Gideon

Over the past couple of weeks, we have had the opportunity to learn from some judges. Lane did a great job at opening this series with looking at the ending of the book of Judges, He showed us how we can fall into a massive problem when we follow our own heads and hearts, and we don’t follow Gods. Then last week Colby did a great job at helping us understand that God uses anyone and that our sins have consequences. Over the last two weeks these men have given us a lot to chew on and really think about. You see the Israelites in scripture continue to mess up time after time. And honestly, it’s not much different today. Think about it there have been many times in our lives that we have sinned because we thought we knew what was best, more fun, pleasurable, but once we realized it wasn’t the right thing, we face the consequences asked for forgiveness and we learned from it, or for some of us it might have taken a few times for us to learn from our mistakes. Think about it we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. But God gives us a great picture in scripture of how much He truly loves his people. Even though we all short. Would you turn your bibles to judges’ chapter six. Here we are going to look at the same cycle we have been talking about. And the intro of chapter six is the biggest into for all of the judges. Let’s look.

Judges 6:1-6

Just in these first six verses there is a lot packed in there. Let’s start from the top V1. Again, the people did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord gave them into the hands of Midian seven years. Now there’s something important to know about the Midianites, they were mostly viewed as bad people. In Genesis 37:25-36, they were involved in the selling of Joseph to Egypt.

But in the book of Exodus the Midianites were looked at in a different light. The Midianites were the ones who provided Moses with a safe place to hide when he was fleeing from Pharoah and Moses ended up marring the daughter of a Midianite. We even see Moses’ father in law Jethro help in the re-organization of Israel after they fled from Egypt. But once the Israelites left Sinai the relationship fell apart. So much so that in, Numbers 22 They went from helping the Israelites to cursing them.

In verse three of Judges 6 it tells us that whenever the Israelites planted crops, the Midianites and the Amalekites and the people of the East would come up against them. Think about this for a second seven years they have done this. I want you to imagine something.

Let’s say you have a garden in your backyard and during that season you have done everything you can to grow and amazing garden. Then at the end of the season when all your crops look perfect your next-door neighbors hop the fence and take all your produce. And on top of that they have been doing this for seven years now and there’s nothing you can do about it. Don’t you think that would make you very angry? I know I would be. And for others that would scare them especially if this was what they needed for their family to survive.

Now looking back at Judges 6:7-9 The Israelites are done, and they cry out to God asking for Him to send them a prophet. And Gods response was,

Judges 6:8b-10

Good night. The way he ends verse 10 because you have not obeyed my voice. And you can see so often in scripture that God likes to remind the Israelites how he took them out of Egypt. Why might you ask? Don’t we have to be reminding so often what God has done in our lives? We are forgetful people and are in constant need of being reminded.

It reminds me of my kids. Who all in here has kids? Ok so you will understand this story. Just recently I had told Grayson “Hey son please don’t drag your brand-new kite on the ground you will end up putting a hole in it and you won’t be able to fly it anymore.” Ok you see where this is going to. Not even two minutes later I am having to tell him the same thing. And again later. It took him to hear me multiple times before I just decided to stop saying anything and what happened? “Dad, my kite has a hole in it and one of the polls is sticking out.” Hmm I wonder why? Can any parents relate to something like that? Yes, and that’s something that God must do so often with the Israelites. He must remind them what he has done for them. And here’s the sad part we today still deal with this. yes, maybe with our kids but even God having to remind us as adults. This remind me of the cycle that Lane talked about two weeks ago. Do you remember it? The 4 S’s Sin, Slavery, Supplication, Salvation.

Out of the 4 S’s the first half before the seven years of Midian the Israelites sin has let them to this point.

Charles Spurgeon said. “The Lord does not permit His children to sin successfully.” God is not a “permissive parent” who allows His children to do as they please, for His ultimate purpose is that they might be “conformed to the image of His Son” (Rom. 8:29).

