Bound to a
grinder full of stalks of grain Samson was made to push the grinding stone in a circle over and over again. This he did to separate the grain from the chaff.
If only he had been able to differentiate what were the grains and what were the
chaff of his life. Fulfilling one’s calling in life is the grain. The needless
activities of life are like chaff. It is important for us to discern and
distinguish between what is needful and what is needless in our
spiritual walk.
Humiliated,
blind and harmless Samson was now led by the Philistines to the temple of
Dagon, their god. They wanted to celebrate and give thanks to Dagon for his capture.
Most of all, they wanted to have some fun at his expense. The good news for
Samson was that his hair was beginning to grow again. This, of course, was a
symbol of his repentance and rededication. But the Philistines were too engrossed
in making sport of him to realize the incremental growth of his hair. Here we
also see that in his hour of desperation he prayed. But his prayer was drowned
by the loud jeering of all the celebrants in that temple. However, it is comforting
to know that no noise, no matter how loud, can ever drown out a desperate cry
from reaching the ear of God. He can hear even if we whisper. What’s needed is
a sincere cry from the heart. He can see the heart of every person who prays
sincerely.
In between the two central
pillars on which the temple rested, Samson’s hands stretched out, one on each
of the pillars. Totally prepared to die, Samson earnestly
cried to the Lord saying, “O Lord God, please
remember me and please strengthen me just this time, O God, that I may at
once be avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.” His sincere and desperate
prayer was heard by God on high. Sanctified imagination
tells us that in an instance of a moment he must have felt the return of that
old familiar forgotten feeling. So, he pushed the two pillars with all his
might. And instantly, the pillars collapsed and the whole house came crashing
down like a pack of cards. On that day, Samson brought the house down. He died
taking with him more Philistines that all that he had killed in his lifetime.
Besides, he had also wiped out the entire Philistine leadership that day.
Verse 31 tells us that “…his brothers and all his father’s household came down, took him,
brought him up and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the tomb of Manoah
his father.”
Samson had served as Israel’s deliverer for twenty years. As we scan the life
of Samson, we are confronted with many nagging questions. Didn’t he dishonour God
and make light of his vows and calling? Why then did God choose to use such an
unfaithful and immoral man? Though he had physical strength but where was his moral
fibre? Honestly, Samson wouldn’t have even measured up to being an instrument that
a discerning man would use, much less God. Yet clearly, in him we see the grace
of God. He was God’s choice against the Philistines.
Without a doubt, his life serves as
a warning to us not to take our calling lightly. Yet, the closing days of his
life assure us that it is never too late to repent and return to the Lord. From
Samson’s life, we are warned not to squander our God-given opportunity. But at
the same time, we are assured that there is hope for the fallen. How much more
will God hear the cry of a righteous, if he is willing to hear the sincere cry
of a womanizer? How be it, let us make it a point not to take the grace of God for
granted. We must take our life and calling seriously!
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