Samson was a man of Faith

Samson a man of Faith ,with one weakness

Judges 13-16

“The child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb: and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.”(Judges 13:5b) In the Biblical account of Samson, a powerfully inspiring example is shown of how God can use a devoted but imperfect man to accomplish the most extraordinary and marvelous victories for those who love Him. Every child brought up in the Christian church is aware of the exploits of the Danite who was Samson; his heroic physical feats are well-known: he is a veritable “superman” of the Bible. Yet, we will also see how a man chosen by God can make the worst mistakes, and still glorify God through the transforming and guiding power of the Holy Spirit.
A Nazarite Unto God
Even from Samson’s conception, we see the hand of God moving in a dramatic and miraculous manner. His mother was barren(Judges 13:2), a condition that is seen earlier in Israel’s history in the case of Sarah, who brought forth Isaac, whose seed would bring the Great Messiah. Likewise, Samson would have critical importance in Israel’s survival and success. As a supernatural confirmation from God, an angel of the Lord came to visit his mother twice(13:3, 9) while she was alone to deliver a message from God regarding her offspring, only appearing to Manoah, her husband(13:11), at her request. This shows the important relationship and weight of responsibility she would have in the upbringing of Samson: not only to ensure a healthy pregnancy, but also to direct his ways toward spiritual understanding(as it appeared that his mother had to interpret the nature of the angel’s visit to his father). With these qualifications, Samson’s mother was typically a forerunner of the role Mary would have as mother of Israel’s Great Deliverer, Jesus Christ.
A distinctive state of spirituality and commitment to God would guide Samson from his very first movements in the womb. His mother was told by the angel of the Lord that he would be a Nazarite, and certain regulations would guide not only her through his pregnancy, but they would also ensure Samson’s relationship to and favor of God would be strong. The name “Nazarite” comes from the Hebrew root word “nazir”, which means “to vow”. An equivalent meaning of Nazarite in the Hebrew language is “consecrated one”. Samson, as all other Nazarites, was set aside for a sacred purpose, and a sacred office. It would be helpful to look summarily at the passage in Numbers 6 which describes the characteristics and requirements of one vowed to this sacred oath:
“He shall separate himself from wine or strong drink(vs. 3), ...eat nothing that is made of the vine tree(vs. 4), ...there shall no razor come upon his head(vs. 5), ...he shall come at no dead body(vs. 6).”
In Samson’s case, the first three conditions are given special importance by the angel. Additionally he must strictly observe the ordinance to the Jews to not eat anything stipulated unclean by the Law. When Manoah saw the angel on the second visit, and asked, “How shall we order the child, and how shall we do unto him?”(Judges 13:12), the angel answers, “Of all that I said unto the woman let her beware”(13:13) and reiterated that Samson must not have any strong drink or unclean food. Following these guidelines during the pregnancy would ensure that Samson would be strong in constitution genetically, both in mind and body.* In a child’s early life, utmost care and discipline must be given, as the effects of his/her treatment during this time will leave lasting impressions on this foundation, and sometimes leave irreversible scars. God would not leave Samson’s case to chance.
Special attention should be given to the fact that Samson was not allowed to cut his hair. In common with all Nazarites, this observance would designate him as one with a special vow to a godly life, but it also illustrates one of God’s precepts to the fullest extent: that is, not defiling the body, in any of its parts, with cuts or markings.(Lev. 19:28) Additionally, it showed one to be dead to cultural customs or trends, as one who lived mostly in a spiritual state. It pleased God to give Samson his incredible might from the source of a commonly recognized Nazarite trait, showing that this supernatural strength was indeed God’s power.
There is a particular act of providence in the way God approached Samson’s parents, and why He chose them. In the qualities of his mother, we see a prelude to Samson’s steadfast faith and confidence in God(13:6), and spiritual insight(13:23); and in his father is seen an impulsiveness, or boldness, that would be seen in Samson that did not conform always to spiritual sense(e.g. his father asking the angel for his name - 13:17)- yet also his father's firm trust in the Law(e.g. his affirmation after he confirmed the angel’s first visit - 13:12). Furthermore, both parents had a generous and devoted disposition toward God, which was the most important reason why Samson was placed in their care.
“And the spirit of the Lord began to move him at times in the camp of Dan...”(13:25) This happened so that Samson's brethren were reminded that he was chosen for a special mission with authority from God, which would thereby help gain later support for him when he assumed his role as deliverer of Israel.
