Page 22 - Divinity_F5

Divinity for Advanced Secondary Schools

The birth of Samson On the feast of the Philistines god Dagon,
The birth of Samson came about when tormented and cruelly humiliated,
the Angel of the Lord appeared to Samson could not bear their rude jests
Zealphoni, a wife of Manoah and said, and their idol worship. Turning to his
“You will bear a son, who will rescue guide, he said, “Lead me to the pillars, so
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the Israelites from their enemies. He that I may lean upon them and rest for a
will be an extraordinary person, stronger minute.” The boy obeyed. Samson, afire
than a lion, and fleeter than a deer; with anger and pain, invoked the Lord,
and his spirit will be free and fearless. “O, God, give me strength this once.
You must remember that his life will Let me avenge myself on these cruel
be consecrated to the service of God. Philistines that they may know that you
Therefore, never cut his hair, and give are the only God. It matters not if I die
him no wines or liquors, but nourish him with them!” Once again, he felt the spirit
with the purest and mildest food, for he of God in him. With one mighty heave
shall be a Nazirite!” She hastened to (lift), Samson tore the pillars down.
tell her husband. When she gave birth The walls and the roof came crashing
to a son, she called him Samson. Even down, and not a single Philistine present
in his early youth, Samson revealed survived. Samson, too, was killed in this
remarkable physical strength. great crash.

Samson did not take armies against Samson, a politically charismatic leader,
the Philistines but instead used divine was God’s choice, and he accepted God’s
strength to fight against the Philistines. mission to deliver the Israelites from the
He fought many decisive battles against hands of the Philistines. He did his work
the Philistines, and the people finally wholeheartedly without demanding
appointed him Judge over them. anything. Here, Samson teaches that,

in good governance, leaders must
The end of Samson came about when carry out their duties without expecting
he got involved in a love affair with a personal gain. Samson also teaches that
Philistine woman called Delilah. The in governance, a leader is accountable
Philistine lords came to Delilah to ask
her to find out the secret of her husband’s for his actions to fulfil his duties. Now
great strength. After much pressure, and then, Samson fell into lust, and in
Samson finally revealed the secret of the end, he was caught in the hands of
his strength and had his hair cut off; at Delilah, who tricked him. Eventually, he
once, the Spirit of the Lord left him. The had his eyes gorged out. A leader’s bad
heartless Philistines plucked out both his behaviour ruins their life and position in
eyes and led him to Gaza in iron chains. maintaining good governance.

Form Five Student’s Book 13