The story of Samson makes for an interesting movie, but it’s not great for a Bible study. No one wants to imitate Samson. The best lesson from his life is not to have the same attitudes and actions as Samson.
After Samson lost the bet with the Philistine men, he killed several men in a nearby community to pay off his debt. Meanwhile, the father of his intended wife gave her to one of the men who had deceived Samson.
The next part of the story is recounted by the author of the book of Judges.
After a while, at the time of the wheat harvest, Samson went to visit his wife, bringing along a kid. He said, “I want to go into my wife’s room.” But her father would not allow him to go in.
Her father said, “I was sure that you had rejected her; so I gave her to your companion. Is not her younger sister prettier than she? Why not take her instead?” (Judges 15:1-2).
When Samson couldn’t marry the woman he wanted, he gathered 300 foxes. He tied their tails together, placed a torch between them, and set them loose in the Philistines’ grain fields, vineyards, and olive groves.
When the Philistines discovered what had happened, they asked who was responsible. The answer was Samson.
In retaliation, they did to Samson’s wife and her family what they had threatened if she didn’t get Samson to reveal the riddle. They burned her and her family alive.
The story of Samson is filled with revenge, anger, hatred, and destruction. It shows what happens when we try to solve problems our way instead of God’s way.
Even though Samson judged Israel for 20 years, he often acted out of self-will and self-centeredness rather than submission to God’s will.
Remarkably, God still used him because His plan was to judge the Philistines.
Reflections
I don’t watch superhero movies, but I’ve seen a few ads for them over the years. Superhero movies remind me of Samson. They use human strength, helped by some strange power, to defeat evil.
Some professional wrestlers have transitioned from wrestling to acting in movies. Professional wrestling is a lot like superhero films.
There’s always a villain and a hero. You never know if the hero will win because he’s almost defeated, but somehow he breaks free and triumphs, earning cheers from the crowd.
Movies about Samson have been popular over the years because they offer the same excitement and drama as professional wrestling and superhero films.
However, they are very different from the life of Jesus. Jesus didn’t win by being powerful and defeating his enemies. Instead, he won through self-giving love, offering his life on the cross to save us from our sins.
Jesus defeats his enemies by turning them into friends. Let’s do the same.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I discussed the story of Samson on YouTube today.
Real Voices 