Consecrated

      The title of this week's Sabbath reading portion is Sh'mini, which means "the eighth day." This title comes from Leviticus 9:1, which says: "It came to pass on the eighth (semini/samen/saman - eight/plenteous, fat, robust, rich/to shine with oil, to cover with fat-oil) day (yom - time, day, daily, year, ever, continually, full, always, whole, day as opposed to night) that Moses called Aaron and his sons and the elders of Israel." At this point, Aaron and his sons had spent seven days in the tabernacle until their consecration had ended. (see Lev. 8:31-36). They spent those seven days of consecration (millu'/mala' - installation of priests, setting stones/gems, dedicatory sacrifice, sacrifice of inauguration/fill, fulfill, full, complete, consecrate, accomplish, replenish, overflow, gather) eating ('akal - eat, devour, consume, destroy, slay, burn up) the burnt offering of consecration (Lev. 8:28) and the bread from the basket of consecration offerings (see Lev. 8:31). 

     The "basket" mentioned above that contained the bread of the consecration offerings, is the Hebrew word and root sal/salal, which means: a slender rod of which baskets are woven, a basket woven from reeds/raise up, lift up, exalt, extol, esteem highly, to gather, to make a way level by casting up stones, make plain. The basket is made of slender rods or reeds that can be woven. The Messiah/Christ, the Elect One in whom the LORD delights, is prophetically connected to a bruised reed by Isaiah: "A bruised reed He will not break, and smoking flax (linen or cotton used for a wick) He will not quench. He will bring forth justice for truth." (Isa. 42:3). The reed of Egypt and Palestine grows to a great height, and it is jointed in its stem like bamboo. It has a magnificent blossom at the top of the reed. It is so slender and tender that a gust of wind can flatten it, but then it will immediately be raised up to its upright position. Jesus was laid down in death but rose back up again like the reed. The Gospel of Matthew references this prophecy from Isaiah, and Jesus' fulfilment of it. (see Mt. 12:15-21). When the soldiers mocked Jesus' Kingship before His crucifixion, they struck Him with the reed that they had placed in His hand. (Mt. 27:27-31). Jesus is both the Bread (Jn. 6:35, 48-51) and the (reed) Basket that contains the consecrating Bread, which is His Body raised from the dead. Just as Aaron and his sons were told to eat the bread from the basket of consecration offerings, Jesus took bread and broke it and told us to eat it, saying, "Take, eat; this is My body." (Mt. 26:26). The Bread that is His sacrificed body not only feeds us Life but consecrates us as it follows the pattern above. During this time of Passover and the Resurrection, partaking in the elements of Communion with the Lord is especially meaningful.

     Now, on the eighth day, the ministry of Aaron and his sons as priests of the atonement would begin: "And Moses said to Aaron, 'Go to the altar, offer (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-your-sin-offering-and-your-burnt-offering and make atonement (kapar - atonement, purge, reconciliation, forgive, merciful, cleansed, appease, pardon, pitch covering) for yourself and for the people. Offer (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-the-offering of the people, and make atonement for them, as the LORD commanded." (Lev. 9:7).

     The purpose of the seven days of consecration was in order to minister the atoning sacrifice for themselves as priests and for the people. Jesus, as indicated by the Hebrew written *aleph-tav above is our offering for the atonement for sin. 

     As the followers of Messiah/Christ, He also consecrated us with His own body. It is not a consecration for the purpose of religious oppression and hypocrisy, for which Jesus condemned the Pharisees and scribes, but it is a consecration in Messiah/Christ and His atonement blood of mercy and forgiveness, and it was always meant to be so as the prophetic pattern revealed. This consecration requires serious consideration on our parts. Paul wrote that we are called to holiness, called to come out from among the worldly, the profane and the unclean things (as Aaron and sons were commanded to remain in the tabernacle for seven days). (see 1 Thess. 4:7, 2 Cor. 6:17-18)). The Book of Hebrews calls it a heavenly calling. (Heb. 3:1).

