In today’s daily devotional, we will read Chapter 16 of the Book of Judges. This chapter tells the compelling story of Samson and Delilah, a narrative rich with themes of strength, weakness, and betrayal. Samson, a man of extraordinary physical power, finds his downfall through his relationship with Delilah. This chapter invites readers to reflect on the true source of their strength and the consequences of misplacing their trust. As you delve into Judges 16, consider where your own strength comes from and the lessons that can be learned from Samson’s journey. To lean of Samson’s vengeance on the Philistines, read the daily devotional on Judges 15.
Judges 16 Commentary by Allen J. Huth
Chapter 16 in the Book of Judges is the great story of Samson and Delilah. Samson was strong, and weak. Where does your strength come from? Please read or listen to Judges 16.
What was Samson’s Real Weakness?
In 1983, at twenty-eight years old, as I began journaling my Bible reading, I wrote about Judges 16, “Samson and Delilah. Samson reveals secret of strength. Gives physical rather than spiritual answer. God departs from him. He’s captured by Philistines, imprisoned. God responds to him one more time as he buries himself with the house of the Philistines.” Then I wrote, “Lesson: Let me give You the glory for my strength, O Lord. Let me not fall into the depths of sin that lead to imprisonment and destruction. Thou art my strength, O Lord.”
In 1995, at forty years old, I was in the middle of a job transition. On this day, I wrote, “My days are coming to an end at CACI. I just don’t know when. All I do now is clean out my files and wait for the president to tell me the final arrangements of severance. It’s hard on me. Today, I say goodbye to the Foundation Board, and Joan gets my title of executive director. It hurts. But it’s of the Lord and I look forward to tomorrow.” Again, I wrote about my prayer, “Trade my pain for joy. Trade my stress for peace. See me through the woods, Lord, and show me the dawning of a new and brighter day.”
What Is the Moral of the Story of Samson?
About Judges 16, I wrote, “Samson was chosen by God to reign over Israel and deliver them from the Philistines, but he couldn’t walk the path. He chased women and depended on his great strength, self, until he revealed his innermost secrets for sex. When the Lord departs from us, we are finished as Samson. God gives us gifts to use for His kingdom. When He does not empower those gifts, we cannot perform and are given over to the enemy.”
Why did Delilah Betray Samson?
In 2016, at sixty-one years old, I split Judges and read it in two days. I wrote on the first day, “Samson, the womanizer. This time it’s a prostitute. Probably another Philistine. Then it’s Delilah, another Philistine. What is he doing? She too is more faithful to her people like his first wife than to him. Nice verse, ‘How can you say, “I love you,” when your heart is not with me?’ (v. 15).My heart is with you, Terry (my wife), and I do love you. Have my whole life since fifteen, some forty-five years.”
I continued to write, “Samson knows every time he has told Delilah his strength, she has tested him. Why would he finally tell her the truth? He understands, ‘I have been a Nazirite to God from my mother’s womb’” (v. 17). Then I quoted verse 20, “he did not know that the Lord had left him.” Then I wrote, “Really?”
What Is the Message of Judges 16?
The second day, I finished Judges 16 and wrote, “Samson had fulfilled God’s purpose. He was an enemy of the Philistines, ‘the ravager of our country, who has killed many of us’ (v. 24), and just as God had prepared him, ‘he shall begin to save Israel from the hand of the Philistines’ (13:5), as announced at his conception. For all the moral character flaws Samson demonstrated in this life, he finishes strong, calling upon the Lord at the end and dying with three thousand Philistines, again, as purposed by God. May I fulfill my purpose.”
What Was the Problem with Samson?
Samson demonstrated many character flaws, but his biggest was he attributed his strength physically rather than spiritually. Delilah presses him. “Tell me where your great strength lies” (v. 6). In verse 17, he tells her, “A razor has never come upon my head, for I have been a Nazirite to God from my mother’s womb. If my head is shaved, then my strength will leave me, and I shall become weak and be like any other man.”
Why did Samson Lose His Strength in Judges 16?
I am glad my strength is not in my hair! When I was a young man, I had a pretty nice lock of hair, but today, in my sixties, that is not the case. Nor was it the case for Samson. His strength was not in whether he had hair or had a haircut. His strength was from the Lord. The Spirit of the Lord rushed upon Samson.
Where does your strength come from? Do you take credit for your own successes? Do you pride yourself physically or mentally? Or do you acknowledge the Lord, God alone, is your strength?
Prayer
Remind us today, Lord, our strength is in You and You alone. But regardless of how we have lived our lives up to this point, we, like Samson, can finish strong. “Then Samson called to the Lord and said, ‘O Lord God, please remember me and please strengthen me only this once, O God, that I may be avenged on the Philistines for my two eyes’” (v. 28). At the very end of his life, Samson fulfilled his purpose and that was to deliver Israel from the hand of the Philistines.
Lord, reveal Your purpose in our lives. Regardless of how we lived up to this point, use us to finish strong. Use us to fulfill Your purpose in our lives. Give us Your strength and courage to do that which You have called us to do. Help us finish strong. In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.
