Faithful God

The Philistines were ruthless and horrible people. A sea-faring people who were the first to use iron in warfare, they inhabited the coast on the west side of Israel. They would become the key adversaries for Israel for generations. The unfaithfulness of Israel resulted in God giving them over to the Philistines for 40 years. The Samson story is born from this moment, but there is something missing in chapter 13. The people no longer cry out to God for deliverance; no longer look to Him for rescue. Yet, they are still God's covenant people, descendants of Abraham. They deserve their fate, but how could God show them mercy? Amazingly, God shows up in the way He often does, by showing faithfulness to a couple and giving them a miracle child. This child, Samson, represents the entire problem of Judges. He is the most powerful of the judges---empowered over and over again by the Spirit of God to harass and destroy Israel's evil oppressors while at the same time being a morally bankrupt person. The simple truth of this story is glorious and our hope. Salvation belongs to the Lord, and does not depend on us. And, the God who made promises will be faithful to the end, even when we are not.