(Judges 14.1-16.31)
Samson’s riddle
Rather than learning worthwhile lessons from his failure over the dead lion, Samson appears to have viewed the incident as a fortuitous means of making gain. He proposed a riddle which he hoped would deliver "thirty sheets and thirty change of garments" (14.13). We will find however that, as believers, it is very unwise to attempt to use our own natural wisdom, such as it may be, to challenge individuals who, from a worldly point of view, may be much more intellectually endowed than we are ourselves. Once we try to meet them on their own ground we are altogether in the wrong environment. The unjust steward was not commended for his sleight of hand but "because he had done wisely" in the then existing circumstances, but that meant acting in a way which believers should not. So the comment was made by the Lord Jesus, "The children of this world are in their generation (i.e. in their own sphere of things) wiser than the children of light" (Lk 16.8). If you insist on playing the world’s game on its ground and according to its rules you will almost certainly find yourself the loser. Samson found that out too late, and the value that he had banked on gaining was precisely what he lost. The best that he could say, complainingly, was, "If ye had not plowed with my heifer, ye had not found out my riddle" (14.18), which just confirms the point made earlier. The world does not play to the same rules as you, it does not believe, in the current jargon, in a level playing field and that puts you, on the natural plane, at a very decided disadvantage. Does that mean though that, as Christians, we are always to come out losers in our dealings with the world? No, it does not. What it does mean is that we must use the right approach, the right weaponry, and remember that it is precisely because "the weapons of our warfare are not carnal" (i.e. natural), that they are "mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds" (2 Cor 10.4).
It is true that, once again, the grace of God was operative to counter Samson’s foolishness. "The Spirit of the Lord came upon him" (14.19) and he was enabled to recoup his losses. But do not needlessly get yourself enmeshed in a situation from which you have to rely on God’s grace to extricate you. There is no promise given in Scripture to guarantee that that will always happen. "A prudent man forseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished (Prov 22.3; 27.12).
Samson’s reaction
The outcome of Samson’s actions might seem to have been overruled and in the short term they were, but sometimes there are long-term results too. In what appears to have been a fit of pique because of the failure of his money-making plan, "his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father’s house" (14.19) and as a result "(his) wife was given to his companion, whom he had used as his friend" (14.20). This sparked off a whole series of events including the burning of his wife and her father, a revenging slaughter of the Philistines, and the virtual isolation of Samson "in the top of the rock Etam" (15.8). Perhaps saddest of all, Samson was taken by his own people to be delivered bound to the Philistines as a peace offering to prevent them wreaking havoc amongst the people as a whole (15.13). We do need to consider very carefully what consequences might flow to others from decisions or choices that we make. Just think of the thirty-six men killed at Ai following the looting by Achan, but remember that the record states that "the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing", and this was later confirmed by God saying to Joshua, "Israel hath sinned" (Josh 7.1-12). Nor was this kind of unhappy situation limited to comparative unknowns like Achan. When David was tempted to number Israel, even Joab, who was not noted for his straight-forwardness (see 2 Sam 14) advised him against it, asking, "Why then doth my lord require this thing? why will he be a cause of trespass to Israel?". But a trespass he was, "and there fell of Israel seventy thousand men" (1 Chr 21.3,14). We used to sing a chorus with the children, one verse of which started, "Be careful little lips what you say", and another, "Be careful little hands what you do", and that is good advice, not only to children.
God’s sovereignty
Even amongst the records of failures by Samson, we have already seen situations where God has nevertheless come in both grace and power (14.6-19), and another such happening occurs now. Just as he was about to be passed over, bound, to the Philistines, "the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him" (15.14) and with no conventional weaponry to hand he was enabled to achieve yet another victory. But victories like that, though exhilarating at the time, are insufficient to maintain people in the long-running more mundane circumstances of life. Samson has now to exclaim, "Thou hast given this great deliverance into the hand of thy servant: and now shall I die for thirst, and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised?" (15.18). Was that deliverance to prove to have been merely a temporary respite? False dawns can be even more heart-rending than the darkest night, our hopes being kindled and then rudely dashed. Perhaps one of the best examples of such experiences is seen in Joseph who was taken up from the pit into which his brothers had thrown him, not to be restored to his father as Reuben had planned, but to be sold as a slave (Gen 37.22,28). As such, he was not making bricks, as his descendants would be forced to do, but was in a comparatively well provided, even enviable, position as steward in an upper class house. Suddenly, though, through no fault of his own, indeed because he steadfastly stood against committing fault, he ended up in prison (Gen 39.7-20). Then, just when it seemed that someone in touch with high authority might perhaps use his position to repay Joseph’s kindness, we read, "yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph but forgat him" (Gen 40.23). There was another two full years in prison before suddenly and without warning he was not only released, but was promoted to the highest office in the land (Gen 41.1, 39-40).
However, we must not assume, or expect, that all our disappointments or our experiences of disaster will be ended that way. We perhaps often encourage ourselves, and others, by considering how things turned out for those listed in the book of Hebrews (Heb 11.4-35), and that certainly was the reason why they were listed, but from v.35 an altogether different outcome is shown to have happened to others, unnamed. Oh no, they did not really come off worse, but it might certainly seem so to us. In fact, just like Stephen (Acts 7.54-60), though in most cases probably after a longer period of physical suffering, they were ushered into the very best environment. We do not know what circumstances will arise for any of us individually, nor most certainly did Job, but he could say, "Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him" (Job 13.15), and if we are able to take that stand we will be doing well.
God’s supply
To return to Samson! Having provided such a series of extraordinary deliverances, would God become concerned with such a mundane thing as a need for water? But Samson had put his case to God and the response was that "God clave the hollow rock which was in Lehi, and water came out of it". That was very good, water had been provided, but it was only when he drank that "his spirit came again, and he revived" (15.19, JND). We do well to bring our needs to God. We do Him honour when we reverently believe that He is able to meet those needs, but it is only when we avail ourselves of His answering supply that we will benefit. The prodigal son, having become only too conscious of how acute was his need, remembered vividly that there was ample provision in his father’s house, but it was not until he returned there, perhaps rather fearfully but returning nonetheless, that he was able to benefit in a practical way.
To be continued.
