Judges 14-15: Samson and the Philistines

("Samson and the Jawbone" by Salomon de Bray, 1636; image from the Getty Museum)

LINK: Judges 14-15

BACKGROUND:
Let's review a few things about Samson: He's the last of the Judges of Israel in the book of Judges. He's known for his great physical strength and his great moral failings. Like Samuel and John the Baptist, Samson was a Nazarite and should have served as an example to Israel of commitment to God. Yet Samson fell short of God's standards by his sin and disobedience. His life is a clear warning against the dangers of self-indulgence and lack of discipline. Although Samson still ended up in the "Hall of Faith" in Hebrews 11, he violated all three aspects of the Nazarite vows: he touched something dead; he was exposed to the fruit of the vine, and he allowed his hair to be cut.

Chapter 14:
We first discover Samson as a grown man who has decided to marry from among the Philistines rather than from among the Israelites. His parents are very much concerned, understandably, but we learn that "it was from the Lord, for he was seeking an opportunity against the Philistines" (v. 4). But on his way to see his bride-to-be, Samson, with his amazing strength, kills a lion with his bare hands. On his way home, he sees that bees have built a hive inside the lion's carcase, and he touches the dead animal in scraping out the honey, violating his Nazarite vows. He then lays a bet that the Philistines would not be able to answer his riddle, but the Philistines, unable to solve the riddle, threaten Samson's Philistine wife unless she obtains the answer from Samson which she does by begging and nagging her husband for days on end. The Philistines answer the riddle and he knows why, and in his anger he kills 30 uninvolved Philistines and also gives his wife away to his best man.

Chapter 15:
Samson then goes to visit his wife with a goat, a token of reconciliation, only to find that her father has given her to his friend and instead offers Samson her younger sister. Samson blames the Philistines and burns down their crops in a very bizarre way. The Philistines, desiring revenge, not only attack Samson's wife as they had threatened before, but they also attack Israel in looking for Samson. The Israelites, fearing the Philistines, turn Samson over to the attackers, but he breaks free of the ropes binding him and kills 1000 men with the jawbone of a donkey as "the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon him." God also provides water for Samson after the remarkable victory. The 15th chapter closes with the information that Samson "judged Israel in the days of the Philistines twenty years" (v. 20).

REFLECTION:
Samson is definitely one of the more imperfect vessels God used to deliver Israel. He also exacts his revenge not just privately, but as a Judge of Israel, acting as avenger of the public injuries of his people. He kills over a thousand men in his burning anger, and then in his celebratory song, Samson does not thank God nor even mention Him. Yet, Samson is God's chosen tool to deliver Israel from the Philistines. The Lord fills Samson with strength and power from His Spirit so that Samson can accomplish inhuman acts of violence. Yet even though Samson doesn't mention God in his victory song, the Lord still answers Samson's rather ungrateful request for water and provides him with what he needs. After all of these rather unsavoury events, the Lord allowed Samson to judge Israel for a full twenty years. So despite the fact that Samson is so very flawed, God used him to accomplish His purpose.

APPLICATION:
Samson did few things right. He married a foreigner, something that simply wasn't done by an Israelite, much less by a Nazarite who was to be fully devoted to God. He broke two of the Nazarite vows in the chapters we read: he went through the vineyards of Timnah and he also touched an animal carcase. His first impulse is for revenge and he focuses on himself and his issues rather than on how best to lead Israel. I find great comfort in Samson's story: if Samson messed up so very badly and God still used him, then God can use ANYONE to accomplish His perfect will. Including me.

PRAYER:
Father, we pray that no matter how badly we miss the mark, no matter how badly we sin, we beseech you to use us in the accomplishing of your perfect will. Much in life is very confusing, and our first impulse is to strike back, to gain revenge, but we pray that you will help us to overcome our first reactions in every situation so that our responses to events in our lives may glorify you. In the blessed name of Christ our Lord, Amen.