Character Studies - ElectronicGospel

Character Study of Samsona character study by Jeff S. SmithIntroductionSamson is a complicated character. He is almost the Bible character you hate to love. His flaws andweaknesses are so readily demonstrated that it begins to seem as if God made the wrong choice and yet heso completely redeems himself in the end that it all becomes clear.Samson was a judge, one of the last before Samuel, and a Nazirite of the tribe of Daniel The Hebrewwriter includes him in his chapter of impressive characters of faith, in spite of so much obvious carnality,because faith dwelt deep in his heart and came forth at just the right time. Samson is still known today asa man of prodigious strength, but most of that energy was committed to the destruction of the Philistineswhom he hated passionately because they oppressed Israel for 40 years. “He was good-natured, sarcastic,full of humor, and fought with his wits as well as with his fists.” 42DiscussionI. His CharacterA. His Name1. Samson’s legendary name is probably derived from a Hebrew word for the sun, meaning “littlesun,” “sunny,” or maybe “sun-man”2. his home was near Bethshemesh, which means “house of the sun” and introduces the stature ofSamson very early in his life 43B. Childhood1. Samson’s biography occurs in the Old Testament book of Judges, which details the lives ofmany of the people who served as Israel’s leaders in between Joshua and the kings2. Samson’s father, Manoah, and his wife, lived in a sickening era in Hebrew history, in whichevery man did what was right in his own eyes, and when periods of national fidelity were relatively brief,frequently interrupted by widespread apostasy and divine deliverance into the hands of the Philistines orsome other unbelieving enemy3. Samson, like Isaac, Samuel and John, was a child of prayer born to a formerly barren womb,apparently kept shut until the time was right for a very special firstborn son in God’s employ as adeliverer (Judges 13:1-14)a. Samson would be a Nazirite, a special class of consecrated servants who took vows eitherfor a specified time or for life to separate themselves from wine and strong drink, haircutting, and corpsehandlingb. in the midst of widespread lawlessness, Samson and the other Nazirites were supposed tobe examples of faithfulness; specifically, Samson was born to deliver a penitent Israel from the hands ofthe Philistines, a warmongering people who had settled upon the southern coast of the land of Canaan4. and so the message of the Angel of the Lord came to pass (Judges 13:24-25)C. Adulthood1. unfortunately, Samson appears to be one of the least sanctified people imaginable, evenpreferring to marry a Philistine instead of a Hebrew, but it was a case of God using a man’s naturaltendencies for divine purposes (Judges 14:1-20)2. Samson,who appears to be a friend of the Philistines, having married one, grows in his hatredfor them (Judges 15:1-16)3. then, Samson went to a Philistine city called Gaza and went into a harlot, escaping thePhilistines who laid in wait to kill him by taking hold of the doors of their gate and the two posts andcarrying them a quarter of a mile up to the top of the hill that faced Hebron (see Judges 16:1-3)4. and then one of his noted episodes is recorded, permanently etching the name of Delilah uponthe history of seduction (Judges 16:4-22)5. with Samson defeated, the plan of God to deliver them through his might appeared to beundonea. in this way, Samson is typical of Christ, the antitype who appeared to be defeated at thecross and in the tomb, but we all know how that turned out for the adversaryb. his hair symbolized the source of his strength, which was some level of fidelity to Jehovah,Character Studies! 175