Judges 16:21-22 NKJV

21 Then the Philistines took him and [a]put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza. They bound him with bronze fetters, and he became a grinder in the prison. 22 However, the hair of his head began to grow again after it had been shaven.

It is said that Samson will be forever remembered as the weak strong man. He was strong physically, but weak in his morals.

Even before he was born, Samson was to be set apart. His parents were given specific instructions by an angel on how to raise him, and they followed the instructions to the letter. The sad thing is that when Samson grew up and the anointing of God was on him, he did not live up to his calling.

Why did Samson end up in prison? Because he was proud and disobedient. Samson forgot the reason God had given him supernatural strength. He despised the way of life he had been called to live, a life of separation to God. Instead, he allowed his passions to lead him, especially his love for foreign women and that became his downfall.

When he disclosed the secret of his strength to Delilah and his hair was cut off, he thought he still had the supernatural strength only to realize too late that God had left him. He despised what God had given him, he became careless and he lost it.

Prison for Samson was a place of humbling and purification. His eyes were gorged out and he lost his vision. He lost fellowship with his people and he was put to hard labour.

One of the most encouraging verses in the Bible is Judges 16:22 However, the hair of his head began to grow again after it had been shaven. Samson was humbled in prison to the place of recognition that without God he was nothing and this led him to cry out to God to strengthen him one more time.

The Bible says that in his death Samson killed more Philistines than he did before he was their prisoner. God did strengthen him one more time, indicating restoration and purification from that which had defiled him. The tragedy is that Samson died with the Philistines.

Reflections.

• Who is the strongest person you know morally, not physically?
• Though Samson was not disciplined, God did not reprimand him immediately. What does that teach you about God’s character?
• In which area of your life do you need to repent because you are being led by your lusts and not God’s Spirit?