«　WEEK 12　DAY 1　»

　　Judg. 13:25 And the Spirit of Jehovah began to move him…

　　Acts 1:8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

　　Rom. 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life has freed me in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and of death.

　　The three books of Joshua, Judges, and Ruth present a clear picture of the two aspects of God’s move: His move in His economical Spirit, the Spirit of power, and His move in His essential Spirit, the Spirit of life.

　　In Joshua and Judges it is difficult to see God’s move in life. With Joshua, Caleb, and all the judges we see the move of God in power. Samson is a typical illustration of this. He was powerful in his life and even more powerful in his death, which was a suicide. We see nothing of life in him. That he was a Nazarite indicates that he submitted himself under God’s headship, not cutting his hair, eating unclean food, or drinking wine (Judg. 13:5-7). These may seem to be aspects of life, but they are actually only according to the divine regulation…. Samson had power by taking God as his Head, which is according to regulation, not according to life. Because he had nothing of life, he did not know how to restrain the lust in his flesh…. The matter of sex was a big stumbling block to Samson. He had no restriction in his indulgence and indulged himself wherever he went. (CWWL, 1993, vol. 2, p. 71)

　　Samson was the last judge in the book of Judges. Being last indicates the conclusion and consummation. The entire situation of the judges consummated in power without life. This is deplorable. It is difficult to explain how a Nazarite under God’s headship, one who was full of submission in being separated for and unto God and full of the divine power, could also be full of the indulgence of lust. Everywhere and with everyone he was powerful and at the same time fleshly in his fornication…. Although some of the Pentecostal preachers whom I saw in China were powerful, many were also reckless, without regulation, restraint, or control. [Some] persons preached the true, living God and Christ as the Son of God becoming a man to be our Savior. Their preaching was fundamental and right, but they were living in fornication. These preachers may be considered today’s Samsons. Judges tells us that the Spirit of Jehovah moved Samson (13:25), and the other judges likewise were powerful.…Although they were powerful, they too indulged their lust without shame, care, or restriction.

　　After the dark and black situation in Judges, there is the short book of Ruth, which is bright, white, and shining. Ruth deals with life, not power. Although Elimelech did not commit sin, he was chastised by God for leaving the Holy Land and moving to Moab, because by doing so, he did not live a life according to God’s eternal economy….God chastised him and his sons, leaving his wife and two daughters-in-law as widows without children (Ruth 1:1-5). Naomi did not rebel against God but instead acknowledged Him as the One who stripped her of her husband and sons (vv. 20-21).

　　Only life can maintain the lineage to bring God into humanity for the ministering of Christ as the supply to the entire human race. Neither Samson nor Gideon nor the other judges were qualified to do this. In the past I encouraged the saints to gain the increase, but I did not intend that anyone do it as a Samson or a Gideon by not caring for life. It would be better not to have the increase, to seem to be powerless and without the success of a work, yet to be part of the lineage that brings Christ from eternity into time. (CWWL, 1993, vol. 2, pp. 71-74)

　　Further Reading: CWWL, 1955, vol. 4, “Further Talks on the Knowledge of Life,” chs. 1-2, 4, 7, 10; CWWL, 1963, vol. 1, “The Enjoyment of Christ for His Increase,” ch. 1