Bible Ministries International

Bible Studies

A series of verse by verse studies by Gunther von Harringa Sr

Act 17:11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

Text Studies

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Judges 14 - Part 1

September 12, 2022

‍Good evening, and welcome to Searching The Scriptures! This will be Judges 14 - Part 1 and today’s date is September 12, 2022. I’ll read from Judges 14:1-5,

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And Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines. {2} And he came up, and told his father and his mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines: now therefore get her for me to wife. {3} Then his father and his mother said unto him, [Is there] never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said unto his father, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well. {4} But his father and his mother knew not that it [was] of the LORD, that he sought an occasion against the Philistines: for at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel. {5} Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath, and came to the vineyards of Timnath: and, behold, a young lion roared against him.

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In this chapter we see that Samson has grown up and goes to a town that is mentioned three times in verse 1-2: Timnath. And why did He decide to go to this particular town which is mentioned three times? He saw a woman in Timnath, that we learn in verses 1-2 that she is of the daughters of the Philistines, which is repeated. Moreover we discover that he wants to marry this heathen woman, and he wants his parents to arrange for this sinful marriage to take place! So we are faced with a number of important questions, not the least of which is how can Samson be a type of the Lord Jesus Christ, if his intentions, words, and actions are contrary to the Word of God. So, let’s try to work through some of these thorny questions in order to discover the Gospel dimension that God has hidden in this historical parable.

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Can we find any other information in the Bible that might help us to further understand the significance of Timnath? For starters, let’s see if Timnath has a root word that might help to shed some light on the nature of this location, and then we can take a look at some of the references in which Timnath surfaces.

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Timnath [H8553] Is Derived From Manah [H4487/TWOT* 1213] [mah-naw]

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Timnath stems from the Hebrew verb manah that includes various connotations such as: count, number, tell, appoint, and prepare. It surfaces in 28 citations, but I’m just going to mention three of them which as we shall see will tie into the spiritual pictures that God is illustrating in these first five verses of Chapter 14.

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Genesis 13:16 translates this term as number or be numbered: And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number [manah:H4487/TWOT 1213] the dust of the earth, [then] shall thy seed also be numbered. [manah:H4487/TWOT 1213]

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In Psalm 147:4 this word is expressed as He telleth: He telleth [manah:H4487/TWOT 1213] the number of the stars; he calleth them all by [their] names.

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Isaiah 53:12 likewise renders this as was numbered: Therefore will I divide him [a portion] with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered [manah:H4487/TWOT 1213] with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

Did you notice a pattern in these Scriptures? They are all speaking of God’s elect for whom Christ made payment for at …the foundation of the world. Keep this in mind as I want to come back to these verses as we move along in Chapter 14. Now let’s turn our attention to some of the places in which the town of Timnath appears:

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What does Timnath [Timnah:H8553] Signify Spiritually?

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*Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (TWOT)

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Besides some references to the town itself which was part of Judah, then later of Dan as in this account, there are only two other major accounts that prominently feature Timnath. One is here in Judges 14 with Samson, but the other is in Genesis 38:12-14, which has to do with Judah and his daughter-in-law, Tamar, and highlights the role of the kinsman-redeemer as in the account of Boaz and Ruth or Christ and His Eternal Bride. In this chapter, Timnath emerges three times again (just as in Judges 14:1-2); please bear in mind that the number three is indicative of the purpose of God.

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Alright, let’s turn to Genesis 38:1-30, in order to see another historical parable unfold which will assist us in understanding the parabolic significance of Timnath, along with its root word manah that was just discussed. Keep your ears open for Timnath in verses 12-14:

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And it came to pass at that time, that Judah went down from his brethren, and turned in to a certain Adullamite, whose name [was] Hirah. {2} And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite, whose name [was] Shuah; and he took her, and went in unto her. {3} And she conceived, and bare a son; and he called his name Er. {4} And she conceived again, and bare a son; and she called his name Onan. {5} And she yet again conceived, and bare a son; and called his name Shelah: and he was at Chezib, when she bare him. {6} And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, whose name [was] Tamar. {7} And Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD slew him. {8} And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother's wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother. {9} And Onan knew that the seed should not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in unto his brother's wife, that he spilled [it] on the ground, lest that he should give seed to his brother. {10} And the thing which he did displeased the LORD: wherefore he slew him also. {11} Then said Judah to Tamar his daughter in law, Remain a widow at thy father's house, till Shelah my son be grown: for he said, Lest per adventure he die also, as his brethren [did]. And Tamar went and dwelt in her father's house. {12} And in process of time the daughter of Shuah Judah's wife died; and Judah was comforted, and went up unto his sheep shearers to Timnath [Timnah:H8553], he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite. {13} And it was told Tamar, saying, Behold thy father in law goeth up to Timnath [Timnah:H8553] to shear his sheep. {14} And she put her widow's garments off from her, and covered her with a vail, and wrapped herself, and sat in an open place, which [is] by the way to Timnath [Timnah:H8553] ; for she saw that Shelah was grown, and she was not given unto him to wife. {15} When Judah saw her, he thought her [to be] an harlot; because she had covered her face. {16} And he turned unto her by the way, and said, Go to, I pray thee, let me come in unto thee; (for he knew not that she [was] his daughter in law.) And she said, What wilt thou give me, that thou mayest come in unto me? {17} And he said, I will send [thee] a kid from the flock. And she said, Wilt thou give [me] a pledge, till thou send [it]? {18} And he said, What pledge shall I give thee? And she said, Thy signet, and thy bracelets, and thy staff that [is] in thine hand. And he gave [it] her, and came in unto her, and she conceived by him. {19} And she arose, and went away, and laid by her vail from her, and put on the garments of her widowhood. {20} And Judah sent the kid by the hand of his friend the Adullamite, to receive [his] pledge from the woman's hand: but he found her not. {21} Then he asked the men of that place, saying, Where [is] the harlot, that [was] openly by the wayside? And they said, There was no harlot in this [place]. {22} And he returned to Judah, and said, I cannot find her; and also the men of the place said, [that] there was no harlot in this [place]. {23} And Judah said, Let her take [it] to her, lest we be shamed: behold, I sent this kid, and thou hast not found her. {24} And it came to pass about three months after, that it was told Judah, saying, Tamar thy daughter in law hath played the harlot; and also, behold, she [is] with child by whoredom. And Judah said, Bring her forth, and let her be burnt. {25} When she [was] brought forth, she sent to her father in law, saying, By the man, whose these [are, am] I with child: and she said, Discern, I pray thee, whose [are] these, the signet, and bracelets, and staff. {26} And Judah acknowledged [them], and said, She hath been more righteous than I; because that I gave her not to Shelah my son. And he knew her again no more. {27} And it came to pass in the time of her travail, that, behold, twins [were] in her womb. {28} And it came to pass, when she travailed, that [the one] put out [his] hand: and the midwife took and bound upon his hand a scarlet thread, saying, This came out first. {29} And it came to pass, as he drew back his hand, that, behold, his brother came out: and she said, How hast thou broken forth? [this] breach [be] upon thee: therefore his name was called Pharez. {30} And afterward came out his brother, who had the scarlet thread upon his hand: and his name was called Zarah.

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Obviously, there are many truths that could be discussed in this chapter. I will try to summarize the flow of events briefly:

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Judah falls into the same sin that Samson does which is to marry a Canaanitish or heathen woman.
They have three sons: Er, Onan, and Shelah.
Judah gets a wife for his firstborn Er, whose name is Tamar.
Er is wicked, and God kills him, leaving Tamar a widow.
Judah tells Onan to raise up seed on behalf of his deceased older brother,but Onan refuses to do so (spilling it on the ground in the process), for which God killed him as well.
Judah tells Tamar to wait at her father’s house as a widow until Shelah is grown so he can then marry her, which she does.
Judah’s wife dies in the meantime.
Judah is comforted after the death of his wife and goes with his friend Hiram the Adullamite to Timnath to shear sheep.
Tamar gets wind of this, and because Judah has not upheld his promise to give Shelah (who is now of age) to Tamar, she concocts a plan.
She changes out of her widow’s garments and puts on the attire of a harlot, and covers his face, and places herself conspicuously in Timnath.
Judah sees this “harlot” and wants to transact business, but Tamar asks what he would give her, and he says a kid from the flock, but she wants a pledge that he will make good on his word.
When Judah asks what kind of pledge she wants, she replies: Thy signet, and thy bracelets, and thy staff that [is] in thine hand, which he gives her.
Later Judah has his friend Hiram return to Timnath with the promised kid, hoping to get the pledge back but she is nowhere to be found.
Hiram makes enquiries from some of the townsfolk regarding the “harlot,” and they tell him that there was no harlot there.
Hiram informs Judah, and there is nothing more that can be done.
Three months later Judah is told that his daughter-in-law is pregnant by whoredom, and Judah commands that she be burnt.
Tamar shows the pledge to Judah, telling him that she has been impregnated by the man who gave her… the signet…bracelets…and staff.
Judah acknowledges his sin for not having given Shelah to her in marriage.
Tamar bears twins, in which the second born Pharez manages to come out first, in front of the firstborn, Zarah, whose hand emerged first initially, so the midwife placed a scarlet thread upon his wrist.

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Let’s stop here. Lord willing in our next study we will examine the spiritual implications in this account and relate them to our account of Samson and the Canaanite woman that he wants his parents to get for him.

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Judges 14 - Part 2

September 14, 2022

Good evening, and welcome to Searching The Scriptures! This will be Judges 14 - Part 2 and today’s date is September 14, 2022. I’ll read from Judges 14:1-5,

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And Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines. {2} And he came up, and told his father and his mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines: now therefore get her for me to wife. {3} Then his father and his mother said unto him, [Is there] never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said unto his father, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well. {4} But his father and his mother knew not that it [was] of the LORD, that he sought an occasion against the Philistines: for at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel. {5} Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath, and came to the vineyards of Timnath: and, behold, a young lion roared against him.

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We have been discussing the spiritual significance of Timnath [Timnah:H8553] which appears five times in these first five verses. Timnath is derived from the verb manah [H4487/TWOT* 1213], which has to do with counting or numbering the elect, as we saw from three passages in our previous study.

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What Can We Glean Spiritually from The Account of Judah And Tamar?

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In our last study we spent some time looking at the historical account of Judah, his wife, his three sons, and his daughter-in-law Tamar.

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*Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (TWOT)

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This is a historical parable that touches upon a number of significant spiritual truths that I would now like to address before we continue with our account of Samson wanting to marry a Philistine woman from Timnath, and the parallel spiritual principles that God has hidden within that narrative:

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You might recall that the children that Tamar gave birth to are Pharez (who was the second-born) but came out first and Zarah (who was the firstborn), but came out second. Incidentally this highlights another principle in Matthew 20:16a namely,

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So the last shall be first, and the first last, for many be called, but few chosen.

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The significance of this is seen in the genealogy of Matthew 1:1-6, in which the line went from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to Judah, and then to Pharez, who was the offspring of the adulterous affair between Judah and Tamar:

The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. {2} Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren; {3} And Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; and Phares begat Esrom; and Esrom begat Aram; {4} And Aram begat Aminadab; and Aminadab begat Naasson; and Naasson begat Salmon; {5} And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse; {6} And Jesse begat David the king…

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The line then continues in the genealogy of Luke 3:23-31 from David through Nathan all the way to Mary and to Christ:

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And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was [the son] of Heli, {24} Which was [the son] of Matthat, which was [the son] of Levi, which was [the son] of Melchi, which was [the son] of Janna, which was [the son] of Joseph, {25} Which was [the son] of Mattathias, which was [the son] of Amos, which was [the son] of Naum, which was [the son] of Esli, which was [the son] of Nagge, {26} Which was [the son] of Maath, which was [the son] of Mattathias, which was [the son] of Semei, which was [the son] of Joseph, which was [the son] of Juda, {27} Which was [the son] of Joanna, which was [the son] of Rhesa, which was [the son] of Zorobabel, which was [the son] of Salathiel, which was [the son] of Neri, {28} Which was [the son] of Melchi, which was [the son] of Addi, which was [the son] of Cosam, which was [the son] of Elmodam, which was [the son] of Er, {29} Which was [the son] of Jose, which was [the son] of Eliezer, which was [the son] of Jorim, which was [the son] of Matthat, which was [the son] of Levi, {30} Which was [the son] of Simeon, which was [the son] of Juda, which was [the son] of Joseph, which was [the son] of Jonan, which was [the son] of Eliakim, {31} Which was [the son] of Melea, which was [the son] of Menan, which was [the son] of Mattatha, which was [the son] of Nathan, which was [the son] of David,

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If we return to the narrative of Onan refusing to “raise up seed” for his deceased brother Er we note that Onan violated his father’s direct command as noted in Genesis 38:6-10,

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And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, whose name was Tamar. {7} And Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD slew him. {8} And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother’s wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother. {9} And Onan knew that the seed should not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in unto his brother’s wife, that he spilled it on the ground, lest that he should give seed to his brother. {10} And the thing which he did displeased the LORD: wherefore he slew him also.

