During the time of the Judges, Samson was called by God to guard Israel while Samuel was later called to guide Israel. Samson’s parents were told by God that they would be blessed with a son, who would be a Nazirite to God. They were instructed not to drink wine or strong drink and eat nothing unclean. No razor was allowed to come upon Samson’s head after his birth as he would be Israel’s deliverer from the hand of the Philistines. (Judges 13: 3 - 5)

Samson had the Spirit of Might resting upon him and as a one-man army he defended Israel from the invasion of the Philistines. He did the work of the Lord well, but lacked discipline in his life. He did not keep himself holy, the way a Nazirite to God was expected to be. He was strictly not allowed to touch any dead body but Samson scraped the honey from the swarm of bees in the body of a dead lion, turned it into a riddle to the Philistines, which ended up breaking his marriage. Furthermore, his relationship with Delilah led to the Philistines discover the source of his strength and had his hair removed. His indisciplined lifestyle coupled with his weakness for women, made him lose his eye-sight and even his ministry till the hair grew again.

God seeing this beforehand did not keep the Spirit of Might in his hands or his legs but in his hair, since it was the part of the body that would grow again when cut-off. He knew that Samson would falter and would need his hair to grow again to regain his strength; and rightly placed the Spirit of Might in his hair!

‘O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and how inscrutable his ways!’ (Romans 11:33)

Thought for the day: God designs us according to His purposes and our calling.