Compromise Leads To Slavery

Then three thousand men of Judah went down to the cleft of the rock of Etam, and said to Samson, "Do you not know that the Philistines rule over us? What is this you have done to us?" (Judges 15:11)

I knew a man who was in WW 1, who told me the following story. The war was often fought from trenches, with Germans dug in on one side of the field of battle and our troops on the other. These battles could go on for weeks sometimes, and in this case, the opposing troops had worked out an unwritten "cease fire" on Sundays. Then one peaceful Sunday a new recruit showed up who knew nothing of the "cease fire" edict.

Spotting one of the enemy, he fired on him. The Germans were so outraged by this breach of the "peace", they unleashed every weapon they had on our guys. An understandable response in the light of the compromise.

The poor recruit! He thought there was a war going on and he was supposed to fight the enemy. But when he did, his own fellow soldiers turned on him and blamed him for rousing the enemy! These soldiers had lost sight of the larger purpose for the conflict and had compromised for the sake of a quasi-peace.

Samson found himself in a similar situation. Israel was called to execute the judgment of God against the heathen nations that occupied the Promised Land. God had given the idol worshippers over 400 years to repent and now He was set to take vengeance on them. His patience had not profited them and no doubt He was filled with disgust and wrath at their horrible worship of idols that included the burning alive of their own children. Their denial of the true God led to such awful practices, even to the raising of some of their children to become temple prostitutes, both boys and girls.

Under Joshua's leadership, a good beginning of fulfilling the will of God had begun, but it faltered after the passing of that great leader. Instead of obeying God and possessing the land, Israel found themselves in bondage to their enemies in Samson's time. God used Samson in the role of the "raw recruit" to renew the battle and save Israel.

In Samson, they saw a demonstration of the power of God using a man as flawed as they were to defeat the enemy. As Samson seized on the new jawbone of an ass and slew a 1000 men singlehandedly, so the hand of God seized Samson, even in the rotting flesh of the old nature and wrought victories through the Spirit. This example is for all of God's people, so we know our weakness and waywardness can yet be overcome, so we too can be used of the Spirit of God.

Was Israel grateful that they had a new champion? No! Instead they blamed him for getting them into trouble with their "rulers"! What a terrible thing to do for the people of God! Calling their oppressors their "rulers" an allegiance which belongs to the true God alone. They had forgotten the God who freed them from slavery from the most powerful nation in the world. And the manner in which He brought about their deliverance..."with a high hand". They came out of Egypt supernaturally, with Egypt's gold as pay for their years of slavery. They came out, not to die in the wilderness through unbelief, but to go in and conquer and possess the land given to Abraham by God.

Do not compromise with the Enemy of your soul but believe God and fight with the word and the weapons of the Spirit as God leads and guides you. The war will not be over until Jesus takes the Throne of David in Jerusalem.

Author Notes Christians are going against the traffic of the world system which is headed for destruction. Compromise leads to disaster. Be strong in the Lord and the power of His might.