Faith & The Victorious Defeat
Hebrews 11:32-34 & Judges 16:4-6, 18-30
Main Idea: God has faithfully provided salvation for us through one man’s victorious defeat.
I. A Problematic Judge (16:4-6, 18-21)
Samson, the final judge of Israel, was to be a Nazirite “from the womb to the day of his death” (Jdg. 13:7). A Nazarite vow (Num. 6) meant an individual was consecrated & set apart for the Lord & included:
Abstaining from drinks from the “vine”
Avoiding contact with the dead
Growing out hair for the length of the vow
Samson was as weak morally as he was as strong physically. When he is not saving Israel, he is being Israel; he constantly does “what is right in his own eyes,” is driven by the “lust of the flesh and the pride of life” (cf. 1 Jn. 2:16), and continually disregards his Nazirite vow.
Samson foolishly leads Delilah closer and closer to the secret of his strength until it is too late; he has been so seduced in his sin that “he did not know that the Lord had left him” (16:20). His sin ends up blinding and binding him, which is always the trajectory of sin unchecked.
The life of enduring faith acknowledges the seductive nature of sin, sees the end result, & turns away in repentance from it’s devastating consequences.
II. A Promise-Keeping God (16:22-27)
Despite the sin of Samson, his presumption of strength & God’s favor, and his disregard for his Nazarite vow - “the hair of his head began to grow again” (16:22). This important for 2 reasons:
1. The Philistines are Foolish
They assume that they have conquered Israel’s mighty champion & that Dagon, their ‘god,’ has delivered him into their hands. They do not consider what Samson’s hair represents about his relationship with God
Isaiah 42:8: “I am the Lord; that is my name;
my glory I give to no other,
nor my praise to carved idols.”
2. The Lord is Faithful
Samson’s hair growing back is a reminder of God’s grace that always runs deeper than we can imagine. Underneath all of the rebellion of Israel & the sin of Samson, the Lord remains faithful at every turn to his promises and his people.
“[The Philistines] knew nothing of the God who does the unexpected, whose strength is made perfect in weakness, and who never breaks his word. [They did not know] that God had said years before that Samson would be a Nazirite ‘to the day of his death’ (13:7). His abandonment of his servant at the time of his capture could not but be temporary. The promise was bound to hold, however Samson might despise it. There is grace abounding to the chief of sinners.” ~ Michael Wilcock
God’s faithful plans are not thwarted by the sinful actions of his judge nor the sinful contentment of his people. He will “never break his covenant” (Jdg. 2:1) and even “if we are faithless, he remains faithful” (2 Tim. 2:13).
III. A Prophetic Death (16:28-30)
The mighty Samson has been humbled and humiliated in this final scene of his life; he is doing the work of a woman or a slave (grinding flour), is blinded, and is being brought out for mockery & entertainment. But in this state of weakness, Samson exercises faith for maybe the first time.
“The Samson narrative begins with a strong man who is revealed to be weak, but it ends with a weak man who is stronger than he ever was before” ~ David Jackman
Despite his massive flaws, perhaps no other single OT figure sets the stage for Christ as Samson does. Consider their striking similarities:
Births are announced by angels & miraculous
They are both rejected & handed over by their own people
Experienced betrayal by someone they loved
Were put on display for entertainment & asked to perform
Acted as saviors alone
They both up crushing their enemies in a victorious defeat
