24 of 35 Samson – Story of Adam to Jesus
One judge in particular stands out.
Judges 10:6-7,10,14,16, 11:29,32
The Israelites again offended the Lord, who delivered them into the power of the Philistines for forty years. Judges 13:1
An angel of the Lord appeared to [a] woman and said to her, “… you will conceive and bear a son. … this boy is to be consecrated to God from the womb. Judges 13:3-5
The woman bore a son and named him Samson. Judges 13:24
When [Samson was grown, a soldier fighting for Israel,]… the Philistines came shouting to meet him, [and] the spirit of the LORD came upon him: … Near him was the fresh jawbone of [a donkey]; [Samson] reached out, grasped it, and with it killed a thousand men. … Samson judged Israel for twenty years in the days of the Philistines. Judges 15:14-20
… [Samson] fell in love with a woman … whose name was Delilah. The lords of the Philistines came to her and said, “ Beguile him and find out the secret of [his] great strength … We will each give you eleven hundred shekels of silver.
So Delilah said to Samson, “Tell me the secret of your great strength…” Judges 16:4-6
She importuned him continually and vexed him with her complaints till he was deathly weary of them. So [Samson] took her completely into his confidence and told her, “No razor has touched my head, for I have been consecrated to God from my mother’s womb. If I am shaved, my strength will leave me, … Judges 16-17
She had [Samson] sleep on her lap, and called for a man who shaved off [Samson’s] … hair. Judges 16:19
… [Samson’s] strength … left him. Judges 16:19
… the Philistines seized [Samson] … and bound him … Judges 16:21
Understand, this was NOT magic! It was one of the rules for Nazirites. Back in the Book of Numbers …
The LORD said to Moses: “… When a man [or a woman] solemnly takes the Nazirite vow to dedicate himself to the LORD, … no razor shall touch his hair. Until the period of his dedication to the LORD is over, he shall be sacred, and shall let the hair of his head grow freely. Num 6:1-5
As long as Samson was dedicated to serving God and was working with God, God gave Samson great strength. Letting his hair be cut broke Samson’s Nazirite vow. When Samson broke his vow and stopped working with God, then God stopped giving Samson great strength. After being captured, Samson remembered this. Rededicating himself to God …
… the hair of [Samson’s] head began to grow as soon as it was shaved off. Judges 16:22
The lords of the Philistines assembled to offer a great sacrifice to their god Dagon …
(Ignoring how they had bribed Delilah,)
they said, “Our god has delivered into our power Samson our enemy.” … [the Philistines] called Samson from the prison, … they stationed him between the columns. Judges 16:23-25
Samson cried out to the Lord and said, “… Strengthen me, O God …” [Samson] pushed hard, and the temple fell upon … all the people who were in it. Judges 16:28-30
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