El Dios Que Pelea Nuestras Batallas / The God Who Fights Our Battles
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Introduction
Introduction
We live in very perilous times. We live in times of great conflict.
According to the Global Conflict Tracker there are at least 11 armed conflicts around the world that have a direct effect on U.S. interests:
Instability in Egypt
The civil war in Libya
Criminal violence in Mexico
Who eventually succeeds in these types of armed conflicts?
The country with the largest military?
The country with the latest weapons and technology?
The country with the most money?
The country with the most oil reserves?
It would be absolutely incredible to think that a small insignificant, or third world country, would be able to succeed in armed conflict against the United States. It does not make sense!
In our journey through the Bible we come to where we see how God himself fought for his people Israel. We learn about:
Gideon - God’s judge
Gideon’s army
God’s strategy
Godeon’s victory
I. Gideon - God’s chosen leader / Gedeón - El líder escogido por Dios
I. Gideon - God’s chosen leader / Gedeón - El líder escogido por Dios
I. Gedeón - El líder escogido por Dios
I. Gedeón - El líder escogido por Dios
We first encounter Gideon in as he was visited by the angel of the Lord as Gideon was threshing wheat:
The angel of the Lord came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites.
El ángel del Señor vino y se sentó bajo la encina que estaba en Ofra, la cual pertenecía a Joás, del clan de Abiezer. Su hijo Gedeón estaba trillando trigo en un lagar, para protegerlo de los madianitas.
When the angel of the Lord came to him, the people of God had been living under the impression of the Midianites.
The Midianites had been destroying God’s people’s crops. They were attempting to overcome the people of God by possibly starving them to death.
Gideon hears the angel call him and he replies:
“Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our ancestors told us about when they said, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up out of Egypt?’ But now the Lord has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian.”
The Lord turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?”
Judges 6.13
—Pero, señor—replicó Gedeón—, si el Señor está con nosotros, ¿cómo es que nos sucede todo esto? ¿Dónde están todas las maravillas que nos contaban nuestros padres, cuando decían: “¡El Señor nos sacó de Egipto!”? ¡La verdad es que el Señor nos ha desamparado y nos ha entregado en manos de Madián!
El Señor lo encaró y le dijo:
—Ve con la fuerza que tienes, y salvarás a Israel del poder de Madián. Yo soy quien te envía.
Gideon cries out to the angel because he knows God, in years past, had intervened on behalf of his people - but now the people feel abandoned by him.
They feel God has left them and given them over into the hands of Midian.
Nevertheless, the angel informs Gideon that he has been chosen by the Lord to save the people of God from their oppressors.
Gideon was not a great warrior. In fact, he was the last person we would expect to be the commander of a great army:
“Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.”
The Lord answered, “I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites, leaving none alive.”
—Pero, Señor—objetó Gedeón—, ¿cómo voy a salvar a Israel? Mi clan es el más débil de la tribu de Manasés, y yo soy el más insignificante de mi familia.
El Señor respondió:
—Tú derrotarás a los madianitas como si fueran un solo hombre, porque yo estaré contigo.
Judges 6:
Gideon had received assurance from the Lord that he would be with him!
Gideon was not a man of great courage, he was not a man of great strength, but he had a great God who promised to be with him. God would be with his servant Gideon.
Gideon would not go alone - the Lord was with him.
It is now Gideon’s job to gather up an army to fight against the Midianites.
II. El ejército de Gedeón
II. El ejército de Gedeón
II. Gideon’s army / El ejército de Gedeón
II. Gideon’s army / El ejército de Gedeón
Although Gideon was not a great commander, somehow he was able to gather a large army.
Early in the morning, Jerub-Baal (that is, Gideon) and all his men camped at the spring of Harod. The camp of Midian was north of them in the valley near the hill of Moreh. The Lord said to Gideon, “You have too many men. I cannot deliver Midian into their hands, or Israel would boast against me, ‘My own strength has saved me.’
Early in the morning, Jerub-Baal (that is, Gideon) and all his men camped at the spring of Harod. The camp of Midian was north of them in the valley near the hill of Moreh.
Early in the morning, Jerub-Baal (that is, Gideon) and all his men camped at the spring of Harod. The camp of Midian was north of them in the valley near the hill of Moreh. The Lord said to Gideon, “You have too many men. I cannot deliver Midian into their hands, or Israel would boast against me, ‘My own strength has saved me.’
Judges 7:1-2
Apparently God sees the army that Gideon has gathered and determines that it is too large!
God thinks Gideon’s army is too large? Well, how large was the Midianite army?
The Midianites, the Amalekites and all the other eastern peoples had settled in the valley, thick as locusts. Their camels could no more be counted than the sand on the seashore.
