Samson’s strength
The story of Samson and Delilah is one of the greatest love stories of betrayal in a relationship. The strongest man in those times was a Nazzarite. Although there were other Nazzarites in those days, God chose Samson for a special purpose. God gave him superhuman strength to deliver his people because they were too afraid of standing up and fighting for their freedom. He came for healing as a miracle of barrenness in a Danite woman. Samson with his strength killed 1000 Philistines with a donkey’s jaw. He pulled the city gates off its place with hinges and all at midnight while the men slept near the gates and put them on a hill. Samson became reckless with his purpose and engaged in sinful acts.
His disregard of consecration to God was revealed after he killed a lion and took honey and ate and gave it secretly to his parents without their knowing (Jdg14:9). It was a violation of the Levitical law that prohibited Nazirites from touching corps. He married a Philistine woman against his parent’s wishes and his people’s customs. His actions towards sin shed light on Samson’s relationship with God and why his powers left him.
Judges 16:17-19
17 That he told her all his heart, and said unto her, There hath not come a razor upon mine head; for I have been a Nazarite unto God from my mother’s womb: if I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man.
18 And when Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent and called for the lords of the Philistines, saying, Come up this once, for he hath shewed me all his heart. Then the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and brought money in their hand.
19 And she made him sleep upon her knees; and she called for a man, and she caused him to shave off the seven locks of his head; and she began to afflict him, and his strength went from him.
What made Samson strong and weak was being pressured out of him by the enemy. Samson faced three main trials of which he countered with lies and failed. He teased Deliaha that they tied him with seven vines, and then with new ropes, he would lose his strength and become weak, but that did not work. Finally, he began to reveal where his strength was, on his head. They weaved his seven locks with a web and that did not work. He opened his heart to Deliaha and revealed where his weakness was, on his hair. Like Samson, we have strengths and weaknesses and the enemy searches them out to dismantle and strengthen them.
Depending on our relationship with God we can either become strong or weak. We can become stronger in God when we draw close to him (Ja4:8), choose to do what he asks of us (Jh14:7), and encourage one another to follow him (1The5:11). The enemy wanted Samson to reveal what made him weak to exploit it. God had other plans for Samson. Once Samson understood that his strength did not come from his hair, he had the greatest victory ever; He killed 3,000 Philistines in one day. Being weak and fragile paves the way for the power of God (2 Cor. 12:9-10). For when I am weak is when I am strong said the apostle Paul.
Judges 14:9
9 And he took thereof in his hands, and went on eating, and came to his father and mother, and he gave them, and they did eat: but he told not them that he had taken the honey out of the carcase of the lion.
James 4:8
8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
John 14:7
7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.
1 Thessalonians 5:11
11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.
2 Corinthians 12:9-11
9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.