This post is Day 18 in a series of studies about “Samson”. I strongly suggest you begin with the introduction to this study, please click here to read it.

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Samson – Day 18

The days of the Philistines seems to be a strange way to qualify a period of time. But it was a difficult time for the people of God living all those years with the stress of an enemy living a bit too near. It had not always been like that.

Judges15:20

Samson led (or judged) Israel for twenty years in the days of the Philistines.

The Thought

A very short verse ends this chapter of our Bibles, and also the account of Samson’s political life. But it is still worth looking at and reflecting on, and it is not the end of Samson’s actual history. Probably the best known part is the one still to come. Interestingly, this verse is repeated when we learn of this strong man’s death at the end of the next chapter.

Twenty years is a long time for someone to lead a country, or a people, but it is less than half the time that Samuel ruled. He was judge over Israel for 47 years. And also like Samson, Samuel was a child born after much prayer (1 Samuel 1:7-17).

The days of the Philistines seems to be a strange way to qualify a period of time. But it was a difficult time for God’s people who lived for all those years with the stress of an enemy living a bit too near. But it had not always been like that. In Genesis 26 we read of Isaac, the son of Abraham living peacefully in the land of the Philistines when God promised him, as He had promised his father that He would give that land to His people (Genesis 26:2-3). That has been the reason for many wars through the centuries. How tragic it is that this war between Israel and the Philistines, is still going on in our day.

Action

Read Genesis 26 today and pray for this land which, at one time was a place of peace between the nations which are opposing each other today. Pray for the peace that only God can give. There are grieving families on both sides of the war, pray for them all and for those trying to negotiate peace.

Pray for the leaders of your country, for God’s guidance for each one as they carry responsibility and make major decisions affecting the future of our world.

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