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In one of Mr. Camping’s studies he made the point that the actual law concerning the obligation to “raise up seed” did not emerge for another 400 years or so until the time of Moses; it is encapsulated in Deuteronomy 25:5-10. Nevertheless, because Judah had commanded this, and Onan refused, it resulted in God taking Onan’s life:

If brethren dwell together, and one of them die, and have no child, the wife of the dead shall not marry without unto a stranger: her husband's brother shall go in unto her, and take her to him to wife, and perform the duty of an husband's brother unto her. {6} And it shall be, [that] the firstborn which she beareth shall succeed in the name of his brother [which is] dead, that his name be not put out of Israel. {7} And if the man like not to take his brother's wife, then let his brother's wife go up to the gate unto the elders, and say, My husband's brother refuseth to raise up unto his brother a name in Israel, he will not perform the duty of my husband's brother. {8} Then the elders of his city shall call him, and speak unto him: and [if] he stand [to it], and say, I like not to take her; {9} Then shall his brother's wife come unto him in the presence of the elders, and loose his shoe from off his foot, and spit in his face, and shall answer and say, So shall it be done unto that man that will not build up his brother's house. {10} And his name shall be called in Israel, The house of him that hath his shoe loosed.

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God bysteps all of this by simply killing Onan on the spot. One who fails in this regard is cursed and subject to death, which is the significance of being spit in the face or having one’s shoe loosed. In spite of Judah’s sin in seeking out a “harlot,” God worked through this sin to bring about a huge blessing, as only God can with such wonderful results. As it turns out Judah performs the role of the Kinsman-Redeemer [representing Christ], just as in the case of Boaz and Ruth in Ruth 4:1-22 and please note the line from Pharez to David again. Incidentally the term kinsman or redeem is used 13 times in this account; actually 14 times if you include the related word redeeming in verse 7!

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Kinsman-Redeemer [ga’al:H1350/TWOT 300]

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Then went Boaz up to the gate, and sat him down there: and, behold, the kinsman [ga’al:H1350/TWOT 300] of whom Boaz spake came by; unto whom he said, Ho, such a one! turn aside, sit down here. And he turned aside, and sat down. {2} And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit ye down here. And they sat down. {3} And he said unto the kinsman [ga’al:H1350/TWOT 300], Naomi, that is come again out of the country of Moab, selleth a parcel of land, which [was] our brother Elimelech's: {4} And I thought to advertise thee, saying, Buy [it] before the inhabitants, and before the elders of my people. If thou wilt redeem [ga’al:H1350/TWOT 300] [it], redeem [ga’al:H1350/TWOT 300] [it]: but if thou wilt not redeem [ga’al:H1350/TWOT 300][it, then] tell me, that I may know: for [there is] none to redeem [ga’al:H1350/TWOT 300] [it] beside thee; and I [am] after thee. And he said, I will redeem [ga’al:H1350/TWOT 300] [it]. {5} Then said Boaz, What day thou buyest the field of the hand of Naomi, thou must buy [it] also of Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance. {6} And the kinsman [ga’al:H1350/TWOT 300] said, I cannot redeem [ga’al:H1350/TWOT 300] [it] for myself, lest I mar mine own inheritance: redeem [ga’al:H1350/TWOT 300 thou my right to thyself; for I cannot redeem [ga’al:H1350/TWOT 300] [it]. {7} Now this [was the manner] in former time in Israel concerning redeeming [g@ullah:H1353/TWOT 300b] and concerning changing, for to confirm all things; a man plucked off his shoe, and gave [it] to his neighbour: and this [was] a testimony in Israel. {8} Therefore the kinsman [ga’al:H1350/TWOT 300] said unto Boaz, Buy [it] for thee. So he drew off his shoe. {9} And Boaz said unto the elders, and [unto] all the people, Ye [are] witnesses this day, that I have bought all that [was] Elimelech's, and all that [was] Chilion's and Mahlon's, of the hand of Naomi. {10} Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren, and from the gate of his place: ye [are] witnesses this day. {11} And all the people that [were] in the gate, and the elders, said, [We are] witnesses. The LORD make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel: and do thou worthily in Ephratah, and be famous in Bethlehem: {12} And let thy house be like the house of Pharez, whom Tamar bare unto Judah, of the seed which the LORD shall give thee of this young woman. {13} So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife: and when he went in unto her, the LORD gave her conception, and she bare a son. {14} And the women said unto Naomi, Blessed [be] the LORD, which hath not left thee this day without a kinsman [ga’al:H1350/TWOT 300], that his name may be famous in Israel. {15} And he shall be unto thee a restorer of [thy] life, and a nourisher of thine old age: for thy daughter in law, which loveth thee, which is better to thee than seven sons, hath born him. {16} And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse unto it. {17} And the women her neighbours gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi; and they called his name Obed: he [is] the father of Jesse, the father of David. {18} Now these [are] the generations of Pharez: Pharez begat Hezron, {19} And Hezron begat Ram, and Ram begat Amminadab, {20} And Amminadab begat Nahshon, and Nahshon begat Salmon, {21} And Salmon begat Boaz, and Boaz begat Obed, {22} And Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David.

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So we see that Timnath is associated with the Kinsman-Redeemer or salvation, and as I mentioned at the start of today’s lesson Timnath surfaces 5 times in the first five verses of Judges 14:1-5. We also recognize that the number five points to either salvation or judgment.

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Thus we can expect that Samson’s desire to marry this Philistine woman from Timnath can be spiritually viewed as an opportunity for him to perform the role of the Kinsman-Redeemer on her behalf.

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Lord willing, we will be learning more about Samson’s relationship with this Philistine woman, and the spiritual implications of the Gospel that God has hidden in this most interesting account.

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Judges 14 - Part 3

September 16, 2022

Good evening, and welcome to Searching The Scriptures! This will be Judges 14 - Part 3 and today’s date is September 16, 2022. I’ll read from Judges 14:1-5,

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In our previous study we spent some time looking at the account of Judah and his daughter-in-law, Tamar, as their adulterous affair took place in Timnath. We learned that spiritually, Timnath is identified with the Kinsman-Redeemer typified by both Judah as well as Boaz, and as we shall see with Samson and this Philistine woman. Ultimately, the Kinsman-Redeemer is Christ Himself, and in their own historical settings the likes of Judah, Boaz, Samson and others who point to the Messiah.

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Of The Daughters [bat:H1323/TWOT* 254b] Of The Philistines [P@lishtiy:H6430]

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*Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (TWOT)

When Samson’s parents heard that he wanted to marry one of the daughters of the Philistines, they were of course troubled, as this would be contrary to God’s Law that stresses that to be equally yoked is mandatory. Nonetheless, verse 4, helps us to see the larger picture of what God had in mind, even though He was going to use Samson’s sin to ultimately achieve God’s purposes:

But his father and his mother knew not that it [was] of the LORD, that he sought an occasion against the Philistines: for at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel.

The two expressions, of the daughters and of the Philistines emerge together in Judges 14:1-2, but also in eight other citations. But before we examine a few of those, I would like to comment on the phrase in verse 3… of the uncircumcised Philistines…

Of The Uncircumcised [`arel:H6189/TWOT 1695b] Philistines [P@lishtiy:H6430]

These two words are only found in the following three passages, all of which concern David, and in the third one, David as well as King Saul:

1 Samuel 17:26 and 36 maintain: And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine [P@lishtiy:H6430], and taketh away the reproach from Israel? for who [is] this uncircumcised [`arel:H6189/TWOT 1695b] Philistine [P@lishtiy:H6430], that he should defy the armies of the living God? ... {36} Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised [`arel:H6189/TWOT 1695b] Philistine [P@lishtiy:H6430] shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God.

Verse 20 of 2 Samuel 1:17-27 includes the phrase the daughters of the Philistines, along with the expression, the daughters of the uncircumcised, as David laments the death of King Saul and Jonathan:

And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son: {18} (Also he bade them teach the children of Judah [the use of] the bow: behold, [it is] written in the book of Jasher.) {19} The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places: how are the mighty fallen! {20} Tell [it] not in Gath, publish [it] not in the streets of Askelon; lest the daughters [bat:H1323/TWOT 254b] of the Philistines [P@lishtiy:H6430] rejoice, lest the daughters [bat:H1323/TWOT 254b] of the uncircumcised [`arel:H6189/TWOT 1695b] triumph. {21} Ye mountains of Gilboa, [let there be] no dew, neither [let there be] rain, upon you, nor fields of offerings: for there the shield of the mighty is vilely cast away, the shield of Saul, [as though he had] not [been] anointed with oil. {22} From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan turned not back, and the sword of Saul returned not empty. {23} Saul and Jonathan [were] lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided: they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions. {24} Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet, with [other] delights, who put on ornaments of gold upon your apparel. {25} How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! O Jonathan, [thou wast] slain in thine high places. {26} I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant hast thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women. {27} How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished!

To Take [laqach:H3947/TWOT 1124] A Wife [’ishshah:H802/TWOT 137a]

The two expressions to take and a wife occur over 260 times in the Old Testament. These two terms appeared in Deuteronomy 25:5, for instance, that related to the law of raising up seed on behalf one’s brother who had died that we discussed in Part 2:

If brethren dwell together, and one of them die, and have no child, the wife [’ishshah:H802/TWOT 137a] of the dead shall not marry without unto a stranger: her husband's brother shall go in unto her, and take [laqach:H3947/TWOT 1124] her to him to wife [’ishshah:H802/TWOT 137a], and perform the duty of an husband's brother unto her.

Samson’s sin that God allowed to take place was one that frequently reared its ugly head within the nation of Israel as we learned, for instance, back in Judges 3:5-6; the identical word for daughters surfaces here as well:

And the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, Hittites, and Amorites, and Perizzites, and Hivites, and Jebusites: {6} And they took [laqach:H3947/TWOT 1124] their daughters to be their wives [’ishshah:H802/TWOT 137a], and gave their daughters to their sons, and served their gods.

God emphasizes this particular sin in Hosea 1:2, as God commands the prophet to marry a harlot in this living tableau to illustrate Israel’s spiritual adultery:

The beginning of the word of the LORD by Hosea. And the LORD said to Hosea, Go, take unto thee [laqach:H3947/TWOT 1124] a wife [’ishshah:H802/TWOT 137a] of whoredoms and children of whoredoms: for the land hath committed great whoredom, [departing] from the LORD.

This is also the case with respect to Esau as these next citations underscore ,in which these same two terms are found:

Genesis 26:34-35 reveals: And Esau was forty years old when he took [laqach:H3947/TWOT 1124] to wife [’ishshah:H802/TWOT 137a] Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Bashemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite: {35} Which were a grief of mind unto Isaac and to Rebekah.

This action on the part of Esau, caused Rebekah to explain to Isaac in Genesis 27:46, And Rebekah said to Isaac, I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth: if Jacob take [laqach:H3947/TWOT 1124] a wife [’ishshah:H802/TWOT 137a] of the daughters of Heth, such as these [which are] of the daughters of the land, what good shall my life do me?

