Introduction

Good day to everyone. Let us delve into the fourteenth chapter of the Book of Judges. After reading it, we might feel utterly bewildered, unsure of what it is all about. It resembles a melodramatic soap opera. This chapter also mentions the Spirit of the Lord rushing upon Samson mightily, leading him to kill a lion. Later, the Spirit of God again came upon Samson mightily, and he struck down thirty men. This entire process makes one wonder: Is this truly the work of God? I tell you, God's ways surpass your imagination, and the outcomes exceed even my expectations.

Therefore, I have been troubled these past few days, saying, "God, what are you conveying?" Alas, God did not give me an answer on the first day, nor on the second, nor on the third. Oh my goodness, it was not until the afternoon of the fourth day that I seemed to understand. But I feel that truly comprehending it is not easy. Because God is wondrous! God's salvation of people is also wondrous, not what we imagine; otherwise, it would not be called wondrous.

The theme of Judges chapter fourteen is "This matter was from the Lord, seeking an occasion against the Philistines." I thought the theme was something I had discovered, but it is not. In reality, I believe it is divine revelation. Therefore, when we read the Bible, we must know one thing: when you do not understand, you must acknowledge that you do not understand. And when you seek, God will reveal.

But it is not to say that God will reveal to you as soon as you seek. God has to keep you in suspense for a few days; that is when it becomes interesting. This suspense eliminates many people, and that is that. Some have faith; this suspense leads them to seek continuously, and then they understand. This is why God sits on His throne, watching to see if there are any who seek. It is not that you will receive as soon as you seek; there is no such thing. One must seek for a period of time with faith.

Our study of Genesis was the result of seeking, and so is Judges. Which one relies on human wisdom? Just my brain. I say your brains are like walnut kernels, but my brain is no more than a walnut kernel, perhaps even a small one. Without God, can one understand things? One cannot. I have discovered that the entire Bible is meant to highlight something: a theme. Each book is meant to highlight a theme, and each chapter is meant to highlight a theme. What theme does Judges chapter fourteen highlight? It highlights the issue of "domination."

The History of the Israelites is a History of Sorrow

Let us begin to ponder the history of the Israelites. How did they arrive at the time of Samson? The history of the Israelites is quite interesting. From the time God created Adam and Eve, after they ate the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, things went from bad to worse. Humans cannot become better; they can only become worse. Then, in the time of Noah's flood, people were swept away. That is not the history of the Israelites; it is the history of mankind. Then it started anew, from the time of Noah, things went from bad to worse. Is there not an old saying? Each generation is not as good as the last; it is quite arduous.

Then, in the time of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph, things began to go from bad to worse again. Later, God sent Moses to save the Israelites. Moses, Joshua, and then things began to go from bad to worse. Alas, the history of the Israelites is a history of sorrow. Then, it continued until the time of old Eli, and later God raised up Samuel. In the time of Samuel and David, God suddenly restored the entire situation to a very good state, and then things went from bad to worse again. By the time Israel was destroyed, there was a small restoration beforehand, which was the rebuilding of Jerusalem, and then things went from bad to worse again. Alas, then came the time of Jesus, the time of the Apostle Paul, and then to today.

I feel that this is speaking of what? By the time of Samson, the Israelites had become accustomed to being dominated. I tell you, domination is a very powerful thing. We must receive grace; grace is meant to set us free. Therefore, people must come out of domination. Domination is a very corrupt thing.

The church is also like this. There are many things we do not understand, but there is one thing we do understand: domination is a very sorrowful thing for mankind. Take today's marital relationships, for example; they are about mutual domination. If you do not do as I say, I will cry, make a scene, and threaten suicide, and then the other party will submit and become obedient. There are also wives who constantly ask their husbands, "Do you love me?" "You do not love me." It is all this kind of nonsense. How can people be well in domination?

