Bible Question: What's the difference between Sampson and the terrorists? Obviously, God used Sampson to glorify Himself during the occupation by the Philistines. Sampson killed himself in the destruction of their twin towers and killed thousands. Is it merely our God is real and theirs is not? I understand Christ brought us into an age of grace and love, but it is understandable that another religion would have similar views about killing as a judgement, isn't it? |
Bible Answer: Judg 16:30 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. Dear McLemore, Welcome to the Study Bible Forum! The subject of suicide crossed my mind the other day, and I did think about Samson in that context. It struck me that his death was not suicide, since by definition suicide is taking ones own life. The above verse shows that he asked the Lord to let him die with the Philistines, and the Lord answered his prayer, otherwise it was possible, though maybe unlikely, that he would have survived the collapse of the house. Samson had been captured and enslaved, while the bombers premeditatively and voluntarily crashed the jets to murder people. Samson acted in defense of the nation who was indeed being oppressed by the Philistines. As you remember, the Philistines had removed all weapons from the Israelites. The oppression the terrorists claim is only in their minds. Peace, Lionstrong |