Judges and Redemption

by Surath Fernando

"In those days there was no king in Israel, and every man did as he pleased".

And so finishes the Book of Judges. For me this is a book that raised mixed emotions. Over and over again, do we see Israel's deliverance, followed by a return to sin, compromises made at the expense of The Lord, followed by acts of extreme violence and retribution.

I know we have questioned the level of violence in this forum before, but perhaps this violence is not because of God, but rather driven by Israel's constant betrayal of the commandments. With each act of violence reflecting the greater fall into sin.

We have also discussed the story of Samson. About his rise, demise, and redemption. We have discussed his rise and fall, with prior posts relating to his inability to resist Delilah, to disastrous effect. How poetic is it that his lack of insight costs him his eyes!

But poetry aside, I would like to discuss the last point. Samson's redemption. Here was a man who had lost his defining feature, his mythical strength, and thereby his identity. Admittedly this is due to his own shortcomings for which he pays the price of servitude and slavery. But in the face of this, he still has the grace to surrender to The Lord, beg forgiveness, and seek redemption. This one act constitutes his redemption and he is granted what many a soldier craves - an honourable death.

It shows us just how close and yet so far we all are from our own redemption. For I suspect Samson must have cried to the Lord for redemption many a time whilst in prison. Indeed I would do the same if I were in his position. But The Lord acted at the opportune time. Not sooner and not later.

We in our modern day world may never be placed in Samson's position, but we each face trials and tribulations that test our personal identity.

Consider the loyal company man with 20 years of service facing retrenchment. Consider the beautiful woman who is told she will lose her hair as she undergoes chemotherapy. Consider the tenured professor who is facing Alzheimer's disease and the prospect of losing his cultivated mind.

The one thing that joins these individuals is impending loss. They are about to lose something that defines them. The worker his job, the woman her beauty, and the professor his mind. Whilst we may be worlds apart, this is no less different to Samson and his lost strength.

And what do we do in the face of such uncertainty?

We fear.

And in the face of fear, uncertainty and loss of identity perhaps we too can learn from Samson's story.

Because I have no doubt that whilst Samson was in that prison he would have regretted his past and been constantly in fear of the future. And I have no doubt he cried out to The Lord for deliverance day in and day out.

And most importantly, on the day that mattered, the day of his deliverance, he continued to surrender and cry out to the Lord. And on that day, the Lord answered. By his faith, Samson was granted deliverance.

And so it goes that the Lord grants us all the strength to reclaim our identities in the face of loss, uncertainty, and fear. All we need to do is have faith and surrender. Day in and day out. And deliverance may come to us when we least expect it!

P.S.

I should mention that whilst I write this, I too struggle with this point on surrender!