Beginning of the End

Samson’s Strength Depends on Faithfulness to God

In due time the divine promise to Manoah was fulfilled in Samson’s birth. As the boy grew, everyone could see that he possessed extraordinary physical strength. As Samson and his parents knew well, this was not dependent on his good physique but on his status as a Nazirite, which was symbolized by his uncut hair. If Samson had obeyed God’s commands, his destiny would have been nobler and happier, but friendship with idolaters corrupted him. BOE 282.4

Since his hometown of Zorah was near the country of the Philistines, Samson started to mingle with them on friendly terms. A young woman living in the Philistine town of Timnath caught Samson’s interest, and he determined to make her his wife. His God-fearing parents tried to persuade him not to do this, but his only answer was, “She pleases me well,” so finally the marriage took place. BOE 282.5

Just as he was entering manhood, the time more than any other when he should have been true to God, Samson connected himself with the enemies of Israel. He did not ask whether he could better honor God when united with his chosen one. God has promised wisdom to all who seek to honor Him first, but there is no promise to those determined to please themselves. BOE 282.6

How often emotions rule in the selection of husband or wife! The two people do not ask counsel of God nor have His honor in mind. Satan is constantly seeking to strengthen his power over the people of God by leading them to unite with his followers. To accomplish this, he tries to arouse unholy passions. BOE 282.7

But the Lord has instructed His people not to join their lives with those who do not have His love living in them: “What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols?” (2 Corinthians 6:15, 16). BOE 283.1

At his wedding feast, Samson was brought into close social contact with those who hated the God of Israel. The wife betrayed her husband before the close of the feast. Furious at her treachery, Samson abandoned her for a time, and went alone to his home at Zorah. Later, when he changed his mind, he returned for his bride, only to find that she had married another. To take revenge, he destroyed all the fields and vineyards of the Philistines. This provoked them to murder her, although their threats had driven her to the deceit that started the trouble. BOE 283.2

Samson had already demonstrated his marvelous strength by killing a young lion by himself and by killing thirty men from Ashkelon. Now, moved to anger by the barbaric murder of his wife, he attacked the Philistines and struck them “with a great slaughter.” Then he retreated to “the rock Etam,” a safe place in Judah. BOE 283.3

The Philistines pursued him there, and in great fear the people living in Judah shamefully agreed to deliver him to his enemies. Three thousand men of Judah went up to take him captive. Samson permitted them to tie him with two new ropes, and he was led into the camp of his enemies amid demonstrations of great joy. But “the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him,” and he broke the strong new cords as if they had been flax burned in the fire. Then grasping the first weapon at hand, the jawbone of a donkey, he attacked the Philistines, leaving a thousand men dead on the field. BOE 283.4

If the Israelites had been ready to join with Samson and follow up the victory, they might have freed themselves from their oppressors, but they had become discouraged and had neglected the work God commanded them to do in driving out the heathen. Instead, they had united with them in their degrading practices, and had tamely submitted to shameful oppression that they might have escaped if they had obeyed God. Even when the Lord raised up a deliverer for them, too often they would desert him and unite with their enemies. BOE 283.5