Read verses 1-2: Samson sees a Philistine woman and wants her. Therefore he asks his parents to get her for him. I find it rather annoying that he just looks at this woman and decides he wants her like she's a piece of meat, but times were different then, so I can look past that. However, she's a Philistine woman and God has made it clear that the Israelites are not to intermarry with any foreigners (Deut 7:3-4). This whole thing goes against his life purpose of delivering Israel from the Philistines, he's about to deepen their connection!
Read verse 3: His parents wisely try to convince him otherwise, but he doesn't want to hear it. He talks about it being "right in his own eyes" (ESV), but this is a major problem, we need to live for what's right in God's eyes, not our own.
Read verse 4: We are given a reminder of God's sovereignty here. He can use all things for His glory, even sin. Joseph tells his brothers that in Gen. 50:19-20 and Paul reminds the Romans of that in Rom. 8:28.
Read verses 5-6: Samson is off to see the woman again and as he nears a vineyard (which a guy who doesn't drink shouldn't be near) a lion is about to attack him. The Spirit of the Lord empowers Samson to fight off and kill the lion.
Read verse 7: Samson chats with the woman. Evidently some time passes based on the next verses...
Read verses 8-9: Lion has a beehive in it (either just the bones remain or it had been so dry it became mummified). Samson eats some and takes some home for his parents. He sins and breaks his vow and causes his parents to sin unknowingly.
Read verse 10: Samson's dad (Manoah) goes to talk to the woman. Samson goes and feasts as was customary for men, meaning a 7 day long feast with lots of food and drinking. More than likely Samson drank, again breaking his vow.
Read verse 3: His parents wisely try to convince him otherwise, but he doesn't want to hear it. He talks about it being "right in his own eyes" (ESV), but this is a major problem, we need to live for what's right in God's eyes, not our own.
Read verse 4: We are given a reminder of God's sovereignty here. He can use all things for His glory, even sin. Joseph tells his brothers that in Gen. 50:19-20 and Paul reminds the Romans of that in Rom. 8:28.
Read verses 5-6: Samson is off to see the woman again and as he nears a vineyard (which a guy who doesn't drink shouldn't be near) a lion is about to attack him. The Spirit of the Lord empowers Samson to fight off and kill the lion.
Read verse 7: Samson chats with the woman. Evidently some time passes based on the next verses...
Read verses 8-9: Lion has a beehive in it (either just the bones remain or it had been so dry it became mummified). Samson eats some and takes some home for his parents. He sins and breaks his vow and causes his parents to sin unknowingly.
Read verse 10: Samson's dad (Manoah) goes to talk to the woman. Samson goes and feasts as was customary for men, meaning a 7 day long feast with lots of food and drinking. More than likely Samson drank, again breaking his vow.
Read verses 11-14: Thirty men join who were evidently friends of the bride serving as groomsmen and would've also guarded against intruders. Samson gives a riddle and wagers 30 outfits that they won't guess it.
Read verses 15-17: The men threaten Samson's wife to find out the answer. She nags Samson numerous days until he finally gives in.
Read verse 18: The men answer Samson's riddle on the last day. He knows his wife sold him out and makes some unkind comments about her.
Read verse 18: The men answer Samson's riddle on the last day. He knows his wife sold him out and makes some unkind comments about her.
Read verse 19: The Spirit of the Lord helps Samson kill 30 men in another town and take their clothes to pay for his riddle. Does it seem weird to anyone else that the Spirit of the Lord would empower him to kill some men for a bet? Well they were Philistines and that is what Samson was to be doing--delivering Israel from the Philistines. So even if Samson's motives were wrong, what he was doing was still what God had raised him up to do.
Read verse 20: This verse is just weird. His best man (one of the 30) consummates the marriage... WHAT?!?!
Read verse 20: This verse is just weird. His best man (one of the 30) consummates the marriage... WHAT?!?!
Application:
- Listen to the advice of your parents. They've got more life experiences than you... learn from them. AND... Ephesians 6:1- Children, obey your parents in the Lord for this is right. (verses 2-3 are good ones too!)
- Don't sin, and don't cause others to sin. The thing that makes me mad about this passage is that even if Samson doesn't care about sinning himself, he causes his parents to sin. Luke 17:1-2 talks about how it'd be better to tie a big rock around your head and jump in the sea than to cause someone else to sin. This is not something God takes lightly!
- God is faithful, even when we are not. God promised that Samson would deliver Israel from the Philistines. Even thought Samson breaks his end of the vow, God still empowers him to kill Philistines. 2 Timothy 2:13 reminds us of this: If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.
**All Scripture is quotes from the New American Standard.
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I'm currently teaching on the book of Judges for the youth group Sunday school class. We normally spend half our time playing a game and the other half studying the Bible. These are my lessons and some funny tidbits that happen during the course of the morning.
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I'm currently teaching on the book of Judges for the youth group Sunday school class. We normally spend half our time playing a game and the other half studying the Bible. These are my lessons and some funny tidbits that happen during the course of the morning.
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