Samson was a complex character in the Book of Judges; he studied leadership, integrity, and personal flaws. Samson’s story is about what it means to become a true leader. Samson was defined as a good judge and a good leader. In the beginning, Samson's birth was foretold by an angel, it was God’s plan for Israel. Samson was to be Nazarite. From birth he was dedicated to God. His supernatural strength to deliver Israel from the Philistines. However, Samson’s life was marked by personal failure that seemed to be overshadowed by his divine mission. Samson's most glaring flaws were his impulsive and often reckless behavior. Samson's desire was to marry a Philistine woman against his parents' wishes. His riddle and subsequent revenge for the killing. …show more content…
Samson’s actions very often appeared driven by personal vendettas rather than a sense of duty to his people. Samson's relationship with his woman named Delilah was weak and susceptible to temptations. Delilah's betrayal led him to capture and blindness. Moreover, his feats of strength, impressive, were often acts of personal revenge rather than his strategic moves to liberate Israel. For instance, Samson's killing of thousands of Philistine with the jawbone of a donkey and his destruction of the Philistine temple were driven by his personal anger. Despite his acts, they did harm the Philistines. They were not part of his cohesive plan to deliver Israel from his oppression. Samson’s flaws did fulfill his role as a judge in a unique way. Samson’s final act of bringing down the temple of Dagon, killing himself and many more Philistines. He was a sacrificial move that ultimately delivered a blow to Israel's enemies. Samson’s act of self-sacrifice indicates a moment of his divine mission, even if he came to the end of a life marked by his personal