As if things couldn’t get any worse for Israel, they continued to be their own worst enemies. The downward spiral of their national and spiritual life sank deeper under the leadership of Samson. He followed six other judges after Gideon’s, but he accomplished less than any of the others.
Israel had continued to do evil in the sight of Yahweh, and as a result He gave them into the hands of the Philistines again, this time for forty years. But true to His character, Yahweh raised up a deliverer named Samson, a man specifically chosen, gifted, and blessed by the Spirit of God. On the surface, Samson was endowed with many abilities and opportunities, more so than any other judge who preceded him. However, the narrator of the book of Judges paints a picture of an impressive young man who, in many ways, failed to lead his nation or follow the agenda of Yahweh.
As the story unfolds, it becomes clear that Samson, with such hope and promise, chose to rebel against his family and God’s calling on his life in order to pursue his own self-centered interests. He had no regard for God’s claim on his life as he married a woman outside of the nation of Israel, an act strictly forbidden by Yahweh. This act of disobedience would lead to conflict, highlighting the interplay between divine sovereignty and human motives. Samson operated all on his own, motivated by lust and power. But all along, Yahweh was still in control, using even a lion as an agent of His sovereign authority.
As part of one of his vengeful escapades, Samson tied lit torches to the tails of three hundred jackals and sent them in the wheat fields at harvest time, essentially destroying the local economy. As Samson’s enemies attempted to capture him, the text states that the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon him, enabling him to escape. But, Samson retaliated again, using the jawbone of a donkey to kill one thousand Philistines. In the form of a victory song, Samson exclaimed how he had accomplished this feat on his own. Exhausted from the fight, he surprisingly cried out to Yahweh. But his prayer was only an attempt to verbalize his accomplishments and his needs—he was thirsty and needed protection from his enemy.
Judges chapter 16 unfolds like a spy movie—with a heroic male lead, a female agent, money, love, death, and ironic twists. Samson continued to be his own worst enemy, first as he indulged in a prostitute and then as he let himself be seduced by a Philistine woman named Delilah. He exhibited extra-human physical strength fighting men, but virtually no strength at all when it came to women. This was due, in part, to him not taking his strength or his special calling seriously. Even toward the end of his life, most likely in his forties, he flippantly relied on his own power and ingenuity. Delilah continued to seduce him into divulging the secret of his physical strength, and ultimately, he gave in. After his enemies shaved his head while he slept, the text says Samson didn’t even know that Yahweh had left him.
His strength was gone.
Samson’s final, climactic act occurred in the temple of Dagon in front of thousands of people, including the governors of the Philistines. Samson, with eyes gouged out, cried out to Yahweh one last time. But true to character, he centered the prayer on himself— “remember me,” “strengthen me,” “let me get revenge,” “my two eyes, and “let me die” (Jgs 16:28). Summoning his remaining strength, Samson pushed over the main support beams, causing the temple to collapse and killing himself along with his enemies. He ironically accomplished more in his death, in terms of preserving the nation of Israel, than he did in twenty years as their deliverer.
Samson in many ways mirrored the nation of Israel as a whole. Samson, like Israel, did everything possible to destroy himself. But God, Who was rich in mercy and faithful to His promises, saw to it that Samson wasn’t ultimately successful. Yahweh’s gracious intervention— something Samson seemed almost unaware of— was the only real positive feature in Samson’s life. God was at work through Samson to preserve His name and His cosmic mission of grace on behalf of His people.
And the same is true today. We might act like we are the masters of our fate, but God’s hidden providence is always at work behind the scenes of our lives, even when we disobey, sin, and nearly destroy ourselves. Part of wisdom is realizing this bigger picture that we are a part of, which can put our current circumstances in perspective.
The life of Samson is one of great tragedy. He was blessed with so much from God yet squandered it away in self-centered pursuits. He didn’t take his gifting seriously but rather lived by what he considered right in his own eyes. His morality consisted of doing unto others as they had done to him, a common worldly philosophy today. He had no thought of God’s people or agenda. He was only concerned about using his power to try and manipulate God to get what he wanted. Samson also demonstrated little respect for women, seeing them as objects to be exploited and controlled. Sadly, his profile sounds eerily similar to many business and political leaders in our times. This is the prevailing business culture that many of us operate in each day, one driven by money, lust, and power. What an opportunity we have as the people of God to offer something different.
[Written by Dr. Bobo Beck, author of Wisdom Calling and host of The Wisdom Calling Podcast, where he helps Christian professionals think more critically and live more strategically, all from a wisdom-based perspective. This discussion is adapted from Volume 1/Devotional 25, Profile of a Wasted Life, which is part of the Wisdom Calling devotional series. For more information, visit www.wisdomcalling.org.]