士師記16:4-31 Judges 16:4-31

The most powerful of the foreign nations that attacked the Israelites who settled in the land of Canaan were the Philistines. The Philistines were a people who came across the sea and settled in the coastal areas of the land of Canaan. At a time when the Israelites did not yet have iron weapons, the Philistines had iron weapons. Therefore, they were strong in battle and the Israelites suffered from the attacks of the Philistines. They had to live under the Philistines for 40 long years.

God saw the suffering of the Israelites, and a boy was born to save them. That boy was Samson. Samson was a man who was offered to God from birth to do God’s work. People who were offered to God in this way were called “Nazirites” in the Old Testament. “Nazirites” had to observe several rules, the important of which was that they did not cut or shave the hair on their heads. This was surely to show that he was a man at God’s service, different from ordinary people.

Samson was given great monstrous strength by God. Because of this, he was able to fight against the Philistines in war and kill many enemies, even without a sword or spear. In one battle, he killed a thousand Philistines using the jawbone of a dead donkey as a weapon. However, Samson had one weakness: he quickly fell in love with a woman and was at her mercy. Samson fell in love with a woman called Delilah. However, this Delilah was a bad woman. Delilah was told by the Philistines, that they would give her a lot of money if she would find out and tell them the secret of Samson’s monstrous strength, which she accepted.

Delilah said to Samson, “Please tell me where your great strength lies, and how you might be bound, that one could subdue you.” Then Samson lied and cheated. The first time he said, “If they bind me with seven fresh bowstrings that have not been dried, then I shall become weak.” The second time he said, “If they bind me with new ropes that have not been used, then I shall become weak.” The third time he said, “If you weave the seven locks of my head with the web and fasten it tight with the pin, then I shall become weak.” Delilah tried these things, but Samson’s monstrous strength did not disappear. Delilah said, “How can you say you love me? You have mocked me three times.” And then she pressed Samson hard. So finally, Samson told her his secret: “If my head is shaved, then my strength will leave me, and I shall become weak.” When Delilah heard this, she put Samson to sleep and called the Philistines. She then shaved the hair on Samson’s head. Then Samson’s strength left him.

The Philistines seized Samson and gouged out his eyes to make a show of him. Many Philistines gathered to watch Samson. Then Samson prayed, “O Lord GOD, please remember me and please strengthen me only this once, O God, that I may be avenged on the Philistines for my two eyes.” Then he pressed with all his weight with his right and left hands on the pillars supporting the building. What happened? God heard Samson’s prayer. Also, Samson’s shaved hair began to grow again. He was given monstrous strength again and knocked down the building where the Philistines were. He then killed many Philistines and died himself.

What do you think of Samson’s story? You would probably think it’s a cruel story. But in Old Testament times, God’s kingdom was represented by the nation of Israel. Therefore, God gave Samson the strength to fight against the Philistines. But in our day and age, God’s kingdom is represented by the church. And the church defends and spreads the kingdom of God by evangelism, by proclaiming Jesus.