Samson Loves a Philistine Girl & Kills a Lion Barehanded

The Faith of Samson - Part 2:

When the Nation of Israel entered the Land of Canaan under Joshua's leadership God told them it was theirs to possess and they were to be ruled by no one except Him. But their blessings and invincibility were contingent upon strict obedience to His law given through Moses - Joshua 1:2 - 92 Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel.

3 Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses.

4 From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast.

5 There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

6 Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them.

7 Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper withersoever thou goest.

8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

9 Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

. Time and again they violated God's law by worshiping the idols of the Canaanites and thus were given over to be oppressed by them - Judges 4:33 And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD: for he had nine hundred chariots of iron; and twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel.

. When the oppression became unbearable Israel recognized their sin and repented. God responded by sending a leader to rally around and defeat the enemy and they were freed from bondage for a period of time and this cycle of sin; oppression; repentance; then deliverance and peace continued.

When Samson was born Israel had again gone to worshiping idols but this time Satan changed his tactics and enlisted the ungodly Philistines to subjugate them, Judges 13:11 And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD delivered them into the hand of the Philistines forty years.

, and unlike the enemies before who "mightily oppressed" Israel the Philistines merely "ruled" them. And so Israel wallowed in sinful idol worship and became comfortable under Philistine domination, willfully ignoring their purpose and calling and content as the Philistines' servants instead of obedient to God and enjoying His protection and blessings. Israel did not repent from their sin or request a redeemer but in spite of this God sent Samson to begin to deliver them out of the hand of the Philistines - Judges 13:55 For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no razor shall come on his head: for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb: and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.

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As Samson grew the Lord blessed him "and the Spirit of the LORD began to move him at times in the camp of Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol," Judges 13:24 & 2524 And the woman bare a son, and called his name Samson: and the child grew, and the LORD blessed him.

25 And the Spirit of the LORD began to move him at times in the camp of Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol.

. Since there is no record Samson taught, preached or prophesied it must be that the "Spirit moving him" means his great physical strength began to be manifested. At any rate he was blessed by God but in his first recorded act he violated God's Law by attempting to take a woman who was not an Israelite as his wife. God had instructed Israel through Moses they were not to marry a Canaanite because they would surely lead them into idolatry - Exodus 34:15 & 1615 Lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and they go a whoring after their gods, and do sacrifice unto their gods, and one call thee, and thou eat of his sacrifice;

16 And thou take of their daughters unto thy sons, and their daughters go a whoring after their gods, and make thy sons go a whoring after their gods.

; Deuteronomy 7:3 & 43 Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son.

4 For they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods: so will the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and destroy thee suddenly.

. Regardless, Samson saw a Philistine woman in a place named Timnath he wanted to marry and as was the custom he went home and asked his parents to arrange it - Judges 14:1 & 21 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.

. Naturally they asked if there wasn't a woman of their own people he wanted but he insisted on this Philistine, for "she pleased him well" - Judges 14:33 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.

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The next verse appears to conflict with the fact Samson should not have been going after a heathen woman to marry: "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." - Judges 14:44 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.

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.

. To understand this verse we must establish to whom the "he" refers that sought an occasion against the Philistines; was it Samson or the Lord? Some Bible commentators do not address this while others state the "he" refers to Samson. That is, they teach that Samson was consciously using his marriage proposal as a way to get at the Philistines. I don't agree with this hypothesis for it appears apparent from everything in the text that Samson was only thinking of one thing; his carnal desire for the woman. Therefore, the "he" must refer to the Lord who sought an occasion against the Philistines and in this we see an example of how God can, and does use people in spite of their weakness and sinful nature. The Lord knew what Samson was going to do and He had a plan to use it for His purpose, that is, an occasion to begin to free Israel from their bondage to the Philistines. The Lord did not cause Samson to sin by breaking His law for the Lord cannot do so: - "Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed." - James 1:13 & 1413 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:

14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

. And so it appears from Judges 14:4 that God began to use Samson in spite of his sinful self will.

On the way to Timnath to visit his Philistine sweetheart Samson encountered an aggressive young lion and the Spirit of the Lord came upon him providing the strength to kill the lion with his bare hands - Judges 14:5 & 65 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.

. He continued on his visit and we read for the second time that the woman "pleased Samson well." Later, on a return trip to visit her he came across the carcass of the lion containing a bee hive with honey, which he took and shared with his parents. Here we should note that God's Word makes a point to state that he did not tell his parents about either killing the lion or where the honey they ate had come from, Judges 14:6 - 96 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.

. This no doubt was because God's law prohibited him from touching the dead body of the lion, much less eating something that came out of it, Leviticus 11:2727 And whatsoever goeth upon his paws, among all manner of beasts that go on all four, those are unclean unto you: whoso toucheth their carcase shall be unclean until the even.

. Doing so would have made him unclean until the even and required ceremonial washing/s. "And upon whatsoever any of them, when they are dead, doth fall, it shall be unclean; whether it be any vessel of wood, or raiment, or skin, or sack, whatsoever vessel it be, wherein any work is done, it must be put into water, and it shall be unclean until the even; so it shall be cleansed." - Leviticus 11:3232 And upon whatsoever any of them, when they are dead, doth fall, it shall be unclean; whether it be any vessel of wood, or raiment, or skin, or sack, whatsoever vessel it be, wherein any work is done, it must be put into water, and it shall be unclean until the even; so it shall be cleansed.

. (See entire chapter of Leviticus 11.)

God's law to Israel consisted of much more than the Ten Commandments and every Israelite was expected to obey it all in faith. Samson should have been even more cognizant of this in light of the fact he had been ordained a Nazirite from the womb (see previous study.) His parents were well aware of this and would have wanted him to be obedient to God's Law. They had told Samson about his purpose and calling and he would have had to accept what they told him by faith. But he had his own will and simply ignored the law and sinned by failing to go through the required ritual washings and refrain from any conversation with others (he was unclean until the even) after having been defiled by the dead body of the lion.

Had Samson obeyed God's law in faith instead of following his own desire great things would have been accomplished through him, but like everyone since Adam he had a sinful nature with its propensity to sin. However God used him in spite of his misconduct. We can see examples of this today in the lives of some preachers, Bible teachers and others used mightily by God to reach people with His Word in spite of the debased and sinful lives they lived before coming to know the Lord. Would these men have been better off had they not lived such sinful lives in their youth? Of course they would have been. Did the Lord know what was in store for them before and during their wayward years? Of course He did for He knew their life's course and ultimate end before they were born. With Samson, the fact the Lord knew beforehand what he was going to do did not give him license to sin. Samson lived under the Law of Moses so he had to answer for breaking that law, and he did. But regardless, God worked His purpose through Samson; He said Samson would have strength as long as his hair was not cut and He kept His Word.

Samson's example here is threefold. First, he demonstrates the failure of all mankind born since Adam to meet God's holy standard, set by the Law of Moses. Second, in spite of his human frailty God worked His purpose through him. And third, the potential of what Samson could have been pointes to what was actually fulfilled and accomplished by God Himself in the person of His son Jesus Christ for He Himself lived under the law. In fact, Jesus Christ is the only one to fulfill it to the letter - Matthew 5:1818 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

, Romans 3:19 - 3119 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.

20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.

28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

29 Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also:

30 Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.

31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.

; 8:1 - 4, Galations 3:19 - 28. After doing so He willingly died: "Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and (thus He) took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;" - Colossians 2:1414 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

. Whereas Samson only began to deliver Israel the Lord Jesus Christ finished the job. But He did more than this for we learn: "That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved." John 3:15 - 1715 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

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