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Grace Bible Church

4000 E. Collins Rd.   P.O. Box #3762   Gillette, WY  82717   (307) 686-1516

 

- Preaching the Living WORD through the Written WORD - 2 Tim 4;:2 -

 

 

 

GIDEON: THE DOUBTING JUDGE - 1

Judges 6:1-24, 8/21/13

Grace Bible Church, Gillette, Wyoming

Pastor Daryl Hilbert

 

I.     FOURTH PERIOD (85YRS): GIDEON, TOLA, AND JAIR AGAINST MIDIANITES (6:1-10:5) (6:1)

 

A.    Israel’s Land Devastated by the Midianites (Jdg 6:1-6)

1.     This entire period takes up the largest section of Judges with over 4 chapters and 162 verses. In particular, the narrative of Gideon as judge, contains 100 verses and 3 chapters. It is even slightly larger than the narrative about Samson with 96 verses and 4 chapters.

2.     The thematic cycle begins in Jdg 6:1, where once again, Israel does “evil in the sight of the Lord” (1).

3.     In keeping with His warnings, the Lord allowed Midian to chastise Israel for seven years. The Midianites trace their ancestry to Abraham and Keturah (Ge 25:1-2). The Midianites fought against the Israelites in the wilderness and suffered a tragic loss against Moses (Nu 31:1-7 cf. Nu 22:4; 25:16-18).

4.     Israel could do nothing to stop the powerful invasions of the Midianites. As a result, the Israelites began relocating themselves and their produce in dens and caves as a stronghold in the mountains (2).

5.     The Midianites, along with the Amalekites and others (possibly Ammonites and Edomites) would attack during Israel’s harvest (3). They plundered their produce and livestock (sheep, ox, or donkey), leaving Israel without sustenance (4).

6.     The strategy was to encamp in the area and then attack the Israelites in droves like “locusts for number.” In addition, the Midianites had “innumerable” camels. They came in to devastate the land and after several years had succeeded (5).

7.     Having been brought “very low,” and in desperation, the Israelites cried out to the Lord for deliverance (6).

B.    Israel’s Disobedience is Reproved by a Prophet (Jdg 6:7-10)

1.     Having cried out to the Lord, because of the Midianites, the Lord sent a prophet to remind and reprove them (7-8a). His words were similar to the former words of the Angel of the Lord (Jdg 2:1-4 cf. Ex 34:10-16).

2.     The prophet, speaking for the Lord, reminded Israel of God’s past deliverances. It was the Lord Himself who delivered Israel out of Egypt. They were brought out from the “house of slavery (8b).

3.     It was the Lord Himself who delivered Israel from the hand of all its oppressors, giving them their enemies’ land (9).

4.     The Lord had kept His part of the covenant with His people. However, they did not keep their part and God would reprove them. Israel was to worship and serve God alone. They were not to worship or “fear” (yarē - reverential awe) the gods of the nations, particularly the Amorites. But Israel began to serve foreign gods and thus they “disobeyed” (shama - not listened) their God (10).

C.    The Angel of the Lord Calls Gideon (Jdg 6:11-16)

1.     The Angel of the Lord makes His third appearance in the book of Judges. In this chapter, He is identified as the “LORD” (yhvh - Jehovah - Jdg 6:14, 16, 23, 25, 27). He is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ in His pre-incarnate ministry (Ge 16:11-13; Zc 1:12-13 cf. Col 1:15; He 1:3).

2.     The Angel of the Lord sat under the oak in Ophrah, a landmark of the region. Though Ophrah’s precise location is uncertain, it is believed to be somewhere in the Jezreel Valley. Ophrah belonged to Joash the Abiezrite (from Manasseh, Jos 17:2), Gideon’s father. It was there that Gideon was beating out wheat in the wine press in order to be hidden from the Midianites. The fact that Gideon was doing it by hand indicated that there were no oxen left to thresh it (vs. 11 cf. 1Chr 21:20-23).

