WELCOMING ADDRESS
Hello.
Welcome to the second part of this study.
The story of Samson will take an interesting turn in today’s part..
A GROWING MAN
Samson now a youth, had developed the build of a budding young man.
One day, he went down to Timnath where he saw a beautiful Philistine woman and immediately it clicked “I want her for myself”
When he returned from his sojourn, the first thing he requested for from his parents was for her to be accepted as his wife.
“I saw a Philistine woman and I want her for myself as a wife”
His parents were shocked by his request “Did you not find any woman among our people?”
“I don’t care about them, I have seen the woman I want”
His parents did not argue with him and consented to see his new found love.
On their way, while his parents were far ahead, Samson came in contact with a young Liom who roared intensely.
Without a thought, Samson grabbed the Lion and tore it into two. However, he did not tell his parents and behaved as if nothing had happened.
His parents had a good talk with the woman’s parents, and without wasting time they set a date for a wedding.
On the day he was to go down to see her, he passed by the dead lion and noticed that there were buzzing around it. Looking further, he noticed that was honey in the carcass. He scooped enough to eat and share with his parents who were unaware of the origin of the honey.
Out of excitement, during the party Samson asked a riddle with the promise to provide 30 garments for the 30 men he was asking.
“Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness” Samson was sure they were not going to know the answer. It was one only he knew about.
The deadline was seven days.
The men knew what to do, and they threatened the new wife.
“We will burn you and your father’s house if you don’t get the answer for us”
Fearing for her life, she pressurised Samson. “You don’t love me if not you would have told me the answer to the riddle”
For days, she was continually crying to make Samson tell her the answer.
He could not bear her tears, and told her the answer.
On the seventh day, the men repeated what she had told them word for word. “What is sweeter than honey? And what is stronger than a lion?”
“If you had not pressured my wife, you would have never known the answer”.
The Spirit came on Samson and he descended on the men of Ashkelon, taking their lives before he took their garments which he gave the gang of deceptive men.
Afterwards, in anger Samson returned to his father’s house while his bride was given to his bestman.
(Story was fictionalized and culled from Judges 14. Read Chapter for full context).
THE LION, HONEY, AND THE RIDDLE
The first record of Samson’s movement was down: He went down which meant away from his position and location. In the process he saw a woman.
This was the beginning of the story of Samson’s interest in women and also expressed his type.
Samson's impulsive nature was expressed in his quick decision to marry a woman he did not know.
His interaction with his parents showed the level of respect he accorded them and the relevance of their opinion to him.
It was possible that while growing up, they weren’t firm on Samson and he was used to getting what he wanted because he was a special child.
Samson did not know how to be under authority, he assumed autonomy early in life.
Then came the young lion
This lion a representation of Samson’s strength was the first example of how strong Samson was. It’s death expressed the extent of Samson’s supernatural strength.
However, after it death Samson scooped honey from it. Aside from this being forbidden for an average Israelite, this was against the instructions that were given at Samson’s birth. Therefore, it was either Samson was unaware or he simply disregarded what he had been told.
He not only ate it but gave it to his parents. He was not one to consider other people in his life, he was a man focused on himself.
Is there anything wrong with focusing on one's self?
This attitude was also expressed in hus poor acquaintance with the people he wanted to marry from.
Out of pride and excitement from his recent encounter, Samson thought he could gain respect quickly from people who were supposedly enemies of his people. He went knowingly into his enemies’ tent and expected to be accepted easily.
Aren't we like that sometimes? Making quick assumptions when we can just take our time to know?
Then came the riddle borne out of Samson’s first display of strength, desecration of his calling, and impulsiveness.
A riddle he was sure nobody could solve, not even his parents.
but he did not know the people he had come to and they did what they knew how to do best- threaten his wife.
Samson had not provided a covering for the woman he barely knew and she became his weak point.
This would be the first incidence of Samson yielding to the tears of a woman.
It was clear that Samson and his newly wedded wife were not on the same page and were not meant to allign themselves in marriage.
Wrong timing? Wrong person?
SUMMARY
LIFE APPLICATION
How often do you show consideration to people in your life?
or is it always about yourself?
Whose opinion do we value and how does it affect our outlook on life?
there has to be people we listen to
Do we take our time to know or we do we jump into conclusions?
REFLECTION
- Can you relate with Samson’s character in this chapter?
- Does his parents have a fault in his approach to life?
- Are there times impulsiveness is something good?
- Have you identified your weaknesses?
Thank you for being here.
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Stay safe and God bless.
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