His Servants' Ministry

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HIS SERVANTS' MINISTRY

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Types of Christ in the Old Testament

Samson as a Type of Christ

Nehemiah 9:27-28 Therefore thou deliveredst them into the hand of their enemies, who vexed them: and in the time of their trouble, when they cried unto thee, thou heardest them from heaven; and according to thy manifold mercies thou gavest them saviours, who saved them out of the hand of their enemies. [28] But after they had rest, they did evil again before thee: therefore leftest thou them in the hand of their enemies, so that they had the dominion over them: yet when they returned, and cried unto thee, thou heardest them from heaven; and many times didst thou deliver them according to thy mercies; (KJV)

We should certainly see Samson as a 'type' of Christ. All the Judges, in some way or another pictured the Lord . . . for they all were "saviours" raised up to deliver God's weak and failing people in grace.

Hebrews 2:15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. (KJV)
Matthew 1:21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. (KJV)

Hebrews 2:3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; (KJV)
Judges 15:18 And he was sore athirst, and called on the LORD, and said, Thou hast given this great deliverance into the hand of thy servant: and now shall I die for thirst, and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised? (KJV) . . . The " great salvation" of Heb. 2:3 which the Lord achieved was foreshadowed by the great deliverance wrought by Samson (Jud.15:18).

Consider the following about Samson and Jesus . . . which make Samson a type of Christ:
#1 The birth of both of them was foretold by an Angel. (Jud.13:5; Isa.7:14)
#2 At a time when Israel had been handed over to their enemies. (Jud.13:1; Mat.2:1)
#3 Both married Gentiles; both were betrayed for pieces of silver.
#4 The supreme strength and courage of Samson in fighting and killing the lion points forward to Christ's spiritual verve and fervor in destroying our adversary the devil, which is likened to a roaring lion (1 Pet. 5:8).
#5 'Samson' means "the sun" . . . linking with the Lord's title as "the sun of righteousness" in Malachi 4.
#6 The incident in Gaza is evidently typical of the Lord's work. There was Samson, "the splendour of the son" . . . 'compassed in' by his enemies in Gaza (as was Christ on the cross, Ps. 118:5,10-12).
#7 Samson at his death was Samson at his best; and this was true of our Lord. Samson was a 'type' of Christ.

Samson was betrayed for silver by the one he trusted, the same as with the Lord. The Philistines offer of money to Delilah was the pattern of the Jews' approach to Judas. The way "pieces of silver" is the feature in both records makes me wonder whether Delilah also betrayed the helpless Samson with a kiss, as Judas did.

There are several other parallels with the Lord's death, following through Samson as a type of Christ:
#1 The Jews wanted the Lord's death because they saw Him as their destroyer (Jn. 11:50). And the Philistines likewise (16:24).

#2 The way they made fun of Samson (16:25) is similar with how the Lord was mocked, and was even the song of the drunkards (Ps. 69:12).

#3 The Lord's silence was due to His complete humiliation (Acts 8:32-33). His humiliation can be compared to Samson's deep shame. We can imagine how the story of how Delilah enticed him would have become the gossip of the nation.

#4 The utter exhaustion of Samson from their afflictions is revealed when he asks the lad "Suffer me..." (16:26). The Lord's physical exhaustion from the scourging, driven to the limit of human endurance, must be imagined.

#5 The Philistines did NOT kill Samson immediately; they wanted to prolong the agony of his death. It must have been their intention to kill him. Maybe they wanted to torture him and then finally torture him to death at the feast to their god. The Lord's planned death at Passover. The great sacrifice which they planned to offer was probably Samson (16:23). The death on the cross certainly was NOT immediate either.

#6 Samson dying between the two pillars is is a picture of the Lord's death between two other crosses. The lad holding Samson's hand is also important, for the same word is translated 'to strengthen is encourage.' Maybe the boy strengthened Samson as the repentant thief did the Lord.

#7 The final effort of Samson, bowing himself with all his spiritual and physical energy: this too was the final effort of the Lord.

#8. The way the body was taken up by the brave Israelites after Samson's death, recalls the action od Joseph and Nicodemus.

Types of Christ in the Old Testament

Type of Israel, Jonah

Types . . . Eve Bride of Christ

Types of Christ's Death, Coats of Skin

Types of Christ's Death, Old Testament Sacrifices

Types of Christ's Death, Tabernacle

Types of Christ, Adam

Types of Christ, David

Types of Christ, Elijah

Types of Christ, Elisha