Then in Genesis 28:6-9 Esau does the following, out of spite: When Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob, and sent him away to Padanaram, to take [laqach:H3947/TWOT 1124] him a wife [’ishshah:H802/TWOT 137a] from thence; and that as he blessed him he gave him a charge, saying, Thou shalt not take [laqach:H3947/TWOT 1124] a wife [’ishshah:H802/TWOT 137a] of the daughters of Canaan; {7} And that Jacob obeyed his father and his mother, and was gone to Padanaram; {8} And Esau seeing that the daughters of Canaan pleased not Isaac his father; {9} Then went Esau unto Ishmael, and took [laqach:H3947/TWOT 1124] unto the wives [’ishshah:H802/TWOT 137a] which he had Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael Abraham's son, the sister of Nebajoth, to be his wife. [’ishshah:H802/TWOT 137a]

Sought [baqach:H1245/TWOT 276] & An Occasion [ta’anah:H8385/TWOT 126a,b]

Verse 24 of Jeremiah 2:1-24 is the only other time these two expressions surface together, as God through the prophet denounces Israel for her spiritual adultery, underscoring that God’s judgment must begin at His own house first:

Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying, {2} Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the LORD; I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, when thou wentest after me in the wilderness, in a land [that was] not sown. {3} Israel [was] holiness unto the LORD, [and] the firstfruits of his increase: all that devour him shall offend; evil shall come upon them, saith the LORD. {4} Hear ye the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel: {5} Thus saith the LORD, What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain? {6} Neither said they, Where [is] the LORD that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, that led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and of pits, through a land of drought, and of the shadow of death, through a land that no man passed through, and where no man dwelt? {7} And I brought you into a plentiful country, to eat the fruit thereof and the goodness thereof; but when ye entered, ye defiled my land, and made mine heritage an abomination. {8} The priests said not, Where [is] the LORD? and they that handle the law knew me not: the pastors also transgressed against me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after [things that] do not profit. {9} Wherefore I will yet plead with you, saith the LORD, and with your children's children will I plead. {10} For pass over the isles

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of Chittim, and see; and send unto Kedar, and consider diligently, and see if there be such a thing. {11} Hath a nation changed [their] gods, which [are] yet no gods? but my people have changed their glory for [that which] doth not profit. {12} Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid, be ye very desolate, saith the LORD. {13} For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, [and] hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water. {14} [Is] Israel a servant? [is] he a homeborn [slave]? why is he spoiled? {15} The young lions roared upon him, [and] yelled, and they made his land waste: his cities are burned without inhabitant. {16} Also the children of Noph and Tahapanes have broken the crown of thy head. {17} Hast thou not procured this unto thyself, in that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, when he led thee by the way? {18} And now what hast thou to do in the way of Egypt, to drink the waters of Sihor? or what hast thou to do in the way of Assyria, to drink the waters of the river? {19} Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know therefore and see that [it is] an evil [thing] and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, and that my fear [is] not in thee, saith the Lord GOD of hosts. {20} For of old time I have broken thy yoke, [and] burst thy bands; and thou saidst, I will not transgress; when upon every high hill and under every green tree thou wanderest, playing the harlot. {21} Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed: how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me? {22} For though thou wash thee with nitre, and take thee much soap, [yet] thine iniquity is marked before me, saith the Lord GOD. {23} How canst thou say, I am not polluted, I have not gone after Baalim? see thy way in the valley, know what thou hast done: [thou art] a swift dromedary traversing her ways; {24} A wild ass used to the wilderness, [that] snuffeth up the wind at her pleasure; in her occasion [ta’anah:H8385/TWOT 126a,b] who can turn her away? all they that seek [baqach:H1245/TWOT 276] her will not weary themselves; in her month they shall find her.

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Let’s stop here. Lord willing, in our next lesson, we will continue to learn more about this man Samson who was a Judge that God raised up to defeat the Philistines, but spiritually is such a tremendous representation of the Savior.

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Judges 14 - Part 4

September 19, 2022

‍Good evening, and welcome to Searching The Scriptures! This will be Judges 14 - Part 4 and today’s date is September 19, 2022. I’ll read from Judges 14:1-5,

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Before we explore verse 5, I would like to go back to verse 3, and take a closer look at the word, pleaseth me well.

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Pleaseth Me Well [yashar:H3474/TWOT* 930]

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Let’s examine how God utilizes this term which sums up the attraction that Samson had for this heathen woman to the point of marrying her. This, in turn, would be the catalyst that God would use to deliver Israel from their Philistine overlords at this time in their history.

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*Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (TWOT)

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This Hebrew verb is used 26 other times, and also appears in verse 7 of this chapter, in which it is rendered and she pleased well:

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And he went down, and talked with the woman; and she pleased [yashar:H3474/TWOT 930] [H0] Samson well. [yashar:H3474/TWOT 930]

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In the Authorized Version (King James) it seems that this word is used twice, once as and she pleased, and the second time as well. However this is not the case in the original Hebrew as one readily sees in Jay P. Green’s Interlinear Bible which translates this verse in this manner:

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And went he down and talked with the woman and she was pleasing [yashar:H3474/TWOT 930] in the eyes of Samson.

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If you use an online Bible program you might notice a [H0] in brackets before the word Samson which indicates that this word and she pleased well or and she was pleasing is all one word, not two, being separated by the word Samson.

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Here are some other ways that God employs this interesting expression, which has a literal application of “going in a straight path,” and spiritually we understand this to signify “the straight and narrow way” as we read in Matthew 7:13-14,

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Enter ye in at the strait [stenos:G4728] gate: for wide [is] the gate, and broad [is] the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: {14} Because strait [stenos:G4728] [is] the gate, and narrow [is] the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

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These next citations underscore this idea of straight literally, but we still want to bear in mind that there is always a spiritual dimension that God has hidden, and that His people are to diligently search out as Acts 17:11 reminds us, along with much prayer for God to open our understanding to the truths of His Word (Psalm 119:18). Undoubtedly, this is one of the greatest and most rewarding endeavors that the child of God could be engaged in. However, it is not an easy task, but as I’m sure you know, nothing of value in life is easy!

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In 1 Samuel 6:12, this term is rendered as took the straight and is an excellent example of the idea of going in a straight direction as these cattle headed toward Bethshemesh, or the “House of the Sun;” notice too how the cattle did not turn to the right hand or to the left.

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And the kine took the straight [yashar:H3474/TWOT 930] way to the way of Bethshemesh, [and] went along the highway, lowing as they went, and turned not aside [to] the right hand or [to] the left; and the lords of the Philistines went after them unto the border of Bethshemesh.

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This is also reiterated from a spiritual perspective in the admonition of verse 25 of Proverbs 4:25-27; please note the direction once again of not turning to the right hand or to the left: Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight [yashar:H3474/TWOT 930] before thee. {26} Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. {27} Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.

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2 Chronicles 32:30 includes this term, and brought it straight, in describing one of the architectural projects that Hezekiah undertook: This same Hezekiah also stopped the upper watercourse of Gihon, and brought it straight [yashar:H3474/TWOT 930] down to the west side of the city of David. And Hezekiah prospered in all his works.

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This is also the case in verse 35 of 1 Kings 6:33-35 regarding one of the many elements that adorned the Temple that Solomon oversaw[ this word is expressed as fitted: So also made he for the door of the temple posts [of] olive tree, a fourth part [of the wall]. {34} And the two doors [were of] fir tree: the two leaves of the one door [were] folding, and the two leaves of the other door [were] folding. {35} And he carved [thereon] cherubims and palm trees and open flowers: and covered [them] with gold fitted [yashar:H3474/TWOT 930] upon the carved work.

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Verses 20 and 26 of 1 Samuel 18:20-27 is similar to this account of Samson that we are investigating, in which this word is rendered pleased and it pleased respectively:

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And Michal Saul's daughter loved David: and they told Saul, and the thing pleased [yashar:H3474/TWOT 930] him. {21} And Saul said, I will give him her, that she may be a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him. Wherefore Saul said to David, Thou shalt this day be my son in law in [the one of] the twain. {22} And Saul commanded his servants, [saying], Commune with David secretly, and say, Behold, the king hath delight in thee, and all his servants love thee: now therefore be the king's son in law. {23} And Saul's servants spake those words in the ears of David. And David said, Seemeth it to you [a] light [thing] to be a king's son in law, seeing that I [am] a poor man, and lightly esteemed? {24} And the servants of Saul told him, saying, On this manner spake David. {25} And Saul said, Thus shall ye say to David, The king desireth not any dowry, but an hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of the king's enemies. But Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines. {26} And when his servants told David these words, it pleased [yashar:H3474/TWOT 930] David well to be the king's son in law: and the days were not expired. {27} Wherefore David arose and went, he and his men, and slew of the Philistines two hundred men; and David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full tale to the king, that he might be the king's son in law. And Saul gave him Michal his daughter to wife.

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These next two references underscore God’s power and might in creation and sustaining all that He has created, including all the affairs of history, which is really “His Story.” I am reminded of what we read in Colossians 1:15-19 in this regard:

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Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: {16} For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether [they be] thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:

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{17} And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. {18} And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all [things] he might have the preeminence. {19} For it pleased [the Father] that in him should all fulness dwell;

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Jeremiah 27:5 makes this glorious declaration, in which this word is translated meet: I have made the earth, the man and the beast that [are] upon the ground, by my great power and by my outstretched arm, and have given it unto whom it seemed meet [yashar:H3474/TWOT 930] unto me.

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Job 37:3 renders this word as He directeth: He directeth [yashar:H3474/TWOT 930] it under the whole heaven, and his lightning unto the ends of the earth.

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In verse 6 of Proverbs 3:5-6 this term is expressed as shall direct as once again we note God’s involvement, concern, motivation and enabling as His saints petition Him for guidance, direction, and strength to carry out His perfect will as He has so commanded; and above all to Trust in Him as verse 5 begins:

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Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. {6} In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct [yashar:H3474/TWOT 930] thy paths.

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The exhortation to trust in Jehovah also surfaces as the word, wait, and involves walking by faith, and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). Habakkuk 2:4 presents this word in a negative light with respect to those who are lifted up in pride:

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Behold, his soul [which] is lifted up is not upright [yashar:H3474/TWOT 930] in him: but the just shall live by his faith.

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The focus of these next Scriptures is on God’s election program which is His Divine prerogative, and based upon the Faith and Work of the Messiah at …the foundation of the world:

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Verses 2 and 13 of Isaiah 45:1-13 include these as thee and make straight and I will direct respectively; in this context King Cyrus is a portrait of the Lord Jesus Christ:

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Thus saith the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut; {2} I will go before thee, and make [yashar:H3474/TWOT 930] [H0] the crooked places straight [yashar:H3474/TWOT 930]: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron: {3} And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the LORD, which call [thee] by thy name, [am] the God of Israel. {4} For Jacob my servant's sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me. {5}{ I [am] the LORD, and [there is] none else, [there is] no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me: {6} That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that [there is] none beside me. I [am] the LORD, and [there is] none else. {7} I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these [things]. {8} Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness: let the earth open, and let them bring forth salvation, and let righteousness spring up together; I the LORD have created it. {9} Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! [Let] the potsherd [strive] with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands? {10} Woe unto him that saith unto [his] father, What begettest thou? or to the woman, What hast thou brought forth? {11} Thus saith the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, Ask me of things to come concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands command ye me. {12} I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, [even] my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded. {13} I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will direct [yashar:H3474/TWOT 930] all his ways: he shall build my city, and he shall let go my captives, not for price nor reward, saith the LORD of hosts.

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Verse 3 of Isaiah 40:1-5 foreshadows the ministry of John the Baptist in announcing the advent of the Messiah, as this word appears as make straight:

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Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. {2} Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the LORD'S hand double for all her sins. {3} The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight [yashar:H3474/TWOT 930] in the desert a highway for our God. {4} Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: {5} And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see [it] together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken [it].

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We also see God’s election program in view in verse 4 of Jeremiah 18:1-6, in which this is expressed as good:

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The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, {2} Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words. {3} Then I went down to the potter's house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels. {4} And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good [yashar:H3474/TWOT 930] to the potter to make [it]. {5} Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, {6} O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay [is] in the potter's hand, so [are] ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.

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We have to conclude today’s study, as we have run out of time. Lord willing, in our next lesson we will be learning about the vineyards of Timnath.

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Judges 14 - Part 5

September 21, 2022

‍Good evening, and welcome to Searching The Scriptures! This will be Judges 14 - Part 5 and today’s date is September 21, 2022. I’ll read from Judges 14:1-5,

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We have arrived at verse 5 in our ongoing study of Samson in Judges 14, as Samson and his father and mother go down to the vineyards of Timnath. We have already seen that Timnath is spiritually identified with the Kinsman-Redeemer, and hence with salvation. And indeed Samson by marrying this Philistine woman is fulfilling that role and parabolically teaching God’s elect that this was precisely the condition of all within the Bride of Christ when Christ secured their salvation at …the foundation of the world.

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What Is The Natural State Of Mankind?

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As a result of the Fall, mankind is born dead in trespasses and sins as the following citations so aptly testify:

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Psalm 14:1-3 accurately portrays man’s natural spiritual state: [To the chief Musician, [A Psalm] of David.] The fool hath said in his heart, [There is] no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, [there is] none that doeth good. {2} The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, [and] seek God. {3} They are all gone aside, they are [all] together become filthy: [there is] none that doeth good, no, not one.

