I. 1st. Century Church compared to the life of Samson.
A. Miraculousbeginning
There was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren, and bare not. And the angel of the Lord appeared unto the woman, and said unto her, Behold now, thou art barren, and bearest not: but thou shalt conceive, and bear a son...and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines." (Judges.13:)
1. Samson The angel of the Lord appeared to Samson's mother, (Judges.13:2-7) and told her that Samson would deliver them from their enemy.
2. The Church The angel of the Lord appeared to Mary, and was told that Jesus (who is the head of the body, the Church) would deliver those in bondage to the god of this world. (Luke.1:28, 2Cor.4:4, Eph.2:1-11, Rom.3:23; 5:12-21) Samson was to be separate unto the Lord. He was to take the vow of a "Nazarite." (Num.6:1-12) The Church, the body of Christ was to be separated unto God fulfilling this law. (Matt.5:17-19, John.14:30, 2Cor.6:14-18) Samson experienced victories over the Philistines, and the Lord blessed him and the Spirit of God began to move upon him. (Judges.13:24-25) The 1st.Century Church had God's blessing and the Spirit of God upon them, and within them, all the time. There were miracles people being set free and gathered into the kingdom of God with great power of the Holy Ghost. (Acts.2-28)
B. A Warning, remain separate!
Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink not wine nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean thing: For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no razor shall come on his head: for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb". (Judges.13:1-5)
1. Samson Samson went down to Timnath, "and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines. And he came up, and told his father and his mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines: now therefore get her for me to wife. Then his father and his mother said unto him,Is there never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said unto his father, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well. (Juges.14:1-4)
2. The 1st Century Church The Church like Samson was warned in the epistles of the coming danger and spiritual decline. (Judges.13:4-5; 14:1-3) This is seen in the epistles were written during (60 - 90 AD.) a short time before the spiritual decline would take place after the death of John.
C. They saw the Harlot Woman (the apostate church)
Some would say, "I thought the Rev.17 Harlot Woman does not appear until the time of the beast / antichrist?" (Rev.17-18) This is true, however John says, the "spirit of antichrist is already in the world(the 1st. Cent.) 1John.4:3. In fact John said "it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, (2Thes.2:1-4)even now (the 1st. Century -2Thes.2:7) are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.The spirit of Christ is already in the world preparing for his revealing carrying the Mother of Harlots on his back. (Rev.17) The apostle Paul (in the 1st. Cent.)
1. Samson He "saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines. And he came up, and told his father and his mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the
Philistines: now therefore get her for me to wife.
2. The 1st. Cent. Church saw They began to look and become entangled with the affairs of this life, (2Tim.2:4, Matt.13:22) and like Lot it vexed their righteous soul from day to day. (2Peter.2:8)This is event by their leaving the the office of the apostle and prophet. This set a chain reaction to would take them into the dark ages.
a. Our eyes are our understanding / knowledge of God's Word Note: We have five spiritual senses. (Heb.5:14) We can see (Eph.1:18) We can hear (Matt.17) We camOur eyesight is our understanding in God's Word - Eph.1:18) We can hear / Eve saw that the treE (Gen.3 ' 1John.2:16) Lot seeing and hearing (2Peter.2) (2) The Harlot Woman / Delilah is a picture
b. They took of wife (harlot woman while being "espoused to one husband")
James says, "Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God." (Jam.4:4) (1) Adulter / Adulteress An adulter / adultress is someone the is married to we are "espoused" to even if you look / saw / see (Matt.5:28)
1. "Ensamples"- It is a die (as struck) i.e. by imply. a stamp or scar; by analogy a shape, i.e. a statue, (fig) style or resemblance especially a sample ("type") i.e. a model (for imitation or instance (for warning) Strong's #5179
2. A "shade" or a shadow. A adumbration - to give a sketchy outline
3. The name means to character of the person. (Gen.17:5; 32:24-28, Matt.1:23, John.1:42
4. Some would say, "how can Jacob be a type of the Holy Ghost when he was a supplanter by nature?" (Gen.25:19-34) The first reason is that God, who is triune has chosen to compare Himself with Abraham, (the father) Isaac (the only begotten son) which leaves Jacob to be compared to the Holy Spirit. The second reason is that the Covenant of Abraham continued through Isaac and through Jacob. Jesus said, "all things that the Father hath are mine (the only begotten Son) therefore...he (The Holy Spirit) shall take of mine and shall shew it unto you." (John.16:15)
5. It is interesting that there was Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (3). Jacob had twelve sons (12) which grew to seventy (70) "which came into Egypt." Then Israel was delivered by the blood of the Passover Lamb, and came forth as the church in the wilderness, a holy nation, a peculiar treasure and a royal priesthood. The pattern is repeated in it's reality in the New Testament Church. It begins with the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. (3) Matt.28:19. The (12) apostles. Matt.10:50 Jesus sent out the 70. (Luke.10:1-16) Jesus was offered as the true Passover, (1Cor.5:7-8) and Church came forth as a holy nation, peculiar treasure and a royal priesthood. (1 Peter.2:5-9)
6. "Master builder - is an architect [ 1: a person who designs, builds and advises in their construction. 2: a person who designs and guides a plan or undertaking]
7. The Feast of Passover was the first of three set Feasts that the "Church in the wilderness" was to celebrate in their calendar year. (Deut.16:16; 23:1-) It was the "beginning of months." These Feasts are a shadow of the calendar that God has for the Church. (Col.21:16-17) (Review Phase #8) 8. Strong's Greek Dictionary. #4005
9. The word "ignorant - is not to know (through lack of information or intelligence); by implication, to ignore (through disinclination); Strong's. "Disinclination"- is reluctant, unwillingness, opposition, loathing, aversion to.
