Strong Enough to Fail: Samson
Greatest OT Stories (through adult eyes) • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Introduction
Introduction
Of all the judges, Samson is the most famous—or infamous—and is given the most space in the book
Judges were not legal/civil adjudicator; they were men or women called of God to direct and deliver his people
God chooses the flawed
God chooses the flawed
When we think of Samson we think of a hero type from childhood, the mighty man of God who wrought incredible feats that exist as legendary
The biblical account reveals Samson as an ordinary, flawed, human
In fact, he was impulsive, reckless, and morally compromised, yet this is who God chose to use.
God doesn’t require perfection from us. He can use us, despite our weaknesses, if we are willing to submit to Him.
Obedience is non-negotiable
Obedience is non-negotiable
Numbers 6:1–8 “1 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When either a man or a woman makes a special vow, the vow of a Nazirite, to separate himself to the Lord, 3 he shall separate himself from wine and strong drink. He shall drink no vinegar made from wine or strong drink and shall not drink any juice of grapes or eat grapes, fresh or dried. 4 All the days of his separation he shall eat nothing that is produced by the grapevine, not even the seeds or the skins. 5 “All the days of his vow of separation, no razor shall touch his head. Until the time is completed for which he separates himself to the Lord, he shall be holy. He shall let the locks of hair of his head grow long. 6 “All the days that he separates himself to the Lord he shall not go near a dead body. 7 Not even for his father or for his mother, for brother or sister, if they die, shall he make himself unclean, because his separation to God is on his head. 8 All the days of his separation he …”
Judges 13:3–7 “3 And the angel of the Lord appeared to the woman and said to her, “Behold, you are barren and have not borne children, but you shall conceive and bear a son. 4 Therefore be careful and drink no wine or strong drink, and eat nothing unclean, 5 for behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. No razor shall come upon his head, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb, and he shall begin to save Israel from the hand of the Philistines.” 6 Then the woman came and told her husband, “A man of God came to me, and his appearance was like the appearance of the angel of God, very awesome. I did not ask him where he was from, and he did not tell me his name, 7 but he said to me, ‘Behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. So then drink no wine or strong drink, and eat nothing unclean, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb to the day of his death.’ ””
Samson was born under the vow of a Nazarite, a Mosaic Law covenant (numbers 6) where a man serves a period of time as unto God.
3 essentials: no eating grapes, no haircuts, no touching corpses
Samson’s disregard of these lead to his downfall
Compromise leads to destruction
Compromise leads to destruction
Judges 14:1–4 “1 Samson went down to Timnah, and at Timnah he saw one of the daughters of the Philistines. 2 Then he came up and told his father and mother, “I saw one of the daughters of the Philistines at Timnah. Now get her for me as my wife.” 3 But his father and mother said to him, “Is there not a woman among the daughters of your relatives, or among all our people, that you must go to take a wife from the uncircumcised Philistines?” But Samson said to his father, “Get her for me, for she is right in my eyes.” 4 His father and mother did not know that it was from the Lord, for he was seeking an opportunity against the Philistines. At that time the Philistines ruled over Israel.”
Samson’s life was one of continual compromise.
in addition to breaking his vows, he chose & married a non-Israelite woman, then got mad at her and left her behind, then came back for her
he hooked up with a prostitute (Delilah) and toyed with her
he told her the secret to his strength
Repentance brings renewal
Repentance brings renewal
Judges 16:22 “22 But the hair of his head began to grow again after it had been shaved.”
Judges 16:28–30 “28 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.” 29 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. 30 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 great strength was matched only by his failure
Following his final failure, his hair is recorded as growing again
in the Philistine camp, Samson humbled himself and found his strength restored for one final act
Conclusion
Conclusion
Samson is not a role model for us; he is an example to us
We limit ourselves due to our own faults and flaws, but Samson’s life reminds us that God can use anyone when they submit themselves to him
