The Encouragement God Gave Gideon To Attack Series

Chapter 24: The Encouragement God Gave Gideon to Attack

Judges 7.9-7.15

Scripture

9 And it came to pass the same night, that the LORD said unto him, Arise, get thee down unto the host; for I have delivered it into thine hand.

10 But if thou fear to go down, go thou with Phurah thy servant down to the host:

11 And thou shalt hear what they say; and afterward shall thine hands be strengthened to go down unto the host. Then went he down with Phurah his servant unto the outside of the armed men that were in the host.

12 And the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the children of the east lay along in the valley like grasshoppers for multitude; and their camels were without number, as the sand by the sea side for multitude.

13 And when Gideon was come, behold, there was a man that told a dream unto his fellow, and said, Behold, I dreamed a dream, and, lo, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the host of Midian, and came unto a tent, and smote it that it fell, and overturned it, that the tent lay along.

14 And his fellow answered and said, This is nothing else save the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel: for into his hand hath God 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 worshipped, and returned into the host of Israel, and said, Arise; for the LORD hath delivered into your hand the host of Midian.

Commentary

This is Gideon’s final lesson before he goes into battle. He goes down to the edge of the camp and eavesdrops while two soldiers are talking. They frankly believe that God is going to deliver the Midianites into the hands of Gideon and his host. God permits Gideon to hear this conversation to encourage him just prior to the battle

9 And it came to pass the same night, that the LORD said unto him, Arise, get thee down unto the host; for I have delivered it into thine hand.--Judges 7:9 (KJV)

9 That night the LORD said to Gideon, “Attack! Go into the camp! I will hand it over to you.

Judges 7:9 (GW)

The Lord wanted Gideon and his little band of 300 men to attack the Mideanites camp that evening, but first he must deal with the fear that rested in his heart. God had already told Gideon three times that He would give Israel victory (vs. [1]6.14 , [2]6.16 ; [3]7.7 ) and He had reassured him by giving him three special signs; fire from the rock [4](6.19-21) , the wet fleece [5](6.36-38) , and the dry fleece [6](6.39-40). After all this divine help, Gideon should have been strong in his faith, but such was not the case.\

How grateful we should be that God understands us and doesn’t condemn us because we have doubts and fears! He keeps giving us wisdom and doesn’t scold us when we keep asking [7](James 1.5) . Our great High Priest in heaven sympathizes with our weaknesses [8](Heb. 4.14-16) and keeps giving us more grace [9](James 4.6). God remembers that we are only dust [10](Ps. 103.14) and flesh [11](Ps. 38.39) .

God encouraged Gideon’s faith in two ways:

1. God gave Gideon another promise, “I have delivered it (the invaders) into thine hand."

2. God gave Gideon another sign; a dream to encourage him.

And it came to pass the same night, that the LORD said unto him. It was the same day that there had been a great reduction in the size of his army, from 32,000 to three hundred. We may safely suppose that this word of the Lord came to him, when he was greatly agitated and burdened with concerns about the outcome of the coming battle. Gideon must have been completely in shock by now; and in order to prepare him to win the battle that would follow, God brought about an unusual set of circumstances, and then He ordered Gideon to get thee down unto the host and spy on the Midianite encampment. God’s words were just what a worried man needed to comfort and delight his soul, “get thee down unto the host; for I have delivered it into thine hand.” Divine consolations are given to believers not only to strengthen them, but to encourage them.

Arise, get thee down unto the host; for I have delivered it into thine hand. That is, go down from the hill where he and his little army were, to the valley of Jezreel, where the numerous host of Midian was waiting to do battle against them. The Lord was assuring him, that though the disproportion between the two armies was very great, the army of Midian would be delivered into his hands; and it was enough that the Lord had said it, for him to believe it; but when Gideon and his men considered their current situation by human standards, it is no wonder that they had fears and misgivings.