Again we state that Samson was born for a purpose and so he was called as a judge in Israel because of Israel’s greatest enemy the Philistine. Judges 15:20; “And he judged Israel in the days of the Philistines twenty years…”

The idea was to eliminate the Philistines and clear them of the coast of Israel and so bring peace.

After his being cheated of his wife in Judges 14:20 “But Samson’s wife was given to his companion, whom he had used as his friend”. This sparked off the burning desire to start eliminating them through fights. First he burnt their farms and in Chapter 15:15 we are told “And he found a new jawbone of an ass, and put forth his hand, and took it, and slew a thousand men therewith”

Then they tried to capture him in Gaza, Chapter 16:1-2 “…And it was told the Gazites, saying, Samson is come hither…”

But (verse 3), Samson arose at midnight, and took the doors of the gate of the city, and the two posts, and went away with them, bar and all, and carried them up to the top of an hill that is before Hebron.

Then in verse 4 “…he fell in love with a woman whose name was Delilah”. Who later betrayed him, and so he was captured and his eyes plucked out and were now being used for entertainment and were grinding bread for the Philistines. A type of the church today that is full of drama and games, and producing bread (the word) for the Babylonian system because of the lack of vision.

His Death

And so in verse 30 &31 “³⁰…Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines. And he bowed himself with all his might; and the house fell upon the lords, and upon all the people that were therein. So the dead which he slew at his death were more than they which he slew in his life… ³¹Then his brethren and all the house of his father came down, and took him, and brought him up, and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the buryingplace of Manoah his father. And he judged Israel twenty years”

Mission Accomplished

Verse 30; (So the dead which he slew), record has it that the house was full of men and women, with about three thousands of both sexes on the top; now as the whole house was pulled down, many thousands of people sat in it together, majority of all those who were there were killed; amongst who were the lords of the Philistines.

The death of these lords, with so many of the inferior chiefs of the people, was such a crush to the Philistine ascendancy. It is said that they troubled Israel NO MORE FOR MANY YEARS, and did not even attempt to hinder Samson’s relatives from taking away and burying his dead body.

When he said “Let me die”, he meant to say I am content to die, that I may contribute to the vindication of God’s glory, and the deliverance of God’s people. It wasn’t a choice per say for him to die, but by reason of his office and calling he was obligated to seek the destruction of these enemies and blasphemers of God, and the oppressors of his people; and this he can only effect by way of his death. This must be seen to be divinely orchestrated, and so the manifestation of God’s answer to his request.

This pictures the type of Christ, who voluntarily undergoes death, and so destroys the enemies of God, and of his people.

Samson was a Man of Faith.

Looking at the above facts we can see that Samson was a man of faith who accomplished what God ordained him for. This is why his name is among the Heroes of Faith in Hebrews 11;

“³¹By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace. ³²And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gideon, and of Barak, and OF SAMSON, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:

³³Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions”

For we are told in Hebrews 11:6; “But without faith it is impossible to please him (God)…” And we know that “faith cometh by hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17).

You can see that Solomon’s name is not here mentioned, why? Not because of his multitude of women, but because in reality he needed no faith for anything. He had peace all around him, no wars; the Temple he built the father provided everything that he needed. But Samson needed faith to accomplish the assignment that God gave to him and he did it perfectly well. Samson was a Hero of faith.

BUT why die like that? So why did John the Baptist get beheaded? And did you read of the Prophets of old that were sawn asunder? It’s not because he was careless hence he died that way that is just how he should go after ending his assignment.

The End