The Israelites were dominated by the Philistines, and God wanted to solve the problem of this domination. After the Israelites became accustomed to being dominated, they did not even call upon God. They did not want to call upon God. Therefore, such a melodramatic soap opera occurred. The length is quite long. Although Samson's status in history is not that important, what God did in the time of Samson is indeed very important.

I tell you, the Israelites did not believe in God, nor did they call upon God. Then God Himself raised up a Samson and staged a melodramatic soap opera, hoping that people could understand that God is very disgusted with relationships of mutual domination.

At That Time the Philistines Ruled Over Israel

How did the Philistines rule over Israel? There are many ways of domination. For example, a wife dominates her husband. The wife asks, "Do you love me? Why don't you love me?" Then the husband is extinguished in a moment. What do you say to do? Just to maintain a peaceful environment at home, alas, let it be.

The Israelites actually lived in this kind of situation. Can they live? They can live. But they live in domination. If they want to live their lives, they can live, but they live in domination. As soon as someone threatens them, they yield. Therefore, the relationship between the Israelites and the Philistines is very wondrous. If you read carefully, you will discover a very interesting situation.

For example, Samson took a fancy to a Philistine girl, and then his father and mother went to Timnah to discuss the marriage with her family. They even entertained him. Can you see the domination? You cannot see it. Their relationship is quite good. You marry our Philistine girl, and we marry your Israelite girl. Then they visit relatives and hang out with friends. Everything seems normal.

The Israelites say, "God, what's wrong with you? Are you jealous of us? You don't like us like this and have to create an opportunity to attack the Philistines?" Of course, from a human perspective, if you don't see it this way, how else can you see it? It must be seen this way. Therefore, what people like is different from what God likes.

Actually, in the time of the Israelites, I tell you, the Philistines ruled over Israel unlike the Midianites who came and robbed the Israelites of their food and so on. The Israelites were dominated, but they could still live their lives. This is why the Israelites did not call upon God. The Israelites thought, "Isn't this okay? Let's just maintain this relationship."

Someone once told me: In marital relationships, ten percent of families are affectionate, forty percent of families live in dire straits, and forty percent of families are lukewarm. As for the specific proportions, let's not nitpick about that. The proportions have not been statistically measured.

But this saying is very good, that is, when you are in dire straits, you can still call upon God. But when you are in a lukewarm state, it seems like you can still get by, so you barely maintain it. But God does not like this relationship of domination and being dominated. He does not like people dominating others, nor does He like people being dominated. It is not good for people to be dominated, and it is not good to dominate others, because we are saved so that we may be free.

There is a sister among us who took her two children, and when the Spring Festival came, on New Year's Eve, she took her two children and ran to where? She found a hotel near her home and stayed there for a few days. I am very happy. I feel that for so many years, she has never had such a sense of freedom. It is the first time she has been free. Why was she free for once? Because a crisis occurred at home, a conflict occurred. Is that God's work? I believe it is.

God wants to set people free. Isn't the feeling of freedom very good? It is really very good. For example, parents force their children to pay debts. Alas, they just extort you. You seem to not know what is going on. How is it that you have to be coerced into filling that bottomless pit for your parents? The Israelites and the Philistines are also like this kind of marital relationship. They live this kind of life every day. As soon as they are provoked, they are coerced. You say that their relationship is okay? Actually, it is not very okay. You say that their relationship is not very okay? But they can still get by.

Actually, that state is like boiling a frog in warm water. You don't know if it is loving and killing each other, or dominating and killing each other. In fact, many are dominating and killing each other. If he loves you, you are his core interest, and he will not have this kind of problem. You say it is love? But in fact, he has his own core interests and core demands. You are just a small tool for him. Therefore, what does God do about many of these relationships of mutual domination? God creates some conflict for you.

I tell you, God is definitely an expert at creating conflict. Anyway, if you ask me, when I serve, I find that as soon as a conflict occurs, oh my goodness, this person begins to manifest. The face is no longer a face, the nose is no longer a nose, the eyebrows are no longer eyebrows, they are all twisted together, and they come at me. Then let them come, that is a battle of three hundred rounds. Why? Because of conflict.

