Riddle Me This

Introduction

Rob always took stuff too far

Grocery store fart

Blamed me, almost got jumped

When you act like a jerk, bad things tend to happen

YouVersion: Riddle Me This

We’re in Judges 14:10-20

Judges 14:10–11 ESV

10 His father went down to the woman, and Samson prepared a feast there, for so the young men used to do. 11 As soon as the people saw him, they brought thirty companions to be with him.

Samson continues making mistakes

Remember, he’s an Israelite - enemy of Philistines

He’s a Nazirite - no drinking or grape soda

He throws a bachelor party with 30 Philistines - a drinking party

Doesn’t say he drank, but had to be tempted

Remember, no wine!

Herman Melville: “Better sleep with a sober cannibal than a drunken Christian.”

Why? Getting drunk rarely leads to good consequences

Proverbs 20:1 ESV

1 Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.

As Christians we should recognize this

Drinking is a pause from thinking

Drinking is not a sin - but it can sure lead to it

Dr. Phil - Drinking (or addictive behavior) is a problem if it negatively affects:

Your pursuit of God

Your job

Your legal status

Your relationships

Your health

Your financial situation

The safety of others

If you’re a drinker, I strongly urge you to examine yourself

Let’s see how it affects Samson...

Judges 14:12–13 ESV

12 And Samson said to them, “Let me now put a riddle to you. If you can tell me what it is, within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothes, 13 but if you cannot tell me what it is, then you shall give me thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothes.” And they said to him, “Put your riddle, that we may hear it.”

Gambling is something you can run through those same 6 criteria

Samson gives a challenge - a riddle - with a wager on it

Linen garments means fine clothing

Imagine buying a suit for everyone at the bachelor party of you lost

Basically a $5,000 to $10,000 wager

Philistines accepted

If you take a risk, make sure you can afford the loss

As Christians we accept risks

Proverbs 22:26–27 ESV

26 Be not one of those who give pledges, who put up security for debts. 27 If you have nothing with which to pay, why should your bed be taken from under you?

We aren’t always in control, so we must take risks

When I left the paper mill, I took a 84% pay cut

I lost health insurance and retirement

It was a risk, I looked at the cost

Tash and I agreed to live without electricity and just pay the mortgage

Thank God we never had to, but we were willing to, to follow God

Let’s see Samson’s challenge:

Judges 14:14 ESV

14 And he said to them, “Out of the eater came something to eat. Out of the strong came something sweet.” And in three days they could not solve the riddle.

Obviously, this is the honey in the lion we saw last week

He was scared to tell his momma, but now he wants to brag to his friends

Bar Trick

This is an automatic win for me!

I already know I can do it

So A. you take the bet and I win

Or B. You don’t take it and I’m off to the next chump

This is a jerk move!

About something only Samson could know - no one could solve that!

He’s hustling all his new buddies...

Honesty is the best policy

Looks like Samson’s a smart dude, but not a good one

Just because you can hustle someone, doesn’t mean you should

In the west, that would get you shot

Judges 14:15 ESV

15 On the fourth day they said to Samson’s wife, “Entice your husband to tell us what the riddle is, lest we burn you and your father’s house with fire. Have you invited us here to impoverish us?”

Samson set them up with a ruthless bet

Turns out the Philistines are just as ruthless

A friendly bet at a bachelor party turns to a life threatening situation

Who knew the Philistine mafia was so crazy?

This gives a hint as to why God didn’t like the Philistines

Let me tell you how I deal with people who have problems in church

(Not everyone who complains is one of these)

I’m talking about the serial whiners - constantly bringing me something

I look at the rest of their life

Philippians 2:3–4 ESV

3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

It’s like - okay I’ve disappointed you, I’ve hurt you, I offended you… whatever

Then I think - You’ve complained to me about:

Your wife

Your job

Your old church

The government

Huh… I don’t think there’s a problem

I think you’re the problem because you always have problems!

Steve Maraboli: “Listen when someone talks about their life and circumstances. If the list of people they blame is long… it’s probably only a matter of time before you’re on that list.”

Ask yourself a question: How long is your list?

Does you have issues with your spouse?

You kids?

Your in-laws?

Your neighbors?

Me and the elders?

People in your bible study?

Your co-workers?

If you have more than a 3 or 4, you might want to question your toxicity level...

Toxic people ruin lives

But be careful how you do it, because you can become toxic!

Samson just seems to live a life in pursuit of trouble

His blessing from God has created an outrageous confidence in himself

Have you invited us here to impoverish us?

They’re blaming her for this? They’re the ones who took the bet!

She didn’t ask to marry Samson, he came down and said “Give her to me!” and they did!

Now they’re going to burn her house down…?

Something ain’t right with these folks...

