patriarchs and prophets-第117部分

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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　might　at　this　time　have　freed　themselves　from　the　power　of
their　oppressors。　But　they　had　become　dispirited　and　cowardly。　They　had
neglected　the　work　which　God　commanded　them　to　perform；　in　dispossessing　the
heathen；　and　had　united　with　them　in　their　degrading　practices；　tolerating
their　cruelty；　and；　so　long　as　it　was　not　directed　against　themselves；　even
countenancing　their　injustice。　When　themselves　brought　under　the　power　of
the　oppressor；　they　tamely　submitted　to　the　degradation　which　they　might
have　escaped；　had　they　only　obeyed　God。　Even　when　the　Lord　raised　up　a
deliverer　for　them；　they　would；　not　infrequently；　desert　him　and　unite　with
their　enemies。

After　his　victory　the　Israelites　made　Samson　judge；　and　he　ruled　Israel　for
twenty　years。　But　one　wrong　step　prepares　the

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way　for　another。　Samson　had　transgressed　the　command　of　God　by　taking　a　wife
from　the　Philistines；　and　again　he　ventured　among　themnow　his　deadly
enemiesin　the　indulgence　of　unlawful　passion。　Trusting　to　his　great
strength；　which　had　inspired　the　Philistines　with　such　terror；　he　went
boldly　to　Gaza；　to　visit　a　harlot　of　that　place。　The　inhabitants　of　the　city
learned　of　his　presence；　and　they　were　eager　for　revenge。　Their　enemy　was
shut　safely　within　the　walls　of　the　most　strongly　fortified　of　all　their
cities；　they　felt　sure　of　their　prey；　and　only　waited　till　the　morning　to
complete　their　triumph。　At　midnight　Samson　was　aroused。　The　accusing　voice
of　conscience　filled　him　with　remorse；　as　he　remembered　that　he　had　broken
his　vow　as　a　Nazarite。　But　notwithstanding　his　sin；　God's　mercy　had　not
forsaken　him。　His　prodigious　strength　again　served　to　deliver　him。　Going　to
the　city　gate；　he　wrenched　it　from　its　place　and　carried　it；　with　its　posts
and　bars；　to　the　top　of　a　hill　on　the　way　to　Hebron。

But　even　this　narrow　escape　did　not　stay　his　evil　course。　He　did　not　again
venture　among　the　Philistines；　but　he　continued　to　seek　those　sensuous
pleasures　that　were　luring　him　to　ruin。　〃He　loved　a　woman　in　the　valley　of
Sorek；〃　not　far　from　his　own　birthplace。　Her　name　was　Delilah；　〃the
consumer。〃　The　vale　of　Sorek　was　celebrated　for　its　vineyards；　these　also
had　a　temptation　for　the　wavering　Nazarite；　who　had　already　indulged　in　the
use　of　wine；　thus　breaking　another　tie　that　bound　him　to　purity　and　to　God。
The　Philistines　kept　a　vigilant　watch　over　the　movements　of　their　enemy；　and
when　he　degraded　himself　by　this　new　attachment；　they　determined；　through
Delilah；　to　accomplish　his　ruin。

A　deputation　consisting　of　one　leading　man　from　each　of　the　Philistine
provinces　was　sent　to　the　vale　of　Sorek。　They　dared　not　attempt　to　seize　him
while　in　possession　of　his　great　strength；　but　it　was　their　purpose　to
learn；　if　possible；　the　secret　of　his　power。　They　therefore　bribed　Delilah
to　discover　and　reveal　it。

As　the　betrayer　plied　Samson　with　her　questions；　he　deceived　her　by
declaring　that　the　weakness　of　other　men　would　come　upon　him　if　certain
processes　were　tried。　When　she　put　the　matter　to　the　test；　the　cheat　was
discovered。　Then　she　accused　him　of　falsehood；　saying；　〃How　canst　thou　say；
I　love　thee；　when　thine　heart　is　not　with　me？　Thou　hast　mocked　me　these

566

three　times；　and　hast　not　told　me　wherein　thy　great　strength　lieth。〃　Three
times　Samson　had　the　clearest　evidence　that　the　Philistines　had　leagued　with
his　charmer　to　destroy　him；　but　when　her　purpose　failed；　she　treated　the
matter　as　a　jest；　and　he　blindly　banished　fear。

Day　by　day　Delilah　urged　him；　until　〃his　soul　was　vexed　unto　death；〃　yet　a
subtle　power　kept　him　by　her　side。　Overcome　at　last；　Samson　made　known　the
secret：　〃There　hath　not　come　a　razor　upon　mine　head；　for　I　have　been　a
Nazarite　unto　God　from　my　mother's　womb：　if　I　be　shaven；　then　my　strength
will　go　from　me；　and　I　shall　become　weak；　and　be　like　any　other　man。〃　A
messenger　was　immediately　dispatched　to　the　lords　of　the　Philistin