Samson and the Lion
Samson grew up to be very strong. Samson was blessed at birth with superhuman strength to use against the Philistines. Samson married a Philistine woman. Samson was not interested in the LORD or His guidance. Samson only did what pleased him.
Judges 14:1-20, Judge15:1-20
Samson grew up to be very strong and went down to Timnath. Timnath was a town in the hill country of Judah the northern boundary of Judah. It was there Samson saw a woman of the daughters of the Philistines. The Philistines were the rulers over the children of Israel because they did evil in the eyes of the LORD.
Samson told his father and his mother that he wanted to marry the daughter of the Philistines. The father and mother of Samson were not happy and believed he should marry a woman from the children of Israel. Samson demanded that his father get this women for him because it pleased him.
The father and mother of Samson did not know that it was the plan of the LORD that put the idea in Samson. The LORD was against the Philistines: for at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel.
Samson, his father and his mother went down to the town to Timnath. When they came to the vineyard of Timnath there was a young lion that roared against him. The Spirit of the LORD came upon Samson and he tore the lion with his bare hand. He did not tell his mother and father what he had done.
The family continued and talked with the woman and she pleased Samson. After a time Samson returned to take his wife and he turned to see the carcasses of the lion. There was a swarm of bees and honey in the carcasses of the lion.
Samson took the honey in his hands, and went on eating it when his father and mother came along. Samson gave them some of the honey. They ate it but Samson did not tell them he had taken the honey out of the carcass of the lion.
Samson and his father went down to Timnath to make a feast for the marriage to the Philistine woman. Samson hired the young men to help make the feast. When they saw him they brought 30 companions to be with him.
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 you cannot declare it me, then shall you give me thirty sheets and thirty change of garments. And they said unto him; Put forth thy riddle, that we may hear it.” (Judges 14:12-13).
Here is the riddle that Samson gave to the Philistines: “Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness.” And they could not in three days understand the riddle. The 30 companions went to the wife of Samson and told her to entice her husband that he would declare the riddle. If she did not they would burn their house and the house of her father with fire. (Judges 14:14-15).
Samson’s wife wept before him for seven days while their feast lasted. Samson had not told his father or other but he did tell his new wife. Then on the seventh day he told her the riddle and she told the riddle to the children of her people.
The men of the city said unto Samson the seventh day before the sun went down what is sweeter than honey? What is stronger than a lion? And he said unto them, If you had not plotted evil with my heifer, you had not found out my riddle.
The Spirit of the LORD came upon Samson, and he went down to Ashkelon, city of the Philistines, southwest of Jerusalem, and slew thirty men of them, and took their spoil, and gave change of garments unto them which expounded the riddle. And his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father’s house.
Kindled means that Samson was furious and the wife of Samson was given to his companions, whom he had used as his friend.
What Can This Story Teach Us?
Samson was blessed at birth with superhuman strength to use against the Philistines. Samson married a Philistine woman and totally disregarded the fact that it was the Philistines who occupied the land. He didn’t seem to care that the Philistines dominated his people.
When Samson and his parents went to Timnath to see the Philistine girl he was attacked by a lion. He barehanded grabbed the lion and tore it in two. Boy he was one strong dude. Samson didn’t mention this ordeal to his parents.
His parents did not want Samson to marry a Philistine woman. Samson didn’t even think about what God wanted regarding the marriage. If Samson would have asked the LORD then he would not have married this woman and his life might have been easier.
The only way Samson would fight against the Philistines, it seems, was if he personally were hurt or wronged. And this is precisely what the LORD allowed to happen. The marriage did not last very long only a week. The Philistines didn’t trust Samson and they surrounded him with thirty bodyguards during the week-long wedding festival.
Samson used trickery to gain wealth. The 30 pieces of sheet was a rectangular piece of fine linen worn as outer, or at night, as a sole garment. The riddle that Samson used to get rid of the Philistines backfired when his wife gave the answers to her people.
Samson was not faithful to the LORD. He did what pleased him. Samson was not interested in the LORD or His guidance. Samson only did what pleased him. We know plenty of people like that don’t we? It looks like they are having a great time and getting to do whatever they want. That just isn’t true. Those of us that are seeking the holiness of the LORD and doing according to His will do have an easier time.
That is because when we become all that the LORD wants us to become we have an advantage over those who go astray. Can you think of ways this is true in your life? Can you back that up with Bible verses?
Cite Article Source
MLA Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne “Samson and the Lion:.” Becker Bible Studies Library Jan 2015.< https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=1951,>.
APA Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne (2015, January) “Samson and the Lion:.” Becker Bible Studies Library. Retrieved from https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=1951,.
Chicago Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne (2015) “Samson and the Lion:.” Becker Bible Studies Library (January), https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=1951, (accessed).
