Central Thought: A child of God that responds positively to His call becomes an instrument of honor.
Hymn: Stand up! Stand up for Jesus!
Text: Judges 6:25-40, 7:1-25
Gideon was an ordinary citizen in Israel with a poor and idolatrous family background. He had some knowledge of Israel’s history and wondered why they were going through their current experiences at the hands of the Midianites. Despite his background and his uncertainty about God’s presence with them, the Almighty God chose him as the instrument to be used Israel’s deliverance from the Midianites. Gideon obeyed God’s call and became an instrument in His hands to deliver Israel from the oppression of the Midianites and to restore the true worship of God in Israel.
Lesson Objectives:
The objectives of this lesson include
- To appreciate Gideon’s obedience to God’s call
- To understand that God is the Deliverer of His people
- To appreciate the truth that the weapons of our warfare are not carnal
- To realize that God guarantees victory for His people
Question 1.) How did Gideon demonstrate his obedience to God’s call?
Judges 6:25-32
God commanded Gideon to thrown down the altar of Baal which belonged to his father. He was further instructed by God to build an altar unto the Lord (Judges 6:25-26). Gideon immediately obeyed as we read in Judges 6:27 “Then Gideon took men of his servants and did as the Lord had said unto him: and so it was, because he feared his father’s household, and the men of the city, that he could not do it by day, that he did it by night”. Thus Gideon demonstrated his obedience to God’s call by carrying out immediately the very first assignment God gave to him.
Let us understand that God did not specify the time Gideon should carry out this instruction of throwing down the father’s idol. However, for fear of his father’s household and the men of the city, he (Gideon) choose to do it in the night. Considering the turmoil it generated when the people woke up in the morning, perhaps more turmoil would have occurred if Gideon hand destroyed the idol during the day. In a commentary on that verse Dake wrote “more than anything else, he may have feared the turmoil such action would have caused in the day time, so he chose the night when the city was asleep”. However, most importantly, our God did not condemn Gideon for doing it in the night.
We (Believers) need a lot of wisdom as we go about fulfilling God’s call upon our lives and carrying out our God given assignments as individuals, families and congregations. We must depend on the HOLY SPIRIT for direction and we must be ready to follow the HOLY SPIRIT as HE leads and directs us.
Question 2.) In what ways can a Christian be involved in destroying “Baalism” and restoring true worship in our time?
Like Gideon, believers can be used by God to pull down the various types of “Baal” we find in the society today, Greed/covetousness, crave for wealth, and fame etc. are gods (baals) plaguing men and women today. The first way a Believer shows resentment to any of these things is to refuse to participate, partake in or promote any of them. In addition he must speak against practices that bother on idol worship wherever they occur even if the place of occurrence is inside a church. Believers (especially Bible Teachers) must teach what is biblically correct to people. Also, when new converts requests for the destruction of their idols, a believer should boldly in the name of the LORD JESUS destroy such idol. These are some of the ways true worship can be restored in our time.
Question 3.) How did Gideon assume position as Israel’s leader?
Having survived the plot to kill him for destroying Baal’s altar and with the SPIRIT of the LORD coming upon him, Gideon became the leader of Israel’s army. (Judges 6:33-35). It is instructive to note that before going out to battle against the enemy Gideon spent time with GOD (Judges 6:36-40). As part of his communion with God, he requested for signs to confirm GOD’s promise to him. The nature of the signs requested was such that will take supernatural power to accomplish and that meant only God could do them. We are not in a position to condemn of commend Gideon for asking for those signs especially as our GOD did not condemn or commend him; rather the Lord met his request. There is no doubt that Gideon received encouragement, reassurance and strength when he beheld those miraculous acts of God demonstrated through the “Fleece of wool”.
However, the lesson we must learn is that there is always the need to spend time with God before proceeding on any assignment we want to carry out for HIM. Such assignments may include giving a talk in church/fellowship; evangelism/witnessing; counseling an individual; physically destroying idols of new converts etc.
