September 5 ▪ Day 248

Scripture Readings

Proverbs 22:24–25
Judges 13–14
II Corinthians 7–9
Psalms 64

Verse Focus (Proverbs 22:24–25)

²⁴Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person,
     do not associate with one easily angered,
²⁵or you may learn their ways
     and get yourself ensnared.

Meditation

Today’s verse focus has some very practical advice for us. As Proverbs 22:24-25 says, in the NIV, “Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person, do not associate with one easily angered, or you may learn their ways and get yourself ensnared.” It’s an interesting way of thinking about self-control. The proverb makes it sound like anger is contagious. And, perhaps to some degree, it is.

Back in March we looked at a proverb that taught us that we become like those with whom we spend time. As Proverbs 13:20 (from March 21st, Day 80) says, “Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.” The apostle Paul quotes from Greek wisdom in 1 Corinthians 15:33, when he writes, “Do not be deceived: ‛Bad company ruins good morals.’ ” That hanging out with the wrong crowd can corrupt your character is a well-known fact. But how does it happen? Do we just get used to being around anger and trigger tempers? Do we want to side with bad behavior out of loyalty and compassion for our friends? Or is it more of a subtle influence of corruption in our thinking?

Even though the process of it all makes me curious, the fact is that it happens. We start to imitate and mimic the people we associate with. And that’s great if your besties are all patient, humble, and godly people. Not so great if your besties have some major character flaws that they struggle with.

Of course, we are all fallen people. We all struggle in different areas and no one is perfect. We are also called to imitate Jesus, and to love one another — even our hot-tempered and angry enemies, or our spiteful and bitter relatives. So this proverb isn’t talking about compassion and kindness in your relationships with people who struggle with rage. Rather, it’s talking about making friends. You can love, care for, minister to the needs of, and spend time with someone without necessarily being friends. As you do this, there will be love but also caution and some self-protectiveness that colors your relationship. But you trust your friends and spend time with them out of sheer pleasure — and that’s what the Bible is warning us against. Don’t choose to make friends with someone of bad character. There are likely enough people of bad character in your life already, without adding more. 🙂

Father God, help us to become more and more like Jesus Christ. Protect us from taking on the bad character traits of our close associates. Give us wisdom about the relationships we have, as well as the relationships we choose. Renew our spirits and minds each day through your Word. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

In Judges 13 and 14, we get the first half of the story about Samson. Samson is the last of the six major judges, and the 12th judge that we learn about. Interestingly, Samson’s story is also the lengthiest. We learn more details about Samson and the events of his life than any of the other judges. After Samson’s story concludes, the book of Judges will backtrack in time to tell about two different inter-tribal conflicts that occurred soon after the Israelites took over the Promised Land.

Chapter 13 is all about the backstory for Samson. It’s about his parents, and the angel that comes to announce Samson’s birth. In many ways, this chapter foreshadows Mary and Joseph’s story. Like the prophet Jonah, many Christian commentators through the ages have seen Samson as a type of Christ. (If you’re already familiar with Samson’s story, that last comment probably made your eyebrows raise — the idea that Samson is a Messiah figure is a bit mind boggling. But there are some surprising parallels, which we’ll talk about tomorrow when Samson’s story concludes.)

As Samson’s story begins, the people of Israel have been disobedient to the LORD and so, yet again, God has allowed them to be humbled by other nations. It has been at least a generation since the last revival. The Israelites have been oppressed by the Philistines for 40 years. This time, when God raises up a judge for the people, He chooses a child yet to be born. The angel of the LORD is sent to announce Samson’s birth to his mother-to-be, a woman who is barren and childless.

Curiously, we never learn the name of Samson’s mother. She is unnamed in this story, referred to only as Manoah’s wife. Because of her barrenness, there are parallels to Sarah, Hannah (from the book of 1 Samuel), and Elizabeth, mother of John the Baptist.