Judges 7:
Los madianitas, los amalecitas y todos los otros pueblos del oriente que se habían establecido en el valle eran numerosos como langostas. Sus camellos eran incontables, como la arena a la orilla del mar.
Notice the great number of enemy soldiers. Their number was so large that it could barely be counted.
What was God about to do?
What was God trying to accomplish?
III. God’s strategy / La estrategia de Dios
III. God’s strategy / La estrategia de Dios
III. La estrategia de Dios
III. La estrategia de Dios
God reveals his clear purpose in verse 2.
The Lord said to Gideon, “You have too many men. I cannot deliver Midian into their hands, or Israel would boast against me, ‘My own strength has saved me.’
The Lord said to Gideon, “You have too many men. I cannot deliver Midian into their hands, or Israel would boast against me, ‘My own strength has saved me.’
God wants to make it clear that it is not Gideon and his strength, it is not Gideon and his great army, it is not their weaponry or their chariots - that will give them the victory!
God will demonstrate that it is by his power that they will ultimately be victorious.
They will be saved, not because of their great number or strength, but will be saved by God’s might!
Gideon must reduce the number of his soldiers.
God’s first strategy to reduce the number of soldiers is for Gideon to allow all who are fearful to return to their homes.
Now announce to the army, ‘Anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.’ ” So twenty-two thousand men left, while ten thousand remained.
anúnciale ahora al pueblo: “¡Cualquiera que esté temblando de miedo, que se vuelva y se retire del monte de Galaad!” » Así que se volvieron veintidós mil hombres, y se quedaron diez mil.
Judges 7:3
Gideon’s army has just been reduced 22,000 men. He is now left with only 10,000.
This means that Gideon’s army was originally 32,000 men of war.
He has now lost more than half of his original army.
How could he possibly fight an army that cannot be counted with only 10,000 men? Well, at least he has 10,000 men!
But God is not allow Gideon to fight with 10,000. He must continue to reduce the size of his army.
But the Lord said to Gideon, “There are still too many men. Take them down to the water, and I will thin them out for you there. If I say, ‘This one shall go with you,’ he shall go; but if I say, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ he shall not go.”
So Gideon took the men down to the water. There the Lord told him, “Separate those who lap the water with their tongues as a dog laps from those who kneel down to drink.” Three hundred of them drank from cupped hands, lapping like dogs. All the rest got down on their knees to drink.
The Lord said to Gideon, “With the three hundred men that lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hands. Let all the others go home.”
Judges 7:4
Pero el Señor le dijo a Gedeón: «Todavía hay demasiada gente. Hazlos bajar al agua, y allí los seleccionaré por ti. Si digo: “Éste irá contigo”, ése irá; pero si digo: “Éste no irá contigo”, ése no irá.»
Gedeón hizo que los hombres bajaran al agua. Allí el Señor le dijo: «A los que laman el agua con la lengua, como los perros, sepáralos de los que se arrodillen a beber.»
Trescientos hombres lamieron el agua llevándola de la mano a la boca. Todos los demás se arrodillaron para beber. El Señor le dijo a Gedeón: «Con los trescientos hombres que lamieron el agua, yo los salvaré; y entregaré a los madianitas en tus manos. El resto, que se vaya a su casa.»
God tells Gideon to take his army to drink water.
God tells Gideon to observe those that kneel down drink water vs those that bring the water up to their mouths.
Gideon observes them. 9,700 men kneel down to drink water. Surely, they will be his army!
However, that is not God’s will. God tells him that the 300 that bring the water up to their mouths - will be his new army! He must not go out with more than 300. The Lord has spoken and he must obey!
IV. La victoria de Gedeón
IV. La victoria de Gedeón
IV. Gideon’s victory / La victoria de Gedeón
IV. Gideon’s victory / La victoria de Gedeón
God, who knows all things, knows that Gideon is fearful! For this reason he grants him to go into the enemy’s territory and listen in on a conversation.
If you are afraid to attack, go down to the camp with your servant Purah and listen to what they are saying. Afterward, you will be encouraged to attack the camp.” So he and Purah his servant went down to the outposts of the camp.
If you are afraid to attack, go down to the camp with your servant Purah
Si temes atacar, baja primero al campamento, con tu criado Furá, y escucha lo que digan. Después de eso cobrarás valor para atacar el campamento.»
Así que él y Furá, su criado, bajaron hasta los puestos de los centinelas, en las afueras del campamento.
What Gideon hears is absolutely astonishing.
Gideon arrived just as a man was telling a friend his dream. “I had a dream,” he was saying. “A round loaf of barley bread came tumbling into the Midianite camp. It struck the tent with such force that the tent overturned and collapsed.”
