Samson Part I: The Prophecy

00:00:00 Speaker 1: Previously on the chosen people. Before the breaker of chains came, the Lord would send lesser heroes, fractured and broken images of the Deliverer to come. They would be imperfect vessels in God's hands, crafted to lead Israel out of its self inflicted destruction. Would make no mistake. 00:00:23 Speaker 2: Brothers, we are all the Lord's men. 00:00:27 Speaker 3: Have I not commended you? 00:00:30 Speaker 1: The strong? 00:00:32 Speaker 3: Be courageous, for the Lord. 00:00:36 Speaker 4: Is with me. 00:00:37 Speaker 5: Rise you men of Israel, Up a. 00:00:41 Speaker 3: Rise for the Lord. 00:00:43 Speaker 2: Edward Gideon. 00:00:45 Speaker 5: You have crowned this bramble, a king with no shade to give, no refuge to offer. He will devour you. He has devoured Gideon's sons. 00:00:57 Speaker 2: If the Lord grants me faith and I lead you with the victory over the Ammonites, I will remain your lea and chief. 00:01:06 Speaker 1: The judges of Israel grew darker and more twisted with each passing generation. Heroes became villains, and villains left Israel bound in sin. Yet the God of Israel would not leave his people forever. 00:01:30 Speaker 6: Unguarded strength is like fire, a gift that can burn as bright as the stars, or a curse that can consume everything in its path. Shell, Oh, my friends, from here in the holy Land of Israel. I'm l Exstein with international Fellowship of Christians and Jews, and welcome to the Chosen People, the kingless Kingdom, a nation without a leader, drifting into chaos. We've seen violence and victory. We've witnessed betrayal and loyalty in the stories of the Chosen People. And now we have another child of promise in unlikely beginning, a life set apart from birth. He's been called to rescue Israel. But there's something dangerous within him, in unguarded strength, a thirst that could make him Israel's defender or Israel's downfall. This is Judges thirteen, the Story of Samson. 00:02:29 Speaker 1: The sun sank low over the fields of Zora, draping the land in hues of molten gold. The tall barley swayed in the evening breeze, a gentle rhythm that whispered secrets of the coming night. Priya stood at the edge of the field, her breath rising in small clouds in the cool air. She gazed westward, where the horizon devoured the sun. In slow, deliberate gulpss, calloused yet graceful, gripped the handle of her basket with a sigh, she turned back toward the narrow path that led home. Her steps fell softly on the dirt, yet the sound seemed hollow. In her ears, she imagined smaller steps beside hers, the laughter of children weaving through the quiet, But the thought stung more than it soothed. Her womb, as silent as the path had borne her no fruit. Priya and her husband Manoah had long since ceased their lamentations for grief left unattended withers into a dull ache. Yet in her heart she still carried the echo of that unfulfilled longing. Priya's voice, soft and low, rose in song, a lullaby from her own mother's lips. As her melody wove through the stillness, a voice, clear, commanding and other worldly, spoke from behind her. 00:04:05 Speaker 5: Your barren womb shall from now on be cold blest. 00:04:09 Speaker 1: She turn'd sharply, her heart pounding against the fading sun. Stood a figure shrouded in radiant light. His face was hidden in the brilliance, but the air around him seemed alive, trembling with his presence. As he stepped forward, the light did not diminish, but followed him, wrapping him in a halo of glory prayer. Fell to her knees, trembling, her eyes shielded by her hands. The Angel of the Lord knelt before her and gently drew her hands away, his gaze piercing but kind. 00:04:46 Speaker 5: Your barren womb shall from now on be called blest, For this day you shall conceive and bear a son. He is to be set apart for the Lord's purposes. Therefore, be careful and drink no wine, a strong drink, and eat nothing unclean. No razor shall come upon his head, but the child shall be a Nazak guard from the womb. 00:05:09 Speaker 1: Priya could not speak, nor could she look away. The Angel smiled her glimmer of divine warmth in the fading light, and helped her to her feet. 00:05:20 Speaker 5: Your Sun shall be a mighty warrior. He shall begin to save Israel from the hand of the Philistines. 00:05:28 Speaker 7: Who were you. 00:05:30 Speaker 1: But how when she looked again, he was gone. The last rays of sunlight spilled over the hills, as if they carried him away. Priya stood frozen, her basket forgotten. Then, like a spring uncoiled, she ran home. She burst through the door and into Manoah's arms, laughing and weeping in the same breath. Manoah startled, held her tightly. 00:05:58 Speaker 2: What's the meaning of this? My love? 00:06:00 Speaker 1: I looked up at him, her love for him welling in her chest. 00:06:03 Speaker 3: A man of God came to me. His appearance was unlike any I have ever seen. His words. 00:06:12 Speaker 7: Oh man, they cut through me like a blade, and healed me in the same breath. 00:06:17 Speaker 4: Whomso what did you say? 00:06:21 Speaker 7: Oh? 00:06:22 Speaker 3: I didn't even think to ask his name. I was so overcome. But he said, he said, we shall have a sun. 00:06:33 Speaker 7: I do I suppose, I have no logical reason to, but I know it in my bones. 