God Can Be Confusing Sometimes

I find that God can really be confusing sometimes.  There are specific things we are told that we aren't to do throughout the Bible and yet we find exceptions to so many of the rules.  One example that comes to mind is where King David and his men are really hungry so they go into the temple and eat the bread, or something like that.  It was one of those things that is usually punishable by death and yet this time God lets it slide.

Here are a couple more example from the story about Samson. 

Judges 14:1-4(NKJV)

1Now Samson went down to Timnah, and saw a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistines. 

2So he went up and told his father and mother, saying, “I have seen a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistines; now therefore, get her for me as a wife.”

3Then his father and mother said to him, “Is there no woman among the daughters of your brethren, or among all my people, that you must go and get a wife from the uncircumcised Philistines?” And Samson said to his father, “Get her for me, for she pleases me well.”

4But his father and mother did not know that it was of the Lord—that He was seeking an occasion to move against the Philistines. For at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel.

We've seen how when the Israelites took possession of the promised land they didn't quite drive out or kill all other peoples even though that was what God had told them to do.  We also know that God didn't want them to inter marry because the Israelis would be led to serve other gods.

So Samson's parents were obviously troubled when he wanted a Philistine wife.  Their immediate reaction was that they shouldn't do that.  And there was no question in their minds that they were right because they knew Gods commands. 

And yet this time they were wrong.  This time it was actually part of God's plan.  How were they to know?  I'll get to that in a minute.

Judges 14:6-9(NKJV)

6And the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him, and he tore the lion apart as one would have torn apart a young goat, though he had nothing in his hand. But he did not tell his father or his mother what he had done.

7Then he went down and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson well. 

8After some time, when he returned to get her, he turned aside to see the carcass of the lion. And behold, a swarm of bees and honey were in the carcass of the lion. 

9He took some of it in his hands and went along, eating. When he came to his father and mother, he gave some to them, and they also ate. But he did not tell them that he had taken the honey out of the carcass of the lion.

Wait a minute.  Isn't one of those things you don't do touching dead bodies?  Doesn't that make one unclean?  And yet Samson scoops some honey out of this dead carcass and eats it.  This figures very prominently in the rest of this part of the story.  Now again, how are we to know?

I believe that this is why it is so important to have the Holy Spirit to guide you.  If something seems contrary to what you have read in the Bible I think you are right to to immediately doubt it just as Samson's parents did.  But I also think this is a small warning that even when we "know we are right" about something like this that we check in with God before proceeding, just to make sure.  This is where you have to listen to the Holy Spirit. 

Now how do you get the Holy Spirit?  By accepting Jesus Christ as your Savior.  By asking Jesus to come into your life and guide you.  How does He guide you?  By providing you with the Holy Spirit after you ask Him in.  The Holy Spirit will be that quiet little guiding voice deep in side you. 

If you haven't accepted Jesus yet, why not do it right now?  Just ask Jesus to come into your life and guide you.  Just have a conversation with Jesus.  "Dear Jesus…."

Now one final thing from the story of Samson.

Judges 14:18(NKJV)

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

Dude, I don't care how big and tough you are or how mad you are, probably not a good idea to go around calling your wife a cow!   :)