Samson and Delilah: A Tale of Sin and Sacrifice

Just last Friday, we recognized the 101st anniversary since Olympic runner Eric Liddell won the gold medal.

Liddell, a Scottish sprinter, rugby player and Christian missionary. was born in Tianjin, China to Scottish missionary parents. He attended boarding school near London and attended the University of Edinburgh.

At the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris, Lidell refused to run in the heats for his favored 100 meters because they were held on a Sunday. Instead he competed in the 400 meters held on a weekday, a race that he won.

He became ordained as a Congregational minister in 1932 and regularly taught bible classes at Morningside Congregational Church, Edinburgh. He returned to China in 1925 and served as a missionary teacher. Aside from two furloughs in Scotland, he remained in China until his death in a Japanese civilian internment camp in 1945.

Liddell's Olympic training and racing, and the religious convictions that influenced him, are depicted in the Oscar-winning 1981 film Chariots of Fire. Mr. Liddell is quoted as saying:

“I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast! And when I run I feel his pleasure.”

Liddell was a man of conviction. He is a far cry from many famous athletes today, who are known more for their lawlessness than their on- field abilities.

Today’s athletes may find themselves at home in the time of the Judges.

The book of Judges is an interesting one. It is a series of cycles of the nation of Israel backsliding, subjected to mistreatment by a neighboring people, crying out to God, a leader being raised up from among them, bringing relief and victory, then falling away from God again.

The time is after the days of Joshua and the conquest of Canaan (1400 B.C.) and before the coronation of Saul as the first king at 1050 B.C..

It is a picture of the sordidness of human nature. Judges was not a time known for faithfulness. It was characterized by rampant individualism. As Judges 17:6 and Judges 21:25 states: “Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.”

Judges 21:25 ESV

25 In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

As one commentator notes:

“This phrase underscores the moral and spiritual chaos prevalent during the time. Without a king or centralized authority, moral relativism prevailed, leading to societal disorder and idolatry. This reflects the human tendency to stray from God's commandments when left to personal judgment, as seen in Proverbs 21:2, which states, "Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the heart."

There were six major judges and eight minor ones. A judge was a leader in Israel, raised up to defend his country against oppression. One of those leaders was Samson.

Samson was gifted and set apart for God’s service from birth. He reminds us that our true strength is in the Lord. He is told of in Judges 13-16. What can we learn about Samson?

Samson was a man with enormous strength and loyalty to God’s people.

Many of Samson’s feats are recorded. And they were all because of God’s enabling power. We are told more than once that: “...the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon him.”

In 14:6, he kills a lion with his bare hands, a feat that very few people would ever be able to do.

I heard of a story in the Midwest of a mother and her child walking and they were attacked by a vicious dog and the mother killed the dog with her bare hands in order to protect her child.

You’ve heard of people being able to lift a car to save a person from being crushed. When the adrenalin kicks in, watch out!

In Judges 14:19, he is able to defeat 30 men in Ashkelon and plundered them.

In Judges 15:3, he devastated the crops of the Philistines by catching 300 fox, setting their tails on fire, so they would run through the shocks and inflame the grain, the vineyards and the olive trees.

In Judges 15:7, he avenged the death of his wife and defeated a large number of Philistines.

He easily freed himself from being unjustly bound by his own countrymen (Judges 15:13).

On another occasion, Samson killed 1,000 Philistines with a donkey’s jawbone in Judges 15:14-15.

In Judges 15:18, he drank water from the rock at Lehi, similar to how God provided the Israelites water during their wilderness wandering.

In Judges 16:3, He uprooted the city gates at Gaza with his brute strength.

Overall, he was able to display incredible physical abilities. George Schwab adds:

“Feats of strength apparently characterized his administration as judge. The whole city was helpless when Samson was aroused.”

One of the things that made Samson strong, through God’s grace was being being consecrated from birth with what is known as the Nazirite vow.

This is a special commitment; a consecration made by a prophet or a leader. Along with Samson, John the Baptist took on the Nazirite vow.

The requirements of a Nazirite vow are given to us in Numbers 6:1-21. Among the many things they must be adhered to are the following:

No use of alcohol or anything from grapes.

Avoiding anything that would make one ceremonially unclean (i.e. animals, dead bodies, etc.).

Growing their hair to an exceptional length, as a sign of devotion.

A Nazirite vow could be any length of time.

Next we find that...

Samson made some questionable decisions, which led to his death.

Regrettably, it would seem that Samson lacked self-control, as plagues many men.

