Scripture Text: Judges 16:1-21
She made him sleep on her knees. And she called a man and had him shave off the seven locks of his head. Then she began to torment him, and his strength left him.
And she said, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” And he awoke from his sleep and said, “I will go out as at other times and shake myself free.” But he did not know that the Lord had left him.
Judges 16:19-20
The famous life story of Samson in the Bible was "Samson and Delilah." The author of the passage showed us a concrete example of God's presence departing from His people (Samson). "He did not know" (v 20d) was the most tragic statement in the OT. Samson was unaware that he had betrayed his calling. He had permitted a Philistine woman (Delilah) to rob him of the sign of his special consecration to the Lord. The Lord's champion lay asleep and helpless in the arms of his paramour.
And he told her all his heart, saying, “A razor has never come upon my head, for I have been a Nazirite to God from my mother’s womb. If my head is shaved, then my strength will leave me, and I shall become weak and be like any other man.” (Judges 16:17).
The moment Samson failed his covenant with God (Judges 13:5) and did his unrighteous action, immediately God had departed from him; that's why his strength became weak. It means that the source of Samson's strength was ultimately God Himself. And the result was that he was easily captured by the enemies (Philistines), and he suffered a tremendous consequence. The Philistines put his eyes out, took him to Gaza, chained him with bronze chains, and put him to work grinding at the mill in the prison (v 21). Remember the time when King Saul did evil works; immediately God's Spirit left him (1 Samuel 28:15).
God is faithful and true to His covenant for the sake of His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, and for the sake of His kingdom people both in the OT and NT. Those kingdom people obeyed God and faithfully did His will; that's why God's presence was with them during their lifetime (Like in the case of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, David, God's Prophets, Apostles, and faithful early Christians).
However, if kingdom people (including us) fail to obey God, fail to do His will, and fail to fulfill the covenant with Him, His presence will depart from us.
And the word of the Lord says: They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His might (2 Thessalonians 1:9).
Therefore, as believers-followers of our Lord Jesus Christ, we are reminded that obedience to God is of utmost importance with Him without any compromises. If we faithfully obey Him and heartily do His will, He will be with us forever!
Reflect
Which one do you prefer? God's presence or God's absence?
How do you think your life would be without God?
Remember
The ultimate source of our strength is God Himself. Seek the LORD and His strength; seek His presence continually! (Psalm 105:4)
Read
Philippians 2:12-13
Pray
Heavenly Father,
We praise You for the life of Samson, a testament to Your boundless strength and unwavering grace. Thank You for empowering him to fulfill Your divine purpose, despite his flaws and shortcomings.
We are grateful for the lessons learned from Samson's story – his triumphs and tribulations remind us of Your enduring love and mercy. May we draw strength from his journey, trusting in Your guidance and provision in our own lives.
Grant us the wisdom to discern Your will and the courage to follow it faithfully, just as Samson did. Help us to recognize the source of our strength and to use it for the greater good, always seeking Your glory above all else.
In Jesus' mighty name, we pray. Amen.
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