Gideon

• Who has heard of the Gideons or the Gideon bible?
• Gideon was someone in the bible!

Judges 6

Intro (6:1-10)

• The Israelites are being oppressed by the Midianites, losing all of their food and drink to them
• The story offers context of a prophet the cries out to remind the people that God freed them and that their actions landed them in tis situation
• The story then settles on Gideon, who is threshing wheat in a winepress (not very efficient) to try and hide it from the Midianites
• God’s angel arrives and tells him he will free Israel from their circumstance

Gideon’s Response (6:11-22)

• Gideon response in three ways:
  • If God is with us, where is he? I don’t see him helping
  • If you are of God, give me a sign
  • After realizing it was true, his response was fear then reverance

After it’s Settled (6:25-32, 36-40)

• Once Gideon truly accepts that this is his call from the LORD, God calls him to strike down the idols that his own father had placed
• He does and earns his nickname “Jerub-Baal” meaning “one who fights/contends with Baal”
• Now prove that I am to be the one to defeat the Midianites (twice)

Gideon’s Men (7:1-8)

• Gideon summons 32,000 men to fight (6:33-35)
• God calls him to ask 22k to leave voluntarily
• Of the remaining 10k, he has him do the “water test” wherein those that kneeled by the stream were sent home and those that stand and lap the water from their hands can stay

The Battle (7:13-23)

• God plants a dream in the minds of the Midianites to scare them of Israel (7:13-14)
• Gideon’s men surround the camp and make a ton of noise, calling to God (19-21)
• God then had the Midianites turn on each other with each trumpet blast then they fled (21-23)

Important

Question: How does this apply to our lives?1. Note Gideon’s response isn’t considered “bad”. It’s ok to ask God for clarity and affermation of what we think He is asking. In fact, God even impowers him again right before the fight by allowing him to overhear the dream. God doesn’t mind us being nervous or unsure, so long as we act when called to do so.2. Stay vigilent! God’s criteria for Gideon’s men was that they didn’t thrust their entire head into the stream, instead staying upright and ready, drinking more slowly. So too should we always be on guard for attacks from the Enemy3. Trust God’s plan. The whole thing started with Gideon’s trust in God’s ask to destroy the idols. Then the narrowing of his soldiers. Finally, blowing trumpets and smashing glass may not sound like much but God was with them and gave them victory over their oppressors