Judges 16

Bible Passage:  Judges 16

Seeing His people’s misery and hearing their cries, God chose Samson (even before he was born) and commissioned him to deliver His people out of the hand of the Philistines (13:5). Samson’s parents took the revelation of this consecration of offering with great cares (i.e. the dos and don’ts for being a Nazirite). The Lord blessed Samson and the spirit of God was with him (13:24-25).

Great, or so the Israelites must have thought – this was the time wasn’t it, that they would finally be delivered out of the Philistines through such a gifted worker of God. But, while I see a lot of killings in Samson’s 20 years of reign as the Israelite’s Judge, the executions were performed mostly in his anger and of vengeance than anything close to delivering God’s people out of the enemy’s hand and the renewal of their spiritual life.

The recording of his life between chapters 14-16 is predominantly shadowed by his fallings for a Philistine’s woman and a harlot – and evidently this became the main cause of his eventual downfall.

How much do we understand and appreciate the significance of our noble status as the people of God?

Did Samson truly take it to heart the significance of God’s choosing and his noble status being a Nazarite, who is expected of total devotion to God’s calling and service?

What about us? To what extent we hold dear to this most earth-shattering and mysterious grace that we are the chosen one, the royal priesthood and we are simply His own special people (I Peter 2:9-10)?

Our believing family members, ministers and brethren may be able to help us to understand through sermons, intercessions, sharing or even rebukes the dos and don’ts being the child of God. This was similar to Samson’s parents’ verbal intervention when he expressed the intention to marry the Philistine’s woman.

However, coming to appreciate such given-grace is an entirely different matter as this is dependent on the efforts of our parts. God gives us the freewill to choose and decide the life that we want to lead on – but through the scriptures, it lays down His standards for us to adhere to, and through the Holy Spirit, it helps us to examine the acceptable and perfect will of God.

Are we leading a life that reflects our noble status? Fairly, I found blogging this self-reflection much easier than putting it down onto everyday’s life. Well, on smooth sailing days, this undoubtedly proves easier. On certain rockier days when worldly affairs, human emotions and dilemmas take a toll on us, we may easily lose focus on our living status.

What then?

Guard your heart with all diligence!

In Samson’s example, he fell short of the grace and standard of God on matter that concerns holiness. He did not guard his heart from falling into a harlot whose flattering tongue has indeed reduced Samson to a crust of bread (Prov 6:24-26).

Secondly, Samson was not watchful when confronted by the harlot of his source of strength. You’d have thought if someone were to have enticed him at least three times and used it against him; he would have become the wiser, but none.

Our hearts dictate all that we do and think, out of it spring the issues of life (Prov 4:23). How do we guard our hearts?

• Sanctification by God’s words (John 17:17) – this of course, through reading, searching and understanding of God’s words.

• Be watchful – in our actions, speech and thoughts – and constantly searches the acceptable will of God (Rom 12:2).

• Live by and submit to the Holy Spirit to put to death of our sinful flesh (Rom 8: 13, 27).

May the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and

May your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of the Lord.

(I The 4:23)

Editor’s Note:  And just in case you could not understand the passage… here is the story in pictures

Samson Being Enticed

Samson Told Delilah The Secret!

Samson Prayed For Strength Again

Samson’s Final Push

Whole Building Came Tumbling Down….