I tell you, although experiencing conflict is not a good thing, every conflict has a transformation. What is most feared? What is most feared is not manifesting, not erupting, and not reacting, but scheming in the heart. Isn't that bad? On the surface, everything is fine, but in fact, bitterness has already begun to be released in the bones. If he does not release it, what do you know will happen after a while? He will fall behind.

Therefore, what God wants to solve is the problem of domination. I tell you, God wants to solve the problem of the Israelites being dominated. It is either exploding in silence or perishing in silence, that is probably the meaning.

God Seeks an Occasion to Strike the Philistines

God seeks an occasion to create conflict, saying: "You all are doing quite well here, but who allowed you to live like this?" As a result, this God does something quite perplexing, so much so that people cannot understand it, and neither could I. But I later figured it out: Samson, wasn't he a Nazirite? God prepared Samson, but this Samson falls for a Philistine girl.

Oh my goodness, what kind of logic is this? Samson's parents say: "Aren't you a Nazirite? How can you find a Philistine girl? Are there none among our own people and kindred?" His parents were extremely anxious, trying to persuade him every day. Samson says: "No, I want that Philistine girl." Samson's parents say: "Oh dear, how can you be so willful? You are a Nazirite!" Samson's parents could not understand what God was doing, but there are many things we cannot understand about God's actions.

For example, during deliverance ministry, things are fine if we don't pray, but why do things get worse once we start praying? But that is the kind of God He is. Sometimes we look at Samson and wonder if he is missing a screw, if there is something wrong with his head. Don't ever think: "Ah, God is going to use Samson!" God uses Samson, but God uses many things.

One day, a brother said he wanted to be a great prophet. I said: "Then you must be prepared." He asked: "Prepared for what?" I said: "You must be prepared, for all great prophets are used by God to run naked." Oh dear! Can you understand running naked? If you want to be a great prophet, you might have to run naked once, sacrificing your appearance for God, but try not to get caught by the police.

God wants to find an occasion to strike the Philistines, which you may not understand, and we also find it hard to comprehend. The conflicts God creates in your home, you may also not understand, but you deeply desire: "Oh, how wonderful it would be if my family loved each other, if we were kind and affectionate to one another."

God wants to do one thing, which is to create conflict. So when conflicts arise, don't be surprised or astonished, because it is from the Lord. I tell you, if your worldly desires have not yet been extinguished, if you are still full of hope in this world, you may have hoped for one thing, but received another, and then you say: "God, why doesn't prayer work?" That is because this matter is from the Lord, God wants to completely destroy your worldly dreams.

In Samson's time, God wanted to do this. As a result, Samson's parents tried to persuade him, but it was no use. Samson was determined to have this girl. I tell you, what did Samson do? Samson said: "If you don't get me that girl, I will jump off a building!" Samson's father said: "We don't have tall buildings here." Samson said: "Then I will jump into the river, hang myself, or run into a wall!" I tell you, given Samson's temper, he might really run into a wall. Later, Samson's parents were helpless, they thought: "Well, the girl from Timnah is not ugly, she looks quite pretty, so let it be." So they took Samson down to meet her.

As a result, another incident occurred. Perhaps Samson's parents were walking ahead, and Samson, being quite mischievous at times, was out of sight. Samson's parents walked past, and a lion was lying there, not getting up. When Samson came, the lion got up, can you understand that? God even manages this. Why did the lion make noise at Samson for no reason? This matter was also from the Lord. The lion roared at Samson, creating some noise, and then the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon Samson, and he killed the lion. Why did God get involved in this? Isn't this just setting up a story for later? Then honey came out of the lion's carcass.

