REVENGE OR JUSTICE. Judges 15 In many Middle Eastern cultures, young women are regarded as possessions rather than as individuals of equal value to older women and men. So, when Samson returned to his wife in Timnath, he found she had been given to someone else, and he started to seek personal revenge. "This time, I shall be blameless regarding the Philistines." He began to seriously consider God's call in his life and took action to strike at the Philistines at their source of strength—their food supply.
By setting the fields, vineyards, and orchards on fire, he definitely gained the enemy's attention, and God used him to initiate deliverance for Israel. The entire area was burned: grain fields, orchards, and vineyards that would be dry due to the season, and the whole economy of that region would have suffered. Revenge is a common response for many when something has personally affected them. This is because of our sinful nature, and we resent anything that takes away our comfort and possessions.
However, violence begets violence. If we choose sin, there will always be consequences. Three lessons in verses 10-12 regarding the consequences of compromise are: first, the people of God can become accustomed to the status quo. They will accept it as normal if it continues. Second, compromise is more comfortable than commitment to God's calling. Complacency can lead to compromise under the guise of tolerating people's differences. Third, compromisers have no time for the committed. Those who are committed to the Lord and to obedience to God's word are an embarrassment to those who are willing to compromise the truth. The appeal of a form of godliness is only superficial.
Many of Samson's incredible feats were driven by revenge as the underlying motive. Even the final act of his life was against the Philistines for gouging out his eyes. Samson burned the products of his enemies, but the Philistine foes burned people. However, even such actions can be used by the sovereign God to fulfill His purposes and plans that may remain hidden. Samson's retaliation extended further when he attacked those who had burned his wife and her father. Moving down to the rock Etam (a place of wild beasts), he positioned himself in Judah. The people of Judah were overlooked by the enemy because, then as now, those who compromise pose no threat. The people were unwittingly doing the enemy's work for them.
Revenge inherently starts a cycle of retaliation that can only be broken by forgiveness. If we are not positive for the Lord, we may hinder the cause of our Lord Jesus Christ. We can also lose sight of the true nature of sin and sinners. Someone might be at the height of life and have achieved great things, but a lack of self-discipline can undermine that success. The Philistines posed a much bigger threat than the young woman. When sin is permitted to persist, it produces consequences far greater than we might anticipate.
The Israelites had become apathetic and did not want Samson to cause trouble for them with the Philistines. Fear is a form of slavery because of its invisible bonds on the soul. The complacent people of Judah were afraid of both the Philistines, who were fundamentally opposed to them, despite having accommodated with them enough to coexist, and Samson, who, although he was not a good example of someone who followed the Lord, was a man of faith.
The Philistines realized they needed a strong force to capture Samson, but they faced no resistance from the men of Judah. Judah had adapted to the status quo. They were weakened and diminished by compromise, so they were ignored as a threat and actually helped the enemy by capturing Samson. In a way, this scene highlights Samson's faith. It transcends personal revenge to demonstrate Samson's faith and God's power. His faith shines more brightly against Israel's compromise.
His faith is demonstrated in three ways. First, by his treatment of the Jews: he was gentle with them despite their harsh mistreatment of him. He submitted to being bound with two cords by the 3000 Jews, even in his interactions with the enemy. They shouted against him, and he responded with calm courage. He knew his God, which gave him strength. Third, through his victory of faith: the Holy Spirit came upon him powerfully, and a fresh jawbone with all its teeth was there, with his trust firmly in God.
Often in our lives, events occur that seem like defeats at the time they happen. However, God uses whatever means He chooses to carry out His divine will. It may seem so far removed from our perception of what should happen that we become dismayed and discouraged in the moment. Remember, “What I do thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter.” These words from our Lord should reassure us during times of uncertainty.
