#398 Kryptonite

And Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines.

2 And he came up, and told his father and his mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines: now therefore get her for me to wife.

3 Then his father and his mother said unto him, Is there never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said unto his father, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well.

4 But his father and his mother knew not that it was of the Lord, that he sought an occasion against the Philistines: for at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel.

5 Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath, and came to the vineyards of Timnath: and, behold, a young lion roared against him.

6 And the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done.

7 And he went down, and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson well.

8 And after a time he returned to take her, and he turned aside to see the carcase of the lion: and, behold, there was a swarm of bees and honey in the carcase of the lion.

9 And he took thereof in his hands, and went on eating, and came to his father and mother, and he gave them, and they did eat: but he told not them that he had taken the honey out of the carcase of the lion.

10 So his father went down unto the woman: and Samson made there a feast; for so used the young men to do.

11 And it came to pass, when they saw him, that they brought thirty companions to be with him.

12 And Samson said unto them, I will now put forth a riddle unto you: if ye can certainly declare it me within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty sheets and thirty change of garments:

13 But if ye cannot declare it me, then shall ye give me thirty sheets and thirty change of garments. And they said unto him, Put forth thy riddle, that we may hear it.

14 And he said unto them, Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness. And they could not in three days expound the riddle.

15 And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they said unto Samson's wife, Entice thy husband, that he may declare unto us the riddle, lest we burn thee and thy father's house with fire: have ye called us to take that we have? is it not so?

16 And Samson's wife wept before him, and said, Thou dost but hate me, and lovest me not: thou hast put forth a riddle unto the children of my people, and hast not told it me. And he said unto her, Behold, I have not told it my father nor my mother, and shall I tell it thee?

17 And she wept before him the seven days, while their feast lasted: and it came to pass on the seventh day, that he told her, because she lay sore upon him: and she told the riddle to the children of her people.

18 And the men of the city said unto him on the seventh day before the sun went down, What is sweeter than honey? And what is stronger than a lion? and he said unto them, If ye had not plowed with my heifer, ye had not found out my riddle.

19 And the Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, and slew thirty men of them, and took their spoil, and gave change of garments unto them which expounded the riddle. And his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father's house.

20 But Samson's wife was given to his companion, whom he had used as his friend. Judges 14 KJV

When I was a child I read the story of Samson more than once, and I could barely speak of the other judges. He was as how I would hope to be, and I loved heroes like Superman, the Xmen, and my favorite, Spider man. Imagine what you could accomplish with such power. I may have missed parts of the story though, that though Samson would be so much better equally yoked, God was seeking occasion with His enemies. He was going to use an army, but an army condensed into one man. His parents are rightly concerned for they have much interest in him as a son, a Nazarite to which they were instructed on how to raise, and a deliverer. Pay close attention here, before you write off the necessities of religion, beware though you are chosen that which you reap you will sew. As the father looking out upon this with the knowledge of the call, I would fear for my son, not in confrontation with the Philistines, but friendship. This has long been the weakness of Israel, the bridegroom is coming, but they are not preparing to meet Him. Maybe, Samson's father could now or soon know that God has never extended His grace upon anyone that deserved it, that there would not be a deliverer without spot, eternally effective, until God's own Son. Marriage is a wonderful thing, but the tribes were already in breach of such a covenant, they did evil in the sight of God. His father and mother take him to Timnath to work out the customary betrothal.

While there, Samson broke away into the vineyards and was confronted by a lion. He destroyed it with his bare hands, and for some reason said nothing to his parents, but his courage must be quite fueled now. It says that he returned this way and found there to be honey in the lion's carcass, and now of course a Nazarite would just pass by, but no, Samson did not seem to fear being unclean and so he eats. Ah, the sweetness of honey, a man so great of physical means, strength unmatched, yet all men are bound to the extent of their nature. It serves me well for a while or makes me seem deep or holy, so I will do it for a time. The fire burns my hand so I pull it out of the fire. Never mind that I was taught, told, instructed not to put it into the fire in the first place. I know for myself there can be outward signs of goodness, but how easily I can be led astray by my belly, my lust, my pride. You have to hate sin itself, not merely the idea of being caught in it. You have to hate it and confront the lion at its deepest hide inside of you, and when you think you have beaten him, beware the sweetness of comforts, the lures of the soul. When you think you are strong.

They have a great celebration, a wedding festival of days. He is given companions during this time and decides to play a game by posing a riddle. The men, his wonderful companions, do not understand the riddle, and like psychotic gangsters, decide to extract the answer by way of threatening. They threaten his young bride and her family, who are also kin to them or at least countrymen, that she will find them the riddle or they will burn her and her father's house. Her life was worth less to them then their pride. Her life was worth less than 1 garment and 1 sheet each of them would have to pay. It reminds me of another companion and thirty pieces of silver. God knows, He knows our weaknesses as well our strengths, and yet not one thing have I called into existence, so how should I be so arrogant about my own or yours? He lets them know that he knows that they have learned from his wife, they are cheats, yet he pays them but at the cost of their own countrymen, and now there is occasion, to be sure. They give his wife to another, how much more disrespect can they show than that?