MORE THAN THE ENEMY
Judges 7:3-4, 13-15, 8:22-25
SEE THE MAN, HELP HIM WITH HIS PROBLEMS
It would be good to walk in a man’s shoes before complaining about
His behavior. The Israelites had a habit of rejecting the true Living
God when life was good. In disobedience, they worshipped
the idol gods of Baal and Asherah
God had a habit of punishing them by allowing
The enemy of the promised land to oppress them. When the Israelites
Couldn’t stand the oppression, they cried out to God, who gave them
Relief.
This time, the Midianites and the other inhabitants of the land had
Devoured their crops and livestock for seven years leaving them with
Little to survive on. The Israelites cried out to God for help and He called
Gideon to be their savior.
GOD CALLS THE OBEDIENT, NOT THE STRONG
Gideon was the youngest son in his family in the smallest tribe of Israel. He was hard At work threshing grain in the wine press out of the sight of the Midianites When he was visited by an angel of the Lord. God does not choose the Strongest or the wisest men for His missions. He calls the ones that are Obedient to His Commands.
Gideon understood the seriousness of the call, so he prepared an offering
For the Angel which was consumed by fire. The Angel assured Gideon
Of his success against Midianite.
Gideon was a righteous man but had little faith. He wanted to be sure that
The message was from God. He laid a fleece on the ground at night and asked the Angel to allow the morning dew to wet the fleece, but keep the
Ground dry. The second test was to allow the dew to make the ground
Wet, but the fleece was dry. Gideon accepted this as proof that the angel's message was a call by God to lead Israel into war against the Midianites.
The faith of a mustard seed can move mountains.
When we look at Israel’s pattern we should see ourselves. How often have
We ignored God’s commands and followed our own desires. It is when we
Face trials and tribulations, we are moved to get serious about prayer and call on God. It is when trouble is at our door and there is no way out that We call on the Lord. Disobedience brings trouble. And trouble opens
Our eyes to God. Because we have been chosen by God, His mercy
Allows Him to hear our cries.
Gideon accepted the charge and called the men of several tribes
To battle.
GOD WILL GIVE YOU RIGHT HELP FOR SUCCESS
Judges 7:1-5
V:7.1 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. 2 The Lord said to Gideon, "You have too many men for me to deliver Midian into their hands. In order that Israel may not boast against me that her own strength has saved her, 3 announce now to the people, 'Anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.'" So twenty-two thousand men left, while ten thousand remained.
The men of Gideon’s tribe gave him the name Jerub-Baal after he tore
Down the idol altar of Baal and the pole of Asherah. The name means
Let Baal plead. The Israelites had to plead to God because they worshipped Baal in their disobedience.
Because the worshippers of Baal would have prevented the destruction
Of their Baal altar, Gideon tore down their altar and built an altar for God using their material during the night.
Gideon was commanded to make a burnt Offering to the Lord. Gideon reverenced the Lord with his offering and was sanctified for the battle.
God will equip us to serve before He puts us in service. First God established communication with Gideon through the angel. Second,
He prepared the heart of Gideon to serve by reestablishing the offering at the altar. Third He encouraged Gideon to serve with the promise of success. Fourth, God prepared the Heart of the Israelites to serve with him. Fifth, God gave Gideon the strategy for success in battle.
The men of his tribe who worshipped Baal wanted to kill Gideon. One of the men of the tribe inspired by Gideon’s boldness spoke up and asked are you taking sides with Baal? If he is really a god, he will kill Gideon.
Notice Israel cried out to God for help but wanted to hold onto their
altar of Baal. You cannot have God and the world. Among disobedient people, God always has one who will speak for Him.
One of the men in the family spoke up for Baal’s power which was no
Power at all.
Before you can expect God to help, you must clean up your act.
By tearing down the altar of Baal and building the altar for the Lord,
Gideon showed his tribe they needed to restore their worship to one
True God who has all power.
Having his faith strengthened, Gideon listened to God and followed
His directions.
GOD WILL PROVIDE THE HELP YOU NEED
God knows the hearts of men. Most of the men who answered the call to battle were not ready to fight for God. The majority showed up for
Show and not for service. God thinned the crown to a few
Good dedicated men.
First, God dismissed 22000 men who were afraid to fight. Fear is
The opposite of faith. The fearful men would corrupt the faithful
few.
V:4 But the Lord said to Gideon, "There are still too many men. Take them down to the water, and I will sift them 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."
Not only do men need faith to battle for God but they need to be fit.
Those men who kneel and lap water like a dog broke rank to
Feed their desire. Those who used their curved hand to drink water
While holding on to their weapons kept a watchful eye while satisfying
Their thirst. The latter were the ones whom God chose for battle.
