The story of Samson is in the book of Judges. The book reads as if God’s record has got stuck. But in fact it is God’s people who are stuck in a cycle of faith degenerating into sin, followed by a crisis which prompts repentance. The story of Judges is that God does not give up on his people. He keeps his covenant (promises) even though the people break theirs.

1 – The Weakest Man on Earth (vs. 1-3)

• Samson is pathetic. Oversized and over-sexed he’s a bear of a man with very little brain. But God chooses him and uses him. He is like a comic book hero. His bizarre antics can lighten the spirit and inspire faith and hope. (i.e. That the Philistines are not unbeatable).
• He was a child of promise (Judges 13). One of several biblical children singled out and born to sterile parents. By the grace of God you can overcome difficulties in your life.
• He was dedicated to God. His Nazarite vow was like a monastic vow. Eventually he broke them all. In the arms of a woman the strong man became soft as putty! Recent history has reminded us of the vulnerability of public figures. Samson fell through his own fault and couldn’t blame genetic weakness.

God was able to work through his stupidity rather than in spite of it. (That is the genius of God). But that is no excuse for it!

2 – Samson the Judge

Samson was the last of the judges. He did not lead any army, but carried on his campaign against the Philistines single-handed. In Hebrews 11:32 he is mentioned in the list of the judges as one who accomplished great things through faith. The book of Judges paints a darker picture of a man who violates a number of the Ten Commandments as well as his Nazarite vow.

3 – The Nazarite vow (Numbers 6:1-21)

Any man or woman could take a vow of separation to God. Both Samson’s mother and Samson were to follow the regulations. (vs. 4,5,7).

• The vow was voluntary (vs. 2).
• It had limited duration (vs. 5, 8, 13, and 20).
• It included three provisions:-

1. Abstinence from wine, strong drink and the fruit of the vine.
2. No allowed to cut the hair.
3. No contact with the dead.

• A Nazarite who became unclean went through elaborate cleansing rituals. (vs. 9-21).

4 – Samson and the Nazarite vow

Samson’s Nazarite service was remarkable in three ways.

• He did not take his vow voluntarily. It was his from birth. (vs. 5,7).
• His service was to be lifelong, not temporary (vs. 5,7).
• He eventually broke every one of the stipulations:-

1. Drank wine at his wedding feast (Judges 14:10-20).
2. His head was sheared (Judges 16:17-19).
3. Touched the dead (Judges 14:6-9; 15:15).

A Nazarite who became unclean went through elaborate cleansing rituals. (vs. 9-21). Samson’s successes would prove to be temporary, since the Philistines remained Israel’s adversaries during the times of Samuel, Saul and David. (See 1 Samuel).

5 – Samson’s marriage to a Philistine woman

Any man or woman could take a vow of separation to God. Both Samson’s mother and Samson were to follow the regulations. (vs. 4,5,7).

• Such marriages to foreigners were prohibited for Israelites (Exodus 34:16; Deuteronomy 7:3).
• Samson’s request for a wife defied the tradition that allowed the parents to arrange the marriage. (Joshua 14:2).
• While he killed 30 Philistines in Ashkelon to pay his bet, his wife was given to his best man.
• A Nazarite who became unclean went through elaborate cleansing rituals. (vs. 9-21).

6 – The High Cost of Low Living

The Child of God cannot be lost but does this mean that that person can live any way they like? There is no better story to illustrate this than Samson whose life was cut short because of disobedience. Samson was a baby that God had promised (Judges 13:5) and this child would be a special child. The name Samson means “sunshine” The word Nazarite means “different or set apart”. He was required to keep the rules of the Nazarite. He had tremendous strength. The secret of his strength was not his big muscles. Everyone wanted to know the secret so it couldn’t have been the size of his muscles! Samson was spiritually, physically and mentally strong. Some people bright up a room by leaving it! He was a man who went from hero to zero. Samson is a bundle of contradictions. He was bold before men but weak before women. The Spirit of the God was upon him yet he was weak in the flesh. He was to fight the Lord’s enemies yet he openly fraternised with them. He fought the Lord’s battles by day and broke the Lord’s commandments by night. He is listed in Hebrews 13 as an example of those saved by faith. His failures didn’t change that. Samson’s paid in seven instalments for his sins:-

• He dishonoured his parents (Joshua 14:1-4). He picks a woman from the Philistines for his wife rather than one from Israel. His parents begged him to not do so. He should not marry someone who is an unbeliever. Despite his parents warnings (Exodus 20:12), he would not listen to his parents. Samson dies while still young!
• He deserted his promise (Judges 14:5-9). He is in the vineyard. What is he doing there? He is flirting with sin. He then goes down to the Philistines for his wedding feast!
• He distorted his purpose (Judges (14:10-20). He has wine at his own wedding. He makes a bet. He has a riddle that he thinks they can’t answer. They can’t work out the answer so they force Samson’s wife to tell them the answer to the riddle. He could stand against a lion but yet could not stand against the tears of a woman. She tells her relatives the answer. They did not play according to the rules. You don’t plough with a heifer! (A milk cow) You don’t call your wife a heifer either! He goes out and kills 30 Philistines and takes their clothes to pay off the debt. Is Samson fighting God’s battles or his own? He is distorting God’s purpose. He is fighting personal battles. Samson is on the way down. Samson surrenders to the Philistines for the sake of his family and then takes the jawbone of an ass and slays one thousand of them! He jokes in the middle of this with his song.
• He defiled his purity (16:1-3). He defiles himself with a harlot. The once mighty man of God is sleeping with harlots. The more someone gets into sin the less they know about it. They try to trap Samson but he picks up the gates of the city and escapes. Samson is still playing games rather than fighting God’s battles. (Proverbs 3:3-6 – honey lips but the end leads to destruction. See also Proverbs 6:32-33). This is a sin unlike any other sin.
• He diluted his power (16:4-20). He is with Delilah now. Delilah is offered money to find out the secret of Samson’s strength. All the while she is stroking his hair she is really after his scalp. Samson lies to Delilah about the source of his strength but Delilah is persistent and tests it out. She is getting closer to the truth as Samson’s will begins to wear down. He finally tells her that if his hair is cut he will lose his strength. It was the one vow that he had not broken. When the Philistines really do come upon him it is sad that he did not realise that the Lord had departed from him. He was keen to fight the Philistines but now his strength has gone from him.
• He disgraced his profession (16:21-27). Samson’s eyes are burned out and they treat him like an animal to grind grain for the Philistines. He has become a disgrace to his profession.
• He diminished his potential (16:28ff). Samson admitted that he had been a fool. Samson begins to repent and his spiritual eyes begin to open and his hair starts to grow back. Our God is the God of a second chance. He will forgive you but the cost of low living is high. It is a tragedy that Samson killed more Philistines in that one moment than he had during the rest of his life. The Philistines are laughing at Samson and praising their gods. When you think of what Samson should have been and could have been. Much of his life was wood, hay and stubble rather than gold, silver and precious stones. It is not impossible to make a fresh start, as our God is a merciful God.

Categories: Judges