August 2022

We’ve all heard the story of Sampson slaying his Philistine enemies with the jawbone of a donkey. I bet you haven’t thought of this story in years and even then you probably only gave it a glancing thought but as you know I like to look for meaning in these accounts.

               Judges 15:15, “And he found a fresh jawbone…and put out his hand and took it.”

               The donkey was dead yet scripture says it was “a fresh jawbone.” This is a picture of Jesus. Revelation 1:18, “I died and behold I am alive forevermore.” Sampson saw God’s provision and deliverance from his enemies lying on the ground and he reached out and took it thus saving his life. All mankind can see God’s provision and deliverance from sin and death, Christ Jesus, all men need do in order to be saved is to reach out and grasp it; believe in Christ and accept him into your heart.

               This picture of Christ could have been any animal, or could it? Why a donkey? Donkeys are service animals, strong enough to bear burdens on their backs and yet they are a humble and unassuming creature. Again a picture of Christ, “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree…” (1 Peter 2:24).

               This picture of Jesus could have been any bone, or could it? Why a jawbone? A jawbone relates to speech, Jesus is called the Word of God; John 1:1 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

               Sampson had little power over the Philistines that came for him but “the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon him…” (Judges 15:14). We have little power over the deceiver and sin but God puts at our feet the means of our redemption, Christ Jesus. Sampson’s victory was complete as all his enemies fell at his feet. When we pick Christ up, accept him into our hearts, our victory is complete, not even Satan can prevail against us.

               The jawbone can also be a picture of life and death and seen this way it is also a picture of God’s Word Christ Jesus. The jawbone slew the Philistines, the Word brought death. The jawbone saved Sampson, the Word brought life. The same Word of God saves and also condemns, it all depends on what we do with it. Matthew 25:32, “He will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.”

 If we receive Jesus we are saved in Christ, alive in spirit and heirs of heaven. If we reject him we are condemned to eternity outside of God’s presence.

Pastor Jim