     The Lord Jesus told us to take and eat of His body. His body and blood were the one-time and forever offering for the sins of the world, forming a new covenant between God and the people: "But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Holy Place once for all, having obtained (for us) eternal redemption." (Heb. 9:11-12). God made Messiah/Christ "who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." (2 Cor. 5:21). Jesus fulfilled the will of God to be a sin offering for the world, not out of a religious obligation, but out of the love of the Father for the world, and the love of the Son for the Father and for us. We can understand why the apostle Peter wrote to us that love covers a multitude of sins. (1 Pet. 4:7-8). Our greatest and life-changing gift from God was planned and provided to us out of love through His beloved Son, Jesus.

     Part of the prophetic pattern established by the priesthood under Moses was that they must eat (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-the sin-offering which God said was most holy (see Lev. 6:17) in the same way that Christ told us to eat of Him. We eat of Him not for ourselves only, but, if we can see the prophetic pattern of the priesthood which we will read below, we are to eat of Christ, the most holy sin offering, to minister priestly atonement for the sins of the world, for which sins Messiah/Christ substituted Himself and died. 

       Here is that interesting image of the pattern of the priesthood. On one occasion, the two living sons of Aaron had burned up the offering completely but had not eaten any of it, nor applied the blood as it was commanded be done. Moses asked them: "Why have you not eaten ('akal - to eat, devour, consume, destruction of the flesh) (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-the-sin-offering in a holy place, since it is most holy, and God has given it to you to bear the guilt of the congregation, to make atonement for them before the LORD?...indeed, you should have eaten it in a holy (place), as I commanded." (Lev. 10:16-18). Aaron answered that because of the recent deaths of his two other sons by the fire of the LORD, which devastated Aaron (see Lev. 10:1-3), Aaron feared that the LORD might not have found (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-the-sin-offering acceptable had he eaten it. Aaron and his remaining two sons might have born the judgment of the LORD because of it. Moses accepted this reason from Aaron. (v. 19-20). The eating of the sin offering by the priest was to make atonement for the sin guilt of the people, which had been placed upon (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-the-offering.

     Paul wrote of a warning when eating and drinking of the body/bread and blood/wine of Messiah/Christ in Communion. Paul wrote: "Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged." (1 Cor. 11:27-31). This is very much like what Aaron told Moses. We cannot correctly understand what Paul was warning us if we do not understand the prophetic pattern of the priesthood established by God with Moses as we read it above. We have received a royal priesthood from God through Messiah/Christ Jesus. It is the priesthood of the light and mercy of the Kingdom of God through Christ, ministered to others as we also have received it ourselves. (see 1 Pet. 2:9-10). It is a Sh'mini "eighth day" (see the meanings at the top of the page) priesthood. While it is a glorious priesthood, it is a priesthood that requires humility, discernment and self-examination. 

     From another reading portion of this Sh'mini "Eighth Day" Sabbath, when David received the prophetic promise of Messiah/Christ, who would come from David's own line, David was moved with great humility, asking the LORD: "Who am I, O LORD God? And what is my house, that you have brought me this far?...What more can David say to You for the honor of Your servant?..." (see 1 Chron. 17:11-20). We have received more than a prophetic promise. We have received all of the "Eighth Day" rich and shining-with-oil fulfilment of that promise in Messiah/Christ Jesus. Let us receive Him with the same humility as David did, and let us receive Him in the holy place.

     If you would like to learn more about our consecration and priesthood in Jesus Christ, you can join my prayer: "Heavenly Father, You have offered Your own Son, Jesus, who was without sin but became my sin, as my most holy eternal sin offering. Help me, LORD, to minister Your Son as the atonement for sin, not only for myself, but for all of the people. LORD, You consecrated Your priesthood in order to begin their ministry of atonement in Your name. As I remember the Lord's death and resurrection this week, and the Table of the Lord that holds the elements of His most holy sacrifice for the sins of the world, let me approach in consecration, please Lord, and with soul-bearing humility and gratitude, on behalf of all of the people, as I proclaim His death until He comes. I ask this in the name of Jesus. AMEN."

    *NOTE: aleph-tav written in Hebrew as אֶת, are the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet. The meaning of the two pictographic Hebrew letters can also be interpreted "Adonai (Lord) of the Cross/Covenant". In the New Testament, these letters are translated as Alpha and Omega written as ΑΩ , the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. These letters are those by which Jesus Christ identifies Himself in the Book of Revelation: see Rev. 1:8, Rev. 21:6, Rev. 22:13. 

