BIBLE CONTRADICTIONS:
RIDDLES
CONT., page 3
SAMSON'S RIDDLE REWARDS
And concerning all of these riddles Yahweh has propounded, it is most important to understand there is a reward for discerning the answers to them. This promised reward is seen in the very account of the riddle propounded by Samson. In it we find that what Samson offered to his thirty Philistine companions, Yahweh offers to those who can discern and answer His riddles. "Thirty linen wraps and thirty changes of clothes" was the reward to the discerning for answering Samson's riddles (Judges 14:12). Through these items Yahweh has actually propounded yet even another more important mirror riddle. What do we find prophetically represented by these specific items offered in Samson's reward?
First, we discover that thirty is numerically representative of anointing or entering into divine ministry. For example, David began his reign as king at the age of thirty (2 Samuel 5:4), Joseph was delivered from the dungeon, clothed in linen, and elevated to command all the land of Egypt at the age of thirty (Genesis 41:46), and Yahshua began His ministry at the age of thirty (Luke 3:23). So we see that by the association of this reward with the number thirty, discerning Yahweh's riddles has the reward of entering into divine ministry and anointing.
But this prophetic number thirty is associated with both linen wraps and the change of clothing - "thirty linen wraps and thirty changes of clothes." What can these two items represent in light of the great significance of this associated number thirty?
We find in the Scriptures that linen represents divine priesthood. The Levitical priests were clothed in fine linen (Exodus 39:27-28), and in the tabernacle linen was required for the curtains and coverings (Exodus 26-28). Joseph, who represents those who will reign with Christ over the world, was equally clothed in linen at the age of thirty when elevated to rule Egypt. Thus, when we see that Samson offered thirty linen wraps to those who could discern his riddle, more importantly prophetically we see the reward Yahweh has for those who will discern the answer to His riddles - linen priesthood and reigning with Christ.
And what do the thirty changes of clothes represent? Keeping in mind that thirty represents divine anointed ministry, and linen represents priesthood, there remains one extremely important element missing in this promise. If the promise ended with only these two elements, we would find nothing more than what is present in Christianity. Christianity has the rights and responsibilities of priesthood. It also has a divine anointing as the body of Christ. But there is one crucial element lacking. While Christians possess these first two elements of the kingdom of God, to their demise and the defilement of the kingdom they retain a very sorrowful and wholly destructive state - they have these elements of the kingdom of God while remaining in their earthly flesh. This is an extraordinarily great problem! Adam and Eve revealed in the beginning the demise of possessing all the "good" things of Yahweh while being in earthly-born bodies. This grave mix always produces corruption, failure, and death.
Possessing priesthood and divine anointing while remaining in earthly-born bodies has repeatedly proven to result in tragedy. The one critical element missing in order for man to flourish and do only good in the kingdom of God is to have a "change of clothing." Man must be "born from above," as Yahshua told Nicodemus (literal of John 3:3 & 7). Being "born from above" is putting off this earthly-born body and receiving an incorruptible body from above, from heaven. No man up to now (other than Yahshua) has received this heavenly-born body. All men are either in corruptible flesh or await their heavenly-born bodies; the first resurrection spoken of in Revelation 20:6 has not yet taken place. So here we find the critical missing ingredient, without which men continue to fail miserably - men must have the "change of clothing" from frail corrupt fleshly bodies, to immortal incorruptible heavenly-born bodies. This is the vitally important element Yahweh promises in Samson's riddle - not only exalted ministry and priesthood with Christ, but also, most critically, possessing incorruptible new bodies that are not of this earth but are born from above.
These are the promises offered to those who can discern the meanings of the riddles Yahweh has propounded. Can you answer these riddles? If you can, you will be one of those who will enter the first resurrection and reign with Christ for one thousand years. These are the promises to those who can discern the answers to Yahweh's contradiction mirror riddles.
Again, we welcome your comments or questions, and hope this has made you think about the Scriptures in a new way. The fact is, if any man thinks he has the word of God all figured out, then his God is very small, no larger than himself. We hope to hear from you. Just click on the E-Mail at the beginning of this site.