In this study we will learn:
The tactics of the devil used against every Christian to bind and afflict us.
How we can become “senseless and ignorant,” like a brute beast.
Judges 16:4-6 – See the note below regarding the tactics of the devil used against every Christian.
4 After this it came about that he [Samson] loved a woman in the valley of Sorek [“choice vines”], whose name was Delilah [“languishing”, “feeble”; taken from a word that means, figuratively, “to be oppressed”].
5 The lords of the Philistines came up to her and said to her, "Entice [6601] him, and see where his great strength lies and how we may overpower [3201] him that we may bind [631] him to afflict [6031] him. Then we will each give you eleven hundred pieces of silver."
6 So Delilah said to Samson [“sunlight”, “like the sun”], "Please tell me where your great strength is and how you may be bound to afflict you."
NASU
OT:6601 pathah (paw-thaw')
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
a primitive root; to open, i.e. be (causatively, make) roomy; usually figuratively (in a mental or moral sense) to be (causatively, make) simple or (in a sinister way) delude [see 2 Thess. 2:11]:
KJV - allure, deceive, enlarge, entice, flatter, persuade, silly (one).
(Brown Driver Briggs Hebrew Lexicon)
1) to be spacious, to be open, to be wide
a) (Qal) to be spacious or open or wide
b) (Hiphil) to make spacious, to make open
2) to be simple, to entice, to deceive, to persuade
a) (Qal)
1) to be open-minded, to be simple, to be naive
2) to be enticed, to be deceived
b) (Niphal) to be deceived, to be gullible
c) (Piel)
1) to persuade, to seduce
2) to deceive
d) (Pual)
1) to be persuaded
2) to be deceived
OT:3201 yakol (yaw-kole'); or (fuller) yakowl (yaw-kole')
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
a primitive root; to be able, literally (can, could) or morally (may, might):
KJV - be able, any at all (ways), attain, can (away with, [-not]), could, endure, might, overcome, have power, prevail, still, suffer.
(Brown Driver Briggs Hebrew Lexicon)
to prevail, to overcome, to endure, to have power, to be able (Qal)
1) to be able, to be able to gain or accomplish, to be able to endure, to be able to reach
2) to prevail, to prevail over or against, to overcome, to be victor
3) to have ability, to have strength
The most frequent use of this verb is in the sense of “can” or “to be able”… When yakol is used without another verb, the sense is “to prevail” or “to overcome”… There is no distinction in Hebrew between “can” and “may,” since yakol expresses both “ability” and “permission”… The Septuagint translates yakol by several words, dunamai being by far the most common. Dunamai means “to be able, powerful.” It is first used in the New Testament in Matthew 3:9: “...God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.”
(from Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, Copyright © 1985, Thomas Nelson Publishers.)
OT:631 'acar (aw-sar')
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
a primitive root; to yoke or hitch; by analogy, to fasten in any sense, to join battle:
KJV - bind, fast, gird, harness, hold, keep, make ready, order, prepare, prison (-er), put in bonds, set in array, tie.
(Brown Driver Briggs Hebrew Lexicon)
to tie, to bind, to imprison
a) (Qal)
1) to tie, to bind
2) to tie, to harness
3) to bind (with cords)
4) to gird (rare and late)
5) to begin the battle, to make the attack
6) used of obligation of oath (figurative)
b) (Niphal) to be imprisoned, to be bound [see the note for Acts 16:22-26 in the Bible studies Shaking, 2020 The Dawning Of The Light, and Binding And Loosing]
c) (Pual) to be taken prisoner
TO BIND
'acar (aw-sar') [OT:631] - "to bind, imprison, tie, gird, to harness." This word is a common Semitic term, found in both ancient Akkadian and Ugaritic, as well as throughout the history of the Hebrew language. The word occurs around 70 times in its verbal forms in the Hebrew Old Testament. The first use of 'acar in the Hebrew text is in Genesis 39:20, which tells how Joseph was "imprisoned" after being wrongfully accused by Potiphar's wife.
