At the end of Judges 14, Samson held a wedding to a Philistine lady, but because he lost a challenge he made with the wedding guests, he went on a rampage to fulfill his part of the bargain. At the end of the chapter, we read of how he went back to his father's house, and as a result, his wife was given to his best man (Judges 14:20). We pick up the narrative in today's study, and we continue to see how the life of this judge of Israel unfolds.
(A) Poisonous wrath that leads to endless destruction (Judges 15:1-8)
In Judges 15:1, "after some days", Samson decides to visit his wife, and claim her back. He brings along a young goat, and his intentions are clear -- he wants to "go in to (his) wife in the chamber". He looked for her because he wanted to consummate their wedding. But her father stands in the way, and would not allow him because she had been given to his best man. Her father assumed that he was so angry and "utterly hated" her (Judges 15:2).Not only that, his father-in-law also assumes that he is fickle and his anger can be easily placated by offering her sister, who is "more beautiful than she".
Samson is obviously angry and declares his intention to "do them harm", but "this time" he shall be innocent (Judges 15:3). In the next section in Judges 15:3-8, we read of a series of dialogues and actions between Samson and the Philistines. It unfolds like a series of tit-for-tat vengeful actions. Clearly this will not be the first time that Samson has acted against the Philistines. In fact, this is something of a family dispute, but Samson's immediate reaction is to go against all the Philistines and intentionally seek "do them harm". The actions does not seem justified, but ironically, he declares himself "innocent" in regard to his actions. Samson is smart and knows how to rationalize this anger, and makes it perfectly acceptable for him to act upon his desires. Like in the previous chapter, Samson is still continuing to do what is right in his own eyes.
Samson proceeds to execute his plan (Judges 15:4-5). He took the time to catch 300 foxes, tied them together, set fire to the torches placed between these foxes, and set them loose in the "stacked grain and the standing grain as well as the olive orchards" (Judges 15:5). This was during the wheat harvest (c.f. Judges 15:1), thus, this was a well-thought out plan with the intention of dealing maximum damage to the Philistines. This is not a mild anger or irritation. Samson clearly had the kind of anger that makes one feel hot and clouds one's vision. This kind of anger is not so far-off and difficult for us to relate to if we are honest with ourselves. This is more than just a reaction to a set of circumstances, but has a far deeper root. Timothy Keller helps us understand the root cause of our anger:
Anger is always an outgrow of love. Anger is that which rouses you and rallies all of your faculties to defend that which you ultimately love. You get angry to the degree you love something. Your hierarchy or loves is your hierarchy or anger.
What does anger look like in your life today? What do you do in your anger? And when you trace that anger all the way back, what does it show about what you love. Anger often arises when what we love is threatened. In many times in life, this can be positive, as we seek to stand up to injustice and evil. But, in this case, and frequently in our lives, Samson's and our anger arises from love of ourselves as our pride is threatened or obstacles stand in the way of us fulfilling our desires.
In response, the Philistines sought to find the perpetrator of these actions (Judges 15:6a) and when they found out that it was Samson, they "came up, burned her and her father with fire" (Judges 15:6b). It was just as she feared in the previous chapter (c.f. Judges 14:15). This is a tragic end, and we see how everyone gets more and more hurt as this story progressed.
It does not end there. Samson hears about it and says "I swear I will be avenged on you, and after that I will quit" (Judges 15:7). This is a man who is trying to convince himself that he can control his anger -- just one more time to avenge himself and then he will quit -- but that will be easier said than done. Aren't we often like this too, able to convince ourselves that we are ok, and that we have our anger in check? Samson acts against them "with a great blow" and "stayed in the cleft of the rock of Etam" (Judges 15:8). Look at the shadow of a man that he has become, that he has to run away and hide in the cleft of the rock in Etam. At the end of the first 8 verses of this chapter, Samson is back at square one, without a wife, and he has also caused the death of his wife and her father. All this arose because of his anger.
