SAMSON’S SAGA: GREAT FALL

But the Philistines took him (Samson), and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of brass; and he did grind in the prison house. Judges 16:21

REFERENCE
Judges 16:4-31

Samson’s name means the sun. The account of his life indeed reflects the rising and setting of the Sun. He began like the sun, rising from an obscure family, shinning in full strength as a hero, and on the last day of his life, as the sun set, it shot forth one strong ray as he pushed the pillars in the Philistine temple. After that, the sun set…it was extinguished…Samson died.

Samson is presumed to be the strongest man who ever lived. However, his great strength could not prevent his great fall, which was the consequence of his untamed passion and undue exposure to temptation. James 1:15 shows that sin brings forth death when it is fully grown. Just as a tiny hole can sink a big ship, one sin can destroy a great man. In what seemed to be a sudden twist, Samson the champion of Israel, became powerless before his enemies. He was made a sport in the temple of Dagon, the Philistine god. His enemies made him to grind grains. He lost his eyes, which had been the window through which sin entered him. Ultimately, he died prematurely; shortened his reign as judge and denied God a vessel.

The lesson here is: If you have a great calling, with great gifts and great passion, but you lack great discipline (care or caution), you may end up in a great fall.

Like Samson, we are all prone to falling when we do not respect the boundaries God has set for us, or when we think having great power gives us immunity to great temptation. Sadly, many who are lifted, helped, privileged and gifted by God today, may soon fall tomorrow. Reason: they disregard God’s boundaries – the counsel of His Word. How many ‘Judges’ would soon become slaves, because they can’t tame their passion? Many have lost God’s sweet presence and are not aware of it; their actions have driven the Spirit away, but they are unmindful of their loss, and don’t even bother about it. Their spiritual life grows weak, their gifts and talents wane, everything goes awry for them, yet they are not aware that they have gone far from God by their continual disobedience. Hence, they have lost their capacity for impact. They are so oblivious to this that they are not even seeking to rekindle their fire for God.

Samson’s saga shows us the importance of following God’s will and wisdom at all times, not our own lust and ungodly ways. He who must overcome satan’s stratagem must look to Jesus who triumphed over satan. Don’t get mistaken or deceived, you are who you are by God’s grace. If Samson had answered Delilah by saying that God was the source of His great strength, he would have prevented his great fall.

PHOTO QUOTE

ADDITIONAL STUDY
Romans 6:23, I Corinthians 10:12-14 & I John 2:1-6

REFLECTION

What useful lessons did you learn from this entire series?

In what areas can you apply these lessons to make your Christian experience more fruitful?