Faith Is Not About Getting Our Way

 God had chosen Samson to deliver Israel.  He had designated him to be a Nazarite from birth, and Samson’s parents did their best to see that he was raised according to the Nazarite vow.   As a result, God blessed him, working in his life as we see in Judges 13:24-25.  “And the woman bare a son, and called his name Samson: and the child grew, and the LORD blessed him.  And the spirit of the LORD began to move him at times in the camp of Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol.”   God has given us the ability to choose our own paths, and unfortunately, some choose the wrong way, no matter how carefully they have been raised. 

 

When Samson grew up, he decided to marry a Philistine girl against his parent wishes, as we see in Judges 14:1-3.  “And Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines.  And he came up, and told his father and his mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines: now therefore get her for me to wife.  Then his father and his mother said unto him, Is there never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said unto his father, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well.”

 

While Samson’s approach to his parents was somewhat disrespectful, there was another problem as well.  In Exodus 34:12-16, God had warned the Jews not to marry into the tribes around them because there would be a tendency to adopt their religious beliefs and practices as well.  “Take heed to thyself, lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land whither thou goest, lest it be for a snare in the midst of thee: But ye shall destroy their altars, break their images, and cut down their groves: For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God: Lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and they go a whoring after their gods, and do sacrifice unto their gods, and one call thee, and thou eat of his sacrifice; And thou take of their daughters unto thy sons, and their daughters go a whoring after their gods, and make thy sons go a whoring after their gods.”  As a Nazarite, Samson was obligated to follow that command, as well as the command to respect his parents. 

 

His parents were upset that he was ignoring God’s command, and their comments indicate this was not the first time he had chased after non Jewish girls.  Fortunately God knew what Samson was like, and that he enjoyed associating with the Philistine overlords.  He was going to use Samson’s attitude to cause him to do what God intended, as Judges 14:4 tells us.  “But his father and his mother knew not that it was of the LORD, that he sought an occasion against the Philistines: for at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel.”

 

On the way to make the wedding arrangement, God caused and unusual event that should have made Samson stop and think, in Judges 14:5-6.  “Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath, and came to the vineyards of Timnath: and, behold, a young lion roared against him.  And the spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done.”  Because of the power of God, Samson disposed of the lion easily.  Because he won so easily, he never gave it another thought, just continuing on his way in Judges 14:7.  “And he went down, and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson well.”

 

The lion’s carcass dried out and some of the flesh rotted away, leaving openings into the ribcage area, and a swarm of bees moved in filling the carcass with honey.  On his way to the wedding, Samson remembered the attack and stopped to see what had happened to the body, in Judges 14:8-9.  “And after a time he returned to take her, and he turned aside to see the carcase of the lion: and, behold, there was a swarm of bees and honey in the carcase of the lion.  And he took thereof in his hands, and went on eating, and came to his father and mother, and he gave them, and they did eat: but he told not them that he had taken the honey out of the carcase of the lion.”  The Jews were not to eat anything that had come into contact with spoiled meat and possible carried infectious diseases, and as a Nazarite, Somson was not to touch a dead body, so he didn’t tell his parents where the honey came from, and they ate it without question, never knowing they were breaking God’s command.   

 

Samson’s wedding was to be at her family’s home, and since it was in Philistine land, most of the guests were philistines, although Samson was footing the bill.  To defray the cost and make a little profit, Samson made a bet with the Philistines, in Judges 14:10-14.  “So his father went down unto the woman: and Samson made there a feast; for so used the young men to do.  And it came to pass, when they saw him, that they brought thirty companions to be with him.  And Samson said unto them, I will now put forth a riddle unto you: if ye can certainly declare it me within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty sheets and thirty change of garments: But if ye cannot declare it me, then shall ye give me thirty sheets and thirty change of garments.

 

And they said unto him, Put forth thy riddle, that we may hear it.

 

And he said unto them, Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness. And they could not in three days expound the riddle.”

 

Since they weren’t really his friends any way Samson didn’t feel bad taking advantage of the fact there was no possible way for them to guess what he was talking about.  Not wanting to lose to a Jew, the Philistines  did everything they could to learn the answer, finally even threatening tokill his wifes family if shee didn’t find out the answer, in Judges 14:15.  “And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they said unto Samson's wife, Entice thy husband, that he may declare unto us the riddle, lest we burn thee and thy father's house with fire: have ye called us to take that we have? is it not so?”

 

Terrified by their threats. Samson’s wife inveigled Samson into telling her the riddle, which she then told the Philistines, in Judges 14:16-18a.  “And Samson's wife wept before him, and said, Thou dost but hate me, and lovest me not: thou hast put forth a riddle unto the children of my people, and hast not told it me. And he said unto her, Behold, I have not told it my father nor my mother, and shall I tell it thee?  And she wept before him the seven days, while their feast lasted: and it came to pass on the seventh day, that he told her, because she lay sore upon him: and she told the riddle to the children of her people.  And the men of the city said unto him on the seventh day before the sun went down, What is sweeter than honey? and what is stronger than a lion?

 

Samson accused them of cheating, and grew quite angry.  Just as when attacked by the lion, the spirit of God empowered him, and he killed and robbed thirty Philistines to pay off his debt, according to Judges 4:18b-19a.  “And he said unto them, If ye had not plowed with my heifer, ye had not found out my riddle.  And the spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, and slew thirty men of them, and took their spoil, and gave change of garments unto them which expounded the riddle.

 

Notice that Samson’s actions were just murder and robbery.  He was not fighting to set the people free or please God.  He was just paying off a gambling debt.  Like many Christians today, he had gotten used to God blessing him and never thought about what God wanted.  He was not acting out of faith, but out of selfish pride, and it had little more effect on the Philistines than thirty people being murdered has on Chicago.  He just assumed God would give him the power he needed to get his way.