By Olubunmi Adebayo
*Let it be known that those who fail to learn the lessons of history, stand the danger of repeating the mistakes of history.*
*Therefore, avoiding the mistakes of life requires a constant remembrance of the events of history.*
*Today we shall be learning from the life of Samson – the most physically powerful man in the entire Bible, yet one that ranked among the weakest of men of all times.*
*He was born with clear instructions on what he should never do.*
*It was therefore baffling that as a child that had been chosen as a Nazarene from the womb of the mother, Samson went about jumping from one strange woman to another, and eventually marrying a harlot altogether :*
*Judges 14:[1]And Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines.*
*Please read the response of the parents of Samson when they heard the direction their Nazarene son was heading :*
*Judges 14: [2] And he came up, and told his father and his mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines: now therefore get her for me to wife.*
*[3]Then his father and his mother said unto him, Is there never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said unto his father, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well.*
*Samson didn’t stop at loving the strange woman at Timnath, he moved in with another one at Gaza :*
*Judges 16: [1]Then went Samson to Gaza, and saw there an harlot, and went in unto her.*
*Samson started with the woman at Timnath. He went further and didn’t stop with the harlot woman at Gaza.*
*And ended up with the chief harlot of them all – the one at Sorek. She was the one who helped in finishing his ministry and the assignment God gave to him :*
*Judges 16: [4] And it came to pass afterward, that he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah.*
*The chief harlot at Sorek was not an ordinary harlot. She was a paid agent of the state :*
*Judges 16: [5] And the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and said unto her, Entice him, and see wherein his great strength lieth, and by what means we may prevail against him, that we may bind him to afflict him: and we will give thee every one of us eleven hundred pieces of silver.*
*[6]And Delilah said to Samson, Tell me, I pray thee, wherein thy great strength lieth, and wherewith thou mightest be bound to afflict thee.*
*The instructions of God at the conception and birth of Samson was very clear, but he wouldn’ listen.*
*The strong warning from his parents, he will not hearken.*
*The consistency of danger signals around him from these escapees, he was insensitive to. Until alas, destruction came knocking.*
*Just imagine, Delilah sought knowing the source of his strength several times, eliciting various rigmarole responses from Samson.*
*Judges 16: [6] And Delilah said to Samson, Tell me, I pray thee, wherein thy great strength lieth.*
*Listen to Samson on his journey of descent into self – destruction :*
*i) Judges 16: [7] If they bind me with seven green withs that were never dried….*
*ii) Vs [11].. If they bind me fast with new ropes that never were occupied..*
*iii) Vs [13]…If thou weavest the seven locks of my head with the web.*
*iv) Vs [17]…There hath not come a razor upon mine head; for I have been a Nazarite unto God from my mother’s womb: if I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man…*
*Every warning to Samson fell on deaf ears, until he lost out to the enemies who systematically orchestrated his downfall and ultimate destruction.*
*Please know this : whosoever will not listen in obedience or learn from history, will face the painful consequences of repeating the mistakes of history.*
*A word they say is enough for the wise.*
Top of the day to you.
©️ Olubunmi S Adebayo.
