Judges 14:10-1910So his father went down unto the woman: and Samson made there a feast; for so used the young men to do. 11And it came to pass, when they saw him, that they brought thirty companions to be with him. 12And Samson said unto them, I will now put forth a riddle unto you: if ye can certainly declare it me within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty sheets and thirty change of garments: 13But if ye cannot declare it me, then shall ye give me thirty sheets and thirty change of garments. And they said unto him, Put forth thy riddle, that we may hear it. 14And he said unto them, Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness. And they could not in three days expound the riddle. 15And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they said unto Samson's wife, Entice thy husband, that he may declare unto us the riddle, lest we burn thee and thy father's house with fire: have ye called us to take that we have? is it not so? 16And Samson's wife wept before him, and said, Thou dost but hate me, and lovest me not: thou hast put forth a riddle unto the children of my people, and hast not told it me. And he said unto her, Behold, I have not told it my father nor my mother, and shall I tell it thee? 17And she wept before him the seven days, while their feast lasted: and it came to pass on the seventh day, that he told her, because she lay sore upon him: and she told the riddle to the children of her people. 18And the men of the city said unto him on the seventh day before the sun went down, What is sweeter than honey? and what is stronger than a lion? And he said unto them, If ye had not plowed with my heifer, ye had not found out my riddle. 19And the Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, and slew thirty men of them, and took their spoil, and gave change of garments unto them which expounded the riddle. And his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father's house. (Judges 14:10‑19)
Samson did not seem to be moved by God’s warning or His tokens of love to him. He still went on down to marry this young woman of the Philistines, and, of course, when there, he had to do as “the young men used to do.” If we want the world we will have to fit into their groove — they cannot fit into ours. They are “dead in sins” while we are “alive in Christ.” So Samson prepared his wedding feast according to the Philistines’ customs and there were many guests present, but mostly all enemies of the Lord. What a place for a Nazarite (a separated one), with thirty ungodly “companions to be with him.” And so in what a pitiful position a Christian puts himself or herself, who marries an unbeliever. They may have their father or mother at the wedding feast, but “the crowd” will always be unbelievers, for how can the people of God have any part in such a disastrous affair! Samson, however, tried to introduce into the feast something of his “secret” — something of the sweetness he had found through the Lord’s power and goodness, of which his “companions” knew absolutely nothing. He called it a riddle, for so it was to them. Let us remember that when we put ourselves among unbelievers through our own willful ways, we are like Lot in Sodom, or Samson here, and we have no power to be a testimony for Christ in such a position. What we say on such occasions will always seem like mocking, and will not be received, because our lives speak the very opposite. This is dreadfully solemn!
At last Samson’s companions were so angry that they told his wife that if she did not get Samson to tell his riddle they would burn her and her father’s household with fire. As we have remarked before, the world cannot understand the source of the believer’s joy, and they hate us for it. They may be tolerant for a time, as Samson’s companions were, but sooner or later their enmity comes out. “Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.” James 4:44Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. (James 4:4).
Samson’s wife knew how to break him down, and so she cried in front of him for seven days, saying that he did not love her. How many a child of God has been broken down by the tears of a lover, and turned aside from devotedness to Christ! Sometimes we have to choose whether we are going to cause sorrow to the heart of Christ, or sorrow to our loved ones. Who ought to come first? This is a serious matter, and we have the answer in God’s Word, “He that loveth father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me: he that loveth son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.” Matthew 10:3737He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. (Matthew 10:37). Samson, however, gave in to his wife and told her the riddle, but it was like casting pearls before swine. (Matt. 7:66Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you. (Matthew 7:6).) It is useless to tell of our secret enjoyment of heavenly things to those who have no heart for them. They will only trample upon the things that are precious to us, and turn again and rend us, as Samson’s friends did. As soon as Samson’s wife told his secret to them, they put him in trouble. We cannot estimate the terrible mistake of marrying an unbeliever. How disheartening for the believer in such a case, to find the whole family and friends of the unbelieving partner bitterly opposed to the gospel and the truth, and ever seeking to lead him or her into the world, from which the believer seeks to draw them away. We shall soon see the sad end of Samson’s marriage.
ML 11/29/1953