Samson: a man assigned to begin the deliverance

God assigns each person different roles and provides them with everything they need to fulfill the purpose for which they were sent. Whether in the Old Testament or the New Testament, God always has a specific plan for each and every one of us, and the Spirit of God helps us in this matter.

One such person born to initiate the deliverance of Israel from the hands of the Philistines was Samson. God instructed his parents to raise him as a Nazirite. Nazirites are individuals who voluntarily devote their lives to God and take a special vow of separation to the Lord. However, Samson had no say in this vow; God wanted him to be a Nazirite from birth until the day of his death.

God sets apart certain people for special purposes. Some individuals make vows when they come of age, but others are born with a specific calling. Nevertheless, there are certain things we need to learn about the work of the Spirit of God and the requirements it entails.

The woman gave birth to a boy and named him Samson. He grew and the Lord blessed him, and the Spirit of the Lord began to stir him while he was in Mahaneh Dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol. Judges 13:24, 25

In this verse, we see, the Spirit of God began to stir him while he was in Mahaneh Dan. God was seeking an opportunity for Samson to confront the Philistines. Thus, leading him to his calling. 

A boy with a divine purpose had an inconsistent relationship with God. He never prophesied or sought guidance from God about his purpose. Unlike Gideon, who asked God for signs and wonders before committing himself to the call, Samson did not take such actions to confirm his calling. Hence, God had to stir him and lead him to his calling.

Then Manoah prayed to the Lord: “O Lord, I beg you, let the man of God you sent to us come again to teach us how to bring up the boy who is to be born.” Judges 12:8

Manoah expressed his desire to see the angel of the Lord when his wife said she saw him, but Samson never expressed a similar desire to see the Angel who spoke about him. Nevertheless, God used him. We too are like that, we get satisfied when our parents, pastors or others clarify our calling for God. Instead we must ask God to reveal the same thing to us in person, that we may have a better understanding of our call.  

Samson was meant to live the life of a Nazirite, but he repeatedly violated his vows. He was willing to marry a Philistine woman, engaged in relations with prostitutes. He even touched the dead and ate honey from its carcass. Despite all these transgressions, God did not take away his strength. Perhaps God was determined to fulfill His purpose regardless. However, when Samson was prepared to risk losing his strength by revealing his secret to Delilah, God withdrew His support. The only thing that made Samson special was his strength, and he took pride in it, attributing it to his seven braids of hair.

In modern times, we may take pride in the various gifts and talents that God has bestowed upon us. These gifts can be valuable for God’s work, even if our relationship with Him is not strong. We may boast about our great calling, but if we are not consistent with our calling, we will eventually fall, just as Samson did.

Samson did not fight the Philistines to free the Israelites from their oppression. He fought them only when they burned his wife and her family. Even at the end, when he prayed to God. He asked for strength one last time to avenge his two eyes.

God instills passion and zeal within us when we have a calling. That is why the Spirit of God stirred within Samson when he was in Mahaneh Dan. However, when Samson rejected the call, the stirring of God turned into restlessness.

 If we observe Samson’s life, we see that he became restless. Instead of staying in his place, he traveled to Timnah where he encountered a Philistine woman whom he wanted to marry. While journeying with his family to Timnah to pursue this marriage, he became separated from his father and mother as he encountered a lion. He ventured to Gaza and engaged with a prostitute. Later, he went to the valley of Sorek, where he met Delilah. Hence, restlessness characterized his life, and trouble followed him wherever he went.

If Nazirites ever needed a break from their vows. They were required to burn their long hair in the holy fire of sacrifice. However, Samson failed to do so, and instead, his hair fell into the lap of Delilah. God has called us for a specific purpose. We may complain to God that if He clearly explains our calling, we will stand for Him. Yet, here we see a man whose calling was well established before his birth. But he failed to understand it, and the works he accomplished were purely for revenge. Even so, God used him. Can we ensure that we know and submit ourselves to our calling? As the Spirit of God stirs and refines us, it is crucial that we do not become restless but remain in the Quiver of God.