Judges 14:1 says, And Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines. Verse two adds, And he came up, and told his father and his mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines: now therefore get her for me to wife. We aren't told how old he was when this happened, but Samson had gone to Timnath, a Philistine city and saw a certain woman there, and he came to his father and mother and told them to get her for his wife. He did not ask God about this, nor did he ask his parents to do so. He had wandered away from the people of Israel, who were God's chosen people, and had seen someone he desired among the enemies of Israel, then he didn't ask for God's guidance in the matter. As Christians, we need to be careful that we don't see things that we desire today and try to get them without seeking God's guidance in the matter. Verse three continues, Then his father and his mother said unto him, Is there never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said unto his father, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well. Samson's father and mother asked Samson if he could not find a woman among the Israelites that pleased him, and he told his father to get her for him. Marriages were arranged by the parents back then, and his father could have simply told Samson that he wouldn't do it, but I guess he wanted to please Samson. We as Christian parents should not do things to please our children if we know that it is against God's will. Verse four states, But his father and his mother knew not that it was of the LORD, that he sought an occasion against the Philistines: for at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel. Still, we are told that even though they had not consulted Him, God was behind Samson's desire, because it would lead to Samson having a quarrel with the Philistines. God may be at work in our lives today in ways that we do not immediately understand, but we still need to ask for His guidance in everything that we do. Verse five adds, Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath, and came to the vineyards of Timnath: and, behold, a young lion roared against him. While his parents and Samson were going to Timnath and got to the vineyards there, a young lion, which would have been strong and aggressive, came against Samson. Verse six continues, And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done. The Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon Samson, and he killed the lion as easily as he would have killed a young goat with his bare hands. We have the Holy Spirit indwelling us as followers of Christ, so there should be no situation when we are spiritually overpowered by anything in the world. Samson did not tell his parents about this. We might be inclined to brag about big victories in our life, but if we should give God the credit instead. Verse seven says, And he went down, and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson well. We are told that Samson talked with the woman, and are once again told that she pleased him well. Though God may have been behind the situation, Samson still had not asked Him about it at least that we are told of. We need to be actively pursuing God's guidance in life and not just relying on Him to be behind the decisions that we make without praying about them. Verse eight adds, And after a time he returned to take her, and he turned aside to see the carcase of the lion: and, behold, there was a swarm of bees and honey in the carcase of the lion. We are not told how much time passed between the time that his parents and Samson went to Timnath to arrange the marriage, but when Samson returned to take the woman as his wife, there was a swarm of honey bees in the carcase of the lion, so it must have been at least several days later. Verse nine adds, And he took thereof in his hands, and went on eating, and came to his father and mother, and he gave them, and they did eat: but he told not them that he had taken the honey out of the carcase of the lion. Samson took some of the honey out and ate it, and he gave some to his parents, and they ate it as well. He still did not tell them that the honey came from the carcase of a lion that he had killed. Matthew Henry said Samson might not have told his parents the source of the honey for fear that they would quit eating it if they knew, but added that honey is honey. The things of this world, in and of themselves, can be either good or bad based on how they affect our relationship with God.
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