By C. H. Macintosh
In Judg. 14:5-95Then 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. 6And 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. 7And he went down, and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson well. 8And 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. 9And 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. (Judges 14:5‑9), we find that Samson was pursuing his journey, and when he came to the vineyards of Timnath "behold, a young lion roared against him." So it was when Jesus came into the world, He found Satan going about as a roaring lion and he roared, too, against Him.
How crafty was his device to put the young child to death through the proclamation of Herod the king to slay all the young children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under! How the roaring of the lion is heard in this.
Again, how he tried to overcome the Savior by direct temptation, as well as by the hatred of men, their scorn, rejection, and snares to catch something out of His mouth that they might accuse Him. In how many ways the lion roared against Him! But the tongues of the despising Pharisees, as well as of the infidel Sadducees and Herodians, were silenced by Him, and all Satan's temptations resisted.
We are told in this typical narrative that "the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him [Samson], and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand." (v. 6.) So the Lord Jesus not only resisted Satan, but destroyed him that had the power of death, that is, the devil. This He did, not by taking human weapons, for instead of taking anything in His hand, He was crucified through weakness; His hands and feet were pierced. It was through death that He triumphed over Satan.
He went into death for us, even the death of the cross to pay the penalty of our sins. By going through death and rising out of it triumphantly, He destroyed him that had the power of death, that is, the devil. Had Jesus remained in death, Satan would have gained the victory, but Christ rising out of death thus set aside victoriously Satan's power, and gave us deliverance from the fear of death. Thus death is abolished and Satan vanquished for all who believe on the Son of God.
Though Satan is still the deceiver of the world, and the accuser of the brethren, and his messengers are allowed of the Lord to buffet the Lord's servants, yet nothing of the kind is permitted unless for our benefit. "All things work together for good to them that love God." What a triumph Christ accomplished, when He did by Himself purge our sins, and sat down on the right hand of God!
What Is Sweeter Than Honey?
We are told that after a time Samson "turned aside to see the carcass of the lion: and, behold, there was a swarm of bees and honey in the carcass of the lion." Do not those who look back and contemplate the finished work of Jesus on the cross, and His triumphant work in resurrection, find sweetness and comfort to their souls? Surely we triumph in His triumphs. We there see that God is for us, and "if God be for us, who can be against us?”
We are reminded of peace made, righteousness established, justice satisfied, sins judged and put away, God glorified, and Satan vanquished. Thus we are forgiven, delivered, redeemed, and forever objects of divine favor and blessing. This gives us comfort beyond all else. It is sweetness indeed, so that with such thoughts we can truly exclaim, "What is sweeter than honey?”
When the soul is thus happy, it cannot but wish others to participate in the same blessings. Samson, having found and enjoyed the honey, is at once prompted to communicate the blessing to others. We are told that he "went on eating." He fed as he walked, and the honey out of the carcass of the vanquished lion strengthened him as well as comforted him. When he came to his father and mother, he gave to them and they did eat.
Practical Christianity
How significant is all this! How it reminds us that the very essence of practical Christianity is caring for the blessing of others. This is like Christ. It has often been said that in the gospels you never find Christ doing anything for Himself. He loved His enemies, prayed for His murderers, went about doing good, and died for the ungodly. To the man named "Legion," out of whom He had cast many devils, He said, "Return to thine own house, and show how great things God hath done unto thee."
And we are told that “he went his way, and published throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done unto him.” Luke 8:30, 3930And Jesus asked him, saying, What is thy name? And he said, Legion: because many devils were entered into him. (Luke 8:30)
39Return to thine own house, and show how great things God hath done unto thee. And he went his way, and published throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done unto him. (Luke 8:39). Are we not also instructed by an apostle to "look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others"? But we must taste and know the goodness of the Lord in our own souls, before we can communicate sweetness and comfort to others. The principle is surely not less true in us than it was in apostolic days that we comfort others "by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God." 2 Cor. 1:44Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. (2 Corinthians 1:4).