SHIELD 240905 Judges 6

08/29/2024 ACCOUNTABILITY FOLLOW UP Judges 4: A: △: ▽: T:

08/22/24 Stephen Ezell: Judges 3:26 “Now Ehud escaped while they were delaying, and he passed by the graven images and escaped to Seirah.” A: Ready to act… not waiting △: unknown ▽: termination trouble T: Cierra

08/15/24 John Hanner: Judges 2:2“and as for you, you shall cut no covenant with the inhabitants of this land; you shall tear down their altars.’ But you have not listened to My voice; what is this you have done?” A: Figure out what false gods are △: Do Bible Study and prayer ▽: Kids go down wrong path T: Kids boys/daughter

08/29/2024 Tom H: Judges 5:31““Thus let all Your enemies perish, O Yahweh; But let those who love Him be like the rising of the sun in its might.” And the land was quiet for forty years.” A: Worry about the family, should worry more about himself and leave it to the Lord △: More Bible Study/Prayer/Less Complaining ▽: Frustrating to self/others T: wife

08/29/2024 Lonnie L.: Judges 4:6 “Then she sent and summoned Barak the son of Abinoam from Kedesh-naphtali and said to him, “Has not Yahweh, the God of Israel, commanded, ‘Go and march to Mount Tabor, and take with you 10,000 men from the sons of Naphtali and from the sons of Zebulun?” A: Wait for God’s commands before pursuing action but when instructed… then act △: Turn moments of uncertainty w/ in the church. Steward the kids ▽: Anxiety, stress T: Lauren

08/22/24 Lyle L.: Judges 3:16–19“And Ehud made himself a sword which had two edges, a cubit in length, and he bound it on his right thigh under his cloak. Then he brought the tribute near to Eglon king of Moab. Now Eglon was a very fat man. And it happened when he had finished bringing the tribute near, that he sent away the people who had carried the tribute. But he himself turned back from the graven images which were at Gilgal and said, “I have a secret message for you, O king.” And he said, “Keep silence.” And all who stood by him left him.” A: Continue in the faith through both good and bad times △: More involved in church - use spiritual gifts ▽: Straying from Christ T: Wife

08/29/2024 Keith Morgan: Judges 4:8 “Then Barak said to her, “If you will go with me, then I will go; but if you will not go with me, I will not go.”” A: Lose out by following her instead of leading △: Keep going to MBS ▽: Be missing out T: Eileen

08/29/2024 Mark Organ: Judges 4:21–22“Then Jael, Heber’s wife, took a tent peg and placed a hammer in her hand and went secretly to him and drove the peg into his temple, and it went through into the ground; for he was sound asleep and exhausted. So he died. Now behold, Barak was pursuing Sisera, and Jael came out to meet him and said to him, “Come, and I will show you the man whom you are seeking.” And he entered with her, and behold, Sisera was lying dead with the tent peg in his temple.” A: Can I be satisfied with deliverance if there is no glory but only shame △: If yes, focus on obeying God. If no then I am my own god, I must repent ▽: arrogant/stunted|ashamed, relieved T: Gunner (I told Rachael not Gunner)

08/29/2024 Mike Morgan: Judges 4:8–10“Then Barak said to her, “If you will go with me, then I will go; but if you will not go with me, I will not go.” So she said, “I will surely go with you; nevertheless, the honor shall not be yours on the journey that you are about to take, for Yahweh will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman.” Then Deborah arose and went with Barak to Kedesh. Then Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali together to Kedesh, and 10,000 men went up with him; Deborah also went up with him.” A:Battle with wife in intercession for community △: be specific in little things to see what God is doing ▽: Miss out on God’s will, His participation T: Julie

07/25/24 Pastor Mac: James 5:9 | 9 Do not groan, brothers, against one another, so that you yourselves may not be judged. Behold, the Judge is standing right at the door. Action: Groan Grumbling | Change: Take every thought captive | Consequence: Inability to love others | Teach: Sons

7/11/2024 Christopher: James 4:8 “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” Action: Draw nearer to God | Change: Wrestle with God | Consequence: Old me will return | Teach: Open ended

CONTEXT Judges 4-5

In Judges 4

Deborah (prophetess) and Barak (Israel’s commanding officer) - Female leadership, denial of honor

Jael killed Sisera with a tent peg through the head - Barak showed up after he was killed

In Judges 5 Israel sang about their victory over Jabin

TEXT ANALYSIS

I. Midian, Amalek and Sons of the East oppress Israel

Judges 6:1–10 | 1 Then the sons of Israel did what was evil in the eyes of Yahweh; and Yahweh gave them into the hands of Midian seven years. 2 And the power of Midian prevailed against Israel. Because of Midian the sons of Israel made for themselves the dens which were in the mountains and the caves and the strongholds. 3 And it was when Israel had sown, that the Midianites would go up with the Amalekites and the sons of the east and go up against them. 4 So they would camp against them and ruin the produce of the earth as far as Gaza and leave no sustenance in Israel as well as no sheep, ox, or donkey. 5 For they would go up with their livestock and their tents; they would come in like locusts for number, both they and their camels were innumerable; and they came into the land to make it a ruin. 6 So Israel was brought very low because of Midian, and the sons of Israel cried out to Yahweh. 7 Now it happened when the sons of Israel cried out to Yahweh on account of Midian, 8 that Yahweh sent a prophet to the sons of Israel, and he said to them, “Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, ‘It was I who brought you up from Egypt and brought you out from the house of slavery. 9 ‘I delivered you from the hands of the Egyptians and from the hands of all your oppressors and drove them out before you and gave you their land, 10 and I said to you, “I am Yahweh your God; you shall not fear the gods of the Amorites in whose land you live. But you have not listened to My voice.”

