JU16-22: Samson Could Have Been Honored Today As The Great King David Is Honored But…

“His brothers and all his father’s family came down, took him, brought him up and buried him between Tzor‘ah and Eshta’ol, in the tomb of his father Manoach. He had judged Israel twenty years.”-Judges 16:31

So God granted Samson his final wish…

In his last act, he was able to take revenge on the Philistines for humiliating him and taking his eyes out.

But it was a tragic revenge.

Because it also meant the end of his life.

The only honor he would get was to have his crushed corpse buried alongside his father’s.

But it didn’t have to end that way.

In the earlier part of his life, the more faithful part I should say, Samson was praised by adoring women and children for his exploits against the Philistines.

But now the only praises that would be written for him would be in commemoration of his death.

Folks, this is why it’s so important to not just HAVE faith but to BE faithful.

One is just a mere intellectual acknowledgement that God exists and the Gospel is true.

The other is to live out your faith through vigorous day-to-day action.

I hope you don’t feel like I’m pontificating from on high or something here…

Because I’m preaching to myself as much as I’m talking to you.

Samson could have been honored and respected today as much as the great King David is honored and respected…

But he squandered his God-given gifts.

At the end of his life all he had left was that one final act of revenge against the Philistines and it cost him his life.

But again, that shouldn’t have happened had he not let his worldly passions and lusts get hog wild outta control.

Well, at least Samson’s final act served to further the Lord’s Kingdom.

But it was still a tragedy (for Samson, not the Philistines).

Alrighty, let’s close this chapter.

Verse 31 tells us that Samson’s family arrived at the destroyed temple to get his body and carry it home for a proper burial.

In those days, the relatives of a fallen enemy were allowed to come fetch the body.

Now as far as we know from everything we read in the Scriptures, Samson was an only child. 

So what do we make of that part in verse 31 where it says “his brothers and all his family came down” to get the body?

The answer is that “the brothers” spoken of here means Samson’s fellow Hebrew brothers in a general sense…

Most likely members of his clan.

They were fulfilling their kinship duties by going down to get the body.

Finally, we’re told Samson’s period of judging came to a close after a long 20-year period….