THe Birth and Rise of Samson

Judges 13-14

Over and over we see in the scripture Israel’s rise and fall.
For a season they honored God, but then their service would stall.
All too often the next generation failed to walk in the path.
They found themselves in subjugation, the object of God’s just wrath.

In one of those times under Philistine rule, a barren woman cried.
She had desired to conceive from the day she became a bride.
Then one day her LORD appeared and said she would bear a son.
“This boy shall be a Nazirite, for he is a chosen one.”

A second time the LORD appeared to help them understand.
He told of the special rules for their son in the manner God had planned.
So she gave birth to a little boy and raised him as God had said.
Little could they imagine the trauma that lay ahead.

The young man grew and he was blessed. The Spirit began to stir him.
He wanted a certain Philistine girl; naught could be said to deter him.
On their way to acquire the bride, a young lion fiercely attacked.
By the Spirit, he tore it apart before there was time to react.

After the arrangements had been made, Samson went back to marry.
He saw the carcass of the dead lion he hadn’t bothered to bury.
He saw that bees had used the carcass to store their delicious honey.
As he stopped to enjoy the treat, he thought of a riddle quite funny.

He said to the men at the wedding feast, “I have a riddle for you.
If you can guess it, you’ll get a prize, but if you do not, I do.”
When they agreed he said to them, “Here it is plain and complete:
‘Out of the eater comes something to eat, out of the strong, something sweet.’”

Three days came and they could not answer, so they threatened his bride,
“If you don’t get him to reveal the answer your father and mother will die.”
Samson’s bride railed on him employing her wifely charm.
Then having told her he lost the bet, bringing financial harm.

Samson said to his Philistine cheaters, “I don’t play second fiddle.
If you had not plowed with my heifer, you wouldn’t have solved my riddle.”
So angry was he that he left his bride and returned to his father’s house.
The bride was given to his best man and she became his spouse.

Clearly we see as we read this account there was plenty of fault all around.
Samson’s new friends were embarrassed, for he made them look like clowns.
The Philistine men were clearly at fault for threatening the bridal parents.
His wife was wrong to deceive her husband. She should have been transparent.

So here is a lesson for all to learn concerning friendly relations.
Relationships built on lies and deceit result in complications.
Honesty and love go hand in hand producing much peace and joy.
Many a friendship can be saved when these virtues we employ.

© Copyright 2010 George M. Cuff, All Rights Reserved