It might seem strange here to go back to the complicated story of Samson in the period of the Judges. But I want to use Samson to make a point that will help us to understand something about Solomon and Israel. In the Bible there is always a close relationship between the one and the many. Israel’s leaders always played a kind of representative role. They represented Israel not just politically, but often they represented Israel prophetically. What I mean is, their lives say something about their people. Have you ever wondered why Samson was so stupid to trust Delilah with the secret of his strength? Even after gaining clear evidence of her scheme to bring him to ruin, he still told her his secret! It’s almost unbelievably stupid. This led to him being blinded and bound by the Philistines. So, what is the point? The point is that this is exactly the story of Israel up to that point. The story of Samson and Delilah is the last story of the last of the judges in the book of Judges. It is a prophetic picture of the sheer stubborn stupidity of Israel who kept allowing themselves to be seduced by the nations around them only to end up spiritually blind and in bondage. While the account of the period of the judges ends with the story of Samson, the account of the period of the kings begins with the story of Solomon. His story is also prophetic of what would happen to Israel. It is a sad trajectory. May it not be the trajectory of your life!
Ask God to show you where you are falling for the same temptations over and over.
Read Judges 16