(B) Poisonous wrath that implicates God's chosen people (Judges 15:9-13)
The Philistines retaliated against Samson by preparing to make a raid on Judah (Judges 15:9). They were prepared to shed innocent blood, "to do to him as he did to us" (Judges 15:10), and this time we see the conflict escalate another level from one within a family, to one between ethnicities. Now the men of Judah realised what Samson had done, and this certainly does not bode well considering how the people of Israel are in the hands of the Philistines (c.f. Judges 13:1). and 3000 men from Judah went down to find Samson who is hiding in the cleft of the rock (Judges 15:10-11). The fate of the nation was at stake, as war was about to break out! The Israelites seem to have forgotten their place as the people of God, and were clearly afraid of the Philistines. At the same time, let us not forget who Samson, whose life mission was actually to save the people! Ironically, he seemed to bring about destruction of the people instead, all because of his own personal sin and anger. At the same time, Judah was afraid of this strong man with a temper, for they had to bring 3000 to talk to just 1 man.
Samson and the people agree on a solution to appease the Philistines. Samson agrees to be bound and given over to the Philistines (Judges 15:12-14). But it comes with a condition -- that the Israelites would not attack him first. The relationship between Samson and his people is one full of fear and mistrust. This is also a savior that is unwilling and was begrudging about his mission. He was willing to be turned over, but unwilling to face a certain death by the hands of his own people. After all, this is a man who has fought the Philistines before, so he would be confident that he would not die if he met them. These verses show us a picture of an imperfect savior, insecure and awkward.
(C) Poisonous wrath and God's antidote: grace (Judges 15:14-20)
Samson is bound up with "two new ropes" and goes on to meet the Philistines (Judges 15:13). But something interesting happens in verse 14 -- "Then the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon him, and the ropes that were on his arms became as flax that has caught fire, and his bonds melted off his hands." Samson goes on to destroy the Philistines (Judges 15:16), but verse 14 is meant to tell us, the reader, that everything happened because God let it happened! The ropes miraculously fell off, and Samson did nothing to break them. The Holy Spirit rushed upon Samson to give him the victory, but God also showed grace by not delivering him to the Philistines. God was also gracious to save the Israelites!
At this point in the narrative, this might come as a surprise. Samson's wrath seems to lead him to bigger and bigger pools of bloodshed, but God is gracious enough here to grant him this victory! And remember that this was man who was so broken, hid in the cave for a while and had to barter his way out of this recent situation.
The chapter takes another surprising turn as it closes. After battling the Philistines, Samson has to battle thirst, and it is now that he prays (Judges 15:18). This is the first recorded prayer of Samson. No prayer was recorded before his marriage, when he faced wild animals, when he was confronted by 3000 men from Judah or when he battled the Philistines. Perhaps in the earlier cases, his strength and power could serve him well, but left to fight thirst without a water source, Samson is but human. We see some tiny indication of a transformation here, the beginning signs of a man that sees his need for God. Granted, Samson approaches God with a certain sense of arrogance, drama and entitlement, but for the first time in the narrative, God enters his radar. Samson also began to see the Philistines as "uncircumcised". Previously, he thought of them as any other people, and people to take revenge on. He probably acknowledges them as people that are not marked and not set apart by God. That is a sign of transformation, to be able to see them in relation to who God is. What can we learn from this? This is something that many of us are probably guilty of. Most of the time we think that we are doing well and are able to handle whatever life throws us. In those moments, God is often not in the picture, and prayers are scarce. But in moments when we are utterly helpless and there seems to be no way out, we suddenly turn to God in prayer.
Samson asks God for water, and God provided refreshing waters that revived his spirit (Judges 15:19). God answered his prayer, giving him what he needed and opened the rock.
Judges 15 shows us how flawed and sinful Samson is, and in contrast, how gracious, merciful and loving God is. Years later, we know that God did not leave sins and injustices unpunished, but He sent His son to pay the price for sins. Jesus paid it all, so that we don't have to pay for the evil that we do with our own lives, and we certainly don't have to repay the evil done to us with more evil. Christ is indeed the true and living water that God graciously provides from a rock. In John 4:1-15, we read of Jesus' encounter with a Samaritan woman at the well. Jesus spoke of a different kind of water, to quench something deeper than a physical thirst (John 4:13-14). Christ is the living water, from which we drink and will not be thirsty again. Anyone who is humble enough to ask -- the proud and vengeful like Samson, or the ashamed and guilt-ridden person like the woman at the well -- will receive this gracious provision of soul-reviving, thirst-quenching water. Will you ask Him today?