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This refrain is picked up and expanded in Romans 1:18-32,

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For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; {19} Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed [it] unto them. {20} For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, [even] his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: {21} Because that, when they knew God, they glorified [him] not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. {22} Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, {23} And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. {24} Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: {25} Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. {26} For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: {27} And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. {28} And even as they did not like to retain God in [their] knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; {29} Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, {30} Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, {31} Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: {32} Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

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At… the foundation of the world, Christ took the divine initiative and made atonement for all within the Bride of Christ as we see from these next Scriptures that portray the essence of the wonderful Gospel (aka: Covenant) of the Grace of God:

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Ephesians 2:1-22 make this glorious affirmation: And you [hath he quickened], who were dead in trespasses and sins; {2} Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: {3} Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. {4} But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, {5} Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) {6} And hath raised [us] up together, and made [us] sit together in heavenly [places] in Christ Jesus: {7} That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in [his] kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. {8} For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God: {9} Not of works, lest any man should boast. {10} For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. {11} Wherefore remember, that ye [being] in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; {12} That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: {13} But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. {14} For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition [between us]; {15} Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, [even] the law of commandments [contained] in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, [so] making peace; {16} And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: {17} And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. {18} For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. {19} Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; {20} And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner [stone]; {21} In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: {22} In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

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Likewise Colossians 2:11-15 maintain: In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: {12} Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with [him] through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.{13} And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; {14} Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

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With regard to what was just read concerning circumcision, one is reminded of Romans 2:28-29 which gives us the definition of a “true Jew”: For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither [is that] circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: {29} But he [is] a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision [is that] of the heart, in the spirit, [and] not in the letter; whose praise [is] not of men, but of God.

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The circumcision of the heart is precisely what many of the Jews failed to comprehend. When God gave the command in Deuteronomy 10:16 that should have caused them to question “How can we do that”? Wonderfully God also gave them the correct answer in Deuteronomy 30:6, which corroborates what was just quoted in Romans 2:28-29,

And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.

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Keep in mind that this fulfills the first and greatest commandment of the Law as the Savior explained in Mark 12:28-34,

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And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all? {29} And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments [is], Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: {30} And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this [is] the first commandment. {31} And the second [is] like, [namely] this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. {32} And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he: {33} And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love [his] neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. {34} And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him [any question].

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We recognize that 1 Peter 2:24 is speaking of payment for sins, which would mean that it could only have taken place at… the foundation of the world, since Christ was not paying for sins in 33 AD:

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For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: {22} Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: {23} Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed [himself] to him that judgeth righteously: {24} Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. {25} For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.

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Revelation 1:5 -6 similarly announces: And from Jesus Christ, [who is] the faithful witness, [and] the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, {6} And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him [be] glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

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Lastly Ezekiel 36:22-28 acknowledges God’s sovereignty in redemption, which He accomplished for His Holy Name’s Sake:

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Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; I do not [this] for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for mine holy name's sake, which ye have profaned among the heathen, whither ye went. {23} And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I [am] the LORD, saith the Lord GOD, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes. {24} For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land. {25} Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. {26} A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. {27} And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do [them]. {28} And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.

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Lord willing, in our next study, we will explore the vineyards of Timnath.

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Judges 14 - Part 6

September 23, 2022

Good evening, and welcome to Searching The Scriptures! This will be Judges 14 - Part 6 and today’s date is September 23, 2022. I’ll read from Judges 14:1-5,

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And Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines. {2} And he came up, and told his father and his mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines: now therefore get her for me to wife. {3} Then his father and his mother said unto him, [Is there] never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said unto his father, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well. {4} But his father and his mother knew not that it [was] of the LORD, that he sought an occasion against the Philistines: for at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel. {5} Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath, and came to the vineyards of Timnath: and, behold, a young lion roared against him.

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The focus of today’s study will be on the vineyards of Timnath, and the young lion that roared against Samson.. We have seen that Timnath is associated with the Kinsman-Redeemer and redemption, and we wonder how that spiritually connects to the vineyards.

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The Vineyards [kerem:H3754/TWOT*1040a]

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Here are some of the ways that God utilizes this term:

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Verse 37 of Psalm 107:31-43 includes this term as vineyards, while extolling God’s goodness and lovingkindness: Oh that [men] would praise the LORD [for] his goodness, and [for] his wonderful works to the children of

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*Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (TWOT)

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men! {32} Let them exalt him also in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders. {33} He turneth rivers into a wilderness, and the watersprings into dry ground; {34} A fruitful land into barrenness, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein. {35} He turneth the wilderness into a standing water, and dry ground into watersprings. {36} And there he maketh the hungry to dwell, that they may prepare a city for habitation; {37} And sow the fields, and plant vineyards [kerem:H3754/TWOT 1040a], which may yield fruits of increase. {38} He blesseth them also, so that they are multiplied greatly; and suffereth not their cattle to decrease. {39} Again, they are minished and brought low through oppression, affliction, and sorrow. {40} He poureth contempt upon princes, and causeth them to wander in the wilderness, [where there is] no way. {41} Yet setteth he the poor on high from affliction, and maketh [him] families like a flock. {42} The righteous shall see [it], and rejoice: and all iniquity shall stop her mouth. {43} Whoso [is] wise, and will observe these [things], even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the LORD.

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Is it any wonder that this beautiful Psalm of God’s blessings on His people (and I hasten to add) His judgment upon the wicked reminds us of two other accounts. One of these is what we read in the New Testament regarding Christ as the True Vine in John 15:1-17, that describes the dynamic relationship between the Master and His beloved Bride; please note the connection with keeping God’s commands which is love, and love for others, as the second greatest commandment implies:

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I am the true vine [ampelos:G288], and my Father is the husbandman. {2} Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every [branch] that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. {3} Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. {4} Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine [ampelos:G288]; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. {5} I am the vine [ampelos:G288], ye [are] the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. {6} If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast [them] into the fire, and they are burned. {7} If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. {8} Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. {9} As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. {10} If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. {11} These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and [that] your joy might be full. {12} This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. {13} Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. {14} Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. {15} Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. {16} Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and [that] your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. {17} These things I command you, that ye love one another.

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By contrast the other account has to do with the vineyard of Naboth (whose name means “fruit”) the Jezreelite in 1 Kings 21:1-29, in which this term surfaces 10 times; additionally Naboth’s name appears 22 times in this chapter:

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And it came to pass after these things, [that] Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard [kerem:H3754/TWOT 1040a], which [was] in Jezreel, hard by the palace of Ahab king of Samaria. {2} And Ahab spake unto Naboth, saying, Give me thy vineyard [kerem:H3754/TWOT 1040a], that I may have it for a garden of herbs, because it [is] near unto my house: and I will give thee for it a better vineyard [kerem:H3754/TWOT 1040a] than it; [or], if it seem good to thee, I will give thee the worth of it in money. {3} And Naboth said to Ahab, The LORD forbid it me, that I should give the inheritance of my fathers unto thee. {4} And Ahab came into his house heavy and displeased because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him: for he had said, I will not give thee the inheritance of my fathers. And he laid him down upon his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no bread. {5} But Jezebel his wife came to him, and said unto him, Why is thy spirit so sad, that thou eatest no bread? {6} And he said unto her, Because I spake unto Naboth the Jezreelite, and said unto him, Give me thy vineyard [kerem:H3754/TWOT 1040a] for money; or else, if it please thee, I will give thee [another] vineyard [kerem:H3754/TWOT 1040a] for it: and he answered, I will not give thee my vineyard. [kerem:H3754/TWOT 1040a] {7} And Jezebel his wife said unto him, Dost thou now govern the kingdom of Israel? arise, [and] eat bread, and let thine heart be merry: I will give thee the vineyard [kerem:H3754/TWOT 1040a] of Naboth the Jezreelite. {8} So she wrote letters in Ahab's name, and sealed [them] with his seal, and sent the letters unto the elders and to the nobles that [were] in his city, dwelling with Naboth. {9} And she wrote in the letters, saying, Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people: {10} And set two men, sons of Belial, before him, to bear witness against him, saying, Thou didst blaspheme God and the king. And [then] carry him out, and stone him, that he may die. {11} And the men of his city, [even] the elders and the nobles who were the inhabitants in his city, did as Jezebel had sent unto them, [and] as it [was] written in the letters which she had sent unto them. {12} They proclaimed a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people. {13} And there came in two men, children of Belial, and sat before him: and the men of Belial witnessed against him, [even] against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, Naboth did blaspheme God and the king. Then they carried him forth out of the city, and stoned him with stones, that he died. {14} Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, Naboth is stoned, and is dead. {15} And it came to pass, when Jezebel heard that Naboth was stoned, and was dead, that Jezebel said to Ahab, Arise, take possession of the vineyard [kerem:H3754/TWOT 1040a] of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to give thee for money: for Naboth is not alive, but dead. {16} And it came to pass, when Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, that Ahab rose up to go down to the vineyard [kerem:H3754/TWOT 1040a] of Naboth the Jezreelite, to take possession of it. {17} And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, {18} Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, which [is] in Samaria: behold, [he is] in the vineyard [kerem:H3754/TWOT 1040a] of Naboth, whither he is gone down to possess it. {19} And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Hast thou killed, and also taken possession? And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine. {20} And Ahab said to Elijah, Hast thou found me, O mine enemy? And he answered, I have found [thee]: because thou hast sold thyself to work evil in the sight of the LORD. {21} Behold, I will bring evil upon thee, and will take away thy posterity, and will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel, {22} And will make thine house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, for the provocation wherewith thou hast provoked [me] to anger, and made Israel to sin. {23} And of Jezebel also spake the LORD, saying, The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel. {24} Him that dieth of Ahab in the city the dogs shall eat; and him that dieth in the field shall the fowls of the air eat. {25} But there was none like unto Ahab, which did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the LORD, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up. {26} And he did very abominably in following idols, according to all [things] as did the Amorites, whom the LORD cast out before the children of Israel. {27} And it came to pass, when Ahab heard those words, that he rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted, and lay in sackcloth, and went softly. {28} And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, {29} Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me? because he humbleth himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his days: [but] in his son's days will I bring the evil upon his house.

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Spiritually, the fact that the New Testament churches first became subject to God’s judgment is actually expressed by the historical parable in Isaiah 5:1-16, in which this word emerges six times:

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Now will I sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. [kerem:H3754/TWOT 1040a] My wellbeloved hath a vineyard [kerem:H3754/TWOT 1040a] in a very fruitful hill: {2} And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes. {3} And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard. [kerem:H3754/TWOT 1040a] {4} What could have been done more to my vineyard [kerem:H3754/TWOT 1040a], that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes? {5} And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard [kerem:H3754/TWOT 1040a]: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; [and] break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down: {6} And I will lay it waste: it shall not be pruned, nor digged; but there shall come up briers and thorns: I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. {7} For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts [is] the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry. {8} Woe unto them that join house to house, [that] lay field to field, till [there be] no place, that they may be placed alone in the midst of the earth! {9} In mine ears [said] the LORD of hosts, Of a truth many houses shall be desolate, [even] great and fair, without inhabitant. {10} Yea, ten acres of vineyard [kerem:H3754/TWOT 1040a] shall yield one bath, and the seed of an homer shall yield an ephah. {11} Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, [that] they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, [till] wine inflame them! {12} And the harp, and the viol, the tabret, and pipe, and wine, are in their feasts: but they regard not the work of the LORD, neither consider the operation of his hands. {13} Therefore my people are gone into captivity, because [they have] no knowledge: and their honourable men [are] famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst. {14} Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure: and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it. {15} And the mean man shall be brought down, and the mighty man shall be humbled, and the eyes of the lofty shall be humbled: {16} But the LORD of hosts shall be exalted in judgment, and God that is holy shall be sanctified in righteousness.

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However in Luke 20:9-18 national Israel is being represented by the wicked husbandmen, who then are replaced by the New Testament churches and congregations. The word for vineyard stems from the term vine we encountered previously in John 15:

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Then began he to speak to the people this parable; A certain man planted a vineyard [ampelon:G290], and let it forth to husbandmen, and went into a far country for a long time. {10} And at the season he sent a servant to the husbandmen, that they should give him of the fruit of the vineyard [ampelon:G290]: but the husbandmen beat him, and sent [him] away empty. {11} And again he sent another servant: and they beat him also, and entreated [him] shamefully, and sent [him] away empty. {12} And again he sent a third: and they wounded him also, and cast [him] out. {13} Then said the lord of the vineyard [ampelon:G290], What shall I do? I will send my beloved son: it may be they will reverence [him] when they see him. {14} But when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, This is the heir: come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours. {15} So they cast him out of the vineyard [ampelon:G290], and killed [him]. What therefore shall the lord of the vineyard [ampelon:G290] do unto them? {16} He shall come and destroy these husbandmen, and shall give the vineyard to others. And when they heard [it], they said, God forbid. {17} And he beheld them, and said, What is this then that is written, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner? {18} Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.

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This concludes today’s study. Lord willing, in our next lesson, we will explore Samson’s encounter with a lion, and its parabolic significance.

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Judges 14 - Part 7

September 26, 2022

‍Good evening, and welcome to Searching The Scriptures! This will be Judges 14 - Part 7 and today’s date is September 26, 2022. I’ll read from Judges 14:5-9,

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Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath, and came to the vineyards of Timnath: and, behold, a young lion roared against him. {6} And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and [he had] nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done. {7} And he went down, and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson well. {8} And after a time he returned to take her, and he turned aside to see the carcase of the lion: and, behold, [there was] a swarm of bees and honey in the carcase of the lion. {9} And he took thereof in his hands, and went on eating, and came to his father and mother, and he gave them, and they did eat: but he told not them that he had taken the honey out of the carcase of the lion.

