GIDEON

Judges 6-8

• Impressive end to an impressive list
• "of whom the world was not worthy" (v.38)
• obtained promises (v.33) vs. "did not receive the promise (v.39)
• these "heroes" of faith didn’t see the fulfillment…we have! Yet, we are one with them through faith.

• Midianites ~ Midian was the 4^th son of Abraham with Keturah (Genesis 25:6).
• Amalekites ~ descendants of Esau and a concubine (Genesis 36:12). Amalek appears to be a tag-along enemy (cf: w/Moab at the time of Ehud, Judges 3:13).
• "people of the east" ~ a general designation for the rest of the army that oppressed Israel, likely to have included Ammon and perhaps Moab.

• 7 years
• Locusts: Destruction for the sake of destruction (cf: Bugs Life)
• "Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord" (v.1) vs. "Israel cried out to the Lord" (v.6)
• A prophet sent
• YOU HAVE NOT OBEYED! (Preaching the LAW)

• Angel of the Lord = pre-incarnate Son of God (in this instance and others like it)
• The term refers to an angel of God or is in doubt unless context clearly shows otherwise
• Abraham: "Then the Angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time out of heaven and said: ‘By Myself I have sworn, says the Lord…’" (Genesis 22:15-16)
• Moses: "The Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush…so when the Lord saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush…." (Exodus 3:2,4).
• Gideon: "Now the Angel of the Lord came and sat….Then the Lord turned to him and said…" (v.11,14, etc.)
• Ophrah was between Shechem and Bethel
• Abiezer was a primary clan of the tribe of Manasseh (cf: Joshua 17:2)
• The Angel of the LORD says, "the Lord is with you(sg). Gideon responds if the Lord is with us (pl)…"
• Gideon addresses the Angel of the Lord as "Lord"
• Gideon knew Midian’s ways (and hid himself and his grain from them)
• He knew Israel’s sins
• He knew God’s view toward Israel

• "go in this might of yours" – in other words: use your gifts
• Have I not sent you – God’s own commission
• Gideon’s Question: How? ~ the Lord’s answer: I
• weak, young, least: "my strength is made perfect in weakness…." (2 Corinthians 12:9)
• The Lord was ready to administer compassion to His afflicted people. He would accept offerings offered to Him. Gideon prepares an offering to offer his "guest" and establish a certainty that this was the Lord.
• v.21~ little remembered event but one of tremendous significance—the LORD accepting an offering from sinful man (cf: to our ability to approach Christ…a lead-in to the Gospel)
• v.23-24 ~ "Jehovah Shalom!" = PURE GOSPEL! (cf: Nathan’s words to David) This is also our own Gospel comfort!
• Gideon’s father’s household was a sign of the times…no different yet consider his reaction later
• Wooden image = "Asherah"

• a massive image to have 10 men?
• Lord I believe, help my unbelief
• v.30 demonstrates just how far the people had fallen
• All Joash needed was a little push. Discuss Kretzman’s observation: "It is one of the characteristic illusions of heathenism in all ages that it itself does not believe in that for which it appears to be so zealous" [Old Testament Commentary, vol. 1, p.415]
• Valley of Jezreel northern side of the city of Jezreel, whole plane of Esdraelon, 53 miles north of Jerusalem
• V. 34 A FAMILY ARMY
• The Spirit of the LORD "clothed" Gideon (cf: Ephesians 6)

• Gideon didn’t doubt God’s ability to save
• Gideon sought reassurance that what he was pursuing was what God was directing (cf: call decision, "I’m done but if its wrong let me know"… cf: Zacharias asking for sign; Jesus-"an adulterous nation" etc…
• Cf; to our "testing the spirits" making sure that what is said agrees with God’s Word (Gideon didn’t have our whole Scriptures cf: Hebrews, etc.)
• First sign could be explained naturally; second could not
• V.39 ~ cf: Abraham’s "let not the Lord be angry…Gideon’s words imply that God would have a right to be angry

• 32,000 – 22,000 afraid – 9,700 leisurely drinking + Gideon = 301 men
• Midian’s army (cf: 8:10) = 135,000
• Ratio = about 450 Midianites / 1 Israelite (with GOD nothing is impossible!)

• First the promise (v.7) and then reassurance
• Israel was poised above the valley ready to "roll into" Midian
• The dream referred to Gideon and God…in speaking to the 300 Gideon said the Lord has delivered Midian into your hand

• Ephraim’s disgruntlement in victory deprived of spoils, left out…could Gideon have answered better? I.e., the Lord sent me, etc. instead of as Edersheim suggests a wiggle way out
• Succoth’s unwillingness to help a puny army of 300, we should help YOU:??? and give you food we will need because Midian will return and destroy it???

• Gideon’s good start (cf: Samuel’s resistance to king, 1 Samuel 8:4ff)
• "Midianites" & "Ishmaelites" related to each other and at times used interchangeably (cf: Genesis 37:25-28). Merchants (took Joseph to Egypt) with access to gold earrings, etc.
• 1700 shekels of gold = about 50 lbs.
• Ephod (cf: Exodus 25:7, 28:12, etc; Judges 17:5, 18:14ff; 1 Samuel 2:28, 14:3; Hosea 3:4). The Ephod was part of the priestly garments given by God to the Levites for service to the true God. The Ephod of Gideon supplanted the worship of the true God.
• Even in the days of "peace" and "return" to the Lord, idolatry was still present
• The people’s unbelief turned away from God and from Gideon’s family

GOD’S TRUTH: What is God saying to me in this section of Scripture?

GOD’S TRUTH IN MY LIFE: How does the truth (listed above) affect my life?

CATECHISM CONNECTION: Can you think of a part or parts of the Catechism for which this section of Scripture would be a good illustration?

-- Pastor Wayne C. Eichstadt