Torment Takes Your Strength!

In the past week I have heard two sermons on Samson and Delilah. While I was listening and reading the scripture, this jumped out at me that was not part of the sermons.

Judges 16:15-22 (NKJV)

15 Then she said to him, “How can you say, ‘I love you,’ when your heart is not with me? You have mocked me these three times, and have not told me where your great strength lies.”

16 And it came to pass, when she pestered him daily with her words and pressed him, so that his soul was vexed to death,

17 that he told her all his heart, and said to her, “No razor has ever come upon my head, for I have been a Nazirite to God from my mother’s womb. If I am shaven, then my strength will leave me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man.”

18 When Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent and called for the lords of the Philistines, saying, “Come up once more, for he has told me all his heart.” So the lords of the Philistines came up to her and brought the money in their hand.

19 Then she lulled him to sleep on her knees, and called for a man and had him shave off the seven locks of his head. Then she began to torment him, and his strength left him.

20 And she said, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” So he awoke from his sleep, and said, “I will go out as before, at other times, and shake myself free!” But he did not know that the Lord had departed from him.

21 Then the Philistines took him and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza. They bound him with bronze fetters, and he became a grinder in the prison. 22 However, the hair of his head began to grow again after it had been shaven.

First, I want to point out that Samson was telling Delilah that his strength was in his hair not being cut, verse 17. He was a Nazirite from birth. I am sure his mom explained the Nazirite vow to him several times. He believed in his hair and in his vow.  

However, when we read on, his strength did not leave him until she began to torment him!

Torment in the Hebrew word is `anah. It has a primitive root [possibly rather ident. with עָנָה (H6030) to answer, respond, testify, speak, and shout] through the idea of looking down or browbeating.

I want to propose that Delilah’s words tormented him and that was the cause of his strength to leave him, verse 19.

Torment is not from God…

Interestingly enough, he was still asleep when she was tormenting him. Words are powerful whether you hear them or not.

Once you lose your strength, the enemy can do as he pleases with you…hence the reason his eyes were plucked out! His vision was stolen and he was in captivity (another picture of being in the wilderness, going in circles, not able to find the promise land-God's promises or best for your life).

Proverbs 20:29 The glory of young men is their strength, And the splendor of old men is their gray head.

Oddly enough, this verse talks about hair and strength. Samson had his hair cut and his strength was taken. Hair represents our Glory because it is our covering.

1 Corinthians 11:15 But if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her; for her hair is given to her for a covering.

Glory is the Greek word doxa, which means a good opinion concerning one, resulting in praise, honour, glory, magnificence, excellence, preeminence, dignity and grace.

                       

Covering is the Greek word peribolaion, which means a veil or a mantle. When I looked it up so I could share the meaning, I was astonished at what I found.  I know about the covering and being under authority but mantle actually means:

Mantle-Noun

1.     1.   a loose sleeveless cloak or shawl, worn especially by women.

synonyms:

cloak, cape, shawl, wrap

2.      2. an important role or responsibility that passes from one person to another.

"the second son has now assumed his father's mantle"

synonyms:

role, burden, duty, responsibility "the mantle of leadership"

The second definition is the one I want to talk about. Samson had a role, a responsibility and duty to keep a vow that he had made to God. Breaking such vows was a sin. When you sin, you lose your praise, honour, and good reputation. This is when torment can affect you and zap your strength!

It is all connected!   

Nehemiah 8:9-11 (NKJV)

9 And Nehemiah, who was the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn nor weep.” For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the Law.

10 Then he said to them, “Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

11 So the Levites quieted all the people, saying, “Be still, for the day is holy; do not be grieved.”

Side Note: I would like to consider that Samson, if he believed God for his strength, he would have said “God’s grace is sufficient for me!” He wouldn’t have been tormented, over taken, or blinded! 

Right beliefs are critical!