Oldal:W22.1935 Samson 2.djvu/11 forrásának megtekintése

<noinclude><pagequality level="1" user="" /></noinclude>November 15, 1935
WATCHTOWER.
347
side of Philistia and at quite a long distance for those
times for Samson to travel. He went down there to
provide means to pay the loss of his wager, and there
he slew thirty men and took their garments as his
spoils. That was not murder, because Samson was
there acting under Jehovah’s direction for the punish¬
ment of His enemies. The fact that Jehovah does not
say anything in the record against Samson is proof that
his conduct was approved by the Lord. The Philistines
had acted fraudulently and dishonestly with God’s
chosen people. They had‘plowed with Samson’s heifer’
and thus had fraudulently obtained information.
46 Likewise the modern Philistines practiced fraud
and deceit to obtain information against God’s chosen
people in modern times. Samson paid his wager, but
neither he nor any others of God’s chosen people were
impoverished or put to loss by so doing; but the
Philistines, the enemies of God, did suffer loss for their
deception practiced upon God’s people. This shows
that God will duly recompense those who do violence
to his people and who despitefully use them, and this
he will do in his own due time.
47 During the Elijah period there were frequent
“siftings” amongst the professed followers of Christ
Jesus, and to this The Watchtower frequently called
attention; and this was foreshadowed by the fact that
Samson, immediately after paying his wager, went
away from his wife and went to the house of his father,
being righteously indignant at the treatment received
at the hands of his betrothed wife and her people.
Likewise the faithful, during the Elijah period, sep¬
arated themselves from the false and unfaithful ones
who had been induced to take their course of wrong¬
doing by the influence of the Philistines. There was no
reconciliation between Samson and the woman. Al¬
though during the Elijah period the faithful stood
ready to receive those who had deflected, provided they
would repent and show a real interest in the Lord’s
cause, there was never a reconciliation and uniting
again in the Lord’s work.
48 Samson’s woman was given to another: “But
Samson’s wife was given to his companion, whom he
had used as his friend.” (Judg. 14:20) So likewise
those who, during the Elijah period, were unfaithful
were returned to and united with Satan’s organiza¬
tion. It was not the fault of Samson that his wife was
separated from him, nor was she given to another with
his knowledge and consent. Let it be kept in mind that
Jehovah was directing the prophetic drama and he
caused it to mark out the things that would come
to pass in the future, and it was working out to his
purpose and pleasure.
48 Still another and further occasion was to be had
against the Philistines, the enemy of God and his
people. During the Elijah period the Devil succeeded
in getting many out of the then “present truth”, and
those who had acted treacherously toward their breth¬
ren fell easy victims to the wiles of Satan’s agents
about them. Those who turned away went back into
Satan’s organization, and were pictured by Samson’s
wife, who was given by her father to another, and
remained in the camp of the “Philistines”. Jehovah
was now preparing the stage for a further expression
of his vengeance against the enemy. He was maneuver¬
ing the players in the prophetic drama to thereby
prophetically foreshadow how he would punish those
who would despitefully use his faithful people, and
did so use them during the Elijah period. Samson,
being one of the players in this drama, is not subject
to reprehensory criticism because of the course he
took. Jehovah put his spirit upon Samson, and like¬
wise Jehovah put his spirit upon the faithful follow¬
ers of Christ Jesus who did his service during the
Elijah period and who continued zealous in the per¬
formance of the commission committed to them. The
zeal and devotion of those faithful ones during that
period of time often brought the modern Philistines
into great embarrassment and distress, and Jehovah
used his faithful ones for that very purpose. God's
vengeance expressed against the Philistines through
Samson foreshadows the expression of his vengeance
against modern Philistines, who conspired to do injury
to the faithful followers of Christ Jesus who continued
to proclaim the presence of the Lord and the nearness
of his kingdom. If the record discloses that God sus¬
tained Samson, would not that prove that Samson pic¬
tured a people of pure heart who receive God’s sus¬
taining grace?
{To be continued)
QUESTIONS FOR STUDY
f 1. With scriptures, account for the strength and security of
Jehovah’s faithful people. Why is it essential to under¬
stand Jehovah’s rule of action?
K 2-5. Explain whether Samson was acting wisely in his pro¬
cedure recorded at Judges 14: 1-3, and whether his parents
were justified in their objection thereto. How has the
prophetic picture had fulfillment?
T 6. Account for the event that took place on the journey to
Timnath.
H 7, 8. Explain and illustrate the Biblical symbolism of the lion.
H 9-19. Relate the course of events which proves the identity
of the “young lion’’ here mentioned: (a) Prior to the
incident recorded at verse 5. (b) As roaring against Sam¬
son. (c) In its being slain by Samson.
U 20-22. Point out the dark hand of the Catholic Hierarchy in
the 'roaring of the lion against Samson’; also the facts
showing that that ‘ ‘ lion ’ ’ is dead.
23-28. Point out fulfillment of verse 7. Of verse 8. Of verse 9.
H 29-32. Account for the procedure recorded at verse 10. At
verse 11. At verse 12. At verse 13.
H 33-36. With facts and related scriptures, show the fitness of
the riddle (verse 14) as a prophetic picture. What was
pictured in the Philistines’ being unable to expound the
riddle?
7 37-40. Describe the situation foreshown in verse 15. That
foretold in verse 16.
If 41-47. Show that the tactics employed by Samson’s wife, and
the result thereof, fitly picture the activities of a class
in these latter days, and the outcome of their wrongful
course.
T 48,49. Explain (a) whether “Samson’s wife” has been
“given to his companion”, (b) Whether Samson pro¬
ceeded aright in the matter recorded of him at verse 19;
also what was pictured therein.
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