Observation: The impending conflict between Samson and the Philistines is set in motion when Samson desires to marry a Philistinian woman. Though his parents try, Samson will not be dissuaded. It is a very odd request, as Samson has been raised a Nazirite and thus his life is dedicated to God, and marrying a foreign woman is expressly forbidden by God. However, verse 4 clarifies that this is being done by God, for the purpose of trapping the Philistines into fighting with Samson.
God could have used almost any catalyst to initiate such a conflict. He could have ... had the Philistines attack an Israeli city, or had Samson simply lead a group in rebellion against the Philistines, or created a confrontation between any number of of people that escalated. Using (what appears to be) a lust-motivated marriage that violates God's rules seems ... convoluted and inconsistent at best. However, there are three possible reasons for this approach:
1) Samson needed his heart changed. Thought dedicated to God, Samson did not have animosity toward the Philistines, as apparent by his desire to marry one of their women. He needed to first be changed. This happened when he was cheated by a combination of both men he had befriended, and the woman he loved.
2) Samson needed the humiliation of Israel to become personal. After being cheated, his wife is given to another man. This is done without any regard for him. At that moment, Samson understands that the Philistines are willing to do anything they like to any Israelite.
3) Samson needed to realize the plight of his own people. Yes, Samson has no killed some Philistines, but it is true that 'they started it' and he is the victim. Yet the Israelites are so oppressed that they hunt down Samson and surrender him to the Philistines, simply because "the Philistines are our rulers" (Judges 15:11).
When all three of these conditions are fulfilled, Samson's full power in the Holy Spirit manifests, and then he becomes the leader of Israel. These conditions could not have existed without the setup God orchestrated.
Application: There are situations in my life that truly make me wonder about ... what could God possibly be up to that he would allow such a scenario. Some of these scenarios may just seem strange. A couple of them have involved pain and humiliation. Now I can see that when this happens - to me or others - God is likely preparing us for something more, just like he prepared Samson.
God prepares us by ... making our heart open to caring about the situation or circumstance where he wants us to focus, then making that important to us, and finally giving us a broader context in which to help others. This requires time. For Samson, even these few verses likely required a year or more. For others, the process may take a lifetime.
I now care about how Christians are being targeted as a result of cultural trends in the US. I don't yet know what to do about it, but I suspect that will come. Perhaps it will be cases-by-case empathy. We shall see. But I see this pattern from God now, my heart is changed, it is personal to me, and I look forward to living into God's plan.
Prayer: Lord, here I am, ready to serve as you would have me do. Thy will be done. Amen.
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