Ashkelon the Insidious Ally

1. 1
Five Foes to Prove your Progress
part 5
Gaza the Enticer Samson
Gath the Intimidator Goliath
Ekron The Imitator Elijah/Ahaziah/Baal-zebub
Ashdod the Integrator Dagon
Ashkelon the Insidious Ally
Insidious:causing harm in a way that is gradual or not easily noticed
Askelon stood on the shoreof the Mediterranean, 12 miles north of Gaza.
In the time of the Judges (Judg. 1:18) it fell into the possession of the tribe of
Judah; but it was soon after retaken by the Philistines (2 Sam. 1:20), who were
not finally dispossessed tillthe time of Alexander the Great.
Samson went down to this place from Timnath, and slew thirty men and took
their spoil.
The prophets foretold its destruction (Jer. 25:20; 47:5, 7).
Judg 3
1 Now these are the nations which the LORD left, to prove Israel by them,
even as many of Israel as had not known all the wars of Canaan;
2 Only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach
them war, at the least such as before knew nothing thereof;
3 Namely, five lords of the Philistines…
Your enemy is not your friend, when those lines become blurred you
are perfect prey for your foe.

2. 2
Prov 27:6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy
are deceitful.
Your circle of influence (not only are you an influence but you are
being influenced)
Ashkelon in Action:
I. Accommodation
Judg 14
10 So his father went down unto the woman: and Samson made there a
feast; for so used the young men to do.
11 And it came to pass, when they saw him, that they broughtthirty
companionsto be with him.
Isa 7:2 And it was told the house of David, saying, Syria is
confederate with Ephraim. And his heart was moved, and the heart of
his people, as the trees of the wood are moved with the wind.
2Cor 6:15 And what concordhath Christwith Belial? or whatpart
hath he that believeth with an infidel?
Judg 14
12 And Samson said unto them, I will now put forth a riddle unto you: if ye
can certainlydeclare it me within the seven days of the feast, and find it
out, then I will give you thirty sheets and thirty change of garments:
13 But if ye cannot declare it me, then shall ye give me thirty sheets and
thirty change of garments. And they said unto him, Put forth thy riddle,
that we may hear it.
14 And he said unto them, Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the
strong came forth sweetness. And they could not in three days expound
the riddle.
15 And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they said unto Samson's
wife, Entice thy husband, that he may declare unto us the riddle, lest we

3. 3
burn thee and thy father's house with fire: have ye called us to take that
we have? is it not so?
Accommodate a “harmless” evil
Accuse falsehood to motivate to action
16 And Samson's wife wept before him, and said, Thou dost but hate me,
and lovest me not: thou hast put forth a riddle unto the children of my
people, and hast not told it me. And he said unto her, Behold, I have not
told it my father nor my mother, and shall I tell it thee?
Her Accommodation has maligned her allegiance
17 And she wept before him the seven days, while their feast lasted: and it
came to pass on the seventh day, that he told her, because she lay sore
upon him: and she told the riddle to the children of her people.
18 And the men of the city said unto 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 unto them, If ye had not plowed with my heifer, ye had
not found out my riddle.
19 And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he went down to
Ashkelon, and slew thirty men of them, and took their spoil, and gave
change of garments unto them which expoundedthe riddle. And his anger
was kindled, and he went up to his father's house.
20 But Samson's wife was given to his companion, whom he had used as
his friend.
Sampson has now accommodated the same wicked thinking: “no cost
responsibility”
Ashkelon in Action:

