Gideon: A Man Of Valor

Note: I would like to thank Wayne Dority for his message on Gideon, and Jamie Wright for the message The Devil's Worst Nightmare.

Jdg 6:1-13 Then the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD. So the LORD delivered them into the hand of Midian for seven years, (2) and the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel. Because of the Midianites, the children of Israel made for themselves the dens, the caves, and the strongholds which are in the mountains. (3) So it was, whenever Israel had sown, Midianites would come up; also Amalekites and the people of the East would come up against them. (4) Then they would encamp against them and destroy the produce of the earth as far as Gaza, and leave no sustenance for Israel, neither sheep nor ox nor donkey. (5) For they would come up with their livestock and their tents, coming in as numerous as locusts; both they and their camels were without number; and they would enter the land to destroy it. (6) So Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites, and the children of Israel cried out to the LORD. (7) And it came to pass, when the children of Israel cried out to the LORD because of the Midianites, (8) that the LORD sent a prophet to the children of Israel, who said to them, "Thus says the LORD God of Israel: 'I brought you up from Egypt and brought you out of the house of bondage; (9) 'and I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of all who oppressed you, and drove them out before you and gave you their land. (10) 'Also I said to you, "I am the LORD your God; do not fear the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell." But you have not obeyed My voice.'" (11) Now the Angel of the LORD came and sat under the terebinth tree which was in Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, while his son Gideon threshed wheat in the winepress, in order to hide it from the Midianites. (12) And the Angel of the LORD appeared to him, and said to him, "The LORD is with you, you mighty man of valor!" (13) Gideon said to Him, "O my lord, if the LORD is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about, saying, 'Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt?' But now the LORD has forsaken us and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites."

Introduction

In Judges 6 we see the same cycle repeated. Over and over again in Judges the Israelites would sin against God, they would raise up their idols and God would send a nation to oppress them. Then they would finally get fed up and cry out to the Lord for help. God would send a deliver (never as they expected it) and deliver them for a season, it seems until another generation would raise up.

Reminds me of our pattern. We sin and in out sin God sends judgement. For some it maybe a slight tug at the heart for others it may be an exposure.

Illustration

Over the last two weeks we have watched the drama play out for the coach of Arkansas(Bobby Petrino) who had an affair and was caught by wrecking his motorcycle with the woman on the back.

Then we turn to the Lord and as always He is faithful. He forgives us.

Here in chapter 6 we read the story of Gideon. Gideon is the chosen deliver for Israel. As we look at this man let us read about who he is.

Gideon – Man of Valor? Valor – strength, strong, brave, integrity

Seemingly contradiction compared to where Gideon was – In the winepress hiding from the Midianites. But the good news is he was working.

IN other words GOD SEES SOMETHING IN YOU THAT YOU DON’T SEE IN YOURSELF

Gideon’s Question – If God is with us 1) why are we in this condition 2) where are all the miracles

Jesus said in Mark 16:17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

Gideon – Humble Beginnings

From the smallest of tribes

Offered up sacrifice of fleece before he began

Cleaned out his private before he could go public

Gideon – Unsure of self

Gideon – God’s mighty warrior

Characteristics of Gideon

Humility

Willing

Filled with the Spirit of the Lord – Judges 6:34 “the Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon” literally means that it “clothed” Gideon