Judges 12-16; Psalm 146; Luke 24

The story of Samson is another example of the ambiguity of the judges' personalities. In Hebrews 11:32, Samson is placed alongside David and Samuel as a man of faith, but the description of his life shows many issues associated with him. Here are some observations on his story:

- Samson was obviously chosen by God to "begin to save Israel out of the hand of the Philistines" (Judges 13:5). For his various deeds, God chooses people, but this does not necessarily mean that these people will be perfect in everything.
- The main requirement of God for Samson was to observe the conditions of the Nazirite vow (a special dedication to God) (Judges 13:13-14). The conditions of the Nazirite vow are detailed in Numbers 6.
- Women were Samson's main weakness. His story mentions three women. His main argument was always, "...she looks good to me" (Judges 14:3). This weakness eventually led to his downfall (Judges 16:15-17).
- By choosing Samson to begin freeing Israel from Philistine oppression, God acted even in situations involving the women with whom Samson was involved. In all three situations, the Philistines were defeated to some extent.
- Samson's supernatural strength clearly came from the Lord when "the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon him" (Judges 15:14). These were isolated incidents. The Spirit of the Lord came upon specific individuals, giving them strength for a particular mission.
- The Lord continued to work through Samson despite his weaknesses and sins.

Psalm 146 beautifully reflects the position of a grateful heart before God. The call to praise and thank God reminds us of His greatness and power, which are the source of our strength and hope.

As shown in the Gospel of Luke, studying the Scriptures and applying them to understanding and acknowledging Christ is essential for our faith. The Scriptures reveal to us the image of Christ and His salvation; through them, we understand His mission and the divine plan for our salvation.