A Second Chance

“Howbeit the hair of his head began to grow again after he was shaven.” Judges 16:22

The life of Samson is a bit of a mystery. Samson demonstrated a great deal of selfishness and very little self-control, but God used Samson to do a number of miraculous feats of strength and to judge the people of Israel for twenty years.

Before Samson was born, an angel appeared to his parents and told them that they would have a son and that he would have a special covenant with God. One of the signs of that covenant was that Samson was never to cut his hair. As long as his hair was not cut, God would use him to do mighty feats of strength.

At the end of Samson’s life, we can see a powerful example of the longsuffering and goodness of God. Samson had single-handedly thrown off the oppression of the Philistines as a result of numerous clashes he had with them. However, Samson fell in love with a Philistine woman named Delilah and the Philistines used Delilah to get to Samson. Delilah pressed Samson until he finally shared the secret of his great strength, and then she immediately told the Philistines. The Philistines cut off his hair, put out his eyes, and placed him in chains. However, something happened as he was chained in the prison house. His hair began to grow again, and God allowed His covenant with Samson to be renewed. Samson was given another chance. It is sad to think about all that Samson lost when he shared his secret, but it is encouraging to see that God gave Samson another opportunity to do a mighty work for Him.