Village Schools of the Bible

RASCALS USED BY GOD
A Devotional Study of Judges
by Max Frazier, Jr.

THE FOLLY OF REVENGE
Judges 15

In Judges 14 we have the story of Samson's marriage to the young Philistine woman of Timnah. As was the custom in those days, a celebration, lasting for as long as a week, was held for the bridal couple. Samson began to make sport of the young Philistine men attending this celebration by offering a reward to any who could tell him the answer to the riddle he was about to propose. Of course, everyone was up to the challenge.

As the days went by, the young Philistines were no closer to solving the riddle then they had been earlier. Desperate, they went to Samson's wife and begged her to obtain the answer from her new husband. She entreated Samson, but he showed no compassion for her distress. Finally, after four days of persistent pleading, Samson told her about the riddle and its meaning. She then went and told the young Philistines, who, with a spirit of cockiness, related the answer to Samson.

Samson became enraged, left the celebration, went out and killed thirty Philistines and supplied the garments which he had promised, and never went back to his bride. As chapter 14 closes, we observe that his bride was then given to the best man as his bride, all this unknown to Samson.

As chapter 15 opens, Samson decides to return to Timnah to his wife. When he gets there he is told that she is now married to someone else. Now begins the cycle of revenge. Samson sought revenge because his wife was no longer his wife, so he proceeds to burn the grain fields of the Philistines by tying torches between the tails of 150 pair of foxes. That serves them right, he thinks to himself.

Now the Philistines sought revenge for the loss of their grain by murdering Samson's wife and her family. What as Samson's response? We read in verse 7, Samson said to them (that is the Philistine leaders), "Since you've acted like this, I won't stop until I get my revenge on you." So, he proceeds to slaughter hundreds of them. The Philistines then sought revenge for the loss of their peers by intimidating the men of Judah to hand Samson over to them. The men of Judah sought revenge against Samson for their plight, so they arranged to hand Samson over to the Philistines.

What an ugly chapter! Nothing is ever accomplished through revenge. In fact, revenge only makes a bad situation that much worse. How much better it is to let God work things out in His time. How much better it is to seek forgiveness and to leave the vengeance to God.

Father, How often do we want to have wrongs made right. We want to get even with those who have abused us. Like Samson, we often seek our own revenge. Lord, I would pray that You would give us hearts that are quick to forgive and eager to be reconciled. If there is to be any vengeance, we quickly give that to You. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.

Judges 14 Return to the Table of Contents Judges 16