the Samson Option

The tiny nation-state of Israel ~ surrounded on all sides and under constant threat by mortal enemies, has long maintained a military doctrine of self-defense called "the Samson Option".  Simply put, the Samson Option is an absolutely last-ditch effort to defend against massively overwhelming enemy forces, by detonating a thermonuclear device literally in one's own "backyard", as it were.  It is not really so much of a self-defense policy, as it is a strategy which aims to prevail against one's enemies at all costs.


I will return momentarily to speak more about the Samson Option.  But, first, I want to talk about how it is that the man Samson found himself in that situation, such that the only option he had was to pull the pagans' temple down upon his own head, in order to destroy so many of his enemies together with himself.

To begin with, Samson failed to rightly esteem and to reverence (fear) God ~ as evidenced in numerous ways in Samson's own life.  He chose to give himself to Delilah, who was not in Covenant with the people of Israel: a practice which God had forbidden (and still does).  Samson was disobedient both to his parents and to God.  Samson did not love God supremely; he did not take God seriously.  Strike one (the biggest one of all).

Importantly, Samson failed to discern that Delilah was an enemy not only to himself but to all the Israelites.  But it is not as though Samson had no clues as to Delilah's true nature and intentions.  On more than one occasion, Samson discovered Delilah's treachery against himself.  Yet, Samson, in the lust of his flesh and the weakness of his mind, persisted to cavort with that venomous temptress.  Samson "loved" Delilah (the world); and he did not take the danger of that seriously.  Strike two.

Finally, Samson trifled with his enemies the Philistines.  He very well knew that the Philistines hated him and would have destroyed him if they could have.  Who can understand Samson's conduct, in view of Samson's experiences with Delilah and her kinsmen the Philistines?  The fact that they were Delilah's kinsmen may be a factor.  Yet, from our perspective as observers of the story, Samson's willingness to expose himself to the Philistines' machinations appears foolish and absurd.  Samson did not take his enemies seriously, and it cost him his life.  Strike three !
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The vast majority of professing Christians in America, it seems to me, are living as Samson did.  They do not love God supremely; they do not take God seriously; they really do yet love the world, and they don't take the danger of that seriously; finally, they do not take the enemies of God seriously.

The Church in America is very much like Samson, in other ways, too.  The few instances when the power of God came upon Samson to do exploits, occurred at those times when Samson did "shake himself" (Judges 16:20).  What can that mean?  It strongly implies that ~ at all other times ~ Samson lived in a kind of stupor (spiritually speaking).  Indeed, Scripture reveals that on more than one occasion, Samson was sleeping when danger appeared.  The Church in America has been very much like that, throughout the course of generations.  It now appears to me that the episodic recurrence of Revivals, in America, is a parallel to the life of Samson, who from time to time ~ whenever danger threatened him, he "shook off" his "normal" self, his self-centered and careless self, and reached out to take hold of God's power for deliverance.  But there came a time when Samson "shook himself" and reached out to take hold of God's power, again ~ but God wasn't there.

I almost wish I could say that is what I see is the situation, today, concerning the Church in America.  Yet, the Church in America is in worse condition than Samson ever was, even after he had his eyes put out and was enslaved.  For, at least Samson attempted to "shake himself"; whereas, I don't see the churches doing so much as that.  Practically none of the churches (of which I have any knowledge) are sincerely, wholeheartedly seeking God for real Revival ~ notwithstanding the fact that relatively few churches do sometimes mention the need of that.

Which brings me back to the Samson Option.  Why was God ~ at the very last ~ willing to hear Samson's prayer?  Samson's final prayer, it seems to me, was still very much self-centered: he asked that God would enable him (Samson) to revenge himself of his enemies (because, the Philistines had put out his two eyes ~ Judges 16:28).  But I don't think that's why God granted Samson supernatural strength one last time.  Rather, I believe God granted Samson strength in that last instance, because God wanted to revenge Himself of His enemies the Philistines ~ and Samson was in the right place at the right time to be used as an instrument in God's hands to do just that.

