Judges 14- Samson Part 6

Review: Last week we considered the end of Judges 13 where we saw four reasons to expect great things from Samson: Samson was a miracle child, he grew up in a faithful family, the LORD blessed him, and the LORD was stirring his heart for the mission he was given.

However, in Judges 14 things are not happening as we had expected. For example, Samson goes to Timnah and sees a beautiful woman that he wants to marry. He talks to his parents and they offer only a little resistance, but they quickly cave to the pressure. In verse 5 Samson’s parents are helping him do this even though it is against the clear teaching in scripture. This makes us ask, “Why is this happening? How will the LORD accomplish His purposes in Samson?”

The Holy Spirit answers this question in Judges 4:4, “His father and mother did not know that it was from the Lord, for he was seeking an opportunity against the Philistines. At that time the Philistines ruled over Israel.”

Judges 14:5 says, “Then Samson went down with his father and mother to Timnah…”. Look how quickly Samson’s parents stop resisting this, to arranging it, and then carrying it out. (14:4,10) One of the things I’d like to highlight is that even though the LORD is allowing this to take place, He manages and governs it all!

When Samson’s parents do this, I wonder if their consciences were troubled? Or were they attempting to justify what they were doing? Here is some other things they could have done,

• Studied the scriptures with Samson to show him what the Word of God said about these things and why they could not do this. (Dt.7:1-4; Exodus 34:11-16; Joshua 23:11-13)

• They could have recalled what Rebekah’s said to Isaac in Genesis 27:46, “I loathe my life because of the Hittite women. If Jacob marries one of the Hittite women like these, one of the women of the land, what good will my life be to me?”

• They could have remembered what Moses had said when he blessed the Levites for the faithfulness they displayed to God’s Word against their loved ones. Moses remembered a time when they had, “...said of his father and mother, ‘I regard them not’; he disowned his brothers and ignored his children. For they observed your word and kept your covenant.” (Deuteronomy 33:9)

• Every one of us knows how difficult it is when we have to make a choice between God and their children. Yet, Jesus says in Luke 14:26, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.”

• Even though God is going to use all of this for His purposes we should endeavor to be faithful.

Let’s read verses 5-7, “...and they came to the vineyards of Timnah. And behold, a young lion came toward him roaring. Then the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon him, and although he had nothing in his hand, he tore the lion in pieces as one tears a young goat. But he did not tell his father or his mother what he had done. Then he went down and talked with the woman, and she was right in Samson's eyes.”

Many often ask why Samson, who is bound by a Nazarite vow, would be in a vineyard? This seems like a foolish thing for Samson to do. However, in this case I have seen this as a secondary issue and not the main point.

Secondary issue: It could be that Samson does this when the vineyards are producing any fruit. Let me explain, after Samson kills this lion we are told that ‘some days’ past before he returned. (8) The words, ‘some days’, can refer to a longer period than just a few days. It seems reasonable that Samson did not return for a month or more. This would have given time for this lion carcass to dry out for these honey bees to create a hive and begin producing honey. Consider these following facts.

• In Israel bees become active in March. Honey production climax’s in May and June. By the end of August honey production is over.

• Grape vineyards begin growing in April and May. This growth continues through June and then in July the grapes are ready to begin harvesting.

• Conclusion: It could be that the grapes are not present when Samson first goes into the vineyard (5); however, they would have been present when he returns to see the lion carcass on the second occasion (8-9) because honey production corresponds with the growth of the vineyards. Plus they will be closer to the wheat harvest mentioned in Judges 15.

Primary Issue: When Samson is in the vineyard a young lion attacked him. (5-6) Samson has no defensive weapon but the Spirit of the LORD rushes upon him and he kills the lion. Question: Is this the first time that this has happened to Samson? We are not told this has happened before. If it is, then Samson could respond in two ways.

• First, we would expect him to tell his parents about what had happened.

• Second, this would be a moment when he could reconsider the direction of his life.

