Philistines come to arrest Samson, and a thousand men are slain by him with the jawbone of an ass.

Judges 15:9-17

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“Now the Philistines went up, encamped in Judah, and deployed themselves against Lehi. And the men of Judah said, “Why have you come up against us?” So they answered, “We have come up to arrest Samson, to do to him as he has done to us.” Judges 15:9-10

At this time, the Jewish people were living in captivity to the Gentile Philistines, so the Philistines did whatever and went wherever they wanted to. They were looking for Samson, to arrest him, and knew that he was in the region of Judah, in a city called Lehi. They set up camp in Judah and deployed their forces against Lehi until Samson was in their hands. The Philistines planned to bring harm to Samson because he burned down their standing grain, stacked wheat, vineyards, and olive groves, as described in the post on Judges 14:20-15:5

The Jewish leaders wanted to destroy Jesus, to arrest and have Him put to death, “Then the Pharisees went out and plotted against Him, how they might destroy Him.” Matthew 12:14 At the coming of Jesus Christ, the Pharisees became the unbelievers [Gentiles] and those living for God through Jesus Christ were the righteous ones. The Pharisees still had power and authority over the Jewish culture and were able to do whatever and go wherever they wanted relating to the Jewish people. They used their power and authority to come against Jesus and all of Christianity. In fact, our Lord Jesus said this to His followers, “In the meantime, when an innumerable multitude of people had gathered together, so that they trampled one another, He began to say to His disciples first of all, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.” Luke 12:1

What did Jesus do to the Pharisees to make them want to arrest Him? By the fire of the Holy Spirit, He burnt down their standing wheat [drew away potential converts from the laws of Judaism], burnt their stacked wheat [drew away members from the churches of Judaism], burnt their vineyards [diminished the places of the growth of Judaism], and burnt their olive groves [diminished the benefits of Judaism].

“Then three thousand men of Judah went down to the cleft of the rock of Etam, and said to Samson, “Do you not know that the Philistines rule over us? What is this you have done to us?” And he said to them, “As they did to me, so I have done to them.” Judges 15:11

Many of the disciples of Jesus left Him because of the threats and coercion of the Pharisees, who would ruin the life of anyone who followed Him. In their heart, and aloud, the Jewish people were saying, “Do you not know that the [Pharisees] rule over us? What is this you have done to us?” As quoted, “When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples complained about this, He said to them, “Does this offend you?  It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing… And He said, “Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father.” From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. Then Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?” John 6:61, 63, 65-67

“….to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets, ‘I will not impose any other burden on you, except to hold on to what you have until I come.’” “I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.” Revelation 2:24-25, 3:11

“But they said to him, “We have come down to arrest you, that we may deliver you into the hand of the Philistines.” Then Samson said to them, “Swear to me that you will not kill me yourselves.” So they spoke to him, saying, “No, but we will tie you securely and deliver you into their hand; but we will surely not kill you.” And they bound him with two new ropes and brought him up from the rock.” Judges 15:12-13

When the Jewish people of Judah came to arrest Samson and give him to the Philistines, he did not want to be put to death by the Jewish people. The Jewish people agreed to that, bound Samson, and brought him to the Philistines. Likewise, by the time Jesus came, the Jewish people were in captivity to the Romans, so they arrested Jesus and gave Him to the Romans to be crucified, as quoted, “Then Pilate said to them, “You take Him and judge Him according to your law.” Therefore the Jews said to him, “It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death,” John 18:31

 “And Judas, who betrayed Him, also knew the place; for Jesus often met there with His disciples. Then Judas, having received a detachment of troops, and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, came there with lanterns, torches, and weapons…. then the detachment of troops and the captain and the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound Him…And when they had bound Him, they led Him away and delivered Him to Pontius Pilate the governor.” John 18:2-3, 12, Matthew 27:2

“When he came to Lehi, the Philistines came shouting against him.” Judges 15:14a

The mob of Gentile Philistines shouted against Samson, who was bound and a prisoner, just like the unbelieving Jewish culture shouted against Jesus when He was bound and a prisoner. “…the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitudes that they should ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. The governor answered and said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” They said, “Barabbas!” Pilate said to them, “What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said to him, “Let Him be crucified!” Then the governor said, “Why, what evil has He done?” But they cried out all the more, saying, “Let Him be crucified!” Matthew 27:20-23

“Then the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him; and the ropes that were on his arms became like flax that is burned with fire, and his bonds broke loose from his hands. He found a fresh jawbone of a donkey, reached out his hand and took it, and killed a thousand men with it.” Judges 15:14b-15

The arms of Samson became like wax melting with fire, and the bonds were melted from his hands. This gives an image of Samson relaxing his muscles to the point where he was able to slip from the ropes that held him. Likewise, by the fire of the Holy Spirit, the bonds of sin and death are melted, and we are freed from sin and death. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16

The Gentile Philistines were not able to keep Samson bound and held prisoner, just like our Lord Jesus could not be kept bound and held prisoner. The grave could not hold Him because by the Spirit and power of God He was resurrected from the grave after three days. Our Lord has the victory over death and sin. “…Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it.” Acts 2:23-24

After being freed, Samson picked up a jawbone of a donkey and killed a thousand men with it. After the resurrection of Jesus Christ, His Gospel spread around all the world, simply by the word of mouth [the jawbone of a donkey]. Jawboning refers to the use of spoken persuasion to talk to someone, especially to try to persuade them to do something. As followers of Christ, we share our born-again experience, which is the Gospel of Christ written on our heart. “How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!” Romans 10:14-15 “‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord of hosts.” Zachariah 4:6

“Then Samson said: “With the jawbone of a donkey, heaps upon heaps, with the jawbone of a donkey I have slain a thousand men!” And so it was, when he had finished speaking, that he threw the jawbone from his hand, and called that place Ramath Lehi [Jawbone Height]. Judges 15:16-17

“Jawboning” of the Gospel of Christ, our born-again experience, will happen to the end of the “harvest”, and when our Lord Jesus returns the jawbone is thrown from our hand.

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“….to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets,
‘I will not impose any other burden on you, except to hold on to what you have until I come.’”
“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.”
Revelation 2:24-25, 3:11