[For some reason, this did not send on April 7th as scheduled and I did not notice until today. I apologize for that inconvenience.]

Today’s Reading: Judges 13:24-15:20, Psalm 28

The Incredible Hulk comes to mind when I read the story of this next judge for Israel. When the Hulk’s blood pressure reached a certain level, or in times of extreme anger, he turned into this strong green creature. One of the famous quotes from the television series was: “Mr. McGee, don’t make me angry. You wouldn’t like me when I’m angry.” Samson was strong like the Hulk and his biggest weakness was also his temper.

This quote comes to mind as I read the story of Samson because, I must admit, I’m not a big fan of this judge of Israel. But God chose him before he was even born to be used by God to lead the people of Israel, so I have to see the good in Samson’s life, even though he comes across as more FULL OF HIMSELF than FULL OF THE SPIRIT.

When her son was born, she named him Samson. And the Lord blessed him as he grew up. And the Spirit of the Lord began to stir him…His father and mother didn’t realize the Lord was at work in this, creating an opportunity to work against the Philistines, who ruled over Israel at the time. – Judges 13:24-25, 14:4

Samson might have been a little spoiled by his parents. When a young Philistine woman caught his eye, he demanded his parents get this young woman for him. When they tried to change his mind and choose an Israelite woman instead of a pagan Philistine woman, Samson demanded “Get her for me! She looks good to me” (14:3b). Samson’s SELFISH NATURE would be his downfall, but God would be sure to accomplish His good through Samson’s temper tantrums and foolish behavior.

As Samson and his parents were going down to Timnah, a young lion suddenly attacked Samson near the vineyards of Timnah. At that moment the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon him, and he ripped the lion’s jaws apart with his bare hands. He did it easily as if it were a young goat….Later, when he returned to Timnah for the wedding, he turned off the path to look at the carcass of the lion. And he found that a swarm of bees had made some honey in the carcass. He scooped some of the honey into his hands and ate it along the way. – Judges 14:5-6a, 8-9a

SAMSON GAINED CONFIDENCE IN HIMSELF, RATHER THAN IN GOD.

Samson was physically strong, but HE WAS A PLAYER and his own games resulted in destruction. During his wedding celebration, he created a riddle related to the honey and the lion in order to gain material wealth for himself and brag about what he believed he had accomplished with his own strength. He made a bet with the Philistine men in the wedding party, challenging them to solve his riddle. When they could not, Samson’s bride tormented and nagged him until he shared the answer with her. She in turn explained the riddle to the other men and Samson now owed them each the clothing he had hoped they would be giving him. Instead of taking the loss himself, Samson went out and killed thirty men, taking their belongings and clothing to give to the thirty men he owed a prize.

Furious with how this wedding celebration had ended, Samson went home to his parents and left his bride behind. Later he returned to collect his bride but his new father-in-law had given her in marriage to the best man. In anger (more like a good old-fashioned temper tantrum), Samson tied the tails of 300 foxes together in pairs, attached lit torches to each pair, and set them loose in the Philistine grain fields, vineyards and olive groves (14:19-15:5).

When the Philistines found out why Samson had destroyed their crops, they brought the man and his daughter out and burned them to death. When Samson heard about this, he was enraged. He went out and attacked the Philistines, killing many of them. In response, the Philistines went on a manhunt to find Samson and kill him, moving their armies into the land of Judah.

When the Israelites heard of how Samson was attacking the Philistines, they asked him to stop. Samson was picking a fight they were not prepared to finish for him so, in fear, they handed him over to the Philistines. When Samson arrived at the camp, the Spirit of the Lord again came powerfully upon him. He snapped the ropes, grabbed the jawbone of a recently killed donkey and killed 1,000 Philistines with it. Then Samson arrogantly cheered for himself:

“With the jawbone of a donkey, I’ve piled them in heaps!
With the jawbone of a donkey, I’ve killed a thousand men!” – Judges 15:16

SAMSOM MADE HIMSELF THE HERO IN HIS STORY.

Samson’s biggest problem was that he consistently thought HE was winning the battles. He saw himself as the HERO in his stories, missing who the true Hero was. He did not recognize that his battles were won when the Spirit of the Lord came upon him. He thought he was AVENGING himself, but God was using this AVENGER to bring trouble to the Philistines, who were oppressing God’s people.

