Samson's Wedding Feast

God can bring good out of difficult situations.

Judges 14 recounts Samson's decision to marry a Philistine woman, against his parents' wishes. During the wedding feast, Samson poses a riddle to the Philistines, which they eventually solve by coercing his wife. This leads to a series of violent events as Samson seeks revenge for their betrayal. The chapter highlights Samson's strength, his impulsiveness, and the beginning of the conflict between him and the Philistines.

Key Takeaways:

• God's plans can unfold even through flawed human choices.
• Impulsiveness and anger can have destructive consequences.
• God can use even negative situations to accomplish his purposes.
• Communication and understanding are important in relationships.

Discussion Questions:

1. Why do you think Samson was so determined to marry the Philistine woman?
2. How did Samson's anger and impulsiveness affect the events in this chapter?
3. What lessons can we learn from the way the Philistines treated Samson's wife?
4. In what ways can God bring good out of difficult situations in our own lives?
5. How can we handle conflict in a way that honors God?

Family Prayer:

Dear Lord, we thank you for the story of Samson's wedding feast and for the reminder that you can work through even difficult circumstances. We pray that you would help us to control our anger and to make wise decisions. Help us to trust in your plan for our lives, even when we don't understand it. We are thankful for this lesson. Amen.

We are using the One Year Bible Storybook by Virginia J. Muir as our guide through this series.