Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Samson - Torture 101

Judges 16:21-22 Then the Philistines seized him, gouged out his eyes and took him down to Gaza. Binding him with bronze shackles, they set him to grinding in the prison. But the hair on his head began to grow again after it had been shaved.

While I'm not a huge fan of Shakespeare, MacBeth is widely used in the literary field to study the use of foreshadowing. The entirety of the play is practically already told before it's over because of the use of foreshadowing. When our public school systems stopped using the Bible as a primary form of literature, they lost out on the ultimate Author who created all literary techniques beyond what any other author can even match.

Why did they poke his eyes out? We've seen so many spy movies and war documentaries - gouging eyes out really hasn't been the token torture method. I think God used the Philistines in this way to, once again, meet His purpose. The next use of foreshadowing in just these two verses alone certainly solidifies what will come next. Samson's hair grows back. Can you hear the ominous music start to play?

What possible purpose do you think Samson thought he could play for God at this stage of his life? He's disabled, weak, captured, tortured - what had he done, and how could it possibly be fixed. Many times it may be like this in our own lives. I know it was in mine. So far off the deep end - how could God ever use us again? Just like Samson - if we give it all over to God, He will use us.

2 comments:

Kelly said...

I love this verse and how you pointed out the foreshadowing. Excellent. God can use even a broken down, blinded, disobedient one. He can surely use me....

Edie said...

I have to agree with CK on this. Thanks for shedding some new light on this. Have I mentioned how much I have been enjoying your Samson study. :)