(NASB) Hebrews 11:32-33 “And what more shall I say?  For time will fail me if I tell of…Samson…”  33 “who by faith…”

  The angel of the Lord appeared to a couple telling them they would have a son, Samson.  He would be a Nazirite from birth and the requirements were to abstain from all wine & strong drink and not eat any unclean thing.  No razor was to come on his head.  (Judges 13)

The Philistine’s were Israel’s enemies and Samson was set apart by the living God to be a judge in Israel.  Samson was given great strength from the Spirit of the Lord.

One time Samson killed a young lion bare-handed.  A swarm of bees made a hive in the carcass.  Samson made a riddle about that incident.  He insisted on taking a Philistine for his wife…he wagered (made a bet) with some Philistine’s they couldn’t guess his riddle after he married the young woman.  She and her family were threatened and she wheedled and let the tears flow until Samson told her the meaning of the riddle.  Using his great anger and strength, he killed 30 Philistine’s.  (Judges 14)

Samson went to his wife in her father’s house, but was denied because she had been given to his friend.  Samson retaliated by using foxes and torches to set standing grain in the Philistine’s fields on fire.  The Philistine’s killed his wife and her father with fire.

The story of Samson is true, though not a “pretty” story.  The Philistine’s pressured the men of Israel to turn Samson over to them, Samson agreed to be bound with new ropes and given to the Philistines.  When they took him, the Spirit of the Lord came upon him and he killed 1,000 Philistines using the jaw bone of a donkey.  Afterward, Samson called out to God for water and was strengthened by the water God provided.  (Judges 15)

God’s words always tell truth and show that men and women are just that, men and women in need of God.  God is our strength.

(NASB) Psalm 28:7 “The Lord is my strength and my shield;
My heart trusts in Him and I am helped;
Therefore my heart exults,
And with my song I shall thank Him.”

Samson’s downfall came through the Philistine Delilah.  Samson lived with Delilah and she was offered a very large sum of money by the Philistines to find the source of Samson’s great strength.  He finally gave in and told her that no razor had ever come on his head, because of the Nazirite vow to God.  While he slept with his head in her lap, she helped a man to shave his head.  When he woke up he had no strength.  The Spirit of the Lord had left him.  Samson was captured, his eyes gouged out and he was put to work as a grinder in a prison.  Delilah was paid off.

Later, Samson was called upon to entertain 3,000 party goers.  As they stood on the roof of a house, Samson was standing beneath them.  He asked a boy where the pillars that supported the house were…he prayed asking the Lord for strength one more time.  He braced each of his hands against two pillars and pushed.  The roof collapsed and Samson died along with 3,000 Philistine men and women.
(Judges 16)

You also can pray for the living God to strengthen you in your circumstances today.

Take it to heart ~

  Samson’s faith was in God to strengthen him.  You also can call out to God for strength to do His will.

(NASB) Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”

  God was faithful to Samson, and He will be faithful to you also.

Samson knew where his great strength came from, do you?