I Once Was Blind, But Now I See
Judges 16:23-31 – Victory Fellowship
June 21, 2026 - Rev. Roderick Grabski
Samson became enslaved by his cravings. He strangled a lion but couldn’t strangle his lust. He burst ropes but was bound by his appetite. He burned the enemy’s crops yet was enflamed with desire for their women. He was strong, but not really in control. The champion was captivated by the enemy and conquered by himself! Although Samson could see very well, he was spiritually and morally blind!
As chapter 16 opens the author doesn’t try to cover up Samson’s scandalous behavior. Didn’t Samson feel any sense of shame in seeing a prostitute and fraternizing with the enemy? Mark Twain observed, “man is the only animal who blushes…and who needs to.” Samson is the embodiment of Israel. We see Samson sowing seeds in Gaza which germinate with his destruction with Delilah. Sin has consequences.
We remember Samson’s bad hair day from our lesson last week. Samson was on the Philistine’s “Most Wanted” list! Something had to be done about him, but the Philistines were too afraid to take action. They had to learn the source of Samson’s strength. By his openly dallying with Philistine women, it’s clear the enemy already knew his weakness. Delilah becomes their “secret agent”. Her name has become synonymous with seduction, and she’s often blamed for Samson’s fall, yet she was merely doing her job as a loyal Philistine informant. She is offered a reward of 5500 shekels of silver, the modern equivalent of about $160,000. She turned on the charm, and Samson was very vulnerable.
To insure he is captured, Delilah pleads with Samson to reveal the secret of his strength. What’s wrong here? It should’ve been obvious that God was the Source of Samson’s strength! The Philistines figured Samson was using some kind of magic, some conjuring. His lifestyle did not lead them to consider that he was a religious man.
We may think of religion as private and personal, but nowhere in Scripture does it say that. There should be some evidence, some observable indication that we’re following God. When we choose to serve God, we’re not enrolled in the “Secret Service”!
The Philistines understandably figured that God wasn’t part of Samson’s life. They ponder: How did he get so strong?
Samson’s hair by itself didn’t make him strong, but it was the most observable sign of his vow, which set him apart as a Nazarite. By cutting his hair he severs his tie to God. Samson had grown insensitive, bound by his appetite, blinded by his desires…and then literally blinded and bound.
The Philistines gloatingly capture Samson, cruelly gouge out his eyes, and throw him into a dark cell. They pay him for all he did to them. It sometimes takes a great fall to get our attention.
The Philistines hold a huge celebration at the Temple of Dagon, their god of grain and agriculture, and decide to use the occasion to revel over captured Samson, who has become a symbol of Israel’s shameful defeat, a trophy of their conquest. The five lords of the Philistines, along with over 3,000 men and women are present. It wouldn’t have been surprising for Delilah to be seated at a place of honor. The one person the Philistines feared the most, the man that well-armed soldiers dared not confront, is now led into the pagan temple by a servant. He is brought to the temple to “amuse” his captors. (“Sunny to darkness; Heap of “donkeys” to task of a donkey; destroying grain to grinding it.)
Samson prays to God what was probably the most sincere prayer of his life. In a sense his eyes are finally open to the true source of his strength and calling. Samson’s final prayer calls upon every name for God the Hebrews knew – Adonai, Yahweh, and Elohim. He asks for vindication and death. He would rather sacrifice his life and die with the Philistines than be bound by them. He is granted one final burst of strength.
Archeologists have uncovered Philistine temples around the period of the Judges. Their construction design shows them having two large wooden columns on stone bases in the center of the building, supporting the roof. The drunken laughter turns to screams as Samson brings the house down! Many are killed instantly; others are trampled to death by the panicked mob. Among the dead is the powerless idol Dagon.
The occasion was to mock Israel’s God along with His champion, but God is vindicated. When things couldn’t have seemed bleaker, God turned the tables.
It seems like Samson could resist anything but temptation. In fact, he was blinded by it. We’re warned in Scripture to flee temptation. We all have our own weaknesses. One of the founders of Alcoholics Anonymous observed, “Everyone either has a problem, is a problem, or lives with a problem.” We may be susceptible to a certain activity or substance. Or maybe our compulsion is more subtle; we may be drawn to ambition, vanity, revenge, comfort, or greed. Whatever it may be, these substitutes for God can take over and ruin our lives if we let them. We need to recognize that when we choose sin, we are choosing to rebel, to live contrary to the will of God. Either we are blinded by sin and it controls us, or God controls us.
We’re told that Samson did not finish the job of delivering Israel from Philistine oppression; that was accomplished under the prophet Samuel and King David. We can only speculate on what Samson might have done had he more carefully followed his calling.
However, because his eyes of faith were opened to God, Samson is remembered in the New Testament hall of faith in Hebrews 11:32. And to this day we know where he is buried.
Will our lives amount to anything? Will we make a difference in the lives of others? Is there hope for us when we go astray? God can bring us back and use us, in spite of our weakness. This is the heart of the Gospel message, a promise of grace, reconciliation and restoration. I once was blind, but now I see!
When we fully surrender to the Lord we can look back on our days with fond memories and few regrets.
Do you think God has left you because of some sin or failure or backsliding - as if God is anxious to rid himself of you; just watching and waiting for you to screw up one last time?
His kindness leads to repentance. Our salvation is dependent not on our goodness but on God’s grace. He is slow to punish and quick to forgive.
Open your eyes and see the amazing grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Awaken your soul to the love of God!
PRAYER
SONG: Come as You Are
Judges 16:23-31 NLT
23 The Philistine rulers held a great festival, offering sacrifices and praising their god, Dagon. They said, “Our god has given us victory over our enemy Samson!” 24 When the people saw him, they praised their god, saying, “Our god has delivered our enemy to us! The one who killed so many of us is now in our power!” 25 Half-drunk by now, the people demanded, “Bring out Samson so he can amuse us!” So he was brought from the prison to amuse them, and they had him stand between the pillars supporting the roof. 26 Samson said to the young servant who was leading him by the hand, “Place my hands against the pillars that hold up the temple. I want to rest against them.” 27 Now the temple was completely filled with people. All the Philistine rulers were there, and there were about 3,000 men and women on the roof who were watching as Samson amused them. 28 Then Samson prayed to the LORD, “Sovereign LORD, remember me again. O God, please strengthen me just one more time. With one blow let me pay back the Philistines for the loss of my two eyes.” 29 Then Samson put his hands on the two center pillars that held up the temple. Pushing against them with both hands, 30 he prayed, “Let me die with the Philistines.” And the temple crashed down on the Philistine rulers and all the people. So he killed more people when he died than he had during his entire lifetime. 31 Later his brothers and other relatives went down to get his body. They took him back home and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol, where his father, Manoah, was buried. Samson had judged Israel for twenty years.
