EVERYBODY LOVES a superhero! Here's proof: an online survey reported that boys' number one costume choice for 2003's Halloween season wasn't Harry Potter; it was the Hulk. The Christian Science Monitor, October 16, 2003. Which just goes to show that big and muscular are good, as far as the guys see it.
Samson wasn't green like the Hulk, but there were some special things about him. First, his birth was predicted by an angel who warned his parents not to cut his hair. He told them that uncut hair was a sign that he was a Nazarite, someone specially dedicated to God. Later, after Samson was born, the boy showed exceptional strength, and he came to believe that his strength came from having uncut hair.
It's clear from the angel's message that Samson had a divine purpose, which was to free Israel from its enemies, the ruthless Philistines. Samson also became the last of Israel's great judges. In a time before Israel ever had kings, Samson was never a ruler per se, but he was nonetheless a heroic leader.
