| Man of
Faith? Jonathan Brown When one thinks of the great men of faith
from the Bible one tends to think of Abraham, Noah, or Moses. The eleventh
chapter of Hebrews, which many have referred to as the “Great Hall of
Faith,” includes these men and many others like them. Surprisingly,
however, this list also includes the Old Testament judge, Samson. Hebrews
11:32 reads: “And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell
of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the
prophets.” One may ask, “Why is Samson included in this list of
faithful men?” This is the same Samson who decided he wanted an evil
Philistine woman, rather than a godly Israelite woman, for a wife (Judg.
14:1-3). This is the same man who, because he lost a bet with thirty men,
killed and robbed thirty other men to pay-off his debt (14:12-19). He is the
same judge of God’s people who went in unto a harlot in Gaza (16:1, 2). This
is the same Israelite that fell in love with a Philistine woman that tricked
him into breaking his Nazarite vow (14:12-19). On the surface, it appears
that he deserves to be on the list of “God’s most unfaithful
servants,” rather than Hebrew’s “great men of faith.”However,
the Hebrew writer continues in Hebrews 11:33-34 to explain that the men
mentioned in v. 32, including Samson, were men “who by faith conquered
kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths
of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from
weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to
flight.” This passage teaches that, despite his failings, Samson was a
faithful man of God. A closer look at some of Samson’s faithful acts reveals
why the Holy Spirit included him in this list.Shut the Mouths of Lions (Neb.
11:33)In v. 32, the Hebrew writer states that the people he listed “shut
the mouths of lions” by faith. This could apply to Samson. When he was
on his way to Timnah to find a Philistine, “a young lion came roaring
toward him” (Judg. 14:5). With the Spirit of the Lord, Samson tore the
lion “as one tears a kid” (v. 6) with his bare hands. Samson could
not have expected this event. If Samson had known a lion was going to attack
him on this path, he would have chosen another one. Yet, he was ready.
Similarly, we must also arm ourselves in the Lord so that we will be ready for
the unexpected spiritual trials that frequent our path.Samson did not
overcome the lion by his own strength, but by the “Spirit of the
Lord.” As strong as he was, he could only do great things with the
strength of God. This may be the one redeeming quality of Samson’s character.
He allowed God to help him to do that which he could not do alone. Because
the Spirit of the Lord came during Samson’s greatest need, Samson needed no
other weapon.Being much weaker in strength than Samson, we are foolish when
we try to take on the unexpected dangers that occur in our lives without the
help of the Lord. We can do “all things through Christ who
strengthens” us (Phil. 4:13). He is there to help us in our times of
greatest need. We must have faith in God, as Samson did, to overcome
spiritual dangers. When we have overcome these dangers, we will have strength
and endurance in us that we may be “complete and lacking in
nothing” (Jas. 1:2-4). |
