672. JDG 14:14. SAMSON’S RIDDLE IMPROVED

Jdg_14:14. Samson’s Riddle Improved

"And he said unto them, Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness. And they could not in three days expound the riddle."’97Jdg_14:14.

There is considerable difficulty in deciding the moral class to which some persons belong. Many are decidedly the enemies of God and religion, beyond doubt. So many are especially decided in their love to God and holiness. But some are occasionally exhibiting tenderness towards good and evil’97towards holiness, and then sin’97towards heaven, and then hell.

These remarks most forcibly apply to Samson. There are many points in his character, which would induce us rather to place him with the ungodly; but there are others which constrain us to give him a place, though not an exalted one, with the Old Testament saints.

His conception and birth, &c., took place under peculiar circumstances. He was the instrument of divine providence. The champion of Israel. The subject of God’s holy spirit; and above all, we find him ranked among an illustrious class of holy heroes, in

Heb_11:32. The texts refers to one of his wondrous achievements. See Heb_11:5-6, Heb_11:8-9 to Heb_11:14.

Now we design to attempt a spiritual improvement of the text, and,

I. We refer to sin and its entrance into our world.

Sin is indeed a lion’97a destroyer. The lion of hell, the destroyer of man. Who can tell its awfully mischievous effects upon our world. Paradise lost,’97hell opened,’97death rampant,’97misery almost universal. Yet out of this eater came forth meat, &c. Sin, in itself, is an evil’97an unmitigated evil, &c. But God in his redeeming goodness has overruled it, for the most glorious purposes.

1. Man is placed in a more safe and gracious connection with God.

It was then, obey and live’97transgress and die. He had his own stocks of righteousness. His own strength, &c. No place for repentance. Now it is, believe in the Redeemer, come to the fulness of his grace. Rely on him. And now, "If any man sin, we have an advocate." "If we confess," &c.

2. We have a more glorious exhibition of the divine character.

Adam knew God; as wise and holy, and great and good. We know him as merciful and gracious, of abundant compassion, &c. "Here the whole Deity is known," &c.

3. Man’s nature is more greatly excited.

Sin debased it, cursed it, &c. In redemption, God has thrown a glory round it unspeakably resplendent. He has made it the shrine of his divinity. He tabernacled in it, &c. Thus the Son of God has become our relative and brother’97the son of man, &c.

4. Our destination is higher and more glorious.

If man had retained his original purity, he would have had, as a servant, perfected bliss in Paradise, or a translation to glory. But sin has been overruled, so that God elevates man to a station of sonship; and places him within the inner circle of the world of glory. He was made but a little lower than the angels; but now he is infinitely higher; and is destined to sit with Christ on the throne of his glory. "Thus out of the eater," &c.

II. Look at the opposition with which the cause of God and truth has had to contend, in every age of the world.

Persecution has been the lot of the righteous. The burning bush, the emblem of the suffering church.

Now the opposition and sufferings of the church, however evil in their objects, have been overruled, and have,

1. Displayed the power and excellency of godliness.

It is in the fire, that the pure metal is known from the dross and counterfeit. Hence all the graces and virtues of the righteous have been manifest. As Joseph, in prison, &c. So also the love of God has been exhibited in supporting and sustaining the bush in flames, and yet unconsumed. The vessel on the foaming billows, yet riding out the storm.

2. Opposition, &c., has tended to produce a higher kind of religion, and also to extend it.

The moral heroes of the world have been made such by the peril and opposition of their times. See the Old Testament worthies,’97Daniel, the Baptist, and the Apostles,’97the early Christians’97the Reformers’97the Puritans. Also opposition has extended religion. Look at the case of the apostolic churches. Believers scattered by it. Thus the seeds of Christianity were wafted to the ends of the world, &c. Thus the persecution on the Continent drove German and French Protestants to Britain. Thus the Puritan fathers were driven to the shores of America. Time would fail to illustrate how, "Out of the eater," &c.

I would dwell a little on the literary opposition to the gospel. From the earliest ages, men have written against religion. All sorts of objections raised, &c. Now, this may have led some to disbelief; but it has drawn forth the talent of the church. Hence, all our books in defence of new and revealed religion’97so that the enemy has been the occasion of bulwarks being raised, against which the gates of hell shall not prevail. Hence, look at the writings of Celsus, of the second century, of Gibbon, Hume, Bolingbroke, Hobbes, Paine, &c. Then look at the countless volumes of Origen, Justin Martyr, Tertullian, and the ancient Fathers; and in modern times, Luther, Leslie, Bishop Watson, Stackhouse, Addison, Jenyns, Butler, Chalmers, &c.; which must not only satisfy all candid inquirers, but establish the faith of intelligent persons to the end of the world. Hence, "Out of the eater," &c.

III. Look at the troubles and afflictions of the Christian life.

"It is through much tribulation," &c. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, &c. Now these are not joyous, &c. Look at one immersed in poverty. Another the subject of constant disappointment. A third, incessant crosses. A fourth, repeated bereavements. A. fifth, domestic ungodliness. A sixth, bodily afflictions, and others, terrific temptations, &c. Who can bear up? &c. What a host of evils, &c. Yes, but "Out of this eater," &c.

1. The troubles and afflictions of life are essential to the exercise and growth of many graces.

Meekness, patience, &c. Rom_5:3.

2. They conform, us to Christ.

"If we suffer," &c. "If any man will be my disciple," &c.

3. They wean from the world.

If it were all joy and sunshine, we should cling to the earth, and to life. How often this is seen in the afflictions which immediately precede death, &c. How they loosen the bonds of attachment! "Now they desire a better country," &c. "Our light afflictions," &c. "It was good for me," &c. Heb_12:11.

IV. We appeal to death itself.

Death is the king of terrors, &c. A roaring lion. An insatiable devourer. The dread of every living thing, &c. Yet this terrific evil, yieldeth meat and sweetness to the Christian.

1. It terminates the trials and sorrows of life.

2. It bringeth us to our best and final home.

It is the deep valley, from which we ascend to the throne of glory. The river, through which we cross to Canaan. The gate of eternal life. To die, everlasting gain, &c. Think of the triumphs of the dying believer, &c. "O, death," &c.

Application

1. Now remember, that meat and the sweetness, come through the grace of God.

That grace must be realized by faith, &c.

2. Is the text in accordance with our experience?

Do we realize it, and rejoice in it? &c.

3. It should lead us to glorify God.

4. It should reconcile us to the adversities and trials of life, and even to death itself.

Autor: JABEZ BURNS