Judges chapter 14 verses 10 through 20. So his father went down to the woman and Samson gave a feast there for young men used to do so. And it happened when they saw him that they brought 30 companions to be with them. Then Samson said to them, Let me pose a riddle to you. If you can correctly solve and explain it to me within the seven days of the feast, then I will give you 30 linen garments and 30 changes of clothing. But if you cannot explain it to me, then you shall give me 30 linen garments and 30 changes of clothing. And they said to him, pose your riddle. that we may hear it. So he said to them, out of the eater came something to eat and out of the strong came something sweet. Now for three days they could not explain the riddle, but it came to pass on the seventh day that they said to Samson's wife, entice your husband that he may explain the riddle to us. or else we will burn you and your father's house with fire. Have you invited us in order to take what is ours? Is that not so? Then Samson's wife wept on him and said, you only hate me. You do not love me. You have posed a riddle to the sons of my people, but you have not explained it to me. And he said to her, look, I have not explained it to my father or my mother. So should I explain it to you? Now, she had wept on him the seven days while the feast lasted. And it happened on the seventh day that he told her, because she pressed them so much. Then she explained the riddle to the sons of her people. So the men of the city said to him on the seventh day before the sun went down, what is sweeter than honey? And what is stronger than a lion? And he said to them, if you had not plowed with my heifer, you would not have solved my riddle. Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon him mightily, and he went down to Ashkelon and killed thirty of their men, took their apparel, and gave the changes of clothing to those who had explained the riddle. So his anger was aroused, and he went back up to his father's house Samson's wife was given to his companion who had been his best man. Today's message is entitled, The Riddler. We're welcomed to get a glimpse of a bachelor party of old, of Samson's bachelor party. He threw a feast for 30 Philistine companions To be the life of the party, he poses a riddle. If you answer correctly, I will give you 30 costly garments. If you can't, you shall give me. As time goes on, the Philistines are stumped by this riddle that Samson gives them. They're stumped by it. They could not explain what it meant. Out of the eating came something to eat and out of the strong came something sweet. So time goes on. The Philistines cannot explain the riddle. So they turn to Samson's wife, entice your husband that he may explain the riddle. If not, We will burn you and your father's house with fire." Not exactly the right wedding gift that she had expected. She didn't have that on the register at Macy's. If not, we will burn you and your father's house with fire. As a result, Samson's wife goes to him, weeps. You don't love me. You haven't explained the riddle to me. She finally wears him down and explains the riddle to her. She tells the sons of her people, they tell Samson the answer, and now it is time for Samson to pay up. And verse 19 and 20, well verse 19 tells us how he pays up. Verse 19 tells us, Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon him mightily, and he went down to Ashkelon, and killed thirty of their men, took their repavel, and gave the changes of clothing to those who explained the riddle." Why was Samson angry? They couldn't explain the riddle, so it says, and so his anger was aroused, and he went back up to his father's house. Why was Samson angry? Matter of fact, he says he was burning with anger, literally. He was burning with anger because he didn't get what he wanted. Sampson was a manipulator. His wife was a manipulator. The 30 Philistines were manipulators. And the question is, are you a manipulator? It's not even the question, are you a manipulator? We are all manipulators. But do you live a lifestyle of being a manipulator? Or do you repent when you see that you are about to try to manipulate someone? It says Samson posed this riddle to the 30 companions to get what he wants. He wants what they have. Manipulate means to influence or control artfully or deceptively. A manipulator is this, a puppeteer that stands over all of his little puppets, all of her little puppets with strings and wires. and the manipulator stands there and pulls all the strings and moves all the wires to get the person to do what they want. Samson uses words to manipulate. That word manipulate comes from the Latin, the root word manus, which means hand. You use your hands wherever you can to get the people what you want to do. Samson uses his words to get from them. They come into his wedding and he's trying to take 30 costly garments from them. The Bible says that we are as a people, as Christians. In Hebrews 7 verse 7 it says, no doubt about it, that the