A Year in the Bible with Daily Grace

Season 5, Day 74: Judges 13–15
Hosts: Shelby and CJ
Date: March 15, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode explores Judges chapters 13 to 15, focusing on the life of Samson, the final judge of Israel. Shelby and CJ analyze Samson's miraculous birth, his complex character, and his tumultuous role as a deliverer of Israel. The hosts reflect on how God accomplishes His purposes through imperfect people, drawing connections between Samson's story and the greater narrative of Scripture, especially Christ.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Introduction to Samson (00:05–00:47)

• Samson is introduced as the final and one of the most recognizable judges, both in Scripture and pop culture.
• CJ: “Samson, these are some really fun chapters...we talked at the end of last episode about how God can turn lemonade from lemons. And that’s sort of what we see with Samson.” (00:18)

2. Judges 13: Samson’s Miraculous Birth and Nazirite Vow (00:47–01:48)

• Israel’s Sin & Oppression: Israel’s return to sin leads to Philistine oppression.
• Angel’s Announcement: An angel tells a barren couple their child will deliver Israel.
• Nazirite Vow: The child (Samson) is to abstain from wine, avoid unclean things, and never cut his hair—dedicated as a Nazirite (Numbers 6).
  • CJ: “He’s born and the spirit of the Lord stirs within him...showing that God has commissioned this immoral man to secure victory for his people.” (01:30)
• Parallel drawn between Samson and Jephthah, both "improbable heroes" in God’s story.

3. Judges 14: Samson’s Marriage, the Lion, and the Riddle (01:48–03:25)

• Samson’s Marriage: Samson desires a Philistine wife, disregarding his parents’ wishes.
  • CJ: “Samson’s desire to marry this Philistine woman is from the Lord because he was seeking an occasion to destroy the Philistines.” (02:08)
• The Lion and Honey: Samson slays a lion; later, finds a beehive inside it and crafts a riddle for the Philistines during his wedding feast.
• The Riddle’s Betrayal: His Philistine wife extracts the answer, resulting in Samson’s anger and the Spirit of the Lord empowering him to kill thirty Philistines.
  • CJ: “The spirit of the Lord rushes upon him and he goes berserk. And he kills 30 men. So he begins to deliver Israel...” (03:15)

4. Judges 15: Revenge, Chaos, and Deliverance (03:25–04:53)

• Samson’s Revenge: Returning to find his wife given away, Samson ties foxes’ tails, burns Philistines’ crops, and is met with escalating violence.
• Further Bloodshed: Philistines retaliate by killing his former wife and her father. Samson responds with more violence.
• Judah’s Fear: Israelites wish to hand Samson over to Philistines to avoid conflict.
• Jawbone Battle: Spirit of the Lord empowers Samson to strike down 1,000 Philistines with a donkey’s jawbone.
  • CJ: “He slaughters a thousand Philistines with the jawbone of a donkey, which...shows how savage and berserk he is. But again, even this strange violence is somehow working together to save Israel.” (04:38)

Key Takeaways and Application (04:53–06:39)

• CJ on Finding Christ in Samson’s Story:
  • “This is a really easy chapter to sort of say facetiously, where on earth could Jesus be in these chapters?...But I think Samson is actually a type of Christ...” (05:00)
  • Unlike Samson’s violent deliverance, Jesus “came to vanquish evil and destroy evil” in the proper, humble, and nonviolent way.
• Shelby on God’s Work through Imperfection:
  • “There’s chaos surrounding Samson. But I can pull through this thread of God...working through unlikely people to save his people.” (05:41)
  • The episode encourages listeners to look for God’s purposeful activity in otherwise chaotic or discouraging circumstances.
• Making It Relevant: Life, like Samson’s story, can be unpredictable and messy. Still, God’s purposes are always in motion—even in the most unlikely scenarios.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• CJ: “God can turn lemonade from lemons. And that’s sort of what we see with Samson. Again, he can take mixed motives and immoral deeds and immoral character and somehow still see his plan come to fruition.” (00:22)
• Shelby: “Not like any wedding feast I’ve ever been a part of at all.” (03:25) (on the bizarre and violent events at Samson's marriage feast)
• CJ: “Where on earth could Jesus be in these chapters?...But I think Samson is actually a type of Christ.” (05:00)
• Shelby: “That is something that I have to practice in my own life as well. Sometimes there’s chaos all around, and I have to look for how is God working in and through this to accomplish his purposes.” (05:41)

Timestamps of Important Segments

• Samson’s Introduction: 00:05–00:47
• Samson’s Birth & Nazirite Vow: 00:47–01:48
• Marriage, Lion, and Riddle: 01:48–03:25
• Revenge and Jawbone Battle: 03:25–04:53
• Christ Connection & Application: 04:53–06:39

Summary

In this episode, Shelby and CJ guide listeners through Samson’s dramatic and often perplexing story, highlighting how God uses even deeply flawed individuals to accomplish His redemptive purposes. The discussion reinforces trust in God’s sovereignty, encourages seeking Jesus in every part of Scripture, and draws personal application for walking by faith—even amid chaos.