And now in verse 5 we read, "For lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no razor shall come on his head; for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb; and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines."

Samson was to be a Nazarite and to be a Nazarite meant that he was a dedicated child. It also meant that he should be a total abstainer or teetotaller, that his hair must not be cut by razor or clippers. Samuel the prophet was a Nazarite, so was John the Baptist.
 

God had a plan for Samson

And now we come to God's purpose for Samson. The Scripture says that he would or should begin to deliver Israel. Yes God had a plan for Samson's life, just as He has for you and for me. He was to be specially trained by his parents and through that training he would recognise that his life was to be spent in the spiritual interest of Israel. It was clearly God's plan that Samson should have been a great spiritual leader of his people, just a Samuel in his day gave strong and steady leadership. Unfortunately, as Samson grew to manhood he refused to bring his life into harmony with the plan that God had for him. Samson's life and its mistakes should be a special warning to all young people, and old people too, to follow God's plan and not their own inclinations.
 

Samson went down to Timnath

Now let us take our first look at Samson. Judges 14:1 says, "And Samson went down to Timnath and saw a woman of the daughters of the Philistines."

You can see from this that Samson was a man who allowed his feelings to master him. I am sure there were plenty of nice young ladies in Israel, and yet he was casting his eyes on a pretty Philistine lass. Verse 2 says, "And he came up, and said, I have seen woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines; now therefore get her for me to wife." Samson was infatuated with this dark eyed pretty faced Philistine lass. He did not take into account the fact that she was unsuitable for a life companion.

Now you will remember that it was God's plan that Samson should deliver Israel from the Philistines. How could he do this when he intended to marry into his and Israel's enemies? The Saviour said, "Can two walk together unless they be agreed". Whether we are old or young, we cannot expect everlasting happiness unless we build on the right foundations. God tells us to keep within the fold and we will have a much happier home. Satan delights to have the people of God form courting relationships with his subjects. There are too many young people today who are like Samson, who are saying "she pleaseth me well".
 

Samson and the Lion

Well we will go a little further into Samson's life story. Verse 5 says, "Then went Samson down and father and his mother, to Timnath, and came to the vineyards of Timnath, and behold, a young lion roared against him." Verse 6 says, "And the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done."

This is an amazing thing. Samson disobeying God and yet demonstrating great power, supernatural power. Samson rejected the advice of his parents, he refused to be guided by right principles, and yet the Scripture says that the Spirit of God came upon him and he slew this lion.

I must confess that I have never been able to understand this in the past, but I believe that now I have the answer. God does His best to lead men along the path that He has mapped out for them. He pleads with men to follow the right, but He does not prevent a contrary choice. God could have an Angel to stop folk from drinking and every time they raised the bottle to their lips to take a sip, the Angel could dash the bottle to the ground. That would not be hard for God to arrange something like that, but He doesn't. And yet God does have a way of getting even unwilling men to do His bidding. That is what happened to Samson. God used incidents connected with the marriage to stir up Samson to do the work he was intended to do.
 

The Marriage Feast

At the marriage feast, Samson had the experience of feasting and fellowshipping with the people who were the sworn enemies of God's people. Samson evidently was very fond of riddles. In verse 8 we read, "And after a time, he returned to take her and he turned aside to see the carcase of the lion: and behold, there was a swarm of bees and honey in the carcase of the lion." Verse 14 says, "And he said unto them, Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness."
 

Samson's Riddle

Now at the wedding feast they could not give an answer to this riddle, for we read, "And they could not in three days expound the riddle."

It is right here that we are given a good reason why God did not want His people to mix or associate with these heathen Philistines. Firstly, they were worshippers of man made gods, they were of a cruel nature, brutal to the extreme. Verse 15 says, "And it came to pass on the seventh day that they said unto Samson's wife, Entice thy husband that he may declare unto us the riddle, lest we burn thee and thy father's house with fire." Rather than lose the wager, they forced Samson's wife to help them with threats. And they were no idle threats because later on they carried them out.

From that moment on, the wedding feast, instead of being a joyful occasion, became one of distress. The bride used tears and womanly cunning to try and drag from Samson the answer to the riddle. If Samson had of had any sense at all he would have realised right there and then that a Philistine wedding would only bring a lifelong state of misery and unhappiness. His wife proved treacherous. Verse 17 says, " And she wept before him the seven days, while the feast lasted and it came to pass on the seventh day, that he told her, because she lay sore upon him, and she told the riddle to the children of her people."

Samson was greatly angered at her treachery and he left her and went back to his home at Zorah. However thinking it over he decided to go back and claim his wife, but to his surprise and anger he found that she had married another man.
 

Samson and the Three Hundred Foxes

Samson in his anger did one of the cruellest things that I have ever read of, it was the time of the wheat harvest and the fields were as dry as tinder. Verse 4 says, "And Samson went and caught three hundred foxes, and took firebrands, and turned tail to tail, and put a firebrand in the midst between two tails." Verse 5 says, "And when he had set the brands on fire, he let them go into the standing corn, of the Philistines, and burnt up both the shocks, and also the standing corn with vineyards and olives."

This seems a horrible thing to do but we have to remember that God was not in this. Samson was acting from his own motives. It was a matter of personal vengeance. He had already proved that he was of a headstrong nature when he refused the wise counsel of his parents. Remember that God has a plan for each one of us, but He cannot force use to follow that plan. But as I mentioned earlier on, that He does use incidents to try and have us fulfill that plan.

