Because she nagged him day after day and pleaded with him until she wore him out, he told her the whole truth and said to her, “My hair has never been cut, because I am a Nazarite to God from birth. If I am shaved, my strength will leave me, and I will become weak like any other man.”     Judges 16:16-17 NKJV

The history of Samson can be found in Judges chapters 12-16. Samson was a Nazirite from birth, as he told Delilah in our Scripture passage. The Lord told his parents that they would have a son after they had been barren for many years. The Lord also told them to adhere to the laws of the Nazarite, which included no wine or vinegar, nothing from the grape vine, they were not to go near a dead body, and they were not to cut their hair. John the Baptist was also a Nazirite from birth. This is the only similarity the two men share.

When we read about Samson in chapters 12-16, it seems as though he thought he could disobey God and get away with it. He might have been physically strong, but he was spiritually weak.

In these four chapters, we see Samson break his Nazirite vows time and time again. The secret of his strength was in his Nazirite vow, but the source of his great strength was the Holy Spirit of God. Warren Wiersbe points out that the Bible doesn’t tell us that his physique was described as being any different from that of any other man. Nowhere in Scripture does it describe him as a giant or as a very large man.

Samson, however, had a problem that many of us deal with today, me included. We tend to forget where our help comes from. Psalm 121:1-3 says, “I lift my eyes toward the mountains. Where will my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to slip; Your protector will not slumber.”

There are several times in the history of Samson where Scripture says the Spirit of the Lord came upon Him or directed him. Philippians 4:13 tells us we can do all things through Christ, who strengthens us. When God calls us to do something, He gives us the strength needed to do it.

God gave Samson incredible physical strength. Did God know that Samson would misuse his strength? Did God know that Samson would violate his vow and disobey God and stir the Philistines to anger? Of course He did. Warren Wiersbe points out that God was using Samson to harass the Philistines and prepare them for the sure defeat that would be coming in a few years.

Samson’s lust for Philistine women would lead him to Delilah, who would be his undoing. Delilah would eventually get him to tell her where his great strength came from. She would have his hair cut while he was sleeping, and he would be captured by the Philistines.

They would put out his eyes, bind him, and make him a grinder in a prison, but his hair would begin to grow. Isaiah 40:31 says, “But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.” Psalm 23:3 says, “He renews my strength. He guides me along the right paths, bringing honor to His name.”

While the Philistines were gathered offering sacrifices to their false god, Dagon, they had Samson brought out to perform for them. Samson prayed to God to give him the strength to take vengeance on the Philistines, and God did. With one blow, Samson brought down their temple, killing himself and approximately 3,000 Philistines.

Samson’s disobedience brought about great pain and humiliation for him. But in one final effort, he killed 3,000 enemies of the Lord.

Our strength and our help come from the Lord. We must never forget this. We must trust in Him and obey Him. We must allow Him to guide us on the right path. And we must remember, He will not allow our disobedience to go unpunished.

Have a great day!