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Last week, in The Time Before the Kings, Part 15, we learned from the story of Samson that sometimes God surprises us with His methods of deliverance. In fact, sometimes He calls deeply imperfect people to do His will! Sometimes our negative traits are exactly what is required for His glory!
There are many other things to be learned from this rather impetuous judge. At the risk of extending this series by an extra month or two, we will focus on just one other lesson…
In Judges 16, Samson falls in love with Delilah, and the leaders of the Philistines see it as a perfect opportunity to finally defeat their nemesis.
The Bible doesn't record whether Delilah had any feelings for Samson. For all we know, she could have simply been too afraid to resist. The Jewish Women's Archives records that they had children together*. Though not necessarily a sign of affection, this suggests they were together for a significant amount of time! But regardless of affection, Delilah could be bought by the world’s oldest bribe: money! "See if you can lure him into showing you the secret of his great strength... Each one of us will give you eleven hundred shekels of silver.” (Judges 16:5 NASB)
Delilah tried three different times to get the information from Samson. Each time he told her a different lie, and when she realized he was making a fool of her, she resorted to nagging. And it worked: "With such nagging she prodded him day after day until he was sick to death of it." (Judges 16:16 NASB) and Samson gave in: "No razor has ever been used on my head...If my head were shaved, my strength would leave me, and I would become as weak as any other man.” (Judges 16:17 NASB).
Wait. Why would Samson tell her his secret? She tried out each of his lies! She tied him up with 7 fresh bowstrings (See Vs. 8), took new ropes and tied him up (See Vs. 12), took seven braids of his hair and wove them into fabric (See Vs. 13). Each time, she had a contingency of Philistines (See Vs. 9,12,14). What would have motivated him to tell her his true secret? He had to know she would try it out!
Other than saying he was sick of Delilah’s nagging, the Bible doesn't tell us why Samson revealed his secret, but since he knew she would deceive him, there is only one explanation that makes sense: Samson may not have believed the reason behind his strength! He may have thought himself invincible!
There may be an element of speculation here; however this isn't the first time Samson showed signs of arrogance. Take, for example, the time they thought they had him cornered in Gaza. He could have simply left in the middle of the night, but instead he taunted them: "...he got up and took hold of the doors of the city gate, together with the two posts, and tore them loose, bar and all. He lifted them to his shoulders and carried them to the top of the hill that faces Hebron." (Judges 16:3 NASB). The stories of his vengeance when his wife was taken from him also speak of an arrogant attitude (See Judges 15:1-10). And what about the time his own people wanted to turn him over to the Philistines? Samson's response to them was even arrogant: “I merely did to them what they did to me.” (Judges 15:11 NASB). He didn't even try to talk them out of it, and after slaying the Philistines with the jawbone of a donkey, he made a joke out of the whole thing: “With a donkey’s jawbone I have made donkeys of them. With a donkey’s jawbone I have killed a thousand men.” (Judges 15:16 NASB). I think it's safe to say that Samson had just a little bit of a pride problem!
Unfortunately Samson conveniently forgot one thing: Each time he succeeded, the Bible records: "The Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon him." (Judges 15:14 NASB, See Also Judges 14:6, etc.).
Samson was taking the glory that should have gone to God for himself!
The world's wisest man tells us: "Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before stumbling." (Proverbs 16:18 NASB). Samson wouldn’t get away with his arrogance this time. This time he went so far as to defy God. Being a Nazarite involved a vow before God, and vows were not to be broken (See Deut 23:21; Eccl 5:5–6; Num 30:15, etc.). And as a result, Samson's pride resulted in destruction: "...the Philistines seized him, gouged out his eyes and took him down to Gaza. Binding him with bronze shackles, they set him to grinding grain in the prison." (Judges 16:21 NASB)
Pride will never get us anywhere!
There is one further lesson from this story of Samson's prideful fall ... In the end, Samson did get the last laugh. When his hair grew back, he once again had access to God's Spirit, and: "he killed many more when he died than while he lived." (Judges 16:30b NASB). There is only one reason for this victory: God is the ultimate master at overcoming evil with good. Isn’t that how Jesus conquered the sin problem (See Colossians 2:15)?
In summary then, from the story of Samson today we learn that arrogance will eventually lead to total destruction, and there is ultimate punishment for us when we take God's glory upon ourselves. Far better is it to humble ourselves before the Lord, and to give Him the glory He is due! Nonetheless, God knows how to overcome evil with good!
Please join us next Saturday to see the next lesson the Bible has to teach us from "Just One Little Sin: The Time Before the Kings, Part 17"!
In His love,
Lyn
Lynona Gordon Chaffart
Author, Moderator, Acting Director, Answers2Prayer Ministries
*https://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/delilah-midrash-and-aggadah#:~:text=Samson%20and%20Delilah's%20Children,-The%20late&text=aggadah%20relates%20that%20Samson%20and,with%20the%20kings%20of%20Cush.
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