greater blesses the lesser. Samson wasn't looking to bless the Philistines, he was looking to take their dirty garments. We are not to manipulate by posing questions, by talking in riddles. We are to speak the truth. We are not to play with words. We are not to speak half-truths. which is not a truth of all to get what we want. We are to be clear. We are to be straightforward. We are to bottom line. We are to explain simply. Our yes is to be yes and our no is to be no. We're not to be behind the back. We're not supposed to be shadowy. We're not supposed to be deceptive. Why was Samson manipulative? Because he wanted their personal belongings. He coveted what they had. He wanted to use them. Manipulators have one thing in mind. To use you. There's no other purpose that a manipulator has. How did Samson manipulate? Manipulated with words. Beware. of those who manipulate with words. Specifically, as Christians, those who would manipulate you with the scripture. They manipulate with words. They withhold a significant amount of truth. They speak in half-truths. They distort the truth. They pare down the truth. They rub off the hard cut edges of the word to manipulate you into following them or giving them your money so that they can build their kingdoms. A person that speaks in riddles and puzzles are vague. They don't tell the whole truth. They speak lies. They speak words and ideas that are agreeable to your taste. That's why the Lord says, they heap upon themselves teachers that will tickle their ears, that will speak half-truths to them, that will pose riddles to them, so that they can have their money and their following. They play with words. They give words other meanings. That's why when you're in a discussion with a manipulator, you better specify exactly what it is that we're talking about. Because that word to you might not necessarily mean to me the same exact thing. They give words other meanings. They play with the Scriptures. They take the Scriptures out of context. They apply the scriptures the wrong way. They're manipulators with words. They use the Bible to get their own way. They use words that flatter. One of the main tools of a false teacher and a false prophet is that they flatter you with what you want to hear. They give you according to your taste. It was the same in Jeremiah's day. Turn to Jeremiah. It's no different today. The same demons then are alive and well today. Jeremiah 5, 12 and 13. They have lied about the Lord and said it is not He. Neither will evil come upon us, nor shall we see sword or famine, and the prophets become wind, for the word is not in them, thus it shall be done to them. See, give us prophets, give us men of God that tickle our ears. Don't tell us about sin, don't tell us about repentance, don't tell us about mortification, don't tell us about justification, don't tell us about glorification, don't tell us anything that is sharp, that will cut you, that is the absolute truth of God. Please, manipulate me. Tell me lies. Tell me lies. Tell me... How does that go? Tell me lies. Tell me lies. Tell me what? Tell me sweet little lies. And if I tell you sweet little lies, then you will follow me. Then the Pied Piper can take you off the cliff. Tell me lies. Tell me lies. Tell me sweet little lies. What's sweeter? Then, honey, they should have answered their map. That's all. Chapter 14 of Jeremiah. They play with words. Jeremiah 14, 14 and 15. And the Lord said to me, the prophets prophesied lies in my name. They are lying to you. I have not sent them, commanded them, nor spoken to them. They prophesy to you a false vision, divination, a worthless thing, and the deceit of their hearts. The deceit of their hearts is the same deceit of your hearts. Tell me lies, tell me lies, tell me sweet little lies. Therefore, thus says the Lord concerning the prophets who prophesy in my name, whom I did not send, and who say, Sword and famine shall not be in this land, It's lovely. It's nothing but blessing for you. There's nothing but blessing for you. By sword and famine, those prophets shall be consumed. The very thing that they're saying is not going to happen. The Lord says, like unto like. You're going to reap what you sow, boy. Jeremiah 23. They play with words, especially with the Word of God. Jeremiah 23. Verses 16 and 17. Thus says the Lord of Hosts, Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesied to you. They make you worthless. They're packing out arenas today. 