Gideons Victory & God's Compassion

Sir,” Gideon replied, “if the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us? And where are all the miracles our ancestors told us about? Didn’t they say, ‘The LORD brought us up out of Egypt’? But now the LORD has abandoned us and handed us over to the Midianites.”

God is about to give Gideon and us, a lesson about how these miraculous events come about through God’s power - not man’s ability.

And how merciful and patient and gracious God is to us in our weakness

God is very accommodating of Gideon’s weaknesses and fear

the angel has to prove to Gideon that he is an angel

Then God has to prove he is going to do what he says he will with two fleeces

Then God deliberately pushes Gideon’s fear buttons

Why? Because God knew there was fear instead of faith in him still

New Living Translation Chapter 7

So Jerub-baal (that is, Gideon) and his army got up early and went as far as the spring of Harod. The armies of Midian were camped north of them in the valley near the hill of Moreh. 2 The LORD said to Gideon, “You have too many warriors with you. If I let all of you fight the Midianites, the Israelites will boast to me that they saved themselves by their own strength. 3 Therefore, tell the people, ‘Whoever is timid or afraid may leave this mountain and go home.’ ” So 22,000 of them went home, leaving only 10,000 who were willing to fight.

This is an Old Testament directive in the Mosaic law

Deuteronomy 20:8 NLT

“Then the officers will also say, ‘Is anyone here afraid or worried? If you are, you may go home before you frighten anyone else.’

Imagine what Gideon was thinking when he saw that happen!

22,000 were frightened enough to leave

Now Gideon only has 10,000

Meanwhile his enemies were described this way

Judges 7:12 NLT

The armies of Midian, Amalek, and the people of the east had settled in the valley like a swarm of locusts. Their camels were like grains of sand on the seashore—too many to count!

Picture Gideon’s state at this point?

Fear

Wanting to run

I don’t have what I need to win - survive

But he stays in the game, he does not give up

Then God says:

Judges 7:4–7 NLT

But the Lord told Gideon, “There are still too many! Bring them down to the spring, and I will test them to determine who will go with you and who will not.” When Gideon took his warriors down to the water, the Lord told him, “Divide the men into two groups. In one group put all those who cup water in their hands and lap it up with their tongues like dogs. In the other group put all those who kneel down and drink with their mouths in the stream.” Only 300 of the men drank from their hands. All the others got down on their knees and drank with their mouths in the stream. The Lord told Gideon, “With these 300 men I will rescue you and give you victory over the Midianites. Send all the others home.”

Gideon must have been in a state!

Think of the bravery of the 300 men who did not run for their lives back home!?

Why would God decrease Gideon's natural ability?

Judges 7:2 NLT

The Lord said to Gideon, “You have too many warriors with you. If I let all of you fight the Midianites, the Israelites will boast to me that they saved themselves by their own strength.

Or as one commentator put it

Opening Up Judges Too Many Men (7:1–8)

There will often be times when God strips away the things or the people we lean on and brings us into situations in which we become very aware of our weaknesses. This makes us more dependent upon him

This is never an easy place

Was Gideon still scared?

Judges 7:9–11 NLT

That night the Lord said, “Get up! Go down into the Midianite camp, for I have given you victory over them! But if you are afraid to attack, go down to the camp with your servant Purah. Listen to what the Midianites are saying, and you will be greatly encouraged. Then you will be eager to attack.” So Gideon took Purah and went down to the edge of the enemy camp.

Again we see God catering to Gideon’s fear- not criticizing him for it

God actually makes a provision for Gideon’s fear -Purah

Your servant Purah - Gideon’s armour bearer (protection for Gideon)

God wants to encourage us in our fear - not disqualify us for it

God wants to build up your faith - not criticize you for how small your faith is

How does God encourage Gideon’s faith?

Judges 7:13–15 NLT

Gideon crept up just as a man was telling his companion about a dream. The man said, “I had this dream, and in my dream a loaf of barley bread came tumbling down into the Midianite camp. It hit a tent, turned it over, and knocked it flat!” His companion answered, “Your dream can mean only one thing—God has given Gideon son of Joash, the Israelite, victory over Midian and all its allies!” When Gideon heard the dream and its interpretation, he bowed in worship before the Lord. Then he returned to the Israelite camp and shouted, “Get up! For the Lord has given you victory over the Midianite hordes!”

God orchestrated that these two people who just happened to be within Gideon’s earshot were coincidentally talking about a dream they had.

Meaning of the dream:

Barley was the food of poor peasants (the starving Israelites)

Tents represented the bedouin tents of the Midianites

This final encouragement towards faith from God did it !

Gideon finally was convinced !

Gideon then did something very important -

He bowed and worshiped God

The Victory

Gideon tricks them into thinking there are more than 300

God intervened and routed the enemy for Gideon !

Summary:

Hebrews 4:14–16 NLT

So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

Psalm 103:14 NLT

For he knows how weak we are; he remembers we are only dust.

Psalm 78:39 NLT

For he remembered that they were merely mortal, gone like a breath of wind that never returns.

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Gideons Victory & God's Compassion

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