Even though we just talked about Samson’s birth being reminiscent of Jesus’ birth, there’s actually a much stronger parallel to the story of John the Baptist’s birth in Luke chapter 1. An angel announces the birth. The child will be a Nazirite and will refrain from strong drink; further, the child’s separation to God begins from the womb. Neither Samson or John the Baptist are given any choice about the matter; their calling precedes their birth. In Samson’s case, the text merely says that Samson will be a Nazirite from the womb (v. 5), but in John the Baptist’s case, the Scripture actually tells us that John will be filled with the Holy Spirit from the womb (Luke 1:15). Despite this special calling, neither Samson or John the Baptist will completely save the people. In chapter 13, verse 5, the angel tells Manoah’s wife that Samson will begin to save the Israelites from the Philistines.

God is gracious to Manoah and He sends the angel back again to confirm the message of Samson’s birth to the husband (who had missed out on the first announcement). This reminds me of how God sent Joseph, Mary’s betrothed, a prophetic dream so that he would not divorce Mary because he had just assumed that she had been unfaithful (Matthew 1:18-25). Manoah asks the angel about Samson’s future, but the angel replies only with the instructions for the mother-to-be: “She may not eat of anything that comes from the vine, neither let her drink wine or strong drink, or eat any unclean thing. (v. 14).” In this respect, Manoah’s wife is also a Nazirite, at least so long as she is carrying Samson (and perhaps for the rest of her life, as well). It’s not really clear if the wife’s avoidance of wine and unclean foods will end after Samson is born or if she will continue to be separated to the LORD for the rest of her life.

When the angel disappears miraculously, Manoah knows for certain that it really was the angel of the LORD speaking to them. He gets frightened and fears they might die, but his wife replies very sensibly in verse 23, “If the LORD had meant to kill us, he would not have accepted a burnt offering and a grain offering at our hands, or shown us all these things, or now announced to us such things as these.” Manoah’s wife is faithful as a Nazirite, and so Samson is born. He grows up, blessed by the LORD. The final verse of chapter 13 tells us that the Spirit of the LORD began to move upon Samson. Some interpret that this means that Samson began to display patriotic heroism along with his unusual strength; others simply interpret that Samson was compelled toward events that will bring about the downfall of many of the Philistines.

Chapter 14 tells the beginning of the story of Samson’s marriage. Samson becomes enchanted with a young Philistine woman and he wants to marry her. Now the Philistines were currently the overlords of Israel, and there is a long history of enmity between the nation of Israel and the Philistine kings. But there was no prohibition against Israelites intermarrying with the Philistines as there was against Israelites marrying Canaanites. Culturally, of course, the Philistines were seen as uncircumcised idol-worshipers, and so Manoah and his wife try to get Samson to reconsider his plans for marriage. But twice Samson says that the woman is “right” in his eyes (or, as the NKJV says, “She pleases me well.”) Verse 4 tells us, “His father and mother did not know that it was from the LORD, for he was seeking an opportunity against the Philistines.”

There are some disturbing elements in this chapter, particularly as we know that Samson is — perhaps in ways we don’t fully understand — being moved by the Holy Spirit to act in certain ways. Most of the Biblical characters who are moved by the Holy Spirit are either prophets or healers, rather than judges. For the judges, and particularly for Samson, the Holy Spirit gives them unusual strength and ability in military conflicts. We assume from our own experience of the Holy Spirit that God’s Spirit primarily transforms character; as we see from the book of Judges, this is not the only way that God’s Spirit works in and through people. It’s disturbing to read of Jephthah’s pride and stupidity, and to see temper and petulance in Samson. We assume that the Holy Spirit should have prevented these flaws; instead, Samson’s rage is magnified and he kills lots and lots of Philistines when he is angry.

