TOPIC:"The Tragedy of What Might Have Been"
by Rev. Dr. Reg Dunlap
TEXT:Judges 13:1-25
"And the woman bare a son, and called his name Samson; and the child grew,
and the Lord blessed him" (Judges 13:24)
John Greenleaf Whittier, the American poet of the 19th century, wrote: "For all sad words of tongue and pen, the saddest are those 'It might have been'." What is the truth that Mr. Whittier is trying to tell us? It is this: The saddest words of all are words of regret, especially, if they describe a life that was wasted because it never fulfilled its God-given mission. To know what we should do, and what we ought to be, and then come to the end of life and not have fulfilled and accomplished those goals is the saddest thing of all.
Certainly no other person on the pages of Holy Scripture exhibits this truth as this man Samson. He had a great beginning. He had tremendous potential. But because of falling into sin and straying from God's plan and purpose for his life, he never reached that potential. He wasted his life trying to gratify his sinful pleasures. But God never gave up on him. That's the kind of God we belong to. He is described in the Old Testament this way: "The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth" (Exodus 34:6). He is described by Paul as "the God of patience and consolation" (Romans 15;5). In the case of Samson God was patient, long-suffering, merciful, gracious, and just. He loved Samson but He hated his sin. The same is true of us.
Let us now look into the life of this man Samson and behold the tragedy of what might have been.
I.
Consider, to begin with, the CALL of this man Samson. We read about it in verse 5: "For, lo, thou shalt conceive and bear a son; and no razor shall come on his head: for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb." Now notice the divine mission and privileged purpose given to him: "and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines." The summons of God to Samson was to loosen the heavy yoke that the Philistines had upon God's people Israel.
Let us not forget the holy and separated life the angel of the Lord declared that Samson was to live. It is stated for us in these words: "no razor shall come on his head: for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb." Now according to Numbers chapter 6 verse 2 Nazarites were to be totally separated unto the Lord, abstain from all strong drink and unclean food, furthermore, not to cut their hair. Though . . .