4. 4
Accommodation
II. Betrayal
2Sam 13:3 But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of
Shimeah David's brother: and Jonadab was a very subtil man.
“Amnon” was David’s eldest son by Ahinoamthe Jezreelitess (2Sa. 3:2-3)
Prov 27:17 Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the
countenance of his friend.
2Sam 13:28 Now Absalom had commanded his servants, saying, Mark ye
now when Amnon's heart is merry with wine, and when I say unto you,
Smite Amnon; then kill him, fear not: have not I commanded you? be
courageous, and be valiant.
2Sam 13:32-33 32 And Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David's brother,
answeredand said, Let not my lord suppose that they have slain all the
young men the king's sons; for Amnon only is dead: for by the
appointment of Absalom this hath been determined from the day that he
should have said “we”
forced his sister Tamar.
33 Now therefore let not my lord the king take the thing to his heart, to
think that all the king's sons are dead: for Amnon only is dead.
2Sam 15:1-3 1 And it came to pass after this, that Absalom prepared him
chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him.
2 And Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate: and it
was so, that when any man that had a controversycame to the king for
judgment, then Absalom called unto him, and said, Of what city art thou?
And he said, Thy servant is of one of the tribes of Israel.
3 And Absalom said unto him, See, thy matters are good and right; but
there is no man deputed of the king to hear thee.
The con-man gets coned

5. 5
2Sam 16:16-18 16 And it came to pass, when Hushai the Archite, David's
friend, was come unto Absalom, that Hushai said unto Absalom, God save
the king, God save the king.
17 And Absalom said to Hushai, Is this thy kindness to thy friend? why
wentest thou not with thy friend?
18 And Hushai said unto Absalom, Nay; but whom the LORD, and this
people, and all the men of Israel, choose, his will I be, and with him will I
abide.
Friendship is an emotional connection that has to be subservient to
God.
Option to reverse the process:
2Sam 19:6 In that thou lovest thine enemies, and hatest thy friends. For
thou hast declaredthis day, that thou regardest neither princes nor
servants: for this day I perceive, that if Absalom had lived, and all we had
died this day, then it had pleased thee well.
Ashkelon in Action:
Accommodation
Betrayal
III. Conquest
Improper friendship leads to your destruction
1Kgs 16:8-13 8 In the twenty and sixth year of Asa king of Judah began
Elah the son of Baasha to reign over Israel in Tirzah, two years.
9 And his servantZimri, captain of half his chariots, conspiredagainsthim,
as he was in Tirzah, drinkinghimself drunk in the house of Arza stewardof
his house in Tirzah.
10 And Zimri went in and smote him, and killed him, in the twenty and
seventh year of Asa king of Judah, and reigned in his stead.

6. 6
11 And it came to pass, when he began to reign, as soon as he sat on his
throne, that he slew all the house of Baasha: he left him not one that
pisseth against a wall, neither of his kinsfolks, nor of his friends.
12 Thus did Zimri destroy all the house of Baasha, accordingto the word of
the LORD, which he spake againstBaasha by Jehu the prophet,
13 For all the sins of Baasha, and the sins of Elah his son, by which they
sinned, and by which they made Israel to sin, in provoking the LORD God
of Israel to anger with their vanities.
Jas 4
4 Ye adulterers andadulteresses, know ye not that the friendshipof
the worldis enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of
the worldis the enemy of God.
2Chr 18:1-3 1 Now Jehoshaphathadriches and honour in abundance,
and joined affinitywith Ahab.
2 And after certain years he went down to Ahab to Samaria. And Ahab
killed sheep and oxen for him in abundance, andfor the people that he
had with him, and persuadedhim to go up with him to Ramothgilead.
3 And Ahab king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphatking of Judah, Wilt thou
go with me to Ramothgilead? And he answeredhim, I am as thou art, and
my people as thy people; and we will be with thee in the war.
The world cannot be a friend to you, nor be used ‘as a
friend. The world will draw you in:
 It will party with you (like Ahab with Jehoshaphat)
 It will give you honor and acceptance (like Ahab gave to
Jehoshaphat)
 It will entice you to & give you a reason to believe in what you
already know is wrong (like Ahab did with Jehoshaphat)
 It will use peer pressure to make you stay in line.

7. 7
But the world will betray you (just as Ahab set up Jehoshaphat by
disguising himself and making Jehoshaphat the target of the enemy,
not caring if he died). God always conquers His foes.
Ashkelon in Action: A, B, C
Accommodation
Betrayal
Conquest
Jer 47:5 Baldness is come upon Gaza; Ashkelon is cut off with the
remnant of their valley: how long wilt thou cut thyself?
Jer 47:7 How can it be quiet, seeing the LORD hath given it a charge
againstAshkelon, and against the sea shore? there hath he appointed it.