Samson (5)—Victory and Defeat - All The LORD is near Daily Devotionals for 2026

The Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him … he found a fresh jawbone of a donkey, reached out his hand and took it, and killed a thousand men with it … Then he became very thirsty; so he cried out to the LORD.

He judged Israel twenty years in the days of the Philistines.
Judges 15:14–15, 18 ; Judges 15:20

Samson (5)—Victory and Defeat
The men of Judah delivered him, bound with two new ropes, to the Philistines, their overlords. By the power of the Spirit of God Samson killed one thousand of these enemies with a donkey’s jawbone and so attained a mighty victory. When he then became very thirsty, he cried to the Lord, and the Lord answered by causing a spring suddenly to gush out from the rock for him, reviving him.

What a victory this was! Following this, Samson judged Israel for twenty years. Similarly, God may give us great victories and also times of real need. Such times can prove a tremendous blessing to us when we cry out to Him in our distress. He is faithful!

Sadly enough, like Samson we may go on for years in service to the Lord and His people and then indulge our flesh in some way, ruining our testimony. Satan, the accuser of the brethren, will gladly use any occasion to trap us.

Samson rose up at midnight, tore up the gate where the Philistines felt they had trapped him, and carried parts of it up the hill facing Hebron. We too may somehow cope with our immediate problem, but at what a cost! What glaring inconsistencies are all too often evident in our lives: tremendous God-given victories on the one hand, blessing and spiritual refreshment granted us by His great grace; and then, sometimes after years of usefulness in service, shameful self-indulgence that spoils our testimony for the Lord! Samson is a sad example of this (16:1). Oh, that we might ever live close to the Lord, ever learning of Him and leaning on Him, so that our lives may bring glory to His name!

Eugene P. Vedder, Jr.