Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom. - Luke 12:32
Gideon was an unlikely hero. He was easily frightened and always nervous. In part 1 of our message last week, we discovered that Gideon repeatedly asked God for signs of His presence and approval. Though he needed constant reassurance, to his credit Gideon was obedient to the LORD’s calling. He faithfully amassed a large army of men to fight against the Midianite alliance that had been persecuting Israel for the past 7 years.
This morning we will conclude our study of Gideon, the 5th judge of Israel. We will learn how God used Gideon to deliver His people. Today’s sermon is called “Gideon, Part 2”.
I. GIDEON’S ARMY (Judges 7:1-8)
Gideon and his army camped near the spring of Harod in the southern Jezreel Valley. To their north (approximately 4 or 5 miles), the Midianites were positioned at the hill of Moreh on the opposite side of the valley. Then the LORD spoke to Gideon, telling him that his Israelite army was too large. With such a sizable force, God warned that Israel would - after their upcoming victory - boast that they’d delivered themselves. So God instructed Gideon to reduce the size of the army. Gideon made an announcement allowing anyone who was afraid to be dismissed immediately (I’m surprised that he didn’t go). Some 22,000 people departed, leaving an army of only 10,000 soldiers.
However, God told Gideon that this was still too many. He instructed Gideon to take his remaining troops down to the spring and to drink of its waters. He was to separate those who lapped the water like a dog from their cupped hands from those knelt down to drink. After they had drunk, God ordered Gideon to release everyone who had knelt and to keep only those who had lapped the water. Gideon obeyed the LORD and his army was reduced to only 300 men. He gave each of them provisions and a trumpet in anticipation of the coming battle.
II. MIDIAN’S CONFUSION (Judges 7:9-23)
The LORD commanded Gideon to attack Midian, but offered to show him a final sign if he was still anxious. Needing a bit more assurance, Gideon and his servant Purah snuck down to the outpost of the Midianite camp during the night. Apparently the Midianites were approaching and were now located in the central Jezreel Valley. They were a vast army, as numerous as locusts, with many camels. Gideon overheard one of the Midianite soldiers relaying a dream he’d had to his friend. He’d dreamt of a barley bread loaf rolling down into the Midianite camp and knocking over a tent. His friend feared that this loaf represented the sword of Gideon and the dream indicated that God had given Midian over to Israel.
Upon overhearing this conversation, Gideon was once again reassured of the coming victory. He worshiped the LORD and hurriedly returned to his small army of 300 men. He confidently proclaimed that God had given them the victory. He divided his forces into 3 companies of 100 troops and gave each of them a trumpet and an earthen pitcher with a torch inside. He spread the 3 companies out around the Midianite camp on all sides and ordered them to follow his lead. When everyone was in position, during the middle of the night, Gideon loudly blew his trumpet and smashed his pot, revealing the light of the blazing torch concealed inside. All 300 of his men did likewise and cried out simultaneously, “A sword for the LORD and a sword for Gideon!”
The Midianites thought that they were surrounded by thousands of Israelite soldiers. The LORD sent confusion among their camp and they were overcome with terror, so much so that they began striking each other down in the darkness. In complete disarray, the army of Midian hastily retreated eastward. Gideon quickly summoned volunteers from the tribes of Manasseh, Naphtali, Asher, and Ephriam to chase them down.
III. ISRAEL’S PURSUIT (Judges 7:24-8:21)
The men of Ephraim captured 2 of the Midianite commanders as they fled through their territory - Oreb and Zeeb. The Ephraimites killed them both, cut off their heads, and brought them to Gideon. They contended with Gideon for not inviting them earlier to join his army. But rather than arguing with them. Gideon lauded the greatness of Ephraim and praised them for catching Oreb and Zeeb. By stroking their egos, Gideon appeased their anger and the men of Ephraim were satisfied.
Gideon and his army crossed the Jordan River and continued pursuing the surviving Midianites. Along the way, he stopped at both Succoth and Penuel seeking provisions from the people to refresh his hungry and exhausted men. Neither the citizens of Succoth of Penuel were willing to help Gideon, so he vowed to return to both cities and discipline them severely once his pursuit of Midian was complete.
Gideon eventually caught up with the remaining 15,000 Midianites at Karkor. He attacked them unexpectedly, routed them, and captured their 2 kings Zeba and Zalmunna. On his return home, Gibeon stopped in Succoth and punished their 77 elders with briers and thorns for their earlier behavior. He also tore down the tower of Penuel and killed their leaders. Finally, Gideon charged Zeba and Zalmunna for killing his brothers at Tabor and asked his oldest son, Jether, to execute them. However, Jether was afraid because he was just a youth, so Gideon killed the 2 kings himself and took the ornaments from their camels.