Prepare

We have been in the Book of Leviticus, which is Latin and means "of the Levites (priests). In Hebrew, this third book of the Bible is called Va-yikra, or "And He called". We read last week of the glory and the privilege of the priesthood, and its ministry before God and the people. The priests made the atonement for the sins of the people, and the people were forgiven. The priests brought reconciliation between God and the people, who had been separated from each other by sin. This is a prophetic pattern of the ministry of Christ on our behalf. Last week we read that we also have been given, as priests of God, the ministry of reconciliation, reconciling all things back to God through the atonement and forgiveness of Jesus Christ. What a privilege and trusted responsibility we have been given by God! This week's Sabbath reading is titled Tzav, meaning "Command", and we will see the importance of the command of God regarding this priestly service. This week's reading portion includes Leviticus chapters 6 through 8. This Sabbath is also Shabbat Ha-Gadol, the Great Sabbath before Passover. What do these two topics, the priesthood and the Passover, have in common that they should be joined together in this week's reading? One answer is preparation. On the day when the Passover lamb was to be killed, Jesus commanded His disciples to prepare (hetomazo/hetomas/heteos - make ready, make necessary preparations, to level the road before the king's arrival, to prepare the minds of men to give Messiah a fit reception/prepare and make ready to receive one coming/fitness) for the Passover that they would share together (Lk. 22:7-13). Even the first Passover, during the slavery of the Israelites in Egypt, required a specific preparation (see Ex. 12). During the Passover meal observed by Jesus and His disciples referred to above, Jesus explained to the twelve the meaning of the Passover elements, the bread and the wine (see also Gen. 14:18-20), and how they applied to His coming sacrifice, and the new covenant that was being given to them because of this. He also revealed the presence at the Passover table of His betrayer, meaning Judas (Lk. 22:14-22). It is very revealing of the hearts of man that immediately after these very somber and tremendous revelations, the disciples began to argue regarding which one among them should be considered the greatest (Lk. 22:24). Does man have no shame, no humility, no reverence? The answer is no, they don't. Perhaps we consider ourselves to be exceptions to this sad condition? The chapters this week from Leviticus describe the solemn consecration and service of the priests, and the connection of these things to Christ. The priests put on priestly aleph-tav garments (Lev. 8:10), and were consecrated with the aleph-tav anointing oil (v. 12). The priests laid their aleph-tav hands (v. 14, 22) upon each offering brought to the aleph-tav tabernacle (v. 10): "Everyone who touches its flesh (of the offering) must/shall be holy..." (Lev. 6:27). These offerings were not to be prepared and handled lightly. Even the aleph-tav ashes (hadesen/dasen - fat ashes/to anoint, to smear) of the aleph-tav burnt offering (haola/ala - to go up, ascent, go up in smoke/raise, recover, restore, to go up, light, raised, arose, to lift oneself) were to be treated with reverence by the priests (Lev. 6:8-11). From the meaning of the Hebrew words used, we can see the promise of resurrection in the smoke of the burnt offering. How dangerous to treat them profanely, or with unclean hands and hearts! There are other interesting connections of the priests, the offerings, and the tabernacle itself to Christ. Aaron the high priest is written in Hebrew as aleph-tav Aaron. His sons were his aleph-tav sons. As mentioned in previous posts, aleph, tav are the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet, and Jesus used them to describe Himself in the Book of Revelation, as "the Alpha and the Omega (translated from Greek), the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End". So many details surrounding the priests, their clothes, the anointing oil of their consecration, the tabernacle, and the offerings, were connected to the aleph-tav of Christ in this week's Sabbath portion. All of these things (aleph-tav dabar- *words matter, speech, say, talk, arranging in order, to lead flocks to pasture, to rule, subdue, to follow) were done at the command (Tzav) of the LORD (Lev. 8:36). The anointing (masiah/masah - anointed, specifically the Messiah/anoint, smear, spread a liquid, consecrate) of the priest (Lev. 4:3) is directly connected to the Messiah. We can see that the consecration, the atonement, forgiveness and reconciliation ministry of the priests in the tabernacle, which was a prophetic picture of Christ's ministry for the world, required a solemn pattern to be followed, according to the exact commands of the LORD. Other reading portions from this week's Sabbath reveal what happened when the priests and the people did not follow this aleph-tav pattern of the Messiah. The prophet Jeremiah was also from the line of the priesthood (see Jer. 1:1). Jeremiah is commanded by the LORD to stand in the gate of the LORD's house, and expose the iniquities of God's people, calling upon them to mend their ways. The word of the LORD to His people was: "Behold, you trust in lying words that cannot profit. Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, burn incense to Ba'al (a false god), and walk after other gods whom you do not know, and then come and stand before Me in this house which is called by My name, and say, 'We are delivered to do all these abominations'? Has this house, which is called by My name, become a den of thieves in your eyes? Behold, I, even I, have seen it, says the LORD." (Jer. 7:1-10, excerpt). I believe that this Word of the LORD is being addressed to the priests, because the activities being described, the burning of incense and standing before the LORD in His house, would involve the priests. The LORD said that His command to the forefathers when they first left Egypt wasn't concerning the burnt offerings and sacrifices, "But this (written in Hebrew as aleph-tav dabar - see above *meaning) is what I commanded them, saying, 'Obey My voice, and I will be Your God, and you shall be My people. And walk in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well with you.' Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but followed the counsels and dictates (serirut/serar - imagination, lust, stubbornness, twisted, hardness of heart/to be an enemy,to be a hostile opponent) of their evil hearts and went backward and not forward." (Jer. 7:22-24). If the priests and people of God continued to ignore this (aleph-tav dabar), God's voice, the LORD warned: "...they shall be like refuse on the face of the earth. Then death shall be chosen rather than life by all the residue of those who remain of this evil family..." (Jer. 8:2-3). More important than the sacrifices themselves, is the obedience to the voice of God. The sacrifice is only effective if it is the result of obedience to the voice of Him who commands us. Another portion from this week's Shabbat Ha-Gadol reading is: "So Samuel (the priest, prophet, judge of Israel) said: 'Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness as iniquity and idolatry. Because you (referring to King Saul) have rejected the word of the LORD, He also has rejected you from being king." (1 Sam. 15:22-23). Saul was very proud of the numerous sacrifices that he had offered to the LORD on this occasion, but he had not done it in accord with what the LORD had told him to do. Jesus' sacrifice was the fruit of His obedience to His Father, and in turn, that effective sacrifice produced much fruit (Phil. 2:5-11). His obedience brought glory to God His Father. Our own obedience results in the effective defeat of evil spiritual powers in the heavenly realms (2 Cor. 10:3-6). As we see witchcraft, the occult, iniquity and idolatry begin to pervade this era, is it because God's people have refused to obey His voice? Passover was the deliverance from death. Jesus repeatedly declared that He, the Aleph-Tav, was the living bread of eternal life. (Jn. 6:32-51). When we leave out The Aleph-Tav, the Messiah Son of God, from any of these aleph-tav things, we walk in death rather than life. Finally the prophet Jeremiah mourns: "For the hurt of the daughter of my people I am hurt. I am mourning; Astonishment has taken hold of me. Is there no balm in Gilead, is no physician there? Why then is there no recovery for the health of the daughter of my people?" (Jer. 8:21-22). This is the heart of a true priest. Where were the cries of the other priests in the land? Jeremiah called on the Balm of Gilead (rare perfumed ointment produced in the Gilead region, and used medicinally), and the Physician who can heal his people. Both of these terms were associated with the Messiah, the Anointed One, who is Christ. Jeremiah was calling for the Aleph-Tav associated with the priestly service of atonement, forgiveness and the reconciliation between man and God. Another of this week's reading portions that is assigned to this Shabbat Ha-Gadol, the Great Sabbath before Passover, is from the prophet Malachi, whom tradition says was a Levite, the tribe of priests. Again, this portion deals with the priesthood and the people of God. It also speaks about a necessary preparation: "Behold, I send My messenger, and he will prepare the way before Me. And the LORD, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple, even the Messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight. Behold, He is coming,' says the LORD of hosts. But who can endure the (aleph-tav) day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner's fire and like launderer's soap. He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver; He will purify the (aleph-tav) sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer to the LORD an offering in righteousness.' (Mal. 3:1-3). Part of the preparation for the arrival of the LORD is the purification of His aleph-tav priests. Only then will the offerings be restored to offerings of righteousness, as the LORD had intended them. As a result of this preparation and purging of the priests before the aleph-tav day of the LORD and His coming, much of the same wickedness that Jeremiah and Samuel noted, such as sorcerers, adulterers, perjurers, exploiters, and oppressors, will be judged (v. 4-5). We also are called to be the priests of God in Christ (1 Pet. 2:9-10, Rev. 1:5-6, 5:8-10). However, in this office, God is looking for aleph-tav priests, who are, in these aleph-tav dabar things, obedient to the voice of God. We saw above that Jesus' disciples did not understand what it meant when Jesus said: "Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat." There is a preparation for Passover and its expression in Communion (see 1 Cor. 11:27-32). There is a preparation of consecration for the priesthood so that the hands that touch the offerings are holy, and there is a preparation of purifying, purging, cleansing and refining for the priests of the aleph-tav day of the LORD's coming. If you would like to know more about this important command (Tzav) to "prepare", you can join me in my prayer: "Heavenly Father of all, Your Son, Jesus, has commanded us to go and prepare a place for Your Passover, the Sacrificed Lamb given for life. You have commanded Your aleph-tav priests to lay their aleph-tav hands upon this precious Offering that You have sent for our sins. Help me by Your Holy Spirit to obey Your voice, because our obedience is even more precious to You than an empty sacrifice offered without the presence of Your Aleph-Tav Son, Jesus. If I have been slow to obey Your voice, forgive me Lord, and prepare me to offer righteous offerings of obedience to You. I ask these things in Jesus' name. AMEN."

