Samson

SAMSON

A Study of His Character and Purpose

His Story: Judges 13-16

Samson - "Little Sun"

Time Period (Approx.) - 1161 B.C. to 1120 B.C. (41 years)

Family - Manoah (Father), the woman (Mother), Delilah (girlfriend/wife)

Best Known For: His physical strength as a judge of Israel and his slaying of many Philistines. He was a man of many
compromises, but God accomplished His intended purpose through Samson's life.

Outline of Samson's Life

I. Manoah and his wife were visited by the angel of the LORD, told of Samson's birth, and instructed them that he would
be a "Nazarite for life." (13:1-23)

II. Samson was born (13:24)

III. Samson seeks a foreign woman, sleighs a lion (breaking his vow), and eats honey from the carcass without
informing anyone at home. (14:1-9)

IV. Samson put forth the riddle of the lion and the honey to his 30 groomsmen, was deceived by his foreign bride-to-be,
slew 30 Philistines to pay the debt of the riddle. (14:10-20)

V. Samson, enraged because his fiancé was given to another man, burned down the Philistines' fields with 300 foxes
and firebrands. After the Philistines retaliated, he killed them all in a great slaughter. (15:1-8)

VI. For fear of the Philistines, the men of Judah delivered Samson to them. With the jawbone of a donkey, Samson slew
1,000 Philistines. God then provided water from the jawbone so he would not dehydrate. (15:9-20)

VII. Samson lays with a harlot; the Gazites seek to kill him, but he carried the gate of their city to the top of a hillside
(16:1-3)

VIII. Samson falls in love with Delilah, who betrays him to the Philistines for silver. She shaves his head and he loses
his strength. (16:4-20)

IX. The Philistines blinded Samson and made sport of him. In one last exertion of strength and faith, God allowed
Samson to pull down the pillars of the house of Dagon and thousands of Philistines were killed. (16:21-31)

N.T. References

Hebrews 11:32 - Samson was listed in the "roll call" of faith.

Lessons to be learned from Samson

1. Samson had a definite purpose in life given from heaven, and so do we. (13:5)

2. Our purpose in life will be performed more perfectly and to our enjoyment if we consecrate ourselves to God. (13:4-5)
(Nazarite Vow)

3. Samson had a great strength outwardly, yet was weak inwardly and it brought great tragedy in his life. (14:2-3)

4. All sins in our life will have negative consequences. Samson's weakness was women and his temper, both of which
hindered him greatly in his life. It makes us foolish and we act against our best judgment.

5. No matter how much strength we have, we are still utterly dependent upon God. (15:9-20) (16:20-21)

6. God will get His purpose from our lives whether by life, or by death. (16:30)

7. Samson, in a great act of faith, sacrificed himself for love of God and country (and maybe a little revenge too : )
(16:28-30)

Let's learn from Samson's example to submit ourselves to God and yield to the purpose He has for our lives. We need
to be careful not to allow Satan's allurements to dissuade us from performing what God has for us to do.