Samson: “Don’t trust women, don’t get your hair cut.”

The story of Samson is an interesting one. I have pondered a few times, the lessons to be learned in this Bible story. Quite a few stick out to me actually, so lets start in the beginning. The story of Samson can be found in Judges 13-16. Samson was a man of great strength and great pride. (With great muscle comes great ego. lol) He often took for granted his strength and abused his gift from God. I think a lesson everyone can learn from this story is, no matter how strong you may be, (physically, mentally, spiritually.) when we try to do it in our own strength, eventually it leads to destruction.
QUOTE (Proverbs14:12)There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
Samson had some strong times, but even at his strongest he fell at his weakness.
The book of Proverbs is filled with warning about the “strange” woman.

QUOTE (Proverbs 5:3) For the lips of a strange woman drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil:QUOTE (Proverbs 7:25;27) Let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths. Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death.QUOTE (Proverbs 6:24) To keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman.QUOTE (Proverbs 23:27) For a whore is a deep ditch; and a strange woman is a narrow pit.

But a virtuous woman-
QUOTE (Proverbs 12:4) A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband: but she that maketh ashamed is as rottenness in his bones.QUOTE (Proverbs 18:22) Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD.QUOTE (Proverbs 31:11) The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.

Samson’s weakness was lust and sensuality. He rebelled against his parents wishes and married a Philistine.
QUOTE (Judges 14:3) Then his father and his mother said unto him, Is there never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said unto his father, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well.
This lead to much trouble, heartache, and bloodshed. Most marriages that do not have the parents blessing, end up crumbling with separation or divorce. This was the case with Sampson…..only, worse things happened. The lesson here for men is: guard your heart and don’t seek out a wife by appearances only.

I think there is a major lesson for girls in this story. Here is Sampson: strong, valiant, fearless, yet he was brought down by a woman. Delilah was not a godly or virtuous woman. She was probably attractive, but used her femininity to bring down a man of God. (Not to mention, she did not act feminine.) She was seductive(Prov 7:10,13), flattered with her words (Prov.7:21), and nagged till she got what she wanted (Prov 27:15). She manipulated Sampson, by using his weakness for women, she was able to discover his ultimate weakness-haircuts.
God created us to be man’s helpmeet, so men do need women. However, we must make sure we do not abuse this role for our own benefit. Dressing immodestly, flirting, flattery, dating, these are things that may gain attention from men, but you are causing them to stumble an defrauding their purity. A virtuous woman is careful to save not only her body, but her words, actions, emotions, and feelings, by keeping herself in an appropriate and feminine context. Delilah knew the power she had over Sampson and she fully utilized it. Seduction with words and dress, flattery, whining, nagging……and the mighty Sampson caved. He was so out of touch with God-
QUOTE (Judges 16:20) And he wist not that the LORD was departed from him.

That verse brings a sadness to my heart. Here was this mighty man, who God could have used in so many ways, and he fell to the touch of the strange woman.
QUOTE (Proverbs 7:26) For she hath cast down many wounded: yea, many strong men have been slain by her.
What I don’t get is, why was Sampson so dense to what was going on? Could he not see what Delilah was up to, the first four times she tied him up? I think this really shows the power of lust, how it destroys, yet he was so addicted he was almost oblivious to it. The first problem was he was some where he shouldn’t be. (Reminds me of the story of David and Bathsheaba.) The best way to avoid a tempting situation, is to fully remove your self from places and situations where you shouldn’t be.

Summary:
-Lessons from Sampson.
*Listen to parents
*Don’t try things on your own strength
*Don’t put yourself in tempting situations.
*Guard your heart
*Be careful to protect your purity and other’s.
-And finally, there are consequences for actions, even when God forgives.
QUOTE (Judges 16:28) And Samson called unto the LORD, and said, O Lord God, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.
God granted his plea, yet Sampson had faced many consequences, that ended in death.

I think the story is very sad, but like every Bible story, serves the purpose of growing and teaching us.