1Samson went down to Timnah and saw there a young Philistine woman. 2When he returned, he said to his father and mother, “I have seen a Philistine woman in Timnah; now get her for me as my wife.”
Remember Violet Beauregard, the little self-centered girl in the movie “Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory?” She was the bubble gum chewing boldie. The one that kept bossing her father and mother around? They took it from their little darling, but Willy Wonka did not! It did not end well for that kid. She ended up being defeated in the contest and being sung to by the ‘Umpma Loompa’s; “that girl needs better manners.”
Reading about our hero Samson, I was reminded of her. He was an only child for a while, and Manoah and his wife may have had Samson when they were older. They knew before his birth that he would be a special child as an ‘angel of the Lord’ came to announce his conception, and how they should raise him differently than most boys. His hair was not to be cut and he was to be raised as a Nazarite from birth to death. And they did.
It turns out that when Samson got older, he had a real hankering for women…one in particular. He demanded that his parents ‘get her for him.’ That sure would not go well with today’s woman, but, Manaoah was able to get the Philistine woman for Samson. As Samson became busy with his own projects, his ‘first love’ was ignored. Clearly he was not ready for a marriage commitment. His wife’s father, looking out for his daughter, married her off to another man. Different rules back then, and no divorce lawyers! Samson kind of forgot about her and expected she would be there when he was done with his exploits. He definitely was not used to not getting his own way, so a temper tantrum of massive proportion ensued! He burned the grain, the vineyards and the groves of the Philistines. His wife was a Philistine. As a result, when the Philistines found out, they went and killed Samson’s wife, and her father! You can read it in the Bible in Judges 15. I can’t make this stuff up! Parent’s of young children, learn from this, kid’s cannot have everything they ask for!
Samson doesn’t learn his lesson. He finds a harlot, (not a good choice). She was kind of an opportunist, and the Philistines knew this and paid her to find out what made Samson so strong. They knew he had a weakness for women and thought she might be able to trick it out of him. Well, she tried, but he did stand his ground, for a few attempts anyway. After the Philistines came running when she called them, why didn’t he realize he was being set up? It wasn’t until Samson tells her the real truth about his strength; he was a Nazarite and his hair had never been cut, that he is captured by the Philistines. They cut off his braids, and his strength is gone. They gouge out his eyes and chain him up in a cell leaving him there, blinded and weak.
It is amazing what a little bit of solitude and dependence on others will do for someone. Thinking time did Samson some good too! Maybe he thought about how his parents raised him to be a Nazarite. Nazarites were ‘separated from the world and consecrated to God’ by a vow. He was not to drink wine, or any fermented drink, not touch a dead body, and not cut his hair. While he kept his hair uncut, he had not always kept the other parts of the vow, (see Judges 14:9).
Finally it appears that the spoiled ‘boy’ grew up and decided to get back on the right track. When a celebration occurred at the Temple, Samson asked to be taken there. Remember he is blind, they have him chained, and he may have even lost some strength in prison with little do do. But…God had been working in him! His hair grew back, and he knew the only way he could take out these evil Philistines, was to loose his own life! He was now ready to give God his all. Judges 16:18 describes the request Samson gives the Lord; just let me avenge the Philistines for my two eyes and return my strength for this day.
His request was granted. When Samson was escorted to the Temple he requested a spot where he could reach both of the supporting columns. He pushed on them, and the Temple came tumbling down, along with 3,000 of the evil Philistines!
It is unfortunate that Samson was not able to learn this lesson before his eyes were gouged out. In reality, he had to be blind before he could see what the Lord wanted to do with his life.
This is a real ‘super hero’ story in the Bible to tell children, but there is more than meets the eye (pun intended). When we relate Samson to our own lives, do we just see the world with our ‘natural’ sight, or can we look beyond what is seen to the bigger picture God is painting in our world right now. Just something to ponder.
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