I don't understand Samson

[Sopranette]

Please explain the story of Samson. He was blessed by God, yet he wanted a Philistine wife, the slave holders of the Jews. His mother was barren, but God opened her womb. He never cut his hair, he ate honey out of a dead lion carcase (and gave it secretly to his guests), he threw wild parties, he had a terrible temper and a weakness for women. He killed thousands of men, with his bare hands and the help of the Holy Spirit. And he died a hero's death, but in a terrible way. He's blessed, but I can't help feel conflicted about his life. What is the lesson about Samson I'm missing?

love,

Sopranette

 

[canadyjd]

God can hit straight with a crooked stick.

peace to youraying:

 

[nunatak]

God can hit straight with a crooked stick.

peace to youraying:

cool answer :applause:

 

[Alcott]

Lessons from the story of Samson:

God can make a champion out of a person who shouldn't even exist.
Even when God's people sin, He does not forget them and will bring them back.
God does, if He chooses, bestow incredible abilities upon a person.
It is possible to abuse the manifestation of the Spirit.
God is patient with his people, but his patience has a limit.
The manifestation of the Spirit can be lost.
Once lost, the manifestation of the Spirit can be regained, but not necessarily on a person's desired [that is, quick] time scale.

Additionally, note that Samson was one of 3 in the Bible who was to be a Nazarite his entire life. The other 2 were Samuel and John the Baptist. In each of the cases the child was born of a woman considered to be 'barren,' who had been told by a prophetic message she would have a son and she knew she was to drink no wine or strong drink, for a Nazarite can never touch that; nor a razor nor a dead body. Samson's downfall came after he finally broke last of these 3 vows... his strength was not "in his hair," as is still sometimes said. He had walked across a grape vineyard, and that in itself was breaking the rigid 'no wine' rule, he had gotten honey from the hive in the lion carcass, which broke the second vow, and finally he succombed to Delilah's persistent demands and told her how he could be made "as weak as any other man." That was it-- he lost the manifestation and paid dire consequences. If we play with the power of God and use it for our fleshly intemperate desires, might we end up as an eyeless slave turning a millstone, or something worse? It's a lesson that is not to be ignored.

 

[Tom Butler]

When you think about it, very few of our Old Testament Patriarchs were anything special. They were all flawed, just like us.

Abraham, although he trusted God with regard to the sacrifice of Isaac, did not trust God when he lied and said Sarai was his sister, not his wife (she was, in fact, his half-sister but his intent was to deceive).

He also failed to trust God's promise that he would provide many descendants, so he helped God out and fathered Ishmael.

Isaac was a weakling who played favorites with his sons. Jacob was a mama's boy, and he and mama plotted to deceive Isaac.

You'd think that Jacob would have learned the lesson and not played favorites with his 12 sons. But he favored Joseph, and made it plain for all to see. He too had a dysfunctional family.

Joseph was no bargain either. He flaunted the fact that he was Papa's favorite and taunted his brothers over and over again.

Judah had little to recommend him, yet the Messiah came through his line.

My wife's favorite line is "God does not always call the qualified, but he always qualifies the called."

 

[Rubato 1]

Samson: a man with more talent than character.

'If you are not careful, your talent will take you beyond where your character cannot keep you.' --a great preacher

 

[Steven2006]

What I have always wondered about Samson. When Delilah kept asking him how he could be bound so that he could be afflicted, and then they kept trying, why in the world would he tell her? Seems like she made her intentions pretty obvious, why would he tell her his secret? Does anyone have a reasonable explanation?

 

[nunatak]

What I have always wondered about Samson. When Delilah kept asking him how he could be bound so that he could be afflicted, and then they kept trying, why in the world would he tell her? Seems like she made her intentions pretty obvious, why would he tell her his secret? Does anyone have a reasonable explanation?

she was a hottie?

 

[Steven2006]

she was a hottie?

:applause:

LOL, very well done

 

[Alcott]

She probably was a "hottie." That plus she knew already that Samson was an emotionally reactive man, so she knew from her own hot experience that she could eventually affect him. There weren't a lot of options available at that time-- especially for a woman-- so if she knew what she could do to get what she wanted, she wasn't going to give up very easily. And she did have Samson pegged right. Notice how with each of his false answers he gets a little closer to the truth. He just didn't have to put up with a lot of annoyances, so he got tired of her interrogations and told her the truth, and the way he said it, she knew.

 

[pinoybaptist]

Please explain the story of Samson. He was blessed by God, yet he wanted a Philistine wife, the slave holders of the Jews. His mother was barren, but God opened her womb. He never cut his hair, he ate honey out of a dead lion carcase (and gave it secretly to his guests), he threw wild parties, he had a terrible temper and a weakness for women. He killed thousands of men, with his bare hands and the help of the Holy Spirit. And he died a hero's death, but in a terrible way. He's blessed, but I can't help feel conflicted about his life. What is the lesson about Samson I'm missing?

love,

Sopranette

Daniel 4:35, from the mouth of a heathen king who never knew what hit him.

"And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?"

