Hey Centennial,
Throughout history, the legend of the supernaturally strong man has captured our imagination: Gilgamesh, Hercules, Samson, Superman. We envy their strength! We celebrate their heroic deeds! Oh, if only we could be like them! Our modern world is no different from the ancient world. All you have to do is google “strong man” and many pictures, articles, and legends will fill your search page. We consciously and subconsciously associate physical strength with salvation, security, and success. But physical strength is not all that it appears to be. We yearn for a hero to save us, but every human hero has a weakness.
As we look at one of the most famous of Israel’s judges, Samson, we see his physical strength juxtaposed against his spiritual weakness. He was set aside before birth to deliver his people from her enemy, the Philistines. But Samson does not behave like the judges before him. He does not command an army, he does not seek God’s guidance. He takes matters into his own hands (literally). So what should we do with this story? For the next two weeks Rebecka Sutton will take us through this strong man’s complicated story.