Judges 16:23-31
“Then the lords of the Philistines gathered them together for to offer a great sacrifice unto Dagon their god, and to rejoice: for they said, Our god hath delivered Samson our enemy into our hand. And when the people saw him, they praised their god: for they said, Our god hath delivered into our hands our enemy, and the destroyer of our country, which slew many of us.” (Judges 16:23-24)
For twenty years, the Philistines had been unable to operate in Jewish land because they feared Samson. Seeing him blinded, turning the millstone like some broken donkey and no longer a threat was a great relief. They credited their god, Dagon with having enabled them to find out how to defeat him, and offered a great sacrifice to him for defeating Samson. They didn’t recognize that Samson’s defeat was the result of his own sin, not of Dagon's power.
“And it came to pass, when their hearts were merry, that they said, Call for Samson, that he may make us sport. And they called for Samson out of the prison house; and he made them sport: and they set him between the pillars.” (Judges 16:25)
People who are or have been afraid will often try to prove their lack of fear by deliberately provoking the animal when they think they are protected. The Philistines were doing this with Samson, mocking and striking him, knowing he couldn’t see to defend himself. It seemed hilarious to see him bumbling around, dependent on child to lead him around.
“And Samson said unto the lad that held him by the hand, Suffer me that I may feel the pillars whereupon the house standeth, that I may lean upon them.
Now the house was full of men and women; and all the lords of the Philistines were there; and there were upon the roof about three thousand men and women, that beheld while Samson made sport.” (Judges 16:26-27)
When they tired of baiting him and turned their attention elsewhere, Samson convinced his guide child to lead him to the main support pillars, using the excuse that he needed to lean on them for a few moments. The building surrounded a large courtyard with the inner edges supported by pillars. About three thousand people had climbed to the roof in order to see the entertainment besides those in the porches.
“And Samson called unto the LORD, and said, O Lord GOD, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.” (Judges 16:28)
Even after losing everything, Samson was only concerned with getting even for the loss of his eyes. His basic attitude did not change. There was no repentance or confession of sin, nor even of concern for the nation of Israel. His prayer was totally selfish.
“And Samson took hold of the two middle pillars upon which the house stood, and on which it was borne up, of the one with his right hand, and of the other with his left. And Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines. And he bowed himself with all his might; and the house fell upon the lords, and upon all the people that were therein. So the dead which he slew at his death were more than they which he slew in his life.” (Judges 16:29-30)
Yanking out the two main support pillars caused the entire building to collapse. Samson committed suicide to get revenge. It is a sad commentary on his life that he accomplished more for the Lord in committing suicide than he had in his entire twenty years as a judge, although he had far more natural ability than any of the other judges. Not once had he tried to serve God and one can only wonder what he would have accomplished if he had tried.
“Then his brethren and all the house of his father came down, and took him, and brought him up, and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the buryingplace of Manoah his father. And he judged Israel twenty years.” (Judges 16:31)
All his relatives could do was come down and recovery the body, burying it in their family graveyard. After twenty years as a judge, Samson left Israel with no clear cut commitment to the Lord, although it would be nearly fifty years before the Philistines recovered enough to mount a major offensive against them, in I Samuel 4. Unlike previous judges there was no waiting until the former generation died off before they began to turn away.
“Then the lords of the Philistines gathered them together for to offer a great sacrifice unto Dagon their god, and to rejoice: for they said, Our god hath delivered Samson our enemy into our hand. And when the people saw him, they praised their god: for they said, Our god hath delivered into our hands our enemy, and the destroyer of our country, which slew many of us.” (Judges 16:23-24)
For twenty years, the Philistines had been unable to operate in Jewish land because they feared Samson. Seeing him blinded, turning the millstone like some broken donkey and no longer a threat was a great relief. They credited their god, Dagon with having enabled them to find out how to defeat him, and offered a great sacrifice to him for defeating Samson. They didn’t recognize that Samson’s defeat was the result of his own sin, not of Dagon's power.
“And it came to pass, when their hearts were merry, that they said, Call for Samson, that he may make us sport. And they called for Samson out of the prison house; and he made them sport: and they set him between the pillars.” (Judges 16:25)
People who are or have been afraid will often try to prove their lack of fear by deliberately provoking the animal when they think they are protected. The Philistines were doing this with Samson, mocking and striking him, knowing he couldn’t see to defend himself. It seemed hilarious to see him bumbling around, dependent on child to lead him around.
“And Samson said unto the lad that held him by the hand, Suffer me that I may feel the pillars whereupon the house standeth, that I may lean upon them.
Now the house was full of men and women; and all the lords of the Philistines were there; and there were upon the roof about three thousand men and women, that beheld while Samson made sport.” (Judges 16:26-27)
When they tired of baiting him and turned their attention elsewhere, Samson convinced his guide child to lead him to the main support pillars, using the excuse that he needed to lean on them for a few moments. The building surrounded a large courtyard with the inner edges supported by pillars. About three thousand people had climbed to the roof in order to see the entertainment besides those in the porches.
“And Samson called unto the LORD, and said, O Lord GOD, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.” (Judges 16:28)
Even after losing everything, Samson was only concerned with getting even for the loss of his eyes. His basic attitude did not change. There was no repentance or confession of sin, nor even of concern for the nation of Israel. His prayer was totally selfish.
“And Samson took hold of the two middle pillars upon which the house stood, and on which it was borne up, of the one with his right hand, and of the other with his left. And Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines. And he bowed himself with all his might; and the house fell upon the lords, and upon all the people that were therein. So the dead which he slew at his death were more than they which he slew in his life.” (Judges 16:29-30)
Yanking out the two main support pillars caused the entire building to collapse. Samson committed suicide to get revenge. It is a sad commentary on his life that he accomplished more for the Lord in committing suicide than he had in his entire twenty years as a judge, although he had far more natural ability than any of the other judges. Not once had he tried to serve God and one can only wonder what he would have accomplished if he had tried.
“Then his brethren and all the house of his father came down, and took him, and brought him up, and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the buryingplace of Manoah his father. And he judged Israel twenty years.” (Judges 16:31)
All his relatives could do was come down and recovery the body, burying it in their family graveyard. After twenty years as a judge, Samson left Israel with no clear cut commitment to the Lord, although it would be nearly fifty years before the Philistines recovered enough to mount a major offensive against them, in I Samuel 4. Unlike previous judges there was no waiting until the former generation died off before they began to turn away.
Dear Donald,
ReplyDeleteYes I agree that Samson was very selfish throughout his lifetime, even when he came to prostitution, and his death as a result of seeking revenge for the loss of his eyes rather than with the purpose of delivering Israel from the Philistines.
Yet the writer of the Hebrews included his name among the men of faith's Hall of Fame of Hebrews 11 (v.32) on equal footing with Noah, Abraham, Moses and David.
And immediately before his death, he called upon the name of the Lord (Romans 10:13).
If someone like Samson can bring so much glory to God, there is hope for the rest of us who believe, whose heart and motives are no better than this judge.
An excellent series of posts.
Amen. What gets me is that he had perhaps more ability than any other person in the entire Bible, and was so unappreciative of it. So many others with far less ability accomplished so much more. He believed God but just took him for granted. How many of us do the same thing to a greater or lesser degree.
ReplyDeleteGlad you have enjoyed the series.
I fear you are right about many, and there, "but for the grace of God go I." We need to be aware of Galatians 6:1,
ReplyDelete