Judges 15 Commentary
One can decide to focus on the awesome strength of Samson and never get disappointed. Imagine the strength of a single man who rounds up a pack of 300 foxes!
Most men will have problems catching one chicken! It took three thousand men from Judah to ask him to surrender to the Philistines. And how happy he was to have yet another opportunity to avenge himself on the Philistines.
The story of Samson tells us a lot more than just the escapades of a morally weak but physically strong man. Of course, there is an important message that physical strength can always be outdone by moral weakness.
But the meat in the message is that with the LORD, Israel is as strong as Samson. One would put a thousand to flight. The LORD demonstrates the vast possibilities available to Israel if Israel lives a life of dedication to the LORD.
The many things wrong with Samson are the many things wrong with Israel.
This chapter records three battles and consequently three moments of victory for Israel. We notice that these attacks are one-man attacks. This in itself reflects Samson’s lack of leadership sense.
In the Book of Samuel, we shall see how the Philistines built a successful military team around Goliath. But Samson is Samson. His strength doesn’t become Israel’s. Samson is a very good example of how one should not use one’s gift.
Look at the battles again. Look at the strength of Samson. Israel was going to be completely free of enemy oppression had Samson possessed even a pint of substance in him.
Our individual talents can achieve more if packaged with the right ambition. Who doesn’t feel bad about Samson’s wasted gift?
Remember the purpose of Samson’s birth. “He will take the lead in delivering Israel from the hands of the Philistines.” So far, Samson has been everything else but Israel’s deliverer!
The nation of Israel was equally culpable. Wasn’t there a talent in their midst that they could have used to build a strong military machinery? How we deploy the gifts available in our fellowships determines how far we go.
How so many things can go wrong at the same time is truly amazing! Humanity must synchronize failure for failure to be failure. How you wish Samson were a Deborah – genuinely interested in the welfare of the nation! How you wish the nation responded like they did during the time of Jephthah, looking for a man to lead them against the nation’s enemy!
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