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In our last study we left off at the last part of verse 5: … and, behold, a young lion roared against him. So with God’s help we want to try to uncover the spiritual meaning behind this true, historical event which is most intriguing.

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A Young [k@phiyr:H3715/TWOT* 1025a, 1025d] Lion [’ariy:H738/TWOT 158a] Roared [sha’ah:H7580/TWOT 2300]

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The three terms …a young lion roared surface together in two other significant passages. The first one is in verse 38 of Jeremiah 51:33-45 that describes God’s judgment against Babylon (that represents the world and Satan’s kingdom), even though God used that heathen nation to bring retribution against God’s own house first:

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*Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (TWOT)

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For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; The daughter of Babylon [is] like a threshingfloor, [it is] time to thresh her: yet a little while, and the time of her harvest shall come. {34} Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon hath devoured me, he hath crushed me, he hath made me an empty vessel, he hath swallowed me up like a dragon, he hath filled his belly with my delicates, he hath cast me out. {35} The violence done to me and to my flesh [be] upon Babylon, shall the inhabitant of Zion say; and my blood upon the inhabitants of Chaldea, shall Jerusalem say. {36} Therefore thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will plead thy cause, and take vengeance for thee; and I will dry up her sea, and make her springs dry. {37} And Babylon shall become heaps, a dwellingplace for dragons, an astonishment, and an hissing, without an inhabitant. {38} They shall roar [sha’ah:H7580/TWOT 2300] together like lions [k@phiyr:H3715/TWOT 1025a, 1025d]: they shall yell as lions' [’ariy:H738/TWOT 158a] whelps. {39} In their heat I will make their feasts, and I will make them drunken, that they may rejoice, and sleep a perpetual sleep, and not wake, saith the LORD. {40} I will bring them down like lambs to the slaughter, like rams with he goats. {41} How is Sheshach taken! and how is the praise of the whole earth surprised! how is Babylon become an astonishment among the nations! {42} The sea is come up upon Babylon: she is covered with the multitude of the waves thereof. {43} Her cities are a desolation, a dry land, and a wilderness, a land wherein no man dwelleth, neither doth [any] son of man pass thereby. {44} And I will punish Bel in Babylon, and I will bring forth out of his mouth that which he hath swallowed up: and the nations shall not flow together any more unto him: yea, the wall of Babylon shall fall. {45} My people, go ye out of the midst of her, and deliver ye every man his soul from the fierce anger of the LORD.

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The imagery of lions can spiritually picture both Satan, who is described …as a roaring lion, walketh about seeking when he may devour, according to 1 Peter 5:8 or the Lord Jesus Christ, Who is …the Lion of the tribe of Judah… as Revelation 5:5 states. On a historical level, lions were prominently displayed in the architecture of these early civilizations like the Assyrians or Babylonians, for their tremendous strength and prowess. This is alluded to in Jeremiah 50:17, in which the same expression lions (as in Judges 14:5) is used to characterize the Assyrians whom God utilized to being judgment against Samaria (or the 10 northern tribes) in 709 BC and the Babylonians who came against Judah in 609 BC:

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Israel [is] a scattered sheep; the lions [’ariy:H738/TWOT 158a] have driven [him] away: first the king of Assyria hath devoured him; and last this Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon hath broken his bones.

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This is also seen with respect to King Solomon as verses 19 and 20 of 1 Kings 10:18-20 majestically depict:

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Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with the best gold. {19} The throne had six steps, and the top of the throne [was] round behind: and [there were] stays on either side on the place of the seat, and two lions [’ariy:H738/TWOT 158a] stood beside the stays. {20} And twelve lions [’ariy:H738/TWOT 158a] stood there on the one side and on the other upon the six steps: there was not the like made in any kingdom.

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Lion [’ariy:H738/TWOT 158a]

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Another fact to bear in mind is that Samson and his family are from the tribe of Dan, and Dan is related to judgment as we are reminded of in Genesis 49:16,

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Dan shall judge his people, as one of the tribes of Israel.

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Deuteronomy 33:22 also refers to Dan as a lion’s whelp:

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And of Dan he said, Dan [is] a lion's [’ariy:H738/TWOT 158a]

whelp: he shall leap from Bashan.

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As we make our way through Judges 14 we will encounter this expression lion four more times in verses 8-9 and 18:

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And after a time he returned to take her, and he turned aside to see the carcase of the lion [’ariy:H738/TWOT 158a]: and, behold, [there was] a swarm of bees and honey in the carcase of the lion. [’ariy:H738/TWOT 158a] {9} And he took thereof in his hands, and went on eating, and came to his father and mother, and he gave them, and they did eat: but he told not them that he had taken the honey out of the carcase of the lion. [’ariy:H738/TWOT 158a] ... {18} 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? [’ariy:H738/TWOT 158a]

And he said unto them, If ye had not plowed with my heifer, ye had not found out my riddle.

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A Young [k@phiyr:H3715/TWOT 1025a, 1025d] [keh-feer’]

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I want to make a detour at this point and go back to the word a young in Judges 14:5, where we began today’s study: … and, behold, a young lion roared against him. This term, pronounced, keh-feer,’ is always rendered young lion, except here in Judges 14:5, in which the term lion is the word, ’ariy (H738) [ar-ee’], as was just discussed. I’m not sure why God has chosen two use these two different words for lions in Judges 14:5, but I did discover something quite interesting. As it turns out, the root word for a young (or keh-feer’) is the verb kaphar (H3722/TWOT 1023-1026), which amazingly is translated primarily as atonement, purge, and reconciliation! But what has that got to do with this young lion that roared against Samson? Everything. This is because the young lion that Samson will kill, as we shall see, typifies the death of the Lord Jesus Christ at … the foundation of the world.

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A Closer Look At The Word Atonement [kaphar:H3722/TWOT 1023-1026]

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Here are some of the ways that God utilizes this most significant expression which is the very essence of the Gospel of the Grace of God. Consider how many nuances are contained in this word, which is saturated with spiritual truth:

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In Genesis 6:14 both the verb form as well as the noun form are included: Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch [kaphar:H3722/TWOT 1023-1026] it within and without with pitch. [kopher:H3724/TWOT 1025b]

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Genesis 32:20 is part of a most interesting historical parable as Jacob meets Esau for the first time after their very long separation, in which this word is rendered as I will appease: And say ye moreover, Behold, thy servant Jacob [is] behind us. For he said, I will appease [kaphar:H3722/TWOT 1023-1026] him with the present that goeth before me, and afterward I will see his face; peradventure he will accept of me.

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Leviticus 17:11 is a key passage as it explains that shedding of blood is tantamount to giving up one’s life, in which the term atonement emerges twice: For the life of the flesh [is] in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement [kaphar:H3722/TWOT 1023-1026] for your souls: for it [is] the blood [that] maketh an atonement [kaphar:H3722/TWOT 1023-1026] for the soul.

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However in Numbers 35:33 this is expressed as be cleansed: So ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye [are]: for blood it defileth the land: and the land cannot be cleansed [kaphar:H3722/TWOT 1023-1026] of the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it.

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In Deuteronomy 21:8 this expression is translated in two different ways: Be merciful and shall be forgiven: Be merciful [kaphar:H3722/TWOT 1023-1026], O LORD, unto thy people Israel, whom thou hast redeemed, and lay not innocent blood unto thy people of Israel's charge. And the blood shall be forgiven [kaphar:H3722/TWOT 1023-1026] them.

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2 Chronicles 30:18 renders this expression as pardon: For a multitude of the people, [even] many of Ephraim, and Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet did they eat the passover otherwise than it was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, The good LORD pardon [kaphar:H3722/TWOT 1023-1026] every one

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Shalt purge them away is how Psalm 65:3 translates this word: Iniquities prevail against me: [as for] our transgressions, thou shalt purge them away. [kaphar:H3722/TWOT 1023-1026]

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In Proverbs 16:14, this term appears as will pacify: The wrath of a king [is as] messengers of death: but a wise man will pacify [kaphar:H3722/TWOT 1023-1026] it.

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Isaiah 28:18 includes this as shall be disannulled: And your covenant with death shall be disannulled [kaphar:H3722/TWOT 1023-1026], and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it.

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But it Isaiah 47:11 this surfaces as to put it off: Therefore shall evil come upon thee; thou shalt not know from whence it riseth: and mischief shall fall upon thee; thou shalt not be able to put it off [kaphar:H3722/TWOT 1023-1026]: and desolation shall come upon thee suddenly, [which] thou shalt not know.

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The last reference is is Daniel 9:24 in which this is expressed as and to make reconciliation: Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.

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We do have to end today’s study as we are almost out of time. Lord willing, in our next lesson we will be learning more about how Samson killed this young lion in verse 6, and its related spiritual implications.

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Judges 14 - Part 8

September 28, 2022

‍Good evening, and welcome to Searching The Scriptures! This will be Judges 14 - Part 8 and today’s date is September 28, 2022. I’ll read from Judges 14:5-9,

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Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath, and came to the vineyards of Timnath: and, behold, a young lion roared against him. {6} And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and [he had] nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done. {7} And he went down, and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson well. {8} And after a time he returned to take her, and he turned aside to see the carcase of the lion: and, behold, [there was] a swarm of bees and honey in the carcase of the lion. {9} And he took thereof in his hands, and went on eating, and came to his father and mother, and he gave them, and they did eat: but he told not them that he had taken the honey out of the carcase of the lion.

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We have arrived at verse 6 in which we find that God is giving us more details regarding how Samson killed the young lion. I do want to remind you that the root word for young is the word atonement, which is tremendously significant, not only in this account but in every letter and word of the Bible as this is the GRAND THEME of the entire Bible. For example, in our previous study, we spent some time considering a number of places where this word is employed; one of those references was in Genesis 6:14, in which both the noun form, with pitch as well as the verb form, shalt pitch, from which it stems are in this beautiful verse:

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In Genesis 6:14 both the verb form as well as the noun form are included: Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch [kaphar:H3722/TWOT* 1023-1026] it within and without with pitch. [kopher:H3724/TWOT 1025b]

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*Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (TWOT)

And The Spirit [ruwach:H7307/TWOT 2131a] Of Jehovah [Y@hovah:H3068/TWOT 484a] Came Mightily [tsalach:H6743/TWOT 1916, 1917]

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Let’s take a look at the first phrase in verse 6, And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily… which consists of three Hebrew terms that are found together in six other citations, two of which include Samson again; the others include King Saul, David, and Zechariah, the son of Jehoiada the priest:

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In Judges 14:19 we learn: And the Spirit [ruwach:H7307/TWOT 2131a] of the LORD [Y@hovah:H3068/TWOT 484a] came [tsalach:H6743/TWOT 1916, 1917] upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, and slew thirty men of them, and took their spoil, and gave change of garments unto them which expounded the riddle. And his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father's house.

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In similar fashion, Judges 15:14 affirms: [And] when he came unto Lehi, the Philistines shouted against him: and the Spirit [ruwach:H7307/TWOT 2131a] of the LORD [Y@hovah:H3068/TWOT 484a] came mightily [tsalach:H6743/TWOT 1916, 1917] 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.

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Verse 6 of 1 Samuel 10:1-13 includes these three expressions. In the case of Saul we have to keep in mind that this did not mean that Saul was a saved man. We know that he was not, as he can typify the churches and denominations that came under God’s wrath and for his disobedience which is evident in this chapter. This is also seen in his jealousy and rage against David (exemplifying the Savior) as he attempted over and over again to kill him:

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Then Samuel took a vial of oil, and poured [it] upon his head, and kissed him, and said, [Is it] not because the LORD hath anointed thee [to be] captain over his inheritance? {2} When thou art departed from me to day, then thou shalt find two men by Rachel's sepulchre in the border of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will say unto thee, The asses which thou wentest to seek are found: and, lo, thy father hath left the care of the asses, and sorroweth for you, saying, What shall I do for my son? {3} Then shalt thou go on forward from thence, and thou shalt come to the plain of Tabor, and there shall meet thee three men going up to God to Bethel, one carrying three kids, and another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a bottle of wine: {4} And they will salute thee, and give thee two [loaves] of bread; which thou shalt receive of their hands. {5} After that thou shalt come to the hill of God, where [is] the garrison of the Philistines: and it shall come to pass, when thou art come thither to the city, that thou shalt meet a company of prophets coming down from the high place with a psaltery, and a tabret, and a pipe, and a harp, before them; and they shall prophesy: {6} And the Spirit [ruwach:H7307/TWOT 2131a] of the LORD [Y@hovah:H3068/TWOT 484a] will come [tsalach:H6743/TWOT 1916, 1917] upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another man.

