Judges 16:23-31

Judges 16:23-31
Samson's great strength was a gift from God - not a result of his long hair. God does not give Samson strength because of Samson's faithfulness, but because of God's choice and purpose.
When we read of Samson's hair growing again, we know that Samson has nothing to do with this, he can't stop his hair growing and he is not able to have it cut, or styled! There is no magic in Samson's hair.

Judges 16:28 - is Samson renewing his faith? I don't think so, because I don't think, if we could ask Samson, he would say he ever lost his faith. Samson's foolishness with these women is not Samson abandoning God, or back sliding from his faith, it is Samson getting it wrong. Often we think we are serving God, we are continuing in faith and hope, but we are getting it wrong. We can be believers and get it wrong.

Samson's death gives an appearance of victory over the Philistines, although there is not verse telling us that the people had peace for so many years as with other judges. Samson's death is the death of the judges. God has permitted this pattern of leadership, with its cycle of sin, calling to God, raising up a judge, deliverance, sin to continue as long as it has, to fully demonstrate that this is not the answer. God's people are not learning how to live holy lives. The nation is not reflecting God's glory to the world. Samson is the final demonstration that no judge will be the promised deliverer, Genesis 3:15.
Judges 17 to 21 are not pleasant chapters, but they demonstrate for us what happens when God's people reject God and his ways.