Samson, set apart to God from his mother’s womb, lived a colourful life, spending much time in the enemy camp.
The Bible does tell us that Samson’s visit to Timnah and his seeing a potential wife was from the Lord, seeking to confront the Philistines. Judges 14:4 Samson continually visited the Philistines and ended up in liaisons with their women, much against his parents wishes. The Bible records these meetings and how Samson’s supernatural strength left many dead and a trail of destruction. But the enemy didn’t give up, they promised Delilah a lot of money if she would find out the secret of his great strength and hand him over to them.
The Bible tells us that Samson, the strongest man who ever lived and Solomon, the wisest king, both came to tragic endings through their relationships with pagan women. Though both were exceptionally blessed by God, in the end neither could resist their pull away from the Lord. We need to take note of their vulnerability to these wrong relationships!
15 Then she said to him, ‘How can you say, “I love you,” when you won’t confide in me? This is the third time you have made a fool of me and haven’t told me the secret of your great strength.’ 16 With SUCH NAGGING SHE PRODDED HIM DAY AFTER DAY until he was sick to death of it.
17 So he told her everything. ‘No razor has ever been used on my head,’ he said, ‘because I have been a Nazirite dedicated to God from my mother’s womb. If my head were shaved, my strength would leave me, and I would become as weak as any other man.’ Judges 16
The enemy used someone Samson loved to wear him down, not a direct assault, but persistent and incessant until he told everything. She then put him to sleep, how many believers are in danger of this today and cut off his hair.
20 Then she called, ‘Samson, the Philistines are upon you!’
He awoke from his sleep and thought, ‘I’ll go out as before and shake myself free.’ BUT HE DID NOT KNOW THE LORD HAD LEFT HIM. (Such a sad verse)
21 Then the Philistines seized him, gouged out his eyes and took him down to Gaza. Binding him with bronze shackles, they set him to grinding corn in the prison. 22 BUT THE HAIR ON HIS HEAD BEGAN TO GROW AGAIN after it had been shaved. (God hadn’t finished with His man just yet).
Samson’s eyes were gouged out; now he couldn’t see all the distractions around him, but he could seek the Lord within. He was at the very bottom in his life, grinding grain like animal, but God gave him one more opportunity to strike his greatest blow against the Philistines. The temple of Dagon, their god was to be the scene of Samson’s greatest victory. Judges 16:30
In 2 Corinthians 12:9, Paul had been calling out to God for Deliverance from the enemy;
9 But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’
None of us like to think that God will touch us and weaken the fleshy nature in us, but sometimes He does do that. God has His plans for our lives and to bless us eternally.
God bless and keep you today.