SAMSON THE MIGHTY FALLEN MAN

 (CONTINUATION)

B) Samson The Mighty Fallen Man

Samson fell when “the Lord had departed from him.”  - Judges 16:20

Samson lost four areas spiritually:

1.   He Lost his Strength – “weak like other men” vs. 17

2.   He Lost his Sight – “the Philistines put out his eyes” – vs. 21

3.   He Lost his Liberty – “in the prison house” vs. 21

4.   He Lost his Dignity – “he did grind” vs. 21

 

1. He Lost his Strength – “weak like other men” vs. 17

Samson fell and lost his strength. He was betrayed by a Philistine girl who he wanted to marry her.

Judges  16:17 “that he told her all his heart, and said to her, “No razor has ever come upon my head, for I have been a Nazirite to God from my mother’s womb. If I am shaven, then my strength will leave me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man.”

Jesus Was Betrayed

Jesus was betrayed also by his close friend, someone who had close to Him for three and a half years.  Judas Iscariot want to the Garden of Gethsemane and betrayed Jesus with a kiss. A kiss was a sign of affection, a sign of love.

Psalms 41:9 – “Even my own familiar friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted up his heel against me.”

2. He Lost his Sight – “the Philistines put out his eyes” – vs. 21

“Then the Philistines took him and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza. They bound him with bronze fetters, and he became a grinder in the prison. 22 However, the hair of his head began to grow again after it had been shaven.”

Matthew 13:16 Jesus said unto his disciples, “but blessed are your eyes, because they see, and your ears, because they hear.” (NASB) In the preceding verse 11 Jesus told his disciples “to you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven.” (NASB) Our spiritual eyes are blessed to see and our spiritual ears are blessed to hear.

Samson’s words to his parents: “Get her for me, for she is right in my eyes” (14:3). This phrase captures more than Samson’s attraction; it reveals the condition of his heart. Several verses later, the phrase is again repeated: “He went down and talked with the woman, and she was right in Samson’s eyes” (14:7).

  It is written in John 16:13 “but when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.” (NASB)

3. He Lost his Liberty – “in the prison house” vs. 21

“They bound him with bronze fetters, and he became a grinder in the prison”   The opposite is:

Isaiah 61:1 - “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, because the Lord has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the broken-hearted. To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;

4. He Lost his Dignity – “he did grind” vs. 21

PROVERBS 31:25-31

25 She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future. 26 When she speaks, her words are wise, and she gives instructions with kindness. 27 She carefully watches everything in her household and suffers nothing from laziness. 28 Her children stand and bless her. Her husband praises her:   29 “There are many virtuous and capable women in the world, but you surpass them all!”

Conclusion

Though Samson spent his life pursuing other gods, in the end he at last acknowledged the source of his strength: “God . . . please strengthen me,” and he became strong again (Judge 16:28).

Thus, Samson is named in Hebrews as an example of those who “through faith . . . were made strong out of weakness” (Heb. 11:33–34).

In the same way, all those who acknowledge their weakness and put their hope in Jesus will be saved, and will find their strength restored.

Benediction

May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through.  May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Thessalonians 5:23