Gideon

Inspirational

Hebrews 11:32–34 ESV

32 And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets— 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.

Jephthat- Jeff-thah

Remember this very important statement.

Judges 6:1 ESV

1 The people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord gave them into the hand of Midian seven years.

Judges 6:8–10 ESV

8 the Lord sent a prophet to the people of Israel. And he said to them, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: I led you up from Egypt and brought you out of the house of slavery. 9 And I delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of all who oppressed you, and drove them out before you and gave you their land. 10 And I said to you, ‘I am the Lord your God; you shall not fear the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell.’ But you have not obeyed my voice.”

I want to introduce a common cry the people of Israel; lifted up to God.

A cry for help while never taking time to evaluate their walk of Faith!

Judges 6:11 ESV

11 Now the angel of the Lord came and sat under the terebinth at Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, while his son Gideon was beating out wheat in the winepress to hide it from the Midianites.

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible Chapter 6

He appeared in the character and equipments of a traveller (

Dictionary of the Bible Angel of the Lord (Jahweh)

ANGEL OF THE LORD (JAHWEH), called also the ‘Angel of God.’—He occupies a special and unique position; he is not merely one among the angels, albeit a great one, but one sui generis, in a special way Jahweh’s representative among men. He may be regarded as in some sense the guardian-angel of the nation of Israel, in that he appears to be the nation’s representative at important crises

In this passage this Angel is regarded as Yahweh Himself.

Judges 6:12–18 ESV

12 And the angel of the Lord appeared to him and said to him, “The Lord is with you, O mighty man of valor.” 13 And Gideon said to him, “Please, my lord, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all his wonderful deeds that our fathers recounted to us, saying, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the Lord has forsaken us and given us into the hand of Midian.” 14 And the Lord turned to him and said, “Go in this might of yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian; do not I send you?” 15 And he said to him, “Please, Lord, how can I save Israel? Behold, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.” 16 And the Lord said to him, “But I will be with you, and you shall strike the Midianites as one man.” 17 And he said to him, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, then show me a sign that it is you who speak with me. 18 Please do not depart from here until I come to you and bring out my present and set it before you.” And he said, “I will stay till you return.”

Think about this an Angel of the Lord shows up and sits under the tree you are hiding under trying to feed your family and starts a conversation with you !

Your first statement is where is GOD???

Have you ever felt like Gideon?

Why is it we question God’s faithfulness while we are the ones being unfaithful?

Gideon had a meal prepared for his guest and a portion was always prepared for the guest to travel with.

Judges 6:20–22 ESV

20 And the angel of God said to him, “Take the meat and the unleavened cakes, and put them on this rock, and pour the broth over them.” And he did so. 21 Then the angel of the Lord reached out the tip of the staff that was in his hand and touched the meat and the unleavened cakes. And fire sprang up from the rock and consumed the meat and the unleavened cakes. And the angel of the Lord vanished from his sight. 22 Then Gideon perceived that he was the angel of the Lord. And Gideon said, “Alas, O Lord God! For now I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face.”

Would this get your attention?

Would this compel you to listen to whatever instructions that might come next?

Would you obey that instruction even if led to a public outcry for your death?

Find a picture of stoning

Judges 6:23 ESV

23 But the Lord said to him, “Peace be to you. Do not fear; you shall not die.”

Lets be honest when God tells you this, you have to immediately think why did he say I would not die??

Many of us would be like hold up just a minute, don’t fear means i shoud fear!

Judges 6:24–27 ESV

24 Then Gideon built an altar there to the Lord and called it, The Lord Is Peace. To this day it still stands at Ophrah, which belongs to the Abiezrites. 25 That night the Lord said to him, “Take your father’s bull, and the second bull seven years old, and pull down the altar of Baal that your father has, and cut down the Asherah that is beside it 26 and build an altar to the Lord your God on the top of the stronghold here, with stones laid in due order. Then take the second bull and offer it as a burnt offering with the wood of the Asherah that you shall cut down.” 27 So Gideon took ten men of his servants and did as the Lord had told him. But because he was too afraid of his family and the men of the town to do it by day, he did it by night.

Understand there is a serious lack of good livestock left in the land! And then God tells you to tear down the families place of worship and KILL his bull!

Remember what the Lord told Gideon, Oh yeah don’t fear you will not die!

So why where the people of Israel suffering?

Throughout the Word of God we see people crying out for deliverance; asking where are you God?

If we are your people, then why have you forsaking us?

It is not until we are willing to hear from God as to why we are in the mess we are in; that God speaks to our sins.

If you knew that any of the following might take place?

Judges 6:28–32 ESV

28 When the men of the town rose early in the morning, behold, the altar of Baal was broken down, and the Asherah beside it was cut down, and the second bull was offered on the altar that had been built. 29 And they said to one another, “Who has done this thing?” And after they had searched and inquired, they said, “Gideon the son of Joash has done this thing.” 30 Then the men of the town said to Joash, “Bring out your son, that he may die, for he has broken down the altar of Baal and cut down the Asherah beside it.” 31 But Joash said to all who stood against him, “Will you contend for Baal? Or will you save him? Whoever contends for him shall be put to death by morning. If he is a god, let him contend for himself, because his altar has been broken down.” 32 Therefore on that day Gideon was called Jerubbaal, that is to say, “Let Baal contend against him,” because he broke down his altar.

Would you still answer the Call?

I want us to see and understand all of these people listed here in Hebrews 11 had real lives. Many struggled with answering the Call.

Some answered the Call yet stumbled along the way.

And some lost their lives answering the call….

As we get into this series I have titled “Inspirational” I want to challenge your comfortability, your predictive lifestyles and maybe even your complacency.

For one purpose; would you answer the Call if God came knocking???

With the intent to use you to deliver His people out of torment and from their sins; at the risk of Stoning, being burnt alive, or imprisoned.

Philippians 3:14–15 ESV

14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you.

Would you answer the CALL??