He made several decisions that could be seen as unethical for him, given his vow. For instance,

he married a Philistine wife in 14:4.

He sought the company of a prostitute in 16:1.

And finally, he allowed himself to be seduced by a money-hungry woman named Delilah 16:6.

One could argue, as does Gordon Hugenberger, that in each of these cases was a desire to subvert the Philistines. Although questionable, they were done with the ultimate goal of defeating Israel’s enemy.

Judges 14:3–4 ESV

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.

It is to this last figure that I want to spend our time thinking about today. Consider Judges 16:4:

Judges 16:4 ESV

4 After this he loved a woman in the Valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah.

What is puzzling is that Samson did these things after experiencing God’s great actions in his life.

On the other hand, Samson was a flawed man. For instance, he ate honey from a lion’s dead carcass. This would have made him unclean. He gave his parents some of the honey, which would have made them unclean.

He had several weaknesses and one of them was women. George Schwab states:

“The Delilah episode is not an isolated case. Love continues to be his weakness. In regard to the fair sex, he never seems to learn.” (Schwab, 166).

Michael Glodo states:

“Samson displayed his impetuousness further when he visited the Philistine prostitute in Gaza and allowed him to be seduced by the Philistine Delilah (16:4-22). Samson depicts Israel.” (A Biblical-Theological Introduction to the Old Testament, 195).

We must also see Samson as a warrior that fought on behalf of Israel. He was willing to do anything to defeat the enemy.

In operating in his covert way, his making use of a prostitute may have been an effort towards this.

In the end, he is tricked by the Philistine spy, Delilah, who must have been a beautiful lady.

Samson lied to her three times. But is he obligated to tell her the truth? Not if he’s joking with her. And not if he’s trying to subvert the Philistines.

The first lie was about being bound with fresh bowstrings. Samson snapped them with no trouble (Judges 16:7)

The second lie was about being bound with new ropes (no doubt thicker than the bowstrings). Samson likewise snaps them. (Judges 16:12)

The third lie regards his hair locks being tied with a web and a pin, a type of loom scenerio. Again, he overcomes these efforts to bind him. (Judges 16:14)

The fourth exchange, Samson finally tells his mistress the truth. He can be subdued if his hair is cut. And so, one night, he is sleeping on the lap of Delilah and she calmly cuts his hair very short, and thus, forces him to break his vow. And we see the effects in Judges 16:20-21

Judges 16:20–21 ESV

20 And she said, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” And he awoke from his sleep and said, “I will go out as at other times and shake myself free.” But he did not know that the Lord had left him. 21 And the Philistines seized him and gouged out his eyes and brought him down to Gaza and bound him with bronze shackles. And he ground at the mill in the prison.

George Schwab adds: “Blinding him was not so much torture as humiliation.”

When his captors wanted to make sport of him, blind and vulnerable, Samson prayed that God would avenge the injustice done to him:

Judges 16:28–30 ESV

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.

It is my understanding that they have done archeological digs in the area and have found evidence of such temples. Their meeting area is held up by two wooden pillars, that are no more than six feet apart. With an overload of people, more than the fire marshal would ever allow, would be the scenerio for an accident like this to occur.

Samson’s end was sad, but he also defeated many in his sacrificial death. In this way, he is like Christ, who saved us from the one who has the power of death, that is the devil. Samson secured the safety of many Israelites of his day. And so Christ saves us and preserves us from the power and guilt of sin through His death and resurrection.

Arnold and Beyer state:

“Samson’s faults are renown. As a rule these judges illustrate God’s grace and mercy for His people. But they are not necessarily examples of devotion to God.” (Arnold and Beyer, 159).

Samson gave his life, for his countrymen. And Jesus gave his life for us.

Conclusion

On May 2, 1962, Gladys Kidd placed a dramatic advertisement in the San Francisco Examiner, “I don’t want my husband to die in the gas chamber for a crime he did not commit. I will therefore offer my services for 10 years as a cook, maid, or housekeeper to any leading attorney who will defend him and bring about his vindication.”

Vincent Hallinan, one of San Francisco’s best lawyers saw the advertisement, felt pity, and contacted the woman. He took on the case and ended up getting the innocent man released from all charges. Afterward, the attorney refused the lady’s offer of ten years of service, noting that he was satisfied to have saved an innocent man from death.

One of the most touching shows of humanity is selfless love. Stories of kindhearted humans helping others with no kickback or reward offsets the grimness of news and gives hope of good in the world. Yet as Christians, we know a stronger kind of love, a love that gives the ultimate sacrifice.