Biblical Truth, Sampson's strength

PROOF OF SAMSON AND HIS STRENGTH

Samson visited Philistine territory, stopping at Gaza, where he fell victim to lust and sinned with a harlot (Judg. 16:1-3). Rising at midnight, and finding the city surrounded by waiting Philistines, he inflicted marked humiliation on Gaza by breaking away defensive gates and carrying them to a nearby hill on his return to Hebron. Not long after, Samson once more submitted to lust, becoming infatuated with a woman of the Philis­tines named Delilah, who lived in the Sorek Valley not far from his place of birth, Zorah. Given promise of massive reward by the Philistine leaders, Delilah sought to entice Samson to reveal the secret of his strength. He gave her false answers three times but finally told her the truth regarding his uncut hair. She cut it off while he slept, and the Philistines were able to put out his eyes and make him labor sightless in their prison in Gaza.

When his hair had grown again, Samson had his last revenge. Taken to entertain assembled Philistines in the temple of Dagon, he called upon God for a return of his strength, and he was enabled to dislodge two central supporting columns of the temple from their bases, destroying the building and killing more of the enemy at the time of his own death than in all his prior years. In one fell swoop, Samson eliminated the entire Philistine leadership. This was a major setback in their conflict with Israel. It was a turning point. From this time on, the Israelites started to gain the upper hand. But did it really happen? Could one man pull down an entire temple? Archaeology has discovered some interesting facts.

Archaeologists have uncovered two Philistine temples. One at Tel Qasile, in northern Tel Aviv, and one in Tel Miqne, ancient Ekron, 21 miles south of Tel Aviv.

Both temples share a unique design; two central pillars supported the roof. The pillars were made of wood and rested on stone support bases. With the pillars being about six feet apart, a strong man could dislodge them from their stone bases and bring the entire structure down. The archaeological findings match the Biblical story perfectly and attest to the plausibility of the account.

Biblical truth in the worlds oceans...

Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.

John 17:17     

Is the Bible true?   Is it really the inerrant, infallible, inspired Word of God?  After all there are a lot of sacred books.   Why should I believe that this is the right one?  

Matthew Maury, nicknamed "Pathfinder of the Seas", "Father of Modern Oceanography and Naval Meteorology" and later, "Scientist of the Seas," ultimately became the Superintendent of the U.S. Naval Observatory.  Maury was a devoted Christian who loved the Word of God and was committed to spending time there each day. In the 1850’as while in charge of the Depot of Charts and Instruments of the Hydrographic Office for the Navy from 1841 to 1861, he was reading Psalm 8 and was struck by an important truth.  In the 8th verse of that chapter it stated that God had given man dominion over…

The birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes through the paths of the seas.

Psalm 8:8     

He immediately saw the great practical significance of that verse, recognizing that there must be currents of water in the oceans just as Ecclesiastes 1:6 said there are wind circuits in the atmosphere.

Blowing toward the south, then turning toward the north,    The wind continues swirling along;     And on its circular courses the wind returns.

Ecclesiastes 1:6     

Knowing the Bible held only truth, Maury determined to discover the paths in the seas and the wind circuits; utilizing the charts and log books he had available at the post God had placed him in.   

Over several years he identified and plotted many of the wind circuits and ocean currents, such as the Gulf Current, the Japanese Current,  the California Current,  and others.    The sailing ships of his day used these ocean currents and wind circuits, to reduce the travel time to cross the oceans,  by as much as three weeks.

In Virginia there is a monument erected in his memory,  with a  plaque that reads:       

“Matthew Fontaine Maury,  Pathfinder of the Seas,  the genius who first snatched from the oceans and atmosphere the secret of their laws.   His inspiration… the Holy Scripture...”

Many would consider him a genius.  But the truth is that he was just a simple, Bible-believing Christian who trusted the inerrancy of the Word of God."