Ideas and questions for group members and leaders for Judges 13-16

Judges 13-16 (select verses) Questions

First, ask group members to break into pairs.

Second, use the following icebreaker question:  Group leader, you decide which option you want to use. Option A: Tell about the worse haircut (men) or beauty shop experience (women) you ever had. Option B: Tell the name of your best man (men) or maid of honor (women) for your wedding.

Judges 13

1. After his wife had been visited by an angel to give her the news that she would give birth to a son after being barren for years, what prayer request did Manoah make of the Lord? That the man of God (angel) would return to teach them how to raise the boy.
2. When the angel did return, what did Manoah ask of him? What shall be the boy’s “mode of life and his vocation?”
3. Should parents be concerned about helping their children find the will of God for their lives in important areas like vocation and marriage? Yes, and they should begin praying for their children at a very young age that the Lord would make it clear to them and discuss it with them. 
4. What instructions did the angel give to Manoah’s wife? Not to eat or drink any fruit of the vine nor eat anything unclean. No razor should come on her son’s head because he would be a Nazarite to God from the womb.
5. What is the meaning of the name Samson? The root word is sun. Perhaps the idea was that the Lord had brought new light into their lives with their child. If you are a parent, you certainly understand that.
6. Why did they ask the angel for his name? To establish the authenticity of his message. See Genesis 32:29 for another occasion when an angel avoided answering Jacob when he asked for his name.
7. What did the angel answer and what did it mean? His answer can be translated “beyond understanding” or “wonderful,” the same root word used in Isaiah 9:6. The Expositor’s Bible Commentary says that either word was a clear indication of his divine nature. 
8. What other proof was there that the angel was divine? When the burnt offering was burning, the angel ascended into the flame, never to be seen again.
9. What three things were part of the Nazarite vow? A. Not ever cut hair B. Do not eat or drink from the fruit of the vine. C. Do not come near a dead body.
10. Do you think Samson was thrilled to be born into the Nazarite vow? This is an opinion question. Ask group members for responses. I see indications in these chapters that he was not thrilled all the time, but had no choice but to follow it, even though at times he did not follow. He did not volunteer to take the vow, but it was thrust upon him at birth.

Judges 14

1. Should Samson’s parents have put their foot down when he told them he found a Philistine girl he wanted to marry? Would Samson have married her if they had? We can only speculate. They no doubt sensed their son’s life would not go well if he went ahead and married her, but he did, and yes, his life was one tragedy after another. The paradox according to 14:4 was that the Lord used this “marriage” to get to the Philistines.
2. Are there times the Lord can still use us to bring about his plan even when we make bad decisions like Samson did? Yes, he can, but there still may be unpleasant circumstances for us as there were for Samson, whose life did not end well.
3. Samson made a big deal about eating honey out of lion’s carcass. Which of the Nazirite vows was he breaking by eating the honey? Not to touch dead bodies.
4. What became of his “wife”? She was given in marriage to his best man by her father.

 Judges 15

1. What reason did the father of the bride give to Samson for giving his wife away? He thought he hated her.
2. What was Samson’s response? To get even with the Philistines. He caught 300 foxes and tied a torch to each pair. This resulted in the burning down of their grain fields, vineyards, and olive groves. 
3. How did the Philistines respond? Burned his bride and her father to death.
4. Why did the men of Judah want to turn Samson over to the Philistines? His acts of revenge were stirring up the Philistines who in turn were turning on Judah. 
5. What did Samson do when the Spirit of the Lord came on him? He was given super human strength to break loose from the ropes and slew a thousand Philistines with the jawbone of a donkey.

Judges 16

1. Why do so many Proverbs speak about the hazards of men being involved with prostitutes as Samson does here? See Proverbs 5:3-11 and 6:23-32. Read select verses as time allows.
2. In the words of Barney Fife, would you consider Delilah to be a “wiley” woman? Very much so.
3. What was the result of Samson getting involved with such a wiley woman? First, he let her cause him to break yet another Nazirite vow of the cutting of the hair. Second, his eyes were gouged out and he became a working prisoner for the Philistines.
4. Would you say that Samson’ life ended well? Even though he was able to kill a number of the Philistine elite at the party, he lost his own life dying in shame.
5. In spite of the all the advantages Samson had from birth through his growing up years, why did his life not end well? He could not deal with his lust for beautiful Philistine women, and he lacked stability of character.
6. Are you surprised that Samson is listed in the hall of fame of faith in Hebrews 11? Why was he listed among the other judges? Even though he did have numerous faults, he was mighty in battle and took out a number of Philistines, even though they were not defeated. In God’s providence and sovereignty, he can still use us to accomplish his overall purposes.

EDITOR’S NOTE — Chip Warren has led groups of all ages, as well as trained group leaders, through the local church for over forty years. He’s a graduate of Southwestern Seminary and lives in Albertville, Alabama. Warren provides teaching resources such as these questions related to specific passages of Scripture at chipwarren.org.