Role Models: Samson

Judges 13:24-25

Why is it not good for us to isolate from people?

What problems accompany lonliness?

Never before in history has communication become so accessible. With the advent of social media, email, and video chat, worldwide communication is the norm for much of American society.

Psychologists say that though people are more connected, they are lonelier than ever before. Though people are always available when they have their phone on them, they are also disconnected.

Instead of leaving the house to visit, people will sit in the same room and everyone of them will be on their phones. This has dwarfed many social skills and killed face-to-face communication.

People are social, but they are lonely. People are connected, but they are isolated.

Today we will look at a man who was isolated. This man is Samson.

What do we know about Samson?

Instead of depending on the Lord, he depended on self. He had everything at his fingertips, a family who loved him, a godly heritage, and favor from the Lord, yet he chose to leave those closest to him and try and make it on his own, only to have his life end in a sad state.

Samson lived in a time when Israel was very individualistic. They lived how they wanted. They did what they wanted. They paid little attention to God.

Judges 21:25, In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

The last judge was Samson. Through his story we will see what happens when we feel that we can make it in this life as a Christian alone. I’ll give a hint, it is not good.

Samson was Supernaturally Strong

Judges 13:1-5

Because of Israel’s backslidden condition, God used the Philistines to punish the Israelites for their willful disobedience.

Though most of Israel lived in sin, God always has a remnant, He has His people. Two of these people were Zorah and Manoah. God looked down on the faithfulness of His remnant and sent a Messenger.

This was no mere angel, this was what theologians call a Theophany or a Christophany, a moment in the Old Testament when Jesus came to give a message.

God sent His son with a message for Zorah and Manoah; you will conceive a son and he will take a Nazarite vow.

A Nazarite was a person who had made a special vow of consecration and separation to the Lord. They would commit, to the following:

· Would not drink wine or liquor

· Would not eat anything unclean

· Would touch anything dead, even an family member

· Would not cut their hair

One author explained “Samson would never go to a bar or a barbershop.”

Why would God expect this level of commitment from Samson?

Why does God want commitment from us?

Manoah was so overcome that when she told her husband, Zorah, she was unable to adequately explain what happened, so she prayed that the Angel of the Lord would return.

The Lord did return and explained that God would use Samson as a judge. Samson was the only judge who was introduced by God and set a part in this manner.

God confirmed His word, from infancy; Samson was supernaturally strengthened by the power of the Holy Spirit. Samson had everything he needed to be a successful Judge.

Samson was Self-Sufficient

Judges 14:1-3

The first recorded words of Samson centered on a conversation he had with his father. He asked for a wife. This in itself was not a problem, but notice where did Samson met his wife? In the land of the Philistines.

This presents a problem. Samson was God’s chosen to break the oppressive power of the Philistines from Israel.

Samson knew he had supernatural strength, He enjoyed being alone.

In chapter 14, we see that Samson was either alone or broke his Nazarite vow.

First, he had enough supernatural strength to tear a lion in two. He wanted to impress the Philistine woman with his strength, and she was well pleased.

Second, he returned to see the carcass of the lion, inside of the lion was a swarm of bees and honey. Samson looked around and decided, no one is looking, am I alone, no one will know if I touch the dead lion, violating my vow.

Third, when he got married, he threw a seven-day feast. Once again he set himself up for failure as he placed himself in a feast that would have had alcohol, tempting him to break yet another part of his vow.

How did Samson break his Nazarite vow?

Why do you think Samson broke his vow?

Samson spent less time with God’s people and more time with the enemy. Through a series of events his wife and father-in-law were burned to death and Samson vowed to get revenge on the Philistines.

Judges 15:9-16

Even though Samson had ample time to defend Israel, the Philistines still were able to get close to the Israelites. The Philistines explained that they wanted to arrest Samson.

Instead of rallying around their leader, they hand delivered Samson to the Philistines. This treasonous act should have outraged Samson, but no, in his mind, he was self-sufficient.

The people of Judah tied Samson’s hands and he went into Philistine custody. But notice, the supernatural strength came upon him, he took the jawbone of a donkey, which was only ten inches, and killed 1000 men.

Time after time we notice that God gave Samson the strength to survive. Samson should have realized it was God’s help, but he was self-sufficient.

Does God want us to be self-sufficient?

What happens when we become self-sufficient?

Samson was Severely Isolated

Judges 16:1-4

For twenty years Samson was a judge in Israel, but instead of helping God’s people, he took care of himself.

After God helped Samson defeat the Philistines, he went to Gaza. He left Judah and returned to the land of the enemies.

The Philistines wanted to know Samson’s weakness, what was it?

Why does Satan want us to become isolated?

Once again Samson defended himself against the Philistines, only to catch the eye of Delilah. And while he was alone, Satan allowed lust to distract him. The Philistines knew his problem and conspired with Delilah.

Delilah begged for the secret to his strength only to lie to her twice. Finally, Delilah begged, what is the secret and Samson relented, if you cut my hair, I will lose my power.

Then she proceeded to do what she had done the times Samson lied, she lulled him to sleep, but this time she cut his hair.

Judges 16:20-22

As she had the other nights, she woke him up screaming, the Philistines are upon you. Samson expected that his strength would help him, but this time it did not work.

Once again Samson was alone and blinded in prison. He worked as a grinder, walking around in circles, all by himself, grinding his enemy’s grain, but day by day, his hair began to grow again.

Toward the end of his life he stood between the two pillars of the temple to the false god Dagon. And finally, Samson came to his senses.

Judges 16:28

Why do you think God answered this prayer?

His hair had returned to the right length, he pushed the pillars, and we are told he killed more in death than he did in life. But here is the sad part, Samson died alone, in a foreign land, surrounded by enemies.

When they buried him, it was not with his wife, but with his parents. He did not leave a legacy to a son or daughter who would continue to serve the Lord.

Instead, Samson died with untapped potential, and the reason: he was okay all by himself, he was a loner and he could figure out without anyone’s help.

Application

How could Samson’s story have ended different?

What would have happened to Samson had he not isolated himself?

How is Samson a role model?

Samson’s problems did not arise when he told Delilah the secret source of his strength. His problems came when he decided he was just fine all alone.

His story could have been all together different, but Samson fell prey to Satan’s most strategic attacks, isolation, loneliness, and self-sufficiency.

Why do you think Samson isolated himself from others?

Samson’s story affirms what we see throughout scripture; there is no place in the Bible where people thrived by themselves, without help and accountability from others.

Followers of Jesus need each other, If we isolate ourselves from the Lord and from His people, we will feel lonely. And with loneliness comes a host of problems.

What spiritual problems accompany loneliness?

Why does God want us to grow in closer to Him and to other believers?

How can we ensure that we do not isolate ourselves from God’s people?