Samson Message -March 2020
Have y’all ever seen “Fast and Furious?” it doesn’t even matter which one. There’s 9 of them now, NINE. They are over the top action movies with mediocre plot lines propped up by adrenaline pumping car chases and adequate acting. Personally, I can’t Not watch them.
It’s the type of entertainment that puts you at the edge of your seat and once you’re there you can’t decide if it’s because you really need to lean in to the story line or you really need to get up and do something meaningful with your life. … the story of Samson is sorta like that. The plot line is egregious, and the main character makes you want to pull your own hair out. Allow me though, to challenge you to lean in on this one, as it turns out there’s quite a lot to learn.
The man Samson, often labeled as one of the “Heroes” in Biblical literature, was, like most of them, complicated. An ordinary man empowered by the Holy Spirit to do extraordinary things. We can see through his life both the capacity for dysfunction that our human nature holds and the heights of capability of that same humanity when we are surrendered into the hand of our creator.
The book of Judges, which contains the story of Samsons life ends with this verse “In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” Most of the judges, who’s stories are laid out in this book, participated in this way of thinking in one form or another, but none of them quite ran with it the way that Samson did. Reading through the story of Samsons life its clear to see that walking after one’s own sight rather than allowing the word of the Lord to be, as the Psalmist said, “a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”(Psalm 119:105) is destructive.
My goal in walking you through the story of Samson’s life is to highlight for you, not so much the ways that Samson was unfaithful to God, though most of that will be painfully obvious, but the incredible ways that God was faithful to Samson, and how He IS faithful to His word and to His people including us.
We will look at Samsons life in 4 ACTS: I Samsons Birth and Calling, II Samsons Wedding (ill call this a Wedding and a jillion funerals), III Samson’s “Surrender” (The Blind Leading the Blind), IV Samson and Delilah and the death of Samson. (pg1)
Act I: Samsons Birth and Calling
Let’s begin at Judges 13 (if you have your Bible you can open it there and follow along) just before the birth of Samson. Verse 3 says:
“and the Angel of the Lord appeared to the woman and said to her, ‘Behold, you are barren and have not borne children, but you shall conceive and bear a son. Therefore, be careful and drink no wine or strong drink, and eat nothing unclean, for behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. No razor shall come upon his head, for the child shall be a Nazarite to God from the womb, and he shall begin to save Israel from the hand of the Philistines’.”
Whats interesting about this prophecy is that it comes, Samson himself comes, as a redemption to the curse upon Israel for their disobedience to God.
Exodus 23:22 “But if you carefully obey His (the Angel of the Lord) voice and do all that I say, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries.” The promise goes on to say: vs26 “None shall miscarry or be barren in your land; I will fulfill the number of your days.”
In Deuteronomy this promise is repeated. Chapter 28 vs11 says:
“And the Lord will make you abound in prosperity, in the fruit of your womb and in the fruit of your livestock and in the fruit of your ground, within the land that the Lord swore to your fathers to give you. ”
The consequences for disobedience are laid out in the same chapter vs15&18 say:
“But if you will not obey the voice of the Lord your God or be careful to do all his commandments and his statutes that I command you today, then all these curses shall come upon you and overtake you. Cursed shall be the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your ground, the increase of your heards and the young of your flock.”
Samson’s mother was barren… because the people of Israel had not obeyed the voice of the Lord. I say this with confidence, because God is faithful and true, and if Israel had been in obedience, then there would have been no women among His people that were barren, just as He said.
Friends: God is faithful to His word, and He is also faithful to His children. Even when our brokenness requires discipline, out of discipline, comes redemption. (pg2)
Act II: Samson’s Wedding (A Wedding and A Jillion Funerals)
Alright, Act II is going to be good. Samson knows what he has been called to do, he’s been blessed by the Lord as he grew up (according to Judges 13:24), he’s ready now to be used by God to fulfil his purpose. God calls him to action…the tape is rolling/ the curtain goes up/ whatever form of acting works best for you as an illustration… what does Samson do? The very next verse Judges 14:1-2
“Samson went down to Timnah, and at Timnah he saw one of the daughters of the Philistines. Then he came up and told his father and mother. ‘I saw one of the daughters of the Philistines at Timnah. Now get her for me as my wife.’”