God, didn't you make Samson a Nazirite? But if God wants the Nazirite to take some honey from the lion's carcass, that's okay too. We must know that our God is too powerful! Our God is not limited by the rules He Himself has set. As a result, Samson's feelings, the lion's feelings, and Samson's parents' feelings were all in God's arrangement. For what? To create a conflict! God put in a lot of effort, the whole story is God's doing.

Later, there was a riddle, and they ate the honey from the carcass, Samson's parents also ate it. Samson didn't tell them, and then he went down to marry the Philistine woman, and they held a feast, and they arranged thirty companions for him. Samson asked them to solve a riddle, and if they couldn't, they would have to give him their clothes.

You must know that clothes were very expensive in those days, one piece per person, thirty pieces of clothing in total. These thirty people were dumbfounded, thinking: "You came down here, and we have to compensate you with clothes? What's going on? If you are so good, don't bet clothes, why don't you bet your pants?" It would be great if those thirty people could run naked. Anyway, many things seem very strange to us.

As a result, those thirty people saw that they would have to pay with clothes if they couldn't guess the answer within seven days, so what should they do? They called Samson's wife. Samson's wife asked: "What's the matter?" Those thirty people said: "You must deceive your husband, you must trick him into revealing the answer, and if you can't, we will burn you and your father's house with fire." Isn't this just making trouble? Samson, you had nothing better to do than kill a lion, then you created a bunch of bees, then you ate some honey, and then you came up with a riddle, and now your wife is being threatened and used. And you invited us here, are you going to take everything from us? What is all this nonsense?

I tell you, God is a God who seeks opportunities to create conflict. Brothers and sisters, if you are a person who is bound, you originally thought: "Ah, let's just deal with it like this. Ah, let's just live peacefully." That won't do, God will definitely create conflict for you, so that you can be free; God will definitely create an opportunity for you to strike these people, you slowly and carefully ponder this.

Those among us who have been bound, who have experienced God's grace, all those who have come out must thank God. Those who have not yet come out may still be saying in their hearts: "God, why did you do this?" Now you can no longer be bound, bondage is definitely not a good thing. This is God's wonderful salvation, God wants to save us from bondage, how to escape? Kill thirty people. Sometimes you feel, why are these thirty people so wronged? You know that the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon Samson, and he went down to Ashkelon, struck down thirty men, took their garments, and gave them to those who had told the riddle. It's too interesting.

Why does God save in this way? Why does God make it so troublesome? Why does God kill so many people? Why does God go around in such a big circle? Oh God, don't you have a better way? I tell you, God wants people to be free, and God is unscrupulous. Our God deeply hates this issue of bondage.

Brothers and sisters, you must see some things you don't understand, for example, a very good person, a very good pastor, very loving, how did he get brain cancer? You slowly and carefully ponder this, in this generation, there are many pastors who encourage people to be bound. God deeply hates this bondage! Some people advise him: "Why don't you two compromise, why don't you just be willing to be bound and live peacefully? Our church values family so much, can't you just be patient?" Do you call that patience? That is bondage.

I don't encourage people to be bound, as long as I am serving, what I pursue is your freedom. Don't tell me: "Wives should submit to their husbands, husbands should love their wives." That refers to Christ and the church. What husband is the head of the wife, etc., our church doesn't have that stuff, because our church only has one thing, that refers to Christ and the church. If you yourself are willing to live in bondage, then live slowly, sooner or later something will happen. Why? Because God hates this matter, how can you live for God? You have been bound like this.

We must be free, when conflicts arise, it is to let you see clearly the core interests of your other half. Our brothers and sisters must be clear, for those I serve, the core interest of your other half is money. Am I wrong? You must understand, I don't want to destroy your family, but if God wants to destroy your family, that has nothing to do with me, I must also pass the buck. The core interest of your other half is money, so what is our core interest? Our core interest is God, if we can live together well, then live well, if we can't, then we would rather sacrifice some things to be free.