The story about the lion is also a bit disturbing. Interesting, but also a bit creepy. I love how verse 6 says, “He tore the lion in pieces as one tears a young goat.” Personally, I can’t even imagine someone tearing a young goat to pieces. I mean, yuck!!! Then there’s the whole story about Samson eating honey out of the lion’s carcass. That’s just disturbing. For one thing, the honey was unclean because the hive was in a dead body. Also, Nazirites were specifically forbidden from being around dead bodies as that would defile them and their special vow of separation to the LORD (Numbers 6:6). So the fact that Samson seems unaware of the regulations about cleanness and uncleanness, or about the need to be especially careful of staying away from dead bodies just makes the whole thing with the Holy Spirit more baffling. Again, we assume that if Samson is filled with the Holy Spirit, he would be better at keeping to God’s laws.

As we read 2 Corinthians chapters 7 through 9 today, familiar and beloved verses greet me. Chapter 8 verse 9 shines. And Chapter 9, verses 6 through 8, is another treasure. Verse 11 is also a gem: “You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way.”

But I also notice a few new things. In chapter 7, verse 12, Paul writes that when he wrote to rebuke them in his previous letter regarding the man who was sleeping with his father’s wife, he did so, not for the sake of the offender or for the sake of the offended. Rather, Paul’s real purpose was that “your earnestness for us might be revealed to you in the sight of God.” In other words, Paul’s purpose in rebuking them had less to do with the specific individuals and more to do with what the entire body needed. And in this case, what the Corinthians needed was a spiritual understanding of their devotion and commitment to Paul and the others — an understanding that they are connected to and part of an even larger body of believers.

A phrase in chapter 8 verse 14 caught my eye today. Paul writes, “Your abundance at the present time should supply their need.” And I think of what a wealthy country I live in. Relative to others in my region, I may have financial struggles. But compared to those in many other countries of the world, I have incalculable wealth. What would be just getting an occasional fancy coffee for me (mocha cappuccinos are my favorite!) could be the difference needed for a family to buy groceries for a week elsewhere in the world. Your abundance at the present time should supply their need. Challenging!

In chapter 8, when Paul is discussing generous giving to those in the church who are needy, he writes in verse 11, “So now finish doing it as well, so that your readiness in desiring it may be matched by your completing it out of what you have.” The Holy Spirit used this verse to speak to me and to encourage me on a personal matter. It’s somewhat out of context since God wasn’t talking to me about giving generously; He was commenting on this devotional project. For those of you who read these meditations in the future, there are meditations available for each day of the year. And for seven and a half months, I was writing those meditations in sync with the days of this calendar year. But then my brother’s death put things on hold for a while. I took a bit of a break. But since then I’ve been struggling more to write the meditations. My sense of purpose got shaken. Recently things have improved (likely in response my prayers and the prayers of other supporters). And today’s message was like a bolt from the blue. As the CSB says, “Now also finish the task, so that just as there was an eager desire, there may also be a completion, according to what you have.” Just four months left to go!

As I was reading Psalm 64 today, I noticed how things appear to happen “suddenly.” Enemies scheme and have secret plans; they create an ambush. Suddenly — so it appears — those who are righteous are under attack. The enemies feel secure in their agenda and their triumphs. But then just as suddenly God acts — and the enemies are wounded.

When people see the sudden downfall of the wicked, they will fear God “and ponder what he has done (v. 9).”

For whatever reason, we all have a false sense of security. But then God interrupts with a sudden change of fortune or misfortune. And we remember that God is, and that He rules. So let us ponder the works of the LORD. And let us rejoice in the perfect intricateness of His plans. Hallelujah!

Father God, I’m grateful that you do move in our lives and in the world. You arrange things to come out the way you want them to, even when you use terrible events to do so. Samson was pestered by his wife to learn the secret of the riddle. She betrayed him, and could have caused financial ruin for Samson. Instead, Samson’s rage resulted in a number of Philistines ending up dead. It was only the beginning of how you removed the Philistines from power over Israel. Father, I ask for you to give us wisdom and understanding of your Word. Perhaps it’s just me, but I find the book of Judges challenging to understand. It’s hard to reconcile how Judges portrays you working with the picture I have of you from other books in the Bible. Help me to understand spiritual truths. I know that apart from Christ Jesus, my eyes are blinded. Help me to see and know the truth in him. Amen.