Judges 16: Samson and Delilah

("Samson and Delilah" painted by Jan Lievens c. 1630 -- http://www.rijksmuseum.com/)

LINK: Judges 16

BACKGROUND:

The 16th chapter of Judges finishes the sad tale of Samson, so powerful and mighty in God's Spirit, and so weak in his own. Again he is entangled with the Philistines as a result of a woman, this time Delilah, who again wears him down with nagging until he reveals his secret, which again is immediately betrayed to the Philistines by the woman Samson is so besotted by. Delilah, whose name means "feeble" or "weak," forces Samson to break the third of his Nazarite vows: leaving his hair uncut. Isn't it interesting how Samson the Strong is completely dominated by Delilah the Weak? We see Samson's strength in his carrying that gate 38 miles to Hebron, a journey that was not only lengthy, but was almost completely uphill!

Samson's relationship with Delilah really puzzled me at first. She tells him THREE times that "The Philistines are upon you, Samson!" before he reveals the secret of his great strength to her, so why in the world did he do so, knowing full well that she was going to betray his secret immediately to his enemies? In his three false answers to Delilah, he is guilty of the sin of falsehood, and he is also guilty of great folly in encouraging her inquiries instead of stopping her immediately when he realized the danger he was in. Samson doesn't flee sin; he flirts with it. But as Samson forsook God, so God forsook him (according to John Wesley's commentary, anyway). His hair itself was not his strength, but leaving his hair uncut was a chief condition of his Nazarite vows, and with the violation of this condition, God justly withdraws his help and strength from Samson. In his commentary, John Wesley observes that "...many have lost the favourable presence of God, and are not aware of it. They have provoked God to withdraw from them, but are not sensible of their loss."

As a result of his telling Delilah the secret of his great physical strength, Samson had both of his eyes gouged out by the Philistines, both out of their revenge upon him and also to disable him should he regain his strength. But after his blinding, we read that Samson's hair begins to grow back, a symbol of God's returning favor to him, probably as a result of his repentance and the renewal of his vows with God. In verse 28, Samson calls on the Lord to be with him one last time to strengthen him. This prayer was not an act of malice or revenge, but of faith and zeal for God who was being publicly dishonored, and for justice in vindicating all of Israel, which was his duty as judge. Samson is willing to die in order to contribute to the vindication of God's glory and to the deliverance of God's people, Israel. Some scholars consider Samson's sacrifice as a type of Christ who by voluntarily undergoing death destroyed the enemies of God and Israel. The mocking of God by the Philistines brought about the deaths of thousands of them, and probably their most prominent citizens who would have been present at such an event.

REFLECTION:

As we see in the cutting off and the growing back of Samson's hair, the symbol of his power and of his devotion to God, God's forgiveness is immediate, but His restoration is gradual. Despite his sinful ways, despite the breaking of his Nazarite vows, Samson's final sacrifice earned him a place in the "Hall of Faith" in Hebrews 11. In the words of my inductive study teacher Kim when we studied Judges together: "Samson stayed, played, and finally paid." But God doesn't give up on Samson, and He doesn't ever give up on us, either.

APPLICATION:

When I studied this chapter with our Lady Bereans Inductive Bible Study, I wrote the following for my application: May I always see and acknowledge my weaknesses and sin before the Lord. May I not try to live a life pleasing to Him in my own strength but totally in His power. The power of confession is mind-blowing!

PRAYER (from the 1928 Book of Common Prayer: General Confession):

Almighty and most merciful Father; We have erred, and strayed from thy ways like lost sheep. We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts. We have offended against thy holy laws. We have left undone those things which we ought to have done; And we have done those things which we ought not to have done.... O Lord, have mercy upon us.... Spare thou those, O God, who confess their faults. Restore those who are penitent; According to thy promises declared unto mankind in Christ our Lord. And grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake; That we may hereafter live a godly, righteous, and sober life, To the glory of thy holy Name. Amen.