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I have a number of questions concerning the Samson in the Holy Book of Judges:

• Judges Ch 4:14 "But his father and mother did not know that it was of the Lord that he was seeking an occasion to move against the Philistines. For at the time the Philistines had dominion over Israel." Comes straight after the verse, "..And Samson said to his father; Get her for me for she pleases me well." Does this mean that God wanted him to take a woman of Timmnah as a wife in order to defeat the Philistines although this is taken against Samson as him seeking his lustful desires? Or is it that God wanted him to use His spirit against the Philistines in general but he misused it in the process of going down to Timnah?



• Chapter 16:30, when Samson said, "Let me die with the Philistines!", was he intending to commit suicide? But his name is mentioned among the saints in Hebrew 11. How could this not be suicide?



• Samson killed 300 people before dying. Is that not similar to suicide boming?

1. God created us with a free will to follow his commandments or disobey them. However, God uses our choices to make the best out of them In the case of Samson marrying a woman of Timnah, this was against the commandment of God. God left Samson to follow his own inclinations, while intending to bring forth good out of his conduc. His parents consented to this marriage because he was bent upon it. It is worth saying that his example is not recorded for us to follow.



2. Samson did not seek his own death as much as he sought Israel's deliverance and the destruction of their enemies. In his case it was right for him to avenge the cause of God and Israel. Samson demonstrated his faith in calling upon God, believing that God would help him. Samson died in bonds, among the Philistines, as an awful rebuke for his sins; but he died as a repentant.



3. The difference between Samson and the suicide bombers is the motive behind the action. On one hand, God does not ask us to go kill people who are non-believers, whereas suicide bombers are doing so not for God but for their own political reasons. Again the death of Samson was meant to be  an example for us to imitate;  but that God in His great mercy accepted Samson's repentance and answered his prayer by allowing his death in this manner to rid the Israelites of their enemies.

The verse "Let me die with the Philistines" in Chapter 16:17 could be seen as a request of God from Samson who knew from past experiences God's utter mercy to permit that he die; and so God out of his love and wisdom granted him his wish. He kind of ceased the moment. Truly God takes us at our best moments.

Hence it is important to understand that this verse clarifies the fact that Samson was not about to commit suicide but rather had placed his life in the hands of God and requested that He take his spirit and God granted him his wish.

Also think of the similarity in the mode of death of Our Lord on the Cross and Samson's. For just as Samson fully stretched out his hand to demolish the pillars of the temple of the idols; so our Lord fully stretched out His hands on the cross to demolish the devil's kingdom.

As Samson chose his hour of death, so also did Our Lord choose his hour of death and just as Samson requested that he may die amongst the Philistines; so did our Lord die between two thieves, putting His spirit into the Father's hands who in turn accepted the sacrifice of His beloved Son. Finally as in his death Samson killed more philistines than he was alive, so did our Lord. For, although He overcame the devil whilst here on earth (in the temptation on the mount and the events of casting out demons) but the real victory came with His death on the cross when he overcame Satan's entire kingdom.