What does Samson's riddle teach about the dangers of relying on human strength?

Setting the Scene: Samson’s Riddle

Judges 14 paints the picture: Samson, brimming with confidence, challenges thirty Philistine companions at his wedding feast.

“Let me tell you a riddle,” Samson said to the companions. “If you can give me the answer within the seven days of the feast, I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty sets of clothes.” (Judges 14:12)

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Human Strength on Display

• A lion torn apart with bare hands (Judges 14:6).

• A Nazirite gifted with extraordinary might, yet flirting with unclean honey inside the carcass (vv. 8-9).

• A wager he is sure he can control—“I’m strong enough to handle this.”

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What the Riddle Reveals About Self-Reliance

• Pride masks vulnerability. Samson’s riddle glorified his personal exploit, not the Lord who empowered it.

• Secret compromises weaken spiritual resolve. Honey from a dead lion violated his Nazirite separation, but he kept silent.

• Human strength invites manipulation. The Philistines press Samson’s bride; she presses him; the secret is lost (vv. 15-17).

• Flesh-driven confidence breeds retaliation. When bested, Samson kills thirty men of Ashkelon to pay the wager (v. 19).

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Scripture Echoes the Warning

• “Cursed is the man who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh” (Jeremiah 17:5).

• “Some trust in chariots and others in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God” (Psalm 20:7).

• “So the one who thinks he is standing firm should be careful not to fall” (1 Corinthians 10:12).

• “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5-6).

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Downstream Damage

1. Fractured relationships—Samson’s wife is given to another (Judges 14:20).

2. Escalating vengeance—burned fields, slaughter, and ultimately Samson’s capture (Judges 15–16).

3. The chilling moment: “He did not know that the LORD had departed from him” (Judges 16:20).

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A Better Way: Strength Made Perfect in Weakness

• “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

• Lasting strength flows from dependence on God, not from feats we can showcase.

• Samson’s story urges believers to trade boastful riddles for humble reliance—finding sweetness not in self-glory, but in surrender to the One who gives every victory.