• Samson does not do this. He doesn’t tell his parents or change the direction of his life. Judges 14:4 tells us that God is governing these things but notice that He is also giving Samson an opportunity to change course. God always provides a way of escape? This is an off ramp for Samson and his parents but he does not take it. (1 Corinthians 10:13) Throughout this story Samson does not recognize the Holy Spirit giving Him these opportunities; rather, he presumes upon the Holy Spirit in his folly!

Therefore, after arranging this marriage in Timnah they return home until the ceremony. Let’s read Judges 14:8-9, “After some days he returned to take her and he turned aside to see the carcass of the lion, and behold, there was a swarm of bees in the body of the lion, and honey. He scraped it out into his hands and went on, eating as he went. And he came to his father and mother and gave some to them, and they ate. But he did not tell them that he had scraped the honey from the carcass of the lion.”

This text begins with the words, ‘After some days’. We do not know how long this was but it could have been a significant amount of time that had passed. Observation: Not only has the LORD given Samson an opportunity to take an off ramp, but He has also given him time to take it! Samson doesn’t do this and when Samson returns to Timnah he ‘turned aside’ to see the carcass of the lion.

This time there are two dangers. First, the grape vines are probably bearing fruit. Second, Samson is not to touch a dead carcass. (Numbers 6) Having already gone into the vineyards before, Samson is overly confident that he can go in and nothing bad can happen. The desire to see this carcass is stronger than Samson’s desire to flee from danger. Proverbs 13:16 applies here, “Every wise man acts with knowledge, but a fool flaunts his folly.” Samson is not being wise; rather, he is being foolish.

While there, Samson noticed that bees had made honey in the carcass. Samson, who is not supposed to touch a carcass, scrapes the honey out and eats it. Even worse, he gives some to his parents without telling hem where it was from. This was another test for Samson and he fails. Deuteronomy 11:27-28 says, “And all that walk on their paws, among the animals that go on all fours, are unclean to you. Whoever touches their carcass shall be unclean until the evening, and he who carries their carcass shall wash his clothes and be unclean until the evening; they are unclean to you.”

Samson disobeys the Law again. Still worse, Samson gives this honey to his parents and in doing so he makes them unclean. Leviticus 5:2, 5-6, says, “...if anyone touches an unclean thing, whether a carcass of an unclean wild animal or a carcass of unclean livestock or a carcass of unclean swarming things, and it is hidden from him and he has become unclean, and he realizes his guilt...when he realizes his guilt...and confesses the sin he has committed, he shall bring to the LORD as his compensation for the sin that he has committed, a female from the flock, a lamb or a goat, for a sin offering.”

Samson is not taking God’s Law seriously, and this is sinful in God’s eyes. Because Samson is doing these things in a deceptive way, you would have to conclude that Samson’s knows the word of God and he is suppressing his conscience. These sins seem small enough now, but as James says, “Do not be deceived, all sin leads to death.” Samson’s parents are unaware of their guilt; but Samson’s sin is done through willful disobedience.

Despite these sobering realities, Samson is ready to party and his disposition is jovial. We read in 10-14, “His father went down to the woman, and Samson prepared a feast there, for so the young men used to do. As soon as the people saw him, they brought thirty companions to be with him. And Samson said to them, ‘Let me now put a riddle to you. If you can tell me what it is, within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothes, but if you cannot tell me what it is, then you shall give me thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothes.’ And they said to him, ‘Put your riddle, that we may hear it.’ And he said to them,

‘Out of the eater came something to eat.Out of the strong came something sweet.”

And in three days they could not solve the riddle.’”

The word ‘feast’ (10) refers to a festive party where drinking wine is often involved. We’re told that Samson prepared this feast because it was ‘what young men used to do’. (10) It may not be a sin to engage in a particular cultural norm, but it was not wise for Samson to do this because of his vow. These behaviors are common when we are students of culture and not of the Word of God.

Samson thought that it was a good idea to enter into a bet with these men regarding a riddle. Notice that Samson specifically mentions that the clothes must be linen. I point this out because the Law forbids the wearing of mixed materials so Samson specifies that they must be linen.

Observation: Samson illustrates that it is easier to look holy and faithful on the exterior, while your heart is not carefully obeying the LORD. Samson is determined to marry an unbeliever, concealed the truth, defiled his parents, and uses these things in a riddle for a bet. Samson is taking these truths that are to be obeyed and making a bet and they become a joke to him and a means to profit.

