The judges have become progressively weaker, and the judges themselves have become progressively

more sinful, and the fruitfulness of their deliverance has become shorter term.

And so we can almost anticipate what's going to happen with this next judge who's about to come.

Progressively weaker, progressively more sinful. That's the pattern of the judges, and it makes for a compelling narrative.

Maybe that's why many of us are at least somewhat familiar with the story of Samson, who was the last judge.

This is the Saturday edition of Renewing Your Mind, and today we'll see the need for Samson.

These past few weeks, you've heard messages from W. Robert Godfrey's series, The Life of Samson.

Over 10 messages, Dr. Godfrey highlights vital theological lessons

from Samson's life and explores what this judge tells us about Christian living.

As this is the final message you'll be hearing from the series,

be sure to request the entire study

when you give a donation at Renewing Your Mind.org

before midnight tonight.

But don't delay, as this offer won't be repeated next Saturday.

So who was Samson?

And specifically, who were his parents?

Here's Dr. Godfrey.

Well, we're returning to Samson.

We've looked a little bit at the riddle of Samson when we started, and then a little in the

last lecture on the need for judges, and now we're going to turn to the need for Samson

himself, as it's presented to us, beginning at Judges 13, verse 1.

The Samson story takes up four chapters in the book,

...