patriarchs and prophets-第106章

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ungodly；　under　cover　of　a　pretended　friendship；　to　allure　God's　people　into
sin；　that　he　may　separate　them　from　Him；　and　when　their　defense　is　removed；
then　he　will　lead　his　agents　to　turn　against　them　and　seek　to　accomplish
their　destruction。





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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　54

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Samson


Amid　the　widespread　apostasy　the　faithful　worshipers　of　God　continued　to
plead　with　Him　for　the　deliverance　of　Israel。　Though　there　was　apparently　no
response；　though　year　after　year　the　power　of　the　oppressor　continued　to
rest　more　heavily　upon　the　land；　God's　providence　was　preparing　help　for
them。　Even　in　the　early　years　of　the　Philistine　oppression　a　child　was　born
through　whom　God　designed　to　humble　the　power　of　these　mighty　foes。

On　the　border　of　the　hill　country　overlooking　the　Philistine　plain　was　the
little　town　of　Zorah。　Here　dwelt　the　family　of　Manoah；　of　the　tribe　of　Dan；
one　of　the　few　households　that　amid　the　general　defection　had　remained　true
to　Jehovah。　To　the　childless　wife　of　Manoah　〃the　Angel　of　Jehovah〃　appeared
with　the　message　that　she　should　have　a　son；　through　whom　God　would　begin　to
deliver　Israel。　In　view　of　this　the　Angel　gave　her　instruction　concerning
her　own　habits；　and　also　for　the　treatment　of　her　child：　〃Now　therefore
beware；　I　pray　thee；　and　drink　not　wine　nor　strong　drink；　and　eat　not　any
unclean　thing。〃　And　the　same　prohibition　was　to　be　imposed；　from　the　first；
upon　the　child；　with　the　addition　that　his　hair　should　not　be　cut；　for　he
was　to　be　consecrated　to　God　as　a　Nazarite　from　his　birth。

The　woman　sought　her　husband；　and；　after　describing　the　Angel；　she　repeated
His　message。　Then；　fearful　that　they　should　make　some　mistake　in　the
important　work　committed　to　them；　the　husband　prayed；　〃Let　the　Man　of　God
which　Thou　didst　send　come　again　unto　us；　and　teach　us　what　we　shall　do　unto
the　child　that　shall　be　born。〃

When　the　Angel　again　appeared；　Manoah's　anxious　inquiry　was；　〃How　shall　we
order　the　child；　and　how　shall　we　do　unto　him？〃　The　previous　instruction　was
repeated〃Of　all　that　I

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said　unto　the　woman　let　her　beware。　She　may　not　eat　of　anything　that　cometh
of　the　vine；　neither　let　her　drink　wine　or　strong　drink；　nor　eat　any　unclean
thing：　all　that　I　commanded　her　let　her　observe。〃

God　had　an　important　work　for　the　promised　child　of　Manoah　to　do；　and　it　was
to　secure　for　him　the　qualifications　necessary　for　this　work　that　the　habits
of　both　the　mother　and　the　child　were　to　be　carefully　regulated。　〃Neither
let　her　drink　wine　or　strong　drink；〃　was　the　Angel's　instruction　for　the
wife　of　Manoah；　〃nor　eat　any　unclean　thing。　All　that　I　commanded　her　let　her
observe。〃　The　child　will　be　affected　for　good　or　for　evil　by　the　habits　of
the　mother。　She　must　herself　be　controlled　by　principle　and　must　practice
temperance　and　self…denial；　if　she　would　seek　the　welfare　of　her　child。
Unwise　advisers　will　urge　upon　the　mother　the　necessity　of　gratifying　every
wish　and　impulse；　but　such　teaching　is　false　and　mischievous。　The　mother　is
by　the　command　of　God　Himself　placed　under　the　most　solemn　obligation　to
exercise　self…control。

And　fathers　as　well　as　mothers　are　involved　in　this　responsibility。　Both
parents　transmit　their　own　characteristics；　mental　and　physical；　their
dispositions　and　appetites；　to　their　children。　As　the　result　of　parental
intemperance　children　often　lack　physical　strength　and　mental　and　moral
power。　Liquor　drinkers　and　tobacco　users　may；　and　do；　transmit　their
insatiable　craving；　their　inflamed　blood　and　irritable　nerves；　to　their
children。　The　licentious　often　bequeath　their　unholy　desires；　and　even
loathsome　diseases；　as　a　legacy　to　their　offspring。　And　as　the　children　have
less　power　to　resist　temptation　than　had　the　parents；　the　tendency　is　for
each　generation　to　fall　lower　and　lower。　To　a　great　degree　parents　are
responsible　not　only　for　the　violent　passions　and　perverted　appetites　of
their　children　but　for　the　infirmities　of　the　thousands　born　deaf；　blind；
diseased；　or　idiotic。