10, 20, 30,000 people. Sit there and listen to lies from false teachers, false prophets. Tell me lies. Tell me lies. The Lord said, I'm giving you exactly what you want. They make you worthless. They speak a vision of their own heart, not from the mouth of the Lord. They continually say to those who despise me, they continually say to those who despise me, the Lord has said, you shall have peace and home to you. To those who despise him and to everyone who walks according to the dictates of his own heart. The heart is lifted up, it's so glorious today. Oh, into my heart, the Lord spoke to my heart and the Lord told me in my heart and my heart. They walk according to the dictates of his own heart. They say, no evil shall come upon you. They manipulate with their words. Beware of puppeteer prophets. They're manipulating you. There's a reason why they got 50 million, 80 million, 100 million. And they don't have to be big people to be false prophets. They could be little small people that want to become big people. But they're puppeteers. They're puppeteers. They manipulate through their words. They're like the Riddler. Anyone here that knew the Riddler through Batman? Remember, he carried a brass cane shaped like a question mark. They always leave you questioning yourself. Maybe it's me. Maybe I heard something more. Maybe it's me. They leave you questioning yourself with their words. They will guilt trip you. They will shame you. They will charm you. They will praise you. They will tell you what you want to hear. And brothers and sisters, why manipulation is so horrendous is manipulation is playing God. You are not to manipulate through words. There's three kinds of manipulation in our text. Samson manipulates through his words. The Philistines are going to manipulate with their threats. We're going to burn down your house. We're going to burn your daddy's house down. You can manipulate through words. The Philistines manipulate through threats. And we're going to see his wife manipulating through emotions. Manipulators are not trustworthy. Manipulators will destroy relationships. Once you find out that the person is a manipulator, that they're just using you, that relationship is done. Because every time you see them, you just let them keep on talking. And you see all the manipulations. Manipulation destroyed Sam's marriage before it ever got off the ground. Before it ever got off the ground. Next, we see those who manipulate with threats. Unless you do what we want, we will burn you and your father's house with fire. There's a reason why James talks about the tongue being set on fire by hell. Threatening people. We'll destroy you. We'll destroy you with gossip. We'll destroy you with deception, with innuendo, with false charges. Look at verse 15 of Judges text, Judges 14. Force us. Have you invited us in order to take what is ours? Is that not so? All she did was invite them to Samson's party. And they're saying, this is why you did this. Manipulation threats sound like this. I will leave you. I will divorce you. I will never talk to you again. I will leave this church. I will do this, I will do that, and I will do the other thing. Those who manipulate through words, through threats. And next, we see those who manipulate through the emotions. The Philistines tell Samson's wife, therefore entice your husband. Manipulate your husband. Manipulation first with words and riddles, manipulation with threats, not manipulation with emotions. Entice your husband, allure him, draw him, persuade him, attract him by arousing hope of pleasure, profit, or power. Play with your husband's emotions. Play with your wife's emotions. Play with your friend's emotions. Play with the emotions. She cries. She cries. Or maybe we give the silent treatment. I know no one here ever done that. We give the silent treatment to our spouse or to our children or to our friends. Or maybe we withhold sex. Or maybe we just ignore you. Or maybe we just isolate ourselves. All of these are manipulations through the emotions. I'm doing this to you because I want this response from you. Samson's wife was spoken of in the book of Proverbs. Turn to Proverbs. Manipulation. through the emotions, entice your husband, you don't love me, you don't care for me. Proverbs 19, 13, a foolish son is the ruin of his father and the contentions of a wife are continual dripping. The contentions just keep on running off at the mouth, just keep it up, keep it up, keep it up. Keep on being contentious. Proverbs 21.9 Better to dwell in the corner of a housetop than in a house shared with a contentious woman. Proverbs 25.24 It's almost like Solomon had a picture of this girl there. Proverbs 25.24 It is better to dwell in a corner of a housetop than in a house shared with a contentious woman. Proverbs 27, 15, a continual dripping on a very raining day and a contentious woman are alike. The Lord's comparing it to the Chinese water torture test. Drop, drop, drop, drop, drip, drip, drip, drip, drip. And it's all a play on emotions. It's all a play on emotions. Samson eventually says to her, OK, I'll tell you, please shut up. Anything, anything is worse than hearing you running off at the mouth. Please, shut up! Manipulation, words, threats, emotions. Madison Avenue advertising is based on manipulating people's emotions. The internet, television, radio, the ads that you see going down the street, coming here, leaving here, The ads play on your emotions, they're to manipulate your emotions. The puppeteers of consumerism stand over you and they manipulate all of your