SCRIPTURE: JUDGES 15
SAMSON’S VENGEANCE ON THE PHILISTINES (vs. 1-20)
At the time of wheat harvest, Samson took a young goat and went to visit his wife. But his father-in-law told him that he had given his daughter to Samson’s friend. He offered him his young sister. But Samson was angry. So he went out and caught 300 foxes and tied their tail to tail in pairs. He fastened a torch to every pair of tails and let the foxes came to burn up the grain, vineyards and olive grooves. When the Philistines asked and was told that Samson did it because his wife was given to his friend, they burned her and her father to death. When Samson knew, he attacked and slaughtered them viciously. Then he went to stay in a cave in the rock of Etam.
The the Philistines went up and caped in Judah. The men of Judah asked why they come to fight hem, they said they want to take Samson a prisoner. So 300 men from Judah went down to the cape and got t him. But they promised not to kill him. Samson agreed and they bond him with two new ropes. The Spirit of the Lor came upon him in power. The rope in his arms dropped. Samson grabbed a fresh jawbone of a donkey and struck down a thousand men. That place was called Ramath Lehi. Then Samson was very thirsty and cried out to the Lord. God opened up water for Samson to drink. The spring was called En Hakkore.
THOUGHTS:
Consequences of retaliation are painful. Responding to Samson’s anger, his father-in-;aw retaliated by giving away Samson’s bride. Then Samson retaliated by burning the Philistine harvest and the Philistine in turn burned the bride and her father.
The men of Judah were frightened. They would rather compromise with the enemy by surrendering Samson than declaring war.
The Lord’s strength came upon Samson but Samson was proud and boasted only of his own strength when he said: “With the jawbone of a donkey, I have killed a thousand men”. Pride can cause us to take credit for work we have done by God’s strength and power. Always remember that it is He who gives us victory.