Samson Pulls Down the Temple
There are many lessons that can be learned from the story of Samson. We also must remember to use the gifts, skills and our abilities that we receive from the LORD for the service of Him. We need to be cautious to place our trust only in people who are trustworthy. This sometimes requires us to ask for wisdom from the LORD to know if someone is trustworthy or not trust. Judges 16:21-31
But the Philistines took him, and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of brass; and he did grind in the prison house.
However the hair of Samson’s head began to grow again after he was shaven. 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 has delivered Samson our enemy into our hand. And when the people saw him, they praised their god: for they said, our god has delivered into our hands our enemy, and the destroyer of our country, which slew many of us.
And it came to pass, when their hearts were merry, that they said, Call for Samson, that he may make us sport (or laugh, play, mocked Samson). And they called for Samson out of the prison house; and he made them sport: and they set him between the pillars. And Samson said unto the lad that held him by the hand, rest my hands that I may feel the pillars whereupon the house stands, 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.
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. 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.
Then the brothers of Samson and all his relatives came down, and took Samson, and brought him up, and buried him in the burying place of his father. Samson judged Israel twenty years.
What This Story Can Teach Us?
Poor Samson was betrayed by Delilah. It was with his betrayal that he also betrayed the LORD. Samson made many mistakes in the course of his life. He was born with a purpose and he was molded by the LORD God and it did not matter the bad choices Samson made the purpose was going to occur.
It was against the community of Israel to marry a Gentile, or those who were not from the children of Israel. When Samson married the Philistine woman he still had to save his people against the Philistines. Samson had a hard life and his wife was given to another man. Samson still destroyed many of the Philistines.
Samson was given extreme strength first seen when he attacked and killed a lion with his bare hands. It is important to understand that the strength of Samson came from the LORD God and not from man or from Samson.
Samson saw the Philistines giving riddles to each other and decided he would “one up them”and get thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothes for himself. This is took the opportunity to personally gain from the gift the LORD God had given him.
Matthew 7:6 tells us that we should not give that which is holy unto impure mind and impudent man because they will trample them under foot and turn and tear you into pieces.
The Philistines were trying to entice those who Samson put his trust in. Samson should have put his trust in the LORD God not in the world. Everything Samson wanted he wanted to satisfy his own ego and to provide his own needs. Samson went and caught three hundred foxes, and took torches, and turned tail to tail, and put a torch between the two tails, in the middle. Samson set fire on the torches, and sent them out into the e Philistines fields, and burned the grains, vineyard and the olive yard.
Samson was betrayed by 3,000 men of Judah who went down to turn Samson over to the Philistines. Samson was bound by his fellow Israelites and handed over to their enemies those who ruled over them. The misconduct of Samson does not end here after killing many with the jawbone of an ass Samson goes to Gaza, then a Philistine city. He visits a harlot and then to avoid capture he tears off the gates of the city.
Samson’s final betrayal comes by another Philistine woman, Delilah, who discovered the source of Samson great strength. This is a reminder that if every believer who marry an unsaved person should always find out where their heart really is with the LORD. If the person’s heart is not with the LORD then how can it be with you? Your life can also be ruined by wrong choice of marriage partner.
We also must remember to use the gifts, skills and our abilities that we receive from the LORD for the service of Him. We need to be cautious to place our trust only in people who are trustworthy. This sometimes requires us to ask for wisdom from the LORD to know if someone is trustworthy or not trust.
Cite Article Source
MLA Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne “Samson Pulls Down the Temple:.” Becker Bible Studies Library Jan 2015.< https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=1957,>.
APA Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne (2015, January) “Samson Pulls Down the Temple:.” Becker Bible Studies Library. Retrieved from https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=1957,.
Chicago Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne (2015) “Samson Pulls Down the Temple:.” Becker Bible Studies Library (January), https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=1957, (accessed).