His first day on set/ stage/whatever… Samson is already off script. In fact, it’s as if he’s never even read the script. Surely, he knows that his people, the Israelites, were under the hand of the Philistines. Surely, someone would have told him that the Philistines were in control because Israel had disobeyed God. It’s not as if this is the first time this had happened. After all, 11 Judges (11!) had been raised up to save Israel from their oppressors before the birth of Samson. So here he is, Israel’s 12th Judge, empowered by the Holy Spirit to begin his work in delivering Israel from the oppression of the Philistines, and what does he do? He leaves the presence of God and sets his eyes on a daughter of the Philistines.
Judges 14 Vs 3 says:
“But his father and mother said to him, ‘is there not a woman among the daughters of your relatives, or among all our people, that you must go and take a wife from the uncircumcised Philistines?’ But Samson said to his father, ‘Get her for me, for she is right in my eyes’.”
If it seems as though he’s only chosen the wrong companion, there are a few other mistakes made here by Samson.
-He denies the authority of his parents over him. Deuteronomy 27:16 says: “‘Cursed be anyone who dishonors his father or his mother.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen’.”
- He decides he’s going to do things his own way; much like Eve in the garden who first Saw> desired >then took of the fruit. (pg3)
Then, did you catch what he said to his father? “she is right in my eyes” The very phrase that highlights the depravity of the people of Israel later in the book of Judges; and which is a direct disobedience to Gods command in Deuteronomy 12:8
“ye shall not do after all the things that we do here today, every man doing whatever is right in his own eyes.”
-If that weren’t enough, it appears that Samson has quenched the Holy Spirit. In vs 25, the Spirit stirs Samson between Zorah and Eshtaol, but then he goes to Timnah. We do not know what it was that God stirred Samson with, but we can almost guarantee that God did not say. “Choose you a wife from the daughters of your oppressors.” Except… there is this: The very next verse in Judges after Samson requests that his parents retrieve this Philistine bride, chapter 14 vs 4 says:
“His father and mother did not know that it was from the LORD, for He was seeking an opportunity against the Philistines.”
This is puzzling for sure, but the idea that God who does not tempt to sin, and who had previously commanded His people not to intermarry with pagan peoples would direct his chosen vessel to disregard His command would be at best inconsistent. Knowing that God does not contradict Himself we can safely assume that God had not plotted His opportunity against the Philistines via a marriage to a Philistine woman, but rather made an allowance for Samsons pride in order to carry out His word.
So, EVEN if we give Samson the benefit of the doubt for his choice of bride, he does not honor his parents with honesty about his motives, nor does he submit to the Lords authority but claims his own.
Friends: this is just the tip of the iceberg here, but God is faithful to Samson. He allows him to fulfill his purpose despite his sinfulness. Samson knew his purpose, to be set apart to God and to begin to deliver Israel from the Philistines. He chose to follow his desire for a beautiful companion over obedience to God and over the safety of his people.
Remember the emphasis here is to highlight God’s faithfulness to Samson, His people Israel, and to His word? Here is a point of interest. Deuteronomy 32. This chapter is a song that Moses recites over the people of Israel Just before God leads him up to Mt. Nebo, to view the land of Canaan and then die. (pg4)
It’s the story of Israel. A re-telling that uncannily pre-resembles the life of Samson, beginning roughly around this point in his life. Referred to here as ‘Jeshurun’, Israel, as we know, had been rescued and provided for and led by God. vs 15 says:
“But Jeshurun grew fat, and kicked; you grew fat, stout, and sleek; then he forsook God who made him and scoffed at the Rock of his salvation.”
And Vs18 says:
“you were unmindful of the Rock that bore you, and you forgot the God who gave you birth.”
These verses have a familiar ring to them don’t they. Samson had clear direction, yet he appears to be trending unmindful of God. We will come back to this chapter in Deuteronomy multiple times as Samsons story unfolds.
Judges 14:5- 15:7 gives account of the Wedding of Samson to his Philistine bride. Just a quick read through these verses is enough to make the reader aware of the destruction that follows Samson as he leads himself with his own eyes while still given strength from the Holy Spirit. Vs 5 gives us yet another hint that the bride that Samson had chosen for himself was not in alignment with Gods purpose for him.
