Scripture

So he killed more people when he died than he had during his entire lifetime.

Observation

The Philistines hold a great festival, offering sacrifices to their god Dagon. They celebrate the great victory that Dagon had given them over Samson.

They bring out Samson to amuse them. Samson asks the servant who brought him out to place his hands on the pillars supporting the roof. Samson prays to the Lord to restore his strength one last time. Then he pushes against the pillars, and the roof of the temple comes crashing down.

Samson killed more people in his death than he had in his entire lifetime. His brothers and relatives come and bury him with his father.

Application

Samson was raised up by the Lord to rescue Israel from the Philistines. His lust for foreign women and his self-centeredness really made him far less effective than he otherwise might have been.

Samson with a man of great physical strength, but he lacked integrity, and this was his undoing.

In the end, he fulfilled God’s purposes for him, but in a tragic way. The epitaph on his life was that he killed more people in his death then he had in his entire lifetime.

I think of the summary of other people’s lives in the Old Testament that they died “full of years.” These people lived for God. They were not perfect, and some sinned quite spectacularly. Yet they remained faithful to the Lord.

In many ways, Samson’s life was wasted, or at least misdirected. It ended in unnecessary tragedy.

Prayer

Lord God, may my life fulfil all that you have for me. Please keep me on the right track with you. Amen