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Observations from today’s readings and today’s S-WOD, Thursday, 3 July 2025:
Judges 14:2 — I saw one of the daughters of the Philistines at Timnah. Now get her for me as my wife.
Hebrews 11 lists Gideon, Jephthah, and Samson in the “Hall of Fame of Faith,” as men who “were made strong out of weakness (Hebrews 11:34).” These were all men who had been uniquely and mightily empowered by God but let pride, lust, and self-centeredness get the best of them. They failed to guard their hearts – “Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life (Proverbs 4:23).” An uninspired book written by men for the sake of a false religion would have made these “heroes” out to be both mighty and noble in character, but the word of God intentionally reveals the truth of these men to reveal the truth of our sinful condition, the truth of God’s holiness, mercy, grace, love and righteousness, and the truth of our need to walk by the Spirit in obedience and not by the flesh.
Samson was set apart as a Nazarite (Numbers 6) for a great mission, and he was mightily empowered by God for God’s purposes. However, although empowered by the Spirit, Samson did not walk by the Spirit but rather walked in the flesh, (Galatians 5:16-26) recklessly pursuing self-gratification, never asking God, “What is to be [my] manner of life, and what is [my] mission (Hebrews 13:12)?” He stubbornly and irrationally pursued his own passions. The Bible also points out that, while Samson’s parents had personal, powerful encounters with God, they never seemed to intervene in his life to hold him accountable to God’s standards. It wouldn’t be long before Samson broke every vow of the Nazarite and committed many other sins too.
In today’s readings, he marries a Philistine woman (forbidden by God in Deuteronomy 7) because he was attracted to her (Judges 14:3). He eats honey out of the carcass of a dead lion, even offering honey to his parents, blatantly defying the Nazarite requirement not to touch the dead, and he is driven by fits of rage and “hot anger” (see Galatians 5:20). Though God would still accomplish His purposes through Samson, despite Samson’s blatant infidelity, the consequences of Samson’s behavior would be needlessly devastating to him and others. Already, Samson has lost his first wife — “And Samson’s wife was given to his companion, who had been his best man (Judges 14:20).”
What can be confusing in our readings is the fact that Samson’s improper marriage was “from the Lord” (Judges 14:4) and that despite Samson’s incredible sin, the Spirit continued to empower him. Is God condoning or overlooking sin? Did God intend for Samson to sin? No. The Bible is clear that “God cannot be tempted with evil, and He Himself tempts no one (James 1:13).” God used the truth of Samson’s bad character and the inevitable fruit of Samson’s bad character to reveal truth and expose sin. Notice that when the Spirit empowers Samson it is either to protect Samson or to bring destruction upon the Philistines, not to enable sin. As we shall see, God doesn’t overlook Samson’s sin at all – Samson will soon be driven to his knees. The truth can be revealed in a positive way or a negative way. I pray that we will walk by the Spirit, not by the flesh, that the Truth will be revealed to a watching world through our lives in a very positive way.
The primary lesson from the life of Samson is the gifts of the Spirit without the fruit of the Spirit leads to destruction. People want, pray for, and admire gifting, when what Jesus ultimately desires for us, and what we should seek primarily is fruit – “Bear fruit in keeping with repentance…. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire…. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples…. the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” (Matthew 3:8; Matthew 7:19; John 15:8; Galatians 5:22-23) All gifting comes from the Lord, but the more ungodly a gifted person is, the more dangerous they are to themselves and others, despite what might be their good intentions.
Paul was a highly educated, talented Pharisee fully committed to serving God, but without the love of Christ and the Holy Spirit, he zealously persecuted Christians in the name of God. Following his encounter with Christ and his salvation, Paul used his zeal to share the Gospel like no other. He explained, “If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.” (1 Corinthians 13:1-3) In other words, you can do great and mighty things, but if you don’t do it from the fruit of the Spirit, it is ultimately worthless to you, even destructive, though it might appear amazing in the moment. God might even use your accomplishments for His purposes (throughout the Bible God uses many wicked, even condemned, people for His purposes) but it will not be to your credit or benefit. Jesus said it this way: “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5) We tend to measure the quality of our lives by our accomplishments, while God looks at our character, not what we have done but what we have become. Are you seeking gifts or fruit?
