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