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The contrast between David and Saul is very much in evidence in 1 Samuel 16:1-23, in which these three words appear in verse 13:

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And the LORD said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons. {2} And Samuel said, How can I go? if Saul hear [it], he will kill me. And the LORD said, Take an heifer with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to the LORD. {3} And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will shew thee what thou shalt do: and thou shalt anoint unto me [him] whom I name unto thee. {4} And Samuel did that which the LORD spake, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, Comest thou peaceably? {5} And he said, Peaceably: I am come to sacrifice unto the LORD: sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice. {6} And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the LORD'S anointed [is] before him. {7} But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for [the LORD seeth] not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart. {8} Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this. {9} Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this. {10} Again, Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, The LORD hath not chosen these. {11} And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all [thy] children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither. {12} And he sent, and brought him in. Now he [was] ruddy, [and] withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the LORD said, Arise, anoint him: for this [is] he. {13} Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit [ruwach:H7307/TWOT 2131a] of the LORD [Y@hovah:H3068/TWOT 484a] came [tsalach:H6743/TWOT 1916, 1917] upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah. {14} But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him. {15} And Saul's servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee. {16} Let our lord now command thy servants, [which are] before thee, to seek out a man, [who is] a cunning player on an harp: and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he shall play with his hand, and thou shalt be well. {17} And Saul said unto his servants, Provide me now a man that can play well, and bring [him] to me. {18} Then answered one of the servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, [that is] cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely person, and the LORD [is] with him. {19} Wherefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, and said, Send me David thy son, which [is] with the sheep. {20} And Jesse took an ass [laden] with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent [them] by David his son unto Saul. {21} And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him greatly; and he became his armourbearer. {22} And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Let David, I pray thee, stand before me; for he hath found favour in my sight. {23} And it came to pass, when the [evil] spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.

Verse 20 of 2 Chronicles 24:1-22 is the last entry in which these three terms appear together again:

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Joash [was] seven years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also [was] Zibiah of Beersheba. {2} And Joash did [that which was] right in the sight of the LORD all the days of Jehoiada the priest. {3} And Jehoiada took for him two wives; and he begat sons and daughters. {4} And it came to pass after this, [that] Joash was minded to repair the house of the LORD. {5} And he gathered together the priests and the Levites, and said to them, Go out unto the cities of Judah, and gather of all Israel money to repair the house of your God from year to year, and see that ye hasten the matter. Howbeit the Levites hastened [it] not. {6} And the king called for Jehoiada the chief, and said unto him, Why hast thou not required of the Levites to bring in out of Judah and out of Jerusalem the collection, [according to the commandment] of Moses the servant of the LORD, and of the congregation of Israel, for the tabernacle of witness? {7} For the sons of Athaliah, that wicked woman, had broken up the house of God; and also all the dedicated things of the house of the LORD did they bestow upon Baalim. {8} And at the king's commandment they made a chest, and set it without at the gate of the house of the LORD. {9} And they made a proclamation through Judah and Jerusalem, to bring in to the LORD the collection [that] Moses the servant of God [laid] upon Israel in the wilderness. {10} And all the princes and all the people rejoiced, and brought in, and cast into the chest, until they had made an end. {11} Now it came to pass, that at what time the chest was brought unto the king's office by the hand of the Levites, and when they saw that [there was] much money, the king's scribe and the high priest's officer came and emptied the chest, and took it, and carried it to his place again. Thus they did day by day, and gathered money in abundance. {12} And the king and Jehoiada gave it to such as did the work of the service of the house of the LORD, and hired masons and carpenters to repair the house of the LORD, and also such as wrought iron and brass to mend the house of the LORD. {13} So the workmen wrought, and the work was perfected by them, and they set the house of God in his state, and strengthened it. {14} And when they had finished [it], they brought the rest of the money before the king and Jehoiada, whereof were made vessels for the house of the LORD, [even] vessels to minister, and to offer [withal], and spoons, and vessels of gold and silver. And they offered burnt offerings in the house of the LORD continually all the days of Jehoiada. {15} But Jehoiada waxed old, and was full of days when he died; an hundred and thirty years old [was he] when he died. {16} And they buried him in the city of David among the kings, because he had done good in Israel, both toward God, and toward his house. {17} Now after the death of Jehoiada came the princes of Judah, and made obeisance to the king. Then the king hearkened unto them. {18} And they left the house of the LORD God of their fathers, and served groves and idols: and wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this their trespass. {19} Yet he sent prophets to them, to bring them again unto the LORD; and they testified against them: but they would not give ear. {20} And the Spirit [ruwach:H7307/TWOT 2131a] of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, which stood above the people, and said unto them, Thus saith God, Why transgress ye the commandments of the LORD [Y@hovah:H3068/TWOT 484a], that ye cannot prosper [tsalach:H6743/TWOT 1916, 1917]? because ye have forsaken the LORD [Y@hovah:H3068/TWOT 484a], he hath also forsaken you. {21} And they conspired against him, and stoned him with stones at the commandment of the king in the court of the house of the LORD. {22} Thus Joash the king remembered not the kindness which Jehoiada his father had done to him, but slew his son. And when he died, he said, The LORD look upon [it], and require [it].

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This is an important account because it gives us the death age of Jehoiada the priest at 130 (13 X 10) years of age. The reason this is significant is because the number 13 points to the time of the end which began in 1988, which was the beginning of the Final Great Tribulation of our day (May 21, 1988 - May 21, 2011) as well as the 13,000th anniversary of Creation which began in 11,013 BC. Spiritually this is why Joash (who represents the corporate churches and denominations) was faithful up to the point of Jehoiada’s death, and then he took a turn for the worse, as Satan began to infiltrate all churches and denominations worldwide and without exception, as one understands from 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 and Matthew 24:15-16,

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Let no man deceive you by any means: for [that day shall not come], except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; {4} Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

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When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) {16} Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:

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Well, on that solemn note we have to conclude today’s study. Lord willing, in our next lesson, we will continue examining the rest of verse 6.

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Judges 14 - Part 9

September 30, 2022

‍Good evening, and welcome to Searching The Scriptures! This will be Judges 14 - Part 9 and today’s date is September 30, 2022. I’ll read from Judges 14:5-9,

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Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath, and came to the vineyards of Timnath: and, behold, a young lion roared against him. {6} And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and [he had] nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done. {7} And he went down, and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson well. {8} And after a time he returned to take her, and he turned aside to see the carcase of the lion: and, behold, [there was] a swarm of bees and honey in the carcase of the lion. {9} And he took thereof in his hands, and went on eating, and came to his father and mother, and he gave them, and they did eat: but he told not them that he had taken the honey out of the carcase of the lion.

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We began our investigation of verse 6 in our last study, so today, I will continue exploring this verse to see what God has in store for us to glean spiritually.

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And He Rent Him [shaca`:H8156/TWOT* 2427] As He Would Have Rent [shaca`:H8156/TWOT 2427] A Kid [g@diy:H1423/TWOT 314b]

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Let's start by examining the phrase… and he rent him as he would have rent a kid. … which consists of two Hebrew (rent is used twice) terms which only appear together in this verse, so we will have to consider them individually.

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The expression, and he rent him, appears eight other times, and we will consider some of these references:

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*Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (TWOT)

And He Rent Him [shaca`:H8156/TWOT 2427]

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Verse 17 of Leviticus 1:14-17 renders this term as And he shall cleave regarding burnt sacrifices of fowls specifically; from what I understand from the context and the tense of this word, the bird is partially split in two, but not all the way through, as the word divide asunder implies:

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And he shall cleave with regard And if the burnt sacrifice for his offering to the LORD [be] of fowls, then he shall bring his offering of turtledoves, or of young pigeons. {15} And the priest shall bring it unto the altar, and wring off his head, and burn [it] on the altar; and the blood thereof shall be wrung out at the side of the altar: {16} And he shall pluck away his crop with his feathers, and cast it beside the altar on the east part, by the place of the ashes:{17} And he shall cleave [shaca`:H8156/TWOT 2427]

it with the wings thereof, [but] shall not divide [it] asunder [badal:H914/TWOT 914]: and the priest shall burn it upon the altar, upon the wood that [is] upon the fire: it [is] a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.

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This expression is also found in Leviticus 11:3 and 26 as clovenfooted and not clovenfooted: Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and is clovenfooted [shaca`:H8156/TWOT 2427], [and] cheweth the cud, among the beasts, that shall ye eat. ... {26} [The carcases] of every beast which divideth the hoof, and [is] not clovenfooted [shaca`:H8156/TWOT 2427], nor cheweth the cud, [are] unclean unto you: every one that toucheth them shall be unclean.

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Another nuance of this word surfaces in verse 7 of 1 Samuel 24:1-22, in which this term is translated as stayed, which reveals that David fully understood that Saul was God’s anointed, and as such, was worthy of the respect and honor that his position demanded, even though he was seeking to kill David (a type of Christ), because King Saul typifies the end-time churches and denominations that came under the wrath of God:

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And it came to pass, when Saul was returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, Behold, David [is] in the wilderness of Engedi. {2} Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats. {3} And he came to the sheepcotes by the way, where [was] a cave; and Saul went in to cover his feet: and David and his men remained in the sides of the cave. {4} And the men of David said unto him, Behold the day of which the LORD said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good unto thee. Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul's robe privily. {5} And it came to pass afterward, that David's heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul's skirt. {6} And he said unto his men, The LORD forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the LORD'S anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he [is] the anointed of the LORD. {7} So David stayed [shaca`:H8156/TWOT 2427] his servants with these words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. But Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on [his] way. {8} David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying, My lord the king. And when Saul looked behind him, David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed himself. {9} And David said to Saul, Wherefore hearest thou men's words, saying, Behold, David seeketh thy hurt? {10} Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that the LORD had delivered thee to day into mine hand in the cave: and [some] bade [me] kill thee: but [mine eye] spared thee; and I said, I will not put forth mine hand against my lord; for he [is] the LORD'S anointed. {11} Moreover, my father, see, yea, see the skirt of thy robe in my hand: for in that I cut off the skirt of thy robe, and killed thee not, know thou and see that [there is] neither evil nor transgression in mine hand, and I have not sinned against thee; yet thou huntest my soul to take it. {12} The LORD judge between me and thee, and the LORD avenge me of thee: but mine hand shall not be upon thee. {13} As saith the proverb of the ancients, Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked: but mine hand shall not be upon thee. {14} After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost thou pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea. {15} The LORD therefore be judge, and judge between me and thee, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of thine hand. {16} And it came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking these words unto Saul, that Saul said, [Is] this thy voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept. {17} And he said to David, Thou [art] more righteous than I: for thou hast rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil. {18} And thou hast shewed this day how that thou hast dealt well with me: forasmuch as when the LORD had delivered me into thine hand, thou killedst me not. {19} For if a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away? wherefore the LORD reward thee good for that thou hast done unto me this day. {20} And now, behold, I know well that thou shalt surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thine hand. {21} Swear now therefore unto me by the LORD, that thou wilt not cut off my seed after me, and that thou wilt not destroy my name out of my father's house. {22} And David sware unto Saul. And Saul went home; but David and his men gat them up unto the hold.

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A Kid [g@diy:H1423/TWOT 314b]

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Now let’s turn our attention to the expression, a kid (or baby goat), that characterizes the ease in which Samson was able to rend this young lion as if it were a baby goat! Actually when we were discussing the adulterous affair between Judah and Tamar, in which Judah exemplifies the Kinsman-Redeemer (as Samson will as well) the same word, kid, surfaces in verses 17, 20, and 23 (three times underscoring the purpose of God) in Genesis 38 and ultimately pointing to the Messiah Himself, Who is the Kinsman-Redeemer par excellence:

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And he said, I will send [thee] a kid [g@diy:H1423/TWOT 314b]

from the flock. And she said, Wilt thou give [me] a pledge, till thou send [it]? ... {20} And Judah sent the kid [g@diy:H1423/TWOT 314b]

by the hand of his friend the Adullamite, to receive [his] pledge from the woman's hand: but he found her not. ... {23} And Judah said, Let her take [it] to her, lest we be shamed: behold, I sent this kid [g@diy:H1423/TWOT 314b], and thou hast not found her.

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A kid was also in view in Gideon’s offering to the the angel of Jehovah in Judges 6:19, And Gideon went in, and made ready a kid [g@diy:H1423/TWOT 314b], and unleavened cakes of an ephah of flour: the flesh he put in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot, and brought [it] out unto him under the oak, and presented [it].

