You Don't Have to Die with the Philistines

Samson was a man of God chosen and called from the womb to be the deliverer of his people. His parents made a covenant with God that he would be a Nazarite from the womb; his mother was not to drink wine or any strong or fermented drinks, or even eat grapes from the vine; she was not to eat any unclean foods; and after he was born he was to do likewise. He was also not to cut his hair...ever. It was the mark of a Nazarite's vows to the Lord, and for Samson it would be the source of his strength.

And then you read about Samson's career as a judge, deliverer and leader of Israel.

First, he took a wife from among the Philistine women, the very people from which he was supposed to deliver his people. He messed around with dead things, eating honey from the carcass of a lion and even gave some to his parents without telling them where it had come from. Then he used the jawbone of a freshly dead donkey to kill some Philistines. Next you find him cavorting with Philistine prostitutes, one of which seduced him into revealing the source of his strength. And once the secret was out, she shaved his head. His covenant with God broken, his strength gone, Samson ended up bald and blind, bound to a mill grinding someone else's corn.

Sister Dolores Hein preached this message this morning in a church, a message she admitted was a difficult one to preach considering her audience--a dozen faithful church folks, including the pastor. But she preached about compromise and deception, about trading the anointing of God for a moment's pleasure. She preached about the dangers of dallying with the world, of dabbling in the things that displease God because you know you've still got your strength, you've still got your gift, and you also have God's grace. But then she preached--no, she prophesied, that continuing to do so would leave you as bald, blind and bound as Samson.

In the end of his story, Samson was brought into a banquet hall of reveling Philistines, his enemies who wanted to glory in the downfall of one of Israel's greatest leaders. When they placed him against the pillars that supported the entire structure, they failed to notice the hair that had grown long again. They failed to notice the transformation that had taken place in the spirit of a penitent man. And when his muscles began to ripple, with a shout of "Let me die with the Philistines!", Samson pulled the entire place down upon their heads. And the Bible says he killed more Philistines in his death than he ever had in his life.

But you don't have to die with the Philistines. You can use your gifts for the glory of God without compromise, without sin, without being enslaved to your fleshly desires. You can overcome the enemy without first suffering the humiliation of defeat. If you'll just remain true to your God, and your commitment to serve Him.

What a word!