Bible Discussion Thread

Prayer: The story of Samson

This series is very sobering and has caused me to feel the burden of the individuals involved. We had the prayers of Japheth where there was the bittersweet reality of victory on the battlefield along with his painful vow to God that had to be fulfilled; then all that Hannah went through with the ridicule from her husband's second wife Phineas (if I have spelled that right); AND Eli the Priest. Now we have perhaps the most tragic situation yet; Samson's last prayer which basically; you could say was having God cause his death which was like a suicide but of course was for a greater cause; namely the greatest vindication of all the episodes when he had avenged himself on the Philistines.

In the first two cases we don't read of anything wrong except for the manner in which Japheth's vow was done without much forethought. Samson; on the other hand was attracted to foreign or "strange women" who were used to satiate his carnal desires of which no doubt he attributed some of the supernatural strength which the Lord gave him to accomplish his purposes.

At first he married Timnah as we see in Judges chapter 14. This probably didn't last very long as he was caught up in anger; and his wife nagged him to where he broke down and answered a riddle that he had. Later he wanted to sleep with his wife again and apparently the father thought he hated her and he gave her to his best man from the wedding. There was another revenge attack setting fire to animal tails; then the Philistines thiemselves killed his wife and her father. Eventually his own people cooperated with the Philistines probably sensing that being under their control that Samson had gone too far; Samson was once again victorious in battle with the famous jawbone of a donkey scene. Finally; of course Delilah caused a similar thing; that is nagging until Samson revealed the source of his strength; was overcome and in his misery gave his life for one final act of revenge.