Carry Them to the Top of a Hill

Judges 16:3 And Samson lay till midnight, and arose at midnight, and took the doors of the gate of the city, and the two posts, and went away with them, bar and all, and put them upon his shoulders, and carried them up to the top of an hill that is before Hebron.

In spite of Samson's failures in the flesh, he is a type of Christ. A type is prophetic foreshadowing in the Old Testament physical realm of something that would find it's anti-type (fulfillment) in the spiritual realm in the New Testament.

Samson in the flesh was weak but under the Power of the Holy Spirit, he performed mighty works. He defeated innumerable Philistines who were a type of the sin nature that is within each of us and fights against the Spirit (Gal. 5:17). This nature is still within us even after we are redeemed. However, Paul says it will not "have dominion" over us (Romans 6:14).

In this passage he takes the "doors of the gate of the city, and the two posts, and went away with them, bar and all, and put them upon his shoulders, and carried them up to the top of an hill".

Our spiritual Samson, our deliverer, Jesus Christ, took the doors to the Kingdom of God, which is the rule, reign, and presence of God, that were open only to the High priest who would enter into the most Holy place in the Temple but once a year, and opened them to whosoever will. He did this when He carried them to the top of a Hill called Calvary.

He says "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28). He says, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16).

He goes even further and bids us, both to be saved and after we are saved to "...come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need" (Heb 4:16).The idea here is we may come without fear of rejection, anger, or not receiving. This passage also carries the idea of coming as often and as much as needed.

Samson did what he did to show that he, under the Power of the Holy Spirit, not only was not under their control but that they were at his mercy because he had now taken control of the doors that they used to control entry to the city.

When he did this, he not only opened the doors to whosoever would enter but he also took "the gate of the city, and the two posts...bar and all". He not only took control of the door but all that was attached to it and any possibility of closing it back up.

When Christ died on the Cross, He became the Door (John 10:7, 9) but he also took the keys to death and Hell (Rev. 1:18). So it was not only an opening but a closing. He was always victorious over death, Hell, and the grave as well as had entry into the presence of the Father but on the Cross He gave us a way of victory over these things as well as access to the Father. He once and for all made it clear that not only did Satan not control Him but that He was in control and He would give that control to all who would come to the Cross and receive the gift by Faith.

Lastly, this symbolizes as well the fact that not only did Christ Redeem us from death that was brought about by Adam's sin and pay for our sins. But He also took all other judicial consequences of this death penalty. All that was attached to the doors of the Kingdom being shut up because of sin, including sickness, bondage, fear, anxiety, etc. Whatever bad that happens in this world is because of sin, not those of individuals necessarily but the fact that this world is fallen and under the death penalty due to Adam's sin, including all those things that accompany death.

The Bible says in Isaiah 53:5 "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.". He paid the price in His own body for all, spirit, soul (mind, will, emotions), and body.

Whatever your need today, whether you need to receive the free gift of eternal Salvation, which is first and most important, or you are sick in body or bound by addiction or fear. Whatever it is, Christ carried it to the top of a Hill called Calvary and took care of it on an old rugged Cross.

Why are you carrying what He already paid for? Why are you suffering with what He already suffered for? Carry it to the top of a hill right now, a Hill called Calvary, and lay it at the foot of the Cross!

Grace and Peace to you all,

Evangelist Randy McCarter