11-13-05

(1Cor 15:46)  Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural;

and afterward that which is spiritual.

THE NATURAL MARRIED WIFE

(Judg 14:10,11) So his father [but not his mother] went down unto the woman [Why? Perhaps to formalize the marriage contract? It appears thereafter that a period of time has elapsed between his father going down, and the feast festivities]: and Samson made there a feast [for the marriage]; for so used the young men to do. And it came to pass, when they saw him, that they brought thirty companions [friends] to be with him.

1.     Samson “the son of man,” the natural man, has seen a woman of Timnath for whom he lusts [Gk: a longing (espec. for what is forbidden): desire]. Being a man of extremes, as signified by his extreme strength [and parenthetically, his hidden extreme faith: Heb 11:32], he extremely lusts after this Gentile woman. However, mixed marriages by Israelites with other races were forbidden [“Neither shalt thou make marriages with them” Deut 7:3]. Nevertheless, the burning flames of Samson’s unabated lust overrule the biblical leadership and godly guidance of the Law of his father and mother [“Honour thy father and thy mother” Exo 20:12], and Samson finalizes his disobedience to them and God with the emphatic statement “Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well” (Judg 14:3). Samson’s actions and demeanor are clearly those of a self-centered head-strong carnal man. However, we are plainly told “that it was of the LORD, that he [the LORD] sought an occasion against the Philistines: for at that time the Philistines [flesh] had dominion over Israel [spirit]” (Judg 14:4), and we are learning by this example that God is always in control.

2.     Dake’s Annotated Reference Bible: It was the custom for a proposal of marriage to come from the family of the bridegroom, but occasionally this was reversed. There is no evidence of a religious ceremony in the early marriages. After the making of a contract concerning the dowry and any other business or financial matter, the removal of the bride to the home of the bridegroom was all that was necessary to complete the marriage. Later, marriages were concluded with festivities and contracts usually stated a certain length of time between the agreement and the actual marriage. The average time was about one year. Feasts lasting 7 days were a part of some festivities. Also, marriage processions and noisy demonstrations took place on such occasions. In New Testament times it was customary for the bridegroom to have young men companions and the bride to have a number of virgins with her in the wedding festivities.

3.     (1 Th 4:16,17)  For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up [seized: catch (away, up), pluck, pull, take (by force) /// to take for oneself, i.e. to prefer: choose] together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. [Ezek 37:1-14 the valley of dry bones which “stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army” v.10; Rev 20:5,6 “the first resurrection”]

4.     Could this woman that Samson (the son of man) married, who was a woman of the “uncircumcised Philistines” (Judg 14:3), could this woman of the “vineyards of Timnath” (Judg 14:5) bear fruit for the Lord? Have you borne fruit for the Lord? Or are you a barren woman (man or woman) for the Lord? Samson’s mother was one of seven initially barren women in the Bible [ref: the seven churches of Rev 2,3], six of whom eventually bore much fruit for the Lord. Sarai (Sarah bore Isaac), Rebekah (bore Esau and Jacob), Rachel (bore Joseph and Benjamin), Manoah’s wife (bore Samson), Hannah (bore Samuel), Michal (died barren), and Elizabeth (bore John the Baptist). Only “Michal the daughter of Saul had no child [remained barren] unto the day of her death” (2 Sam 6:23). Why? Because she looked out the window and “saw king David dancing and playing [in the joy of the Lord]: and she despised him in her heart” (1 Chr 15:29).

5.     (Mat 13:29,30)  But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

6.     (Mat 13:40-42)  As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

7.     (Judg 15:6)  Then the Philistines said, Who hath done this? And they answered, Samson, the son in law of the Timnite, because he had taken his wife, and given her to his companion. And the Philistines came up, and burnt her and her father with fire.

THE SPIRITUAL MARRIED WIFE

(Isa 54:1-3)  Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the LORD. Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes; For thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited.

1.     The Lord Jesus Christ has gotten us married unto Him, for He is the bridegroom and we are all the married wife, “the bride, the Lamb’s wife” (Rev 21:9). Married wife?? How? When were you married to Jesus Christ? Why, don’t you remember? Have you so soon forgotten? When you said your vows before God, the marriage was at that instant spiritually consummated as the Lord Jesus Christ instantly entered into your body. This spiritual “entering in” (Mark 4:19) of our Lord is the ultimate intimacy of which intercourse between man and woman is a mere physical type. The children (fruit) of this Holy union between Jesus Christ and His chosen bride are “fruit,” “more fruit,” and “much fruit” (John 15:1-8), “thirtyfold,” “sixtyfold,” and “an hundredfold” (Mat 13:8). Praise God! Vows??

2.     (Mark 4:18,19)  And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word [logos], And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things [i.e. unclean spirits] entering in, choke the word [logos; to strangle completely], and it becometh unfruitful [“yielded no fruit” Mark 4:7].

3.     (John 15:8)  Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.

4.     (Rom 10:8-10)  But what saith it? The word [rhema] is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word [rhema] of faith [belief], which we preach; That if thou shalt confess [acknowledge] with thy mouth the Lord [kurios; supreme in authority] Jesus, and shalt believe [have faith] in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved [synonym: born again]. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession [acknowledgement] is made unto salvation.

Amen