Soap - Delilah, and Jesus

S: ...But he did not know that the Lord had departed from him.

Judges 16:20

O: On three occasions, Delilah attempted to find what Samson's strength was and betrayed him with every revealed "weakness" Samson fabricated. On her fourth try, she finally got him to reveal his weakness and after shaving his head, Samson was humiliated before the very Philistines he had conquered with a jawbone of a donkey. They gouged his eyes out and he was left to be made a spectacle of.

One thing that stands out to me is how Samson endured Delilah's obvious attempts to capture and subdue him. Did he love her that much? Samson obviously suspected her of treachery, due to the fact that he lied to her three times, and yet-what good did anything come out of staying with her?

Samson made terrible choices in lovers-He married a Philistine woman, had sex with a harlot (prostitute) from Gaza, and he married Delilah-the one woman to bring such a mighty man to his knees. Although Samson's character seems brash and a bit on the weak side when it comes to women, it doesn't change the fact that most guys are probably like him (other than the massive strength). Samson would look upon a woman, and if she looked favorable (in other words, if she looked sexually appealing, I'm guessing), he'd immediately turn to his carnal desire and marry her.

(A): A side note application I would have to say is not to fall into my attraction for any lady-Especially when they're not Christian. My expectation of a girlfriend has long since changed, but Samson reminds me that even the best of us will get caught up with superficial things like looks and such-but will overlook the important aspects of what to look for in a wife: One who has a relationship with Christ-in fact, one who is on par with our own spirituality, and one who God has in mind for us. I'm pretty sure God didn't really want Samson to marry a Philistine, prostitute, and a two-faced liar.

However this particular portion of verse 20 points me in the direction that Samson, despite his immense victories over the Philistines, he wasn't all cracked up to be as amazing as he thought he was (as the previous verse says "And he awoke from his sleep and said, "I will go out as at other times and shake myself free.") - Something tells me that Samson was getting into a streak of pride, the fact that he was able to fight off armies of Philistines alone and that no one could bring him down. It's strange, but God uses the weak to shame the strong-I'm sure that Samson would have never thought in his wildest dreams that a single woman would have been able to take him down. But as soon as the Lord was out of the picture, that's exactly what happened.

Delilah had men in wait to kill Samson-Just like the people who loved and cherished Christ, He was betrayed a mere few days later. And just when Delilah and the Philistines who had bound Samson thought they were victorious, Samson brought down the house one last time to remind them that God will redeem His people-As Christ was broken, and seemingly destroyed-The Father raised Him back up, and Jesus was redeemed and received as the very King of Kings. It seems like a far-out comparison, but I feel like the similarities and the very big differences make the Gospel all the more significant in my eyes, as Samson died that day. But Christ not only conquered the enemy, but He rose again to show for it.

A: Pride is a creeping, crawling sin-it can infect the minds of the once-humble and I don't ever want to be one accused of such a thing. I will never take myself to be anything other than one who has worth because He who has infinite worth resides in me and saved me and loves me. Apart from Christ, I'm an empty puffing load of fancy words that can do nothing.

P: But, Lord-if I ever fall prey to such a thing, I know that You are ever-patient and good. Thank You for such a thing, because I know I have fallen to such sins and that if I ever stray from the thought of reliance upon You, I will fall yet again. Redeem me yet again, Lord-for I know that my offenses against you are infinite. Press against my heart the infinite worth of Christ, who loved me and gave Himself up for me-I never want to forget! Teach me to be strong, yet humble-that I may be a servant used in powerful ways like Samson, but also discerning in all ways. All these things for Your Son's sake-In Christ, amen.

Soli Deo Gloria