So when the lion came at Samson, God instantly endowed Samson with great miracle strength. With “nothing in his hand” he did the impossible. In fact, he was so endued with power that he killed the lion easily, “he rent him as he would have rent a kid” (i.e. the lion was no more resistance than a tame goat).

So when the lion came at Samson, God instantly endowed Samson with great miracle strength. With “nothing in his hand” he did the impossible. In fact, he was so endued with power that he killed the lion easily, “he rent him as he would have rent a kid” (i.e. the lion was no more resistance than a tame goat).

Fourth, the message in the escape. The deliverance should have brought Samson to his senses. He had a very close call with death, and it should have prodded his conscience about his rebellious ways. The goodness of God is intended to cause men to repent, but Samson was so filled with the rebellious spirit that he never caught on that his deliverance from the lion was an act of God’s grace and that he should learn from this escape that he was in the wrong place and needed to change his ways. Though in mercy “strength [was] … given him to rend the lion as he would have rent a kid. Yet, he is not dissuaded from his purpose, nor do the mercies of God lead him to repentance” (Wiseman). Hence, Samson continued on his wayward ways and eventually suffered the consequences.

Fifth, the muteness about the escape. Samson “told not his father or his mother what he had done” (v. 6) in killing the lion. This was not modesty, as some think (Samson gives no evidence of being modest about anything). He did not tell his parents what he had done for the same reason folk do not boast around church people of their good golf score which they got on Sunday when they skipped church to play golf. Samson did not tell of his killing a lion because in killing the lion he defiled himself. His great achievement, though it was life saving, had a price tag. It would make him unclean at least until evening. (Leviticus 11:27). This could hamper his activities regarding the business of his marriage proposals if his parents found out, for they were pious people and would know the law. So Samson kept quiet. He wanted to see that girl friend of his without restrictions. He did not want anyone interfering with that occasion, and he did not care if his uncleanness defiled others. He must have his pleasures regardless. Such is the attitude of the rebellious spirit. It is primarily interested in self.

Second, the mercy in the escape. This great escape from the lion was certainly a result of God’s grace. Samson was in the wrong place (a vineyard) and heading for another wrong place (the home of the Philistine girl in Timnath) and did not merit escape. Yet, God in mercy delivered him by endowing him with strength to kill the lion. Mercy is ever involved in delivering us from dangers we get ourselves into because of our disobedient ways. Mercy brings about our soul salvation (Titus 3:5), and a host of other deliverances. Neglect not the giving of thanks to God for the greatness of His mercy. “O praise the LORD, all ye nations; praise him, all ye people. For his merciful kindness is great toward us” (Psalm 117:1, 2).

cannot view this escape as being anything less than a miracle. As we noted in a previous chapter, Samson’s great strength was not a result of weight lifting in some gym or doing some other exercise, rather it was a result of the Spirit of God coming upon him and performing a miracle of strength through him.

Third, the misapplication of the escape. Some would make the fact that the “spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him” a justification of his ways. Such folk feel that the method of deliverance means Samson’s trip to the vineyards was an innocent trip. But the “spirit of the LORD” coming upon Samson to deliver him from his folly does not justify his wayward ways any more than does the Spirit of God coming upon the sinner in salvation justify the past sin of the convert. But it does show us the greatness of God’s grace.