Importantly, what was that "place" ~ which I just said was the "right place," where Samson was when he called upon God for strength to destroy both himself and the Philistines?  He was in a Philistine house of religion: the temple of Dagon.  But how is that any different from the many houses of religion, in America, which today are full of idolatry?
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More and more I am petitioning God to bring judgment upon America ~ not only upon wickedness in government and the culture but, especially, upon the apostate churches.  I'm inclined to believe that we may be at the point where the only thing left for us to do ~ as the believing Remnant, is, to invoke God for the "Samson Option": that is, to pray down God's judgment upon this nation, even if it means that we ourselves may suffer as the result.  Haven't you had enough of the devil and his crowd and their wicked ways?  I have.

God has longed to send Revival to the Church in America.  Has God therefore done nothing to try to awaken and to stir the churches to seek Him for Revival?  Absolutely, He has!  But what kind of response has been forthcoming from the churches?  Apathy.  Indifference.  Lukewarmness, at best.  In fact, most churches in America are so steeped in apostasy that they are increasingly embracing openly demonic people, ideas, and practices.

It is because we so much love our own comfort, and freedom, and relative peace, that we are not praying for God's judgment.  It is also because we so little hate the wickedness and corruption that permeates American society, that we do not pray for God's judgment.  It thus seems to me that we (the Remnant) do not yet have our priorities ordered according to God's will!  What would happen, do you suppose, if we hated sin and evil more than we do, and loved our own lives less than we do?  Would that change anything?  Would it, at least, change our prayer life?  It most certainly would ~ especially, for those who actually have a "prayer life".

I recently wrote about young Phinehas ~ who, because he was very zealous for the LORD's sake, God greatly rewarded that young man.  It took an exceedingly great amount of courage for Phinehas to do what he did.  What might happen if some sincere Christians, today, would show themselves to be as zealous and courageous for God's sake, as was young Phinehas?  Phinehas's heroic deed pleased God, and it served to stop the plague which had already destroyed 24,000 in Israel.

Elijah prayed for a drought ~ even though that caused a great famine in the land...where he himself lived.  David went out alone against Goliath ~ while the entire army of Israel stood shaking in their boots.  David moreover knew that if he lost that battle, then all of Israel would become slaves to the Philistines.  Yet neither of those men of faith drew back from placing himself squarely in the "line of fire," so to speak.  They perceived that God's Kingdom was under attack by enemy forces; they were well aware of the dangers confronting themselves; they prayed and sought for answers from God; and, finally, they took bold and courageous action ~ though virtually no one else stood with them!  If any real hero or heroine, of any time period, had waited until that he or she felt supported by a consensus of popular opinion before taking action, then human history ~ including Bible history ~ would be very different, to say the least.

Not only can we not afford to wait for popular opinion to approve of our vision.  But rarely does anyone act with absolute certainty concerning the outcome of his or her own actions.  Did either Elijah or David know for sure that his own actions would result in Israel's deliverance?  I doubt that they had any such confidence.  Nevertheless, we get a good sense, from reading the Scriptures, what were David's and Elijah's motives, namely: they both were inspired and motivated by their love to God, and by their hatred of everything that was opposed to God.  Whereas, their concern for their own safety and security evidently was not an overriding factor.  Not at all unimportant, of course, was their concern for the people of Israel; although, even that seems to have been secondary to their love and zeal toward God.

Multitudes of undiscerning, professing Christian parents are shipping their teenagers off to so-called "Christian youth rallies" (here, and here, and here); and sending their kids running after thousands of Easter eggs dropped from helicopters (here); while they kick back to watch reruns of American Idol.

Meanwhile, the Middle East is drenched in the blood of the martyrs of Jesus Christ.

Me?  I've got my hands on the Pillars, and I'm praying, "God, give me strength . . . ."