This is Spoken Gospel.

We’re dedicated to seeing 
Jesus in all of scripture.

In each episode, we see what’s 
happening in a Biblical text

and how it sheds light
on Jesus and his gospel.

Let’s jump in.

Samson is Israel’s final, most 
dramatic, and most violent judge.

An angel even appears
to Samson’s barren mother  

and announces she will birth a deliverer 
who will save Israel from the Philistines.

Samson is also unique among
the judges for his Nazarite vow.

He is under oath to touch
nothing unclean or dead,  

to neither eat grapes nor drink 
wine, and never cut his hair.

But Samson’s promising birth only serves
to highlight his downfall.

Samson sees a Philistine woman and wants to marry
her even though doing so violates God’s marriage laws.

We’re told Samson’s only justification 
is that she seems right in his eyes.

This is the author’s indictment 
of all of Israel during this time.

This phrase also foreshadows
how Samson’s story will end—

his eyes will be gouged out
at the hands of the Philistines.

But Samson’s lusting eyes are also the means God
will use to rescue his people.

We see this play out in a short
story that acts as a metaphor

for both the rest of Samson’s narrative
and the entire Book of Judges.

As Samson walks through a vineyard (which
is a foolish choice since he can’t eat grapes),  

a lion attacks Samson and he kills it.

But in doing so he breaks his
Nazarite vow to not touch dead animals.

He also lustily eats honey from its carcass.

Samson’s lust for honey is a lot 
like his lust for Philistine women.

His foolish marriage to the Philistine woman and his
romantic trysts with Delilah all ends the same way—

with Philistine men pouncing on him like a lion and God granting
sweet supernatural deliverance over Israel’s long-time enemies.

In strange mercy, God uses the lust and violence of
Samson to rescue people bound to the mortal
enemies of their own lust and violence.

Samson’s lust eventually leaves him
blind, weak, and enslaved to the Philistines.

Samson uses his last breath to pray for 
strength to execute a final act of revenge.

Like before, God empowers Samson to destroy
more Philistine’s through his death than his life.

Like honey from a dead lion, God 
brings victory through Samson’s sin.

[music]

Samson is the last judge God raises up.

Samson’s story serves as the 
climax of the book of Judges,  

but also as the consummate 
embodiment of Israel’s waywardness.

He’s the final example of God using Israel’s 
sinfulness to accomplish his purposes.

But Samson’s story also
represents Israel’s hope.

Israel is waiting for a King  

who’s coming is announced by
angels, and in whom the Spirit dwells.

Israel is hoping for a leader who is strong like Samson, 
but whose sacrifice is greater than his might. They’re waiting
for God to bring sweet peace from their lion-like enemies.

Samson actually points us to Jesus.

Jesus’ birth was announced by angels.

And the Holy Spirit rushed 
on him like a dove of peace.

Jesus was strong, not to 
avenge personal vendettas,  

but to remain single-minded
through persecution and crucifixion.

Jesus’ sacrificial death brought greater victory than
his life because through his death, everyone who believes
in him is saved from the stalking lions of sin and death.

Jesus did not bring honey
out of his sins, but out of ours.

Jesus’ sacrificial death 
wasn’t to avenge but to atone.

Jesus dies as the consummate embodiment of our 
waywardness so that we can become living examples  

of the way God uses sinful people to tell of
and accomplish his sweet victory in all the world.

Because of Jesus we taste
and see that the Lord is good.

May the Holy Spirit open your eyes to see the
God who uses our sin to bring about our salvation.

And may you taste and see that 
Jesus is sweeter than honey.