THE MAN WHO ACCOSTED GOD

by Marty Gabler

 

      His eyes were gone. They were not merely sightless, they were completely gone. The language in the original context leaves us with the understanding that Samson’s eyes were scooped out of his head, and that without so much as an aspirin.

      Not long ago Samson was wielding all manner of weapons and opportunities against the enemies of Israel and was very successful to say the least. But now the little bit of purpose he serves is realized in grinding grain for his enemies and providing them with humorous stories and “Samson” jokes. “Did you hear the one about the long-haired Hebrew who….?”

Envision Things To Come

      Years before this tragic scene, when Samson was a little boy, he probably played like other little boys. He was born under the tyranny of an oppressive enemy. When he played, it is likely that he played a little game on the order of  “Israelites and Philistines.” Can’t you see him with his stick, parrying and thrusting and feinting and taking the field against every Philistine in his vivid imagination?

      There was a time when this avowed Nazarite had envisioned every Philistine defeated and every Israelite free. It was something he had plainly seen… at one time. As he matured and realized his destiny, he acted out what he had envisioned. In purpose, Samson lifted up his eyes as a young man and saw the defeat of the Philistines. It was something he could grasp… before certain persons distracted him. It was something he could plainly see… before he lost his eyes in a game of touchy-feely with those he was avowed not to have relationship with. A little honey out of the mouth of a dead lion’s carcass to satiate a genuine, legitimate hunger wouldn’t be condemned by anyone (even if it was a forbidden matter for a Nazarite). A little wine (the context intimates that Samson also drank), the refreshing, nourishing drink of the day (but strictly forbidden for Nazarites) was not given so much as a second thought by anyone. Forbidden relationship with three Philistine women (not just one, but three) did not seem to arouse concern in anyone but his parents. Vows made and vows broken tragically became the order of the day as values and *mores were eaten away by the consistent numbing effects of exposure to those things of defilement. Endless taunts and jibes at the man’s ego brought desired reckless reaction. All intended attempts of the enemy to take the man out were driving a cold, hard wedge between him and his calling.   [*(mo·res (môr“aze”) pl.n. 1. The accepted traditional customs and usages of a particular social group. 2. Moral attitudes. 3. Manners; ways.}]

Connections

      Samson’s Nazarite vow, his dedication, was directly whacked by each of these transgressions. His vow, i.e., his degree of dedication, was directly connected to his ability and the outcome of his endeavors. What a catchy title for a book: From Powerful Victor To Defeated Grinder In Three Easy Steps: The Story Of Samson Of Israel. It would be the proverbial story of a man who had it all and lost it all. Yes, that’s right, folks. He had it all within his grasp but he let it all go. A subtitle which might appear on a cheesy movie poster: From Power-Broker To Flat Broke.

The Grinder That Was

      The grinder of Philistine bones has somehow become the grinder of Philistine grain (Jud 16:21). Under the mandate and empowering of Jehovah, Samson had crushed the bones of those who oppressed God’s people, Israel. Now he is grinding grain which will help sustain the enemies of God. He is way out of position. He was born to destroy the Philistine strangle-hold upon Israel and the purposes of God in her but, instead, is prospering the enemy of God by grinding the grain that will give them strength to oppress Israel further. Dagon was the Philistine god of grain, thereby, making Samson’s act of grinding grain an act of worship unto a false god per the paradigm of Philistine theology. A well-known minister was caught in adultery. He had a large church with a well-known ministry and enjoyed a very nice annual income but lost it all as his life turned into a circus of mistakes. Now he was doing menial tasks of all sorts trying to make ends meet. A group of ministers were standing around after a meeting and his name came up and the fix he had found himself in was rehearsed in conversation. One individual made the remark, “Sin will make a fool out of you.”

Memories

      It would seem that, so far, all Samson has been going over in his mind are the decisions and circumstances that have brought him to this grievous place. He has no eyes with which to see his enemies. Whenever he saw Philistines in the past, it triggered a cause in him, it lit up his dedication like electricity lights up a great search light. As long as he could see Philistines he was reminded of Israel’s oppression and his avowed mandate and his zealous desire to bring it to a halt. However, without his eyes, he is as good as dead for the purposes of God in Israel. Now his thoughts are haunted only by memories of failure.

