Then Samson's wife threw herself on him, sobbing, "You hate me! You don't really love me. You've given my people a riddle, but you haven't told me the answer." "I haven't even explained it to my father or mother," he replied, "so why should I explain it to you.?" (Judges 14:16)
Samson's life is a soap opera that rivals any daytime drama - full of intrigue, conspiracy, deception, lust and violence. In all of this, including Samson's own stupidity and impulsiveness, God will use him as an agent of divine deliverance.
First, lust. Samson sees a Philistine woman who takes his breath away - he is transfixed - and he wants to posses her, not love her. Then, deception. Samson kills a lion with his bare hands, but not does tell his parents. Later he takes and consumes honey from the dead carcass, which was not appropriate this food would be deemed unclean given it came out of a dead animal. Again he does not tell his parents, hiding his sin. Next, intrigue. Samson gives the impression of a spoiled 'only son', arrogantly toying with his new relatives as he tells a riddle only he can ever know the answer to. He is making a bet he cannot lose. But he did not count on the conspiracy between his new wife and her people. Three times she flings the accusatory 'You!' at Samson, shaming him. And as we will see, if Samson is anything he is a proud man. The pleas of his wife would have been like nails on a blackboard. It all ends badly, at least for thirty Philistines who pay with their life so Samson can settle his bet.
Samson is not exactly a poster-boy Judge. But still God uses him. At the beginning of the chapter we see that God will use Samson's bad choices to bring about his purposes (v.4). And it is the Spirit of God that empowers Samson to achieve incredible feast of strength (vv.6,19). Samson's life is one of God-given strength, but little wisdom. Strength without wisdom will always lead to a soap opera. Every day I pray for wisdom and strength. I need both in equal supply if my life is to have godly symmetry.
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