TITLE: Gideon's Army
TEXT: Judges 6:11-16
PROPOSITION: God can deliver us against insurmountable odds.
Introduction:
An unimportant man in Israelite society of the time became the “savior of the nation.
Army of 32,000
Too large for God to use.
All afraid – 22,000 go home
Not alert – all but 300 gone.
Here are three points – and 3 questions for us to learn.
1. God is with us = Power
Judges 6:12 And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him, and said to him, “The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor!”
This is the first word which the Lord’s angel directs to Gideon. It’s the main fact he needs to recognize.
When Gideon complains he comes from the weakest clan and he’s the youngest of his family, the Lord says, “Surely I will be with you, and you shall defeat the Midianites as one man.” Judges 6:16
QUESTION: Where else do we find a promise of the Lord to empower his people?
Many places in NT – Matthew 28:20; Luke 1:28 (to Mary)
With Paul in shipwreck and storm, with Peter in prison
With us – today – in answered prayer and providence
2. Word of God = Certainty and Courage
The Lord caused the Midianites to dream and fear Gideon. What he heard from their mouth was caused by the Lord for him to have certainty of the battle’s success and courage to attack
Judges 7:9-15 (9) And it came to pass the same night, that Jehovah said unto him, Arise, get thee down into the camp; for I have delivered it into thy hand. (10) But if thou fear to go down, go thou with Purah thy servant down to the camp: (11) and thou shalt hear what they say; and afterward shall thy hands be strengthened to go down into the camp. Then went he down with Purah his servant unto the outermost part of the armed men that were in the camp. (12) And the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the children of the east lay along in the valley like locusts for multitude; and their camels were without number, as the sand which is upon the sea-shore for multitude. (13) And when Gideon was come, behold, there was a man telling a dream unto his fellow; and he said, Behold, I dreamed a dream; and, lo, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the camp of Midian, and came unto the tent, and smote it so that it fell, and turned it upside down, so that the tent lay flat. (14) And his fellow answered and said, This is nothing else save the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel: into his hand God hath delivered Midian, and all the host. (15) And it was so, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, and the interpretation thereof, that he worshiped; and he returned into the camp of Israel, and said, Arise; for Jehovah hath delivered into your hand the host of Midian.
The tests with the wool fleece were not enough. (See Judges 6:36-40)
Even after seeing two miracles, Gideon didn’t appear to be convinced, so the Lord gives him another opportunity to bolster his courage, this time listening to a word from the mouths of the Midianites, but caused by a dream given to the enemy by the Lord.
After hearing the enemies’ fears, he praises God and rouses the army.
QUESTION: What does God putting a dream in the enemy’s mind say about his sovereignty?
God is almighty, all powerful, creator, provider, protector
3. Wisdom = Peace
When the Ephraimites complained to Gideon that he had not called them to fight against the Midianites, he replied with wisdom and preserved the peace
There could have been a major problem, split, division, civil war.
In wisdom, Gideon de-fused the issue.
Judges 8:1-3 (1) And the men of Ephraim said unto him, Why hast thou served us thus, that thou calledst us not, when thou wentest to fight with Midian? And they did chide with him sharply. (2) And he said unto them, What have I now done in comparison with you? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer? (3) od hath delivered into your hand the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb: and what was I able to do in comparison with you? Then their anger was abated toward him, when he had said that.
QUESTION: How did Gideon calm the Ephraimites? Where did he get such wisdom?
Everyone has value, each contributes in some way.
Conclusion:
God will be with us
God is all powerful, sovereign Lord
God gives us wisdom
Basic outline and questions from J. Randal Matheny