Judges
14:1-3, 12-14, 17-20 (NIV) Samson went down to Timnah and saw there a young
Philistine woman. 2 When he returned, he said to his father and mother, "I
have seen a Philistine woman in Timnah; now get her for me as my wife."
3 His
father and mother replied, "Isn't there an acceptable woman among your
relatives or among all our people? Must you go to the uncircumcised Philistines
to get a wife?"
. . .
12
"Let me tell you a riddle," Samson said to them. "If you can
give me the answer within the seven days of the feast, I will give you thirty
linen garments and thirty sets of clothes. 13 If you can't tell me the answer,
you must give me thirty linen garments and thirty sets of clothes."
"Tell
us your riddle," they said. "Let's hear it."
14 He
replied,
"Out
of the eater, something to eat;
out of
the strong, something sweet."
For
three days they could not give the answer.
. . .
17 She
cried the whole seven days of the feast. So on the seventh day he finally told
her, because she continued to press him. She in turn explained the riddle to
her people.
18
Before sunset on the seventh day the men of the town said to him,
"What
is sweeter than honey?
What is
stronger than a lion?"
Samson
said to them,
"If
you had not plowed with my heifer,
you
would not have solved my riddle."
19 Then
the Spirit of the Lord came upon him in power. He went down to Ashkelon, struck
down thirty of their men, stripped them of their belongings and gave their
clothes to those who had explained the riddle. Burning with anger, he went up
to his father's house. 20 And Samson's wife was given to the friend who had
attended him at his wedding.
NOTE: Each story in
Judges seems further away from the central theme of a nation, called out by
God, to influence the world to worship the one true God. Now we see a man named
Samuel who is controlled by his passions and flesh. He "sees" a woman
and orders his parent to set up a marriage. She is not a believer in the one
true God, and Samuel does not seem to care despite the presence of the Spirit
in his life. He is an angry man (vs 19 "burning with anger") and uses
the power of the Spirit to kill 30 men for their clothing to pay of a bet. And
yet this is the man God has chosen to free Israel from the rule of the
Philistines. Not until his death does it seem that Samuel even recognizes God.
He knows the stories of his "specialness" but it does not influence
his life or his actions. He lives for himself and cares little for anything or
anyone beyond his own passions and lusts. This is the latest picture of Israel.
They have descended to a new level of narcissism and Samson is their spokesman
and leader. And still the picture will get even worse. Up ahead is rape, gore,
and the near-destruction of an entire tribe. The people barely know God nor do
they seem to care. This is one of the later stages of Romans 1:17ff when men
become lovers of self, disobedient to their parents, and God-haters. Only near
death will Samson repent. What does it take for us to repent?
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