The
life of Delilah as one Christian writer puts it indicates that for
beauty, personal charm, mental ability, self-command, nerve, she was
quite a wonderful woman, a woman to be admired for some qualities
which she exhibits, even while she is to be utterly disapproved.
She
is to be outright disapproved because she was a 'mistress of the art
of feigning love in spite of being quite untouched at heart.' The words
of Solomon in the book of proverbs of the necessity of one inclining
one's ears to wisdom and being attentive to understanding was almost
missing from what we know of Samson's life in regards to an ungodly woman's course. The lips of a forbidden woman Solomon tells us drips honey,
and her speech is smoother than oil, but in the end it is bitter as
wormwood, or to bring the phrase more home to us, it is as bitter as
eating a piece of log found amidst dogs faeces.
We
know from the narrative (Judges 16) that Samson fell prey to Delilah's smooth words,
her enticing lips and goddess like beauty were all exercised to the
end of her desires which is money. Before we dive deep into
Delilah's ungodly ways and the way she slew the anointed of God, let
us paint a picture of Samson for it was because of his remarkable
weakness for a woman's charm that Delilah is forever etched in the
pages of Scripture.
Samson
is the hero of God but can hardly be portrayed as an example to
follow. Before his conception, he was to be set apart to deliver
Israel from the hands of the Philistines. Divine instructions were
given to his parents that no razor should come upon his head.The strength of Israel’s salvation was to be rooted in Samson's hair. If
Israel was to be saved by Samson's hand then obedience was necessary
on the part of his parents and eventually of Samson himself.
Samson
had one fundamental sin. He could not rebuff a woman's charm. He was
a man that opened himself to the lust of his heart. His election to
embrace a woman was dictated by his eyes. If she was beautiful, if
his eyes agreed so does his heart, despite all the counsels that bids
him that such ways will lead him astray. Seeing a daughter of the
Philistines in Timnah, Samson was immediately awed by her, so much so
that he commanded his parents to go and fetch her to make him his
wife. Parental guidance sought to avert him from such a path, but
Samson settled that 'she was right in his eyes' and thus was resolved
to adopt for no other. He was to have his uncircumcised bride and by
uncircumcised we mean that she was not an Israelite. Even in Gaza
Samson used a harlot in order to satisfy his desires. Such was the
ways of the man that it is not surprising that his end should come at
the hands of a forbidden woman.
We
are first introduced to Delilah as a woman that Samson loved who
lived in the Valley of Sorek. I suspect that she was a friend of the
Philistines and known by them, for after they noticed that Samson's
heart had been captured by Delilah, they came at once to her as the
individual who could execute successfully their evil plans. In loving
Delilah Samson ushered in his death. Her honey dripping lips will
finally bring about his ruination.
Delilah
loved money; and for a pretense in displaying love as to having true
affections, she is willing to play the actress. “Seduce him,”
asked the Philistines “and find out where his great strength lies
and we will each give you 1,100 pieces of silver”. This was a far
greater price than what Judas sold his Christ for but both had the
same treacherous heart, namely a love for money. To bring down one
man who so foolishly was already eating breadcrumbs from her hands
was a worthy sacrifice for her reward which will forever give her a
life of luxury. Resolved to betray Samson, Delilah inaugurated her script.
At
first she said plainly, “Please tell me where your great strength
lies, and how you might be bound, that one can subdue you.” Samson
played the part and three times consecutively he kept hidden from her
the secret of his strength. Feeling that Samson had not fallen yet
completely to her to reveal his secret, she unleashed her choicest
bait. She pretended writes one author that she had been neglected
and trifled with by an unrequiting love. From her enticing lips she
said, “How can you say, 'I love you,' when your heart is not with
me? You have mocked me these three times, and you have not told me
where your great strength lies.” What a hypocritical women that she
dared say to Samson that 'how can you say that you love me when your
heart is not with me.' What a serpent! Is her heart with Samson? Nay,
it is for money, it is for gain; and for the treasures of this world
she is willing to kill a man. Indeed, although Samson was not slain
by her hands yet his death was all to obvious when he 'told her all
his heart.'
At
this revelation she called up the Philistines whom she had kept
hidden in an inner chamber to take away their spoil of war. Before
the Philistines took him away, she made Samson sleep on her knees and
tormented him. What a wicked woman! Wicked Delilah, O wicked Delilah
blessed with beauty and charm only to use it for destruction. And is
this not the heart of many women today. Their feminine beauty is but
an asset to trap a man. Outwardly they profess to be angels but
inwardly their heart is no different to the devil's.
Men
be careful of a pressing women for Delilah too pressed Samson until
his soul was vexed to death. Be wise in your choice, for a woman can
so weaken you that you even give up your Christ for her. For there
are many sad testimonies of a once believer who threw the faith into
the trash in order to pursue a woman that he loved. And of course
such women may have nothing of Delilah's character; and according to
general morals these women may be very good, and thus shame only need
be proclaimed upon that once believing man who threw it all away in
order to kiss the lips of a woman.
A
man ought to pour out his heart to his wife but be sure O man that
she is made of trusting materials. Give all that is in your heart to
a gossiping woman and you shall find the deep things of your heart
scattered throughout the land; but say them to a trustworthy wife and
she shall keep them locked up in her chamber until the day of her
death.
When
Delilah had sleeping Samson on her knees, Samson lost his hair, and
with them lost God in him. 'Lust, severing from God the source of
strength, makes the strongest powerless; only by waiting on the Lord,
we, like Samson, renew the strength which was lost by self-indulgence
and self-reliance.'
Delilah knew no remorse. Her job was accomplished and I imagine that Samson will not remain in her thoughts only on the cool evening musings that this
poor Nazarite was the reason for her gain. But I must stay my pen and
not condemn Delilah too severely for he who is without sin let them launch the first stone.
The
evil of lust and perhaps the covetousness of riches is not too far
from all of our hearts. David fell from his throne by committing
adultery and Solomon, well Solomon had many wives and concubine which
eventually led him astray from the living God. Samson is to be pitied
and like God we ought to have mercy on each man or woman who have
been led astray by the Delilah's of this world when they groan in
repentance. And as a warming to women, restrain from the path of
Delilah, do not sell love for money, do not play the part of the
harlot. Do not use your feminine appeal to serve sinful ends but
rather use it to glorify God.
K.Oni
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