“Then Samson went down with his father and mother to Timnah, and they came to the vineyards of Timnah
(pause: So there was a Nazarite in a vineyard, sounds like the beginning to a bad Israelite joke, doesn’t it? perhaps walking through the vineyards was the ONLY way to get to this girl, but then how did Samson find her in the first place?... )
And behold, a young lion came toward him roaring.”
So, Samson is in a vineyard, on his way to woo his enemy bride and he gets attacked by a lion. See any red flags? Remember Deuteronomy 32? Vs24, in reference to consequences for Israel’s refusal to obey God, says:
“ … I will send the teeth of beasts against them,…”
This lion attacking Samson was no more a coincidence than the barrenness of his mother. (pg5)
Judges 14:6a
“Then the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon him, and although he had nothing in his hand, he tore the lion in pieces as one tears a young goat…”
This is God simultaneously being faithful to His word by allowing the lion to attack His wayward vessel and being faithful to Samson by lending him the strength to defeat the lion.
Verse 6 continues (after he tears the lion apart)
“but he did not tell his father or his mother what he had done.”
Vs 8 He returns again through the vineyards and “turns aside”/makes a point to go and find the carcass of the lion.
(Pause: a Nazarite… looking for a corpse… in a vineyard… Aaaaanyway)
He makes a point to go and find the carcass and finds honey in it. Vs 9 he takes the honey and eats it then brings it to his parents who also eat it. Here again he neglects to inform them, like why and where the honey came from. Samson just doesn’t seem to have any foresight, like Israel in Deuteronomy 32. Vs28 and 29
“for they are a nation void of counsel, and there is no understanding in them. if they were wise they would understand this; they would discern their latter end!”
The narrative escalates dramatically from ch14 vs 10- ch15 vs 8. Samson, void of counsel, turns the discovery of honey into a riddle and bets 30 pieces of clothing for whomever figures it out. When his new bride betrays his trust in order to save her family from death threats over the riddle, Samson losses the bet, and in order to pay it (likely, because he never had 30 garments to gamble with in the first place) goes to a different town and kills 30 men and takes their clothes. Vs19
“And the spirit of the Lord rushed upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon and struck down thirty men of the town and took their spoil and gave the garments to those who had told the riddle. In hot anger he went back to his father’s house.”
Samson recovers from his anger and then returns for his wife, who according to vs 20 had been given to his best man because her father thought that Samson hated her.
He responds in ch 15 vs3 (NIV) (pg6)
“This time I have a right to get even with the Philistines; I will really harm them.”
He does not seek counsel, he does not consider his purpose in saving Israel from the hand of their enemy, he only seeks revenge. Because of his retaliation (tying 300 foxes in pairs together with a torch between them so that they set on fire all the grain of the Philistines), the people of Timnah burn to death his bride and her father. In grief, He speaks this line that just oozes with foreshadowing of his own vengeful death. vs 7
“If this is what you do, I swear I will be avenged on you, and after I will quit.”
He then goes on a rampage killing many of the Philistines and then hides himself in a cave. Again Deuteronomy. 32:18
“you were unmindful of the Rock that bore you, and you forgot the God who gave you birth.”
He chooses to hide himself in a cave rather than call upon the Rock that created him.
Act III: Samsons “Surrender” (The Blind leading the Blind)
Judges 15:9-20
This section begins with Samson despising prophecy by neglecting his responsibility to lead, he is hiding in the cave, the people of Judah are attacked by the Philistines in retaliation to Samsons previous rampage. (Seriously, do the repercussions of his choices never end?)
So, they send 3,000 men to…
call Samson to lead them in battle against the enemy! …
NO!
3 THOUSAND MEN to tie Samson up and give him over to the enemy. The men of Judah say this to Samson in Judges 15:11
“‘Do you not know that the Philistines are rulers over us? What then is this that you have done to us?’”
(pg7)
Deuteronomy 32:28 & 29 (in a way double highlight the failure of Israel here)
“for they are a nation void of counsel, and there is no understanding in them. If they were wise they would understand this; they would discern their latter end!”
The icing on the cake is really Vs 30
“How could one have chased a thousand, and two have put ten thousand to flight, unless their Rock had sold them, and the Lord had given them up?”
