I’m a little confused why Samson is mentioned in Hebrews 11:32-34. As I reread the account in Judges, it seems to me that his life was anything but a walk in faith. I can’t recall a single incident in his life where he did what he knew was right according to his faith. He defiled himself from the moment when he touched a dead lion to the point of sleeping with the prostitute and revealing the secret of his strengh to Delilah. Even the motivation for his final moment when he killed his enemies in the temple was revenge. He was a poor judge and a failure as a Nazirite. Why is he mentioned among the faithful? What does Samson mean?
In spite of all Samson’s faults, God used him in several ways. Samson led Israel for 20 years, and at the end of his life began the liberation of Israel from the Philistines, just as God had promised his parents. Perhaps most of all, God used Samson’s life to demonstrate His forgiveness to those who ask in faith, no matter how far they’ve fallen. Samson’s name means sunshine.