emotions. They tell you if you buy this you will look better. If you buy this you will feel better. If you get this product, this will make you happy. If you get this, this will satisfy you. This will get you your heart's desire, get the man, get the woman, get the relationship. If you get this from me, this is what you will get. It's to manipulate your emotions. If you buy this product, you will be the king of the block. You will be the king of the neighborhood. You will get whatever you want as long as you buy this product. That's manipulation through your emotions. This product, this thing that I have, will make you happy. Manipulation through words. Manipulation through threats. Manipulation through your emotions. And you put them all three together and you really got a Molotov cocktail. And the Bible, brothers and sisters, is full of manipulators. Full of manipulators. Turn to Genesis 20. We'll just look at a few of them. To make my point, we won't even have to read one book. There's enough manipulators in the book of Genesis. It didn't take long. Genesis 20, verses 2 through 12. Now Abraham said to Sarah his wife, she is my sister. And Abimelech king of Gerar sent out and took Sarah. Manipulation through words. But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night and said to him, Indeed, you are a dead man, because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is a man's wife. But Abimelech, here's Abimelech, he's more righteous than the prophet of God. But Abimelech had not come near him. And he said, Lord, will you slay a righteous nation also? Did he not say to me? Did he not try to manipulate me with his words? She is my sister. See? when I said about half-truths and she even herself said he is my brother and in the integrity of my heart and innocence of my hands I've not done this and God said to him in a dream yes I know that you did this in the integrity of your heart for I also withheld you from sinning against me don't take too much credit there Bimalek I held you back from having your way with it therefore I did not let you touch her now therefore restore the man's wife for he is a prophet and he will pray for you and you shall live but if you do not restore her know that you shall surely die you and all who are yours so Abimelech rose early in the morning called all his servants told all these things in the hearing and the men were very much afraid and Abimelech called Abraham and said to him what have you done to us how have I offended you that you have brought on me and my kingdom a great shame. You've done deeds to me that ought not to be done. Then Abimelech said to Abraham, what did you have in you that you have done this? And Abraham said, because I thought surely the fear of God is not in this place and they will kill me on account of my wife. But indeed, see here's the manipulator, but indeed she is truly my sister. See? Backtracking, covering themselves up. Yeah, I know I said that. I know, you know. They're a schemer. They're a hustler. They speak in half-truths. But indeed, and still, you're busted and you're still trying to cover yourself up. But indeed, she is truly my sister. She's the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother. And she became my wife. manipulated through words. Here we are thousands and thousands of years later talking about the shame of Abraham turning his wife over basically to the king of the Philistines who could have did anything to her and it was only God Almighty in spite of his manipulations God Almighty showed mercy towards Abraham and his manipulations and you who would be a manipulator let me tell you something it's a family thing Because when Abraham just turned a couple chapters over to chapter 26, and lo and behold, he taught his child well. To be wicked just like he was as a manipulator. Because in Isaac, you see the same sin. Look at Genesis 26, 7-11. And the men of the place asked about his wife. And he said, she's my sister. My father told me about that scam he ran a few years back. And the men of the place asked him about his wife and he said, she's my sister. For he was afraid, see? He was afraid. Afraid to be honest. Afraid to be truthful. Afraid to trust God. Manipulators don't trust God. They trust in their own wits. In their own deceptions. They trust in themselves. for he was afraid to say she is my wife because he thought he thought it was reasonable to him because he thought unless the men of the place kill me for Rebecca because she is beautiful to behold this girl looks good now it came to pass when he had been there a long time that Abimelech king of the Philistines looked through a window and saw And there was Isaac, showing endearment to Rebekah, his wife. See? He's thinking he's cute. The Lord has the cave. Look right over in the window, sees Rebekah and Isaac mugging it up. And he's like, what's going on here? Then Abimelech called Isaac and said, quite obviously, she is your wife. So how could you say she's my sister? Isaac said to him, because