Even though God does not like what the Israelites have done Charles says it so well he not going to let his children just fall. Starting in verse 11 in chapter 6 it says,

Judges 6:11

Ok let’s stop there. To some people you might be thinking ok… so what that the guy Gideon is doing this. But here’s what’s going on right here is a picture of a wine press. Gideon is doing this because of his fear that the Midianites will take everything thing that he is doing so he is in hiding but let me show you what beating out wheat is supposed to look like. As you can see in this picture there needed to be a lot of land open space often times on a hilltop so that they can throw the chaff it would roll downhill. Threshing wheat was a very big task but for Gideon he was working out of fear and would thresh wheat in a wine press look. Its smaller more confined and you know because of what he was doing it’s a massive mess. In our own lives we so often live life the hard way because of the fear that we have in our lives. Its takes longer, harder messier you name it and we do it all because of fear. As I was studding that I was hit hard because that’s so true for a lot of us. Our lives are difficult because of our fear. But what’s interesting is what happens next.

Judges 6:12

What hold on a second did you catch that. O Mighty man of valor? This dude is hiding out in a winepress and he s mighty Gideon starts to complain about all that is going on and why is God letting this happen. But the next thing the again says again is hard to hear.

Judges 6:14

Again, might of you? That’s weird.

Judges 6:15-16

Gideons clan is the weakest of all the Israelites and then on top of them being the weakest Gideon is the weakest of his clan. How in the world is that mighty and what is he going to be able to do? Warren Wiersbe said:

When you consider the kind of man Gideon was at this time, you wonder why God selected him; but God often chooses the “weak things of this world” to accomplish great things for His glory.

Even though Gideon says the is the weakest of his clan we still are not sure if he is referring to his physical build. Some commentators believe that he might be referring to the fact that his family worships Baal and he doesn’t which could mean that his family would look at him and treat him differently. This can so often cause us to have a lot of self-doubt in our lives. I think even in our own daily lives we so often are afraid to be ourselves or we are so often afraid to be bold in our faith because of what we think other people will say about us. But what does God say about him. You see God did not call Gideon by what he saw but what he knew he would become. God saw his potential the entire time. So, what does God see in you? What are you called to become? As we are sitting here thinking about What God might have for us, we might still be saying I have no earthy idea. And Gideon felt the same way. He literally had the angel of the Lord telling him what to do and what does Gideon do? Take a look.

Judges 6:17

He wants a sign. So, he asks the angel to wait right there as he goes back to his house prepared a young goat and some unleavened cakes and comes back. And this is what happens next.

Judges 6:20-21

Yall this is amazing! Gideon was like I need, and sign and the angel was like on mic drop here’s your sign. Because of this over the next few verses Gideon builds an alter and worships the Lord because he now knows this was truly from the Lord. But there is still a problem. The problem is even though he has now created this alter for the Lord there is still an alter for Baal. What we see is even though the Israelites have cried out to God for help they still don’t want to give up the lifestyle that they have enjoyed. They wanted to do what they wanted to do lifestyle. And now that Gideon has created this alter God tells Gideon I have your fist task, I want to you take down this alter for Baal. Gideon is all about it, but even though God has told him He is with Gideon and Gideon won’t die Gideon still is afraid of his family and the men of the town, so he makes the decision to do this at night. Now, the people of the town wake up and they see what has been done and they are mad and discover that Gideon was the one to do this. So, they go to kill Gideon and Gideons dad steps in because God has softened his heart.

Judges 6:30-31

Did anything happen? No, because Baal is not real. Baal is false Gods. Can’t do anything to help the Israelites and Baal can’t even save its own alter. And I can’t help but think about what we might run to other than the true living God when times are hard. What might be our false idols that helps numb the fear, frustration, and pain. Do they ultimately help? I think it’s safe to say more than likely not. And for Gideon because Baal isn’t real his story continues. But this time the next task that is in front of Gideon is the Midianites and the Amalekites.

Warren Wiersbe says this best. Before God gives His servants great victories in public, He sometimes prepares them by giving them smaller victories at home. Before David killed the giant Goliath in the sight of two armies, he learned to trust God by killing a lion and a bear in the field where nobody saw it but God (1 Sam. 17:32–37). When we prove that we’re faithful with a few things, God will trust us with greater things (Matt. 25:21).