The common word for "tying up" for security and safety, 'acar is often used to indicate the tying up of horses and donkeys 2 Kings 7:10. Similarly, oxen are "harnessed" to carts 1 Samuel 6:7, 10. Frequently, °asar is used to describe the "binding" of prisoners with cords and various fetters Genesis 42:24; Judges 15:10, 12-13. Samson misled Delilah as she probed for the secret of his strength, telling her to "bind" him with bowstrings Judges 16:7 and new ropes Judges 16:11, none of which could hold him.
Used in an abstract sense, 'acar refers to those who are spiritually "bound" Psalm 146:7; Isaiah 49:9; 61:1 [again, see the note for Acts 16:22-26 in the Bible studies Shaking, 2020 The Dawning Of The Light, and Binding And Loosing] or a man who is emotionally "captivated" by a woman's hair S.O.S. 7:5. Strangely, the figurative use of the term in the sense of obligation or "binding" to a vow or an oath is found only in Numbers 30, but it is used there a number of times vv. 3, 5-6, 8-9, 11-12. This section also illustrates how such "binding" is variously rendered in the English versions: "bind" (RSV, KJV, NAB); "promises" (TEV); "puts himself under a binding obligation" (NEB, NASB); "takes a formal pledge under oath" (JB).
(from Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, Copyright © 1985, Thomas Nelson Publishers.)
OT:6031 `anah (aw-naw')
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
a primitive root [possibly rather ident. with OT:6030 through the idea of looking down or browbeating]; to depress literally or figuratively, transitive or intransitive (in various applications, as follows):
KJV - abase self, afflict (-ion, self), answer [by mistake for OT:6030], chasten self, deal hardly with, defile, exercise, force, gentleness, humble (self), hurt, ravish, sing [by mistake for OT:6030], speak [by mistake for OT:6030], submitself, weaken, in any wise.
(Brown Driver Briggs Hebrew Lexicon)
1) (Qal) to be occupied, to be busied with
2) to afflict, to oppress, to humble, to be afflicted, to be bowed down
a) (Qal)
1) to be put down, to become low
2) to be depressed, to be downcast
3) to be afflicted
4) to stoop
b) (Niphal)
1) to humble oneself, to bow down
2) to be afflicted, to be humbled
c) (Piel)
1) to humble, to mishandle, to afflict
2) to humble, to be humiliated
3) to afflict
4) to humble, to weaken oneself
d) (Pual)
1) to be afflicted
2) to be humbled
e) (Hiphil) to afflict
f) (Hithpael)
1) to humble oneself
2) to be afflicted
Within these verses that deal with the fall of Samson and his binding and imprisonment by God’s enemies, the tactics of the devil commonly used against God’s people are revealed. They are entice, overpower, bind, and afflict. As with any wise military strategist, in order to incapacitate the strength of those with whom you are fighting, you look for their weakness. Satan knows this well having watched mankind, and in particular God’s people for centuries to discover the best ways to overpower them.
You see how far Samson had walked when he allowed his lust for women to be seen in broad daylight with no shame or fear of God. His obvious weakness would become the easy target of the devil. It would eventually result in his being taken captive and having his eyes gouged out, the very thing used to lead him astray. Spiritually speaking, this is what occurs to every Christian whom the devil overpowers. We end up in bondage, unable to move or fight against the enemy. Having once been given spiritual eyes to see by the Holy Spirit, we, then, are no longer able to see.
When Israel walked in rebellion against the Lord, He said to Ezekiel; “Son of man, you are living among a rebellious people. They have eyes to see but do not see and ears to hear but do not hear, for they are a rebellious people.” (Ezekiel 12:2/NIV) We now live in a land where the majority of the Lord’s anointed are in the same state as Samson, blind and imprisoned, without even knowing it (Rev. 3:17).
This same thing happened to the Laodicean church of the lukewarm who were neither cold nor hot. Jesus said to them;
“…because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth. Because you say, ‘I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,’ and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.”
(Revelation 3:15-17/NASU)
The deceived, lukewarm leaders in the church in America, and beyond where we have exported our spiritual harlotries, have become the devil’s mouthpiece. Let’s look at how this came about per the strategy of our enemy that was successfully carried out against Samson.
Satan’s Choice Vine To Operate Through
The first thing to observe is the type of person, in this case a woman, who was used by the devil to do his dirty work. She lived in “the valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah.” Sorek means “choice vines.” The Hebrew for Delilah is defined as “languishing,” or “feeble.” It’s taken from a word that means, “figuratively, to be oppressed.”