Distraction Vs. Dedication

      It is a noted fact that the Hebrew strong man has already lost his hair which was an outward sign of an inward devotion to his God. We see now not only lost hair, but lost devotion and its resultant ineffectiveness. His vow, i.e., his degree of dedication, was directly connected to his ability and the outcome of his endeavors. The sign and the reality the hair so blazingly represented, are nonexistent. The Philistine princes did not bribe Delilah to give Samson a new hairdo, they bribed her to toy with him and get him distracted from his mandate. Samson was not born a Nazarite to toy with Philistines of either gender. He was born to destroy the source of the oppression of the nation of Israel. The secret of his strength was not long hair but dedication which was paralleled by outward evidence — his whole look, his demeanor and his actions. Dedication and distraction will end up in an inevitable head-on collision with one of two results: (1) Dedication will be sustained by the called one or (2) distraction will be embraced by the called one. If sustained, dedication can stand the impact of distraction but unsustained, unsupported dedication will take the full blow of impact. A most important factor we should note at this point is that Samson was a loner, unsupported, unconnected, unrelated. What good is great ability and great strength if it is unconnected and unrelated? The result is that, even though it is noteworthy, it will be short-lived.

Something Is Going On

      As stated, all that Samson has thought about to this point, like any typical person who has messed up, are the problems he has created by his decisions and ensuing actions. But by the time we get to Jud.16:22 the record would indicate that he has begun to think about past victories. Something is going on because the Bible says that his hair began to grow again. We don’t have a fresh conjuring of an old formula going on, we have something going on inside the man that is being evidenced on the outside. Dr. Jamieson puts it this way: His hair grew together with his repentance, and his strength with his hair. Matthew Henry offers: The return of his hair was not the source of his strength. The return of his hair was the sign of his return to his purpose. His return to his Nazariteship was signified by his extraordinary hair growth. With repentance comes strength.

Accosting God

      First we are given the grand news that Samson’s hair is growing back but we know that much more than hair-growing is going on. The Philistines have not learned anything. No one is paying attention but we should. There is much more going on in v.28 than meets the eye upon first glance. A modern reader sees a simple sentence that informs us that Samson called unto the Lord. We must look closer to get the message of Samson’s story. Basically, the word “called” means “cry out;” “utter loud sound.” But Strong says that it is the idea of accosting a person met. Others have said that it is the idea of encounter. Accost means “to approach and speak to often in a challenging and aggressive way.” Encounter can mean “to engage in conflict with; a sudden often violent clash.” When you accost a person that you meet as you are going along, you might tend to grab hold of them to make sure you have their attention. You could possibly even shake them a bit or go so far as to wrestle about with them if necessary in order to get their attention or get your point across. With all of this evidence it appears that Samson’s agreement with grinding ceased and desisted and he sought out the face of God with much vigor and determination. It was no slight moment-of-inspiration speech or act. It was desire, nay, desperation in action! Samson began to call upon God to finish what he had started in him — no halfway job, no stone left unturned, not even a reasonable facsimile thereof but the full promise fulfilled.

Stand Up Again

      Samson in the prison house at the grinding stone fit the definition of “death.” Death means “termination or extinction of something; cessation of all vital functions.” He was as good as dead. Dead means “lacking feeling or sensitivity, unresponsive; not having capacity to produce or sustain life; out of operation because of a fault or breakdown.” But when that “dead man” accosted God, when he had an encounter with the God of resurrection, he was resurrected to his purpose and fulfilled what God had called him to. The word resurrection means “to stand up again.” The Philistines thought that Samson was down for the count just like the devil and the princes of this world thought Jesus was down for the count (1Co 2:7-8). But when resurrection power hit the body of Jesus, He stood up again. When resurrection power came upon Samson, he stood up again and the Philistines, what few were left, wished he never had.

Gifts And Calling Are Irrevocable

      A mere man called to a great destiny failed along the way before he completed the purpose for which he was called but the gifts and calling of God are irrevocable (Rom 11:29). You may be down and out for the count as far as the enemy and some people are concerned. But don’t discount the resurrection power that comes from an encounter with God. It is possible to stand up again and you don’t have to do it all by yourself. You may have your vision taken from you and you may not be able to see fulfillment ahead but the God of vision is walking your way. Cry out to Him. Accost Him with great desire. Seek His face and He will cause you to stand up again so that you might slay more in this round than you slew in the first round.