Children Bible Overview 42 27/01/08

JUDGE SAMSON, THE NAZIRITE WHOM GOD WAS WITH

Teachers to read bible scripture: <Jdg 13-16>

Children to memorize bible scripture: <1 Pe 2:9>

Recap
Last week, we saw that the Israelites were often very weak because they were taken advantage of by
their enemies. However, God continually used Judges to save them.
Introduction
Thereafter, there was a strong tribe called the Philistines who took advantage of the Israelites. God
gave birth to a child, through an Israelite couple, called Samson. Before Samson was born, an angel
of God told his mother, “He is a special child, he will be a Nazirite (meaning: set part to God from birth.
Therefore, no razor may be used on his head), he will save the Israelites form the hands of the
Philistines. When Samson grew up, because he was set apart to God, the Lord was always with him
and he therefore had special strength in him. He could even tear a lion apart with his bare hands!
Because Samson hated the Philistines, he often attacked and killed them. There was once, he merely
used a fresh jawbone of a donkey and struck down 1,000 Philistines. However, Samson often
disobeyed God’s words, and liked women who did not know God. There was once, Samson fell in
love with a Philistine named Delilah. The rulers of the Philistines went to her and bribed her with
money to get Samson to tell her the secret of his great strength, so that they could overpower him.
From then, Delilah found ways to deceive Samson. (Narrate how Samson was slowly deceived by
Delilah and the process of how he told Delilah the secret of his great strength.) Delilah eventually told
the secret of Samson’s great strength to the Philistines. While he was asleep, the Philistines shaved
off the braids on his hair and his strength left him. The Philistines then seized them and gouged out
his eyes. When Samson was in prison, the hair on his head began to grow again. Later, the
Philistines brought Samson to a temple of their demon god in an attempt to jeer at him. Many
Philistines were present there. Samson told the servant who held his hand to put him where he could
feel the pillars that support the temple. Samson repented and prayed to the Lord for strength for one
last time, so as to kill all the Philistines present there. God gave Samson the strength and he pushed
with all his might, and down came the temple. Samson was crushed together with the rulers and all
the people. Samson killed many more when he died than while he lived!

1. Samson was a Nazirite, a person set apart to God whose entire life will be used by
God
1) Jesus Christ saved us so that we will become Nazirites, Therefore, we who know
Jesus Christ are different from the people of this world. We are God’s children, with
the promise of the 4 gospelization in us.
2) Therefore, God’s special power is in us. We who know Jesus Christ will have the
help of the angels. Therefore, every time we pray in the name of Jesus Christ, God
will listen, send his angels to help us and chase the devil, Satan away.
3) Therefore, God’s purpose for us is the same as that for Samson, that is, in our
lifetime, we are to rely on the power that God has given us, to chase the enemies
away (the bondage and deception by the devil, Satan), save and heal God’s people
(family and friends).

2. However, Samson often forgot his own identity and therefore disobeyed God’s
words by liking women who did not know God
1) Although we are like Samson, also Nazirites, God’s royal children, the devil, Satan
often deceives us such that we forget our identity. This is especially so when we are
weak, encounter problems, get scolded or looked down upon by others, fail etc. We
will easily forget that we are God’s royal children who will save the people of this era.
 2) When we forget our identity, we will be slowly tempted by the devil, Satan not to listen
to God’s words, not to listen to what our Sunday school teachers teach regarding
God’s words, and slowly do not regard God’s words as important. [Confirm with the
children: does this happen?]
3) Eventually, we will slowly grow to love the world and pursue things of the world. E.g.
start to play uncontrollably, watch television programs, go out with friends, do not
attend Sunday school, do not study, do not eat or sleep on time. Eventually, like
Samson, we will fail!

3. However, when Samson repented before God, God’s power once again came upon
him and he managed to kill all his enemies
1) Samson repented before God: our heart is set apart to God, our lifetime purpose is
not to pursue the world but to save God’s people, because we know that this is the
reason why God gave birth to us! [Confirm with the children the reason why God
gave birth to them]
2) Samson discovered God’s perfect will after he repented: God gave him special
powers so that he could kill all of God’s enemies and save God’s people, just like
how God gives me wisdom, gifts and beauty today, so that we can help brothers and
sisters beside us/ our parents and siblings, and get them to know Jesus [Confirm
with the children the areas where God uses them]
3) When Samson understood God’s perfect will, he asked God for strength to kill all the
enemies: Therefore, once we understand God’s perfect will and pray to him (no
matter what), God will fulfill! e.g. When we pray for family and friends to know Jesus,
pray to receive wisdom in studies so as to be used by God, pray for money to be
used in evangelism, God will all fulfill.