“By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies. And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak,Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets— who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight,” (Hebrews 11:31-34).
Samson seems an unlikely hero to be mentioned in Hebrews’ acclaim of the faithful. Of all the Old Testament prophets, Samson is probably most recognized for his spectacular failures. An angel announced his coming birth to his parents; his awesome strength was clearly a supernatural gift from God, yet at almost every point of the story of his life found in The Book of Judges, Samson was consistently disobedient. His infamous weakness for Philistine women proved to be his ultimate downfall. He also broke his Nazarite vows in numerous other ways besides sleeping with prostitutes and marrying outside the faith. He touched the dead body of a lion he killed, and he consumed wine - both against Nazarite vows. My bible commentary attributes Samson’s escape of God’s judgement until the end of his life as a testimony to the patience and grace of God. However, scripture itself tells us the reason for Samson’s continuing failures.
When Samson asked his parents for his first Philistine woman (from Timnah), his parents rightly protested for she was from the “uncircumcised.” The writer of Judges then goes on to say, “His father and mother did not know that it was from the Lord, for he [God] was seeking an opportunity against the Philistines,” (Judges 14:4). After each disobedience or failure on Samson’s part, disaster happens, and Samson has an opportunity to strike down 1000’s of Philistine men. Samson’s last act, after he has been blinded and enslaved, is to topple the Philistines God’s temple and eliminate the ruling Philistine class. Despite his repeated failures, Samson’s life was an amazing success. The Angel of the Lord (whose name is Wonderful) told Samson’s parents of the soon to be born baby’s mission. “He [Samson] shall begin to save Israel from the hand of the Philistines,” (13:5). If Samson had been an obedient Jewish boy, married the nice Jewish girl, and followed the law all of his life, it seems unlikely that he could have destroyed as many Philistines as he did or have had a more wonderful story to share throughout the generations.
Samson doesn’t seem like the best example of Godliness or faithfulness that the author of Hebrews could have used. We only hear him communicate with God once in his story, and it is to ask for personal vengeance against the Philistines for poking out his two eyes. An event which happened because of Samson’s blatant disobedience and stupidity.
Despite his many shortcomings and inability to learn, God honors Samson as a man of faith because Samson was an instrument in the hands of the Lord. A grievously faulty instrument that the Lord was able to use anyways. I find it strangely liberating that God’s plans to use my life are not dependent on my perfect obedience (especially since that doesn’t exist!) May all the Lord’s followers have the faith to believe that we are being used by God despite the sins and failures that beset us.
Amen.
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