SAMSON: A Type and Shadow of WHO?

In the book of Judges, chapters 13-16, we encountered the most unique character, a strong man, named Samson. Samson is seen in scripture as performing physical acts of strength, rivaling many mythological heroes, many imagine him resembling Kevin Sorbo’s ‘Hercules’. My good friend David Deskins, thinks maybe Samson looked like Pee-Wee Herman or the geeks from ‘Revenge of the Nerds’, and his strength was truly supernatural, but I have a hard time seeing that, though it would make for great TV, taped glasses and all.

Yet, Samson was the weakest strong man. Outward appearance (if we accept the buffed-beach-bod-model) seemed deceiving and hid his lack of inner strength. Samson was chosen, reminiscent of the verse about John the Baptist, Luke 1:15 (KJV) “For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb.” Samson was a Nazarite. “Naz'arite, more properly Naz'irite (one separated), one of either sex who was bound by a vow of a peculiar kind to be set apart from others for the service of God.” (Smith's Bible Dictionary: Comprising Antiquities, Biography, Geography, Natural History, Archaeology and Literature). Many Bible experts and theologians believe John the Baptist was a Nazarite, also.

Samson’s Nazarite vow was constantly being broken. He had very little self-control and it got him into constant conflicts with his parents, his enemies, and ultimately with God. His peculiar fascination with women, particularly Philistine women, was his eventual downfall, or maybe his ‘falling’ all along. A certain damsel named Delilah (her name now forever symbolizes a deceitful, conniving, ruthless woman), would bring Samson’s career as warrior, hero, and judge to an abrupt end, with a pair of scissors as her weapon.

Samson is ridiculed for his passions, rightfully so. He is an example of pursuing the sins of this world and the consequences that will follow, to be sure. As a fighter and warrior, he had no equal, in his day or any since, but his strength was buried in a deep pile of freshly shaved hair, laying his head on the lap of his own destruction. Samson’s weakness was stronger than his strength. He feel to the whims of a woman, but in reality to the lust in his heart.

So, what’s the big deal about this playboy-philandering-jock-type character in scripture? Because he is a type and shadow of the strongest weak man, in scripture… Jesus. Yep, Samson gives us a picture, although a very flawed one at that, I’ll grant you. The question is begged, how does Samson represent Jesus? Well, their births are similar. Jesus’ birth was miraculous, a virgin conceived. But, Samson’s was announced, just like Jesus’ birth was, Angelically-Judges 13:3 (KJV) “And the angel of the LORD appeared unto the woman, and said unto her, Behold now, thou art barren, and bearest not: but thou shalt conceive, and bear a son.” Samson’s mother was barren, and his birth took a supernatural act of God to accomplish it.

Samson was a riddle teller. His riddles often resembled parables. Jesus was a parable giver and many of his parables seemed like riddles, if you will. We could speak of Samson throwing the gates of the city away, Christ said, Matthew 16:18 (KJV) “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Obviously Jesus and His kingdom will throw the gates of Hell wide open. We could talk of Samson’s being guided by the Spirit, Judges 13:25 (KJV) “And the Spirit of the LORD began to move him…” similar to Jesus, as John the Baptist prophesied, John 3:34 (KJV) “For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.” Just as many others in scripture, Samson is that very limited type and shadow of Jesus.

In death the similarities are striking in Jesus and Samson. Jesus was beaten, scourged, and treated cruelly. Samson was also, Judges 16:21 (KJV) “But the Philistines took him, and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of brass; and he did grind in the prison house.” Judges 16:25 (KJV) “And it came to pass, when their hearts were merry, that they said, Call for Samson, that he may make us sport. And they called for Samson out of the prison house; and he made them sport: and they set him between the pillars.” Here we see that Samson became their ‘sport’, the HCSB, translates it as, “Bring Samson here to entertain us.” The Hebrew word is also translated as ‘mock’ in other places in the KJV. It eerily resonates what Jesus endured, Mark 15:20 (KJV) “And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple from him, and put his own clothes on him, and led him out to crucify him.”

And yet, their deaths were different, or at least the means and especially, the purpose. Judges 16:30 (KJV) “And Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines. And he bowed himself with all his might; and the house fell upon the lords, and upon all the people that were therein. So the dead which he slew at his death were more than they which he slew in his life.” Samson became a national hero, no doubt, as he killed more of the enemy than at any time in his life. Jesus’ death was different, 1 Timothy 1:15 (KJV) “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.” Also, Romans 5:6 (KJV) “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.” It is safe to say, that Samson was surrounded by sinners, which he crushed in his revenge, while Jesus, also surrounded by sinners from all time, choose to bring them to Himself, by His own death.

#samson #typeandshadow #jesus