nebula Posted March 25, 2006 Group: Royal Member Followers: 10 Topic Count: 5,823 Topics Per Day: 0.75 Content Count: 45,870 Content Per Day: 5.94 Reputation: 1,897 Days Won: 83 Joined: 03/22/2003 Status: Offline Birthday: 11/19/1970 Share Posted March 25, 2006 Samson is one of those interesting characters. He was the only judge whom the Lord called from birth to be a Nazarite, yet his heart wasn't totally devoted to the Lord. Why in the world did he seek not one but two wives from the enemies of Israel whom the Lord called him to deliver Israel from? On top of that, Delilah was a harlot! But yet with the first Philistine wife: "But his father and mother did not know that it was of the Lord--that He was seeking an occasion to move against the Philistines." (Judges 14:4 ) And then in Hebrew it says this of him: Hebrews 11:32-34 32 And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: 33 who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Through faith? Samson a man of faith? "out of weakness was made strong" Whatever he made of his life, whatever arrogance he took in his strength, the failure with Delilah greatly humbled him. It doesn't state in Scripture what became of his spiritual life in the Philistine prison, but I wonder if there he repented of his sin. The only thing we can know for sure is that in the end, he had the faith to call on the Lord for a return of his strength. That is where the faith came in. If he had taken his strength for granted before, by then he knew that he was completely at the Lord's mercy, that the strength was God's and not his. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nebula Posted March 25, 2006 Group: Royal Member Followers: 10 Topic Count: 5,823 Topics Per Day: 0.75 Content Count: 45,870 Content Per Day: 5.94 Reputation: 1,897 Days Won: 83 Joined: 03/22/2003 Status: Offline Birthday: 11/19/1970 Share Posted March 25, 2006 But it was God who took his life when God's Spirit came upon him for Samson could not do it within his own strength. Judges 16:26 - 30 26 Then Samson said to the lad who held him by the hand, "Let me feel the pillars which support the temple, so that I can lean on them." 27 Now the temple was full of men and women. All the lords of the Philistines were there--about three thousand men and women on the roof watching while Samson performed. 28 Then Samson called to the Lord, saying, "O Lord God, remember me, I pray! Strengthen me, I pray, just this once, O God, that I may with one blow take vengeance on the Philistines for my two eyes!" 29 And Samson took hold of the two middle pillars which supported the temple, and he braced himself against them, one on his right and the other on his left. 30 Then Samson said, "Let me die with the Philistines!" And he pushed with all his might, and the temple fell on the lords and all the people who were in it. So the dead that he killed at his death were more than he had killed in his life. Well, God did give him the strength, but Sampson did push down the pillars which caused the roof to collapse on himself along with everyone else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giaour Posted March 25, 2006 Group: Royal Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 179 Topics Per Day: 0.03 Content Count: 3,941 Content Per Day: 0.55 Reputation: 3 Days Won: 0 Joined: 10/28/2004 Status: Offline Birthday: 10/08/1964 Share Posted March 25, 2006 Samsons self sacrifice was heroic. Yeah, he messed up big time but so did King David. I mean really, David sent Bathshebas hubby off to die so he could take her as his wife. David wasn't allowed to build the temple because of the blood on his hands. But still David was dear to Gods heart. I think Samson was too, if not, why would God give him the strength when he prayed for it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Openly Curious Posted March 25, 2006 Group: Royal Member Followers: 4 Topic Count: 55 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 4,568 Content Per Day: 0.68 Reputation: 770 Days Won: 0 Joined: 01/18/2006 Status: Offline Author Share Posted March 25, 2006 ms nebula thank you for your response but my question and discussion is on the death of Samson was it heroic act or a failure on his part. It was not about the afterlife different subject altogher. God Bless OC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Openly Curious Posted March 25, 2006 Group: Royal Member Followers: 4 Topic Count: 55 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 4,568 Content Per Day: 0.68 Reputation: 770 Days Won: 0 Joined: 01/18/2006 Status: Offline Author Share Posted March 25, 2006 But it was God who took his life when God's Spirit came upon him for Samson could not do it within his own strength. Judges 16:26 - 30 26 Then Samson said to the lad who held him by the hand, "Let me feel the pillars which support the temple, so that I can lean on them." 27 Now the temple was full of men and women. All the lords of the Philistines were there--about three thousand men and women on the roof watching while Samson performed. 