Joel M Bradshaw

14When he came to Lehi, the Philistines came shouting to meet him. Then the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon him, and the ropes that were on his arms became as flax that has caught fire, and his bonds melted off his hands. 15And he found a fresh jawbone of a donkey, and put out his hand and took it, and with it he struck 1,000 men. 16And Samson said,

“With the jawbone of a donkey,
heaps upon heaps,
with the jawbone of a donkey
have I struck down a thousand men.”–Judges 15

This chapter of Judges involves the cycles of hurt and revenge. At no point does Samson consider that he is to be a moral example to Israel in his leadership. At no point does Samson even consider that he is a Nazirite, specially set apart for closeness with God. Samson is ruled by his passions and what seems right to him.

Let us contrast Samson and two other figures in Judges: Shamgar and Deborah. First, Shamgar. He only got one verse.

After him was Shamgar the son of Anath, who killed 600 of the Philistines with an oxgoad, and he also saved Israel. (Judges 3:31)

Yes, Shamgar used a weapon to kill hundreds of Philistines. In his case a pointy stick versus the jawbone of a donkey. But the text gave us motive: Shamgar did so as a means of saving or delivering Israel. Samson took offense at the personal slight regarding his wife and slaughtered many more. Samson’s motive seemed ONLY to be revenge.

Now, let’s consider Samson’s poem or song about himself. Let us contrast him with Deborah.

“Tell of it, you who ride on white donkeys, you who sit on rich carpets and you who walk by the way. To the sound of musicians at the watering places, there they repeat the righteous triumphs of the LORD, the righteous triumphs of his villagers in Israel. (Judges 5:10-11)

Samson sang a song about his accomplishment and only about himself. Deborah also sang about the victory, but linked it to the overall triumph of God.

Samson was self-absorbed. Every slight had to be avenged. His feelings mattered most on any matter. All of creation witnessed his devotion to his passions. The way Samson lived his life is a poor example to follow for us all.

The Christian life begins with self-denial not self-pursuit.–JMB