The Bible has a lot to say about Samson. Four whole chapters (Judges 13-16) are devoted to a character study of this strong man. Everyone remembers what the Bible says about Samson’s strength, but the biblical record says a lot more about this leader of ancient Israel. Samson is a study in contrasts. We see his tremendous feats of physical strength on the one hand and his obvious spiritual shortcomings on the other. He was strong but weak! God has included this account about Samson in His Word, not just that we may stand in awe at the strength of the world’s strongest man, but that we may learn the lessons recorded here. As Romans 15:4 tells us, “Whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction.”

His Judgeship
Samson lived during the period of the judges. In fact, he was the last judge of Israel before Samuel. Soon after Samson’s death, Saul was anointed by Samuel as Israel’s first king. The period of the judges was not a time of spiritual growth in Israel’s history. The people had gone downhill since the days of Moses and Joshua. Disobedience was the reason. A “do your own thing” attitude characterized the age of the judges. Judges 17:6 and 21:25 say that “every man did what was right in his own eyes.” God permitted Israel’s enemies to oppress and defeat them because of their sin. Periodically during these dark days, the Israelites cried out for help. God then graciously raised up a judge to deliver them. But soon after being delivered, they turned their backs on the Lord again and sunk back into idolatry and immorality.

Against such a backdrop Samson came on the scene – during a time of Philistine oppression. From the start he had everything going for him. If ever there was a candidate “most likely to succeed,” it was young Samson. In Judges 13 we learn that he came from a solid home with parents who believed and worshiped the Lord. Furthermore, he was designated by God to deliver Israel from the Philistines (13:5). Victory was guaranteed. What more could one ask? And then there was Samson’s physique. Not only did God bless him with physical strength, but good looks as well. An ugly Samson couldn’t have had the “success” he had with Philistine women! On top of all this, God blessed him and the Spirit of the Lord was at work in his life (13:24-25). Given all this, how sad to read of his tragic end: “The Philistines seized Samson and gouged out his eyes; and they brought him down to Gaza and bound him with bronze chains, and he was a grinder in the prison” (Jud. 16:21 NASB). Instead of delivering Israel, Samson delivered himself to the enemy. How could this happen to the one who had everything going for him? What went wrong?

His Downfall
It doesn’t take much insight to discover the key to Samson’s downfall. It is found over and over again in Judges 14-16. Samson had no self-control. He could not govern his passions. What he wanted, he wanted now. “Not Thy will but mine be done” was Samson’s motto. For example, look at Samson’s uncontrolled passion in Judges 14:1-4. He saw a beautiful, pagan, Philistine woman and wanted her. His selfish response to his parents’ godly counsel was, “Get her for me, for she looks good to me.” Decisions made only on the basis of looks and pleasure are usually a sign of very little self-control. Look also at Samson’s weakness with Delilah in Judges 16. Because of his selfish “love” for this ungodly Philistine woman, he gave her the secret of his strength and his soul as well: “He told her all that was in his heart” (16:17). The unbelievable magnitude of Samson’s weakness is seen only when it is realized that he had three clear warnings of what was coming (16:8-14). How blind could Samson be, especially when Delilah had told him openly why she wanted to know his secret: “Tell me where your great strength is and how you may be bound to afflict you” (16:6). How important for a Christian not to fall in love with an unbeliever. Love can be so blind that we do things we never dreamed possible – things against all common sense. What a mess we can get into if we fall in love with a “Delilah.” No wonder God’s Word warns against marriage between believers and unbelievers. (2 Cor. 6:14).

Breaking The Vow
Step by step Samson let his lack of self-control take over. He had taken the Nazarite vow as a youth, but one by one he was breaking the rules because of his undisciplined, selfish life. There were several rules to be kept by the Nazarite: no drinking of wine or strong drink; no eating of anything produced by the grape vine; no cutting of hair; no touching of dead bodies; no mixing with anything which would affect his separation unto the Lord (Num. 6). Samson broke every one of these rules because of his uncontrolled selfish desires. The vineyards of Timnah (14:5) in Philistia was the last place Samson should have been, let alone marrying a Philistine, which was against God’s command for any Hebrew (Dt. 7:1-6). Then Samson defiled himself by touching the dead lion’s carcass (14:8-9). Instead of taking the necessary steps for cleansing, Samson made light of his violation by making it part of a riddle (14:14), of all things! And where did Samson present his riddle? At a feast for Philistines, where strong drink was the custom (14:10). At the beginning of chapter 16 we find Samson making love not just with a Philistine, but with a Philistine prostitute. Uncontrolled passion took priority over his vows. And finally there was Delilah and the Philistine razor! How could Samson do this?

But what about Samson’s great feats of strength against the Philistines? Even here we find him using his God-given strength for his own ends. Trace the record of Samson’s mighty displays of strength and you find that in every case his motive was basically selfish and not for God’s glory or the deliverance of Israel. Even at the end, when the Lord granted Samson his last request (16:28-30), there is no record of repentance on Samson’s part – only a somewhat selfish request, “that I may be avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.”

A Lesson To Learn
There is a powerful lesson for Christians in all of this. We too may have a lot of God-given potential, but we may also throw it all away because of no self-control. Like Samson, we may come from a solid Christian background where we were taught the precepts and principles of God’s Word. But like Samson, we may turn our backs on that clear teaching because we want to do our own thing and go our own way. Like Samson, we may have it all together physically – strength, good looks, talent, etc. But like Samson, we may take our God-given looks and abilities and use them to indulge in selfish pleasure and passion. Even our spiritual gifts can be misused because of selfish interests and ambition. Without self-control, a Christian with great potential strength will be as weak as Samson. Control of our selfish desires is extremely important and necessary in the Christian life. Peter tells us to use all diligence to add self-control to our faith (2 Pet. 1:5-7). Galatians 5:16-23 assures us that more self-control is available for us and is given to those who make the things of God their top priority. Do you need more self-control? How are your priorities?

In spite of Samson’s lack of self-control, God still used him (Jud. 14:4,19; 15:14). And Hebrews 11:32 assures us that Samson had faith. All of this should be an encouragement to us who so often act selfishly like Samson. God can still accomplish His purposes through us, but how much greater to be yielded to His control and realize our full potential.

By David Reid