Samson: Waste of Blessings?

Listen to the Chapel Message of Samson's Life

Everyone knows Samson.  At least, everyone knows of Samson.  Even people who have never read the Bible or heard the account of Samson's life associate the name Samson with "strength and power".  There was more to the life of Samson than just his incredible strength and power.

Samson was a special child.  His mother was sterile and couldn't have children.  Then one day an angel of the LORD appeared to her.  He told her that she was going to have a baby.  After he had given her very specific directions and revealed the plan for her son, the angel left her.

She ran and told her husband, Manoah, all about the angel of the LORD.  Manoah, was a godly man.  His first inclination was to pray to God and ask for the angel to return to teach them how to raise the boy.  God heard this prayer and sent the angel of the LORD back to Manoah and his wife.

Samson was to be a Nazirite, which meant that he would be set apart to God from birth.  Samson was a special gift from God.  God had a plan for Samson and gave him many gifts and talents.  Unfortunately, Samson didn't appreciate his Nazirite vow or who was the source of all of his gifts and talents.  He was a guy who fell head-long into the trap of sinful pride and self-indulgence.

First, his vow:

• He wasn't to eat anything that comes from the grapevine.
• He was not to drink wine or any fermented drink, or eat anything unclean.
• He seems to be a guy that liked to party.
• He ate honey from the carcass of a lion.
• He frequented prostitutes.
• He married two Philistine women.  
• No razor was to be used on his head.

Samson's abundance of gifts included:  Being set apart for God from birth, super-human strength, athleticism, and a sharp wit.  All of these only seemed to have fueled his pride and ego.  Samson seems to have been spoiled as a child.  When he sees a beautiful Philistine woman, he tells his parents to get her for him as a wife.  They protest a bit, but they quickly give in and indulge his demand.  This lead to all sorts of problems for Samson, but it was all according to God's plan.

This marriage would lead to  a life-time of conflict and battle with the Philistines.  Every time the Philistines angered him or he felt disrespected by them, he would kill a lot of them.  Unfortunately, most of the war that Samson waged against the Philistines was a personal vendetta.  It was always about his glory, his respect, his reputation.  There was always a violent reaction to any slight against him.  Granted, the slights against him were significant, but Samson's reaction was to kill as many Philistines as he possibly could.  Of course, this was God using Samson to bring judgment on the Philistines.

Eventually, though, Samson's arrogance would get the best of him.  When he told Delilah that the source of his strength was his hair it was the beginning of the end for him.  I believe that he truly believed that his hair had nothing to do with it.  I believe that he truly thought all of his impressive abilities were from himself.  But as he quickly found out, all of his abilities were from God.  His hair was just a symbol of his commitment to his vow.  When he allowed his hair to be cut he cut the last strand that was holding him to his Nazirite vow.  It shows how he was totally trusting in himself and his abilities.  He foolishly turned to himself and away from God.

Do you ever wonder what kind of leader Samson would have been for Israel had he honored his vow and committed his life to serving the Lord?  With his strength, his abilities as a warrior, and his intelligence I can see him being the type of leader that could have led Israel to fulfilling God's command to drive out all of the people from Canaan, the Promised Land.  Had he been faithful, he could have completely changed the course of history for Israel, and for us.  Thankfully, God uses even our failures to His glory.  "We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose."

In Judges 13-16 we see how Samson wasted his incredible gifts and abilities.  The question is, what gifts has God given you that you are wasting every day?  The quickest way to spot these are by looking at where you are being selfish and self-serving in your life.  Whether you have been given a lot or a little, everything that you have been given is for the glory of the Lord.  God hasn't given us our blessings to use to glorify ourselves.  They are all to be used for His glory.

Thankfully, God knows our shortcomings.  He knows that we can't do this perfectly.  That's why He sent Jesus.  Jesus did do this perfectly.  Everything He did was to glorify His Father in heaven.  As we strive to follow His example we will come up short every time.  That is why Jesus did it perfectly, and then He sacrificed Himself on the cross to pay the price for all of our shortcomings.  He paid the price for all of our sins.  His blood has washed us clean from all of our selfishness and foolishness.  We all have a perfect Savior in Jesus Christ.

God bless

Jason Fredrick