To ensure Israel Would not take credit for the victory, God dismissed another 9700 men. This left 300 men who would go to battle against the 135000 heavily armed Midianite troops in the valley with too many
Tents and camels to be numbered.
To boost Gideon's confidence, God gave Gideon two other signs.
He placed a dream in the mind of one of the men in the Midianite camp.
Gideon and his servant Purah went to the edge of the camp.
CONFIDENCE IN GOD IS ALL WE NEED
Judges 7:13-16
V:13 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."
V:14 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."
God knows our state of mind. He knows what to do to build our confidence
In Him. At times we all have some doubts that God will come take care
Of our situation. Stories like this in the Bible remind us that God uses
Ordinary people like us to accomplish His plan. There is no job we cannot
Handle with God on our side.
Those that seem confident and invincible may be putting on a front.
Underneath maybe a scared kid ready to run. God knows how to
Undermind the confidence of your enemy. When God is with you, He
Is more than the whole world against you.
BEGIN YOUR BATTLE WITH WORSHIP
V:15 When Gideon heard the dream and its interpretation, he worshiped God. He returned to the camp of Israel and called out, "Get up! The Lord has given the Midianite camp into your hands."
We all need a pep talk from time to time. It may come from someone
We don’t know. We may be eavesdropping on someone's conversation
And get a word from the Lord. We may get a word from a TV program.
We will always get a word from the Word. God knows what it takes to
Inspire and encourage us.
The first step in your battle against the enemy is praise and worship
Of the Father. When you start with worship you invite God into your
Service. Recognizing God as your leader and guide is an advantage
Of the believer. We can do nothing without God. The leader must
Lead the troops in worship.
The 300 Israelites armed with horns, glass jars, and lighted torches
Went to the edge of the camp and stood in the middle of the night until Gideon gave the order. When Gideon gave the order, the men sounded the
Horns, broked the jars and shouted. This caused confusion and fear
Among the Midianite troops. Not being able to see each other they
Killed each other leaving only 15000 of the troops alive.
Gideon and his 300-man army went after the remaining Midianites.
He called on other Israelite tribes to join in the fight. There will
Be someone in your family who will not rejoice in victory with Lord.
Gideon summoned other tribes to pursue and capture the remaining
15000 Midianites. But the tribe of Ephraim criticized Gideon for
Not including them in the original battle. It would have inflamed the situation
If Gideon had said God didn’t call you to start the battle. Instead Gideon
Praised them for victories that had against the Midianites which calm
Them.
With the help of all the tribes Gideon summoned, the Midianites were
Subdued. And God gave Israel rest for another forty years.
NEVER TAKE CREDIT FOR WHAT GOD HAS DONE
Judges 8:22-26
V:22 The Israelites said to Gideon, "Rule over us — you, your son and your grandson — because you have saved us out of the hand of Midian."
23 But Gideon told them, "I will not rule over you, nor will my son rule over you. The Lord will rule over you."
How quickly we forget what God has done for us. With the threat of the
Midianites gone, Isreal returned to their old way of wanting
A man to lead them. They did not see God as the one who gave them
Victory over the Midianites. They did not see the miracle of 300 men
Chasing 135000 heavily armed troops. They did not see God stepping
In and getting rid of the enemy that had been devouring their crops
For seven years. They forgot their cry to God for help.
Their focus was on a man to be their leader. They did not want God
To take charge of their everyday living. They did not want to commit to
God’s commands,
It takes a humble leader not to take credit for the victories won. Gideon
Was quick to point to God as their leader.
We can get so excited about success that we forget that success does
Not begin or end with us. It starts with God and continues with God.
NEVER STOP SEEKING GOD’S COUNSEL
V: 24 And he said, "I do have one request, that each of you give me an earring from your share of the plunder." (It was the custom of the Ishmaelites to wear gold earrings.)
25 They answered, "We'll be glad to give them." So they spread out a garment, and each man threw a ring from his plunder onto it.
Judges 8:27
Gideon made the gold into an ephod, which he placed in Ophrah, his town. All of Israel prostituted themselves by worshiping it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and his family.
Even the best of us need continuous training in the Word of God. The ephod was the decoration on the bottom of the priest's outer robe.
Why Gideon thought he needed a large ephod made of gold not attached
To a priest, I do not know. His action encouraged the Israelites to worship
An idol. Perhaps he fashioned the ephod out of ignorance of the Word.
As leaders, we need to be careful to study the Word to know how to apply it in every area of our lives.
When we have an idea that is different from the Word of God, It is
Probably not pleasing to God. The priest had the Word of God.
Failure to study the Word leads to wrong conclusions.
