Judges 14
Psalms 104:1-18
Proverbs 10
Isaiah 41:21-29
1 King 7
Judges 14 – Samson’s Marriage. For a fight to break out, there needed to be an impetus and that was found in young Samson. The young woman Samson was to marry was a Philistine. The crisis was over a silly riddle and the reward for figuring it out as well as a consequence for not. The men of the community felt it would be an insult to them and to the community if a filthy Israelite had gotten the best of them. So, they had to resort to conning the father of the bride into begging for the answer. The riddle was rather simple: “out of the eater something to eat. Out of the strong something sweet.” For three days the man community guessed incorrectly. So, they threaten the father of the bride if that he had not gotten the answer out of Samson, they would burn his house to the ground. The young woman was successful but at the cost of her fellow countrymen after Samson killed the rulers, took their clothing, and gave it to the men of the community. This will set the stage for the battle between the Philistines and Israel. Samson lost his bride and gained a mortal enemy.
Psalms104:1-18 – O Lord My G-d, You are Very Great. The Lord provides for his people however, it is up to them to gather the produce, grow the vegetables, and faithfully use what He has graciously provided. Working to provide for the family using the resources we are given is not tantamount to “works of salvation”. It is honoring the Lord by using what He has provided for His glory. As we honor Him, His spirit pours down into our lives.
Proverbs 10 – The Proverbs of Solomon. Solomon was a wise man in “word only”. The man who pleases G-d listens to Solomon but disregards what he does. While the Lord never took away His love for David’s son, he didn’t bless him either. How did Solomon know that the Lord blessed obedience? Because his father David did not stop helping the nation even at the expense of his family. The thing is, we have a habit of learning the right way by suffering for our foolishness. We need to keep in the back of our minds that although the Proverbs were uttered by a less than honorable individual, it did not negate the validity of his words. In the same way when we speak to our children about “do and don’t” it should never imply that our actions were right only that there is a better way to live.
Isaiah 41:21-29 – The Futility of Idols. The idols of the earth are nothing but metal and wood made from inorganic materials. They have no voice, no needs, and no wants. Simply, they sit on a shelf, and mankind speaks for them declaring unjust laws, self-serving leadership, and rules made by mankind. Shouldn’t the “G-d” speak and call all men to Himself? He has called but many have not responded. The Lord declared from the beginning the truth but mankind has preferred the “lie” because it suits his/her purpose.
1 King 7:1-12 – Solomon Builds His Palace. Solomon had scarcely finished with the Temple construction when he diverted manhours to build his home and then on to build a home for Pharaoh’s daughter. These homes were opulent even by that time’s standards. The problem was that the construction never ended. This would put a strain on the nation and create fights as we’ll find out later on.
Mikes Encouragement 