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 Judge Samson Disobeyed God’s Command

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Bible verse : Judges 16:19(NIV)
Having put him to sleep on her lap, she called a man to shave off the seven braids of his hair, and so began to subdue him. And his strength left him.

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Israel’s judge Samson had superhuman strength. The reason is because he kept the special command given by God. As long as Samson kept God's commands, God always gave him great strength. Samson's strength was so great that he could kill 1,000 Philistine enemies at once with the jawbone of a donkey. Because Judge Samson was guarding Israel, the Philistines did not dare attack them.

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The kings of the Philistines were looking for an opportunity to capture Samson. Samson fell in love with a woman named Delilah. She lived in a place called the Valley of Sorek, and Samson spent much of his time with her there. After hearing this news, the Philistine kings attempted to learn the secret of Samson's power through Delilah.

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The Philistine kings visited Delilah and lured her by offering a large amount of money. “Find out what makes Samson so strong! Entice Samson and find a way for us to capture him and tie him up! Then we will give you 1,100 shekels of silver.” Delilah was persuaded by their words that they were giving her a large sum of money, and she said that she would do as they told her.

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Delilah wanted to know how she could hold Samson in place, so she asked Samson, “Tell me why you are so strong. “How can I tie you up so you can’t move?”

Delilah said to Samson, “Just tie me up with seven bowstrings that haven’t dried. “Then I will become weak like a normal person.”

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The kings of the Philistines brought seven bowstrings that had not dried as requested by Delilah. They also hid the Philistines in another room without Samson knowing. Delilah tied Samson's sleeping body with seven bowstrings that had no dried.

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Delilah woke Samson with a loud voice and said, “The Philistines have come to get you!” When Samson heard that the Philistines were coming to capture him, he easily cut the seven bowstrings that were tying him up, as if cutting a burnt thread. Samson lied to Delilah about the secret of his power.

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Once again, Delilah told Samson to reveal the secret of his strength.

Samson said to Delilah, “Just tie me up with a new rope that has never been used before, and I will become as weak as a normal person.” Delilah tied the sleeping Samson tightly with a new rope that had never been used.

This time, the Philistines were hiding in another room.

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Delilah said to Samson, “Samson! They have come to catch you. “Then again Samson cut the new rope as if he had cut a thread. Again, Samson did not reveal to her the secret of his own strength.

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But Delilah did not give up on finding out the secret of Samson's strength.

Thirdly, Samson said, “If you mix the seven locks of my hair with the warp thread of the loom, you will weave it.” He said. When Samson fell asleep,

Delilah did as Samson had told her and weaved seven strands of his hair with the warp thread of the loom and pinned them to the ground. But this time, when he heard that the Philistines were coming to capture him, he got up and pulled out the stakes and the loom.

This time too, Samson did not tell Delilah the secret of his strength.

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Although she was deceived by Samson three times, Delilah did not give up and kept telling him to tell her the secret of his strength. Samson, who could not endure Delilah's sanctification, ended up revealing to her the secret of his God-given strength.

“I have never cut my hair before. I am a person dedicated to God as a Nazarite.      If I shave my head, I will lose my strength and become as weak as a normal      person.” Samson told Delilah the secret that God gave him strength.

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Delilah sent a message to the kings of the Philistines and received the money they had promised her. And she made Samson sleep on her own knee. She had people shave off seven strands of her Samson's hair after he fell asleep.

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Delilah shouted at Samson just like before. "Samson! “The Philistines have come to get you.” Samson woke up and tried to exert himself as before, but he had no strength. Samson was captured by the Philistines without being able to do anything.

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The Philistines, who succeeded in capturing Samson, gouged out both his eyes. They took Samson to their land, Gaza, bound him with copper chains, and put him in prison. They made Samson grind grain in prison. Samson, who lost the strength that God had given him, spent his days in a Philistine prison being treated like an animal.

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When Samson kept God’s commands, he was the object of the Philistines’ greatest fear. However, when he could not overcome the temptation and disobeyed God's command, he became the object of ridicule from the Philistines.

The moment Samson, a Nazarite, shaved his head and disobeyed God's word,

God could not be with him.

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Just as Samson was chosen to be a Nazarite, we are also chosen to be children of God. When God's children keep and practice God's words, they will have great power like Samson. This is because God is with His children who keep His Word. God is always with them and helps them overcome any difficulties. We must be careful not to act foolishly like Samson. I hope that we will always remember that Satan is trying to trip us up and that we will become God's children who never fail by acting according to the Word of God no matter what.  

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