Seventh-Day Adventist Devotional For Children: “Honey Is Sweet… But”

*DAILY BREAD – A DEVOTIONAL FOR CHILDREN*

Eastern Nigeria Union Conference Children’s Ministries

*THEME: I WILL GO*

Wednesday, April 6, 2022

*Topic: Honey is sweet…but*

_On his way he went over to look at the body of the dead lion. He found a swarm of bees in it. They had made some honey. Samson got some of the honey with his hands. He walked along eating it. When he came to his parents, he gave some to them. They ate it, too. But Samson did not tell them he had taken the honey from the body of the dead lion. Judges 24:8-9_

It was bad enough that Samson sought a wife from among the Philistines, outside the faith of Israel, and that his parents gave in to his desire (Judg. 14:1–10; see Gen. 24:1–4). But Samson compounded that error by violating his Nazirite vow. God gave him great strength, with which he killed a lion, but then he came into contact with the lion’s carcass when he scooped honey out of it (Judg. 14:6–9). Part of the Nazirite vow involved staying away from dead bodies (Num. 6:6). Moreover, Samson broke his vow further during the wedding feast to celebrate his illicit marriage. He had a “feast” in Judges 14:10 , a weeklong drinking party that was held at the home of the bride’s parents. Those under the Nazirite vow were required to abstain from alcohol (Num. 6:3), so Samson ignored that aspect of the vow as well.
Why didn’t Samson tell his parents that the honey was from a carcass? Because at that time in Israel’s history, touching the carcass of a dead animal was considered unclean (Leviticus 11). But Samson ate the honey anyway, gave some to his parents, and so defiled himself and his parents. He also defiled God’s wishes by marrying a Philistine woman who worshiped other gods.
At the wedding feast Samson entertained the local young men with a riddle about sweetness. Unable to solve the riddle, the men threatened Samson’s wife. Fearing for her life, she begged and harassed Samson till he told her—and then she told them.

Samson was furious, but the mess was his own doing. He’d created the riddle from the carcass, something no faithful Israelite, not to mention a Nazirite, would touch. But it had seemed right in Samson’s eyes. Honey from a lion’s carcass? Eat it! A “sweet” Philistine woman? Get her for me! Defiling himself or his parents didn’t matter to this savior of Israel.
Many years later, Jesus, the true Savior, explained that what really defiles people is what’s in their heart, not what they eat (Mark 7:1-23). Samson defiled himself by turning away from God to pursue his own desires, doing what was right in his own eyes. Jesus, however, took our defilement on Himself, washing us clean and giving us a new life.

God works all things according to the counsel of His will (Eph. 1:11). The Lord does not approve of transgressions in and of themselves, but He can still use them to accomplish His greater purposes. This is what He did with Samson. Ultimately, God used the sin of Samson to put him in a position where he could kill many of Israel’s enemies the Philistines. Nevertheless, Samson’s wickedness brought him much suffering and pain. Our sin does not thwart God’s ability to work out His good plan, but it is better for us if He works out His plan through our obedience, not our misdeeds. Let us seek to obey Him so that we may please Him and not have to deal with the tragedy that sin can bring.

*Song*
Marvelous grace of our loving Lord.
Grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt!
Yonder on Calvary’s mount outpoured
There where the blood of the Lamb was spilt.
*Refrain*
Grace, grace, God’s grace,
Grace that will pardon and cleanse within
Grace, grace, God’s grace,
Grace that is greater than all our sin!

*Prayer*
Lord I come just as I am. I confess my sins, all my evil desires, open disrespect for authority and disobedience to Your will. Today I refuse to continue down the road to ruin, help me make the necessary changes to get my life back on Your path. Help me to live in hope and use all that I have for Your glory . Amen.