Day 78

Stronger than Any Man, But . . .

Read: Judges 15-16

Samson was physically stronger than any man, but he was putty in the hands of any woman. When he went to get his wife back, he ran into all kinds of trouble. When he slept with a prostitute, it almost cost him his life. And when he surrendered to another pagan woman, Delilah, in the end it did.

How foolish Samson was! Couldn’t he see what was going on? Every time he told Delilah a lie concerning how he could be defeated, the Philistines attacked. The secret of his strength lay in his uncut hair, symbol of keeping his vow as a Nazirite, one especially dedicated to God. It is significant that the time before he told her the truth, he began making up a lie regarding his hair. He was like a moth which cannot resist the light which can burn it to death. He wasn’t quite there when he said his hair should be tied, but he was getting close.

Delilah says he doesn’t love her because he will not tell her the secret. Couldn’t he see that it was she who did not love him, since she kept calling in his enemy? Some say love is blind, but it is really lust that is blind.

Finally he tells her the truth, his hair is cut, and he becomes as weak as other men. When the Philistines come, Samson “did not know that the LORD had left him” (16:20). But he should have known! No one can disobey God and get away with it.

PRAYER
Father, open our eyes that we might see how we may be playing with some sin which can hurt us. In Christ. Amen.