Read Judges 15, Ezekiel 4, Acts 23.
This devotional is about Judges 15.
This is the third devotional in a row about Samson. That’s because I remain intrigued by him. I’m intrigued by him, not because he was a compelling figure; he wasn’t. He was an ungodly jerk. I remain intrigued by Samson because God used him, despite the fact that he was an ungodly jerk.
At the end of chapter 14, Samson was mad. He was mad at the Philistines for coercing his newlywed bride into giving up his secret riddle. He was also mad at her, so instead of consummating the marriage, he went back to mom and dad’s house (Judges 14:19).
Now, here in Judges 15, Samson has cooled off and remembered what a looker Miss Philistine was. He reconsidered his decision to leave her and decided he really did want to be her husband after all, according to verse 1. But her father had already married her off to one of Samson’s groomsman, so Samson remained single, and involuntarily celibate.
Instead of accepting that he was dumped fair and square, Samson got mad again. This time, he came up with a creatively foxy way to inflict real, economic losses upon the Philistines in verses 3-5. In response, the Philistines punished his—uhh, ex-father-in-law-to-be and his entire family (v. 6). The violence escalated as Samson retaliated against the Philistines again. Verse 8 says, “He attacked them viciously and slaughtered many of them.” Instead of rallying to their leader, Samson, the men of Judah handed Samson over when the Philistines came looking for him (vv. 9-14).
Once again, according to verse 14, “The Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon him.” The result of that was another major battle in which Samson killed 1000 Philistines with the only weapon he could find–the jawbone of a dead donkey (v. 15).
Please realize that Samson was not built like Arnold Schwarzenegger or Sylvester Stallone when they were in their prime. Samson looked like an average guy because God was the source of his strength–not hours in the gym or steroids or even great genetics. Samson was powerful because God empowered him. That’s why we keep seeing that phrase “the Spirit of the Lord came upon him” just before he lets the Philistines have it. See here in Judges 15:14, but also back in Judges 14:6 and Judges 14:19. Samson’s strength was miraculous strength. It was given by God; so was his victory in this chapter with the jawbone of a donkey.
But, after God gave Samson this miraculous victory, Samson did not fall to his knees to thank God for saving his life and for using him to defeat Israel’s enemy. No, Samson responded to his victory in two ways:
First, he took credit for the win. In verse 16 he said, ““With a donkey’s jawbone I have made donkeys of them. With a donkey’s jawbone I have killed a thousand men.” He gives God no glory, no credit, no thanks. It’s all about Samson.
Second, Samson responded to his victory by complaining. “These battles are making me thirsty” he cried in verse 18. True, he did pray for help and gave God credit in verse 18 when he said, “You have given your servant this great victory.” But instead of humbly asking God to provide for his thirst, Samson’s prayer to God was a complaint. Verse 18b says, “Must I now die of thirst and fall into the hands of the uncircumcised?” This is how Samson prayed–with a sarcastic complaint! He was annoyed that God didn’t just automatically provide for his thirst. “Look how much I did for you, God. Where’s the love?”
But how often do we fail to see how God provides for us? How often do we take his grace for granted and, if we do pray, how often do we complain that God hasn’t automatically provided for us?
Are you a grateful follower of the Lord? Do you see how God is working in you and through you? Do you take time to thank God for his work? Or, do you complain about how hard it is to serve the Lord?
Take a moment now to think about something God has done for you recently. Think about how he provided something you didn’t even have the wisdom to ask him for or how he answered a specific prayer of yours. Then take some time to thank the Lord for his work in your life and through your life.