The　inquiry　of　every　father　and　mother　should　be；　〃What　shall　we　do　unto　the
child　that　shall　be　born　unto　us？〃　The　effect　of　prenatal　influences　has
been　by　many　lightly　regarded；　but　the　instruction　sent　from　heaven　to　those
Hebrew　parents；　and　twice　repeated　in　the　most　explicit　and　solemn　manner；
shows　how　this　matter　is　looked　upon　by　our　Creator。

And　it　was　not　enough　that　the　promised　child　should　receive　a　good　legacy
from　the　parents。　This　must　be　followed　by　careful

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training　and　the　formation　of　right　habits。　God　directed　that　the　future
judge　and　deliverer　of　Israel　should　be　trained　to　strict　temperance　from
infancy。　He　was　to　be　a　Nazarite　from　his　birth；　thus　being　placed　under　a
perpetual　prohibition　against　the　use　of　wine　or　strong　drink。　The　lessons
of　temperance；　self…denial；　and　self…control　are　to　be　taught　to　children
even　from　babyhood。

The　angel's　prohibition　included　〃every　unclean　thing。〃　The　distinction
between　articles　of　food　as　clean　and　unclean　was　not　a　merely　ceremonial
and　arbitrary　regulation；　but　was　based　upon　sanitary　principles。　To　the
observance　of　this　distinction　may　be　traced；　in　a　great　degree；　the
marvelous　vitality　which　for　thousands　of　years　has　distinguished　the　Jewish
people。　The　principles　of　temperance　must　be　carried　further　than　the　mere
use　of　spirituous　liquors。　The　use　of　stimulating　and　indigestible　food　is
often　equally　injurious　to　health；　and　in　many　cases　sows　the　seeds　of
drunkenness。　True　temperance　teaches　us　to　dispense　entirely　with　everything
hurtful　and　to　use　judiciously　that　which　is　healthful。　There　are　few　who
realize　as　they　should　how　much　their　habits　of　diet　have　to　do　with　their
health；　their　character；　their　usefulness　in　this　world；　and　their　eternal
destiny。　The　appetite　should　ever　be　in　subjection　to　the　moral　and
intellectual　powers。　The　body　should　be　servant　to　the　mind；　and　not　the
mind　to　the　body。

The　divine　promise　to　Manoah　was　in　due　time　fulfilled　in　the　birth　of　a
son；　to　whom　the　name　of　Samson　was　given。　As　the　boy　grew　up　it　became
evident　that　he　possessed　extraordinary　physical　strength。　This　was　not；
however；　as　Samson　and　his　parents　well　knew；　dependent　upon　his　well…knit
sinews；　but　upon　his　condition　as　a　Nazarite；　of　which　his　unshorn　hair　was
a　symbol。　Had　Samson　obeyed　the　divine　commands　as　faithfully　as　his　parents
had　done；　his　would　have　been　a　nobler　and　happier　destiny。　But　association
with　idolaters　corrupted　him。　The　town　of　Zorah　being　near　the　country　of
the　Philistines；　Samson　came　to　mingle　with　them　on　friendly　terms。　Thus　in
his　youth　intimacies　sprang　up；　the　influence　of　which　darkened　his　whole
life。　A　young　woman　dwelling　in　the　Philistine　town　of　Timnath　engaged
Samson's　affections；　and　he　determined　to　make　her　his　wife。　To　his
God…fearing　parents；　who　endeavored　to　dissuade　him　from　his　purpose；　his
only　answer　was；　〃She　pleaseth　me　well。〃　The　parents　at　last　yielded　to　his
wishes；　and　the　marriage　took　place。

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Just　as　he　was　entering　upon　manhood；　the　time　when　he　must　execute　his
divine　missionthe　time　above　all　others　when　he　should　have　been　true　to
GodSamson　connected　himself　with　the　enemies　of　Israel。　He　did　not　ask
whether　he　could　better　glorify　God　when　united　with　the　object　of　his
choice；　or　whether　he　was　placing　himself　in　a　position　where　he　could　not
fulfill　the　purpose　to　be　accomplished　by　his　life。　To　all　who　seek　first　to
honor　Him；　God　has　promised　wisdom；　but　there　is　no　promise　to　those　who　are
bent　upon　self…pleasing。

