The Fear of Greatness (Judges 6:11-14)

Gideon The Fear of Greatness

King James Version Chapter 6

And it came to pass the same night, that the LORD said unto him, Take thy father’s young bullock, even the second bullock of seven years old, and throw down the altar of Baal that thy father hath, and cut down the grove that is by it: 26 And build an altar unto the LORD thy God upon the top of this rock, in the ordered place, and take the second bullock, and offer a burnt sacrifice with the wood of the grove which thou shalt cut down. 27 Then Gideon took ten men of his servants, and did as the LORD had said unto him: and so it was, because he feared his father’s household, and the men of the city, that he could not do it by day, that he did it by night. 28 And when the men of the city arose early in the morning, behold, the altar of Baal was cast down, and the grove was cut down that was by it, and the second bullock was offered upon the altar that was built. 29 And they said one to another, Who hath done this thing? And when they inquired and asked, they said, Gideon the son of Joash hath done this thing.

Intro

When I was a young child, my parents would tell me not to open sure things in the house. I was not allowed to go into my parent's room unless they were there. So you know what happens when they leave to go somewhere. Do you know what happens? I would go into their room and open my Father's draws, and for some reason, I decided to open and put on some of his smell good, but for some strange reason, I dropped the bottle and spilled it ever were. I attempted to clean it up, but I ran out of time to do a perfect job because my parents returned earlier than I had expected. My dad went straight to his room, and he never went directly to his room; why today? As soon as he goes into the room, I was called to his room and asked, Did you go into my room and who spilled my smell good. Saints, this was the moment of truth

We all have these moments of truths to be obedient or disobedient to our Father's instructions and guides. So do we take the right way and pass the test of do we do it our way,

Text:

Gideon will have many such moments of truth in v.25, and The Lord instructed Gideon what told to go and destroy the Idol the was erected in the High Place and the Ashra Pole standing beside it.

The Idole called XXX; it was the Idol that the Israelites reacted because of the enemy because this was their god, the god of rain, for, without rain, Isreal life in their mind could not be sustained; The Asher pole reperstened fertility. I find it interesting that the children of God would allow themselves to please their enemies rather than the God the is their provider, their protectors.

2. How often will we believe our enemies seeking validation and approval from false favors, a false sense of security that worships the only living true God. But that is where we find God's people looking for power from powerless sources.

I want to point out that Gideon obeys the instruction of the Lord but with a small devotion. He destroys the Idol and pole as instructed but at night with ten of his servants.

I am sure Gideon is saying to himself, I did it, but God did not say when or what time to destroy the Idol. Now did he.

Many of you know that a commander gives instruction in the military. Still, within those instructions, there is a hidden command that is called Implied intent. Did God mean for Gideon to do this at night, or was he denial that What God intended was that he do this when all of Israel could wittiness the power of the Lord.

For Gideon is doubt was not going to be his deliverance from his fear,

Why do we, to this day, cut God's instructions to us short? Why do we question the commands of God over the desires of our enemy's our very flesh that drives us to the comfortable place?

V.27 tells us that Gideon feared his Father Joash because he was the same person that allowed the Idol to be placed there in the first place. In his mind, he did not want to Spill the Smell Good; Gideon feared what man could do to him more so than what the God that brought them Isreal out of Egypt.

We like our life fearing what the place can do, what our friends will say, what the people in our church, what people on our job will do but, We do not Fear The very one that had provided for us before we were conceived before we were even in the womb.

Gideon said in his mind, What if the people kill me for what I have done. So I will destroy the Idol hoping I will not offend anyone. Sure they will not believe me the least of my family that the Lord commanded me Sent Me to destroy this false god. Sure My family will not think that I have seen the Lord and Live; these people will not believe that I have changed and the God of Heaven has sent Me (Gideon to deliver them from our enemies.

We are in a time that no one will believe that the Lord will use the weak and the helpless to deliver lead his people. But that is precisely what he is doing in 2021. "I send You" means the very people called his church his Kingdom.

3. Will in v.29 The following day, the people of his community, the ones awake to a dead god, fear grips their sinful hearts; who has done this. Gideon destroyed the idols, but he erected resorted the alter to YHWA, a sacrifice Gideon overcame fear by worshiping, Gideon whip-shipped all night.

When we stop denying that we are nothing without the Lord, then we will be delivered from fear; we worship.

4. The people are about to stone Gideon. Still, in v30, the Father steps in the Father make the statement if The false god is so powerful, then let him defend himself, Or better He who is without sin, let him cast the first stone.

Closing

God is testing Gideon, and we see a pattern that we should all take note of, 1) was the call, then the command "I send You" and then obedience to the call and command, Then there will be worship, then the test of faithfulness and lastly deliverance. What part do you find yourself? I send You.