Brain Teasers.
- manjulajk
- Aug 25
- 4 min read
‘Out of the eater came something to eat,
Out of the strong came something sweet. Judges 14:14.
The answer to this teaser was
What is sweeter than honey?
What is stronger than a lion? Judges 14:18.
Let’s try to unpack these statements and see if anything comes up. These are not straightforward questions.
When humans or animals eat anything, they produce poop. Not something to eat.
Someone or something strong can, however, produce something sweet, like a strong tree producing sweet fruits. A strong person may create something sweet or speak sweet words.
But here Samson is speaking about the paradoxes of his near-death experience with the lion, which proves he is more than a heady mix of hormones and bravado.
The eater is the lion that suddenly charged Samson. His parents didn’t hear the roar of the lion, missed all the action, and were completely unaware of this life-threatening situation. The Spirit of the Lord strengthened him with divine power to tear the lion to pieces as one would a lamb. This is not humanly possible. A lion’s swipe is 1400 pounds in force, and with their long, sharp claws extended, they rip out flesh and skin. Their bite force is 650 PSI (pounds per square inch)[1]. For comparison, it is 4 times more than humans. (Crocodiles have 3,700 to 5k psi). Lions are apex predators with immense strength (6x more than humans) and agility. They attack to kill and eat, especially when they find a vulnerable human, happily walking alone in their territory. 1 Peter 5:8 is an apt description of this scene. It says, “Be sober (not drunk or drugged), be vigilant, for your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.’ Indeed, Samson was about to be devoured by a real hungry lion, but for Elohim's mighty response and protection.
Someone or something strong can, however, produce something sweet, like a strong tree producing sweet fruits. A strong person may create something sweet or speak sweet words.
But here Samson is speaking about the paradoxes of his near-death experience with the lion, which proves he is more than a heady mix of hormones and bravado.
The eater is the lion that suddenly charged Samson. Samson would have been a long distance ahead of his parents because they didn’t hear the roar of the lion, missed all the action, and were completely unaware of this life-threatening situation. The Spirit of the Lord strengthened him with divine power to tear the lion to pieces as one would a lamb. This is not humanly possible. A lion’s swipe is 1400 pounds in force, and with their long, sharp claws extended, they rip out flesh and skin. Their bite force is 650 PSI (pounds per square inch)[1]. For comparison, it is 4 times more than humans. (Crocodiles have 3,700 to 5k PSI). Lions are apex predators with immense strength (6x more than humans) and agility. They attack to kill and eat, especially when they find a vulnerable human, happily walking alone in their territory. 1 Peter 5:8 is an apt description of this scene. It says, “Be sober (not drunk or drugged), be vigilant, for your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.’ Indeed, Samson was about to be devoured by a real hungry lion.
Honey in the Honeycomb:
Honey is the other object in this scene, and is a strong symbol for Israel. They were living in a land flowing with milk and honey. Exodus 3:8[1]. Honey is the symbol of divine blessing and abundance. Honey in the honeycomb was the sweetest and most valuable. It is authentic and pure. God’s word is sweeter than honey in the honeycomb. Psalm 19:10; In the Bible, it conveys the sweetness and purity of ELOHIM’S word and blessings. Proverbs 24:13-14. Ezekiel ate the scroll, which was as sweet as honey. John the Baptist enjoyed this as a cuisine with locusts. When Jacob sent this as a gift to Joseph, it would have been a piece of home for him, bringing joyful tears of remembrance of a caring father. Pleasant words are as a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and health to the bones. Proverbs 16:24. Who doesn’t need sweetness in life to comfort and to strengthen? In this context, Samson was delighted to receive another sign of Elohim’s blessings and guidance on his life. Especially for all the strange things that would happen in his life. He chose a Philistine bride because it was God-ordained, to set off a series of events to cut down their stranglehold on the Israelites.
Today, honey is one of the most adulterated food products sold in the market. Producers have carefully crafted a similar product to meet the demand for something so valued by its customers, but it is fake.
Conclusion.
The roaring lion becomes the dead lion, bringing forth the sweetest and purest reward of honey. Even in the worst-case scenarios in human lives, ADONAI will surprise us with the best and purest goodness that comes from His love and transformative power. It is true that when we trust in YHWH ADONAI, He will make all things work together for good who love HIM and are called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28.
MJK.
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