Samson had hidden the events surrounding this riddle from his parents, but now it becomes the centerpiece of this bet, saying, “Out of the eater came something to eat. Out of the strong came something sweet.” Think about the folly of these words that are coming out of Samson’s mouth, “Out of the eater came something to eat.” (Dt.11:27-28, Leviticus 5:2, 5-6)

 Over the next three days, these men could not solve this riddle. Let’s read verses 15-17, “On the fourth day they said to Samson's wife, ‘Entice your husband to tell us what the riddle is, lest we burn you and your father's house with fire. Have you invited us here to impoverish us?’ And Samson's wife wept over him and said, ‘You only hate me; you do not love me. You have put a riddle to my people, and you have not told me what it is.’ And he said to her, ‘Behold, I have not told my father nor my mother, and shall I tell you?’ She wept before him the seven days that their feast lasted, and on the seventh day he told her, because she pressed him hard. Then she told the riddle to her people.”

What began as a friendly bet has now taken a serious turn. These thirty men, ‘friends of the family’, threaten Samson’s wife by saying, “Entice your husband to tell us what the riddle is, lest we burn you and your father's house with fire.” (15) Samson’s wife took this threat seriously and she wept before Samson for the next three days. This illustrates the violence of the culture. She persistently tried Samson’s patience by saying, “You only hate me; you do not love me. You have put a riddle to my people, and you have not told me what it is.” (16) Notice: She never tells Samson what has been said to her by the others. Samson, who conceals many things, has information withheld from him.

You can imagine the intensity of this situation on the last day of the festival. During this time she pressed Samson all the more and he finally gives in and tells her. She went and told her people and we read, “And the men of the city said to him on the seventh day before the sun went down, “What is sweeter than honey? What is stronger than a lion?” (18) When they do this Samson’s anger is provoked, saying, “If you had not plowed with my heifer, you would not have found out my riddle.” (18)

Then we read, “And the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon Samson, and he went down to Ashkelon and struck down thirty men of the town and took their spoil and gave the garments to those who had told the riddle. In hot anger he went back to his father's house.” (19)

Conclusion: In Judges 14 Samson made a joke out of the things that he should have taken very seriously. He treats lightly the weighty things relating to God and His Word. Nonetheless, Samson will be God’s instrument to ‘begin to deliver His people from the Philistines’, but Samson will not be able to bring true repentance and spiritual change to Israel. As we continue to read this story Samson’s life will continue to spiral out of control; and yet, God is in full control of everything and He accomplishes all His purposes.

As we come to communion I would like you to contrast Samson with Jesus Christ. In the Person of Jesus we get the best of all things. Jesus delivers us from our enemies and He leads His people into true repentance and reformation.

When Jesus came His people wanted a deliverer like Samson. They wanted a strong judge who could conquer Rome. What Israel really needed was a Savior who could deliver them from their sins and their three great enemies: indwelling sin, sin in the world, and Satan. At best, Samson could only begin the work of delivering Israel from the Philistines. The work that Jesus came do was so much better. Paul says of Him, “For in Him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily…He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame by triumphing over them in Him.” (Col.2:9,15)

Jesus Christ was chosen by His Father to be the perfect mediator between sinful men and God. Jesus fills three important roles for us: Prophet, Priest, and King. Jesus took upon Himself a human nature with all the essential properties and common weaknesses of it but without sin. Jesus was holy, harmless, undefiled and- full of grace and truth.

Jesus was born under the law and perfectly fulfilled it. Jesus also experienced the punishment that we deserved and that we should have endured and suffered. He was made sin and a curse for us. He experienced heavy sorrows in His soul and extremely painful sufferings in His body. He was crucified and died, but in three days He rose again and is now seated at the right hand of the Father.

Through His active and passive righteousness Jesus fully satisfied the justice of God, obtained reconciliation, and purchased and everlasting inheritance in the kingdom of heaven for all those who would confess their sinfulness and entrust themselves to Christ.