So, God feels like its time. And Gideon calls for the warriors and he receives 32,000 men Gideon is ready but… Gideon was like God I need a sign again. sometimes I think we want to roll our eyes here and thing oh my word again. But let’s be real we all know more than likely if we are truly honest with ourselves, we would probably be like God you sure. Just show me a sign again. Check it out.

Judges 6:36-40

What’s important for us to understand is this does not mean this is what we do every time we are faced with a problem. Honestly what is happening here is doubt from Gideon to the Lord. God has already given him the signs that he is real, and that Gideon is to be obedient to the Lord. We should live by believing Gods word and obeying what God is asking us to do. Gideon did not really need God to do this, but God being the Heavenly Father that He is allowed Gideons request to happen. It shows how much God loves us even when we can be forgetful and fearful amen.

So, Gideon now has his sign. He knows without a doubt that this is what God wants him to do. But God now tells Gideon you have to many people. Take a look.

Judges 7:2-3

He just lost 22,000 men which means he now only has 10,000 men remaining. and then in verse 4 look at what God says.

Judges 7:4 -7

Gideon now has 300 men. We don’t know why God asked Gideon to separate the men the way he did, there has never been any clarity behind why the way the men drank water, but what we do now is Gideon is listening to God and being obedient to what he is saying. Even though Gideon only has 300 men now. God has promised the Israelites that they would servive and defeat the Midianites and there is no way they would be able to accomplish this unless God does something. It’s not possible. We are now seeing a difference in Gideon, but… there’s still some fear.

Judges 7:9-11

Still is afraid, but he is now listening and obeying. And as he is down there, he hears two soldiers talking 1 solider is talking about his dream and how a cake of barley bread tumbled down into the camp and everything fell and laid flat, and the other soldier goes on the explain the dream saying,

Judges 7:14

These men know That God is on Gideons side. And when Gideon hears this, he goes back to camp and is like we got this! God will provide a way. And yall in our lives right now we might feel like we are so small and can’t defeat whatever is Infront of us, but our heavenly father is so much greater than anything in our life he will provide a way. Gideon takes his 300 men and splits them up into three groups of one hundred and this is what he gives them. Trumpets, empty jars, with torches inside the jars.And he splits them up to surround the Mediante camp at night. And God does something amazing.

Judges 7:19-21

This happened with only three hundred people, and it was all done because of how amazing God is, but what is also amazing is how smart Gideon is in this moment. Let me explain what I mean. Back then the trumpets and torches would represent a battalion. What is a battalion you might ask?

A battalion is of four to six companies and can include up to 1,000 soldiers. So, Midian was just surprised at night woken up and thought they were surrounded by 300,000 soldiers. This caused them to go into a frenzy and start killing each other and what was left that fled the Israelites would catch. I love that part! But I wanted to help you all envision what exactly was taking place here so look at this video. Ok, so that might not have been exactly what happened, but I love that God was able to change the lives of the Israelites with a trumpet and a torch. God can accomplish so much with so little. And for someone like Gideon whose clan was the weakest, and he was the weakest in his clan he truly became what God knew he was O Mighty man of valor. How might God view you? Don’t think negatively Think about how a loving father looks at his children and desires nothing but the best for his children. And think about how much can be done knowing that God is by your side. Now I’m not going to go into verse by verse of chapter eight that’s something I would encourage you to do in your own time, but what’s interesting is that the Israelites wanted to make Gideon king, and this was his response.

Judges 8:22-23

Wow, giving God all the glory. The entire battle was to give God all the glory there is no way the Israelites could have done that. But what’s important for us to remember is that God knows who we are created to be, and we should give all the glory to God for it. Because without God we will fail without God, we can’t get it done.

But you know what else is amazing about this story? This shows us the Gospel. We can be lost, we can make so many mistakes, we can feel like everything is falling on us, we might have known the truth but not made the change to truly trust God, we have been like Gideon asking for tests asking for a sign we have had so much fear in our lives, but you know what God has provided a way for all of that to change and that way is Jesus Christ.

Would you bow your heads with me.