to bind and deliver him to the enemies. When he came near to them, the Spirit of God filled him and he broke all that bound him, found a fresh jaw bone of a donkey and killed a thousand of the Philistines.

After throwing away that bone, ‘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?’ Judges 15v19: ‘But God clave an hollow place that was in the jaw, and there came water thereout; and when he had drunk, his spirit came again, and he revived.’

Samson came to Gaza and met a prostitute that he slept with. People of Gaza planned for his kidnapping hoping to kill him the next morning. Judges 16v3: ‘And Samson lay till midnight, and arose at midnight, and took the doors of the gate of the city, and the two posts, and went away with them, bar and all, and put them upon his shoulders, and carried them up to the top of an hill that is before Hebron.’

Mr Loverman saw a woman in the valley of Solek and loved her. She was the famous Delilah. Their story is one of the commonest in the Bible. The Philistines bribed her to solicit to him to reveal to her the source of his powers. After several attempts, she repeated her probe she made here in Judges 16v13: ‘And Delilah said unto Samson, Hitherto thou hast mocked me, and told me lies: tell me wherewith thou mightest be bound.’ He poured his heart out to her, and she cut his hair and he was an ordinary man.

The Philistines arrested him, removed his eyes and jailed him because the Lord God departed from him. Then they organized a banquet to honour their gods in a huge theatre with many people. ‘When their hearts were merry, they said, Call for Samson, that he may make us sport.  And they called for Samson out of the prison house; and he made them sport.’ The blind Samson asked the lad that led him to let him feel the pillars that supported the building so he could lean on them.

Samson remembered God,  ‘And Samson called unto the LORD, and said, O Lord GOD, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.’ Judges 16v28. Samson bowed and with all his might, pulled the pillars down and the building fell killing all the Philistine kings and their guests. He killed more people at his death than when he was alive. He was judge for 20 years.

Barak and Deborah

There was peace for 80 years and after Ehud’s death, Shamgar, the son of Anath, killed 600 Philistine men with an ox horn and delivered Israel. Then, it was back to square one, oh naughty Israel. They were then oppressed for 20 years by Canaanites. They were however delivered by Barak and Deborah.

The Canaanites king was one Sisera. In his battle with Israel, the leader of the Canaanites fled to a woman’s tent as he could not stand the firepower. He came to one Jael Heber’s wife, and way off. He went into her tent and stayed there a while.

Judges 4:20: ‘Again he said unto her, Stand in the door of the tent, and it shall be, when any man doth come and enquire of thee, and say, Is there any man here?  that thou shalt say, No. v21: Then Jael Heber's wife took a nail of the tent, and took an hammer in her hand, and went softly unto him, and smote the nail into his temples, and fastened it into the ground: for he was fast asleep and weary.  So he died.’

Foolish death indeed. When he came in huffing and puffing, he asked water, and she gave him milk and she brought forth butter in a royal vessel. Women!!

A warrior called Joshua

After Moses retired as the general of the Exodus, entered Joshua. He conquered 31 kings in his life time. We are talking about the man who prayed for the sun to stop as he went about his war. It was so until he was done. Joshua led Israel to the Promised Land, circling Jericho 7 seven times to bring down its walls.

God hates idolatry and the Israelites liked it. It was their weakest points. Man is a worshipper. By not worshipping God, we worship something else and God gets very angry. All nations feared and revered Israel for their God, as they heard His power by the miracles of Egypt, the desert and upon other nations that fought against them.

After Joshua died, for 8 years Israel suffered from the Mesopotamian king because of their evil and forsaking of God. After that, Caleb’s young brother’s son, Othniel was judge. He went to war and delivered the Israelites. There was peace for 40 years. He died and they sinned.

Moabites, ruled by a very fat king called Eglon, oppressed Israel for 18 years. Moab was the son of Lot by one of his daughters. God raised a man to deliver Israel. The left-handed Ehud sent king Eglon a present, but secured a sharpened double edged 30 cm dagga on his right thigh, under his garment.

This reminds me of the war Joshua fought when he conquered Ai. He took few men to the city, while his army laid ambush, enticed his enemies out of the city. Ai and his army, and all the city went in hot pursuit of Joshua and the army entered an empty city, burning it to the ground. Ai was in Joshua and his burning city. The rest is history, indeed.

Anyway, Judges 3v20: ‘And Ehud came unto him; and he was sitting in a summer parlour, which he had for himself alone. And Ehud said, I have a message from God unto thee. And he arose out of his seat. v21: And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly. v22: And the haft also went in after the blade; and the fat closed upon the blade, so that he could not draw the dagger out of his belly and the dirt came out. v23: Then Ehud went forth through the porch, and shut the doors of the parlour upon him, and locked them.’

Are you ready to deal with the things of this world? You better be.