Now this girl has to choose between her violent new husband, or her violent family

Not a good place to be

Judges 14:16–17 ESV

16 And Samson’s wife wept over him and said, “You only hate me; you do not love me. You have put a riddle to my people, and you have not told me what it is.” And he said to her, “Behold, I have not told my father nor my mother, and shall I tell you?” 17 She wept before him the seven days that their feast lasted, and on the seventh day he told her, because she pressed him hard. Then she told the riddle to her people.

You ladies have quite the bag of tricks

Crying, “You don’t love me! If you loved me, you’d tell me!”

She doesn’t stop until she gets what she wants

Nagging wives are destructive to marriages

Proverbs 21:9 ESV

9 It is better to live in a corner of the housetop than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife.

Ladies, I know you don’t like that

But I didn’t write it!

Don’t worry, the men are going to hear it too...

When she gets it, she rats on him *snap* like that!

Why? Because she got what she wanted

She doesn’t care what it means for him

She doesn’t care about his interests

Nagging is selfishness

What other reason is there to nag than to get what you want?

I don’t like this so I’m going to push until I break you!

Not good...

Looks like marrying someone because they’re good-looking isn’t the best choice

Women may be smaller in general, but that doesn’t mean they have any less power

The strongest man in the world just got played by his new wife

See, marriage is a long-term commitment

Genesis 2:24 ESV

24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.

In a Godly marriage, the moment man and wife come together they are one

It isn’t about you or me, it’s about us at that point

Clearly, she didn’t see it that way

She wasn’t a Godly woman, so why would she live a Godly live or pursue a Godly marriage?

You may think, “Yeah, they were going to burn down her house!”

What would have happened if she told Samson, the strongest man in the world?

He could have protected her, defended her family

This is why the truth is always better than lying and scheming

Judges 14:18 ESV

18 And the men of the city said to him on the seventh day before the sun went down, “What is sweeter than honey? What is stronger than a lion?” And he said to them, “If you had not plowed with my heifer, you would not have found out my riddle.”

Young guys, first piece of marital advice to follow: Don’t call your wife a heifer...

Illustration: Big Bertha hat

Ultimately though, Samson is angry at his wife

I would be too! She wronged him!

But he isn’t innocent:

David Guzik: When a man gives in to his wife’s manipulations so as to keep peace, it almost always builds anger and resentment in the man — and guilt in the woman for what she did. The way of manipulation is tempting (because it works), but always brings real destruction.

Samson should have been honest with her, as she should have been with him

Samson should have been acting as her Spiritual leader

And what he does to her is only going to get worse

Judges 14:19–20 ESV

19 And the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon and struck down thirty men of the town and took their spoil and gave the garments to those who had told the riddle. In hot anger he went back to his father’s house. 20 And Samson’s wife was given to his companion, who had been his best man.

This is an example of using what man means for evil to the good of God

Remember earlier:

Judges 14:4 (ESV)

4 …He was seeking an opportunity against the Philistines. At that time the Philistines ruled over Israel.

Angry Samson kills 30 men to take their clothes and give them to the Philistines

Samson tried to trick his friends

Then he fell for his wife’s manipulation

Then he murdered 30 men

Then he stole from those 30 men

Then he left his wife

Now, God wanted to punish these men, and so God had His way...

But realize that doesn’t mean what Samson did was okay!

Then, he’s so angry he leaves and hands his wife over to his best man

This was common in those days

If a groom died or couldn’t fill his duties, there was no runaway groom

The best man had to step in and marry the bride

Think about that next time your buddy asks you to be in his wedding!

She won what she wanted, but lost her husbands heart

Angry husbands are destructive to marriages

This is probably the most devastating part of the story

How cheap marriage vows seem

A man marries a woman without even seeing if she’s a good companion

They were unequally yoked from the start - not taking God seriously

She isn’t dedicated enough to not plot against him - costs him thousands

Then, he walks away as if he was an innocent victim

He was foolish, selfish, and now he’s alone - disrespecting God’s design for marriage

Why did he walk away? He was betrayed by his wife…

She made a mistake, but only because she was protecting her family

She didn’t deserve for him to end his marriage over this!

I wonder if he even bothered to sit down and talk with her about it...

Seems like he just gave in to his rage and went off

So many marriages thrown away for foolish reasons

How long is God going to spend on judgment day listening to people who didn’t take marriage seriously

How many stories of burnt chicken, nights at the strip club and hotel room excursions...

We spend so much time angry at people for what they do in marriage...

When it comes to marriage, it seems like every excuse is held higher than our vows

Today’s story is one of character

So many opportunities to glorify God

Samson could be a witness for God’s love

He could model marriage in a Godly way

He could have been sober and honest

He could have been a protector for his wife

And in the end, even when he had been wronged, he could have shown grace and mercy

Just as we have an opportunity to do as Christians

I believe grace and mercy are powerful gestures

Imagine if our marriages had more grace

Imagine if our churches

Imagine if our parenting

Doug hiring story