3.     When the Angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, He called Gideon to be Israel’s deliverer by saying, “The LORD is with you, O valiant warrior” (12). The irony was that Gideon was typical of the fearful and doubtful men of Israel, yet God called him a “valiant” (chayil - 1Sa 9:1; 2Sa 17:10) “warrior” (gibbor - strong mighty, ex. “mighty men of valor”, 2Sa 17:8; 2Ki 24:14).

4.     Gideon’s reply illustrated the common attitude of Israel in spite of the prophets words. If the Lord was with them, then why was there such oppression? Why did all this happen to them, which left them in such devastation? Why had the Lord abandoned them? Obviously, they heard the first part of the words of the prophet in regard to the deliverance from Egypt along with all the miracles. But they did not understand that the Midian oppression was the Lord’s chastisement for their disobedience (13).

5.     Scripture says the “LORD” spoke to Gideon, confirming that the angel of the Lord was a divine being, not angelic. His message was clear. Gideon was being sent to go and deliver Israel from the hand of the Midians. Gideon was indeed being commissioned by the Lord as the next Judge of Israel (14).

6.     The character of Gideon was one of fear and inadequacy. How could he deliver Israel when his family was the least in Manasseh? How could he deliver Israel when he was the youngest of that family (15)? Gideon’s excuses resembled Moses (Ex 3:11), Saul (1Sa 9:21) and man in general.

7.     Again the LORD answered and promised that He (Angel of the Lord/LORD) would be with Gideon, as He was with other Judges (Jdg 2:18; 3:9, 15; 4:9, 14) and other chosen men (Ex 3:12; Is 6:8-9). He promised that He would enable Gideon to defeat the Midian as if they were “one man.” (16).

D.    Gideon Asked for a Sign (Jdg 6:17-24)

1.     On the one hand, the fact that Gideon asked for a sign is typical of a fearful and doubtful soul. On the other hand, God is a God who gives evidence and assurance to His people.

2.     Gideon asked for a sign to know that it was the LORD who was speaking. Under the circumstances, Gideon knew that only the LORD could defeat such a formidable foe as the Midianites (17).

3.     In the midst of Gideon’s request, he asked that His divine guest would wait while he brought an offering (18). “Offering” (minchah - gift, tributary, or offering) here can mean both a gift to a dignitary or a sacrifice to a deity. Either way, Gideon sensed the eminence of his guest. Gideon may have been one who believed, but needed help with his unbelief (cf. Mk 9:24).

4.     Gideon prepared a significant meal in a time of poverty and presented it (19).

5.     The angel of the Lord instructed Gideon to lay the meal and broth on a rock (20). Then He took His staff and touched the meal with His staff and fire consumed the offering. It was a miracle as well as a familiar sign identifying Gideon’s guest as the Lord (Le 9:24; 1Ki 18:38). At this divine sign, the continual visible presence of the angel of the Lord was no longer needed (21).

6.     This sign convinced Gideon that he had indeed spoken with the angel of the Lord (22). In addition, he had seen Him “face to face” and lived to tell about it (Ex 33:20). With another confirmation, the LORD spoke and assured Gideon peace, and that he would not die (23).

7.     Gideon built an altar to the Lord and called it, “The LORD is Peace” (Jehovah Shalōm). This altar to the God who gives peace to the fearful, remained until Samuel’s time (24).

 

II.    OBSERVATIONS AND APPLICATIONS

 

A.    The Position of the Believer - rests not on what we think about ourselves, but on what the Lord tells us we are in Him. Through Christ we have become “saints” (1Co 1:2); “sons” (Ro 8:16); “heirs” (Ro 8:17); “priests and kings” (1Pe 2:9); and “conquerors” (Ro 8:37).

B.    The Potential for the Believer - is not found in self-sufficiency, but in the Lord’s promise of enablement. A believer must come to an end of his own sufficiency and avail himself upon the Lord’s all-sufficiency. His strength is made perfect in our weakness (2Co 12:9-10).

C.    The Promise to the Believer - assures even the most doubtful heart. If we believe, but need help in our unbelief, God is pleased to accommodate such a one. Many a strong altar has been built by one fearful rock at a time. It is upon those altars that the name Jehovah Shalōm stands high (Mk 9:24-25).