Scripture

When he woke up, he thought, “I will do as before and shake myself free.” But he didn’t realise that the Lord had left him.

Observation

Samson falls in love with a woman named Delilah. The Philistine rulers come to her and offer to pay her to entice Samson to reveal the secret of his strength.

At first, Samson lies to her about this. But after much pleading and nagging, he reveals that his hair has never been cut for he was dedicated as a Nazarite from birth. If his head is shaved, his strength would leave him.

Delilah tells the Philistines that she has finally got the truth. She lulls him to sleep with his head in her lap, and then she cuts off the seven braids of his hair.

Samson wakes up and thinks he will shake himself free as before, but the Lord has left him. The Philistines capture him, gouge out his eyes, and put him in shackles. Before long Samson’s hair begins to grow back.

Application

Eventually Samson’s character lead him into bondage. He is tricked into allowing his head to be shaved. When the Philistines come to capture him, he thinks “I will just shake myself free as I did before.” He didn’t realise that the Lord had left him.

When we sin repeatedly in any area of our life, we allowed satan and his demons to take over that part of us. We become addicted to the sin whether it be lust, greed, or power. What we don’t realise is that it is the Holy Spirit who gives us the power to shake ourselves free. We can get to the place where, like Samson, the power of the Lord leaves us and we are in bondage to that sin.

Captivity to Satan is not the end of the story. This section ends with the hopeful words, “but Samson’s hair began to grow back.”

Prayer

Thank you Lord that you do not abandon us entirely to sin, unless we completely abandon you. Please help me to stay away from captivating sin and make me strong in times of temptation. Amen