Morning Light – April 9th, 2015: Ridiculous but Prophetic (Audio)

Today: [Judges Chapter Fourteen]: Ridiculous But Prophetic. In this chapter Samson is grown and seeks a wife among the Philistines. Through his life Samson made poor choices. Yet God positions Himself in Samson’s life even though Samson’s character was lacking. God uses who He wants to and we need to discern between charisma, anointing and character. Samson also poses a riddle in this chapter that speaks to us of the nature of the prophetic. Many times prophecy poses a question to us which can be frustrating when we want answers for our life. When we allow God to speak to us on His own terms there will be questions in our heart but answers for our life will be the end result.

Today: [Judges Chapter Fourteen]: Ridiculous But Prophetic. In this chapter Samson is grown and seeks a wife among the Philistines. Through his life Samson made poor choices. Yet God position Himself in Samson’s life even though Samson’s character was lacking. God uses who He wants to and we need to discern between charisma, anointing and character. Samson also poses a riddle in this chapter that speaks to us of the nature of the prophetic. Many times prophecy poses a question to us which can be frustrating when we want answers for our life. When we allow God to speak to us on His own terms there will be questions in our heart but answers for our life will be the end result.
[Jdg 14:1-20 KJV] 1 And Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines. 2 And he came up, and told his father and his mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines: now therefore get her for me to wife. 3 Then his father and his mother said unto him, [Is there] never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said unto his father, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well. 4 But his father and his mother knew not that it [was] of the LORD, that he sought an occasion against the Philistines: for at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel.
Here is the classic story of Samson. Samson’s name means sunshine. He is raised as a Nazirite but judging from the passage above he was more a person caught up in God’s sovereignty than he was a willing participant. He travels to Timnath and seeing a woman there demands his parents to acquire her for his wife. His parents try to talk them out of it but he demands to have his way. A typical spoiled and indulged child. This happens many times when God speaks to parents regarding a child’s birth they then raise him up to think how special he is and as a result his character is affected. Yet we see from verse 4 that God was working in the midst of the situation to bring about His purposes.
In our day after decades of positive reinforcement without commensurate discipline and accountability we have raised a generation of narcissists. We told our children how wonderful they were without requiring much of them and guess what? They believed it! Samson would fit quite well into the generation I grew up in and the current day as well. His parents contend with Samson over his poor choice of a spouse but still they go ahead and give him what he asks for. Samson’s choices throughout his life often brought great victories in the name of the Lord yet held unfortunate consequences for him personally. Romans 11:29 tells us that the gifts and callings of God are without repentance. There was a call upon Samson’s life and even though his character is lacking God still chose to use him.
We really do need to discern in our leaders the difference between charisma, anointing and character. Unfortunately many leaders take their cue from the cult of celebrity in fashioning their leadership personas. They believe the more ostentatious and demanding they are the more successful they will be. Leaders like this even though they may be successful will seldom be remembered beyond their generation or sphere of influence other than like Samson as a cautionary tale regarding how NOT to be a leader.
5 Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath, and came to the vineyards of Timnath: and, behold, a young lion roared against him. 6 And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and [he had] nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done. 7 And he went down, and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson well. 8 And after a time he returned to take her, and he turned aside to see the carcase of the lion: and, behold, [there was] a swarm of bees and honey in the carcase of the lion. 9 And he took thereof in his hands, and went on eating, and came to his father and mother, and he gave them, and they did eat: but he told not them that he had taken the honey out of the carcase of the lion.
