Yesterday's Bible Session Notes - 1/27/14

Samson 1-27-14

We’ve been studying the life of Samson. Who can tell me something they remember about this story so far?

Turn to Judges 14:1.

Judges 14:1-3 (Student read.)

*Samson was an Israelite.  He was to be a judge and a Nazirite.

Question: Who can tell me who was ruling the Israelites during this time? (Philistines)

Question: So were the Philistines considered friends or enemies of the Israelites? (Enemy)

Question: Who was supposed to begin the freeing of the Israelites from the Philistines? (Samson)

Question: So why on earth would he want to marry a Philistine!?!?! (Student response)

Judges 14:4 (student read)

*Ah ha!  God has a plan!

Judges 14:5-6 (student read.)

*He tore up a lion and did not tell his parents! How did they miss this? 

Question: whose power tore up the lion? (Samson/God)

Judges 14:7 (Student read.)

*Samson headed on into town, met the girl, and he liked her. 

Judges 13:8-9 (student read.)

*He ate honey from inside the lion and shared it with his parents.  Again he does not tell his parents

Question: Why? (Student response)

Judges 14:10-11 (student read.)

*The family goes to meet the gal and Samson begins a 7 day bachelor party with 30 guys he just met.

Judges 14:12-13 (student read.)

Question: Who here likes riddles?

*This riddle came with a prize if the guys got it right, but it also came with a cost if they got it wrong.

Question: How many days did they have to solve the riddle? (7)

Judges 14:14 (student read.)

*Ah the riddle:

Question: How many days went by without an answer? (3)

Judges 14:15 (student read.)

*The men threatened Samson’s wife saying they will destroy her family to try to get the answer out of her.

Judges 14:16 (student read.)

*Samson’s wife begs him for an answer but Samson won’t give it to her.

Question: Is Samson’s wife honest with Samson? (

Question: She says he doesn’t love her, but what is the real reason she wants the answer? (To protect her family)

Judges 14:17 (student read.)

Question: Samson gives in and tells her the answer and then what does she do? (Tells the men)

Question: How is Samson’s wife similar or different from Samson’s mother? (Student response)

Judges 14:18 (student read.)

*The men solve the riddle and Samson knows they cheated.

Judges 14:19 (student read.)

*Samson becomes immensely strong, kills 30 men, takes their clothing and pays the men who solved the riddle.

Judges 14:20 (student read.)

*Because Samson stormed off and killed those 30 men in order to pay the riddle payment, Samson’s wife was given to another man.  More on that next week.

Interesting Points:

1 – Samson’s power and strength always come when the Spirit of God comes on him.  He is not super strong on his own.

2 – A little secrecy goes a long way.  Open communication between Samson and his parents as well as between Samson and his wife would have saved a lot of headaches and a lot of lives.

3 – Make good choices in your friends and eventually who you are dating and who you marry.  Find someone like Samson’s mother who last week helped her husband see reality and stopped him from panicking unlike Samson’s wife who led him deceptively into a trap with the 30 men.