10. Temple, House, Body of Christ, a mature perfect man, a Glorious Church without spot or wrinkle, are all speaking of the Bride of Christ
11. Paul could write "our fathers" because "if we are Christ's THEN are we Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise. (Ga.3:29) "Now we brethren, AS ISAAC WAS so are we." (Gal.4:28)
12. Throughout God's pattern the Church in the wilderness (Acts.7:38) experienced "things not as seen yet." (Heb.11:7, Matt.24:37-38, 1Cor.2:1-4 Note: v.9-10) However these are NOT things outside of the Word of God.
13. The Greek is a cloth hut, (Acts.15:16) and the Hebrew is a cloth hut. (Amos.9:11-12, Isa.16:5
14. David and Moses are both is a "types" of Christ. They both qualified as prophet, priest and king and both built Tabernacles. (Acts.3:22, Deut.18:15, Heb.3:1-3) More to come....
15. Note: On the day of Pentecost, (Mt. Sinai) it was the apostle (Peter) and the prophet(Joel) that set the first foundation and direction. (Acts.2:17, Joel.2:28)
16. (Note: The place where the Church, the Bride of Christ will be planted and move no more is the "heavenly Jerusalem,"the beloved City, the Bride the Lambs wife." (Heb.12:22, Rev.21:9-10) This is the city that Abraham looked for. Heb.11:8-10)
17. There were more the 12 apostles in the early Church. There was Timothy, Silvanus (1Thes.1:1; 2:1, 3-6) The word "apostle" simply means , "he that is sent," like a missionary in our modern times. (To be continued....)
19. Our Five Spiritual senses - Our eyes is our understandung in God's inspired Word. (Eph.1:18,) We can hear - ()
20. Warnings in the Epistles - a. To the Ephesian Church - 60 AD. "...after my departing shall grevious wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of you own selves shall
men arise, speaking perverse things..." (Acts.20:29-30) Watch for the "cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive." (Eph.4:14) Be "strong in the Lord...put on the whole amour of God...to stand against the wiles of the devil." (Eph.6:10-11) b. General Epistle of Jude - 65 AD. "For there are certain men crept in unawares (Stealthy) under the radar)...turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the...our Lord Jesus Christ." (Jude.1:3-4) c. To the Corinthian Church - 56 AD. Watch for those that "...preacheth another Jesus... another spirit...or another Gospel...For such are false apostles, deceitful workers... transforming themselves as the ministers of righteousness..." (2Cor.11:1-4) Watch for those "which corrupt the Word of God..." (2Cor.2:14) d. To the Churches of Galatia - 56 AD. "...there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ." (Gal.1:1-8) e. To the Church at Phillipi - 60 AD. "Beware of dogs (unsaved, unredeemed, those that reject Christ's Deity)...evil workers...concision." (Phil.3:2) "...they are the enemies of the cross of Christ." (Phil.3:18) f. To the Church at Colosse - 60-64 AD. "Let no man beguile you...in a voluntary humility and worshiping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind." (Col.2:18) g. The General epistle of John - 90 AD. "...antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists;...they went out from us; for...they were not all of us." (1John.2:18-27) These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you." (1John.2:26-27) h. The epistles to the Thessalonians - 49 and 54 AD "Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition." (2Thes.2:1-2) i. To Timothy - (2Timothy 65-67 AD) Latter times some shall depart from the faith. (1Tim.4:1) Perilous times coming. (2Tim.3:1-5) j. To Jude - Jude.1:3-4) Contend for the faith. Certain men have crept in unawares (stealthily) k. To John / Revealtion l. To them that have obtained like precious faith with us - 60-68 AD. There will be those that "are unlearned and unstable wrest (twist, torture)..the...scriptures, unto their own destruction." (2Peter.3:16)