Samson and Delilah
Matthias Stomer, 1639
We have entered the season of Lent, and for many Christians, this is marked by a vow to give up something that they enjoy during the 40 days before Resurrection Sunday. According to the doctrine taught, this vow is also to be accompanied by prayer, penance, mortifying of the flesh, self-reflection and spiritual preparation. As the Cardinal of New York explained, the outward activities are only an indication of an inward change. It is what goes on in the heart that has the true importance, he said.
Whether you observe Lent in this traditional manner, or not, it is a good time to examine our own hearts as the remembrance of the atoning crucifixion, and the celebration of the resurrection of Christ approaches. For me the story of Samson and Delilah has an important message for us.
Samson was a Nazirite. Nazir in Hebrew means consecrated. An angel appeared to Samson's mother, who is unnamed in scripture, which is interesting. She and her husband, Manoah ("rest"), had no children because she was barren. Manoah was from Zorah (hornet, wasps; root meaning:to be leprous, to scourge, to strike down, stricken and smitten by God-see Isa. 53:4). The angel told the woman that she would have a son, and she was to refrain from wine or any product of the grape, for her child was to be a Nazirite from the womb. Yes, God knows us and destines us before we are even formed in our mother's womb. In spite of what some may believe, the life of man is divinely created and ordained (Ps. 139:13-16), and it is created with the light and life of Christ. That light and life in each of us is meant to overcome the darkness. (Jn. 1:4-5). Back to our story.
When the woman's son was born, he was never to take a razor to his hair, according to the instructions of the angel. This would be his Nazirite vow. He was to remain in that vow his until his death (Judges 13:1-7, 13-14). Although he was identified as an angel, the person who appeared before Samson's mother might well have been Christ, because when asked his name, he replied, "Why do you ask My name, seeing it is wonderful?" Isaiah tells us that one of the names of the Son, the Christ, would be "Wonderful" (Isa. 9:6). Also, Manoah declared regarding the "angel", "We shall surely die, for we have seen God." (Jud. 13:22).
It would be through Samson's consecration that he would be able to judge Israel.
The judges of Israel were an office provided by God. They were raised up when an enemy would overrun the land and afflict God's people. The enemy was often able to overrun the land because God's people forgot Him, and lived in sin. This certainly reflects our time also. We have forgotten God, and the spiritual enemy has overrun our land.
The judges were gifted by God in ways that would allow them to lead the unarmed people to miraculous victory over those oppressors, and bring deliverance to God's people. In Samson's case, his Nazirite vow of consecration endowed him with great strength. He destroyed many Philistines and their sources of wealth-their vineyards, grain, and olive trees- which made the Philistines determined to destroy Samson (Jud. 15:5). Samson's life and calling were impacted by his obsession for Delilah. Delilah was from the Valley ("to divide for a possession") of Sorek ("choice vines, choice grapes; root word: to hiss, to whistle as a signal used to call, bright red as piercing to the sight"). Everything about her was a challenge to Samson's consecration. Delilah pestered him into telling her the secret of his strength, which was his consecration, or Nazirite vow. As a result, the enemy found out his secret, and they thought they had at last found the way to rid themselves of Samson's interference. They cut off Samson's hair and his eyes were gouged out. He lost his strength, and he spent his days blind, grinding at a millstone, and in chains. That is not the end of the story, but more later.
The name Samson in Hebrew is Shimshon, which means "like the sun, glittering, shining upon pinnacles and shields"; it refers to the rising of the sun rather than its setting because it is associated with the eastern direction (which is also associated with antiquity or eternity). The meaning of his name is associated with openings such as windows, that allow the sunlight to enter. It is also associated with the notched battlements of a fortress. As we can see from his name, Samson represented a great ascending light, the light of battle and defense.
Delilah's name in Hebrew means "to make feeble, pining with desire, weak". The root meaning is "dried up, brought low, not equal, emptied, impoverished, made thin, languish, hang down, to be oppressed, also to hang down like a bucket that removes water from a well".
As we consider the names of the two people involved, the great promise of Samson's life, his purpose as a light of deliverance, was challenged by something that was specifically purposed to draw something away from him, to enfeeble him, to draw him low, to oppress him, as it also impoverished and oppressed God's people and the land.
The judges of Israel were a fascinating lot, but they are not only relegated to the Old Testament. Isaiah wrote that the judges would be restored by God:
"I will restore your judges as at the first, And your counselors as at the beginning. Afterward you shall be called the city of righteousness, the faithful city. Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, and her converts with righteousness.” Isa. 1:26-27
The impact of judges in their office, as you can see above, has a wide sweeping effect on peoples and cities. Just as the judges of old were equipped by God for their calling, Jesus told us, "Behold, I have given you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you." (Lk. 10:19). However, this is made possible because of our connection with Christ in the fact that our names are written in heaven (v. 20). Again, this shows us our divine creation and purpose. We are from above, in Christ, not beneath (Jn. 8:23, 1:12-13). How does our New Testament judgeship, ridding the land of the enemy, work?
Paul tells us that our warfare is not carnal against flesh. Our weapons also are not carnal, but spiritual. We have indeed been called into a deliverance warfare against the enemy, but that warfare begins in us. It begins in our own minds and with our own obedience:
"For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when our obedience is fulfilled." 2 Cor. 10:3-6
The importance of victory in that spiritual warfare is not just for our benefit, but for the benefit of many. There is a song entitled, "Making War in the Heavenlies", and it's a great song, but the victory in the heavenlies begins on a much smaller scale- within us. Just as the enemy put Delilah across Samson's path to destroy his consecration and derail his judgeship, so also the enemy places similar disruptions in our path, disruptions that appeal to us. Those distractions and disruptions "pester" us, returning again and again. How do we overcome the continual challenge to our New Testament judgeship?
The accuser of the brethren is cast down, and salvation and strength comes as,
"... they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death". Rev. 12:10-11
In understanding this scripture in the context of the story of Samson, the blood of the Lamb is our consecration. The Lamb of God was slain before the foundation of the world (Rev. 13:8), and we were consecrated in Him before we were formed in our mother's wombs:
"For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
Rom. 8:29-31
The word of our testimony, which is the Word of God in us, is our Nazirite vow. Concerning our not loving our lives unto the death stated above, as we will see, to Samson, his purpose as a deliverer and his service to God as a judge in Israel was more important to him than his own life.
Though captured, blinded and enslaved, Samson's hair grew back. His Nazirite vow was of the type that, like the re-growing of hair, would continue until his death. In the last moments of his life, Samson's strength returned as his hair grew, and he asked God to let him move in his Nazirite consecration and purpose once again. Samson pulled down a whole stadium containing the enemies who had come to mock him, and the God he represented. Samson destroyed more of the enemy in his death than he had during his whole life (Judges 16:28-31).
Our judgeship is not about destroying flesh enemies as it was in the Old Testament, but in the pulling down of spiritual strongholds through our obedience in Christ. We cannot allow those things that the person of Delilah represents to abort our purpose, trying to cut off the ascending light of Christ in us, or to hold God's people in captivity to impoverishment, oppression and enfeeblement.
Our Father has called us to be part of His Light of Deliverance.