I may be the main character in my life production, but the hero of my story is God. Every victory experienced is for His glory, every battle won is to His credit. Thank you, God, for the gift of your Spirit in my life, giving me the strength to accomplish what you have called me to do. I make myself available today to be used by you — my Hero!

Praise the Lord!
For he has heard my cry for mercy.
The Lord is my strength and shield.
I trust him with all my heart.
He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy.
I burst out in songs of thanksgiving. — Psalm 28:6-7

Today’s Reading: Judges 16, Psalm 41

One day Samson went to the Philistine town of Gaza and spent the night with a prostitute. Word soon spread that Samson was there, so the men of Gaza gathered together and waited all night at the town gates. They kept quiet during the night, saying to themselves, “When the light of morning comes, we will kill him.”

But Samson stayed in bed only until midnight. Then he got up, took hold of the doors of the town gate, including the two posts, and lifted them up, bar and all. He put them on his shoulders and carried them all the way to the top of the hill across from Hebron. — Judges 16:1-3

One thing that is consistent about Samson is his love to display his own strength. He knew God had chosen him before he was born for a special purpose but, instead of being humbled by God’s selection, he took pride in what he could do. Samson saw himself as invincible and lost sight of His invincible God. He took pleasure in doing whatever pleased him in the moment, rather than living to please the Lord.

Some time later Samson fell in love with a woman named Delilah, who lived in the valley of Sorek. The rulers of the Philistines went to her and said, “Entice Samson to tell you what makes him so strong and how he can be overpowered and tied up securely. Then each of us will give you 1,100 pieces of silver.” — Judges 16:4-5

The Philistines were intent on discovering Samson’s weakness so that they could stop him from wreaking havoc on their people and their land. They saw his infatuation with Delilah as the perfect opportunity to bring him down, and they capitalized on his lust for physical pleasure and her lust for money.

LET THE GAMES BEGIN!

Over and over again, Delilah would ask Samson what the source of his strength was. He would give her a wrong answer and she would attempt to hand him over to the Philistines. Even though her lack of loyalty was obvious, Samson enjoyed the game and so he continued to give her wrong answers. Delilah nagged and tormented Samson until he was sick to death of it (16:16) and Samson foolishly gave in to her.

“My hair has never been cut,” he confessed, “for I was dedicated to God as a Nazirite from birth. If my head were shaved, my strength would leave me, and I would become as weak as anyone else.” – Judges 16:17

And that is exactly what Samson became – weak and unable to save himself. The PLAYER had been PLAYED. Delilah shaved his head and the Philistines captured him. Samson thought the source of his strength was due to the presence of his hair, but his failure to acknowledge God in his life was really the reason he lost his strength. The Lord left Samson to suffer the consequence of his games.

SAMSON’S STRENGTH WAS NEVER IN HIS HAIR.

In a time when so many are curious about their strengths and their giftings, it is good to be reminded that God is the source of our best attributes. We are nothing without Him. He is our Creator and has uniquely designed us for His purposes. Anything we accomplish should be attributed to God and He should be given all the glory.

“Oh Lord,” I prayed, “have mercy on me. Heal me for I have sinned against you…Lord, have mercy on me. Make me well again, so I can pay them back!” — Psalm 41:4,10

The Philistines gouged Samson’s eyes out and bound him in bronze chains. The Avenger was now blind; the Player was now a prisoner. When Samson realized the foolishness of his ways, he began to pray to the Lord. One day they brought him out as a source of entertainment, and Samson asked the servant who was leading him to place him between the two pillars holding up the roof of the temple so that he could lean against them for support. Then Samson asked God to remember him again and to give him one more opportunity to destroy Israel’s enemy. Pushing the two center pillars with the strength he now realized was from the Lord, Samson caused the temple to crash down on all the Philistine rulers, killing everyone in the temple including himself (Judges 16:28-30).

Praise the Lord! He has heard my cry for mercy.
The Lord is my strength and my shield.
I trust him with all my heart.
He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy.
I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.
The Lord gives his people strength. – Psalm 28:6-7-8a

Thank you, Father God, for the strength you give us each day to face what lies ahead. It is a blessing to know that you are in control and that there is nothing ahead of us that you are unaware of or unprepared for. When we begin to give ourselves credit, remind us that you are our strength and our shield. Our hearts are bursting with gratitude for we serve the Lord who gives his people strength!