January 17, 2025

Judges 16:21-31  (HCSB)
Samson’s Defeat and Death
21 The Philistines seized him and gouged out his eyes. They brought him down to Gaza and bound him with bronze shackles, and he was forced to grind grain in the prison. 22 But his hair began to grow back after it had been shaved. 23 Now the Philistine leaders gathered together to offer a great sacrifice to their god Dagon. They rejoiced and said: Our god has handed over our enemy Samson to us. 24 When the people saw him, they praised their god and said: Our god has handed over to us our enemy who destroyed our land and who multiplied our dead. 25 When they were drunk, they said, “Bring Samson here to entertain us.” So they brought Samson from prison, and he entertained them. They had him stand between the pillars. 26 Samson said to the young man who was leading him by the hand, “Lead me where I can feel the pillars supporting the temple, so I can lean against them.” 27 The temple was full of men and women; all the leaders of the Philistines were there, and about 3,000 men and women were on the roof watching Samson entertain them.
28 He called out to the Lord: “Lord God, please remember me. Strengthen me, God, just once more. With one act of vengeance, let me pay back the Philistines for my two eyes.” 29 Samson took hold of the two middle pillars supporting the temple and leaned against them, one on his right hand and the other on his left. 30 Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines.” He pushed with all his might, and the temple fell on the leaders and all the people in it. And the dead he killed at his death were more than those he had killed in his life. 31 Then his brothers and his father’s family came down, carried him back, and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the tomb of his father Manoah. So he judged Israel 20 years.

Wes Wynne
We see in the first half of chapter 16 that Samson’s poor decisions finally caught up to him after 20 years (choices). Now we see how God humbles and helps get us back on the right path (consequences). Samson is captured, physically blinded and enslaved. He was made into an object of mockery and treated with disdain. But God... God had not forgotten Samson, but He allowed him to suffer the consequences of his poor decisions. Samson had to get to a place where he had nothing else but to rely totally on God’s strength and ability. Our best work is done for God when we totally surrender and rely on Him alone. God had to allow Samson to lose what he valued most to get him to a place of surrender. What is that thing that you are blind to and hold most dear that is creating distance between you and God? Ask God to show it to you and help you turn it over to Him.