Samson'a Sacrifice

  21Then the Philistines seized him, gouged out his eyes and took him down to Gaza. Binding him with bronze shackles, they set him to grinding grain in the prison. 22But the hair on his head began to grow again after it had been shaved.

23Now the rulers of the Philistines assembled to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god and to celebrate, saying, “Our god has delivered Samson, our enemy, into our hands.”

24When the people saw him, they praised their god, saying,

“Our god has delivered our enemy

into our hands,

the one who laid waste our land

and multiplied our slain.”

25While they were in high spirits, they shouted, “Bring out Samson to entertain us.” So they called Samson out of the prison, and he performed for them.

When they stood him among the pillars, 26Samson said to the servant who held his hand, “Put me where I can feel the pillars that support the temple, so that I may lean against them.” 27Now the temple was crowded with men and women; all the rulers of the Philistines were there, and on the roof were about three thousand men and women watching Samson perform. 28Then Samson prayed to the Lord, “Sovereign Lord, remember me. Please, God, strengthen me just once more, and let me with one blow get revenge on the Philistines for my two eyes.” 29Then Samson reached toward the two central pillars on which the temple stood. Bracing himself against them, his right hand on the one and his left hand on the other, 30Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines!” Then he pushed with all his might, and down came the temple on the rulers and all the people in it. Thus he killed many more when he died than while he lived. (Judges 16)

Thoughts: Samson was proud and now he is utterly humbled as he forsook his vow to God.  But in the end he cried out to God.  God did not save him physically, but He saved Samson spiritually.  Samson cared not for himself physically any more.  he sacrificed himself for the freedom of his people.  This is a lesson for all of us.  

Prayer: Lord, let me be willing to give myself for your glory.  

Samson's Downfall

4Some time later, he fell in love with a woman in the Valley of Sorek whose name was Delilah.5The rulers of the Philistines went to her and said, “See if you can lure him into showing you the secret of his great strength and how we can overpower him so we may tie him up and subdue him. Each one of us will give you eleven hundred shekels^a of silver.”

6So Delilah said to Samson, “Tell me the secret of your great strength and how you can be tied up and subdued.”

7Samson answered her, “If anyone ties me with seven fresh bowstrings that have not been dried, I’ll become as weak as any other man.”

8Then the rulers of the Philistines brought her seven fresh bowstrings that had not been dried, and she tied him with them. 9With men hidden in the room, she called to him, “Samson, the Philistines are upon you!” But he snapped the bowstrings as easily as a piece of string snaps when it comes close to a flame. So the secret of his strength was not discovered.

10Then Delilah said to Samson, “You have made a fool of me; you lied to me. Come now, tell me how you can be tied.”

11He said, “If anyone ties me securely with new ropes that have never been used, I’ll become as weak as any other man.” (Judges 16)

Thoughts: Samson had a weakness for women who looked good.  His first wife (and her father) betrayed him to the Philistines. The prostitute in Gaza almost caused him to get trapped.  Now Delilah betrayed him at least three times.  The amazing thing is he did not seem to learn a lesson.  He was blinded- not by love but by lust.  The Philistine rulers offered her a lifetime of riches (the equivalent of 275 slaves).  She valued money more than Samson.  Each time when he told her a tale of how he would become weak she would bind him accordingly then pretend she was warning him against the Philistines.  In the end, Samson broke his vow to God and lost not only his hair, but his faith and his strength. 
    The lesson does not remain with Samson alone.  We all need to be careful that we do not value our lusts over our love for God.  Samson was clearly fascinated with what he could see- like strength and beauty; and what he could feel physically and emotionally.  But he became blind to God.  In the end they arrested Samson and put out his eyes making fun of him.  

Prayer: Lord, let me value you more than life- for without you I would not have life nor a reason to live.  

Samson and the Gates

1One day Samson went to Gaza, where he saw a prostitute. He went in to spend the night with her. 2The people of Gaza were told, “Samson is here!” So they surrounded the place and lay in wait for him all night at the city gate. They made no move during the night, saying, “At dawn we’ll kill him.”

3But Samson lay there only until the middle of the night. Then he got up and took hold of the doors of the city gate, together with the two posts, and tore them loose, bar and all. He lifted them to his shoulders and carried them to the top of the hill that faces Hebron. (Judges 16)

Thoughts: This is a classic Samson story.  God uses Samson's poor choices to defeat the people of Israel's enemies.  Samson chose to go to a pagan city.  He chose to spend the night with a prostitute.  Probably this was a temple prostitute that is used in pagan worship.  This was definitely a bad choice.  But God used this for Samson to tear the gates off of the town of Gaza. 
     I believe this teaches us that God can use our sin to bring about good.  This is usually the case.  We should not seek sin, but we should not think that sin has the last word and stop there.  

Prayer: Lord, use my sins to mold me and mold the world into your will.  

Samson's Strengthening Witness

15Then she said to him, “How can you say, ‘I love you,’ when you won’t confide in me? This is the third time you have made a fool of me and haven’t told me the secret of your great strength.” 16With such nagging she prodded him day after day until he was sick to death of it.

17So he told her everything. “No razor has ever been used on my head,” he said, “because I have been a Nazirite dedicated to God from my mother’s womb. If my head were shaved, my strength would leave me, and I would become as weak as any other man.”

18When Delilah saw that he had told her everything, she sent word to the rulers of the Philistines, “Come back once more; he has told me everything.” So the rulers of the Philistines returned with the silver in their hands. 19After putting him to sleep on her lap, she called for someone to shave off the seven braids of his hair, and so began to subdue him.^c And his strength left him.

20Then she called, “Samson, the Philistines are upon you!”

He awoke from his sleep and thought, “I’ll go out as before and shake myself free.” But he did not know that the Lord had left him.

21Then the Philistines seized him, gouged out his eyes and took him down to Gaza. Binding him with bronze shackles, they set him to grinding grain in the prison.  (Judges 16:15-21)

Thoughts: Samson was strong.  His strength was a gift of God- but Samson gave up that gift by disobeying God.  He allowed himself to be infatuated with women who did not believe because they were beautiful- valuing physical strength and beauty over the soul.  He told the secret of his strength and that knowledge cost him his freedom.  When Samson disobeyed, the Lord left him (vs. 20).  Samson is a very sad story.  He ended up with his eyes put out.  He killed many Philistines.  But he could have really rescued his people if he had used his gifts wisely.  Samson is a warning to listen to God and not value our own beauty or strength above pleasing God.  

Prayer: Lord, help me to calue you and your way.  Keep me strong in every way- but especially strong in faith.  

Samson- Peter Paul Rubens