Judges 14:3 — Get her for me, for she is right in my eyes.
What is right in our own eyes is not what matters but rather what is right in God’s eyes.
This marks the beginning of a tragic theme in his life: doing what is right in his (their) own eyes. This exact phrase becomes the defining diagnosis of Israel’s decline (Judges 21:25). Though chosen by God, Samson repeatedly makes decisions based on personal desire, not spiritual discernment.
- 1 John 2:16 — For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world.
God still uses Samson’s flawed decision (v. 4), but the lesson is clear: God’s ability to work through our sin doesn’t excuse it. Compromise may seem manageable at first, but it always brings consequences.
Judges 14:4 — For he was seeking an opportunity against the Philistines. At that time the Philistines ruled over Israel.
This verse shows that even Samson’s misguided desires will become part of God’s plan to deliver Israel. But don’t miss this: God’s sovereignty does not make Samson’s choices righteous. It only shows that God is able to bring redemption even through human weakness and failure.
- Romans 8:28 — And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good….
- Genesis 50:20 — As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good….
Judges 14:5–9 — The lion, the honey, and the vow
Samson is attacked by a lion and, empowered by the Spirit of the Lord, tears it apart with his bare hands. Later, he finds a beehive and eats the honey from the carcass—breaking his Nazirite vow by touching a dead body (Numbers 6:6–7). He then gives some to his parents without telling them where it came from, causing them to become defiled as well. This act shows that Samson not only breaks God’s commands, but also draws others into compromise through deception. He is strong in body but weak in spirit – again, he has great gifts without fruit, and it is already hurting those closest to him.
- Proverbs 25:28 — A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls.
- Galatians 5:16–17 — “Walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.”
Judges 14:10–18 — The wedding riddle and rising tension
At his wedding feast, Samson gives the Philistines a riddle based on the lion and honey. Unable to solve it, they threaten his bride and her family. She weeps and manipulates him into revealing the answer. He gives in—another mark of his spiritual weakness. When the Philistines solve the riddle, Samson responds with rage and insult: “If you had not plowed with my heifer, you would not have found out my riddle.” (v. 18) This crude, angry statement reflects a man driven by emotion and ego. Though gifted, Samson lacks humility and spiritual maturity; nothing good can come from that.
Judges 14:19–20 — The Spirit of the Lord rushed upon him… and he struck down thirty men… and gave their garments to those who had told the riddle.
Once again, God empowers Samson to judge Israel’s enemies, but the motive is personal vengeance, not national deliverance or obedience to God. He kills thirty men, steals their clothes to pay off his gambling debt, and storms off in anger. His bride is then given to someone else. Even in victory, Samson is isolated and impulsive. Strength without submission leads only to chaos.
- James 1:20 — “The anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.”
Judges 14:20 — And Samson’s wife was given to his companion, who had been his best man.
Samson’s closest relationships with unbelievers were unreliable. God is love. Those who do not know God cannot truly love others. Those without God cannot know love, though they will call self-centered attraction love, and they cannot know faithfulness; ultimately, without the love of Christ, they will choose self over the object of their shallow affection.
“Cross” Fit S-WOD (Spiritual Workout of the Day) – 3 July 2025: Samson had gifts of the Spirit – power, calling, and potential—but he lacked the fruit of the Spirit. He followed his eyes, his hunger, his anger, and his pride. Like Israel, he did what was right in his own eyes instead of submitting to God’s will.
Today’s challenge: Identify one area where your desires have been overriding your discernment—an appetite, an attitude, a reaction. Surrender that area to God in prayer. Ask the Spirit to strengthen your will, shape your thoughts, and lead you away from compromise.
Pray: “Lord, thank You for the warning and example in Samson’s life. Teach me to trust Your Word more than my feelings, to obey rather than justify compromise, and to seek Your glory rather than mine. Let my strength be grounded in surrender to Your Spirit. Make me holy, focused, and disciplined like Christ. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
Defenders Bible Reading Plan 