This is our God, now you understand. Samson likes a Philistine woman, God doesn't care about this matter, God cares about people being free. So when you get here, you must carefully look at all these things, how did Samson's wife bind him? She went to her husband and wept, isn't this one cry, two troubles, three hangings? How did Samson bind his parents? Also one cry, two troubles, three hangings. Now it seems there is also running into a wall, as a result, they bind each other at the same time, bondage is too bad.

After Samson's wife cried, she said: "You hate me, you don't love me." When Samson heard this, he was confused, he said: "I love you." Samson's wife said: "You don't love me! If you love me, tell me the answer." As a result, Samson told her the answer, Samson began to hate his wife, and then left his wife in her father's house, and left. Her family then gave Samson's wife to another man. Oh my goodness, what is all this mess?

This bondage, if you don't have some wisdom, you really can't handle it. As far as I know, there are many such things. Remember, if you want to examine a church, if you want to join a church, if the pastor and his wife in the church you join have a relationship of binding each other, you must be careful, there is definitely a spirit of bondage behind that place. This kind of church will not pursue letting you be free, but God wants you to be free. Everyone slowly and carefully ponder this, this matter is not trivial.

Once I heard an old pastor on the stage say that there was a pastor in his denomination, and the church was doing quite well. Then the pastor walked into the sea, their backyard was the sea, and he walked while muttering to himself: "I don't want to divorce, I don't want to kill my wife, I want to kill myself." After I heard this, I said: "What is this?" Because of bondage. Remember, how can a person who is bound build a glorious church of God? How can a person who is bound touch God's heart? Many people are bound by this kind of thing.

A pastor's disciples, a couple, happened to live with us in the same unit. The couple lived in one room, and I lived in another room with one of our brothers. Oh dear, the couple bound each other, it was very miserable. So a pastor who caters to the flesh preaches a gospel that caters to the flesh; a pastor who caters to the flesh shepherds a group of sheep who cater to the flesh; a pastor who binds each other shepherds a large group of sheep who bind each other. Interesting, isn't it? Interesting.

This is a generation full of bondage, so God's work comes out, this matter is from the Lord. So when dog-blood dramas appear in your home, don't ask: "God, why is this happening?" This matter is from the Lord, because God wants to find an opportunity to break this bondage. Whoever binds you, you must break it, God doesn't care if a few more people die or a few less people die. After everyone has listened, it seems that this explanation is more interesting. In fact, everyone has a lot of resonance in their hearts, you have been bound very miserably, you have a lot of resonance, I also have resonance.

Behind Bondage Are Evil Spirits

How the Philistines bound the Israelites, behind it all is the driving force of evil spirits. If you look carefully at the actions of that Philistine woman, it is exactly the same. The actions of the Philistines, those thirty people said: "Samson's wife, if you cannot bind your husband, and find out the answer to the riddle and tell us, otherwise we will burn you and your whole family with fire." Is this a good thing? A good thing, they immediately took control. As a result, what did Samson's wife do? She said: "You don't love me, you don't tell me the answer." Do these two things have a relationship? No relationship. We carefully look, one cry, two troubles, three hangings, isn't this all bondage?

Once, our brothers and sisters, a couple, came to me and said: "Teacher, our child wants to do this and that, if we don't satisfy his ideas, he will commit suicide." When I heard this, I said: "This is bondage!" This scared the couple enough. I said: "Don't be afraid." Why? Do you think he will really do this? Will he really commit suicide? Committing suicide is the spirit of committing suicide, the spirit of binding people is the spirit of binding people, everyone slowly and carefully ponder this.

I said: "He will not commit suicide, he will not die, he will come back by himself. He loves himself so much, how can he die for you?" Does everyone understand? Oh dear, the couple lived in fear and trembling for a day. As a result, after a day, their child was fine and came back. The couple said: "Teacher, what you said is so accurate."

