Today I read Judges 14, about the marriage of Sampson to a Philistine and Sampson being betrayed by his wife and a friend. Today I considered that God allows us to sometimes feel anger to motivate us for His purposes.
Love Turns to Anger
God uses Sampson’s love of a Philistine to start Sampson on the journey to freeing Israelites from the Philistines (Judges 14:1-20). The Philistines had dominion over the Israelites. Sampson loved a Philistine woman in Timnath and convinced his parents to let him marry her. Sampson made a bet for thirty garments and sheets with the Philistines concerning understanding his riddle within the seven days of his wedding feast. They threatened his wife to get the answer, so she pressed Sampson until he gave her the answer. When they told the answer to Sampson of him eating honey from a lion, God’s spirit came upon Sampson. He killed 30 Philistines in Ashkelon to give them the garments and sheets required from the bet. Sampson was angry and went to his father’s house. They gave Sampson’s wife to a person Sampson thought was his friend.
Questions and Thoughts for Today
God used anger to motivate Sampson to start turning against the Philistines. Sampson knew God could make him strong because he had killed a lion without weapons. Sampson loved a Philistine and had no reason to go killing them until he was betrayed by them. Sampson’s wife’s betrayal led to him killing 30 Philistines. Sampson’s anger led to him taking action against the Philistines.
When have you seen God use someone’s anger to get someone to do something for His kingdom?