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The Beginning of the End
The news was carried to the land of Israel, and Samson’s relatives
rescued the body of the fallen hero without opposition. They “buried
him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the tomb of his father Manoah.”
How dark and terrible is the record of Samson’s life, which could
have been a praise to God and a glory to the nation! If Samson had
been faithful to his divine calling, he could have accomplished the
purpose of God. But he yielded to temptation, and his mission to
humble Israel’s enemies was fulfilled in bondage and death.
Physically, Samson was the strongest man on earth—but in self-
control, integrity, and firmness, he was one of the weakest. Whoever
is mastered by earthly desires is weak. Real greatness is measured
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by the power of the feelings that we control, not by those that control
us.
Those who are brought to the test while fulfilling their duty
may be sure that God will preserve them, but any who deliberately
place themselves under the power of temptation will fall, sooner or
later. Satan attacks us at our weak points, working through character
defects to gain control of the whole person. He knows that if we
cherish these defects, he will succeed.
But no one needs to be overcome. Help will be given to every
person who really wants it. Angels of God that ascend and descend
the ladder that Jacob saw in vision will help everyone who chooses,
to climb even to the highest heaven.
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