The Story of Samson

[alexiscurious]

28 Then Samson prayed to the Lord, “Sovereign Lord, remember me. Please, God, strengthen me just once more, and let me with one blow get revenge on the Philistines for my two eyes.” 29 Then Samson reached toward the two central pillars on which the temple stood. Bracing himself against them, his right hand on the one and his left hand on the other, 30 Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines!” Then he pushed with all his might, and down came the temple on the rulers and all the people in it. Thus he killed many more when he died than while he lived.

Why does Samson's prayer for revenge even get listened to? Isn't it evil and selfish? I thought God wants us to forgive our enemies not harm them? Isn't this just the same as a terrorist proclaiming to be a Christian making a building collapse on a bunch of nonbelievers?

 

[98cwitr]

It was in line with God's Will for the Philistines at the time.

 

[gord44]

Samson was a wrecker. He liked to wreck Philistines. God let him do what he did best!

 

[alexiscurious]

It was in line with God's Will for the Philistines at the time.

So evil and the breaking of a few commandments is perfectly acceptable as long as it's a part of God's will?

 

[alexiscurious]

Samson was a wrecker. He liked to wreck Philistines. God let him do what he did best!

So If I'm a good wrecker too should I go make buildings collapse on my enemies as well?

 

[gord44]

I don't think the good Lord wants to give you the power to do that. Ol Samson only got that kinda strength when the spirit came upon him. Dude took out thousands of folks with the jawbone of a goat or something.

 

[dcalling]

The enemy of Israel at the time are usually enemy of God as well, they burn their kids with fire to give them to other God, cut open the pregnant women and put the infant out etc.

And they keep harassing the Israelis. When the Israelis cry to God, he listen and provide judges to give them some relive. If you read the story of Samson, he is not a good Judge, a rather bad one. But even for him, when he got caught, had his eyes poked out, but cried to God, God helped him (and his people) to some degree.

 

[ForJesusChrist]

perfectly acceptable as long as it's a part of God's will?

God's will is God's will. God will do as He pleases.

 

[98cwitr]

So evil and the breaking of a few commandments is perfectly acceptable as long as it's a part of God's will?

You're confusing the big cuddly man in the sky with the God of the Bible. Read the Book of Joshua and understand that we (here and now) are no longer under the Old Covenant, but the New. Under the New we are commanded to even love our enemies and let God handle vengeance.

When an angel comes to slaughter the wicked, how is that exactly evil? When God commissions a man in the OT to carry out His Will against an evil people, how is that wicked?

 

[alexiscurious]

You're confusing the big cuddly man in the sky with the God of the Bible. Read the Book of Joshua and understand that we (here and now) are no longer under the Old Covenant, but the New. Under the New we are commanded to even love our enemies and let God handle vengeance.

Last I checked Samson came after the ten commandments. How does his conversation with the God of the Bible who made those ten commandments follow them at all? He prayed that his death brought about more death.

When God commissions a man in the OT to carry out His Will against an evil people, how is that wicked?

He didn't commission him to do anything. The prayer came from Samson.

 

[Sojourner1]

Samson's intentions were self-centered (although he lost his own life getting his revenge), but in the end he was fulfilling God's purpose for him:

Judges 13:5
"...for behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. No razor shall come upon his head, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb, and he shall begin to save Israel from the hand of the Philistines.”

 

[98cwitr]

Last I checked Samson came after the ten commandments. How does his conversation with the God of the Bible who made those ten commandments follow them at all? He prayed that his death brought about more death.



He didn't commission him to do anything. The prayer came from Samson.

What do the ten commandments have to do with the Gospel? You realize the 10 commandments are OT Law right?

You're thinking too acutely. Think back and find the reason God created Samson.

 

[gord44]

In the end I say listen to Jesus. He said to not repay violence with violence as it just begets....more violence. If Samson would have taken Jesus' ideal I am sure his life would have been more chill. But of course he existed was before Jesus was around to teach this radical idea.

On that note, when dealing with the OT, you must remember the whole 'turn the other cheek' idea wasn't in use. Some interpretations of Jewish law allowed an 'eye for an eye' whether it be corporal retribution or monetary.