1. God's strange ways (1-4)

Samson was a man who did what was right in his own eyes. His father did not want him to marry a Philistine woman, and by moral and spiritual standards, his father was right. But God wanted to use Samson's marriage. He began the deliverance of Israel from the Philistines through this event. God's purpose was bigger than Samson's marriage. Samson did as he wanted to do, but this marriage didn't make Samson happy.

2. The lion and the riddle (5-20)

Samson's strength came from the Spirit of the Lord. He tore a lion apart with his bare hands. Later, on his way to his wedding, he ate honey from a swarm of bees that had taken up residence in the lion's carcass. At the wedding feast he told a riddle about the lion and the honey, and made a wager with the Philistines. His bride wept until he told her the answer, so he lost the wager. But the Philistines were the real losers.

Application: Lord, teach me to trust you and wait on you even when I don't understand.
One Word: God has his own plans