Samson: Man of Strength, Man of Weakness

Before Samson was born, the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord again.  God judged them by delivering them into the hand of the Philistines forty years. (See 13:1). It was during this time that the Angel of the Lord appeared unto Manoah and his wife, instructing them on their going to have a baby who would deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines. [Keep in mind, Manoah’s wife was barren]. (See 13:3).

Four distinct points that mark Samson’s parents as righteous before the Lord:

a.) God had specifically chosen them. (13:2-3)

b.) They enquired of the Lord how they should raise Samson. (13:8,12)

c.) They worshipped the Lord by offering up a sacrifice. (13:19)

d.) Their faith in God. (13:2-25)

Now this brings us to the life of Samson, the Nazarite. There are three major points to consider concerning Samson.  Let us explore them together.

(1.)             SAMSON’S PROMISING PATH! (Judges 13:24-25)

Samson was born and raised in a godly home.  Like most young believers, at first, he was full of zeal and life for the Lord.  His parents called him Samson, which means, “like the Sun” or “Sunshine,” and sunshine he was, bringing bright rays of hope to his parents and to the nation of Israel.  It seems Samson had a promising future ahead of him.  He was also a Nazarite from his mother’s womb to the day of his death. (13:4-7) The word “Nazarite” comes from a root meaning “to separate.”  This speaks of Sanctification.  The very strength and power of a believer’s life is determined by his/her measure of separation unto the Lord.  This does not in any way mean that we are to Isolate ourselves from the world, but rather we are to Insolate our hearts from the negative influences of the world.  The vow of the Nazarite contained three specific points:

(a.) Abstain from wine....Speaks of earthly appetite. (Prov.20:1;Eph.5:18)

(b.) Abhor the unclean thing....Speaks of earthly associations. (2 Cor.6:17)

(c.) Abandon the use of the razor....Speaks of earthly appearance. (1 John 2:15-17)

Noted evangelist, Robert E. Surgenor outlined the Nazarite vow in this way:

(1.) No wine – no intoxicating worldly FUN!

(2.) No unclean thing – no worldly FILTH!

(3.) No razor – no worldly FASHIONS!

(2.)             SAMSON’S PRESUMPTUOUS PROBLEM! (Judges 14:1-16:1-20)

Even though Samson experienced the blessing of God in his life and the Spirit of the Lord moving upon him (See 13:24-25), he began flippantly disobeying the Lord in order to fulfill his lust for pagan women.  Twice he was warned to turn away from the wrong path he was on in the early stages of his disobedience:

(a.) His parent’s Rebuke. (14:3)

(b.) The lion’s Roar. (14:5)

From then onwards, Samson’s problem grows worse – his life becomes a very sad commentary indeed – a solemn warning to carnal, wayward believers today.  Three specific things characterised Samson’s attitude:

(a.) Self-indulgence. [“Don’t tell me what I can and cannot do!”]

(b.) Self-confidence. [“I can do whatever I please!”]

(c.) Self-delusion. [“I am not responsible for the choices and actions I make!”]

Three things that characterizes the disobedient behaviour of Samson and the young believer of today (Read Judges 14:6,9,16):

(a.) He/she becomes Soiled by sin. [broken fellowship/testimony]

(b.) He/she becomes Secretive about sin. [fear of being found out]

(c.) He/she becomes Silent due to sin. [unable to pray, draw new and fresh truths from God’s Word, and worship is hindered.]

1. Samson flirted with temptation when he went down to the “vineyards of Timnah” (See 14:5).

2. Samson feasted on the honey that he had taken out of the carcass of the lion. (See 14:8-9). There are two kinds of sweetness that R. E. Surgenor beautifully expounds from these verses.          

           14:8-9: He [Samson] put himself out of the way to see something

           dead and corrupt.  His eyes feasted upon the carcase of the lion.

           Out of it he drew something sweet to his natural taste – honey.

           Is it not so, that the corrupt things of this spiritually dead world are

           sweet to the flesh.  The psalmist exclaimed, “O taste and see that the

           LORD is good” (Ps.34:8).  The word taste also means, “sweet.”  There

           is a sweetness to Christ that is sweeter than honey.  Honey is the product

           of the activity of nature.  Christ is sweet, simply because of what He

           essentially was, is, and always will be.  His WORK is sweet, the fruit

           of the Cross. (See Song 2:3) – Surveying the Saints, pg. 124. 

3. Samson fellowshipped with thirty ungodly companions (See 14:11).

“Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?”

(2 Cor.6:14,NKJV).

“Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” (James 4:4,NKJV). 

The three ungodly women in Samson’s life Outlined:

1.      His Philistine Wife:

(a.) Samson went up. – “His Demand!” (14:2-4)

(b.) Samson went down. – “His Darling!” (14:1,7)

(c.) Samson went back. – “His Distaste!” (14:19)

2.      The Harlot from Gaza:

(a.) Her place – In the camp of the enemy! (16:1-3a)

(b.) Her prostitution – her corrupt employment! (16:1-3b)

3.      The Deception of Delilah:

(a.) Delilah Entices! (16:5-6,10,13,15) – She immediately began to seduce Samson.

(b.) Delilah’s Enthusiasm! (16:16) – She was zealous in her purpose.

(c.) Delilah Enfeebles! (16:16b-18) – She weakens Samson’s resistance.

(d.) Delilah Ensnares! (16:19-20) – She puts Samson to sleep on her knees.

(e.) Delilah Enfetters! (16:21) – She causes Samson to be bound in bronze.

“ The lap of Delilah proved too strong for the heart of Samson, and what a thousand Philistines could not do was done by the ensnaring influence of a single woman.” – C.H. Mackintosh

A woman's threefold beauty:
(1.) A Woman's Outward Beauty -- Draws you to her.
(2.) A Woman's Femininity -- Captivates and intrigues you.
(3.) A Woman's Personality -- Keeps you.

(3.)             SAMSON’S PRESTIGIOUS POWER! (Judges 16:22-31)

The secret of Samson’s strength was not known. (See 16:9b)  This was the very secret that the enemies of God’s people wanted to know.  For the fame of Samson’s great strength was well known among the Philistines – especially when he killed a thousand Philistine warriors with a jawbone of an ass. (See 15:15-16)  Mr. Surgenor has this interesting insight on the “jawbone of an ass” as it relates to us today. 

            They hesitate not to take up in their hands the jawbone of an ass.

            Using the unclean world’s tactics to accomplish the service of God

            Can bring nothing but disaster to the person and to the testimony of

            God.  Moses in his work for God recognized the necessity of following

            God’s pattern.  (See Exodus 25:9,40)  Timothy was also instructed to

            “ hold fast the form [pattern] of sound [healthful] words,” which he had

            heard of Paul (2 Tim. 1:13). – Surveying the Saints, pgs. 125-126. 

15:19. “and water came out” The Lord may have opened an artesian spring in the ground below the jawbone.  This theory may be possible, for Darby translates the first part of this verse, “And God clave the hollow rock which was in Lehi.” However, to take this verse literally, it would appear that the water came from “an hollow place that was in the jaw.” (KJV)  Now “he drank...his spirit revived.” How sad, Samson was more concerned about reviving physically than he was about reviving spiritually!  This is just like many carnal believers today who will not leave the “waterpot” of this world to drink from the “living waters” of Christ within us. (See John 4:10-15,28-29)

16:23. “to Dagon their god” Dr. Henry M. Morris gives us this helpful background on the Philistine deity:            

            Dagon has been called the “fish-god” ever since the days of Jerome,

            Who so identified him (evidently because the Hebrew word for “fish”

            Is dag).  However, archaeologists have found references to Dagon, who

            Was seemingly a very important deity in all the ancient nations of the

            Middle East.  He is now Believed to have been the “god of grain”

            (the Hebrew word for “grain” is dagan). – The Defender’s Study Bible,

            pg. 304. 

Sadly, there are many today whom have bowed the knee to such false gods like Dagon.  Their idols are within the sinister shadow of the three gods of North America – Money, Image, and Sex.  If there are any Idols [anything that takes the place of God] in your life, confess it before the Lord and forsake it. God wants our absolute devotion to Him, and our absolute separation from the world. You see, the secret to Samson’s mighty strength can be seen in his Nazirite vow.  His separation was unto God. Today, the secret to the Christian’s great strength is found in his separation unto the Lord. (See John 17:17; Rom.12:1;Gal.2:20) This is the doctrine of sanctification! 

Samson lost three important things before God and man:

(1.) He lost his Vision!

(2.) He lost his Strength!

(3.) He lost his Dignity!

 16:30. “What a marvel that Samson’s death was more productive than his life – it reminds us of our Lord Jesus Christ. His greatest accomplishment was as a result of His death on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins. Though they both spread their arms wide to die, the similarities diverge after that. While Samson’s motivation was revenge, our Lord’s motivation was love; Samson’s feat brought only death, but our Lord’s brings eternal life.” – Warren Hagey