Despite Samson’s unfaithfulness to his calling and Nazarite vows, God remained faithful to him. When the Philistines charged at Samson with a battle cry and two new ropes, aiming to kill him immediately, they encountered a wall of death—an obstacle powered by God. God was using Samson to begin delivering Israel, so it was no coincidence that a fresh jawbone of a donkey was nearby. The jawbone became like a sword, a battle axe, and a deadly club. In the hands of a man truly used by God, “Little is much when God is in it.”
Samson was just a mortal man despite his God-given strength, and thirst led him to a place where he thought he would die. This is the first time we see him calling on God, and God answered him by miraculously providing water in response to his prayer of faith. Through the power of God's Spirit upon him, he achieved a victory in which 1000 enemies were slain, and by God's power, water miraculously came forth to quench his thirst. He recognized that the water was from Him. Samson took credit for what happened even though he knew his strength came from God and he trusted God to give him victory. Samson could be victorious when he trusted God.
We are vulnerable during times of victory because self-pity can take over us, especially if others have let us down. It is common to experience depression, leaving us emotionally drained. After a victory, we must give God all the glory for both the victory and the subsequent achievements. We are protected when our attitudes, actions, and words remain focused on God. Understanding our position before God influences our behavior. Victory depends on our standing in Christ. However, victory can also make us vulnerable to defeat, causing us to lose fellowship with Christ. Let-downs often follow emotional highs. How gracious and full of compassion is God's response.
This victory paved the way for Israel to enjoy twenty years of stability, even though Israel was still under Philistine dominance. In this prayer of Samson's, the only one recorded in his life before his death, he recognized that his power came from his fellowship with God. He understood he was God's servant and that the Lord had called him to confront the enemy. For the next twenty years, Samson “led Israel.” The experience of God providing water for him in a miraculous way may have transformed his entire outlook on life and his understanding of why he was a Nazarite.
God established Samson's judgeship for twenty years. Because he trusted God, Israel followed his leadership. Even in a nation committed to the status quo, Samson was dedicated to freedom under God. Judah had decided to coexist with the enemy and side with them against God's deliverer, an obvious act of disloyalty when they bound him. He had gone where the Philistines gathered; he broke the bonds and used part of a dead carcass to defeat the foe. Even though he threw away the jawbone, he drew attention to himself, but then faced his dependence on God for water.
God still answers prayer today the same as in the past. Some lessons we can learn from history are that regardless of who we are or what we do, we need the Lord. In our weakness and dependence, we must rely on the Lord. When we have achieved success, we must be sure to give God ALL THE GLORY. No matter what others think of us, we are the Lord's servants. We cannot expect everyone we deal with to be the same; people are different. When all is said and done, and to the best of our ability, we need to acknowledge our need and inability to accomplish anything without God's strength. In times of danger, difficulty, and victory, we are greatly in need of fellowship with the Lord.
Downward Steps. A vow was made but was not kept—God keeps track of this. When promises are made but not fulfilled, there are unavoidable consequences. Attending a drunken party where you shouldn’t be can only lead to worse outcomes. Things happen there for all to see, and often, a person’s self-control is lost in the noise of revelry.
Compromise might seem like the best solution initially until you see the final outcome. Trying to go back and redo what should have been done after the bubble has burst means losing the good that could have come from it. Self-respect and honor have real value. They are worth much more than you might think, but when they are gone, victory feels empty. You must live with the consequences that sin brings. Greed and lust can cause you to lose a lot. Samson lost his wife because of pride. It is sometimes impossible to regain what you have lost. Many men have died for pride, and many have lost their souls forever.
Revenge is like an ancient monster when we indulge in its destructive grip on our prideful souls. It is frightening to face, and when it spirals out of control, it will raise its vicious head again. Revenge never makes forgiveness possible, even though it claims it will satisfy wounded pride. It moves in an endless cycle that is difficult to break, and it is deceptive because it repeats its actions. Self-pity is also like a plant bearing poisoned fruit. If I consume its fruit, I will always feel sick in my soul. It causes spiritual illness, and the effects of self-pity will remain with me until I refocus on my Lord and His will for me.