28 Then Samson called to the Lord, saying, "O Lord God, remember me, I pray! Strengthen me, I pray, just this once, O God, that I may with one blow take vengeance on the Philistines for my two eyes!" 29 And Samson took hold of the two middle pillars which supported the temple, and he braced himself against them, one on his right and the other on his left. 30 Then Samson said, "Let me die with the Philistines!" And he pushed with all his might, and the temple fell on the lords and all the people who were in it. So the dead that he killed at his death were more than he had killed in his life. Well, God did give him the strength, but Sampson did push down the pillars which caused the roof to collapse on himself along with everyone else. ms nebula In Samson zeal to destroy the Philistines who were the children of Israel's enemies. This was a feat that had risks involved with in it. Samson I do not think was thinking on those risks at the time but only destroying the enemies of God. And you should not get that desire muddled up in your thinking. Samson sure he pushed down the pillars in the temple for a fact. But it was not by his own strenghth and power that reside within a mere human man. It was God himself that came upon the human vessel of Samson in the form of His Spirit and destroyed the Philistines himself and not Samson. But when people witness and testify to that event in history they see the man Samson in whom God used to bring about his will on His enemies. That is why it is said of Samson in his death he killed more of the Philistines than when he was alive. God bless OC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Openly Curious Posted March 25, 2006 Group: Royal Member Followers: 4 Topic Count: 55 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 4,568 Content Per Day: 0.68 Reputation: 770 Days Won: 0 Joined: 01/18/2006 Status: Offline Author Share Posted March 25, 2006 'Giaour' Samsons self sacrifice was heroic. Yeah, he messed up big time but so did King David. I mean really, David sent Bathshebas hubby off to die so he could take her as his wife. David wasn't allowed to build the temple because of the blood on his hands. But still David was dear to Gods heart. I think Samson was too, if not, why would God give him the strength when he prayed for it? Openly Curious I to agree it was admirable and heroic and should not be linked whatsoever to the awful act of someone taking their own life. That kind of character assasination towards them should not be going on as these are our examples God used to help us giving us guidance in our walk with him. Their were risks involved in this feat but I do not thinks Samsons mind was on that as much as it was to kill the enemies of God in his zeal for the Lord to do it. But in the process God chose to take his life. God Bless OC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apothanein kerdos Posted March 25, 2006 Group: Royal Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 331 Topics Per Day: 0.05 Content Count: 8,713 Content Per Day: 1.21 Reputation: 21 Days Won: 0 Joined: 07/28/2004 Status: Offline Share Posted March 25, 2006 apothanein kerdos' Neither...it was obedience. Openly Curious, If it was obedience what was his life in his death heroic or failure? What would you call it??? I just don't get your point in the four words that you have given God bless OC If one obeys it is neither a success or failure. It is neither heroic or failure. It is merely one man obeying what his purpose was. Samson failed at certain things, but in the end obeyed and submitting himself to God. If that is heroic...then we are all heroic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giaour Posted March 25, 2006 Group: Royal Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 179 Topics Per Day: 0.03 Content Count: 3,941 Content Per Day: 0.55 Reputation: 3 Days Won: 0 Joined: 10/28/2004 Status: Offline Birthday: 10/08/1964 Share Posted March 25, 2006 Doing what you are called to do is indeed heroic. Especially if you know that it will cost you your life. Obedience takes courage and there was absolutely NO failure in what Samson did in the end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Openly Curious Posted March 25, 2006 Group: Royal Member Followers: 4 Topic Count: 55 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 4,568 Content Per Day: 0.68 Reputation: 770 Days Won: 0 Joined: 01/18/2006 Status: Offline Author Share Posted March 25, 2006 apothanein kerdos' Neither...it was obedience. Openly Curious, If it was obedience what was his life in his death heroic or failure? What would you call it??? I just don't get your point in the four words that you have given God bless OC apothanein kerdos If one obeys it is neither a success or failure. It is neither heroic or failure. It is merely one man obeying what his purpose was. Samson failed at certain things, but in the end obeyed and submitting himself to God. If that is heroic...then we are all heroic. Openly Curious You should read post #10 For I do not agree with you as I am discussing Samson death was it a heroic thing that happened at his death or should we as Christians look at his death just as a mere failure. Most people look at failures in our society and call them trash among other things. How should we as christians view Samsons death was the question. And it makes a difference as to whether we get any thing taught us by this man's example of faith. ***But God did not tell Samson he had to do it Samson requested it from God. **So it was not an act of "obedience" to God as you suggest that is why I don't agree with your statement. What Samson done was an heroic act God Bless Openly Curious Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ovedya Posted March 25, 2006 Group: Royal Member Followers: 3 Topic Count: 375 Topics Per Day: 0.05 Content Count: 11,400 Content Per Day: 1.44 Reputation: 125 Days Won: 0 Joined: 08/30/2002 Status: Offline Birthday: 08/14/1971 Share Posted March 25, 2006 Does yhis have anything to do with the thread about suicide, which was closed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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