A Transgression to War
Samson’s days were destined to be filled with glorious conquests, yet he would be brought into constant turmoil until the day he died. To fully comprehend how he found himself in these circumstances, it should be noted that the beginning of all of Samson’s trials and battles with the Philistines was the result of his brazen defiance of God’s commandment to not marry or associate with “strange”(foreign to Israel, e.i. God) women.(Duet. 7:3) As a Nazarite given a large allowance of the Holy Spirit, and one who was exalted above his brothers spiritually, God’s wrath was kindled greatly in this matter, because he bore God’s name in a special way, and an example of willful sin such as this one would lead many others into devastating folly. This sin, compounded by repeated committal, eventually led to his death.
Alas, Samson chose a wife of the Philistines, against the wishes of his father, and to the detriment of his witness as a Nazarite and to the reputation of his family. As Manoah, his father, said: “Is there never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said unto his father, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well.”(Judges 14:3) Reluctantly, his parents committed themselves to his decision. This signified that no one could truly rule over and chastise him but God Himself.
“Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath, and came to the vineyards of Timnath: and, behold, a young lion roared against him. And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done.”(14:5-6) The lion’s attack was a foreshadowing of the struggle that Samson would encounter in entering into relations with the Philistine camp, and his ultimate, effectual victory over them with ease(ease only ensured when the Spirit of the Lord came over him). With the awareness of this fact, it is worthy to note that his parents did not experience the attack with him(they apparently came later). Although they stood by their son’s decision in the marriage, they were really opposed to it. Therefore, their absence in the attack signified that the danger in Philistine conflicts would be strictly confined to Samson only. In addition, by fighting the lion alone, the event symbolized that Samson would have to battle the Philistines by himself, as a Nazarite separated and consecrated, with the supernatural strength of God. Though Samson had the support of his Danite brothers, God placed him in situations where he was required to fight without help from other men, but he never suffered a loss for the disadvantage, and in fact obtained unrivaled conquests.
Likewise, the lion’s attack showed that not only would Samson accomplish his daring acts of heroism alone, but he would do it primarily by his own strength(body and Spirit) without any weapons made for war. Samson never used any conventional weapons of his day, and only used a jawbone of a small, lowly animal(an ass) to smite his enemies. Samson's weapon of choice, and his most destructive, was the sword of the Spirit.
“And after a time he returned to take her[his wife], and he turned aside to see the carcase of the lion: and behold, there was a swarm of bees and honey in the carcase of the lion.” (14:8) This further symbolized that Samson would utterly vanquish his adversaries, and what was found in the center(bees, honey) would be the fruit of his mission. The bees and the honey signified that although Samson would find many delights(the women he loved) in the Philistine stronghold, the inhabitants would constantly be a thorn in his side, “stinging” him from time to time(the treachery of his enemies).
Samson then brought some of the honey to his parents as a token of his generosity.(14:9) This act represented the sweet gift that he would give to his family, to his immediate and the larger family of Israel, by his conquering deliverance for them. The fact that his parents did not question where it came from alluded to the trust in him and faith in God that, no matter how the victories were attained, his parents knew that they were by the providence of God.
“So his father went down unto the woman: and Samson made there a feast; for so used the young men to do. And it came to pass, when they saw him that they brought thirty companions to be with him. And Samson said unto them, I will now put forth a riddle unto you: if ye can certainly declare 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. But if ye cannot declare it me, then shall ye give me thirty sheets and thirty change of garments.”(14:12-13) Samson poses the riddle as a form of entertainment. However, more importantly, he offers it to show that he possessed not only physical prowess, but also formidable mental acumen. It is probable that he did this to intimidate them and keep them in check due to his inherent distrust of the people of God’s enemy.
He then put forth the riddle to them: “Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness.”(14:14) The riddle, in essence, was another way of expressing the symbolic insights behind his conquer of the lion. An additional meaning to extract might be that the works of the Philistines were as vomit in God's eyes(out of the eater came forth meat), and that Samson displayed fruits of righteousness(out of the strong came forth sweetness). To properly arrive this particular interpretation, one must ascertain how "meat" is related to an "eater" as a biological process, and understand that "strong" and "sweetness" are nouns describing the character of personality.