They had 3,000 men PLUS one man who can rip lions apart and capture 300 foxes. Had these men had their eyes on the Lord they would have seen His provision. Had these men remembered that God is faithful to His word they would have moved against their enemy in faith. Yet they did not remember. They had forgotten the words that Joshua spoke over Israel before he died, concerning their relationships with the remaining nations in their land.
Joshua 23:6-10
“Therefore be very strong to keep and to do all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, turning aside from it neither to the right hand nor to the left, that you may not mix with these nations remaining among you or make mention of the names of their gods or swear by them or serve them or bow down to them, but you shall cling to the LORD your God just as you have done to this day. For the LORD has driven out before you great and strong nations. And as for you, no man has been able to stand before you to this day. One man of you puts to flight a thousand, since it is the LORD your God who fights for you, just as he promised you.”
Samson and the men of Judah all had their eyes set on what they thought was good for them in the moment. Nobody thought back to Gods promises, to remember His hand at work in the past nor to expect His hand in the present. They did not seek His counsel or consider His provision. And what does God do? He stays faithful to His word. Samson picks up a weapon that according to his vow should have cut him off from the power of Gods spirit, but God gives him strength anyway. How much strength? Just enough so that one man struck down 1,000 men.
(pg8)
There is a noteworthy bit of foreshadowing that happens in chapter 16 before we get to the final Act.
Samson goes to see a prostitute in GAZA (Remember that city). The men of the city set an ambush for him, but 16:3
“Samson lay till midnight, and at midnight he arose and took hold of the doors of the gate of the city and the two posts, and pulled them up, bar and all, and put them on his shoulders and carried them to the top of the hill that is in front of Hebron.”
Act IV: Samson and Delilah and the death of Samson
Samson and Delilah. Finally, the good part of the story! Right? Or are you like me and kind of in awe over the whole thing? Either way, this part is good too. Judges 16:4-6 Samson fell in love with another Philistine woman, who was convinced by her people to betray his trust. Verses 6-16 Are the repeated attempts by Delilah to get Samson to reveal to her the secret of his strength. Samson seemed to enjoy this game of catch and release. Did he not see that she was trying to destroy him?
Samson still refused to acknowledge that the strength he possessed was not his own, and it was given to him in order that he might fulfill a responsibility. He allowed the lie that he owned his own strength to blind him from using it effectively. Vs 20-22 Samson is bereaved of his strength. Listen to the irony here in vs 21
“And the Philistines seized him and GOUGED out his EYES and brought him down to GAZA and bound him with bronze shackles. And he GROUND (grain) AT THE MILL of the prison.”
Did you catch all of that? His eyes that he had trusted to make all his decisions were taken from him, he was brought as a prisoner to the very same place where he had made a show of carrying off their city gate, and he was forced to grind the grain that he had once attempted to destroy with torched foxes.
We know the rest of the story, right? He gets brought out of the prison to entertain in the temple of Dagon. He asks to stand between the pillars, and there he asks God to strengthen him one last time. (pg9)
Interestingly this is only the second time that the author records Samson calling out to God. The other time was after his defeat of the 1000. Judges 15:18
“And he was very thirsty, and he called upon the Lord and said, ‘You have granted this great salvation by the hand of your servant, and shall I now die of thirst and fall into the hands of the uncircumcised?’”
He wasn’t exactly praising God for the victory, and yet, God splits open a rock and provides water, like he did for the people of Israel in the wilderness. (Numbers 20)
Samson had his physical eyes removed and yet he remained spiritually blind to his purpose and Gods hand. God used him in a mighty way in the end, even in granting his self-serving request. He was not surrendering vengeance to God but desiring that he might die in an act of his own vengeance. Judges 16:28
“Then Samson called to the Lord and said, “O Lord God, please remember me and please strengthen me only this once, O God, that I may be avenged on the Philistines for my two eyes.”
Thankfully Samsons revenge and Gods victory were one in the same. Back to Deuteronomy, where we see our three points to remember:
1. God is faithful to His word: Vs35
“Vengeance is mine, and recompense, for the time when their foot shall slip; for the day of their calamity is at hand, and their doom comes swiftly.’”
2. God is faithful to Samson: Vs36
“For the Lord will vindicate his people and have compassion on his servants, when He sees that their power is gone and there is none remaining, bond or free.”
