“His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’” – Matthew 25:21
We’ve made it to the final test exhibited in Samson’s life: finishing well. As we’ve learned from Samson’s story, his life is a terrifying example of not finishing well. The end of his life is tragic and, unlike what our culture says about stories ending with “happily ever after,” a lot of people’s lives just don’t end like that. The Bible is the most honest book ever written and it says you can not finish well and not live happily ever after. The last day of your life can be the worst day of your life. This should be a sober warning for all of us.
You can read about the last day of Samson’s life in Judges 16. In summary, he’s betrayed by Delilah, blinded, and imprisoned by the Philistines. He finds himself in the temple of Dagon, a demonic pagan temple. Here, he decides to commit suicide by taking the pillars of Dagon, praying to God for strength, and pushing the pillars of the temple down so that the entire building falls, killing himself and all of his enemies. The last day of his life is committing suicide to harm those that he has vengeance against.
Knowing Samson was a believer, and this was his ending, it should be a reminder that it’s not guaranteed that we will finish well, even if we are Christians. I want us all to soberly assess where we’re at and think about what the conclusion will be for the path we’re currently on. It’s not too late for you to make some changes and pivots. It’s not too late to go up instead of down and to finish well. Enduring and passing the nine tests we have examined these past two weeks will help you to pass this 10th and final test. I believe the story of Samson is in the Bible to give us a stern warning that we have the possibility of self-destructing our own lives. But God doesn’t want that for you, because He loves you!
Thinking about the path you’re currently on, will you be finishing well?
Message and data rates may apply. Reply STOP to opt out or HELP for help. Visit https://realfaith.com/faq/ for privacy and terms info.