Ps. Gerald Tan
5th December 2010

The Bible is full of ordinary people who did extraordinary things because of an incredible Source, our Creator God. He did not purchase our freedom so that we can continue living our lives as we did in the past. However He did call us out of mediocrity, so that we can bring change, so that we can be history makers. Samson was one such history maker.

Samson was born during a very dark period in the Bible. The people of Israel were a forgetful nation, as we are today. When things went well, they forgot God’s goodness and moved away from Him. And it was in this dark period that God choose to reveal His love and grace. Samson was God’s answer to the darkness of that age. Samson, was a Nazirite, set apart to God from birth, as we too are called to be, from the time we know Him, till our last breath is drawn.

Judges 13:1-5 gives the story of Samson’s birth. The couple was childless. Being childless in those days was thought to be a curse from God. And in verse 3, when the angel appeared to the woman, the angel started out by saying, “You are sterile and childless”. The angel seemed to point out the obvious. But God knew that she needed to acknowledge and confront her weakness. When we live in denial, we are actually denying God’s power that is available to us.

The angel went on to say that she would conceive and have a son and that she had to abstain from drinking anything that is fermented and eating anything that is unclean. The woman, Samson’s mother, had to be willing to carry the responsibility of the consecration through the period of the pregnancy. We too must be willing to carry the destiny and purposes of God, in order to be history makers. It may not be easy, but the ultimate prize is worth every effort.

Numbers 6:2-31, explains the Nazirite vow. It was an austere vow and not one that was taken up for long, let alone lifelong. Samson was one of only three lifelong Nazirites as recoded in the Bible. Here are some aspects of the Nazirite vow and how it relates to us today.

1. It is a heart issue. The vow talks about not touching a dead body. This meant that Samson could never bury his own father, mother, family members and friends. It is not what we do, but who we are. Jeremiah 17:9 says heart is deceitful above all things. Our hearts must be surrendered to God. 1 Samuel 16:7 says that God looks at the heart. Does He see a heart that is fully surrendered to Him?
2. It is a character issue. A Nazirite was not allowed to cut his hair. Everyone would know them by the length of their hair. Everyone would watch what their every action. So they could never cheat on their vow in public. But they could do so in the privacy of their own homes when no one else was watching. Character is what you do when no one else is watching. When we keep our commitments to God, not because others are watching us, but because it is borne out of a deep love for our Father, that is character. It is what we do, and not just who we are.

God is more interested in who we are and what we do, than He is in what our ministry is.

Though Samson started out well, he did not finish strong.  He did not guard his heart and his character. The world will try and seduce you to rob you of your destiny of being a history maker.

Results of a worldly seduction

1. Robbed of vision - Judges 16:21, they gorged out his eyes. He was left with no vision. The devil continues to try and rob us of our spiritual vision. Proverbs 29:18 says that without vision, people will perish.
2. Brought to Gaza - Gaza was the Philistine stronghold. There was a temple dedicated to Dagon there. The devil wants to bring us to a spiritual stronghold so that we won’t be able to exercise our spiritual authority. The presence of God needs to go with us. He will overcome Dagon (1 Samuel 5:2–7).
3. Bound with bronze shackles - You cannot soar if you are shackled. Galatians 5:1 says that ‘it was for freedom that Christ has set us free.’
4. Set to grinding in the prison - when we go around and around, we have lost our meaning that purpose in our lives.

Though Samson had lost the anointing on this life, his hair grew back (Judges 16:22). Our God is a forgiving God! The Bible records that Samson bore more fruit in his last days, than he did while he was alive (Judges 16:30).

We must remember that God has a specific purpose for each of us. We are not called to lead ordinary lives, but we are called to have an impact on our generation. If we are willing to carry the responsibility of the consecration of our lives, He will fulfill His purpose in our lives. We must be careful so that we are not seduced by the things of the world, but keep our eyes firmly fixed on the goal ahead of us, as we run the race set before us. Our God will help us, if we are willing.