IV. THE LAND’S PEACE (Judges 8:22-35)
After the Midianites had been soundly defeated, the men of Israel asked Gideon and his son to become rulers over them. Gideon refused, stating that only the LORD should rule over them. However, Gideon did request that each of them give him an earring from the spoil they had taken. When all of the earrings were collected, their combined weight was 1,700 shekels of gold (worth approximately $1,000,000 today). In addition to these, numerous other crescent ornaments, pendants, and other valuables were taken from the Midianites. Gideon used a portion of these to make a priestly ephod so that offerings could be made from the altar he’d built in his hometown of Ophrah in the land of Manassah. Unfortunately, Israel would soon use this altar to commit idolatry.
Following the demise of the Midianites, Israel enjoyed prosperity and peace for 40 years. During this time, Gideon married many wives and had 70 sons who were his direct descendents. He also had a son from his concubine in Shechem named Abimelech. Gideon died at an old age and was buried in a family tomb in Ophrah. After his death, the Israelites began worshiping Baal once again and quickly forgot how the LORD had used Gideon to deliver them from the hand of Midian.
CONCLUSION
I want to make 2 points as we close today. First, I find it truly amazing that God used Gideon’s “weakness” as a means to secure the victory. Let me explain… Remember last week when we read that Gideon destroyed his father's altar to Baal at night because he was afraid of being seen? Gideon was good at hiding. So God allowed Gideon and his army to use stealth and deception, under the dark of night, as their battle plan. He didn’t ask Gideon to courageously charge into battle in broad daylight, but rather considered Gideon’s limitations and used them to Israel's advantage.
Second, as the pastor of a small church (2 of them actually), I absolutely love this passage. It proves that God doesn’t need large congregations to accomplish great things. He used 300 men to defeat thousands of Midianites. He used a few fish and bread loaves to feed 5,000 men and their families. He used 12 apostles to establish the Church and carry the gospel to the nations. We may be small, but our God isn’t. Imagine the remarkable things that He can do through us!
Gideon was an unlikely hero. He was easily frightened and always nervous. In part 1 of our message last week, we discovered that Gideon repeatedly asked God for signs of His presence and approval. Though he needed constant reassurance, to his credit Gideon was obedient to the LORD’s calling. He faithfully amassed a large army of men to fight against the Midianite alliance that had been persecuting Israel for the past 7 years.
This morning we will conclude our study of Gideon, the 5th judge of Israel. We will learn how God used Gideon to deliver His people. Today’s sermon is called “Gideon, Part 2”.
I. GIDEON’S ARMY (Judges 7:1-8)
Gideon and his army camped near the spring of Harod in the southern Jezreel Valley. To their north (approximately 4 or 5 miles), the Midianites were positioned at the hill of Moreh on the opposite side of the valley. Then the LORD spoke to Gideon, telling him that his Israelite army was too large. With such a sizable force, God warned that Israel would - after their upcoming victory - boast that they’d delivered themselves. So God instructed Gideon to reduce the size of the army. Gideon made an announcement allowing anyone who was afraid to be dismissed immediately (I’m surprised that he didn’t go). Some 22,000 people departed, leaving an army of only 10,000 soldiers.
However, God told Gideon that this was still too many. He instructed Gideon to take his remaining troops down to the spring and to drink of its waters. He was to separate those who lapped the water like a dog from their cupped hands from those knelt down to drink. After they had drunk, God ordered Gideon to release everyone who had knelt and to keep only those who had lapped the water. Gideon obeyed the LORD and his army was reduced to only 300 men. He gave each of them provisions and a trumpet in anticipation of the coming battle.
II. MIDIAN’S CONFUSION (Judges 7:9-23)
The LORD commanded Gideon to attack Midian, but offered to show him a final sign if he was still anxious. Needing a bit more assurance, Gideon and his servant Purah snuck down to the outpost of the Midianite camp during the night. Apparently the Midianites were approaching and were now located in the central Jezreel Valley. They were a vast army, as numerous as locusts, with many camels. Gideon overheard one of the Midianite soldiers relaying a dream he’d had to his friend. He’d dreamt of a barley bread loaf rolling down into the Midianite camp and knocking over a tent. His friend feared that this loaf represented the sword of Gideon and the dream indicated that God had given Midian over to Israel.