According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, to languish is “to be or become feeble, weak, or enervated [which means “to reduce the mental or moral vigor of; to lessen the vitality or strength of; to make someone feel weak and without energy”]; to be or live in a state of depression or decreasing vitality; to become dispirited; to suffer neglect; to assume an expression of grief or emotion appealing for sympathy.” It comes from the Latin word languere which means “to be weak or faint.” It can also mean to “have a desire for something or someone who is not present” (vocabulary.com). This weak willed, weak spirited person is the “choice vine” that is wide open and vulnerable to be overcome by Satan and then used by him to destroy others, in particular the “choice vine” of the Lord.
One definition of languish is “to fail to make progress or be successful.” A good example of this spirit in the New Testament is found in Paul’s second letter to Timothy. In describing to him what people will be like in the “difficult”, or “terrible” times of the last days, Paul says;
“...having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them. They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over weak-willed women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these men oppose the truth — men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected [“not standing the truth, reprobate”]. But they will not get very far [NAS version- “they will not make further progress”] because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone.” (2 Timothy 3:5-9/NIV)
There was a time when Jesus rebuked a group of Jews who had believed in Him, saying; “I know that you are Abraham's descendants; yet you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you.” (John 8:37/NASU) To have “no place” means “to have no room or space for receiving or holding something; to not go forward, advance, or proceed; to make no progress.” The Delilah, weak-willed, oppressed spirit that, through apathy and disobedience, makes no room for the progress of the Spirit within them is the chosen one, the “choice vine” among God’s people whom Satan searches for and finds room to operate within so as to overpower/overcome other chosen ones of God. Much destruction within the church has taken place throughout the centuries through this wicked, deceived spirit of seduction.
Exposing The Strategy Of Satan
The first word in the tragic story of Samson’s falling away from God is the word interpreted in English as “entice.” The Hebrew for it is pathah (paw-thaw') which is defined as “to be open, to be spacious, to be roomy, to be open minded, to be simple, to be naïve, to be seduced, to be deceived, to be persuaded.”
In Proverbs, Solomon warns us against the deceitfulness of a harlot. He says; “With her many persuasions she entices him; with her flattering lips she seduces him.” (Proverbs 7:21/NASU) Many within the church have been enticed and overpowered by the devil through this seductive spirit that has found a dwelling within the “weak-willed” who are oppressed. Whether or not it’s a man in the church who is led by his flesh and uses his influence to seduce a woman of this nature, or a weak man who is seduced by a woman that has become vulnerable for one reason or another to the enemy, the result is always devastating. This is, in fact, the seductive demonic spirit that operates within the leadership of Babylon, the spiritual harlot.
Jude warned us in his writing, telling us to beware of those in the church who possess “flattering lips”;
“For certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.”
(Jude 4/NIV)
Further on he then says; "These men are grumblers and faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires; they boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage.”
(Jude 16/NIV) As someone once wisely said; “Flattery is the food for fools.” (See the insight from Psalm 5 in the Bible study Narrow Way And Broad Way. regarding those who "flatter with the tongue.")
The second word to remember is “overpower” which comes from the Hebrew yakol (yaw-kole'). It means “to prevail, to overcome, to endure, to have power, to be victor.” Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words states, “The most frequent use of this verb is in the sense of ‘can’ or ‘to be able.’” It is through our partaking of the seductive bait of our enemy that he “can,” or is “able” to then move forward to the next phase of his plan. Our disobedience grants him permission and empowers him to be victorious over us.
The Bible records for us the taunt of Goliath, another Philistine, against the army of Israel who were frozen with fear against this giant of a man. Daily he would challenge them, saying;
“Why do you come out to draw up in battle array? Am I not the Philistine and you servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves and let him come down to me. If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will become your servants; but if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall become our servants and serve us.”
(1 Samuel 17:8-9/NASU)
The Hebrew for “prevail” is yakol, the same word interpreted as “overpower” in Judges 16:5. Goliath’s name means “splendor” which is defined as “great brightness or luster, magnificent features or qualities.” He stands as a picture of the physically impressive giants we face as Christians. It is this type of flesh-appealing veneer that the devil uses to gain control over God’s people, whether it be of a pleasing or fearful and intimidating nature. The intent is always to overcome us, and to enslave us.