I said, lest I die on account of her. And Abimelech said, what is this that you have done to us? One of the people might soon have lain with your wife and you would have brought guilt on us. So Abimelech charged all his people saying, he who touches this man and his wife shall surely die, shall be put to death. Not only does the manipulator sin, he causes those to sin around him and causes the other ones that he brings into his little puppet show. Isaac makes his wife sin by going along with the program and then Somebody could have lain with her and then therefore the Cain is there adulterous Because one guy was fearful. I'm afraid Because she's beautiful to behold and then as I said the Manipulations just keep going on because you have Jacob who's worse than all of them It's just increasing, increasing, and increasing, and increasing. Everybody knows Jacob's manipulations with his brother, with his mother. Then he, you see, I said the Lord has this funny way of you reaping what you sow. Jacob was a schemer, right? He was a manipulator. And the Lord turned him over to 14 years of manipulations by Laban, who was another family member. He knew the story about that's my sister, that's my brother, well I'm an uncle and she's my aunt. They were all schemers. The whole family. Just like many people today. The next time you do something, you better ask yourself the question, why am I doing that? Why am I kind of changing what I originally was going to do? Why am I? Because it's at that moment you no longer trust God. And you start manipulating. Abraham found out God came to Abimelech. Isaac found out God caused the king to look and see. Jacob found out that God is in charge. Samson finds out then the spirit of the Lord came upon Samson. You will find out with your schemes, with your manipulations that the Lord let you go so far And then he says, now, that's my purpose. Now I'm going to take care of my business. Now I'm the puppeteer. And the whole time, you've just been playing around. You want to know what manipulation is? It's to get what you want from others, even when the others are not willing initially to give it to you. That's what a manipulator is. You con people to believe what you want them to believe is true. You get your way. in almost every interaction that you have with people, places, and things. Manipulators hide behind a mask, and they let people see themselves in an acceptable way, when in reality, when in reality, they are very unacceptable. And manipulators maintain and control power over others even though, even though, That is not what the other person wants. And the manipulator is so deceived, so deceived that they think that they have the control and the power. And the whole time, God Almighty has the control and the power. When Isaac's manipulating with Rebecca, there's the king. Yeah, okay, that's your sister, I'm done. Who directed the King's eyes to look over there as God Almighty. And if you're manipulating, and I said every one of us manipulating, I've counseled enough of my visitors to know all about manipulation. That's just one example. In the end, you will find out as Samson found out, because in the end, verse 19, is what's going to happen to every one of us. Turn back to Judges 14. Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon him mightily and he went down to Ashkelon and killed 30 of their men, took their power and gave the changes of clothing to those who had explained the riddle. In the end, God Almighty is going to intercede and His will is going to be done in your life. He lets you run your little course as long as he's decreed for you to run that course. Every manipulator throughout the history of the world, their day has come. And how many times in your own life did you have this plan, this scheme, this thing set up, and you actually thought you was getting away with it? And then all of a sudden, at the last moment, you opened one door, and there was the Boobie Prize staring at you. And the Lord was laughing at you saying, you thought you was pretty slick, didn't you? But I used you for my purposes. God, brothers and sisters, is in charge. His plans are the plans that are accomplished. Our plans are to be conformed to His plans. See, we make our plans and then we fit God into our plans. Samson's anger was aroused. 