Judges 13 and 14
You have heard of Samson, who was stronger than any other man. But perhaps you do not know why he was so strong, nor that he was a judge of Israel.
At that time the people of Israel worshiped idols so much that God let a fierce nation rule over them.
There were some in Israel who still trusted in God, and He sent an angel to a woman and her husband to tell them that they should have a son who should begin to deliver Israel from the enemy. This family were of the tribe of Dan whose land was by the side the enemy’s.
When this promised son was born he was named, Samson, which means “strong”. The angel had said he should drink no wine or any liquor, nor ever have his hair cut. The words of the angel were obeyed and when Samson was grown a man, he had long hair. As we read of what he did, we know he was indeed very strong.
In that land there were fierce, wild animals, and one day Samson was walking alone, and a young lion came toward him, ready to spring upon him. He had no weapon to strike the lion, but he took hold of it and quickly killed it.
Afterward he came that way again, and he stopped to see if the dead body of the lion were still there. It was, and there were bees making honey in the torn body. Wild bees make honey in all sorts of places, hollow trees or stumps, or among rocks, and the wax keeps the honey clean and good. But we might not like to eat that taken from a dead lion. But Samson ate of it and took some to his parents, but did not tell where he had found it.
Then he made a riddle about the lion and the honey and told it to some men. Perhaps you have heard the riddle:
“Out of the eater came forth meat,
Out of the strong came forth sweetness,” No one could guess the riddle, until they heard about the lion and the honey. Then they said to Samson:
“What is stronger than a lion?
What is sweeter than honey?”
It was God who gave Samson such strength that he could kill a lion.
So when we are tempted to do or say, or listen to something wrong we are to trust in God, and He will help us to keep from the wrong, that is what it means to “resist”.
ML 08/14/1938