Original Artwork

Samson's Fall

Artist: Ron DiCianni

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SYNOPSIS:

Samson had a great start as one set apart for God but somewhere along the way his muscles got the better of him. Even knowing that his strength came from God, somehow he must have concluded that he could break God’s commands and still succeed. Samson’s Fall reiterates that even the strongest man who ever lived couldn’t bypass the truth that spiritual power will succeed over physical power. Here, DiCianni shows Samson toward the end of his life – blind, bound, and broken having to depend on a child even for a cup of water. Samson’s Fall reminds us to follow God’s laws and not to rely on our strength but to trust in Him in all things.

ARTIST NOTE:

In this painting of Samson, look where violence got him – broken, forsaken, imprisoned, and working at a grinding mill. Most descriptive of all is the shadow falling on the grinding wheel – Satan laughing. You see the whole time Satan knew where reliance on the physical would lead. It’s the same place it still leads today.

A footnote: I found out that our present day idea of how Satan looks (pitchfork, horns, tail, etc) came from a medieval description that was used to hit Satan at his most vulnerable place. His ego. They attached to him the most ridiculous concept they could think of knowing he cannot abide ridicule. Pretty smart and effective, don’t you think? Next time you see any depiction of Satan like that, don’t be frightened. Recognize him for the loser he is and resolve to think God’s way. After all, God’s Word was given to us so that we would learn from the mistakes of those who have gone before us (1 Cor. 10:11).