30 men were killed. So if you think that the garments that he's talking about in the text weren't that valuable, well 30 men were killed for their garments so he could pay his debt. Samson's marriage was destroyed. And his wife, notice what it says in verse 20. Remember how chapter 14 started? Now Samson went down to Timnah and saw a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistines. So he went up and told his father and mother, saying, I have seen a woman in Tinder of the daughters of the Philistines. Now therefore, get her for me as a wife. When he told his mother and father, I want to marry this pagan, and you go and get her for me. The whole story got played out. And in the end, the player gets played. For all you players out there, in the end, you're going to get played. God's got eternity. He's going to get around to you. And notice what happens. The very thing Samson wanted. I want that woman. I want that woman. It's how the chapter starts in verse 20. And Samson's wife was given to his companion. What? Who had been his best man. You talk about, I'm going to put it in your face. I ain't here to give it to the guy down the street or the guy from the next town. The very thing that you wanted, I'm going to give it to your best man. Because God is not going to be mocked by any manipulator. What happened to Jacob? That's what Jacob's name meant. He was a schemer. He was a deceiver. And then God came to him and he wrestled with an angel. And he wound up limping the rest of his life. He eventually got blessed. And I'm not saying you're not eventually going to get blessed. But you may walk through the rest of your life with a little bit of a limp. Always to remind you, you're not exactly the puppeteer that you thought that you was. We are to put down our puppeteer strings. We are to put down our puppeteer wires. For you are not God. Your plans, your schemes, and your deceptions will be crushed just like everybody's in the Bible. The only plans that stand is God's plans. Every one of us that schemes and manipulates and moves and shakes, eventually God uses it all. If you notice that Romans, all things work together for good to those that love the Lord and are called according to his purposes, keep reading on. that you would be conformed into the image of his Son, Jesus Christ. And that image of his Son is not one of a manipulator nor a schemer. It is one that says, nevertheless, Father, your will be done. Abraham wanted his will. Isaac wanted his will. Jacob wanted his will. Samson wanted his will. The 30 Philistines wanted their will. And Samson's wife wanted her will. And in the end, God's will was done. And the very thing that Samson wanted was the very thing that he did not get. But in the end, brothers and sisters, turn to Colossians 1. In the end, this is true. Colossians 1, 16-18. For by Him, Speaking of Jesus Christ, the supremacy of Christ, for by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that on the earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers, that means abimelechs, wives, husbands, philistines, parties, everything. All things were created by Him. Principalities, all powers, all things were created through Him, Jesus Christ, and for Him. All things. Not for you to get what you want with your manipulations. And He is before all things. And in Him, all things consist. He doesn't need your puppeteer skills. All things persist because of Him. And He, He, Jesus Christ, is the head of the body. The Church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things, in all things, brothers and sisters, in all things, He may have the preeminence. Preeminence, He is to be first in all things. Not your schemes and your manipulations. They will absolutely blow up in your face. And just like Samson, the very thing that he wanted, he didn't get. And the very thing that you want, If it is not the will of Jesus Christ, you are not going to get it. And dear Heavenly Father, we thank you that these things were written in the Scripture for our admonition, for our expectations, for us to learn, dear Heavenly Father. May we not be as Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and telling half-truths, trying to manipulate the circumstances, trying to manipulate the situations, Father. May they not speak of us thousands of years from now, how we manipulated and shamed ourselves and lied, and tried to manipulate our wives into situations as opposed to trusting You, Father. May it not be said of us that we were manipulators, May we not be as Samson speaking in riddles to try to get something from someone else. May we be people that give as opposed to taking from others. May we not be as the 30 Philistines who threatened and tried to get what they wanted through their threats. Nor may we, Father, be as Samson's wife who enticed her spouse who played with the spouse's emotions. May we not be husbands nor wives that play with the emotions of our spouses. May we not be parents that play with the emotions of our children. May we not be children who play with the emotions of our parents with our little pity parties and rants and raves and screamings and bangings and everything else, Father. And may we, most of all, Father, never try to manipulate you. May we say, as Paul said in Romans, may we prove what is that good, perfect, and acceptable will of yours, Father, for every time we try to manipulate In actuality, we're saying, your will, Father, is not perfect. Your will is not good. Your will is not acceptable. Father, God forbid, Kalila, that we should speak in such a manner. May it never be. May we have the words of Christ in our heart and on our lips. Nevertheless, not our will be done, but your will be done. Amen.