Character Studies - ElectronicGospel

Samsona character study by Jeff S. SmithIntroductionOne of the most romantic and human characters of the Old Testament is Samson. Like Homer’sOdysseus, we read of Samson being built up, but the end of his tale is marred by sin and tragedy. Whatlessons can we learn from Samson? The fuller the cup, the more easily is it to spill the contents. That is,the more we are blessed, the greater our responsibility. Samson was fatally flawed by worldliness andthough he accomplished great things in the scheme of God’s intentions for Israel, he was little better thanPharaoh or Nebuchadnezzar. It is only at his life’s end that Samson’s vow to God takes on true meaningfor him. Samson’s character is a lesson to us about flirtation with sin, the penalty of unfaithfulness and thetrue power of God.DiscussionI. The Text (cf. Judges 16)A. Samson’s Flirtation (Judges 16:1-14)1. Samson had been raised to fulfill the Nazirite vow, a consecration to God’s service, made evenmore special in that Samson was to begin to set the Hebrews free from Philistine oppression (cf. Judges13:5)2. like all the other judges before him, Samson was primarily a military leader, charged withdelivering Israel from bondagea. he was not chosen for his great piety or awesome intellect, but his physical prowessb. his faith does not even reach maturity until his bitter end3. much of his life is spent flitting from one woman to the next, often dallying with prostitutes tocelebrate his conquests on the battlefielda. in the Valley of Sorek, he meets a femme fatale named Delilah who sells Samson’saffection to the Philistines in return for silverb. her task is to find the source of his superhuman strength that he might be subduedc. Samson has no real feelings for her and so lies to her three times, flirting with what heconsidered to be a minor threatd. though he knows she is conspiring to destroy him, he never bothers to object or leavee. of course, he did manage to get his long hair done up in the process4. Samson’s spiritual immaturity led him to flirt with sin and temptation, not taking seriously thethreat of enticement and the soul’s great peril by sinB. Penalty For Unfaithfulness (Judges 16:15-21)1. with silver in her eyes, Delilah continued to pester Samson about the source of his strengthuntil he finally confessed that his vow to God as a Nazirite was it2. she knew him well enough by now to recognize the rare occasion in which he would tell thetruth and summoned her employers to come and take him3. with her own scissors, she removed his hair and his faithfulness to Goda. God departed from him because Samson broke his vow vicariously through revealing it toan enemyb. when the Philistines arrived, Samson leapt up to defend himself and then realized he wasweakened by God’s absencec. the mightiest man prior to Goliath had been felled and by a conniving woman, reduced tochains and slavery4. Samson is paying the price for spiritual infidelity (his vision blinded and his hands enslaved tothe service of the adversaryC. The True Power of God (Judges 16:22-31)1. Samson became a joke to the Philistines (the strongest man in Israel is our clown now2. his sin brought all Israel low and gave the pagans cause to praise their idols3. but Samson’s hair was beginning to grow again and with its return came a new understandingof the power of God and the importance of a vowa. in one last gasp, Samson acknowledges his Maker and prays for his helpCharacter Studies! 53