13/10/2014
Judges 14.10-20. Samson's riddle
literally meant no more than that
he had got honey, for food and
for pleasure, from the lion, which
in its strength and fury was
ready to devour him. But the
victory of Christ over Satan, by
means of his humiliation,
agonies, and death, and the
exaltation that followed to him,
with the glory thence to the
Father, and spiritual advantages
to his people, seem directly
alluded to. And even death, that
devouring monster, being
robbed of his sting, and stripped
of his horror, forwards the soul
to the realms of bliss. In these
and other senses, out of the
eater comes forth meat, and out
of the strong, sweetness.
Samson's companions obliged
his wife to get the explanation
from him. A worldly wife, or a
worldly friend, is to a godly man
as an enemy in the camp, who
will watch every opportunity to
betray him. No union can be
comfortable or lasting, where
secrets cannot be intrusted,
without danger of being
divulged. Satan, in his
temptations, could not do us the
mischief he does, if he did not
plough with the heifer of our
corrupt nature. His chief
advantage against us arises from
his correspondence with our
deceitful hearts and in**ed lusts.
This proved an occasion of
weaning Samson from his new
relations. It were well for us, if
the unkindness we meet with
from the world, and our
disappointments in it, obliged us
by faith and prayer to return to
our heavenly Father's house, and
to rest there. See how little
confidence is to be put in man.
Whatever pretence of friendship
may be made, a real Philistine will
soon be weary of a true Israelite.