How　many　are　pursuing　the　same　course　as　did　Samson！　How　often　marriages　are
formed　between　the　godly　and　the　ungodly；　because　inclination　governs　in　the
selection　of　husband　or　wife！　The　parties　do　not　ask　counsel　of　God；　nor
have　His　glory　in　view。　Christianity　ought　to　have　a　controlling　influence
upon　the　marriage　relation；　but　it　is　too　often　the　case　that　the　motives
which　lead　to　this　union　are　not　in　keeping　with　Christian　principles。　Satan
is　constantly　seeking　to　strengthen　his　power　over　the　people　of　God　by
inducing　them　to　enter　into　alliance　with　his　subjects；　and　in　order　to
accomplish　this　he　endeavors　to　arouse　unsanctified　passions　in　the　heart。
But　the　Lord　has　in　His　word　plainly　instructed　His　people　not　to　unite
themselves　with　those　who　have　not　His　love　abiding　in　them。　〃What　concord
hath　Christ　with　Belial？　or　what　part　hath　he　that　believeth　with　an
infidel？　and　what　agreement　hath　the　temple　of　God　with　idols？〃　2
Corinthians　6：15；　16。

At　his　marriage　feast　Samson　was　brought　into　familiar　association　with
those　who　hated　the　God　of　Israel。　Whoever　voluntarily　enters　into　such
relations　will　feel　it　necessary　to　conform；　to　some　degree；　to　the　habits
and　customs　of　his　companions。　The　time　thus　spent　is　worse　than　wasted。
Thoughts　are　entertained　and　words　are　spoken　that　tend　to　break　down　the
strongholds　of　principle　and　to　weaken　the　citadel　of　the　soul。

The　wife；　to　obtain　whom　Samson　had　transgressed　the　command　of　God；　proved
treacherous　to　her　husband　before　the　close　of　the　marriage　feast。　Incensed
at　her　perfidy；　Samson　forsook　her　for　the　time；　and　went　alone　to　his　home
at　Zorah。　When；　afterward　relenting；　he　returned　for　his　bride；　he　found　her
the　wife　of　another。　His　revenge；　in　the　wasting　of　all　the　fields　and
vineyards　of　the　Philistines；　provoked　them　to　murder　her；　although　their
threats　had　driven　her　to　the　deceit　with

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which　the　trouble　began。　Samson　had　already　given　evidence　of　his　marvelous
strength　by　slaying；　singlehanded；　a　young　lion；　and　by　killing　thirty　of
the　men　of　Askelon。　Now；　moved　to　anger　by　the　barbarous　murder　of　his　wife；
he　attacked　the　Philistines　and　smote　them　〃with　a　great　slaughter。〃　Then；
wishing　a　safe　retreat　from　his　enemies；　he　withdrew　to　〃the　rock　Etam；〃　in
the　tribe　of　Judah。

To　this　place　he　was　pursued　by　a　strong　force；　and　the　inhabitants　of
Judah；　in　great　alarm；　basely　agreed　to　deliver　him　to　his　enemies。
Accordingly　three　thousand　men　of　Judah　went　up　to　him。　But　even　at　such
odds　they　would　not　have　dared　approach　him　had　they　not　felt　assured　that
he　would　not　harm　his　own　countrymen。　Samson　consented　to　be　bound　and
delivered　to　the　Philistines；　but　first　exacted　from　the　men　of　Judah　a
promise　not　to　attack　him　themselves；　and　thus　compel　him　to　destroy　them。
He　permitted　them　to　bind　him　with　two　new　ropes；　and　he　was　led　into　the
camp　of　his　enemies　amid　demonstrations　of　great　joy。　But　while　their　shouts
were　waking　the　echoes　of　the　hills；　〃the　Spirit　of　Jehovah　came　mightily
upon　him。〃　He　burst　asunder　the　strong　new　cords　as　if　they　had　been　flax
burned　in　the　fire。　Then　seizing　the　first　weapon　at　hand；　which；　though
only　the　jawbone　of　an　ass；　was　rendered　more　effective　than　sword　or　spear；
he　smote　the　Philistines　until　they　fled　in　terror；　leaving　a　thousand　men
dead　upon　the　field。

Had　the　Israelites　been　ready　to　unite　with　Samson　and　follow　up　the
victory；　they