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- Preaching the Living WORD through
the Written WORD - 2 Tim 4;:2 - |
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SAMSON’S LAST STAND Judges 16:22-31,
1/15/14 Grace Bible Church,
Gillette, Wyoming Pastor Daryl Hilbert I. SAMSON’S HAIR BEGAN TO GROW (22) A. [22] After being seized and having his
eyes gouged out, Samson was brought down to Gaza. There he was chained and
worked the menial task of a grinder (21). From a literary sense, here the
Bible indicates a change in the plot. Samson’s hair, the very object that
removed his strength, began to grow back. The very symbol of Samson’s
Nazirite dedication began to thicken during months of servitude. B. It may have also indicated a change in
Samson’s heart. However, it is more likely that we see a change in occasion
for God. II. THE PHILISTINES CHAMPIONED OVER SAMSON AND
GLORIFIED DAGON (23-25) A. [23-24] The Philistines had great
“rejoicing” (simchan - gladness of heart
and soul, joy, cf. Ps 5:11) in the captivity of Samson. To them it was an
affirmation of the strength and protection of their god. Such an occasion was
an opportunity for them to make a “great sacrifice” (large number of
sacrifices) unto their god. According to their perspective, it was Dagon who
delivered Samson, “the destroyer of their country,” into their hands. 1. Dagon, which may mean “fish,” was the
Philistine “fish-god” (depicted as half fish, half man). He seems to have
been the father of Baal, as well as a god of fertility in the blessing of
crops, animals, and offspring. 2. The Philistines set the ark of the Lord
before their god Dagon. When they woke in the morning, the image of Dagon had
fallen face down with its head and palms cut off
(1Sa 5:2-5). 3. When the Philistines came upon king
Saul’s dead body, they stripped him of his armor and fastened it to the image
of Dagon (1Ch 10:8-10). B. [25] In the midst of their festivities,
Samson was summoned from prison to “amuse” (sachaq
- laugh often by sport and mockery) and “entertain” (taschaq,
to stand and amuse) them. Imagination can only supply what the hatred of
the Philistines might have done. But mocking and humiliation had entertained
some 3,000 men and women. Samson had become a tragic contrast. He went from
the riddling deliverer to the ridiculed dunce. However, he was about to bring
the house down, for they placed him on a stage between the supporting
pillars. III. SAMSON’S LAST PRAYER AND FEAT OF
SUPERNATURAL STRENGTH (26-30) A. [26] To add to Samson’s humiliation, he
was led around by the hand of a young Philistine boy. So, Samson asked the
boy to place his hands on the supporting pillars (“on which the house rests”).
Perhaps in one last riddle, Samson asked to lean on the pillars. The boy, no
doubt, took the meaning that Samson wanted to merely rest from his routine.
But Samson intended a more strenuous leaning. A Philistine temple was
typically a long inner chamber with two major pillars supporting the roof. Though Samson was blind, he surely remembered the
structure of the temple when he was in Gaza before (Jdg 16:1). B. [27] Samson had a full house. The leaders
of the Philistines were present, along with notable Philistine guests. There was about 3,000 in attendance, both men and women, who
were being entertained by their subdued prisoner. C. [28] At that moment, with the most
theological importance, Samson called to the Lord. This is the only time we
read of Samson praying for strength (He had prayed for water at Lehi, Jdg
15:18). It was significant that he called upon the Jewish covenantal name of
God, Yahweh (“LORD”). The One who departed because of Samson’s disobedience
(Jdg 16:20), was the One who Samson called upon in humility. 1. Samson began his prayer with “Lord God”
the same name that Gideon used (Jdg 6:22). “Lord” is Adonay
and has the root meaning of pedestal, base, or pillar. It emphasizes
foundational strength, the true source of Samson’s strength. “GOD,” here, is Yahweh,
the eternal Self-Existent One. 2. In humility, Samson does not demand of
God, like he did with his parents (Jdg 14:2). Rather, he asks that God would
“please remember” him. 3. In humility, Samson asked for strength
from God. No longer does Samson look to himself for strength. 4. He asked God for strength so that he
could avenge himself against the Philistines for taking his eyes. We would
not be wrong in saying that Samson’s prayer was a self-serving prayer.
However, we are a little more inclined by the text to say that Samson, though
physically blind, was beginning to gain spiritual sight. That is, now
Samson’s personal goals were finally aligning with the God of Israel. That
is, to bring divine judgment upon the enemies of God and Israel. D. [29-30] After praying, Samson grasped the
two middle supporting pillars of the temple. He braced himself between the
pillars with his hands on each one. At the same time, he cried out, “Let me die with the Philistines!” 1. This was not with the intent of suicide. Samson had no way of
knowing if God would supernaturally deliver him as He had in the past against
a lion or a thousand Philistines. It was actually the heroic act of the faith
of one willing to give his life for his God and his people. 2. Samson bent with all his might either to
wedge himself between the pillars or else to push them over. In either case,
God restored Samson’s supernatural strength one last time (Jdg 16:28). The
pillars gave way and the temple collapsed and fell on all who were in it. 3. In this last great deed, Samson killed
more Philistines (3,000) than he had killed throughout his life (30 in Ashkelon, Jdg 14:19; and 1,000 at Ramath-lehi, Jdg
15:14-17). E. [31] The city was disseminated because its leaders and many
people of the community were killed. This became obvious because Samson’s
brothers had no fear in retrieving Samson’s body from the Philistine city.
Samson’s body was taken back home and was buried between Zorah and Eshtaol in
the tomb of his father, Manoah. With a sense of restored honor, it was
mentioned against that Samson judged over Israel for 20 years. IV. OBSERVATIONS AND APPLICATIONS A. No matter how heroic Samson may have been,
the impact of the consequences of his cannot be overlooked. Samson’s failure
gave rise for God’s enemies to rejoice. From their perspective, Samson’s
failure became the glory of their god Dagon. When Christians fail, the world
takes the opportunity to glory in its belief systems. At the least, they have
occasion (even if wrong) to claim their beliefs are no worse than that of
Christians and that Christianity is no better (sometimes worse) than the
world. In addition, it becomes an opportunity for the world to ridicule
believers, Christianity, and especially God. Indeed, sin (especially moral
impurity as in Samson’s case) and its consequences mar the glory of God
before men. Though God forgives sin, like Samson, some testimonies,
ministries, and churches cannot be fully restored to its original glory. B. Samson finally learned humility, but only
after a tragic fall and with little time to apply it. Humility is the key to
being used by God (Jm 4:10; 1Pe 5:6). When believers take the credit for
anything that God is doing or has done in the life of a believer, a false
message is being proclaimed. In that case, the believer is glorying in what
appears to be his own strength, gifts, and accomplishments. God will soon
show him whose strength the believer stands or falls. In fact, the stark
reality is that even in our best efforts, God still uses us in spite of
ourselves, with our sin and inabilities. “Let him who boasts, boast in the
Lord” (1Co 1:31). C. Nevertheless, no matter how far a believer
falls, no matter what the consequences, or what the marred testimony, the
Lord will not abandon his children. He will never stop working in them. He
will never stop attempting to mature them. He will never stop desiring to use
them in some capacity. Though Samson’s sin and failures will never be
forgotten, his renewed faith and greater service will always be remembered.
It gives hope in God in the worst case scenario. Even in failure, our God is
able to restore, reuse, and in some case use that failure to reach many who
might never have been reached otherwise. Our God is a God of truth, righteousness,
and holiness. But these attributes are never independent of His love, mercy,
and grace. In our great God of second chances, we have hope,
we can always hope, do not ever have to lose hope. |
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