Question 4.) Why did God send only 300 men to fight the forces “that lay along in the valley like grasshoppers for multitude”.
Judges 7:1-7, 12
“And the LORD said unto Gideon, the people that are with thee are too many for ME to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying mine own hand hath saved me”. (Judges 7:2). Also in John 2:24-25, we read “But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men, and needed not that any should testify of man, for he knew what was in man”.
God understands and knows man through and through. Therefore like God said if Israel won that battle with that large number of soldiers, they would certainly ascribe the glory to themselves. He decided to prune down the number of soldiers. In pruning down the number, God’s knowledge of man was at work. He knew that some were afraid and when He asked those who were afraid to go back home, twenty thousand of them representing about 68.75% (i.e. 2/3 majority as we would say today) went back home. God further pruned down the number by a process described in Judges 7:4-7. God decided to use only three hundred men that is 1.36% of the original population that came out for battle to fight the Midianites.
It does appear that Gideon, though a leader, had his moments of fear. God knew about this and gave him further encouragement concerning the battle he was about to fight (Judges 7:9-14). The dream of the Midianites and the interpretation of his fellow Midianite were further signs of confirmation to Gideon that the Lord had given them victory in the battle.
Let us understand always that our God, the Father of your Lord Jesus Christ is mighty in battle. He is Jehovah Nissi (The Lord our Banner) and Jehovah Saboath (the Lord of hosts). No matter what we are confronted with and no matter who or what we contend with in life, He remains our deliverer and in Him alone our victory is guaranteed.
Question 5.) What were Gideon’s weapons in this battle and what do we learn from this?
Gideon used uncommon weapons (not applicable in physical war) to prosecute this battle. He used trumpets and empty jars. It is written in scripture. “And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put a trumpet in every man’s hand with empty pitchers, and lamps within the pitchers. And he said unto them look on me and do likewise: and behold when I come to the outside of the camp, it shall be that, as I do, so shall ye do. When I blow with a trumpet, I and all that are with me, then blow ye the trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and say, the sword of the Lord, and of Gideon” Judges 7:16-18. In summary, his weapons were trumpets, empty pitchers (jars) and lamps. The trumpets were instruments of praise and in reality it was this praise given to God when the people were faced with a mighty army that brought victory. The Midianites suffered total defeat (Judges 7:22-25). This brings to the fore again, the issue of praising God in times of difficulties being a major way of having our problems solved and receiving answers to our prayers. The walls of Jericho fell down when the children of Israel sand praises to God (Joshua 6:17-20) and the prison doors were opened when Paul and Silas began to praise God (Acts 16:25-26).
As believers, we must bear in mind that the “weapons of our warfare are not carnal”. Although they are not carnal they are however mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds (2 Corinthians 10:4). The weapons we use for our warfare include truth, righteousness, faith etc. (Ephesians 6:1-18).
Question 6.) Victory is sure for the believer.
A believer who sincerely practices his faith will encounter trials, temptations and difficulties in this world (2 Timothy 3:12). These experiences vary from individuals to individual. Some believers become discouraged when they pass through certain experiences. Some may be tempted to backslide. However, no matter what we go through in life, the presence of God with us in those situations is emphatically stated in scripture. God says “… I will never leave you nor forsake you” Hebrews 13:5. His presence with us always guarantees victory. Let us trust Him daily, faithfully depending upon Him to always give us victory over the challenges of this life.
Daily Living Application:
Gideon overcame his fear when he removed his eyes from himself and began to place his faith on God. He followed the instructions of God with obedient faith. The result was that he enjoyed God’s presence as he led Israel and God gave him victory over his enemies.
Gideon and his army simply watched as the army of Midian fell into panic, confusion, and disarray; none of them drew a sword to defeat the enemy. God indeed fought for them and that same God who did it for them will fight for us today. We must do away with fear, trust God and place our faith in Him. When we do these and follow His instructions obediently we will experience victory in our daily life.
Memory Verse:
2 Corinthians 10:3-4
“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: For the weapons of our warfare are not canal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds”.