January 27, 2025

Passage Read: Judges 14-17
Meditation Verses: 16:30-31

Thought

What was God thinking when He chose Samson as judge? Was Israel so clueless at this point that Samson was the best He could find? God uses him and blesses him with great strength, but he is no paragon of virtue. He is enslaved to his baser instincts, and God uses those to punish the Philistines. Judah doesn't seem to understand that Samson is being used of God, they're happy to hand him over to the Philistines rather than fight with him to drive the Philistines out. There's no great decisive victory, but just a bit of revenge here and there, and no one seems to know or see the difference. Israel has fallen so far from the Lord. How could they be made to understand at this point?

Application

Israel seems so far gone. It seems hopeless that they could be made to understand. They're under oppression, but not so bad that they'd cast off their idols and cry out for help. They get Samson, who has some impressive victories, but nothing decisive. It's all half-measures. And no one cares. Everyone's OK with that. Not unlike today. The church is going along, happy with half-hearted devotion, thinking it's pretty whole hearted. They don't know the difference, so they don't see how far short they fall, how lukewarm they are. Better to be hot or cold. Lukewarmness is the hardest to combat. Things are good materially, tolerable anyway, but what they could have would cost too much. They prefer the security of material things over the security of spiritual fire. I'm no better. I need to give up my love and trust in the things and praise of this life and this age.