Sunday, August 17, 2014

Sunday, August 17, 2014

Judges 16:15-31

Today we join a story in progress, though it’s probably one your familiar with if you attended Sunday School as a child. The story of Samson and Delilah is a popular one that seems to resonate with children. The story bears similarities to other ancient heroes of great might who wrestled lions and such. 

When we revisit stories like this at a different period in our life other things might jump out. Samson is listed as one of the judges of Israel. After the patriarchs like Abraham there was a need for more organization and infrastructure. In the place of having a king, which would have compromised Israel’s total fidelity to its God, Yahweh, they had judges. Judges weren’t kings, but something like commanders or maybe something like our presidents or prime ministers. 

The Book of Judges, though, is full of the ups and downs that the Israelite people experienced during this period. Samson is the last judge mentioned, and for his story the narrator zooms in for an up close and personal story about his amazing but turbulent life. In conveying the difficulties with the rival Philistines, his betrayal by the woman he loved, and his heroic yet disturbing final act, the writer plants the seed in the reader that perhaps a king would rule Israel more effectively. 

Israel would move into a monarchical system, even though we read in 1 Samuel 8 that God cautioned the people -- in very strong words -- against it. Nevertheless, when David takes the throne we hear of many good things that he did, and that God was with him. 

Connecting the story of Samson to the wider history of Israel helps us to see not only how the various strands of the scriptures can often come together, but how the Bible contains different and something conflicting voices. We don’t have to see these as  oversights or contradictions, but instead, as a testament to how the Bible reflects the complexities of life, and how God remains faithful even in our shortsightedness and disobedience.

- Matthew Kieswetter