3. God is faithful to His people: Vs43
“Rejoice with him, O heavens; bow down to him all gods, for he avenges the blood of his children and takes vengeance on his adversaries. He repays those who hate him and cleanses his people’s land. “ (pg10)
So how does God’s faithfulness to Samson apply to our own lives?
Turn with me to 1 Thessalonians 5 (ESV), we are going to superimpose Samson’s story on this chapter, written to the church explaining to them how to live as Christians at the end of time.
1Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. 2 For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
4 But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. 5 For you are all children[b] of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. 6 So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober.
What does this have to do with Samson?
- He sought after a wife in the land of the enemy as if there was no oppression by them over his people. Out of the vineyards came a lion to attack him. He was, from birth, to live a life of sobriety. He may not have partaken in wine, but sobriety of heart was not one of his characteristics.
Some questions we should be asking ourselves in light of this:
-Are we aware of what God’s hand is doing in our world, are we prepared for His return? Or are we content to walk in the assumption that “peace and security” are ours to keep?
-Are we flirting with the enemy and comforting our conscience with the lie that its ok because its right in our eyes?
7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. 8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.
What does this have to do with Samson?
- He neglected to wear the armor of God. (pg11)
- He wandered away from the Lords stirring. He opted to feed his curiosity and then his hunger at the expense of the blessing of God. Just like Esau selling his birthright for a bowl of stew (Genesis 25:29-34)
More Questions to ask ourselves:
-Are we filling our minds with the hope of our salvation when we are faced with the temptations of our flesh, or are we willing to feed ourselves at the expense of God working through us in unimaginable power and strength?
9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. 12 We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, 13 and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves.
14 And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle,[c] encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. 15 See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone.”
What does this have to do with Samson?
- He repeatedly disrespected his parents who were over him in the Lord.
It is clear that Samson’s outbursts of revenge are enabled by the power of the Spirit, but this was in allowance for his character in the accomplishing of his task, and not plan A. A different example of God working through His servant in a similar way is in Numbers 20:7-12. Moses was empowered to speak to a rock for it to pour out water for the people of Israel. Even though he did not listen and struck the rock rather than speaking to it; God allowed for the miracle. There was a consequence for Moses, but Gods purpose was accomplished through his weakness.
What does this mean for us?
-We can rest assured that where God has purposed us to be a vessel for His glory, we cannot fail. Or rather His purpose cannot fail… we can really mess things up sometimes… a great way to avoid really messing things up is to both seek and heed the advice of both our peers, and those who have been placed in authority over us in the Lord, as in a Parent/ Pastor/ Elder etc… (pg12)
16 Rejoice always, Samson does not even rejoice at the victory given into his singular hands; rather he complains that he has been weakened by thirst.
17 pray without ceasing, Samson called upon the Lord all of twice. Once when he needed a miracle to revive him, and once when he needed a miracle to avenge him.
18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise prophecies, 21 but test everything; hold fast what is good. 22 Abstain from every form of evil.
What does this have to do with Samson?
-He actively placed himself in positions of compromise: going to Timnah, walking in the vineyards, returning to the vineyards to seek out something that was forbidden for him to touch, eating out of the thing that he was forbidden to touch, telling his wife his secret riddle then killing 30 of her people in order to pay off his bet, agreeing to be handed over to the enemy by his own people, going to Philistine prostitute, allowing himself to love yet another Philistine woman, pretending to surrender his Holy empowerment into the hands of this woman over and over until eventually selling his birthright to remain with her. He could have left her, but he offered up his unity with God so that he could be with her in peace of mind rather than in her nagging.
Some questions to ask ourselves:
- Have we become so accustomed to following after our own sight that we are blind to the places of compromise we are in even now?
-What hope do we then have?
23 Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it. (pg13)
What does this have to do with Samson?
-Hebrews 11:32-34 lists Samson in the hall of faith:
“And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, SAMSON, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets- who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty men in war, put foreign armies to flight.” (emphasis mine)
However much fault WE might find in this man Samson, he is here, listed among those “of whom the world was not worthy” because of their faith. What a blessed relief that judgment is not ours to hold, and that judgment over ourselves belongs to no one but our Lord who is able to do much more with our lives than we could ask or imagine.
He who calls you is faithful. He was faithful to Samson. He was and is faithful to Israel. He is eternally faithful to His word, and because of all this, you can rest assured He has been, is, and will be faithful to you.
(pg14)