Do you remember how Samson visited a young woman in the land of the Philistines whom he wished to marry? But when he went back again to marry her, her father said, No! Samson was not at all happy about that and decided to get even.
Perhaps that was all right, but we have a God who loves us far more deeply than Samson ever loved this young woman. God sent His Son into the world, but Jesus, the Son of God, came to His own people, and they would not receive Him. In today’s story this young woman’s father answered for her, but you cannot let anyone else answer for you. You must answer for yourself about receiving God’s Son, the living, loving Savior. God knew long ago that you are a sinner, and you cannot come to His home in heaven with your sins. So He sent His Son for you and me: “Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God” (1 Peter 3:1818For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: (1 Peter 3:18)).
Samson saw that the Philistines’ fields were golden with ripened grain, ready for harvesting, and some of it was already gathered into shocks standing in the fields. He also saw that the olive trees were loaded with ripe olives, ready for picking to make olive oil.
He came up with a plan to get even. He caught three hundred foxes and tied their tails together in pairs. Then he put a torch between each pair of tails and set the torches on fire. Of course, the foxes ran in all directions through the Philistines’ fields of ripened grain, and the burning torches set the fields on fire. The ripened grain and standing shocks burned to ashes, and the ripe olives flared like oil lamps!
Who did this? cried the Philistines. And they were told that Samson had done this to get even, because this young woman’s father refused to let Samson marry her. The Philistines were very angry with her and her father and burned them both with fire.
You see it is dangerous to say “No” to a strong man. But it is more dangerous to say “No” to God. His offer to save you from your sins has cost Him the life-blood of His only Son. He loves sinners with a deeper love than anyone on earth could ever love.
Think About God’s Word!
1. What did Samson do to get revenge?
Project: How did David respond in 2 Samuel 16 when he was attacked by Shimei?