00:06:39 Speaker 3: He told me that he would be a great warrior, set apart by God. He told me to drink no wine or strong drink, and to eat nothing unclean. He is to be a Nazarite from the womb until the day of his death. 00:06:53 Speaker 1: Manoah's expression shifted from doubt to hope that she recounted the words when she he fell to his knees, his shoulders shaking. The two knelt together, their joy tempered with reverence. That night, under the starlit canopy of heaven, they conceived a child, as promised. The next morning, the fields of Zora awoke beneath a tender dawn, Shafts of light pierced through the boughs of ancient oaks, casting their golden hues over the barley. The air was crisp, carrying the scent of turned earth and distant rain. Praya lingered there, her gaze drawn to the interplay of light and shadow among the trees. Then she saw him. The figure stood beneath the largest of the oaks. Light radiated around him, though the sun had barely risen. Her breath caught, and without thought, she raised her hand in greeting. The Angel of the Lord inclined his head in acknowledgment. Priya turned and ran, her heart pounding with urgency. She found Manoah in the stables, his hands coated in straw and sweat. 00:08:13 Speaker 3: He's here, Manoa, the Man is here. 00:08:18 Speaker 1: Manoah dropped his tools and followed her without a word. Beneath the tree, the Lord sat in the shade, his posture calm as he looked at the birds. His face was serene, yet the air around him crackled, as if the very world knew. 00:08:35 Speaker 2: Who he was. 00:08:36 Speaker 1: Manoah approached, his breath labored, but his voice steady. 00:08:40 Speaker 4: Are you the man who spoke to my wife. I am when your words come true. What is to be the purpose of this child? What mission does the Lord have for him? 00:08:52 Speaker 5: My purpose is my own. All that I have spoken to your wife remains. She is to abstain from wine, strong drink, and all that is unclean. Let her observe these things, and all would be as it should. 00:09:07 Speaker 4: Then she too was to live as a Nazareite. 00:09:10 Speaker 2: And to the boy's board. 00:09:12 Speaker 1: The angel gave the faintest nod, and a sense of peace settled over Manoah. Manoah hesitated, his heart full, but his mind racing. 00:09:22 Speaker 4: If I have found favor in your sight, let us honor you with the meal. We will prepare a young gulp for you. 00:09:29 Speaker 5: I will not eat your food, however you may prepare an offerer and offering. 00:09:35 Speaker 1: At these words, understanding began to dawn upon Manoah. He glanced at his wife, and she nodded, her eyes wide with wonder. They weren't speaking to a mere messenger. It was him, the one who had blessed Abraham wrestled with Jacob, given orders to Joshua, and reassured Gideon, what is your name? 00:10:01 Speaker 2: How why do you. 00:10:02 Speaker 5: Ask me my name. You know my name, You know that it is glorious. 00:10:08 Speaker 1: Manoah stood and went into the fields, selecting a young goat and gathering grain. He brought them to a stone altar beneath the oak, kindled the fire and placed the offering atop the flames. The scent of roasted meat mingled with the smoke. Rising to the heavens. The angel stepped forward. Manoah and Priya gasped as he laid his herd upon the flames, which fled brighter at his touch. The fire did not burn him, but seemed to welcome him, dancing up his arm as if it recognized its maker. Then, to their utter astonishment, the angel stepped into the heart of the flame. The fire enveloped him, and with a burst of heat and light, he ascended heavenward. Carried aloft by the smoke, Manoah and Praya fell to their faces, trembling. The air around them was still, yet their hearts beat wildly. 00:11:08 Speaker 4: Do you remember what the Lord said to Moses? If anybody sees the face of God, they shall surely die? 00:11:14 Speaker 2: Are we going to die? 00:11:16 Speaker 3: If the Lord wanted to kill us, he would have accepted our offering would he, nor would he have promised us a child. 00:11:23 Speaker 1: Her voice softened as her hand moved to her belly. She closed her eyes, a small smile tugging at her lips. 00:11:33 Speaker 3: He will live, He will be called Samson. 00:11:36 Speaker 1: Sunlight Manoah placed his hand over hers, his expression filled with reverence and love. They knelt together beneath the oak, their hearts heavy with the weight of divine purpose and the joy of what was to come. The stream wove through the Philistine city of Timna like a silver thread, cool and glistening under the sun's steady gaze. Yet Samson's eyes were not drawn to the waters, but to a figure that moved beside them. A Philistine woman descended to the banks. Her clay jar balanced on her shoulder, she set it down and seated herself on a stone. Her hair caught the light as she tipped her face towards the sun. And Samson's heart, fierce and untamed as a lion's, stilled in his chest. He stood under the shade of an olive tree, his breath heavy with desire. Though his Nazarite vow bound him to God's service, Samson often found himself in places he ought not be drawn as much by temptation as by rebellion. His long, unshorn hair fell over his broad shoulders, a mark of his divine call. Yet his feet strayed into the Philistine cities with troubling ease. There, the strong man who could slay entire packs of wolves was rendered weak by a different kind of predator. Women. This woman, in particular, unsettled him. Her beauty was sharp, almost cruel, and Samson felt a madness stirring in his soul. She saw him, her dark eyes locking onto his, and she did not flinch. He stepped out from the shade and waded into the stream, the water cooling his heated skin. As they came closer, her gaze was unwavering, almost playful. He stepped onto the bank and sat beside her, his damp frame towering over her slight form. She smiled at him, a flicker of mischief in her eyes. 00:13:58 Speaker 8: Tell me, Hebrew, what brings you to a Philistine stream? 