14:1 We meet Samson as an adult for the first time in the beginning of this chapter. Immediately we learn his weakness, his desire: Samson places obsession over faith. Samson is enraptured with woman, two in particular that we will read of during his life. Samson's motivation in life is, rather than God's will, to satisfy his craving.
We do not often think of our lives in such terms. But like Samson, we all seek to satisfy the desires of our lives. Samson is not our typical hero, even though the circumstances of his birth might have caused him to be. God appeared to Samson's faithful parents knowing that their child would be flawed. And that's exactly when God swoops in: when we need him. Whether or not we accept his help is up to us.
Like Samson, we all have the potential to be agents of God's will. By Him we have been given the opportunity to participate in important, purposeful work. Samson is our example that desire is a distraction that can disable us from carrying out our greatest potential. See, like Samson, we all get it backwards. We think that once we have what we want, we will be able to act for others. God, however, ensures that once we acts for others... we receive what our heart wants.
And God knows what our hearts want much better than we do Jeremiah 17:10. God knows how to gift much better than we do Matthew 7:11. Like Samson, we often desire for things, people, opportunities which lead to our detriment. Our lives become permanently beautiful when we discard what we want and allow what God wants to flow into our lives.
14:2 Our first account of Samson as an adult is his notice of a woman from Timnah, the daughter of a Philistine. Philistine as in, the people who are currently oppressing Samson's. Although that does not automatically suggest that this woman is evil, it does let us know that Samson wants to be with her, even though she rejects God and His principles.
Samson commands his parents to arrange a marriage between this woman and himself.
14:3 Samson's father tries to reason with his son: it would be more suitable for him to marry within the faith. And honestly, Samson would have benefited from listening. Each of us have to carefully choose we who associate with because we all begin to adopt the behavior of our companions.
Side note: Jesus associated with everyone. Yes, but His circle, the people we worked with and called family, we rooted in the same principles as He was.
Samson rejects his father's suggestion. Blinded by desire, he reaffirms that he wants that particular woman. Many, if not all, of us have experienced similar moments. Moments when we want something (or perhaps someone) so badly it hurts! By truly understanding how that blind desire unfolds, we might escape the fate Samson was unable to.
14:4 Manoah and his wife were appalled; they so carefully raised their son, the thought that he might go against God in his first free willed choice frightened them. Yet they, and we, often underestimate God. God ensures that His will unfolds regardless of the mess we make in the midst of it.
God knows Samson and has known him since before the womb, just like He knows all of us. God has already anticipated Samson's weaknesses and has planned around them. God has already stated what will be accomplished; in the previous chapter, the Angel of the Lord spoke that this person would be the one to deliver the children of Israel out of the hand of the Philistines. Samson will be the instrument through which that happens with or without shortcomings because God has spoken it.
14:5 On his journey to Timnah, Samson encounters a young lion, ferocious and agitated.
14:6 Immediately, God takes control of the situation and equips Samson with the strength to easily tear the lion apart.
The lion is representative of at least two battles in Samson's life: the battle against the Philistines and the battle against his own self (his desire). God has commanded that the first will happen. The second, more personal battle, God is able and willing to also defeat... but Samson must chose that and accept His help. The fact is, Samson, like us, is so enamored by the object of his desire that he really does not even consider faith. It never even occurs to him that God might be able to provide something/one better.
Samson does not tell his parents about the lion. In fact, he does not tell anyone. Samson will use the circumstance for selfish reasons and they will backfire.
14:7 Samson speaks with the woman and is pleased with her.
14:8-9 Samson makes the journey again, this time to claim the woman, he comes into contact with the torn lion again. Inside the torn lion, Samson realizes there is honey and a swarm of bees. He eats the honey and then shares with his parents. Again, he does not tell his parents of the circumstances of the lion.
14:10-11 A feast is held in honor of Samson and the woman's engagement, as is custom. The woman's people bring thirty people to the feast.
14:12-13 Samson decides to use his experience with the lion as a riddle to gain some material wealth. He knows that the men will never guess the answer, as the circumstance was unique to him.
Instead of identifying the experience as personal and symbolic - a promise of love and strength from God - Samson tries to use it to his advantage. The men accept the challenge.
14:14 Samson's riddle is this:
Out of the eater came something to eat,And out of the strong came something sweet.
The men have seven days to figure out the answer to the riddle but after three, they realize that they cannot figure it out.
14:15 In fear of losing the bet, the men approach Samson's wife. They tell her to squeeze the answer out of Samson otherwise they will burn her and her father's house. The men are furious: they feel that Samson tricked them. He brought them to his place as guests but seeks to take away their own possessions.
14:16 Samson's wife is bereft of patience with him. The threats from the men cause her to ask Samson if he hates her. His riddle as put her in a difficult situation. Samson responds that he has not told anyone the answer to the riddle, that is is not a personal attack against her.
14:17-18 After wailing long enough to break Samson, she receives the answer to the riddle and gives it to the men. The answer is this:
What is sweeter than honey?And what is stronger than a lion?
Samson outright accuses the men of cheating. He knows immediately that they deviously retrieved the answer from his wife.
14:19-20 Samson's outrage is bolstered by God's mission to smother the Philistine forces and he kills the thirty men, takes the clothing and gives is to those who answered the riddle. Angry, Samson leaves. In his absence, his wife is given to another man, his best man.
As we have read, Samson made a complete mess of the situation. But God's will was accomplished - the Philistine army decreases and will continue to do so. Remember that God's action against the Philistines is because of their evil lifestyle.