At this point, the error in choosing a foreign wife and communing with the Philistines as a Nazarite becomes evident. The men cannot decipher the riddle, so they, in turn, resort to base physical threats to achieve their desired end, so as not to be made a fool, and to receive a reward. They harass his wife, and threaten to kill her and her father, if she does not get them the answer.(14:15) Fearing men more than God, since she does not know God, she applies extreme pressure and manipulation on Samson.(14:16) Long-suffering and patience were virtues that Samson did not cultivate well(advantageous as a physical warrior, but detrimental spiritually), which led to him expounding the answer to his wife when she persisted, who then told the men.(14:17) It would seem that Samson thought his riddle was indecipherable, and carried the bearing of God’s provision in it, so he did not count on a possible loss. However, as often happens in sin with believers, God left him to face the consequences of violating Israel’s marital regulation, and would not necessarily keep him free of problems. In the heat of passion, yet also by the Holy Spirit foreordained by God, Samson slew thirty other Philistines to repay the wager.(14:19) To the argument that Samson should not have killed, due to his Nazarite vow regarding dead bodies, it is worthwhile to grasp the truth that God’s missions will sometimes supersede a temporal regulation in order to allow a follower to accomplish His higher purposes; in this case, Samson was to be Israel’s deliverer and judge, which required killing. After the slaughter of the thirty men, he left his wife, in an angry protest.
Samson had his faith in his commission to God further tested when he met the surprise that his “wife was given to his companion, whom he had used as his friend.”(14:20) Her father thought that he “hadst utterly hated her”, and instead offered her younger sister with the superficial enticement that she was fairer. However, it is likely that these actions were used as an excuse to distance Samson, as an Israelite outsider, from the Philistine clan. Not only did God not allow Samson success in his personal relationships with them, but the Philistines enmity would not allow him to ever become one of them. It is very likely that his companion(to whom his wife was given) was also a Philistine, as one who abode with him in that country. It is also important to learn from this incident that, in our resentments toward them over a disagreement, we should not shut our loved ones out of fellowship for very long; reconciliation is much more difficult when anger is allowed to fester, and God will sometimes judge us for our unforgiving attitude.
In response, Samson correctly interpreted this lamentable predicament as really a rejection from the Philistines as a people. He says, with the conviction of one who carries the Holy Spirit: “Now shall I be more blameless than the Philistines, though I do them a displeasure.”(15:3) He then proceeded to burn their cornfields by employing a clever tactic using foxes and firebrands.(15:4-5) This was clearly Samson’s act of revenge, but it also shows spiritually how the Holy Spirit would quickly and ubiquitously burn the chaff of the Philistines’ sinful oppression, and utterly weaken their spiritual nourishment and vigor, symbolized in the burning of the corn, vineyards, and olives, by Samson’s mission. As a result of this action, his wife and her father are burned by the angry Philistine men.(15:6) Tragically, the fate that she had originally tried to avoid by betraying Samson and sinning ultimately befell her.* In this case, we see how an act of revenge, in the heat of passion, often causes a consequence of far worse proportions than the original provocation.
As a result of the vicious murder of his wife, Samson again speaks by the authority of the Holy Spirit: “Though ye have done this, yet will I be avenged of you, and after that I will cease.”(15:7) Apparently, he then slaughtered a great multitude of them with his bare hands.(15:8) As evil men often do, who cannot see the hand of God nor hear His voice, the Philistines continued to persecute Samson, this time by manipulating his brethren in Judah to turn against him. Judah’s men said to him: “Knowest thou not that the Philistines are rulers over us? what is this that thou hast done unto us? And he said unto them, As they did unto me, so have I done unto them.”(15:11) Here is an example of how a bad witness for Jesus Christ will often turn our brothers from supporting us, and how they then fail to see the light that God is shining through us. Judah’s men reasonably, but incorrectly, drew the conclusion that his faith and commission were questionable, as he had been associating himself continually with the Philistines. It is also of interest that this event could be a foreshadowing of the chastisement of the Danites by the House of David(who was of Judah), which subsequently led to their departure from Israel.
