What's So Wrong With Lust?

Why did Samson keep going back to Delilah when he had to know she was toying with his life?

Your question comes from the story of Samson, specifically recorded in Judges 16:4-22.  Samson is found consorting with a prostitute named Delilah.

Herein is a man who has spent his life toying with his call and the anointing that God placed upon him at an early age.  He loved playing "cat and mouse" with the Philistines, Israel's arch enemy.  He refused to take seriously the call of God upon his life and literally used the anointing to achieve his fleshly objectives.

Always remember.  The anointing, even if great upon one's life, does not necessarily constitute valid, solid ministry.  Godly character and integrity are the acid tests of any ministry.

Clearly, Samson had an on-going problem with sexual lust.  In Judges 16:1-3 we read of him spending the night with a prostitute in Gaza.  He was perhaps a sex addict, or at least flesh-ruled.  Your question, however, refers to his tryst with Delilah.

Lust reduced the strong man of Israel to a weak buffoon.  Lust made him foolish, even stupid.  Lust clouded his righteous thought processes and most certainly, lust caused his ultimate downfall.  I think verse 21 summarizes the effects of sin in Samson's life:

"Then the Philistines captured Samson and tore out his eyes.  They took him down to Gaza, where they put bronze chains on him and made him grind in the prison."

Sin blinds.
Sin binds.
Sin grinds.

In Samson's case, sin blinded him.  His fleshly impulses (lust) stole his reasoning abilities.  He spurned the inner voice of conscience and returned to Delilah four times!  The fourth time brought his ruin.  I've seen many men fall prey to the stronghold of lust.  It is a captor and a killer!  Lust made a fool out of Samson and it cost him everything.

Perhaps you have a question that you'd like for me to address? Send it to me by facebook or email it to: loomisrl@windstream.net.

Where Did the Devil Originally Come From?

Good question!

First, let's establish the fact that there is a real devil who hates God, hates people, especially God's people and whose intent on this earth is "to steal, kill and destroy" (John 10:10).

He is the "prince of the power of the air" (Ephesians 2:2).  He is a "liar and the father of lies" (John 8:44).  He is an "angel of light" (2 Corinthians 11:14).  He is "the god of this world" (1 John 5:19).  In short, he is real, but he was defeated by Jesus Christ on the Cross of Calvary.  His final consummation or end will not occur until after the thousand-year reign of Christ, when he is released from his prison to once again deceive the nations.  Then, he will be "thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where (he) the beast and the false prophet had been thrown.  They (he) will be tormented day and night forever and ever" (Revelation 20:10).

Where did he originate?  The best answer and perhaps the passage that gives us the greatest insight as to the devil's origin is found in Isaiah 14:12-15:

"How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn!  You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations!  You said in your heart, I will ascend to heaven:  I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain.  I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High, But you are brought down to the grave, to the depths of the pit..."

Many Bible scholars believe that these verses not only refer to the king of Babylon, but also contain a veiled reference to Satan.  In Luke 10:18, Jesus is talking to His disciples and makes this very poignant, interesting statement:  "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven."  His statement strongly implies that Satan was decisively and suddenly hurled out of heaven, and we believe he made his after-abode on the earth.

Another passage that we dare not overlook in the answering of this question is found in Ezekiel 28:11-19.  Neither time nor space will allow me to comment on the entire passage, so let me just pull from the following verses:

"You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you.  Through your widespread trade you were filled with violence and you sinned.  So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God, and I expelled you, O guardian cherub, from among the fiery stones.  Your heart became proud on account of your beauty and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor.  So I threw you to the earth; I made you a spectacle of you before kings..." (verses 15-17).

In its context, Ezekiel's prophecy against Tyre's rule appears to contain a veiled description of Satan as the true ruler of Tyre.

Let me summarize.  The Scriptures metaphorically use the king of Babylon and the king of Tyre as types of what happened to Satan, also known as Lucifer, or the devil.  In other words, these historical accounts line up with Satan's demise and subsequent expulsion from heaven.  Both accounts name pride as the catalyst by which the devil fell.  Because of his sinful pride, he was driven from out of the mount of God, or heaven.

What a sad, most unfortunate reality this is!  The earth became his domain at that time, and humankind has shared his domain -the earth--ever since.  Adam's fall into transgression was, of course, a result of the devil's deceitfulness and cunning.  The human race was plummeted into sin because of the enemy's hatred for God.

Let me encourage you today to hug up to the cross, to accept the cleansing power of the blood and to walk in the power of the Holy Spirit every day of your life.  God's arch enemy, our arch enemy, has no authority in our lives because of the blood of Jesus.  He is a defeated foe!  How sad, how unbelievable that this created being had his origins in heaven and chose to defect.

I have left a lot out of this answer, because of the depth of its embrace.  I hope my comments somewhat help you.