I have put God in a box by trying to figure out how God’s sovereignty fits with man’s responsibility. Our human mind can’t fully comprehend this wonderful truth. God uses my wrong choices to accomplish His will. Because God’s ways are so high, I don’t understand it. Judges 14 shows how Samson’s unwise decisions  accomplished God’s will. 

Because a daughter of the Philistines looked good to Samson, he asked his parents to get her as his wife. They hoped he would take a wife from their relatives. Samson’s parents did not know it was of the Lord, for He was seeking an occasion against the Philistines who were ruling over Israel (Judges 14:1-4). God can take our sin and still accomplish His purposes in the world. God’s ways and not our ways (Is. 55:8-9).

When a lion came roaring toward him, the Spirit of Lord came mightily upon Samson. He  tore the lion with his hand, but did not tell his parents what he did. He then talked to the woman and she looked good to Samson. He found a swarm of bees in carcass, ate the honey and gave some to his parents (Judges 14:5-9).  When children refuse to be accountable to their parents, they set themselves up for a downward slide and ultimate failure.

When his father went down to the woman, he made a feast for 30 companions. He challenged them with a riddle:  “Out of eater came something to eat, and out of strong came something sweet.” If they figured the riddle in three days, they would get 30 linen wraps and 30 changes of clothes. The companions threatened to burn her father’s house if she didn’t tell them the riddle since they felt impoverished not knowing its meaning (Judges 14:10-15). Arts and entertainment can be used creatively to get people to think about spiritual matters.

Because Samson’s wife wept seven days until he told her the riddle, the men of the city said him, “What is sweeter than honey? And what is stronger than a lion?” Samson responded, “If you had not plowed with my heifer, you would not have found out my riddle” (Judges 14:16-18).  The devil prowls about like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour but resist him being firm in faith so He can perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you (1 Pet. 5:8-10).

The Spirit of Lord rushed upon Samson mightily and killed 30 companions, took their spoil and gave changes of clothes to those who told the riddle. His anger burned and he went up to his father’s house. Samson’ wife was given to his best man (Judges 14:19-20). God’s sovereignty transforms our unwise decisions into accomplishing His purposes. Your responsibility is to be zealous and not lukewarm about your faith. 

God is sovereign and man is responsible, two sides of the coin. Rom. 9 explains divine sovereignty, “Jacob I loved and Esau I hated,” and Rom. 10 shows human responsibility: “How can they believe without a preacher.” The passage we just studied shows the interplay between God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility or irresponsibility. 

How is God working out His sovereign plan in your life? How have you seen your wrong choices turn out for good?


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