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This was the case when Samson’s father, Manoah, also prepared a kid to offer to the angel of Jehovah in Judges 13:15 and 19, And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD, I pray thee, let us detain thee, until we shall have made ready a kid [g@diy:H1423/TWOT 314b] for thee. ... {19} So Manoah took a kid [g@diy:H1423/TWOT 314b] with a meat offering, and offered [it] upon a rock unto the LORD: and [the angel] did wondrously; and Manoah and his wife looked on.

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Additionally, we will see this expression again in Judges 15:1 when Samson brings a kid to his wife: But it came to pass within a while after, in the time of wheat harvest, that Samson visited his wife with a kid [g@diy:H1423/TWOT 314b]; and he said, I will go in to my wife into the chamber. But her father would not suffer him to go in.

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The last reference that we want to visit is in verse 6 of Isaiah 11:1-10 which speaks of the New Heavens and New Earth:

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And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots [sheresh:H8238/TWOT 2471a]: {2} And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD; {3} And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: {4} But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. {5} And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins. {6} The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid [g@diy:H1423/TWOT 314b]; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. {7} And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. {8} And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den. {9} They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea. {10} And in that day there shall be a root [sheresh:H8238/TWOT 2471a] of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.

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Christ Is The Root [sheresh:H8238/TWOT 2471a]

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You might have also noticed that in verses 1 and 10 the term for root emerges once again. Spiritually Christ is in the lineage of David, and he is also the Root of the Tree of salvation, which is also expressed as the Vine, and the elect are likened to the branches, according John 15:5,

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I am the vine, ye [are] the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

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We see this in Romans 11:16-18, in which the Greek equivalent to the Hebrew sheresh is rhiza, which is found three times:

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For if the firstfruit [be] holy, the lump [is] also [holy]: and if the root [rhiza:G4491] [be] holy, so [are] the branches. {17} And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; {18} Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root [rhiza:G4491], but the root [rhiza:G4491] thee.

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I have said this before, but it bears repeating because it is so vitally important: Each of the 8,674 Hebrew and Aramaic words in the Old Testament are derived from over 3000+ “roots” or sheresh (found for instance in the Theological Wordbooks of the Old Testament) so that in each of them we find “The Root” - The Lord Jesus Christ!

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On that most Wonderful note we have to conclude today’s study. Lord willing, in our next lesson, we will continue investigating verse 6.

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Judges 14 - Part 10

October 3, 2022

Good evening, and welcome to Searching The Scriptures! This will be Judges 14 - Part 10 and today’s date is October 3, 2022. I’ll read from Judges 14:5-9,

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Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath, and came to the vineyards of Timnath: and, behold, a young lion roared against him. {6} And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and [he had] nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done. {7} And he went down, and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson well. {8} And after a time he returned to take her, and he turned aside to see the carcase of the lion: and, behold, [there was] a swarm of bees and honey in the carcase of the lion. {9} And he took thereof in his hands, and went on eating, and came to his father and mother, and he gave them, and they did eat: but he told not them that he had taken the honey out of the carcase of the lion.

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We have arrived at the latter part of verse 6…and [he had] nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done.

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And He Had Nothing [m@uwmah:H3973/TWOT* 1136] In His Hand [yad:H3027/TWOT 844]

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Let’s consider some of the ways that God uses the two terms and he had nothing along with in his hand:

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In Genesis 22:12 God forbids Abraham from harming Isaac, even though Abtraham was prepared to sacrifice his son as God had commanded him,

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*Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (TWOT)

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knowing that God could also raise him from the dead, as we read in Hebrews; these two words are expressed as thine hand and any thing:

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And he said, Lay not thine hand [yad:H3027/TWOT 844]

upon the lad, neither do thou any thing [m@uwmah:H3973/TWOT 1136] unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only [son] from me.

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And Hebrews 11:17-19 provides this commentary: By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten [son], {18} Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: {19} Accounting that God [was] able to raise [him] up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure. [or parable]

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In verse 17 of Deuteronomy 13:12-18 God gave the following instructions to Israel, in which these two words are translated as nought and to thy hand:

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If thou shalt hear [say] in one of thy cities, which the LORD thy God hath given thee to dwell there, saying, {13} [Certain] men, the children of Belial, are gone out from among you, and have withdrawn the inhabitants of their city, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which ye have not known; {14} Then shalt thou enquire, and make search, and ask diligently; and, behold, [if it be] truth, [and] the thing certain, [that] such abomination is wrought among you; {15} Thou shalt surely smite the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword, destroying it utterly, and all that [is] therein, and the cattle thereof, with the edge of the sword. {16} And thou shalt gather all the spoil of it into the midst of the street thereof, and shalt burn with fire the city, and all the spoil thereof every whit, for the LORD thy God: and it shall be an heap for ever; it shall not be built again. {17} And there shall cleave nought [m@uwmah:H3973/TWOT 1136] of the cursed thing to thine hand [yad:H3027/TWOT 844]: that the LORD may turn from the fierceness of his anger, and shew thee mercy, and have compassion upon thee, and multiply thee, as he hath sworn unto thy fathers; {18} When thou shalt hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep all his commandments which I command thee this day, to do [that which is] right in the eyes of the LORD thy God.

This command came to light in the account of the goods that Achan had stolen which resulted in the deaths of a number of Israelites, and in turn cost Achan and all his family members, including all their possessions, to die and be burnt by fire in Joshua 7:

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But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing: for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed thing: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against the children of Israel. {2} And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which [is] beside Bethaven, on the east side of Bethel, and spake unto them, saying, Go up and view the country. And the men went up and viewed Ai. {3} And they returned to Joshua, and said unto him, Let not all the people go up; but let about two or three thousand men go up and smite Ai; [and] make not all the people to labour thither; for they [are but] few. {4} So there went up thither of the people about three thousand men: and they fled before the men of Ai. {5} And the men of Ai smote of them about thirty and six men: for they chased them [from] before the gate [even] unto Shebarim, and smote them in the going down: wherefore the hearts of the people melted, and became as water. {6} And Joshua rent his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of the LORD until the eventide, he and the elders of Israel, and put dust upon their heads. {7} And Joshua said, Alas, O Lord GOD, wherefore hast thou at all brought this people over Jordan, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? would to God we had been content, and dwelt on the other side Jordan! {8} O Lord, what shall I say, when Israel turneth their backs before their enemies! {9} For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land shall hear [of it], and shall environ us round, and cut off our name from the earth: and what wilt thou do unto thy great name? {10} And the LORD said unto Joshua, Get thee up; wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face? {11} Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put [it] even among their own stuff. {12} Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, [but] turned [their] backs before their enemies, because they were accursed: neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed from among you. {13} Up, sanctify the people, and say, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow: for thus saith the LORD God of Israel, [There is] an accursed thing in the midst of thee, O Israel: thou canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye take away the accursed thing from among you. {14} In the morning therefore ye shall be brought according to your tribes: and it shall be, [that] the tribe which the LORD taketh shall come according to the families [thereof]; and the family which the LORD shall take shall come by households; and the household which the LORD shall take shall come man by man. {15} And it shall be, [that] he that is taken with the accursed thing shall be burnt with fire, he and all that he hath: because he hath transgressed the covenant of the LORD, and because he hath wrought folly in Israel. {16{ So Joshua rose up early in the morning, and brought Israel by their tribes; and the tribe of Judah was taken: {17} And he brought the family of Judah; and he took the family of the Zarhites: and he brought the family of the Zarhites man by man; and Zabdi was taken: {18} And he brought his household man by man; and Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken. {19} And Joshua said unto Achan, My son, give, I pray thee, glory to the LORD God of Israel, and make confession unto him; and tell me now what thou hast done; hide [it] not from me. {20} And Achan answered Joshua, and said, Indeed I have sinned against the LORD God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done: {21} When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they [are] hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it. {22} So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran unto the tent; and, behold, [it was] hid in his tent, and the silver under it. {23} And they took them out of the midst of the tent, and brought them unto Joshua, and unto all the children of Israel, and laid them out before the LORD. {24} And Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver, and the garment, and the wedge of gold, and his sons, and his daughters, and his oxen, and his asses, and his sheep, and his tent, and all that he had: and they brought them unto the valley of Achor. {25} And Joshua said, Why hast thou troubled us? the LORD shall trouble thee this day. And all Israel stoned him with stones, and burned them with fire, after they had stoned them with stones. {26} And they raised over him a great heap of stones unto this day. So the LORD turned from the fierceness of his anger. Wherefore the name of that place was called, The valley of Achor, unto this day.

Another usage of these two expressions is found with regards to Samuel as he questions Israel regarding his judgeship in verses 4-5 of 1 Samuel 12:1-5; these words are again rendered as ought and hand:

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And Samuel said unto all Israel, Behold, I have hearkened unto your voice in all that ye said unto me, and have made a king over you. {2} And now, behold, the king walketh before you: and I am old and grayheaded; and, behold, my sons [are] with you: and I have walked before you from my childhood unto this day. {3} Behold, here I [am]: witness against me before the LORD, and before his anointed: whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or of whose hand have I received [any] bribe to blind mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it you. {4} And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken ought [m@uwmah:H3973/TWOT 1136] of any man's hand. [yad:H3027/TWOT 844] {5} And he said unto them, The LORD [is] witness against you, and his anointed [is] witness this day, that ye have not found ought [m@uwmah:H3973/TWOT 1136] in my hand. [yad:H3027/TWOT 844] And they answered, [He is] witness.

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Lastly let’s turn to verses 14 and 15 of Ecclesiastes 5:13-15, There is a sore evil [which] I have seen under the sun, [namely], riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt.{14} But those riches perish by evil travail: and he begetteth a son, and [there is] nothing [m@uwmah:H3973/TWOT 1136] in his hand. [yad:H3027/TWOT 844] {15} As he came forth of his mother's womb, naked shall he return to go as he came, and shall take nothing [m@uwmah:H3973/TWOT 1136] of his labour, which he may carry away in his hand. [yad:H3027/TWOT 844]

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We recognize that Samson killed the young lion with his bare hands…nothing was in his hand. Remember too that the root word for young lion [k@phiyr:H3715/TWOT 1025a, d] is atonement. [kaphar:H3722/TWOT 1023-1026]. And the atonement took place at…the foundation of the world, when Christ became laden with the sins of all the elect, defiling Himself so that He had to undergo the penalty for sin, which is death and annihilation. But then He rose from death because He is the very essence of Eternal Life.

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Additionally, we have learned that the hand has everything to do with the will of the person in view. In this case it is Samson who typifies the Lord Jesus Christ. “But wait a minute,” somebody might ask. “I thought the young lion portrays the Savior”? And yes that is correct. Both are correct…and here is why. We understand that Christ is Prophet, Priest and King, but so are all of the elect, according to the following citations:

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Verse 6 of Revelation 1:5-6 declares: And from Jesus Christ, [who is] the faithful witness, [and] the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, {6} And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him [be] glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

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Verse 10 of Revelation 5:9-10 likewise affirms: And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; {10} And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

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Since the Bible was completed around 90 AD, there is no more need for the office of a prophet. Nonetheless all of God’s elect are prophets, as they are to declare the Word of God. An example of this appears in Numbers 11:27-29 is this dialogue between Moses and his successor Joshua:

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And there ran a young man, and told Moses, and said, Eldad and Medad do prophesy in the camp. {28} And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Moses, [one] of his young men, answered and said, My lord Moses, forbid them. {29} And Moses said unto him, Enviest thou for my sake? would God that all the LORD'S people were prophets, [and] that the LORD would put his spirit upon them!

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The Messiah is also the Prophet par excellence as Moses penned, under divine inspiration, in the words of both Deuteronomy 18:15 and Acts 3:22 respectively:

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The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken;

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For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you.

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So in the account of Samson killing the young lion Samson is portraying Christ as the High Priest who kills the sacrifice (the lion), but He is also the Sacrifice (the lion).

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There is another aspect to consider with respect to Samson having … nothing in his hand. When we get to Judges 15, Lord willing, we will see that he kills a multitude of Philistines with the jawbone of an ass. So what else might God have in mind by this phrase … nothing in his hand? I will leave you with that thought, as we have come to the end of today’s program, but we will explore that idea in our next study, Lord willing.

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Judges 14 - Part 11

October 5, 2022

Good evening, and welcome to Searching The Scriptures! This will be Judges 14 - Part 11 and today’s date is October 5, 2022. I’ll read from Judges 14:5-9,

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Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath, and came to the vineyards of Timnath: and, behold, a young lion roared against him. {6} And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and [he had] nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done. {7} And he went down, and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson well. {8} And after a time he returned to take her, and he turned aside to see the carcase of the lion: and, behold, [there was] a swarm of bees and honey in the carcase of the lion. {9} And he took thereof in his hands, and went on eating, and came to his father and mother, and he gave them, and they did eat: but he told not them that he had taken the honey out of the carcase of the lion.

