It was from the LORD
7/31 Reading Portions: Judges 14; Acts 18; Jeremiah 27; Mark 13
Online Bible Audio/Readings Links (ESV)
7/31 Reading Portions: Judges 14; Acts 18; Jeremiah 27; Mark 13
Judges 14:4
His father and mother did not know that it was from the LORD, for He was seeking an opportunity against the Philistines.
SOVEREIGN
Samson, perhaps one of the most recognized names in Scripture, is an interesting yet enigmatic person. His feats truly existed, and they were not formed from Jewish mythical lore. The key to understanding the life of Samson comes from our verse today— that God is sovereign, and He will ultimately put down the work of the enemy, Satan and his ungodly world system. Samson presents to us a figurative type of the Lord Jesus Christ in several of his circumstances; such as seeking a Gentile bride (Jdg 14:2), which is a figurative type of the church (though the church is also called the Israel of God in Gal 6:16, and the New Jerusalem in Rev 21:2); or killing a lion (Jdg 14:6) with the strength of His nail-pierced hands (since Satan is like a roaring lion in 1 Pet 5:8). Nevertheless, Samson also represents the sinful, disobedient, and rebellious evildoer, since he continually does his own will apart from God’s Word— he wants a wife outside of Israel’s tribes (Deut 7:3); he, having a Nazarite vow from birth (Jdg 13:5), ate honey from the carcass of the dead lion, which was unclean and would have caused him to break his vow (Num 6:6-9). Moreover, Samson also represents you and me as redeemed sinners saved by grace. You see, although Samson was self-willed, disobeyed God’s Law, and was continually breaking his Nazarite vow, the Spirit of the Lord still came upon him to vanquish the Philistines (Jdg 14:19). Surely, his disobedient actions do not give us license to sin. Nevertheless, we should recognize and rejoice over two important truths. First, although we may sin like Samson, since we are saved by God’s grace, we may receive cleansing forgiveness each time we confess our sins to God (1 Jn 1:9), having received access to the throne of grace in, by, and through our only Mediator, the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Tim 2:5). Second, God is sovereign King and in control. He works every detail, large and small, major and minute, to bring about His will, His good pleasure, and His ultimate glory (Rom 8:28-29). And we will see it all in that Day because of the grace of God in Jesus Christ. Hallelujah! What a Savior!
How blessed to trust our sovereign King,
Who brings His will to pass
Through wretched souls like you and me,
Like Samson’s story grasp’d.