His friend responded, “This can be nothing other than the sword of Gideon son of Joash, the Israelite. God has given the Midianites and the whole camp into his hands.”
Gedeón llegó precisamente en el momento en que un hombre le contaba su sueño a un amigo.
—Tuve un sueño—decía—, en el que un pan de cebada llegaba rodando al campamento madianita, y con tal fuerza golpeaba una carpa que ésta se volteaba y se venía abajo.
Su amigo le respondió:
—Esto no significa otra cosa que la espada del israelita Gedeón hijo de Joás. ¡Dios ha entregado en sus manos a los madianitas y a todo el campamento!
Judges 7:13-
Someone has had a dream! The enemy is afraid! They know God will give Gideon the victory.
This energizes Gideon. He knows that the Lord is on their side!
Gideon promptly divides the people into groups three groups of 100 men each.
They each have a trumpet (ram’s horn), a sword, and a clay pot with which they are covering a torch.
The plan is that when he gives the sign, his men, his 300 men, will break the clay pots, they will blow the horns, and have victory over their enemies.
The Bible gives us a dramatic recounting of the battle:
Gideon and the hundred men with him reached the edge of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, just after they had changed the guard. They blew their trumpets and broke the jars that were in their hands. The three companies blew the trumpets and smashed the jars. Grasping the torches in their left hands and holding in their right hands the trumpets they were to blow, they shouted, “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!” While each man held his position around the camp, all the Midianites ran, crying out as they fled.
Gedeón y los cien hombres que iban con él llegaron a las afueras del campamento durante el cambio de guardia, cuando estaba por comenzar el relevo de medianoche. Tocaron las trompetas y estrellaron contra el suelo los cántaros que llevaban en sus manos. Las tres compañías tocaron las trompetas e hicieron pedazos los cántaros. Tomaron las antorchas en la mano izquierda y, sosteniendo en la mano derecha las trompetas que iban a tocar, gritaron: «¡Desenvainen sus espadas, por el Señor y por Gedeón!» Como cada hombre se mantuvo en su puesto alrededor del campamento, todos los madianitas salieron corriendo y dando alaridos mientras huían.
Judges 7:19-
The Midianites are absolutely confused. They cannot believe what’s going on.
The Midianites are frightened by the sounds of the trumpets, they are startled by the torches in their midst, it is utter chaos - they are so confused that they start to kill each other.
When the three hundred trumpets sounded, the Lord caused the men throughout the camp to turn on each other with their swords. The army fled to Beth Shittah toward Zererah as far as the border of Abel Meholah near Tabbath.
Al sonar las trescientas trompetas, el Señor hizo que los hombres de todo el campamento se atacaran entre sí con sus espadas. El ejército huyó hasta Bet Sitá, en dirección a Zererá, hasta la frontera de Abel Mejolá, cerca de Tabat.
The final battle scene is seen in verse 25.
They also captured two of the Midianite leaders, Oreb and Zeeb. They killed Oreb at the rock of Oreb, and Zeeb at the winepress of Zeeb. They pursued the Midianites and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon, who was by the Jordan.
También capturaron a Oreb y Zeb, los dos jefes madianitas. A Oreb lo mataron en la roca de Oreb, y a Zeb en el lagar de Zeb. Luego de perseguir a los madianitas, llevaron la cabeza de Oreb y de Zeb a Gedeón, que estaba al otro lado del Jordán.
Conclusion
Conclusion
What is it that God wants to teach us?
This should bring to our mind that marvelous verse from Zechariah 4:6
So he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty.
Así que el ángel me dijo: «Ésta es la palabra del Señor para Zorobabel:
» “No será por la fuerza
ni por ningún poder,
sino por mi Espíritu
—dice el Señor Todopoderoso—.
Zach 4.6
God will not have victory by the power of men!
God will not deliver his people because they are powerful people!
God will act by his own power for the salvation of his people.,
God demonstrated that it is by his power and Spirit that he will redeem humanity!
God does not require great wisdom in his people!
God does not require great numbers to accomplish his purposes.
Just imagine how God brought about the spread of his Gospel in the early church!
He accomplished by the preaching of simple fisherman!
God did not the wisest and most powerful men. He used simple fisherman to make even the governors of this world tremble with fear.
God uses simple congregations.
God uses simple people.
God uses even sinful, imperfect people, to bring men and women to salvation!
Just imagine how God can use even the most imperfect Christian to bring one person to the knowledge of the truth.
Ultimately it is God that receives the glory for it is by his power that people are saved, that people are restored, that people are transformed through the simple preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ - and in the end it is God and God alone that receives all the glory!