Samson/Delilah

We have entered the season of Lent, and for many Christians, this is marked by a vow to give up something that they enjoy during the 40 days before Resurrection Sunday. According to the doctrine taught, this vow is also to be accompanied by prayer, penance, mortifying of the flesh, self-reflection and spiritual preparation. As the Cardinal of New York explained, the outward activities are only an indication of an inward change. It is what goes on in the heart that has the true importance, he said.
Whether you observe Lent in this traditional manner, or not, it is a good time to examine our own hearts as the remembrance of the atoning crucifixion, and the celebration of the resurrection of Christ approaches. For me the story of Samson and Delilah has an important message for us.
Samson was a Nazirite. Nazir in Hebrew means consecrated. An angel appeared to Samson's mother, who is unnamed in scripture, which is interesting. She and her husband, Manoah ("rest"), had no children because she was barren. Manoah was from Zorah (hornet, wasps; root meaning:to be leprous, to scourge, to strike down, stricken and smitten by God-see Isa. 53:4). The angel told the woman that she would have a son, and she was to refrain from wine or any product of the grape, for her child was to be a Nazirite from the womb. Yes, God knows us and destines us before we are even formed in our mother's womb. In spite of what some may believe, the life of man is divinely created and ordained (Ps. 139:13-16), and it is created with the light and life of Christ. That light and life in each of us is meant to overcome the darkness. (Jn. 1:4-5). Back to our story.
When the woman's son was born, he was never to take a razor to his hair, according to the instructions of the angel. This would be his Nazirite vow. He was to remain in that vow his until his death (Judges 13:1-7, 13-14). Although he was identified as an angel, the person who appeared before Samson's mother might well have been Christ, because when asked his name, he replied, "Why do you ask My name, seeing it is wonderful?" Isaiah tells us that one of the names of the Son, the Christ, would be "Wonderful" (Isa. 9:6). Also, Manoah declared regarding the "angel", "We shall surely die, for we have seen God." (Jud. 13:22).
It would be through Samson's consecration that he would be able to judge Israel.
The judges of Israel were an office provided by God. They were raised up when an enemy would overrun the land and afflict God's people. The enemy was often able to overrun the land because God's people forgot Him, and lived in sin. This certainly reflects our time also. We have forgotten God, and the spiritual enemy has overrun our land.
The judges were gifted by God in ways that would allow them to lead the unarmed people to miraculous victory over those oppressors, and bring deliverance to God's people. In Samson's case, his Nazirite vow of consecration endowed him with great strength. He destroyed many Philistines and their sources of wealth-their vineyards, grain, and olive trees- which made the Philistines determined to destroy Samson (Jud. 15:5). Samson's life and calling were impacted by his obsession for Delilah. Delilah was from the Valley ("to divide for a possession") of Sorek ("choice vines, choice grapes; root word: to hiss, to whistle as a signal used to call, bright red as piercing to the sight"). Everything about her was a challenge to Samson's consecration. Delilah pestered him into telling her the secret of his strength, which was his consecration, or Nazirite vow. As a result, the enemy found out his secret, and they thought they had at last found the way to rid themselves of Samson's interference. They cut off Samson's hair and his eyes were gouged out. He lost his strength, and he spent his days blind, grinding at a millstone, and in chains. That is not the end of the story, but more later.
The name Samson in Hebrew is Shimshon, which means "like the sun, glittering, shining upon pinnacles and shields"; it refers to the rising of the sun rather than its setting because it is associated with the eastern direction (which is also associated with antiquity or eternity). The meaning of his name is associated with openings such as windows, that allow the sunlight to enter. It is also associated with the notched battlements of a fortress. As we can see from his name, Samson represented a great ascending light, the light of battle and defense.
