0197. Samson Serves the Philistines

Samson Serves the Philistines

"And the Philistines took him, and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of brass; and he did grind in the prison house" (Jdg_16:21).

We now behold the man who once had possessed power, a castaway, shaved and shorn and serving the Philistines.

What a sad reproach was this! The name of God was daily blasphemed by the fall of Samson. There are three words that some one has used to describe Samson just here.

1. Blinding. The Philistines took him and put out his eyes. This blinding of Samson may suggest several things.

(1) First of all, many saints seem utterly blinded to the fact that they are backsliders. They wander about the enemy’s land, but they know not that they are there. They imagine that they are doing fairly well in their daily walk, but alas they are drifting away from God.

(2) Secondly, many saints seem altogether oblivious to the better things of God. They are blinded to the value of the Canaan sweets. They know nothing of the joy that comes to those who walk close to the Master; they are ignorant of the pleasures that are at His right hand.

(3) Thirdly, the God of this age has blinded many saints to the Gospel of the glory of Christ. They cannot see afar off. The eternal glories of the "blessed hope" are nothing to them. They are so engrossed in the things down here, that they never think of how they should live; looking for the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.

2. Binding. The Philistines took Samson and bound him with fetters. How little does satan care for us when he has us under his power. It is the live, witnessing saints that make satan to tremble.

In the parable of the sower, the seed among the thorns is choked. Satan is ever seeking to choke out our testimony. The deceitfulness of riches and the pleasures of this world are his favorite fetters.

Beware, child of God, when you are caught fast in satan’s snares. Never rest if you have lost the place of testimony, until God restores you to His grace. To Lazarus, raised from the dead, Christ said, "Loose him, and let him go."

3. Grinding. Samson was made to grind in the prison house. He who once wrought for God is now serving the enemy. What a call does Romans 6, present us! "Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin."

We greatly fear that many saints are still grinding out the corn of the Philistines. Who is it that helps the devil to run his movies? Who helps to pay for the many things that curse the land? Who, for policy’s sake has not helped on some humanly good work, fostered by satan, which was at heart, antagonistic to real salvation?

We surely should not ask men of the world to help the Lord run His work; neither, should we, who are the Lord’s, help the devil to run his work. Let us not grind the devil’s corn.

Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR