Size Matters

Scripture

Judges 7:1-8

Gideon’s Three Hundred Men

1 Then Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) and all the people who were with him rose early and encamped beside the spring of Harod. And the camp of Midian was north of them, by the hill of Moreh, in the valley.

2 The Lord said to Gideon, “The people with you are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand, lest Israel boast over me, saying, ‘My own hand has saved me.’

3 Now therefore proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, ‘Whoever is fearful and trembling, let him return home and hurry away from Mount Gilead.’ ” Then 22,000 of the people returned, and 10,000 remained.

4 And the Lord said to Gideon, “The people are still too many. Take them down to the water, and I will test them for you there, and anyone of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall go with you,’ shall go with you, and anyone of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ shall not go.”

5 So he brought the people down to the water. And the Lord said to Gideon, “Every one who laps the water with his tongue, as a dog laps, you shall set by himself. Likewise, every one who kneels down to drink.”

6 And the number of those who lapped, putting their hands to their mouths, was 300 men, but all the rest of the people knelt down to drink water.

7 And the Lord said to Gideon, “With the 300 men who lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hand, and let all the others go every man to his home.”

8 So the people took provisions in their hands, and their trumpets. And he sent all the rest of Israel every man to his tent, but retained the 300 men. And the camp of Midian was below him in the valley. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Jdg 7:1–8.

SIZE MATTERS

Any that you that size does not matter is either dilusional or they just haven’t given the situation much thought. If size tr uly did not matter then why do people spend so much time thinking about size?

The size of their problems

The size of your bank account

The size of your living quarters

The size of your vehicle

The size of your ministry

The size of your team

The size of the crowd

Shoe size

Dress size

Pants size

The size of the crowd

The size of my piece of chicken!

Are your starting to get the picture? We spend so much time thinking about size! Therefore to say that size does not matter simply is not true. It matters to many people. Size matters to us because often we associate size as a determinate of outcome. If you are the Underdog you most certainly aware of size. The Bible says that Gideon was given an assignment from the Lord.

Although the Israelites repeatedly fell away from the Lord and started to worship idols. After the felt the people had suffered enough and the people of Isreal cried out to the Lord, He would the people a Judge to deliver them.

Gideon was a Judge. In this story Gideon is also the Underdog.

Underdog Theme

The underdog theme is a favorite in Hebrew Scriptures because it elevates God in the life of the hero: victory does not come from personal strength, but only through God’s involvement. Gideon’s small and insignificant stature within his family structure and the reduction of Gideon’s army from 10,000 to 300, positon him as the underdog.

You see God told Gideon to fight against the Midianites because they had oppessed the Children of Israel for 7 years. Everytime the people would grow crops, the Midianites would steal or destroy the food.

Gideon was called while threshing wheat near his father’s terebinth tree. The Angel of Yahweh appeared and told him that Yahweh was with him (Judg 6:12). Gideon questioned the reality of God’s presence with Israel since, under the dominion of the Midianites, the people had not seen Yahweh work any great miracles (Judg 6:13). When God exhorted Gideon to save Israel from the Midianites, Gideon immediately informed Yahweh of his inadequacies and requested that Yahweh give him a sign (Judg 6:14–17). Jay Todd, “Gideon the Judge,” ed. John D. Barry et al., The Lexham Bible Dictionary (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2016).

That’s why at the beginning of the story Gideon was actually hiding (6:11) and preparing wheat in the wine press rather than in the normal place on the threshing floor out in the open. Gideon did not want his food to be destroyed. So he prepared his food in private.

The angel of the Lord came to Gideon to give him his assignment. The angel referred to Gideon as “oh might man of valor.” God knew he had to build up Gideons confidence. Just like I often tell you saints of God, we have to begin to see ourselves through the eyes of God . So God builds Gideon up by referring to him as a ‘mighty man of valor’.

Gideon did not feel that he measured up to the task. Gideon is feeling down trodden. Gideon is feeling the weight of oppression of the enemy. Gideon is feeling very small because of his circumstances.

How many time have you my sisters and brothers felt small. Felt like you didn’t matter. Felt abandoned by God. Gideon said where are the miracles? If God is with us why has He allowed us to oppressed by the enemy for so long? 7 long years the Midianites have been destroying our crops, stealing our food. Lord you want me to go up against the Midianites and save Israel? Lord my family is poor. (As if God did not know Gideons’ limitations?)

I am from Manaseh (a Benjamite from the 12 tribes of Israel )(no land). We are a small tribe and I am the least of the family (the runt of the liter). Don’t you ever let anyone tell you that size does not matter, it most certain does matter. You know size matters, because it matters to us!

Have you ever been on the receiving end of being bullied. Have you ever been out numbered? In those crucial moments size matters to you because you don’t want to feel the crushing pain of defeat. Therefore our society almost instinctively teaches us that bigger is better. We can tell that is the position of Gideon by his self description.

So afterwards Gideon asks God for a sign. AfterGod gives Gideon a few signs, Godtold the first thing I want you to dois to tear down the idol sitting in town. (Baal). After Gideon tore down the idol of Baal God changes his name to Jerrubaal. (Let Ba’al plead against him for he has torn down his idol.)

Tearing down the idol in the town square was just a warmup exercise. Because over taking the Midianites would be a much greater task/

and their subsequent victory over the Midianite army through a clever ruse, all demonstrate Yahweh’s provision in the face of human limitation.

The Gideon cycle ends with Gideon gaining significance and influence within the broader community. However, Smelik, among others, points out that Gideon might function instead as an anti-hero (Smelik, “Held of Antiheld,” 97–109).

Rob Fleenor, “Gideon the Judge, Critical Issues,” ed. John D. Barry et al., The Lexham Bible Dictionary (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2016). Confidence builders - signs, tearing down the idol, over hearing the Midianites dream interpretation. Sometimes God has to build up our confidence so that we realize that although size matters to us, but size does not matter to God. Because God is on our side at some point in our spiritual walk we shift to another dimension where can truly say that size no longer matters to us either.

We understand that we are not opperating in our own strength.

The lights go in side of the vase to cover the lights so the midianights would not see the opposition coming and the wind would not allow the candles to blow out.

The number of midianites were like the grains of sand on the beach, too many to number.

Gideon pivotal point where the Judges start to sshift from good to bad. Gideon was part good and later part bad. He made a mistake with the ephod.

The size of our God matters, our God is greater

Every soldier turned into a trumpter, every soldier turned into a butler tools left behind by the those that went home

Our weapons are not carnal. no swords or any of the usual weapons. Gods ways are not our ways

The number of men

the number of midinites

the number of a amalekites

the number of times had to encourage Gideon

We are often consumed with size Why? Because we instinctively realize that size does matter Size can be an advantage Size can be a disadvantage In each of these cases size matters Gideon was concerned about size I. Size matters to us ◦ Smaller sometimes causes us to be afraid ◦ Less resources makes us feel like we don’t have what we need to get the job done ◦ Younger can make you feel like you don’t know what to do ◦ As Gideon, army seemed too small, the enemy seemed far too many ◦ Ask David, armor was too big, Goliath was huge ◦ Ask Moses, the size of the assignment seemed too big Size matters because it can be Determining factor of outcome

II. Size matters to the enemy ◦ Bigger than me think you can over power me ◦ Older than me think your wiser think you can out smart me ◦ More resources think you can out do me ◦ So size matters to you enemy because they feel have the advantage

III. The size of your faith matters to God

More faith more power

More faith