Judg 15:14 | KingComments | STEP | When the men of Judah bring Samson to the Philistines, they shout for joy. They think they have their hated enemy in their power. However, the joy is short-lived, for “the Spirit of the LORD came upon him mightily”. When human means by which a Nazirite can be bound come into contact with the Spirit of God and the Word of God, they are “as flax that is burned with fire”. The putting into practice of the call in 1 Peter 4 makes all the Philistine ropes, figuratively speaking, turn to ashes. We are encouraged there with the words: “Whoever speaks, [is to do so] as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves [is to do so] as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies” ( ). This frees everyone, so that everyone can exercise his gift as solely responsible to the Giver, regardless of any human appointment or intervention. That is what Paul means when he writes about his apostleship: “Paul, an apostle (not [sent] from men nor through the agency of man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised Him from the dead)” ( ). With this he indicates that in the exercise of his apostleship he is free from all ‘Philistine ropes’. That certainly does not mean that we have nothing to do with others and their comments about our service. For example, in the church, “let two or three prophets speak, and let the others pass judgment” ( ). But that is something else than deciding in advance who should say something and what should be said in the church. This should not be determined by others, because only the Holy Spirit may have a say in this.

‏ Judges 15:14

Freed From the New Ropes

When the men of Judah bring Samson to the Philistines, they shout for joy. They think they have their hated enemy in their power. However, the joy is short-lived, for “the Spirit of the LORD came upon him mightily”. When human means by which a Nazirite can be bound come into contact with the Spirit of God and the Word of God, they are “as flax that is burned with fire”. The putting into practice of the call in 1 Peter 4 makes all the Philistine ropes, figuratively speaking, turn to ashes. We are encouraged there with the words: “Whoever speaks, [is to do so] as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves [is to do so] as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies” (1Pet 4:11a).

This frees everyone, so that everyone can exercise his gift as solely responsible to the Giver, regardless of any human appointment or intervention. That is what Paul means when he writes about his apostleship: “Paul, an apostle (not [sent] from men nor through the agency of man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised Him from the dead)” (Gal 1:1). With this he indicates that in the exercise of his apostleship he is free from all ‘Philistine ropes’.

That certainly does not mean that we have nothing to do with others and their comments about our service. For example, in the church, “let two or three prophets speak, and let the others pass judgment” (1Cor 14:29). But that is something else than deciding in advance who should say something and what should be said in the church. This should not be determined by others, because only the Holy Spirit may have a say in this.