Judges 16:28

Judges 16:28

I. To lose our vision is the doom of losing our strength. Impaired moral perception is one of the penalties we pay for depraved action. In Samson we behold what weakness everywhere is; in him we behold what it is for the will not to be master in its own house; borne along by the vehemence of ungovernable impulses.

II. But there came an hour of triumph and recovery for Samson. He had still one resource: he had the voice of prayer; he had still power with God. The building we may conceive of as rude and frail, rough, cyclopean, in harmony with the style of the architecture of that time. It was the temple of the great Merman, or Fish-god. Possibly Samson was brought out to attempt some exhibition of his strength. It is not impossible that the Philistines intended that he should sell his life by some daring hazard, some blind gladiatorship, some display of strength in contest with beasts let loose upon him.

III. Samson's death is not to be regarded as suicide. If so, then every death in battle is suicide; every death that looks forward to a great possibility is suicide. It is not at all clear that Samson intended to kill himself. As he thought of old times he felt within him again the pulses of spiritual strength. His spirit kindled to the height of his great prayer, and as the building fell, he bowed his head and expired like a victor in the moment of victory.

E. Paxton Hood, Christian World Pulpit,vol. xix., p. 407.

References: Judges 16:30. Preacher's Monthly,vol. vi., p. 81; J. M. Neale, Sermons in Sackville College,vol. iii., p. 388. Judges 17:3. G. Brooks, Outlines of Sermons,p. 261.Judges 17:6. Parker, vol. vi., p. 124. 13. Ibid.,p. 236. Judges 18:9. Homiletic Magazine,vol. viii., p. 261.Judges 18:9; Judges 18:10. J. M. Neale, Sermons in Sackville College,vol. ii., p. 330. Judges 18:24. S. Baring-Gould, One Hundred Sermon Sketches,p. 109. Judges 18:26. Parker, vol. vi., p. 170. 19 Ibid,p. 144.Judges 20:3. Ibid.,p. 170. Judges 21:3. Ibid.,p. 151. See on Judges, Expositor,3rd series, vol. iii., p. 115.