God’s Story in Samson: Broken and Used

Judges 13-16

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I think Samson is one of the most intriguing characters in the Old Testament. Consider his life: First, Samson is often alone, with no friends. Second, when God’s Spirit comes upon him, Samson is supernaturally strong. Early in his life, “the Spirit of the LORD began to stir him” (Judg. 13:25). Ultimately, his death becomes the most significant moment in his life story. 

There is also a theological tension: Samson, who embodies the struggle between strength and weakness, makes poor decisions, yet God is working behind the scenes to use those decisions for his purposes.

Let’s examine the compelling account of Samson, the last judge mentioned in the book of Judges. 

Samson’s Almost Marriage
Samson fell in love with a Philistine woman and told his parents, “Now get her for me as my wife” (Judg. 14:2). His parents strongly opposed the marriage, but he ignored their advice and said, “Get her for me, for she is right in my eyes” (Judg. 14:3, 7). Remember, the theme of the book of Judges is that every man did what was right in his own eyes. Samson is no exception.

Here, we see a foundational principle at work in this scenario. Samson’s parents did not realize that their son’s desire to marry the Philistine woman “was from the LORD, for he was seeking an opportunity against the Philistines. At that time the Philistines ruled over Israel” (Judg. 14:4). God uses our sinful desires and actions for his sovereign purposes. Always has, always will. God writes all the newsfeeds! 

On the way to and from courting his soon-to-be bride, several things happened. A lion attacked Samson, but “the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon him, and although he had nothing in his hand, he tore the lion in pieces as one tears a young goat” (Judg. 14:6). On his next trip, he saw that a swarm of bees had made honey in the carcass of the lion. 

Some time later, Samson went with his dad to the wedding feast. He had no friends with him (Samson is always alone), so the Philistines found thirty men to join him for his weeklong celebration. During the festivities, he posed this riddle to his companions: “Out of the eater came something to eat. Out of the strong came something sweet” (Judg. 14:14)

The Philistines forced Samson’s bride to learn the riddle’s meaning by threatening to burn her alive. When she finally wore him down, he gave her the answer, which she shared with the men. Because Samson was betrayed, “the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon and struck down thirty men of the town and took their spoil and gave the garments to those who had told the riddle. In hot anger he went back to his father’s house” (Judg. 14:19).  

When Samson’s anger subsided, he returned to claim his bride, only to learn that she had been married to the best man instead. A few days later, Samson caught three hundred foxes, tied them tail to tail, attached torches to their tails, and set them loose in the Philistines’ grain fields as retribution.  

Samson sought refuge on the cliff of Etam. When the Philistines threatened to fight the Israelites over the destruction of their fields, 3,000 Israelites searched for Samson on the cliff and persuaded him to surrender to the Philistines. As he approached the Philistine soldiers with his hands bound, “the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon him, and the ropes that were on his arms became as flax that has caught fire, and his bonds melted off his hands. And he found a fresh jawbone of a donkey, and put out his hand and took it, and with it he struck 1,000 men” (Judg. 15:14-15).

Don’t miss Samson’s response to God after receiving victory. He asked, “You have granted this great salvation by the hand of your servant, and shall I now die of thirst and fall into the hands of the uncircumcised?” (Judg. 15:18). His complaint was ungrateful, impulsive, and irreverent. Such was Samson’s character. 

Samson and Delilah 
After another demonstration of his great strength in Gaza (Judg. 16:1-3), Samson fell in love with a Philistine woman named Delilah. The ruler bribed Delilah with a large sum of money to learn the secret of Samson’s supernatural strength (Judg. 16:5). She began to pressure him, asking, “Please tell me where your great strength lies, and how you might be bound, that one could subdue you” (Judg. 16:6). 

At first, Samson teased Delilah with three false ways to subdue him. She grew frustrated, declaring, “How can you say, ‘I love you,’ when your heart is not with me? You have mocked me these three times, and you have not told me where your great strength lies.’ And when she pressed him hard with her words day after day and urged him, his soul was vexed to death (Judg. 16:15-16). Finally, Samson told her about his Nazarite vow and that his hair symbolized his strength. When Samson fell asleep, Delilah arranged for his head to be shaved, so the Spirit of the LORD left him (Judg. 16:20). 

No longer able to protect himself against the Philistines, they  “seized [Samson] and gouged out his eyes and brought him down to Gaza and bound him with bronze shackles. And he ground at the mill in the prison. But the hair of his head began to grow again after it had been shaved” (Judg. 16:21-22). 

After a time, the Philistines gathered to celebrate their god, Dagon, whom they believed had delivered Samson into their hands. All the Philistine leaders were present at the large gathering. Towards the end of the celebration, they brought Samson out of prison to mock and humiliate him. The strong man who had killed so many Philistines was blind and doing a woman’s work in prison. 

Samson had the servant lead him to a strategic place in Dagon’s temple and position him there. Here’s how Samson’s story ends. 

Judges 16:28-30
Then Samson called to the LORD and said, “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.” And Samson grasped the two middle pillars on which the house rested, and he leaned his weight against them, his right hand on the one and his left hand on the other. And Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines.” Then he bowed with all his strength, and the house fell upon the lords and upon all the people who were in it. So the dead whom he killed at his death were more than those whom he had killed during his life.

Samson’s life and death clearly illustrate a significant lesson–God used one broken and sinful individual to accomplish his sovereign purposes. Thankfully, God still uses sinful and broken people like us. Our imperfections do not limit God’s ability to work through us. By God’s Spirit, we have all we need to do what he calls us to do. 

PERSONAL TIME WITH GOD
Read and reflect on Judges 13-16. Are there areas where you are doing what is “right in your own eyes” instead of following God’s Word?

Talking to God: Ask God to help open your eyes to these areas and make the changes needed. 

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