A sword for God and Gideon
The call of Gideon • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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If this is your first sunday, or you’ve just recently joined us then you're walking in during the middle of the movie, because today we’ve reached the climax of Gideon’s story. The upcoming battle between the forces of Gideon and the Midianites has been looming on the horizon. God promised Gideon that he would deliver the Midianites into his hands, the time of that delivery is fast approaching. However before we get to Gideon's battle, we’re briefly going to discuss another military exploit that would occur several years after Gideon, yet they are going to be linked by one common denominator.
This story illustrates something important regarding warfare. Never underestimate the power of misinformation and confusion, they could be some of the best weapons in your arsenal. We’ll also observe this truth in our story about Gideon today. However within this story we will learn 3 important lessons regarding the battle of having faith.
READ Judges 7:9-25
That same night the Lord said to him, “Arise, go down against the camp, for I have given it into your hand. But if you are afraid to go down, go down to the camp with Purah your servant. And you shall hear what they say, and afterward your hands shall be strengthened to go down against the camp.” Then he went down with Purah his servant to the outposts of the armed men who were in the camp. And the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the people of the East lay along the valley like locusts in abundance, and their camels were without number, as the sand that is on the seashore in abundance. When Gideon came, behold, a man was telling a dream to his comrade. And he said, “Behold, I dreamed a dream, and behold, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the camp of Midian and came to the tent and struck it so that it fell and turned it upside down, so that the tent lay flat.” And his comrade answered, “This is no other than the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel; God has given into his hand Midian and all the camp.” As soon as Gideon heard the telling of the dream and its interpretation, he worshiped. And he returned to the camp of Israel and said, “Arise, for the Lord has given the host of Midian into your hand.” And he divided the 300 men into three companies and put trumpets into the hands of all of them and empty jars, with torches inside the jars. And he said to them, “Look at me, and do likewise. When I come to the outskirts of the camp, do as I do. When I blow the trumpet, I and all who are with me, then blow the trumpets also on every side of all the camp and shout, ‘For the Lord and for Gideon.’ ” So Gideon and the hundred men who were with him came to the outskirts of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, when they had just set the watch. And they blew the trumpets and smashed the jars that were in their hands. Then the three companies blew the trumpets and broke the jars. They held in their left hands the torches, and in their right hands the trumpets to blow. And they cried out, “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!” Every man stood in his place around the camp, and all the army ran. They cried out and fled. When they blew the 300 trumpets, the Lord set every man’s sword against his comrade and against all the army. And the army fled as far as Beth-shittah toward Zererah, as far as the border of Abel-meholah, by Tabbath. And the men of Israel were called out from Naphtali and from Asher and from all Manasseh, and they pursued after Midian. Gideon sent messengers throughout all the hill country of Ephraim, saying, “Come down against the Midianites and capture the waters against them, as far as Beth-barah, and also the Jordan.” So all the men of Ephraim were called out, and they captured the waters as far as Beth-barah, and also the Jordan. And they captured the two princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb. They killed Oreb at the rock of Oreb, and Zeeb they killed at the winepress of Zeeb. Then they pursued Midian, and they brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon across the Jordan.
The people of Midian are soundly defeated because God delivered Midan into the hands of Gideon. Once the army was completely decimated Midians 2 military leaders Zebah and Zulamunna would flee. Gideon would hunt them down and kill them, thus ending the Midianite problem which had plagued Israel for so long. God would do exactly what Gideon told him he would do, and Gideon was faithful to the task. As I mentioned early there are 3 lessons regarding faith that we learn from the climax of Gideon's story. So let’s briefly discuss what those are.
We often need reassurance God realizes that Gideon isn’t comfortable with being a warrior, and that he is feeling nervous and afraid about the upcoming battle. God says to Gideon “If you're nervous about the battle, take one of your servants and go down to their camp and listen to what the men are saying.” Gideon does this and he learns one of the men had a dream where the Midianite camp was destroyed. His fellow soldiers interpreted the dream as saying “This can only mean God has given Midian into Gideons hand.” Gideon quickly learns he is guaranteed victory, and Gidoen is no longer fearful.
Do you realize what God did here, and why it’s so important? I can be easily missed, but it’s kind of a big deal. God cares about how Gideon feels. God recognizes that Gideon is feeling fear about the battle, so he gives him something that will help with the fear. God was concerned with Gideons feelings, and helping him move past his nervousness and fear was important to God. This reminds us that our feelings, concerns, and cares matter to God. 1st Peter tells us to “cast all our cares upon him, for he cares for you.” God basically tells us, if it matters to you, then it matters to me. This means our concerns regarding this pandemic, our family, our churches, and lives, matter to God and become something he regards and cares about himself.
Our enemies are never as strong as we believe. Gideon was initially intimidated by Midians army. However what Gideon did not initially realize is that Midian was as fearful of them. Gideon overhears the Midianites discussing their dreams about their upcoming battle with Israel. Gideon learns the people are fearful of Gideon and his army because they believe God has already given him victory.
Hearing your opponent speak of you in a fearful manner, it does wonders for your confidence. What do you think this did for Gideons confidence? (ILLUSTRATION: High School football game, make sure you block 66) When Gideon hears this he is filled with confidence, and more importantly he is confident in the Lord, and he gives him worship as a result.
We face many challenges as Christians. Many groups would just assume that Christianity ceased to exist. This can seem intimidating as Christians. However those who oppose Christianity are just as fearful of the gospel and its message as Christians are of those who oppose us.
If you were to do a google search of the NFL’s most hated teams, the Chiefs are currently at the top? Why? Fear. They are a threat. Notice the Carolina Panthers, who are currently a terrible football team, are extremely low.
We often hate what we fear and what threatens us. So if people come to hate or oppose Christianity, we know why. The gospel is a threat to people's lifestyle, it would require them to change. (The gates of hell will not prevail)
Our enemies will ultimately self-destruct. Why did the Midianites attack and kill one another? Misinformation and confusion. Over the years these have proven to be some of the best weapons in warfare. (ILLUSTRATION Russian Naval blunder). The gospel message is the embodiment of truth, we embrace truth as something tangible, real, and absolute. Much of the world doesn’t view truth in such a way, they view truth as relative. It sounds great on the surface. However it’s a house of cards, and without absolute truths the center will fall. Without absolute truth eventually misinformation and confusion will take over, and we’ve seen how self-destructive those traits can be.
How do we conclude this message? I want to draw us back to the first point we made. We need reassurance, and God realizes this, and he gives us reassurance. Notice the next 2 points ( Our enemies are never as strong as we believe, Our enemies will ultimately self-destruct) they are ultimately forms of reassurance, they promise the enemies of Christianity will not prevail. God gives us reassurance through the promises of Jesus. John 14:6
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Today I hope the story of Gideon gives us reassurance that we will see victory in Jesus. Let us have reassurance though blessed assurance.