SAMSON'S

SEVEN LOCKS

&

THE FALLEN

MESSIAH

In ancient times, as well as now, anything directly from a person's body contained their essence. Those familiar with casting spells of various sorts know these things. If one possesses an article of clothing or a favored possession belonging to someone, this gives the possessor power over that person. Even better is to possess something directly from the person's body, such as hair or fingernail clippings, bodily fluids or waste.

This sort of magic was well known in Egypt. The pharohs each had their "Keeper of the Box" in which any hair shavings or finger or toenail cuttings were placed. The highly trusted Keeper of the Box then disposed of these things with protection rituals and so forth. Any waste products from the pharoh's body were also disposed of in secret places, where they could not be found, to be used by any magician to wield power over the king.

We know today -- thanks to all the spectacular publicity generated from rape and murder cases -- that our DNA is contained within our hair, sputum, nails, blood, sexual fluids, urine and other by-products of the body. Our ancestors weren't so far out in their beliefs. These items do contain our essence. The shearing of Samson's dreded locks gave those who possessed them power over him.

We are told that he had seven locks of hair. Seven is significant of so many things in mythology, magic and religion that it would be difficult to uncover the exact meaning of the seven locks. Intuition tells me that in this instance, it may have something to do with the seven sacraments, or something similar by which Samson was bound to the Nazarites through a ritual or rituals that included baptism, anointing, circumcision, the reception of his name, etc., that 'sealed' him to the Nazarites. Considering that Samson failed in his duty and had fallen into what is perceived as a sinful life of lust by the Nazarites, it is only fitting in their view that he should be shorn and the 'locks' or seals undone.

 

THE FIRST AND FALLEN MESSIAH

The Nazarites considered their number to be foundations of the living Temple of the Lord. Because of this, the story of Samson takes on a great symbolism.

Samson's birth and the circumstances of it are far more spectacular than the later circumstances of the Annunciation of the birth of Jesus, making it highly significant. He is dedicated to the Nazarites from the womb, just as Jesus was. Jesus was not a 'Nazarene', but a Nasorean - the later name of the Nazarites. This seems to indicate that for all intents and purposes, Samson was intended to be a 'messiah'. All of the judges are said to be "deliverers" or saviors from the oppression of those who do not worship the true God. But the actual meaning of 'messiah' is 'one who is anointed' - that is, one who is deliberately chosen and brought up in the Way. Like an earthly king or priest, the anointing seals the making of what were intended to be divine offices.

Samson gave in to the temptations of the flesh and things of the world. He gave in to the anger in his heart, becoming the 'angry spirit'. He took vengeance into his own hands and held himself unaccountable for his actions, with catastrophic results. He never prayed to the Lord to ask what he should do. He put himself above the word and the work of the Lord, appointing himself as his own judge and jury in his personal matters. Rather than delivering the Israelites from their enemies, the Philistines, he is delivered to the enemy by the the very people he is to save. More than a bit of irony.

This parallels what happens with Jesus so closely that it cannot be ignored. Jesus, we are told, is also delivered into the hands of the enemy (the Romans/Kittim) by the multitude of the Jews. Jesus is also denied, ridiculed, and tortured as he carries his own cross to the hill. Taking all of this into consideration, it is tempting to postulate that Samson was intended as the original Messiah of the Nazarites. This fits in with the later idea of Satan/Lucifer/Samael being the first-born and fallen Son. Samson and Delilah are then equated with Samael and Lilith "rocking the Throne of Heaven" with their goings-on. It was a human plan that failed miserably and literally brought down the living Temple of the Nazarite sect.

At that point, if he was going to find his way back into the grace of God, he was on his own. None would intervene for him or petition his cause, at the risk of being thrown out of the order themselves. The story of Enoch tells it differently, but in the later version of the Nazarites -- a group called the Yahad (aka Nasoreans), their writings tell how traitors are dealt with:

May you be damned in return for all your wicked, guilty deeds. May the God of terror give you over to implacable avengers; may He visit your offspring with destruction at the hands of those who recompense evil with evil. May you be damned without mercy in return for your dark deeds, an object of wrath licked by eternal flame, surrounded by utter darkness. May God have no mercy upon you when you cry out, nor forgive so as to atone for your sins. May He lift up His furious countenance upon you for vengeance. May you never find peace through the appearl of any intercessor. [Charter of a Jewish Sectarian Association ~ "The Dead Sea Scrolls ~ A New Translation" by Wise, Abegg and Cook, Harper San Fransisco, 1996. Pg. 128]

Anyone familiar with Middle Eastern traditions will recognize the wording of this as a curse.

Samson's story serves as a warning of what can happen if members of such orders stray from the Rule of the Community and give away their secrets.... I will touch on this in more detail on the next page.

 

BRINGING DOWN THE HOUSE