Bible Discussion Thread

I read the story of Samson. His sins seem not very grievous but God departed from him. Is my conclusion right? The only sin I can notice is the visit to the harlot and eating the honey from the carcass of a lion.

Hi again Kayode , this is my second reply to your comment . I think what I am trying to say is , that Samson believed that it was his obedience to his Nazarite vow in not cutting his hair , he thought that that is why God gave him the strength . He thought that God was rewarding his obedience , in other words he thought he was earning his strength as a reward for being obedient . He trusted in himself and his own works . Once he had been humbled by the treatment of the Philistines toward him he finally realised that God didn't stop loving him because he told Delilah about his hair . He learned to trust in God's love for him and mercy towards him . He had faith again and realised that all he had to do was ask God for help and God would help him , hair or no hair . There is a lesson for us all in there I think . We all sin . God didn't leave Samson , Samson thought that God had left him because he felt that he had betrayed God . He placed to much importance on his hair and his own works and not enough importance on the love of God who is ready to forgive us all when we fail to do what we think we should do . I think I've waffled on about this a bit too much now . I hope you can understand me , I'm not a teacher , as you can probably guess .

Hi Kayode , Samson is an interesting man . When I was a babe in Christ I thought that Samson was a great big muscley man . It's only when we read carefully and pay attention to the words that we realise that he was not . If he was a big strong man the philistines wouldn't have been asking about where his strength came from . He looked like everyone else . When we read the New testament we often hear Jesus say something like ' according to your faith you are healed ' or ' because you believed you are healed ' . Samson believed that his strength came from the fact that he had obeyed his Nazarite vow and had never had his hair cut . Judges ch13 v5 , Samson believed that his obedience to God in this matter is why God gave him great strength . After he tells Delilah his secret about his strength coming from his hair he feels enormous guilt , he feels he has betrayed God . He completely looses his confidence and isn't able to be strong any more . At the end of his life , Samson realises that God gave him the strength , it wasn't in his hair , it was in his faith toward God . When he humbles himself and asks God to make him strong again God does , judges ch16 . He commited suicide . The writer of these events is very non judgemental , he gives us the facts without condemning Samson . It isn't our place to judge him either . I hope I have explained this clearly , it's just my opinion , others may disagree , may God bless you .

Kayode olatise Samsons biggest error was giving away a secret that was between Him and God in regards to His hair because that is where his strength came from. When he divulged info to delilah he sealed his fate.

An interesting note Judges 13:5 For thou shalt conceive and bear a son and no razor shall come upon His head [they are very specific instructions from the angel to follow] for the child shall be a nazarite unto God from the womb: and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.

Who else is the area of nazareth of Galilee mentioned only to deliver all people who choose to believe for all time. Its incredible how much Information from the angel was given to manoah and his wife on what to do with the child from verse 5 to verse 20. Another remarkable record of God delivering Israel His Way. In His Service