In the days of the judges, Israel fell into bondage under the Philistines. And the Angel of the Lord appeared to the wife of Manoah, who was barren, and he declared to her that she would have a child. And the Angel said unto her, “Lo, thou shalt conceive and bear a son; and no razor shall come on his head, for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb, and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.”

Manoah (“rest” in Hebrew) and his wife named their son Samson (“Shemshon”), derived from the Hebrew word “shemesh,” meaning “like the sun,” full of strength and radiance.

When Samson was grown, he was made judge over Israel and became a light (shemesh) of hope to Israel by delivering the Lord’s people from their enemies, giving them hope for rest from their oppressors.

After the discovery of the Americas, the Lord began to separate people from their oppressors in the Old World so they could serve Him and freely exercise their faith in the newly discovered world. After much hardship, the people waxed exceedingly strong and became a shemesh to the nations—a shining light, a city on a hill, and a manoah—a place of rest for the persecuted who would be drawn by the light of America from all around the world. The word of God flourished and spread throughout, and America was blessed by the Lord.

Like the Lord made Samson a superpower among men for his glory, so he made America a superpower among the nations. The United States of America became great not because it was perfect, but because by faith, people sought after God and called on Him for His blessing.

Christianity had a profound impact; as the teachings of Christ flourished, so did the nation. Missionaries from America began spreading and preaching the word of God throughout the world and were blessed in the process.

The God of Israel was exalted, patriotism flourished, and devout or not, the majority of Americans stood up to defend the principles rooted in the Bible. Both Christians and the greater part of non-Christians loved America because of the foundation laid down by Biblical teachings. Without the Bible, there would never have been America as we know it. It would merely have been another authoritarian state, as it has been becoming.

The song “God Bless America,” written by Irving Berlin, a secular Jew born in Russia, was an expression of gratitude for what the country had done for its citizens. And God did bless America for the sake of his people and to be a light of hope and an example to all nations, as he had done with Samson and ancient Israel.

The ox is a clean beast, symbolizing the laboring servant of God, and an ass is an unclean beast, symbolizing the stubborn and rebellious people. Therefore, the commandment states, “Thou shalt not plow with an ox and an ass together.” As it is written, believers should not be yoked together with unbelievers. However, the Lord can use an ass as well as an ox; he rebuked Balaam by speaking through the mouth of an ass. He also used Balaam to rebuke Israel’s enemies and prophesy great things concerning Jacob. God can and does use whomever he will, believers and unbelievers alike.

Samson used the unclean jawbone of an ass as a weapon to slay many Philistines; America has also had leaders who, despite not being devout men, served similarly as instruments of God. As the jawbone of an ass in the hand of God, he used them to defeat the enemies of His people. God uses whomever he will for the sake of his people. Throughout Scripture, we see that the Lord uses both his people and his enemies to accomplish his will.

Samson was a Nazirite; his hair was never to be cut; it was a covenant of his consecration to God. He was called to be set apart. However, he loved strange women and became entangled with foreigners. Seduced into cohabitation, he gave up secrets and succumbed to temptation. Fast asleep in Delilah’s lap, his head was then shaven, and he was robbed of his power. Once his hair was cut, he became as weak as other men and was then bound, and his eyes were put out.

As a parallel, America has also embraced foreign ideas and practices; in so doing, the nation has fallen into a deep spiritual sleep. Being bound and shaven from consecration, many Americans have been blinded by the influence of harlot nations and people.

When Samson finally awoke, he fought to free himself from his bands, but he found his strength was gone and that his enemies had gained the upper hand. Only then did he come to realize that his power had departed; he was a captive of his enemies.

Likewise, many Americans have awakened to the reality that others have gained the upper hand; their freedoms have largely been taken, and they are now struggling to break the bonds of their captors, inside and out.

Blinded by the worldly pleasures he embraced, Samson fell to his enemies. Only after blinding his eyes did he truly begin to see. Then, in his distress, he cried out to the Lord.

Like Samson, many people have been blinded by the pleasures of this life . To be restored to the power of God, people must become blind to the world and fix their sight on Him. Often, this will only come after being blinded and suffering, and then coming to self-realization.

After Samson was bound, blinded, and imprisoned, his hair began to grow back, and as his heart turned back to the Lord, his strength began returning. He was never fully restored to his former state of power and glory; however, he wrought one last victory, which became his greatest: he destroyed those who had taken him captive.

In America today and around the world, revival fires are burning; the hair of consecration is regrowing. God has not forsaken his people; nevertheless, consider whether America will be restored to its former power and glory. Will God make America great again? If so, will it be in a different manner?

Was Samson restored to the former state of his glory that he had before he fell to deception and suffered affliction at the hand of his captors? No.

Samson never fully recovered from all of his affliction. They were a consequence of his sins that remained with him until his death. Nevertheless, in the end, Samson’s victory overshadowed all of his other accomplishments before he was blinded and taken captive—he slew more of his enemies in his death than in his life.

The Lord commands us to die to the lust of this world so that He may live and work in our lives. It is in the death of self that the Lord accomplishes His victory.

Whatever is to come—life or death, a fall or restoration—there is a mighty victory to be won if we walk not after our personal desires but after the Lord. However, we must confess our sins and humble ourselves before God. Then, regardless of any worldly outcome, we will achieve victory and be avenged on our enemies.