Who Knew

This is an encouragement for those who have been standing in the gap.

This is an encouragement for those of you who are still keeping watch and are seeking.

This for those who are trusting God not their own strength yet they keep doing their part.

Judges 6:11 NASB95

11 Then the angel of the Lord 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 save it from the Midianites.

Judges 6:12 NASB95

12 The angel of the Lord appeared to him and said to him, “The Lord is with you, O valiant warrior.”

Judges 6:34 NASB95

34 So the Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon; and he blew a trumpet, and the Abiezrites were called together to follow him.

Judges 7:13–15 NASB95

13 When Gideon came, behold, a man was relating a dream to his friend. And he said, “Behold, I had a dream; a loaf of barley bread was tumbling into the camp of Midian, and it came to the tent and struck it so that it fell, and turned it upside down so that the tent lay flat.” 14 His friend replied, “This is nothing less than the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel; God has given Midian and all the camp into his hand.” 15 When Gideon heard the account of the dream and its interpretation, he bowed in worship. He returned to the camp of Israel and said, “Arise, for the Lord has given the camp of Midian into your hands.”

God gave dreams to their enemy to encourage Gideon.

Jerubbaal = “let Baal contend”

Gideon = “hewer”

Gideon = “Valiant Warrior”

Baal = owner or lord

Asherah = groves or goddess

Values:

Gideon was doing something for others

Gideon was named O Valiant Warrior

Gideon took down the idles

Gideon rallied others to join the cause.

Gideon heard God and responded one step at a time.

Gideon took with him who God said to only and those were the ones who keep watch and seek.

Gideon trusted God more than his own strength.

Values

Doing things for others

Receive your God given name

Take down the idles in your life and help other do the same

Hear God and respond one step at a time, continue to hear God and respond

Be ones who continue to keep watch and continue to seek.

Trust God’s ability to win.

The story of Gideon articulates many values that we know God is leading us to become core values of the family of God.

Who Knew that Gideon really was the Valiant Warrior that God saw him to be.

Who Knew that Gideon would move from providing a meal for some to freeing everyone.

Who Knew that Gideon would learn to trust God in dealing with what scares his people the most.

Activation:

Who could use some encouragement in your life?

Ask Holy Spirit to highlight someone who reminds you of Gideon to reach out to encourage.

Gideon

Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon 1439 גִּדְעֹון

1439 גִּדְעֹון [Gidʿown /ghid·ohn/] n pr m. From 1438; TWOT 316a; GK 1549; 39 occurrences; AV translates as “Gideon” 39 times. 1 youngest son of Joash of the Abiezrites, fifth judge of Israel who led the Israelites against the Midianites. Additional Information: Gideon = “hewer”.

Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon 1438 גָּדַע

1438 גָּדַע [gadaʿ /gaw·dah/] v. A primitive root; TWOT 316; GK 1548; 23 occurrences; AV translates as “… down” 11 times, “cut off” seven times, “asunder” three times, and “cut in sunder” twice. 1 to cut, hew, chop, cut down, hew down, hew off, cut off, cut in two, shave off. 1A (Qal) to hew, chop in two. 1B (Niphal) to be chopped off, be hewn off. 1C (Piel) to cut off or down in two, hew off or down in two. 1D (Pual) to chop down, hew down.

Jerubbaal

Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon 3378 יְרֻבַּעַל

3378 יְרֻבַּעַל [Yârubbaʿal /yer·oob·bah·al/] n pr m. From 7378 and 1168; GK 3715; 14 occurrences; AV translates as “Jerubbaal” 14 times. 1 name given to Gideon by his father when he destroyed the altar of Baal. Additional Information: Jerubbaal = “let Baal contend”.

Baal

Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon 1167 בָּעַל, בַּעַל

1167 בָּעַל, בַּעַל [baʿal /bah·al/] n m. From 1166; TWOT 262a; GK 1250 and 1251; 82 occurrences; AV translates as “man” 25 times, “owner” 14 times, “husband” 11 times, “have” seven times, “master” five times, “man given” twice, “adversary” once, “archers” once, “babbler + 3956” once, “bird + 3671” once, “captain” once, “confederate + 1285” once, and translated miscellaneously 12 times. 1 owner, husband, lord. 1A owner. 1B a husband. 1C citizens, inhabitants. 1D rulers, lords. 1E (noun of relationship used to characterise—ie, master of dreams). 1F lord (used of foreign gods).

Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon 1166 בְּעוּלָה, בָּעַל

1166 בְּעוּלָה, בָּעַל [baʿal /baw·al/] v. A primitive root; TWOT 262; GK 1241 and 1249; 16 occurrences; AV translates as “marry” eight times, “husband” three times, “dominion” twice, “wife” once, “married wife” once, and “Beulah” once. 1 to marry, rule over, possess, own. 1A (Qal). 1A1 to marry, be lord (husband) over. 1A2 to rule over. 1B (Niphal) to be married.

Asherah

Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon 842 אֲשֵׁרָה

842 אֲשֵׁרָה [ʾasherah, ʾasheyrah /ash·ay·raw/] n pr f. From 833; TWOT 183h; GK 895; 40 occurrences; AV translates as “grove” 40 times. 1 a Babylonian (Astarte)-Canaanite goddess (of fortune and happiness), the supposed consort of Baal, her images. 1A the goddess, goddesses. 1B her images. 1C sacred trees or poles set up near an altar. Additional Information: Ashera(h) = “groves (for idol worship)”.