Judges 14

Samson, the only man in the tribe of Dan in his day that seemed to remember that the Lord had given the land to Israel, a man who had been consecrated from birth as a Nazirite, wanted a wife from the Philistines, the enemies of the Lord's people.

Why not one of the girls from Israel?

His parents wondered, and so do we. Notice these two important clues. The Hebrew tells us something that many English translations obscure. Samson said to his parents, “She is righteous in my eyes.” Samson counted this Philistine girl as righteous. Also, Judges 14:4 tells us, “It was from the Lord.” There was a bigger story of conquest going on, a story that God had not forgotten.

When the time of his wedding feast arrived, it was Samson, a man who could tear apart a lion with his bare hands, who initiated a contest with the Philistines regarding a riddle. He saw the opportunity to pursue the Lord's will of deliverance.

The Philistines put pressure on the weaker vessel, his wife to be, using mortal threats against her and her father's house to turn this Eve against her Adam. That plan seemed to work. They found a weakness in the strong man; he listens to the cries of the one who will be his bride.

Samson was not ignorant of their devices. They had turned away the affections of the girl from her promised beloved. She cried out to her great man, but not for things agreeable to his will. Full of the fear of man, she begged for her own way in deceit.

By the Spirit of the Lord, this wronged savior worked the vengeance of the Lord against those who were oppressing His people. Samson was an instrument of the God's righteous wrath, and the one who was to be his bride was given to another.

The promises of God are sure. When the Lord promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to give the land of Canaan to them forever, he meant it. Even the people who have received this inheritance may at times forget both the Giver and the gift. God has not forgotten. He sends His Son, our Savior, to secure the full inheritance that He has for all His people; not just Canaan, but a renewed resurrection creation. Jesus will come again to receive a bride who is righteous in His eyes because of His own life and death for her.

An enemy would like to stand in the way of this marriage, even convincing the church that her loyalties should be to the ruler of this dying world, rather than the strong Savior who has all power and authority in heaven and on earth. Do not fall for that enemy's threats. Remember the cross, and receive the love of the man who is coming to take you as His holy bride.