Delilah's name in Hebrew means "to make feeble, pining with desire, weak". The root meaning is "dried up, brought low, not equal, emptied, impoverished, made thin, languish, hang down, to be oppressed, also to hang down like a bucket that removes water from a well".  
As we consider the names of the two people involved, the great promise of Samson's life, his purpose as a light of deliverance, was challenged by something that was specifically purposed to draw something away from him, to enfeeble him, to draw him low, to oppress him, as it also impoverished and oppressed God's people and the land.
The judges of Israel were a fascinating lot, but they are not only relegated to the Old Testament. Isaiah wrote that the judges would be restored by God:
"I will restore your judges as at the first, And your counselors as at the beginning. Afterward you shall be called the city of righteousness, the faithful city. Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, and her converts with righteousness.”  Isa. 1:26-27
The impact of judges in their office, as you can see above, has a wide sweeping effect on peoples and cities. Just as the judges of old were equipped by God for their calling, Jesus told us, "Behold, I have given you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you." (Lk. 10:19). However, this is made possible because of our connection with Christ in the fact that our names are written in heaven (v. 20). Again, this shows us our divine creation and purpose. We are from above, in Christ, not beneath (Jn. 8:23, 1:12-13). How does our New Testament judgeship, ridding the land of the enemy, work?
 Paul tells us that our warfare is not carnal against flesh. Our weapons also are not carnal, but spiritual. We have indeed been called into a deliverance warfare against the enemy, but that warfare begins in us. It begins in our own minds and with our own obedience:
"For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when our obedience is fulfilled."  2 Cor. 10:3-6
The importance of victory in that spiritual warfare is not just for our benefit, but for the benefit of many. There is a song entitled, "Making War in the Heavenlies", and it's a great song, but the victory in the heavenlies begins on a much smaller scale- within us. Just as the enemy put Delilah across Samson's path to destroy his consecration and derail his judgeship, so also the enemy places similar disruptions in our path, disruptions that appeal to us. Those distractions and disruptions "pester" us, returning again and again. How do we overcome the continual challenge to our New Testament judgeship?
The accuser of the brethren is cast down, and salvation and strength comes as,
"... they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death".  Rev. 12:10-11
In understanding this scripture in the context of the story of Samson, the blood of the Lamb is our consecration. The Lamb of God was slain before the foundation of the world (Rev. 13:8), and we were consecrated in Him before we were formed in our mother's wombs:
"For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
                                                                                                           Rom. 8:29-31
The word of our testimony, which is the Word of God in us, is our Nazirite vow. Concerning our not loving our lives unto the death stated above, as we will see, to Samson, his purpose as a deliverer and his service to God as a judge in Israel was more important to him than his own life.
Though captured, blinded and enslaved, Samson's hair grew back. His Nazirite vow was of the type that, like the re-growing of hair, would continue until his death. In the last moments of his life, Samson's strength returned as his hair grew, and he asked God to let him move in his Nazirite consecration and purpose once again. Samson pulled down a whole stadium containing the enemies who had come to mock him, and the God he represented. Samson destroyed more of the enemy in his death than he had during his whole life (Judges 16:28-31).
Our judgeship is not about destroying flesh enemies as it was in the Old Testament, but in the pulling down of spiritual strongholds through our obedience in Christ. We cannot allow those things that the person of Delilah represents to abort our purpose, trying to cut off the ascending light of Christ in us, or to hold God's people in captivity to impoverishment, oppression and enfeeblement.

Our Father has called us to be part of His Light of Deliverance.