Verse 6 says, "Then the Philistines said, Who hath done this? And they answered, Samson, the son-in-law of the Timnite, because he had taken his wife, and given her to his companion. And the Philistines came up and burnt her and her father with fire."

Now move by anger, by the barbarous murder of his wife, he attacked the Philistines and smote them. He inflicted a terrible revenge upon those who had participated in the burning of his wife and father-in-law.
 

Samson at the Rock Etam

Samson made his escape to the top of the rock Etam. It is right here that we have a very sad picture of Israel. Three thousand of Judah, his own people, went up to try and capture him so they might deliver him to their enemies the Philistines. Even though there were three thousand of them, they were still afraid of Samson because they asked him if he would allow them to bind him and return him to the Philistines. However Samson allowed them to bind him and be delivered to the Philistines. He was led into the camp of their enemies with great joy and shouts of glee.
 

The Jaw Bone of an Ass

But the shouts of triumph were short-lived, for in verse 15, "And he found a new jaw bone of an ass, and put forth his hand, and took it, and slew a thousand men therewith."

We are told that through his tremendous exertions he became parched with thirst. In that region the heat becomes intense especially in the harvest time. Water is in very short supply. If the Philistines had of brought up reinforcement now, they would have easily overcome him. By these circumstances God was teaching Samson that apart from divine help, he was powerless. This great victory was entirely due to God's help. Samson could not have got off that battle field in his own strength, and would have perished there and then unless God gave him aid.

By the way, there are only two records of prayers that Samson ever offered. It was here and at the time of his death that he prayed. And on both occasions God answered his prayers. What a pity that his prayer life was such a poor one. He might have been a mighty spiritual leader if he had been more spiritually minded. It is a good thing to call upon God in the day of trouble, but the tragedy is so many neglect him the rest of their days.
 

Samson and Delilah

To Samson, women were like magnets, he just couldn't help loving them. Chapter 16:4 says, "And it came to pass afterward that he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah." You would think that by now Samson would have learnt his lesson. The previous love match with the Philistine lass had brought great tragedy. But here he is, forming another attachment with an unbeliever. And I want you to notice this point. And if we gain no other lesson from the life of Samson than this, then that in itself would be sufficient. This is what brought about his eventual shame and ruin. Jesus warned us to be very careful on this point. On one occasion He said, "He who is not with me is against me."

The leaders of the Philistines came to Delilah and offered he a reward if she could find out, from what source his great strength came. Poor foolish Samson, day after day he was plied with questions from his new lady love. Chapter 16:6 says, "And Delilah said to Samson, Tell me, I pray thee, wherein thy great strength lieth, and wherewith thou mightest be bound to afflict thee." Verse 7 says, "And Samson said unto her, If they bind me with seven green cords that were never dried, then shall I be weak and be as another man." Delilah bound Samson and in verse 9 we read, "Now there were men lying in wait, abiding with her in the chamber, And she said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson, and he broke the cords as a thread is broken with fire."

As we read the narrative it is evident that Delilah was at him every day although it is possible that she waited a few days so that he would not become too suspicious. Samson gives the impression of incredible stupidity. Any man in his right senses would have realised that he was being trapped. Samson would have put an end to here questioning by leaving her and returning to his own home. The real trouble with Samson was not so much that he was stupid, but that he was controlled by sensual infatuation. Eventually he told Delilah his secret. In verse 20 we read, "And she said, The Philistines be upon thee Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he wist not that the LORD was departed from him."

It is a terrible thing when the Spirit of God leaves a man or a woman. That person has no hope in the future to come, nothing to look forward to but the terrible judgments of God.

Now I want you to see what happens to Samson the moment the Spirit of God leaves. Verse 21 says, "But the Philistines took him 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." They put out his eyes. That is rather appropriate punishment. He had been allowing his eyes to direct his life, what he saw he wanted. Jesus warned us that if we have an offending member then we ought to cut it out or control it or else it will ruin our chances of eternal life.
 

Samson put on Exhibition

Samson was put on exhibition. He was made to grind corn. Special tours were conducted through the prison so that his enemies might see their hated enemy at close quarters. Verse 25 says, "And it came to pass, when their hearts were merry, that they said, Call for Samson, that he may make us sport. And they called for Samson out of the prison house; and he made them sport: and they set him between the pillars."

Yes, here was Samson. Blind and in chains he looked a piteous sight. All around he was surrounded by his enemies. They laughed him to scorn. They spat upon him. And who was to blame for his position? Yes, he was to blame!
 

Samson prays

As he listened to the Philistines praising their god Dagon for the victory over himself, he began to realise what a disgrace he had brought upon the Name of God. Taking hold of the two great pillars upon which the house was supported, he prayed that God would help him. And with a tremendous effort he pulled at those great pillars. Verse 30 says, "And Samson said Let me die with the Philistines. And he bowed himself with all his might: and the house fell upon the Lords, and upon all the people that were within. So the dead which he slew at his death were more than they which he slew in his life."

Physically Samson was the strongest man that ever lived. But in self control, he was one of the weakest of men. If he had been true to the call of God he would have ended his life in honour and greatness. Samson's life was recorded in order that we living down in these Gospel days might take heed and benefit from his example. Remember that God has a plan for you and He has a plan for me. I do not know what God's plan is for your lifework but I do know that it is God's plan that each one of us should enter into the Kingdom. So let nothing stand in the way for the fulfilling of God's plan. So one day soon each one of us will have the joy of seeing Jesus face to face.