Day #91

Sermon - Audio
Judges 6-7 - Audio
Judges 6-7 - Reading

Daily Insights - Please Comment

6

v1 - And we are back again! The people did evil in the sight of the LORD.

v2-6 = The people's land, animals, and everything they owned was laid to waste on the account of the Midianites.

v7 = The people cry out to the LORD, and He sends them...

v8 = A prophet comes to the people to remind them of who God is and what He has done for them.

THOUGHT ON GIDEON: Gideon was not the most "faithful judge." We tend to put this part of the story up on a pedestal. However, Gideon questioned God many times and found it very difficult to trust God. Up until this point the judges have been seemingly faithful to God, Gideon is a sort of turning point as the judges start being easily corrupted. Gideon is a reminder that God will sometimes even use the weakest of us to accomplish His mission in the world.

8-9 = "Ancient Israelite thinking linked individuals with all of their ancestors and descendants. Thus, in the mind of the Israelites of Gideon’s day, because their ancestors had been rescued from the hand of Pharaoh in Egypt they themselves had, in effect, also been delivered “from the power of Egypt.” (ASB)

11 = Gideon probably didn't want the Mideanites to know that he was gathering wheat, or they had taken his proper tools to do so.

11-40 = "Gideon’s Call. God’s call of a reluctant Gideon is the focus of the next three accounts. First, the angel of the Lord appeared to him (vv. 11–24); then, Gideon destroyed an altar of Baal (vv. 25–35); finally, Gideon’s wavering faith is on full display (vv. 36–40). Gideon’s reluctance recalls that of Moses (Exodus 3–4)." (ESVSB)

12 = There is no reason to believe that Gideon was a "mighty man of valor" yet. This may be a discussion of what is to come.

13 = Gideon questions whether the LORD is with His people still. The circumstances prove to be hindering his comprehension of who God is.

14-16 = Gideon's clan of people is the smallest one of them all. Unless God is with him, they will die.

17-21 = A sign is given to Gideon that God's Word is true. The fire consumes the meat and unleavened bread. This sign should have been enough to convince Gideon.

22-23 = "According to Ex 33:20, anyone who sees God will die; this was Gideon’s fear, though he was not struck dead. But the Angel of the Lord, while truly a manifestation of God (Jdg 6:23; cp. 2:1), was not a revelation of His fullness (Ex 33:18–20). Or perhaps God displayed His mercy toward Gideon by choosing not to kill him (13:22–23)." (ASB)

25-32 = "Gideon wages war against the Baal cult. On the night after his appointment, the LORD commands Gideon to destroy his father’s altar of Baal, to cut down the sacred post next to it, and to build an altar to the LORD. Gideon fears the townspeople and works with ten of his servants under cover of darkness. In the morning, after a short investigation, the townspeople want to kill Gideon, but his father prevents them from doing so by saying that, if Baal is god, he can fight his own battles. This story mocks Baal worship, and explains the additional name given to Gideon: Jerubbaal (see v. 32), emphasizing that Gideon did battle with the cult of Baal." (JSB)

34 = Gideon is filled with the Spirit and blows his trumpet, and 32,000 men show up (Jud 7:3).

36-40 = Gideon starts to doubt whether God's Words are true.

36-40 = "Before the actual military engagement, Gideon again displays his reluctance to be a leader, for he asks for confirmatory signs from God (cf. v. 17). On the one hand, Gideon’s fears are understandable: the task he is preparing to do is difficult and dangerous. On the other hand, the angel’s appearance and promise (vv. 11–24) already included a confirmatory miracle (v. 21), and Gideon had already begun to obey (vv. 25–27) and to see God’s protection (v. 31). In any event, God stoops to Gideon’s level and grants the signs requested." (ESVSB)

7

1-3 = God wants the glory! Thus, he knows the people of Israel's heart. He knows they will try to take the credit for their victory, thus falling back into sin. He makes Gideon send home everyone who is fearful. By the way...there were approximately 135,000 Midianites already! He was left with 10,000 people.

4-8 = God makes sure that Gideon knows He means business. He will get the number of soldiers down even further.

5 = "God chose those who lapped like a dog, not those who knelt to drink. Some have suggested that those who lapped maintained a state of alertness; whereas those who knelt had to use their cupped hands to bring up the water, thereby letting down their guard." (ASB)

6-8 = The "army" is down to 300 men vs 135,000.

9-11 = God wants His mission accomplished and Gideon is still holding back from fully engaging in God's purpose for Him. Thus, God takes him and leads him by the hand through the process.

12-15 = I'm not sure that God could have made it any clearer to Gideon. Barley bread was a sign for the poor. The Midianites would be taken over by Gideon and his poor army. Not only is Gideon given that, but even his name is given by a person in the camp.

16-23 = The Midianites started killing one another and defeated themselves. After having had the dream about Gideon defeating them, the people were terrified to hear his name.