Many of my Calvinist and Arminian friends say that Samson is elect and saved.
I don't know about that.
Like you pointed out, he doesn't seem to be saved, only that he happened to be born Israelite who are people who happen to know the name of Jehovah, and who have some among them who truly worship Him.
If I go by Christ's words, "by their fruits ye shall know them", then King Nebo appears to be both saved and elect more than Samson seeing as how he testified to the power of God towards the end of his life.
But again we don't know.
The Bible doesn't explicitly say that Samson is saved, in the eternal sense.
Neither does it say he isn't.

 

[Deacon]

The Bible doesn't explicitly say that Samson is saved, in the eternal sense.
Neither does it say he isn't.

And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets,
who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions,
quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.
Hebrews 11:32-34 NASB95

 

[blackbird]

Samson got his ears lowered(got his hair cut) at "Hell's BarberShop!!!" A place where too many Christians wonder into when they fall out of God's will---know what I mean???

Here's a few things that happens when we visit Hell's BarberShop

He fell asleep----when the Bible tells us to stay awake!!!!

He lost his strength---when the Bible says we are to be strong!!!!

He was made a slave to the Philistines---when the Bible says we are to be slaves of Christ!!!

He lost his sight---yes he did---The Bible says--Having eyes to see, they see not!!

He was made a sport---the Philistines made him a "laughin' stock"--the brunt of their jokes!!!

He lost his sanity

He died an untimely death

 

[Palatka51]

Samson got his ears lowered(got his hair cut) at "Hell's BarberShop!!!" A place where too many Christians wonder into when they fall out of God's will---know what I mean???

Here's a few things that happens when we visit Hell's BarberShop

He fell asleep----when the Bible tells us to stay awake!!!!

He lost his strength---when the Bible says we are to be strong!!!!

He was made a slave to the Philistines---when the Bible says we are to be slaves of Christ!!!

He lost his sight---yes he did---The Bible says--Having eyes to see, they see not!!

He was made a sport---the Philistines made him a "laughin' stock"--the brunt of their jokes!!!

He lost his sanity

He died an untimely death

Now I know that his riddle had an answer however why not reconsider it?

Judges 14:13&14
13 ---- And they said unto him, Put forth thy riddle, that we may hear it. 14And he said unto them, Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness.

The riddle encourages us to read, "eater" and we should get wisdom, "meat".
If we rely on our pride, "strength" we will have to be humbled, "sweetened" to be accepted of the Lord.

Seems to me that Samson was bold and brash due to his pride. Note that Samson only consults God when he is weak. One prayer after he slew 1,000 men left him thirsty.

Judges 15:18&19
18And he was sore athirst, and called on the LORD, and said, Thou hast given this great deliverance into the hand of thy servant: and now shall I die for thirst, and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised? 19But God clave an hollow place that was in the jaw, and there came water thereout; and when he had drunk, his spirit came again, and he revived:

The last prayer brought forth his greatest victory.

Judges 16:28-31
28And 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. 29And 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. 30And 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. 31Then 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.

It is sweet to see God work when we are weak.

 

[pinoybaptist]

And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets,
who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions,
quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.
Hebrews 11:32-34 NASB95

I was thinking of this verse before I posted, just didn't have time to look it up as my wife was honking the horn like mad at 6 a.m., we were on our way to the gym.
Anyway, I did use this verse to try and give substance to the thought that Samson was saved (or unsaved), and pointed out this same verse to a friend (I used to take the conventional stand that Samson was eternally saved).
My friend pointed out that this was the hall of faith, not necessarily the roster of God's children, and that this faith they exercised saved them from timely, or earthly pitfalls, although there are those, like David and Samuel, who definitely were children of God.
What do you think ?
Like I said, I'm neutral on this.
Don't know if Samson is saved (in the eternal sense) or not.

 

[Sopranette]

This clears up a lot of the mystery for me. Thank you all so much! But what was it about his hair that is still a mystery to me. It's still such a strange thing.
In many ways he reminds me of King David, too.

love,

Sopranette

 

[blackbird]

This clears up a lot of the mystery for me. Thank you all so much! But what was it about his hair that is still a mystery to me. It's still such a strange thing.
In many ways he reminds me of King David, too.

love,

Sopranette

You know, the Apostle Paul says that it is a shame for a man to have long hair

But how can we take what Paul says and apply it to Samson??

I suppose Samson was willing to "bear shame and reproach" for the Lord he was a servant of

 

[Rubato 1]

You know, the Apostle Paul says that it is a shame for a man to have long hair

But how can we take what Paul says and apply it to Samson??

I suppose Samson was willing to "bear shame and reproach" for the Lord he was a servant of

The Lord asks people to do shameful things some times, at least in the OT (eg, Laying naked on one side all day, then switching to another. It always has a point, though.
However, the Bible does not say that Samson had long hair (at least my bible doesn't).

 

[Rubato 1]

The Lord asks people to do shameful things some times, at least in the OT (eg, Laying naked on one side all day, then switching to another. It always has a point, though.
However, the Bible does not say that Samson had long hair (at least my bible doesn't).

Let me edit this a little, since 'long' hair is relative... He had enough for Delilah, to weave to an extent--that doesnt' mean he had flowing hair to his shoulders or beyond, etc, etc. They certainly had the means of cutting a man's hair w/o using a razor, and Samson certainly may have done that.