PASTOR’S CORNER, Mark Cress, First Southern Baptist Church, Liberal
When we hear his name, we associate it with great strength – and Samson was definitely physically strong. But we also associate Samson with great weakness – his self-reliance, casual relationship with God’s law and his Nazarite vow (no haircuts, no alcohol, no physical contact with dead carcasses – Numbers 6:1-21), and his insatiable desire for women.
It’s ironic how physical strength and spiritual weakness often go hand in hand.
One of the mistakes we make when reading his story in Judges 13-16 is the assumption that Samson didn’t really go off the rails until his encounter with Delilah. It’s easy to look at the last step that directly leads to someone’s demise and think that it was the last step that did them in.
People rarely, if ever, ruin their life in a single moment. So how does it happen? It happens one small step at a time.
1. Underestimate the enemy – Judges 14:10-20
Even though Samson was an Israelite and was charged with protecting Israel from the Philistines, Samson insisted on marrying a woman who was a Philistine. At their wedding celebration, Samson made a bet with Philistine men regarding a riddle he had created. If they guess the answer, Samson would owe them 30 sets of clothes, if they could not guess the answer; they would owe Samson 30 sets of clothes. For 3 days the Philistine men could not come up with an answer, so they corned Samson’s new wife, violently threatened her and her father and eventually come up with the answer to Samson’s riddle. Here’s the lesson: When you entertain the enemy, you’re sure to experience the penalty.
2. Rationalize Revenge – Judges 15:1-16
Samson made good on his end of the bet to get 30 sets of clothes for the Philistines he had underestimated, but afterwards stormed off in a rage, leaving his wife behind. After some time has passed, Samson decided that he ought to go back to Philistine country to retrieve his wife – the one he left behind in his rage. However, in Samson’s absence, she had been given to another man to be his wife. Again infuriated, Samson resorts to getting revenge on the Philistines he’s underestimated twice now. Samson somehow captures 300 foxes, ties them in pairs with a lit torch attached to each pair and unleashed the foxes on the Philistines grain fields, vineyards, and olive groves.
Two things I’ve heard that have stuck with me over the years when it comes to revenge: Before you embark on a journey of revenge, be sure to dig 2 graves. (The implication is that revenge will also be the death of you) AND, An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.
Romans 12:19 says: Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.
3. Ignore Obvious Warning Signs – Judges 16:4-17
When Samson is finally introduced to Delilah in Judges 16, he has already compromised himself as a leader and Nazarite on several occasions. He’s touched a dead carcass and consumed alcohol (Judges 14), his fits of rage and revenge have put a fragile peace agreement with the Philistines at risk, and the very people Samson is supposed to love and lead do not trust him (Judges 15:9-20). The only piece of his Nazarite Vow that is left intact is the fact that his hair remained uncut... enter Delilah. An attractive woman paid by the Philistines to seduce Samson and learn the secret of his strength. On four separate occasions, she begged and pleaded with Samson to know the secret of his strength. Four times she was given a bogus answer, but with each answer, she attempted to use the information against Samson. To the casual reader, we read this and think, “maybe you shouldn’t pursue a relationship with someone who’s basically asking, ‘so… how can I kill you?’”. Finally, worn down by nagging and prodding, Samson gives up the secret to his strength. Delilah fulfills her end of the bargain with Philistines and one morning Samson wakes up weak – the most costly hair cut the world has ever known.
4. Never Count the Cost – Judges 16:20-31
When we don’t immediately experience the consequences of our decisions we are tempted to think that we got away with something or that the consequences weren’t real to begin with. I wonder if that’s what Samson thought with each step/decision he made that led him further and further away from his God-given purpose – lead Israel, protect them from the Philistines. Instead of leading Israel, Samson flirted with the enemy, attempted to marry the enemy, threw fits of rage against the enemy and continually isolated himself from his own people.
At the end, after capturing a weakened Samson, the Philistines gouged out his eyes - an action that was an outward sign of an inward problem – Samson hadn’t had vison for 20+ years. Samson continually took his passions and applied them to his preferences instead of his purpose. Each step Samson took away from God, each instance where Samson neglected to consider where his actions would lead, and each pursuit of selfish ambition led to his ultimate demise.
Where are your steps leading you?
I think the story of Samson is one of the saddest stories in the whole Bible. There are few people throughout scripture who had more potential and yet were more disappointing than Samson.
