“Our God comes; he does not keep silence; before him is a devouring fire, around him a mighty tempest. He calls to the heavens above and to the earth, that he may judge his people: “Gather to me my faithful ones, who made a covenant with me by sacrifice!” The heavens declare his righteousness, for God himself is judge!”
(Psalm 50:3-6 ESV) Continued next week...
Abandoned Church near Essex NY (Near Lake Champlain and Vermont)
Judges 6
Gideon the Coward
}The next group that terrorizes the Israelites are the Midianites. Remember- Gideon fights Midian.
}When the Midianites were the over-lords over Israel they would come and take all of the crops that Israel had planted. They are likened to locusts who devastate crops and are innumerable.
}Gideon is threshing wheat in a winepress. Ancient winepresses were large holes in the ground (like the picture). Gideon was afraid of being caught.
}A terebinth tree that the Angel of the Lord (we know who he is!) sat under is the first source of turpentine.
}Gideon is referred to as “Mighty man of valor”- something that this wimp was not.
}Gideon is speaking to the Lord in person but refuses to think that he is called to do anything. (like Moses)
}Manasseh was one of the weakest tribes in Israel because it split itself in half when they entered the Promised Land. Gideon’s clan is the weakest clan in the weakest tribe, and Gideon is the weakest man in the whole clan.
}The next group that terrorizes the Israelites are the Midianites. Remember- Gideon fights Midian.
}When the Midianites were the over-lords over Israel they would come and take all of the crops that Israel had planted. They are likened to locusts who devastate crops and are innumerable.
}Gideon is threshing wheat in a winepress. Ancient winepresses were large holes in the ground (like the picture). Gideon was afraid of being caught.
}A terebinth tree that the Angel of the Lord (we know who he is!) sat under is the first source of turpentine.
}Gideon is referred to as “Mighty man of valor”- something that this wimp was not.
}Gideon is speaking to the Lord in person but refuses to think that he is called to do anything. (like Moses)
}Manasseh was one of the weakest tribes in Israel because it split itself in half when they entered the Promised Land. Gideon’s clan is the weakest clan in the weakest tribe, and Gideon is the weakest man in the whole clan.
Gideon the Coward Continued
}Notice the offering that Gideon brings the Angel- Lamb stew and unleavened bread. If you wanted bread in a hurry you didn’t use leaven.
}The fire that consumed the offering showed Gideon that Yahweh was not fooling around.
}Yahweh-Shalom is Hebrew for “The Lord is Peace.”
}Gideon goes by night and tears down his father’s idols to Baal and Ashteroth. The people are so deep in their idolatry they were willing to kill the one who destroyed the altar to Baal.
}Gideon’s father comes up with some sound logic for defending Gideon- A god who can’t defend himself is not worth serving. Gideon then becomes known as Jerubbaal because he “contends with Baal”.
}As Gideon gathers his army he asks for a sign from the Lord. A fleece is placed on the floor and the sign will be a wet fleece with a dry floor.
}After that sign, Gideon asks again and the sign is a drenched floor with a dry fleece.
}Notice the offering that Gideon brings the Angel- Lamb stew and unleavened bread. If you wanted bread in a hurry you didn’t use leaven.
}The fire that consumed the offering showed Gideon that Yahweh was not fooling around.
}Yahweh-Shalom is Hebrew for “The Lord is Peace.”
}Gideon goes by night and tears down his father’s idols to Baal and Ashteroth. The people are so deep in their idolatry they were willing to kill the one who destroyed the altar to Baal.
}Gideon’s father comes up with some sound logic for defending Gideon- A god who can’t defend himself is not worth serving. Gideon then becomes known as Jerubbaal because he “contends with Baal”.
}As Gideon gathers his army he asks for a sign from the Lord. A fleece is placed on the floor and the sign will be a wet fleece with a dry floor.
}After that sign, Gideon asks again and the sign is a drenched floor with a dry fleece.
Judges 7
Mighty Man of Valor
}Normally when fighting a war, bigger is better. Gideon was able to raise a 32,000 man army but the Lord God had other ideas.
}“If you are a coward like me, get up and go home”: With Yahweh less is more so the army dropped down to 10,000 men when 22,000 left.
}Yahweh did not want the Israelites to be able to claim that they won the victory because of superior numbers. He wanted them to remember that it was because they had the Lord on their side.
}Normally when fighting a war, bigger is better. Gideon was able to raise a 32,000 man army but the Lord God had other ideas.
}“If you are a coward like me, get up and go home”: With Yahweh less is more so the army dropped down to 10,000 men when 22,000 left.
}Yahweh did not want the Israelites to be able to claim that they won the victory because of superior numbers. He wanted them to remember that it was because they had the Lord on their side.
Mighty Man of Valor Continued
}Yahweh still wanted to weed out the army to make the Israelis remember that he was in control.
}The method to further reduce the military force? Take everyone to a stream and have them take a drink.
}Q: Why send home 9,700 home who knelt down to drink from the stream?
}A: The 300 who “lapped” like dogs actually cupped their hands to get the water and then bring it close to their mouths- more than likely as they remained standing. They remained in a less vulnerable position than the 9,700 who stuck their faces in the water.
} Gideon snuck down to the enemy camp and over-heard a dream about a piece of barley bread taking out a Midianite tent. Barley representing the Israeli peasants of Gideon.
}Finally, it’s battle time. Yahweh will show his dominance over the events in yet another way-
}The soldiers were armed with clay pots, torches, and ram’s horn trumpets. Not your usual battle gear, but the Lord is not your run-of-the-mill general, either.
}Gideon spreads the force into 3 groups of a hundred and surrounds the Midianites encamped in the valley.
}When it was time to win the battle the pots were broken (creating the shattering noise) and revealing the hidden light of the torches. The trumpets caused extra confusion. Result- victory for the 300 of Gideon.
}Yahweh still wanted to weed out the army to make the Israelis remember that he was in control.
}The method to further reduce the military force? Take everyone to a stream and have them take a drink.
}Q: Why send home 9,700 home who knelt down to drink from the stream?
}A: The 300 who “lapped” like dogs actually cupped their hands to get the water and then bring it close to their mouths- more than likely as they remained standing. They remained in a less vulnerable position than the 9,700 who stuck their faces in the water.
} Gideon snuck down to the enemy camp and over-heard a dream about a piece of barley bread taking out a Midianite tent. Barley representing the Israeli peasants of Gideon.
}Finally, it’s battle time. Yahweh will show his dominance over the events in yet another way-
}The soldiers were armed with clay pots, torches, and ram’s horn trumpets. Not your usual battle gear, but the Lord is not your run-of-the-mill general, either.
}Gideon spreads the force into 3 groups of a hundred and surrounds the Midianites encamped in the valley.
}When it was time to win the battle the pots were broken (creating the shattering noise) and revealing the hidden light of the torches. The trumpets caused extra confusion. Result- victory for the 300 of Gideon.