Day 122

Judges 15:1–16:31; John 2:1-25; Psalm 103:1-22; Proverbs 14:17-19

SAMSON WAS UNIQUE from birth. He was a Nazirite, which means he was set apart for God’s service (Judges 13:5). He was never to drink alcohol, eat forbidden food, or have his hair cut. Because of this, he had unparalleled strength.

During Samson’s life, the Philistines had ruled over Israel for forty years. The conflict between the Philistines and Samson arose because of one primary issue: women. At first, Samson created a wager and a riddle to enrich himself and his anticipated new life with his Philistine fiancée. Unfortunately, she betrayed him and gave the answer away. Samson retaliated by killing Philistines. Obviously, this didn’t sit well with the Philistine people. When Samson cooled off and went to retrieve his wife, he discovered that she had been given to another man. Enraged, Samson burned Philistine crops. Again, this didn’t sit well with the Philistine people, but they couldn’t capture and kill Samson —he was too strong for them.

Eventually, Samson met the infamous Delilah. After much manipulation, Samson told Delilah the true source of his strength, and she betrayed him. The Philistines cut his hair, the Spirit of God that had surrounded him left, and he was captured and blinded. The great Israelite warrior became a circus act of sorts for the Philistines. They enslaved him and publicly humiliated him without noticing that his hair was slowly growing back.

The Philistines brought Samson to the temple of the Philistine god, Dagon, amid a massive festival. As the party turned into a drunken celebration, the people worshiped Dagon for giving them victory over their greatest enemy. Samson’s life ended with a prayer: “Sovereign LORD, remember me again. O God, please strengthen me just one more time” (Judges 16:28).

With that prayer, Samson pushed against the temple pillars, bringing the roof down on top of himself and destroying it, along with those inside.

Like Samson, all of God’s people are set apart. And like Samson, all of God’s people sin. But there is a powerful reminder in Samson’s story. Despite Samson’s sinful flaws, God never abandoned His servant —it was the other way around. When Samson prayed during the final moments of his life, the Lord answered and gave him the strength he needed to once again defeat Israel’s enemies.

WORSHIP:

Let all that I am praise the LORD; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name. Let all that I am praise the LORD; may I never forget the good things he does for me. He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies. He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!