Takeaway:

The Israelites did not know Yahweh or listen to Him. To listen to Him involves believing and obeying Him.

It is almost as if the Midianites, the Amalekites and the sons of the east were waiting for them to disobey.

II. The Angel of Yahweh calls Gideon

Judges 6:11–18 | 11 Then the angel of Yahweh came and sat under the oak that was in Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite as his son Gideon was beating out wheat in the wine press in order to preserve it from the Midianites. 12 And the angel of Yahweh appeared to him and said to him, “Yahweh is with you, O mighty man of valor.” 13 Then Gideon said to him, “O my lord, if Yahweh is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His wondrous deeds which our fathers recounted to us, saying, ‘Did not Yahweh bring us up from Egypt?’ But now Yahweh has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian.” 14 Then Yahweh turned to him and said, “Go in this strength of yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian. Have I not sent you?” 15 But he said to Him, “O Lord, with what shall I save Israel? Behold, my clan is the least in Manasseh, and I am the youngest in my father’s house.” 16 But Yahweh said to him, “Surely I will be with you, and you shall strike down Midian as one man.” 17 So Gideon said to Him, “If now I have found favor in Your eyes, then do a sign for me that it is You who speak with me. 18 “Please do not depart from here until I come back to You, and I bring out my offering and lay it before You.” And He said, “I will remain until you return.”

Takeaway: Go in this your strength… go, no matter how much strength you possess.

III. Sacrifice and Destruction of Idols

Judges 6:19–32 | 19 So Gideon went in and prepared a young goat and unleavened bread from an ephah of flour; he put the meat in a basket and the broth in a pot and brought them out to him under the oak and presented them. 20 And the angel of God said to him, “Take the meat and the unleavened bread and lay them on this rock and pour out the broth.” And he did so. 21 Then the angel of Yahweh put out the end of the staff that was in his hand and touched the meat and the unleavened bread; and fire sprang up from the rock and consumed the meat and the unleavened bread. Then the angel of Yahweh went away from before his eyes. 22 And Gideon saw that he was the angel of Yahweh, so he said, “Alas, O Lord Yahweh! For now I have seen the angel of Yahweh face to face.” 23 And Yahweh said to him, “Peace to you. Do not fear; you shall not die.” 24 So Gideon built an altar there to Yahweh and named it Yahweh is Peace. To this day it is still in Ophrah of the Abiezrites. 25 Now it happened on the same night that Yahweh said to him, “Take your father’s bull and a second bull seven years old, and pull down the altar of Baal which belongs to your father, and cut down the Asherah that is beside it, 26 and build an altar to Yahweh your God on the top of this stronghold in an orderly manner, and take the second bull and offer a burnt offering with the wood of the Asherah which you shall cut down.” 27 So Gideon took ten men of his servants and did as Yahweh had spoken to him; and now it happened that because he was too afraid of his father’s household and the men of the city to do it by day, he did it by night. 28 Then the men of the city arose early in the morning, and behold, the altar of Baal was torn down, and the Asherah which was beside it was cut down, and the second bull was offered on the altar which had been built. 29 And they said to one another, “Who did this thing?” And when they searched about and inquired, they said, “Gideon the son of Joash did this thing.” 30 Then the men of the city said to Joash, “Bring out your son, that he may die, for he has torn down the altar of Baal, and indeed, he has cut down the Asherah which was beside it.” 31 But Joash said to all who stood against him, “Will you contend for Baal, or will you save him? Whoever will contend for him shall be put to death by morning. If he is a god, let him contend for himself, because someone has torn down his altar.” 32 Therefore on that day he named him Jerubbaal, that is to say, “Let Baal contend against him,” because he had torn down his altar.

Takeaway: An ephah is 21 quarts of flour. v25 God’s commands can come even in the middle of the night and when least expected and yet they must still be obeyed

IV. Seeking Signs, Prescriptive or Descriptive?

Judges 6:33–40 | 33 Now all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the sons of the east assembled themselves; and they crossed over and camped in the valley of Jezreel. 34 But the Spirit of Yahweh clothed Gideon; and he blew a trumpet, and the Abiezrites were called together to follow him. 35 And he sent messengers throughout Manasseh, and they also were called together to follow him; and he sent messengers to Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali, and they came up to meet them. 36 Then Gideon said to God, “If You will save Israel by my hand, as You have spoken, 37 behold, I will put a fleece of wool on the threshing floor. If there is dew on the fleece only, and it is dry on all the ground, then I will know that You will save Israel by my hand, as You have spoken.” 38 And it was so. Indeed he arose early the next morning and squeezed the fleece. And he drained the dew from the fleece, a bowl full of water. 39 Then Gideon said to God, “Do not let Your anger burn against me that I may speak once more; please let me make a test once more with the fleece; let it now be dry only on the fleece, and let there be dew on all the ground.” 40 And God did so that night. So it was dry only on the fleece, but dew was on all the ground.

Takeaway: Our fear of God is to supersede any other fears. Gideon is trying to escape his commission

What Does This Text Say About:

God: The Father, Son, Spirit | People: Believers/Unbelievers

My attitude or behavior - What is the Holy Spirit convicting me about

What is one change that I can make | What is a consequence of not making the change

Who can I teach?

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