Samson acted in rage for the personal injury that had been done to him, but God used that rage to defeat the Philistines for Israel. When the Philistines came for Samson, the men of Judah were afraid and so gave Samson to them. But with great courage, strength, and the Spirit of God on him, Samson defeated the Philistines—one man against an army. Courage from God can help us overcome fear even when it seems like the odds are against us.
Surely your wrath against mankind brings you praise,
and the survivors of your wrath are restrained.
Those who love these furry woodland creatures may be appalled at the use of foxes in this story, and rightly so. However, it’s interesting to consider why Samson chose this particular method (tying torches to foxes) to lash out against his enemies. The fox in Jewish literature often represents a clever but treacherous character that is considered morally inferior and weaker. Foxes also appear in some writings as a symbol of danger or evil. So perhaps Samson chose foxes (or jackals, as some translators suggest) to put even more fear in the hearts of his enemies and make them think something truly evil was at work. But it’s also possible Samson was simply acting out in outrageous fury and the poor foxes just happened to be handy.
Ask a parent to help you do some research to find out where Jawbone Hill (Ramath Lehi) might be located today.
God, when I’m angry, help me remember that You are in control. Amen.