Upon overhearing this conversation, Gideon was once again reassured of the coming victory. He worshiped the LORD and hurriedly returned to his small army of 300 men. He confidently proclaimed that God had given them the victory. He divided his forces into 3 companies of 100 troops and gave each of them a trumpet and an earthen pitcher with a torch inside. He spread the 3 companies out around the Midianite camp on all sides and ordered them to follow his lead. When everyone was in position, during the middle of the night, Gideon loudly blew his trumpet and smashed his pot, revealing the light of the blazing torch concealed inside. All 300 of his men did likewise and cried out simultaneously, “A sword for the LORD and a sword for Gideon!”
The Midianites thought that they were surrounded by thousands of Israelite soldiers. The LORD sent confusion among their camp and they were overcome with terror, so much so that they began striking each other down in the darkness. In complete disarray, the army of Midian hastily retreated eastward. Gideon quickly summoned volunteers from the tribes of Manasseh, Naphtali, Asher, and Ephriam to chase them down.
III. ISRAEL’S PURSUIT (Judges 7:24-8:21)
The men of Ephraim captured 2 of the Midianite commanders as they fled through their territory - Oreb and Zeeb. The Ephraimites killed them both, cut off their heads, and brought them to Gideon. They contended with Gideon for not inviting them earlier to join his army. But rather than arguing with them. Gideon lauded the greatness of Ephraim and praised them for catching Oreb and Zeeb. By stroking their egos, Gideon appeased their anger and the men of Ephraim were satisfied.
Gideon and his army crossed the Jordan River and continued pursuing the surviving Midianites. Along the way, he stopped at both Succoth and Penuel seeking provisions from the people to refresh his hungry and exhausted men. Neither the citizens of Succoth of Penuel were willing to help Gideon, so he vowed to return to both cities and discipline them severely once his pursuit of Midian was complete.
Gideon eventually caught up with the remaining 15,000 Midianites at Karkor. He attacked them unexpectedly, routed them, and captured their 2 kings Zeba and Zalmunna. On his return home, Gibeon stopped in Succoth and punished their 77 elders with briers and thorns for their earlier behavior. He also tore down the tower of Penuel and killed their leaders. Finally, Gideon charged Zeba and Zalmunna for killing his brothers at Tabor and asked his oldest son, Jether, to execute them. However, Jether was afraid because he was just a youth, so Gideon killed the 2 kings himself and took the ornaments from their camels.
IV. THE LAND’S PEACE (Judges 8:22-35)
After the Midianites had been soundly defeated, the men of Israel asked Gideon and his son to become rulers over them. Gideon refused, stating that only the LORD should rule over them. However, Gideon did request that each of them give him an earring from the spoil they had taken. When all of the earrings were collected, their combined weight was 1,700 shekels of gold (worth approximately $1,000,000 today). In addition to these, numerous other crescent ornaments, pendants, and other valuables were taken from the Midianites. Gideon used a portion of these to make a priestly ephod so that offerings could be made from the altar he’d built in his hometown of Ophrah in the land of Manassah. Unfortunately, Israel would soon use this altar to commit idolatry.
Following the demise of the Midianites, Israel enjoyed prosperity and peace for 40 years. During this time, Gideon married many wives and had 70 sons who were his direct descendents. He also had a son from his concubine in Shechem named Abimelech. Gideon died at an old age and was buried in a family tomb in Ophrah. After his death, the Israelites began worshiping Baal once again and quickly forgot how the LORD had used Gideon to deliver them from the hand of Midian.
CONCLUSION
I want to make 2 points as we close today. First, I find it truly amazing that God used Gideon’s “weakness” as a means to secure the victory. Let me explain… Remember last week when we read that Gideon destroyed his father's altar to Baal at night because he was afraid of being seen? Gideon was good at hiding. So God allowed Gideon and his army to use stealth and deception, under the dark of night, as their battle plan. He didn’t ask Gideon to courageously charge into battle in broad daylight, but rather considered Gideon’s limitations and used them to Israel's advantage.
Second, as the pastor of a small church (2 of them actually), I absolutely love this passage. It proves that God doesn’t need large congregations to accomplish great things. He used 300 men to defeat thousands of Midianites. He used a few fish and bread loaves to feed 5,000 men and their families. He used 12 apostles to establish the Church and carry the gospel to the nations. We may be small, but our God isn’t. Imagine the remarkable things that He can do through us!