THE MOMENT
Samson’s sin has finally found him out. Philistines seize him, gouge out his eyes, take him to Gaza, bind him with bronze, set him to grinding grain. Eyes were the inlet of his lust (16:1); punishment fits the sin. Grinding was slave women’s beast labour — maximum humiliation of Israel’s champion.
The Philistine lords offer “a great sacrifice” and celebrate: “Our god has delivered Samson our enemy into our hands.” Yahweh’s champion has become Dagon’s trophy. Our sin often becomes a mocking in the hands of Satan to the name of God.
Samson repents! He asks God to remember him once more. We can learn from this. A whole lifetime of sin can have God’s mercy at the end.
Samson, knowing in advance that God will hear him, asks the lad to help him lean on the pillars. His faith earns him a place in the hall of fame in Hebrews 11.
He prays, and God empowers him again. The temple falls, and we read “Thus he killed many more when he died than while he lived.”
Samson’s last-moment repentance becomes his greatest lifetime triumph, though tragic. The name of God was lifted against Dagon. This was the greatest triumph.
THE SCRIPTURE
Judges 16:23-30 (KJV)
Then the lords of the Philistines gathered them together for to offer a great sacrifice unto Dagon their god, and to rejoice: for they said, Our god hath delivered Samson our enemy into our hand. And when the people saw him, they praised their god: for they said, Our god hath delivered into our hands our enemy, and the destroyer of our country, which slew many of us. 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. And Samson said unto the lad that held him by the hand, Suffer me that I may feel the pillars whereupon the house standeth, that I may lean upon them. Now the house was full of men and women; and all the lords of the Philistines were there; and there were upon the roof about three thousand men and women, that beheld while Samson made sport. And Samson called unto the LORD, and said, O Lord GOD, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes. And Samson took hold of the two middle pillars upon which the house stood, and on which it was borne up, of the one with his right hand, and of the other with his left. 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.