The Fall of the Mighty

By Dr. Sheety Speero

Samson, who had strength that put everyone at risk when he was with God and had His grace, saw God save him repeatedly from the hands of those who wanted him to fall in his life. He had hope that he would never face the danger of falling because God was with him. Yet every time, his salvation came with the same hope that one day God would not abandon him, just as He did not abandon his ancestors.

For anyone who reads Samson’s story, it’s hard not to shed tears over the tragic hero, who was born with a fiery spirit. Many young men look up to him, wishing they had the strength he had. But Samson never thought his strength would become his weakness. He never considered that a day would come when his body would lie helpless, his eyes gouged out by the Philistines. He received all his strength and power from God, but he ultimately used it as if it were his own.

When the end came, Samson was bound, blind, and humiliated by his enemies. His downfall was at the hands of Delilah, whom he trusted but who deceived him and handed him over to his enemies. She was like the wrong path that many fall into, thinking it is safe, only to find themselves lost, unable to escape.

Samson’s life tells a story of three steps toward falling, each leading further down. The first was a minor mistake that became his habit. Eventually, it drove him away from the vow of consecration to God, violating the covenant he made by breaking the Nazirite vow, which he vowed not to break.

Samson’s downfall began with the strength given to him by God. He thought that if he disclosed his secret, nothing would change, even if he told Delilah his whole heart. But when he eventually revealed everything to her, he lost all his strength because it came from God alone.

The danger of self-love, which led him to take things lightly, made him feel invincible. This self-love is the hidden poison in the human soul that often ends in heartbreak and devastation. Samson saw himself as invincible, just like someone who drinks from a sea, never feeling quenched. His downfall was due to his misplaced confidence and failure to guard his heart.

And Samson, the consecrated Nazirite to the Lord, ended up acting like any ordinary person who disregarded the sacred laws given by God. He gave in to Delilah’s influence, losing his dedication to God, and his final fall came when he thought himself above consequence.

He who had been given strength and miracles many times became a prisoner due to his arrogance and self-reliance. God warned him, and if only he had listened, he would not have fallen.

Do not let sin deceive you. Turn away from it so that God does not abandon you. Don’t let the Devil deceive you into thinking you are invulnerable; death will come, and people will realize that God has distanced Himself from them because of their sinful choices.

Saul went seeking the Lord, but he heard Samuel’s voice saying to him, “Why do you ask me, seeing that the Lord has departed from you and has become your enemy?” (1 Samuel 28:16).

My dear beloved, do you continue to commit sin and spend the days of your life hoping to find the path of salvation at the last moment of time? Fine, but are you certain you will be fully conscious and ready at that hour?

There is a famous story about a rebellious ruler who used to take poison-laden herbs, known as hemlock, as his regular food. He ate it constantly so that his body grew accustomed to it, and then he believed that by doing this he could escape any attempt to poison him. But if he decided to stop, he found that he could not break free from his dependency on it. This is the path of those who practice sin regularly. They get accustomed to it until it becomes inseparable from their lives. Are you waiting until you reach a point where you cannot free yourself from it, then hope that God will intervene?

Imagine Satan as a fierce warrior, who gathers all his strength so that he does not let go of the soul he has seized and over which he has gained power. The last day of battle will be a day of terror, as the devil descends with great fury upon you, knowing that his time is short (Revelation 12:12).

For someone who depends on God to wait until the last moment of life for the Lord to come, hoping to repent and to have the Lord with him in that last hour of his life, he may be deceiving himself. Who guarantees you that you will be fully ready in that final hour?

Therefore, if you hear His voice, do not harden your heart. Open your heart and confess with your tongue to be granted acceptance. May the Lord of peace be with you, protect you, and soften your heart in His knowledge and love.