Samson: A Human Being

Dei Break

Judges 14:5 - 20

Samson attacked sin with gusto. He broke his Nazarite vow by touching the dead body of the lion; by drinking wine at his wedding; by eating honey dipped from the dead body of the lion. Thus he would not tell his parents of the battle with the lion. His choice in a wife also was a sin. He demanded a non-Israelite, pagan, Philistine woman from his disapproving parents. He just wanted her, and in his mind what he wanted was all that mattered. How can we criticize his choice when most of today's marriages seem to be based on the same decision making process – "she looks good to me" (vs.3&7-NASB)? Samson again shows us that God's will and God's choice is not based on our worth, but on His grace, and nothing is too great for Him to accomplish and no person is beyond His love.

It is true that God saved Samson from the lion by giving him great strength, but the young man seemed to take his Nazarite pledge [made to God] lightly.

The riddle game at the wedding party doesn't seem such a big deal—you lose, you give a pretty nice gift; you win, you get a pretty nice gift. However the Philistine party guests not only cheated, they threatened the bride and her family with death. The blackmailed bride finds out the puzzle's answer and passes it on. Samson turns on his bride, and seeks revenge on his "guests". We certainly do not see Samson show any "love" as we know it to his bride. What we do see is Samson's temper and pride out of control.

The odd marriage described was a Philistine custom. The wife continued to live with her parents and her husband only visited from time to time. Any children born were part of the wife's family. However, when Samson violently left the wedding party, the bride's father apparently decided that he had left for good and gave the bride to Samson's best man.

Next time: Samson's character is further revealed