Samson willingly turned himself in, and the men of Judah thought that they had secured him with two cords. Yet once he was in the midst of the Philistines, he easily broke the cords, picked up a jawbone of an ass, and slew a thousand of them in one battle.(15:13-15) Upon his victory, he celebrated the incredible conquest by composing a short song in commemoration of the event: “With the jawbone of an ass, heaps upon heaps, with the jaw of an ass have I slain a thousand men.”(15:16) But as the proud are often brought low before God, He reminded Samson of his dependence on Him through his thirst. Samson was then compelled to give a heartfelt and honorable prayer to God: “Thou hast given this great deliverance into the hand of thy servant: and now shall I die for thirst, and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised?”(15:18) Although Samson had many vices, and was not a typical Nazarite in his observances, he never forgot God’s hand in his life, and took his sacred vow seriously with all of his faith. God was therefore pleased, and from the jawbone that he used for His honor, came forth the water to replenish Samson.(15:19)
In the days that followed, Samson forgot God’s faithfulness in his victory, as often happens to the best of Christians, and went to see a harlot in Gaza.(16:1) Again joining himself with a non-believer, and in such a disgraceful manner, Samson would face a much more foreboding and clear message from God of His disapproval. His enemies surrounded him during the very sin, and tried to entrap him at the place of the crime. An act of the grace and power of the Holy Spirit working through repentant sinners is shown by Samson’s outwitting his foes and taking the gates and posts with him, escaping their clutches.(16:3) It is evident that he repented because he never returned to this kind of woman again.
But unfortunately, we again find that he became involved with another Philistine woman, whose name was Delilah.(16:4) With her, Samson does better than in his last relationship with a woman- by committing to her with love, but it is still a heinous sin before God: due to her being a strange woman, and due to Samson’s continued flagrant disregard of God’s sacred marital covenant. Thus she would ensnare him by charming him senseless, and would sabotage and ruin him more than any other person he knew, through her inquiries of his strength and her infidelity connected to her loyalty to her brethren. She pleads with Samson to tell her from where he received his unbelievable strength.(16:6) She is worse than all the other women because, from the beginning, she ruthlessly took money from the Philistine men(16:5) in order to allow him to be killed, and even afflicted him during his capture.(16:19) In an act of grace, God lets Samson know that she was lying, and was therefore untrustworthy, by allowing him to sense the danger and overcome it three times.(16:7-14) Yet, through persistent obstinacy in his sin, God gave him over completely to this woman through Samson's foolish confession, whereby he lost his power and his honor temporarily when she cut off his hair(16:19), which then led to his capture. As a final judgment on his licentious affairs, God blinded Samson through the gouges to his eyes by the evil men, to match his physical sight with the current state of his spiritual vision.(16:21)
A Steadfast Faith
Humiliated, bruised, and broken, Samson did not give up hope or his faith in God, and God was by no means through with him. "Howbeit the hair of his head began to grow again after he was shaven."(16:22) As a test, the blind Samson was pulled out of prison and made sport by the haughty Philistine lords.(16:25) In his death that follows, we see an illustration, in a larger context, of God’s work in Samson’s life. Through his moments of spiritual blindness, Samson was brought into a situation where he was constantly at odds with the Philistines and was the focus of their attacks. These periods of blindness would be caused by grieving the Holy Spirit through his careless actions, and brought a progressive weakening of his mission, symbolized by the shortening of his hair. Through God’s providential care, Samson was placed in scenarios where he could cause them significant damage, as he was placed between the two supporting pillars at the temple.(16:29) Despite his spiritual blindness, God worked through him for His purposes, and empowered him to overcome his adversaries, and God was ultimately glorified in Samson’s weakness. In Samson’s darkest hour, when there appeared to be no hope, or confidence in his strength or ability to fight, he still trusted God with this prayer: “O Lord God, remember me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.”(16:28) God then granted him his request, and Samson knocked over the pillars on each side of him, killing three-thousand of the Philistines, including their lords, but dying with them himself.(16:30) Thus, purely by God’s power, and through no visible ability, or faith in his own, Samson achieved a victory for God that was more miraculous and laudable than all of the battles combined in his lifetime.
The commentator Matthew Henry gives a particularly poignant interpretation of this event: “Christ was plainly typified. He pulled down the devil’s kingdom, as Samson did Dagon’s temple; and when He died, He obtained the most glorious victory over the powers of darkness. Then when His arms were stretched out upon the cross, as Samson’s to the two pillars, He gave a fatal shake to the gates of hell, and herein exceeded Samson, that He not only died with the Philistines, but rose again to triumph over them.”
Through all of his battles with the Philistines, Samson glorified God as one who was known to be empowered by the Holy Spirit(as a Nazarite), and became a shining, heroic, triumphant executor of the vengeance and judgment of God for his generation, and a magnificent example of courageous faith to those that followed. Through Samson’s life, God shows that He will use his imperfect disciples, even when they are ensnared and trapped in the enemy camp, to accomplish glorious works of righteousness through those who have a genuine, abundantly faithful and repentant heart to serve Him.