00:14:02 Speaker 3: Should you not fear for your life? 00:14:03 Speaker 5: Here? 00:14:05 Speaker 2: Look at me? Does it seem I have anything to fear? 00:14:09 Speaker 1: Her gaze traveled over him, lingering on the water that clung to his muscles, glistening in the sunlight. 00:14:17 Speaker 5: Then, what do you fear? 00:14:20 Speaker 2: Nothing save an empty bed? At night? 00:14:25 Speaker 1: Her laughter rang like chimes on the wind, and they spoke long into the afternoon, their voices mingling with the babble of the stream. Samson led her to a grove where wild flowers grew. They danced, kissed, and lingered beneath the trees as the sun did low over the valley. Samson's desire for her was not just lust. It was an all consuming hunger, a fire that left him restless and fevered. When the sun fell behind the hills, Samson ran home, his strides devouring the miles between Timna and his father's house. He burst through the door, his presence a thunderclap that shattered the evening's quiet. His mother and father, seated by the hearth over a pot of stew, turned to him an alarm. 00:15:17 Speaker 2: Oh, father, mother, I bring glorious news. What is it, my son? I met a woman in Timna. 00:15:25 Speaker 3: Timna, A philistine woman. 00:15:29 Speaker 2: Philistine Hebrew, Moabid Egyptian. It doesn't matter. She's the most stunning creature I've ever seen. 00:15:39 Speaker 1: Samson took another long drink from the ladle, ignoring his mother's disapproving. 00:15:44 Speaker 2: Glare I want her as my wife? 00:15:51 Speaker 4: Have you no thought for your people? The Philistines have oppressed us for decades? Is there no woman among your own kin you could take as your wife? 00:16:00 Speaker 3: Surely, my son, there are matches more worthy, more suited to your calling as a man of God. 00:16:06 Speaker 2: Ah le Pitia pleases my eyes, and that is enough. I care not for these other things. Fetch her for me. 00:16:15 Speaker 1: Father Manoah was exacerbated by his son's irreverence. He wondered where he had gone wrong raising such an entitled and self gratifying son, Samson. 00:16:27 Speaker 4: Have you no sense of your purpose? You are set apart by God for something greater? 00:16:34 Speaker 2: What purpose? My hair grows long, my lips are dry of wine. Yet I see no wealth, no land, no calling. Until the Lord speaks to me as he once spoke to you and mother, I will do as I see fit. Now get me that woman. 00:16:50 Speaker 1: Manoah slumped in his chair, his head heavy with shame, not for Samson, but for his own failure to shape the wild out of his son. Samson was a force of nature, untamed and dangerous. Yet perhaps it was that very wildness the Lord would use the next morning, Manoah journeyed to Timna to arrange the bride price. He met with the woman's father, speaking in tones heavy with resignation. None of them could see the hand of God at work, moving in ways mysterious and strange. Samson's weakness, his reckless heart, would be the instrument of deliverance for Israel. For all his flaws, God was weaving a plan through the chaos. 00:17:47 Speaker 8: Incredible. What we've just heard isn't a simple tale of a hero's birth, as a haunting promise wrapped in the mystery of God's ways. And it begins, like stories we've already studied, with a barren woman visited by a messenger from God. The Bible tells us of an Israelite woman who we know only as the wife of Manoah, a woman who was childless, unable to give birth. In other words, it was physically impossible for her to have a baby. What a dark time it must have been for her, trying year after year to conceive, while others around her gave birth to baby after baby, until one day an angel of God appeared and told her that she would have a special baby dedicated to God. She was elated, and she ran to tell her husband Manoah about the angel's visit, but Manoah didn't believe it, and he asked God to send the mysterious man once again. Well, the angel reappeared and Manoah heard for himself all that his wife had already been told, and now something strange happened. Manoa invited the angel to stay for dinner, even though he knew that angels don't eat. It was as if Manoa still wasn't convinced that this man was a messenger of God. Only when the angel disappeared into a fire and ascended to heaven was Manoa finally convinced that the angel was sent from God. But instead of rejoicing, Manoa lamented because he believed that he and his wife would die since they had seen such a holy sight with their own eyes. Well, Manoa's wife reassured him that God would not do such a thing, and when her