Shear Strength

Samson was from the tribe of Dan. Even before his birth he was appointed to deliver Israel from their enemy, the Philistines. God endowed him with superhuman strength and his life is a record of feats that amaze and amuse. Samson was a Nazarite and because of that fact he had certain restrictions placed upon him, one of them being, he was not to have his hair cut! It was revealed to him early on that his great strength was tied to his long hair.

Samson waged war on the Philistines for twenty years, a pagan nation who oppressed the nation of Israel. Although Samson was a judge over Israel, he had a Philistine girlfriend! Between playing games and toying with the Philistines, Samson wasted a lot of time, time that could have been used to advance the nation he was a part of. After giving up the secret of his strength, he was betrayed by a woman he loved! His enemies cut off his hair, put out his eyes, and forced him to grind grain like an ox with a yoke! His strength was sheared, along with his judicial duties and his effectiveness. Samson was too controlled by his sensuality, confided in the wrong people and used his gifts and abilities unwisely. Caution! Beware of women and men running with scissors

A famous preacher once described Samson as being a 98 pound weakling—an early version of Barney Fife (The Andy Griffin Show). That could explain why everyone was amazed at his great strength, but no one understood how it was possible. Goliath had great strength too, but being nine feet tall, that is no surprise. The story has a unique ending, the Philistines forgot about Samson and his hair grew back, along with his great strength. He used his strength to topple a Philistine temple killing many, including himself. Samson is mentioned in the Hall of Fame in Hebrews as a man of great faith. Remember, great strength in one area of life does not make up for great weaknesses in other areas. However, God’s presence does not overwhelm a person’s will and He can use a person of faith in spite of his or her mistakes. God says in 2 Corinthians 12:9, "My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness. So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.”