Revelation 5:5 tells us that Jesus is the lion of the tribe of Judah. The metaphor of honey, bees and a lion speak to us of the prophetic. Jesus is the lion. Rev. 19:10 tells us that the testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy. The prophet Deborah’s name means “a bee”. Bees produce honey – prophets produce the prophetic word. Exodus 13:10 tells us that the Promised land was a land “flowing with milk and honey…” 1 Pet. 2:2 tells us that the scriptures are the milk. So when we speak of the land flowing with milk and honey we are talking about the milk of the logos and the honey or rhema of the prophetic. Many simply exclude the prophetic and try to have a Canaan land experience with just the logos. It doesn’t work. You must have both the milk of the word and the power of the prophetic to see you through to victory. However Prov. 25:16 tells us that “too much honey makes you vomit…” This is what 1 Thess. 5:7 refers to when it says “… despise not prophesying …” You must maintain a balance as a prophetic person. You must fill your life and your heart with the objective truth of the scripture in order not to lose your way in the subjective nature of the prophetic word.
10 So his father went down unto the woman: and Samson made there a feast; for so used the young men to do. 11 And it came to pass, when they saw him, that they brought thirty companions to be with him. 12 And Samson said unto them, I will now put forth a riddle unto you: if ye can certainly declare it me within the seven days of the feast, and find [it] out, then I will give you thirty sheets and thirty change of garments: 13 But if ye cannot declare [it] me, then shall ye give me thirty sheets and thirty change of garments. And they said unto him, Put forth thy riddle, that we may hear it.
Numbers 12:8 tells us that prophets utter “dark speeches…” The word “dark” here means “riddle”. In 1 Cor. 13:12 Paul says that prophets “see through a glass darkly…” The word here is “enigma” or “riddle”. You will be greatly helped to understand that the prophetic word when it comes to you is as much about God posing questions to your heart than it is in giving you simple answers regarding your situation or future. The END RESULT is to give you answers but God begins by posing questions. Solomon said this:
[Pro 25:2 KJV] 2 [It is] the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings [is] to search out a matter.
I’ve had people complain they didn’t understand a prophetic word. What they really mean is that it didn’t come they way they expected it. The word posed a question. Someone said this to me and I heard the Lord say “exactly…” Notice that the glory of God is in concealment. Phil. 4:19 says God meets your need from his riches in glory. So when you allow God or accept that God will speak to you on His own terms and not yours then you are engaging with Him in such a way that the answer will come. This way of thinking about the prophetic is completely the opposite to how most people approach prophecy. They want answers. They approach the prophetic like spiritual consumers and if they don’t hear what they want to hear in simple and plain terms they reject the word.
14 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. 15 And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they said unto Samson’s wife, Entice thy husband, that he may declare unto us the riddle, lest we burn thee and thy father’s house with fire: have ye called us to take that we have? [is it] not [so]? 16 And Samson’s wife wept before him, and said, Thou dost but hate me, and lovest me not: thou hast put forth a riddle unto the children of my people, and hast not told [it] me. And he said unto her, Behold, I have not told [it] my father nor my mother, and shall I tell [it] thee? 17 And she wept before him the seven days, while their feast lasted: and it came to pass on the seventh day, that he told her, because she lay sore upon him: and she told the riddle to the children of her people. 18 And the men of the city said unto 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 unto them, If ye had not plowed with my heifer, ye had not found out my riddle. 19 And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, and slew thirty men of them, and took their spoil, and gave change of garments unto them which expounded the riddle. And his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father’s house. 20 But Samson’s wife was [given] to his companion, whom he had used as his friend.
Remember that Samson is dealing with the Philistines. The enigmatic aspect of the prophetic is frustrating. It frustrated the Philistines so they put pressure on his new bride to steal the answer. The prophetic will deal with your “inner Philistine”. That is the part of you that wants to take short cuts. As a result in this story 30 men die and Samson’s wife is rejected. How you handle the prophetic has consequences for your life. The enigmatic aspect of the prophetic whether the word come in a dream or through a vision or a prophet is geared to deal with weaknesses in our character. God wants us to yield to Him on His terms and not our. Remember this is the time of the judges when “every many did that which was right in his own eyes…” As a believer you want to be delivered from this kind of thinking – because it has dire consequences for our lives.