Originally posted: 10/19/2019
Unbound: not controlled or influenced by something; not restrained or tied down; released.
The story of Samson is the tragic account of one consecrated from birth, endued with supernatural ability and strength, one unbeatable; yet his demise is ushered in by his unfettered passions.
Samson’s lustful love for women led him right into the hands of the enemy. His love for Delilah robbed him of his senses and stole his allegiance to his God so that he gave up his strength and secret, inviting his undoing; bound and subdued physically by what had bound and subdued him spiritually.
And though Samson was bound, tortured and imprisoned, there in Samson’s story, is the greater story, His Story, the story of Him Unbound.
Consider Him Unbound
- Though His servant is bound, casting off constraint, controlled and influenced by his own lustful desires… He is Unbound.
- Now Samson went to Gaza and saw a harlot there, and went in to her… 4 After this it came about that he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah, (16:1, 4).
- Though His servant is bound, forcibly restrained, tortured, subjected to slavery and ridicule… He is Unbound.
- When Delilah saw that he had told her all that was in his heart, she sent and called the lords of the Philistines, saying, “Come up once more, for he has told me all that is in his heart.” Then the lords of the Philistines came up to her and brought the money in their hands. 19 She made him sleep on her knees, and called for a man and had him shave off the seven locks of his hair. Then she began to afflict him, and his strength left him… 21 Then the Philistines seized him and gouged out his eyes; and they brought him down to Gaza and bound him with bronze chains, and he was a grinder in the prison… 25 It so happened when they were in high spirits, that they said, “Call for Samson, that he may amuse us.” So they called for Samson from the prison, and he entertained them, (16:18-19, 21, 25).
- Though the enemy celebrates, convinced they have triumphed over Samson and his God, His surpassing power is released… He is Unbound.
- Now the lords of the Philistines assembled to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god, and to rejoice, for they said, “Our god has given Samson our enemy into our hands.”… 28 Then Samson called to the Lord and said, “O Lord God, please remember me and please strengthen me just this time, O God, that I may at once be avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.” 29 Samson grasped the two middle pillars on which the house rested, and braced himself against them, the one with his right hand and the other with his left. 30 And Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines!” And he bent with all his might so that the house fell on the lords and all the people who were in it. So the dead whom he killed at his death were more than those whom he killed in his life, (16:23, 28-30).
How do we respond to Him Unbound?
As we look around our world, it often seems as though everything is out of control. Evil is not constrained, the influence of the enemy seems to triumph, and the impact of the church seems to be waning.
We must fix our minds on His Truth; nothing will thwart the plans and purposes of Him Unbound.
Our disobedience will not bind Him.
The attacks of the enemy cannot bind Him.
The day is coming when His surpassing power will be released… He is Unbound!
His will shall never be thwarted; but the temptation to bind ourselves to unholy passions is relentless. Let us not be bound and subdued except by Him. Let us refuse the way of Samson, rather commit and submit to Him Unbound.
- As we grow to depend on His work on the cross, to embrace our own crucifixion to sin by faith and depend on the power of His Holy Spirit, He will enable us to live our lives subdued, by only Him Unbound.
- I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and [t]the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me, (Galatians 2:20).
- By faith, let us refuse to cast off constraint, but rather cast off our sin as we fix our eyes on Him Unbound.
- Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God, (Hebrews 12:1-2).
- By faith, let us refuse to be subjected again to slavery, but rather stand in the freedom of Him Unbound.
- It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery, (Galatians 5:1).
- By faith, let us refuse to dwell on the apparent triumphs of the enemy, but rather look for the day of Him Unbound, when His surpassing power will be released.
- “And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. 31 And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other,” (Matthew 24:30-31).
- As we await His coming, may we daily grow in our faith to fully trust, commit, and delight in Him Unbound.
- Do not fret because of evildoers,
Be not envious toward wrongdoers.
2 For they will wither quickly like the grass
And fade like the green herb.
3 Trust in the Lord and do good;
Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness.
4 Delight yourself in the Lord;
And He will give you the desires of your heart.
5 Commit your way to the Lord,
Trust also in Him, and He will do it… - 12 The wicked plots against the righteous
And gnashes at him with his teeth.
13 The Lord laughs at him,
For He sees his day is coming, (Psalm 37:1-5, 12-13).
- Do not fret because of evildoers,