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At the conclusion of our last study I mentioned that there was one other aspect of the phrase… and [he had] nothing in his hand… that I wanted to comment on. The hand we have learned has to do with the will of the person in view. Remember we learned that Samson represents Christ as the High Priest, and the lion as Christ, the Sacrifice. What was the all consuming focus of Jesus’ will? We read this in John 4:34,

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Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.

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Similarly, Psalm 40:7-8 affirms: Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book [it is] written of me, {8} I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law [is] within my heart.

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In fact Hebrews 10:7 quotes Psalm 40:7-8, Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.

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This is also corroborated dramatically throughout the Lord’s 3 ½ year ministry, and reached a crescendo in the Garden of Gethsemane when He uttered these penetrating words in Luke 22:42,

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Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.

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The fact that in this spiritual portrait Christ had nothing in his hand will in another parabolic picture, be contrasted with the jawbone of an ass which he did hold in his hand, and by which he slaughtered 1000 men. The fact that here in Judges 14 Samson (typifying the Savior) is alone is important. No human being was with Christ when he killed at … the foundation of the world, even though the rest of the Godhead was fully present. This spiritual principle is also echoed in these next references:

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Christ Was Alone In The Atonement… At The Foundation Of The World

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Isa 63:1-5 announces: Who [is] this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this [that is] glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save. {2} Wherefore [art thou] red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winefat? {3} I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people [there was] none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment. {4} For the day of vengeance [is] in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come. {5} And I looked, and [there was] none to help; and I wondered that [there was] none to uphold: therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me; and my fury, it upheld me.

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Similarly, verse 16 of Isaiah 59:15-21 reveals:

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Yea, truth faileth; and he [that] departeth from evil maketh himself a prey: and the LORD saw [it], and it displeased him that [there was] no judgment. {16} And he saw that [there was] no man, and wondered that [there was] no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it sustained him. {17} For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance [for] clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloke. {18} According to [their] deeds, accordingly he will repay, fury to his adversaries, recompence to his enemies; to the islands he will repay recompence. {19} So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him. {20} And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the LORD. {21} As for me, this [is] my covenant with them, saith the LORD; My spirit that [is] upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith the LORD, from henceforth and for ever.

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But He Told [nagad:H5046/TWOT* 1289] Not [lo’:H3808] His Father [’ab:H1/TWOT4a] Or His Mother [’em:H517/TWOT 115a]

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Turning our attention to the next phrase in verse 6, we read: …but he told not his father or his mother… We ran across across three of these terms in verse 2 of this chapter that we have already discussed, in which Samson expressed his sinful desire to marry a Philistine woman:

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And he came up, and told [nagad:H5046/TWOT 1289] his father [’ab:H1/TWOT4a] and his mother [’em:H517/TWOT 115a], and said, I have seen a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines: now therefore get her for me to wife.

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Additionally, verses 9 and 16 contains these three words along with the negative, not:

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And he took thereof in his hands, and went on eating, and came to his father [’ab:H1/TWOT4a] and mother [’em:H517/TWOT 115a], and he gave them, and they did eat: but he told [nagad:H5046/TWOT 1289] not [lo’:H3808] them that he had taken the honey out of the carcase of the lion. ... {16} And Samson's wife wept before him, and said, Thou dost but hate me, and lovest me not: thou hast put forth a riddle unto the children of my people, and hast not told [nagad:H5046/TWOT 1289] [it] me. And he said unto her, Behold, I have not told [nagad:H5046/TWOT 1289] [it] my father [’ab:H1/TWOT4a] nor my mother [’em:H517/TWOT 115a], and shall I tell [nagad:H5046/TWOT 1289] [it] thee?

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Who Do Manoah And His Wife Represent?

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When we were working on Judges 13 we learned that Manoah’s name means rest, as does Noah’s name. When you pronounce Ma- noah’s name, you can hear Noah. So Manoah portrays the spiritual rest that God’s elect enjoy in their Savior as a result of His Work and Faith on their behalf at …the foundation of the world, when He paid for their sins. But Manoah and his wife are also from the tribe of Dan, which signifies judgment, so that Manoah also spiritually illustrates God as the Judge. Moreover Manoah and his wife live in the town of Zorah, and Zorah is a word that denotes hornets, and we discovered that God uses hornets to also exemplify His judgment. Manoah and his wife (actually his wife first) are visited by the angel of Jehovah, (Who is the Lord Jesus Christ) to announce the fact that although Manoah’s wife is …barren and bearest not… (as if to drive this point home in Judges 13:3) that she will indeed have a “Son” who is named “S-u-n,” which is what the name Samson signifies:

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And the angel of the LORD appeared unto the woman, and said unto her, Behold now, thou [art] barren, and bearest not: but thou shalt conceive, and bear a son.

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The fact that Manoah’s wife was barren also refers to the spiritual condition in Israel when the Savior was born. Remember that there had not been any Word from God for 400 years or so (which is a very long time). The people must have wondered “when will the Messiah be here”? As a result the spiritual environment at that time was truly barren and desolate, apart from the elect who were still hopeful, knowing that God is always trustworthy and true to His promises. We read this in Isaiah 9:1-2, which is also picked un in Matthew 4:14-16,

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Nevertheless the dimness [shall] not [be] such as [was] in her vexation, when at the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward did more grievously afflict [her by] the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations. {2} The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.

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That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, {15} The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, [by] the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles; {16} The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.

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This is why so many women were called Mary (or Miriam), which is Mara, and means bitter, just as Naomi (which signifies beauty or pleasantness) exclaimed in Ruth 1:20 about herself:

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And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me.

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Indeed Christ came as the root (sheresh:H8328/TWOT 2471a) out of dry ground at that time as we read in Isaiah 53:1-6, and please remember that this word root or sheresh in verse 2, pertains to the 3000 + root words in the Old Testament that the 8,674 Hebrew and Aramaic terms stem from!

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Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed? {2} For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root [sheresh:H8328/TWOT 2471a] out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, [there is] no beauty that we should desire him. {3} He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were [our] faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. {4} Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. {5} But he [was] wounded for our transgressions, [he was] bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace [was] upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. {6} All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

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The encounter with the angel of Jehovah and Manoah and his wife also parallels the appearance of the angel Gabriel (Who is Christ) to both Joseph as well as to Mary on two separate occasions to tell them that Mary would give birth to Emmanuel (God with us) and Jesus (He shall save His people from their sins) as Matthew 1:18-25 records:

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Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. {19} Then Joseph her husband, being a just [man], and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily. {20} But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. {21} And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. {22} Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, {23} Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. {24} Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: {25} And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.

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Well, on that most Wonderful note we will have to conclude today’s study. Lord willing, in our next lesson, we will continue to learn more about Manoah and his wife, and why Samson did not tell them about the lion he had killed, nor about where he had gotten the honey from.

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Judges 14 - Part 12

October 7, 2022

‍Good evening, and welcome to Searching The Scriptures! This will be Judges 14 - Part 12 and today’s date is October 7, 2022. I’ll read from Judges 14:5-9,

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Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath, and came to the vineyards of Timnath: and, behold, a young lion roared against him. {6} And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and [he had] nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done. {7} And he went down, and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson well. {8} And after a time he returned to take her, and he turned aside to see the carcase of the lion: and, behold, [there was] a swarm of bees and honey in the carcase of the lion. {9} And he took thereof in his hands, and went on eating, and came to his father and mother, and he gave them, and they did eat: but he told not them that he had taken the honey out of the carcase of the lion.

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Why Did Samson Not Tell His Father And Mother What He Had Done?

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In our last study we discussed who Samson’s father, Manoah, represents which was a dual picture as his name denotes rest, but he is also from the tribe of Dan, which typifies judgment; moreover Samson’s mother and father lived in Zorah, which symbolizes hornets, and hornets in the Bible are also associated with God bringing retribution. There is also another aspect surrounding why Samson withheld the information about the killing of the lion and where he retrieved the honey from both of his parents. In our previous study we saw that in a sense since Samson is a deliverer (like all of the other Judges), He exemplifies the Deliverer, par excellence, Who is the Lord Jesus Christ. Because of this close affiliation with the Messiah, and the fact that the angel of Jehovah (Christ Himself) told Manaoh and his wife that Samson would be a Nazarite from the womb is further evidence of this identification with the Lord Jesus. In some of our earlier studies we learned that the Lord Jesus, is the only True Nazarite. With this in mind it would appear that both Manoah and his wife also exemplify National Israel. Samson, as a picture of Christ, reveals information in the Bible progressively, according to the proper spiritual time and season for doing so. National Israel did not understand all the ramifications of the sacrifices they were obligated to make in the Old Testament, although they offered these faithfully; in fact to most of the Jews these offerings were an end in and of themselves, and they did not see their spiritual value in pointing to the Messiah.

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A good example of this is the fact that unless God opens a person's spiritual eyes and ears to the Truth, they are completely incapable of grasping even the most basic of truths as noted in Luke 18:31-34, in which God utilizes three different Greek words to underscore the fact that the information the Savior was telling His disciples was totally hidden from their understanding at that time:

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Then he took [unto him] the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished. {32} For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on: {33] And they shall scourge [him], and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again. {34} And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken.

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However, after the Messiah’s resurrection, these very things would be revealed to them by the Holy Spirit. Who would bring them to their remembrance according to John 14:26,

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John 14:26, But the Comforter, [which is] the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

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In other words we can go to a verse such as Isaiah 28:10-13 that explains God’s methodology for studying the Bible, as well as how He chooses to reveal Truth to His elect people during a particular time and season:

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For precept [must be] upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, [and] there a little: {11} For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. {12} To whom he said, This [is] the rest [wherewith] ye may cause the weary to rest; and this [is] the refreshing: yet they would not hear. {13} But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, [and] there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared [yaqosh:H3369/TWOT*906], and taken.

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In this passage we see that the Word of God when studied in this manner - which is essentially comparing spiritual with spiritual - can be a blessing to God’s people, whereas it is a snare to those outside of God’s eternal kingdom as the following citations illustrate:

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Romans 11:5-10 declares: Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. {6} And if by grace, then [is it] no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if [it be] of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work. {7} What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded {8} (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day. {9} And David saith, Let their table be made a snare [pagis:H3803], and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them: {10} Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway.

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*Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (TWOT)

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Luke 21:34-36 also affirms: And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and [so] that day come upon you unawares. {35} For as a snare [pagis:H3803] shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. {36} Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

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And Ecclesiastes 9:12 teaches: For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare [pach:H6351/TWOT 1759a,b]; so [are] the sons of men snared [yaqosh:H3369/TWOT 906] in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.

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Let’s move on to verse 7 which states: And he went down, and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson well.

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We have already discussed the last phrase in this verse… and she pleased Samson well, and the location of this woman is Timnath (or redemption spiritually) which is below geographically Zorah (which denotes judgment) where Samson and his parents live.

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And He Went Down [yarad:H3381/TWOT 909]

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As we think about this idea of Samson going down to the vineyards of redemption (Timnath) we are reminded of Christ leaving His throne of glory to demonstrate what He had accomplished at… the foundation of the world.

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We encountered this term, went down, in verses 1 and 5 already, and we will run across it again in verses 10 and 19 of this same chapter:

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So his father went down [yarad:H3381/TWOT 909] unto the woman: and Samson made there a feast; for so used the young men to do. ...

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{19} And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he went down [yarad:H3381/TWOT 909] to Ashkelon, and slew thirty men of them, and took their spoil, and gave change of garments unto them which expounded the riddle. And his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father's house.

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In Psalm 133:3 this word is translated that descended: As the dew of Hermon, [and as the dew] that descended [yarad:H3381/TWOT 909]

upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, [even] life for evermore.

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This same expression appeared in connection with Judah (the Kinsman-Redeemer) in Genesis 38:1-2 as he went down (like Samson) to also get a wife from the heathen Canaanites: And it came to pass at that time, that Judah went down [yarad:H3381/TWOT 909] from his brethren, and turned in to a certain Adullamite, whose name [was] Hirah. {2} And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite, whose name [was] Shuah; and he took her, and went in unto her.

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Likewise, Joseph (who also typifies Christ) was brought down to Egypt (that spiritually refers to slavery to sin and to Satan) in Genesis 39:1, And Joseph was brought down [yarad:H3381/TWOT 909] to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the Ishmeelites, which had brought him down [yarad:H3381/TWOT 909] thither.

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Do you recall that Jesus similarly was also taken down into Egypt to escape the wrath of Herod in Matthew 2:13-15,

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And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. {14} When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt: {15} And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.

This passage is the fulfillment of what we read in Hosea 11:1, When Israel [was] a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.

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Why don’t we stop here, and in our next lesson, we will examine the terms and talked and with the woman, to see what God intends spiritually by how He uses them elsewhere in Scripture.

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