In fact, I took a great risk, what if something really happened? You have to judge, can a person who loves himself so much die? I tell you, this is also risky, but sometimes in order to comfort brothers and sisters, to give everyone a bottom line in their hearts, it is not easy. So this is all bondage, not willing, but coerced, many are forced. Through lies, fear, and then labeling himself, saying: "I am patient," "I cannot discern good and evil." After I heard this, I thought: "How long can you endure this?" You have been bound like this, and you are still saying that you cannot discern good and evil.

Remember, a person who is bound, a person who is not free, cannot preach the pure gospel; a person who is bound cannot serve God. I have told you clearly, slowly and carefully observe. I would rather you live in freedom, you can have nothing.

For example, when we read the Bible again, you will understand. Moses was a person who was used to being bound by his wife, Moses was a son-in-law who lived in his wife's house, and his wife Zipporah was very powerful, she opened her mouth and cursed. Moses was in his father-in-law's house, he was like a dog, he was almost wearing a rope around his neck, he was already used to being afraid.

One day, God said to Moses: "I want to use you." Moses thought in his heart: "My wife may not agree, won't she tear off my ears? Won't she tear my mouth?" Moses wanted to go but didn't dare to go. As a result, what happened? Later, Moses finally agreed, and his wife went with him. Actually, what was his wife doing there? Zipporah could have stayed at home, wouldn't it have been over if Moses went alone? But his wife was worried, but the Bible didn't say. As a result, on the way, God wanted to kill Moses, why? Because he was afraid of his wife. Moses did not circumcise his two sons, because his wife did not agree, so let it be. Fortunately, God did not kill him.

For example, the pastor arranged for the church staff to work, and then let them go. As a result, after working for a week, the pastor's wife found out, she said: "Who told you to do this?" The church staff said: "The pastor told us to do this." The pastor's wife said: "No, you can't do it." As a result, the staff went to the pastor and said: "Pastor, should we listen to you or listen to the pastor's wife?" The pastor said: "The pastor's wife's words are God's words, listen to the pastor's wife." This bondage has become a common phenomenon, it is very hard. I tell you, God is very disgusted with this kind of bondage.

I will tell you a joke, there was a couple, the husband asked his wife: "Honey, what do you want to eat?" The wife said: "Anything, anything is fine." The husband said: "Then let's go eat McDonald's." The wife said: "No! I hate McDonald's." The husband said: "Then what do you want to eat?" The wife said: "Anything, anything is fine." The husband said: "Then let's eat KFC." His wife said: "No! I hate KFC." To guess what she is thinking is even harder than guessing Samson's riddle!

So we must recognize the corruption of this bondage, people must know how corrupt bondage is! A person who is bound has one characteristic, he is not capable of casting out demons, he is not capable of doing things, but he is very capable of binding people. I tell you, it doesn't work here, as soon as I see bondage, I think, "Little thing, you came here," that won't do, if you hit your head against the wall, then hit it, it's not my head, you hit your own head, then hit it a few more times, a few less times is also okay, those who have tried it know.

Our church does not advocate bondage, does not advocate compromise, and does not advocate that this person seems to be able to live peacefully. We should conflict when we should conflict, we should solve problems when we should solve problems, but we must be free. Amen! After listening to what I said, you see that God, through Samson, has shown us a lot of the corruption of this bondage and being bound.

Brothers and sisters, in any case, you must obey God's work, come out of this bondage and being bound, either you bind people, or you are bound, come out of here. Why? Some people think that binding people is also good, in fact, binding people is also uncomfortable, can you not be uncomfortable if you are bound? Uncomfortable. Then after you have bound people, the people who are bound are uncomfortable, can you feel good? You can't feel good either.

Our brothers and sisters, begin to advocate freedom in your own environment, isn't there a poem to prove it: "Life is precious, but love is more valuable. If it is for freedom, both can be thrown away." This is not what I said, this is proven by a poem, everything can be thrown away, freedom cannot be thrown away. Everything can be discussed, sovereignty cannot be discussed, we begin to practice being free.

May God bless everyone!