healthy baby boy was born, she named him Samson, which is derived from the Hebrew word meaning sunshine. Isn't that fitting, my friends? When we go through hard times for so long, it's sometimes hard to believe that life will ever get better, isn't it? 00:20:01 Speaker 3: But instead of being like. 00:20:02 Speaker 8: Manoah, who doubted even as things were getting better. Let's try to be like his wife. Let's try to be like Samson's mother, who believed that even after so many years of hardships, that God was able to change it, and that he was sending blessings and that the future could look sunny and bright even after so many years of darkness. From his first breath, Samson is consecrated, holy and set apart. But under all that promise, there's already something lurking at the heart of Samson's story. We have the Nazarite vow, the vow that this child will carry from the womb, setting him apart from his own people and binding him to God in a life of discipline. But here's the irony of it. Samson is set apart, but he still is huge as anyone else. As we'll soon see, Samson will wrestle not just with enemies, but with his own heart. The Nazarite vow might bind his actions, but his inner desires threatened to tear him apart. This is a story of a man called to be the chosen people's deliver, but he just might also be their undoing. There's an expression in Hebrew yesh har besch luurim la macomb, which means God has many messengers. What it really means is that God has many kinds of messengers to help and save his chosen people. His messengers of good and blessings don't all look the same, and so from the very start, when the Angel comes to Samson's parents to tell of this special child's birth, he explains that their son would be a Nazarite, a kind of man of God who would not be permitted to drink wine or to cut his hair. In other words, he would be someone who would not be involved in the pleasures of this world. And then, in the same breath, the angel says that this child would begin to save Israel from the hands of their mortal enemy, the Philistines. So even before his birth, Samson was a contradiction from the womb, already described as both being a religious figure removed from the world, but also a military man and supreme fighter who will save the nation. As we'll see, Samson was a bundle of contradictions, even indulging in some very questionable actions. But for reasons we may never fully understand, God chose Samson even before he was born to be a judge and a savior of the chosen people. And indeed God has many messas will all look very different, and the paradox that is Samson will hang over his entire story. The divine strength given to a deeply flawed man. No ritual or no vow can make a person righteous. Strength without wisdom, power without restraint. That's a dangerous combination. In Samson, we see that strength is a gift, but that it demands a life of purpose, a heart of submission to God. So where does that leave us? 00:23:34 Speaker 2: Well? 00:23:35 Speaker 8: In Samson's story, we're looking at something we're all guilty of, of taking what God has given us and making it our identity, using strength not to serve others, but to serve ourselves. My friends, how easy is it to fall into the same trap to think that our talents and our blessings that are ours to do with as we lease. Are our blessings and talents really ours? Or is it a blessing from God that he expects us to use for the masses or just for others, even if it's not an entire nation. The truth is each gift we carry is not our own. Our strengths, our influence, our very lives. These are treasures that God has placed in our hands to serve a purpose beyond just ourselves. Sometimes it's our family, sometimes it's our friends, sometimes it's our community. But we always have to ask the question, what will we do with the strength that we've been given? So it doesn't just begin and end with us. Will we guard it with humility and use it for God's purposes? Or will we let our talents and strength and blessings lead us down a path of self gratification. My prayer is that we remember that our blessings and our talents are gifts from God. May we use them not for our glory but for his. 00:25:11 Speaker 1: You can listen to The Chosen People with Isle Eckstein ad free by downloading and subscribing to the Prey dot Com app today. This Prey dog comproduction is only made possible by our dedicated team of creative talents. Steve Gattina, Max Bard, Zach Shellabarger, and Ben Gammon are the executive producers of the Chosen People with Yile Eckstein, Edited by Alberto Avilla, narrated by Paul Coltefianu. Characters are voiced by Jonathan Cotton, Aaron Salvato, Sarah Seltz, Mike Reagan, Stephen Ringwald, Sylvia Zaradoc, Thomas Copeland Junior, Rosanna Pilcher, and the opening prayer is voiced by John Moore, music by Andrew Morgan Smith, written by Aaron Salvato, bre Rosalie and Chris Baig. Special thanks to Bishop Paulinier, Robin van Ettin, kayleb Burrows, Jocelyn Fuller, and the team at International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. You can hear more Prey dot com productions on the Prey dot com app, available on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. If you enjoyed The Chosen People with Yile Eckstein, please rate and leave a review,