Daniel prophesied of a time when a certain king will arise who “By smooth words he will turn to godlessness those who act wickedly toward the covenant, but the people who know their God will display strength and take action [”to do, to make, to act with effect”].” (Daniel 11:29/NASU) Some of the definitions for the Hebrew for strength is “to prevail, to be resolute, to be courageous.” In the end, those who know their God, who walk closely with Him in obedience, will, like David, prevail over this wicked “champion” on earth and through the unction of the Holy Spirit do great and mighty deeds of courage.
The Christian walks “by faith, not by sight” which means by mere external appearance, form, or shape (2 Cor. 5:7). The Lord grants eyes to see the unseen, and ears to hear what the Spirit is saying rather than men. In the dangerous and violent last days it will literally mean life or death, for ourselves and others, to hear and then do what we hear.
There was a time when Israel rejected God as King over them, desiring instead to be like the nations around them who had an earthly king. God warned them through Samuel, the prophet, regarding what he would demand from them (1 Samuel 8:10-18). Because the people refused to listen, still calling for a king to rule over them, God gave them what they wanted.
Samuel was led to a man named Saul whom he would anoint as their king. He was “an impressive young man without equal among the Israelites, a head taller than any of the others.” (1 Samuel 9:2/NIV) He possessed all the external qualities that their fleshly desires were craving. Unfortunately, though, he lacked some serious inner qualities and was eventually replaced by God with a simple shepherd named David, a young man after God’s heart.
After being told by God that He had rejected Saul as king, Samuel was sent to the house of Jesse, the Bethlehemite, to anoint one of his sons as king over Israel. When Eliab, one of the eight sons of Jesse passed by in front of him, he thought to himself, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is before Him.” But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:6-7/NASU) I have learned this lesson over the years. I can make a quick decision on what appears to be the right choice, the right way in which to go, but isn’t. Thankfully, as with Samuel, the Lord will correct us, if we will listen, so as not to do something that could be disastrous for all involved.
Obedient submission to the will of God, after hearing the way in which to go, is the key to overcoming the taunt of the devil through his mouthpieces. Who we will serve is determined by the choices we make. Continued disobedience to God leads to enslavement by the devil. Obedience to God results in our being made “free indeed” (John 8:31-36). The choices we make today will determine our destiny tomorrow.
The Bible tells us that Goliath was a “champion” among the Philistine army (1 Samuel 17:4). His name means, “splendor” which is defined as “great brightness or luster, magnificent features or qualities.” The Hebrew for “champion” is composed of two words. One is defined as “man, human being, person, great man.” The other word means “between.” Together they mean, “man of the space between (armies).” There is always a devil inspired leader, one of magnificent external features or influence (see the definition for Goliath) in regards to the flesh that stands out front, between the army of God and the army of the devil. It is the man of faith, the David’s that God raises up who have been trained, usually in obscurity, to bring them down. They are fearless and courageous soldiers who have been prepared for that moment in history. Even now they stand in readiness, waiting for their Lord’s command to engage the enemy and cut off their demonic “headship,” thereby removing the reproach of their taunts against the armies of the living God. (For more on “taunts” see Zephaniah 2:8-10, 2 Chronicles 7:20.)
Also, notice the connection in the definitions between our reproach, our shame and disgrace, and the taunt of our enemies. In Joshua 5:6-10 we read that the Lord removed the reproach off His people through their being circumcised. Their healing (“to revive, to preserve alive, to be restored to life or health”) was right before their fight with those who were occupying the Promised Land. We cannot possess the land if the Lord doesn’t possess us. In God’s Kingdom, internal possession is first before there can be external possession.
Circumcision by the Spirit, of the heart not the flesh (Romans 2:29), is the way of God to prepare us for the battle that lies before us. The current taunts of the enemy, of the “uncircumcised Philistine” who stands in between the armies, will be removed by the David’s who have been trained by God in the wilderness, and then will be sent by Him to slay the taunting “giants” in our land... (continued in part 2)

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