Gideon

Judges 6:11-24 Gideon

I. The Situation In Gideon’s Land - 4th episode of apostasy.

Sidlow Baxter said, “The six apostasies, servitudes, and deliverances are in a quadruple order: Sinning, Suffering, Supplication, Salvation.”

A. The Problems In Israel - 1 And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years.

1. The Problem Of Israel’s Anarchy - 10 And I said unto you, I am the LORD your God; fear not the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but ye have not obeyed my voice.

2. The Problem Of Israel’s Enemy - 3 And so it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites came up, and the Amalekites, and the children of the east, even they came up against them;

5 For they came up with their cattle and their tents, and they came as grasshoppers for multitude; for both they and their camels were without number: and they entered into the land to destroy it.

B. The Prayers In Israel - 6 Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites; and the children of Israel cried unto the LORD.

C. The Prophet In Israel

1. He Reminded Them Of Their Deliverance - 8-9 READ

2. He Reminded Them Of Their Disobedience - guilty of idolatry

10 but ye have not obeyed my voice.

II. The Spirit In Gideon’s Life (6:11-23).

A. How Gideon’s Fear Was Manifested - 11 And there came an angel of the LORD, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites.

1. He Is Distressed By God’s Absence – He Is Scared -

13 And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the LORD be with us, why then is all this befallen us?

2. He Is Doubtful Of God's Ability – He Is Skeptical - 15 And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.

B. How Gideon’s Fear Was Mentioned

1. In His Removal Of The Evil Altar - 27 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.

2. In His Reconnaissance Of The Enemies’ Army - 7:10 But if thou fear to go down, go thou with Phurah thy servant down to the host:

C. How Gideon’s Fear Was Mastered

3. The Sufficiency In Gideon’s Lord

1. The Sufficiency In God’s Word

a. God’s Assessment - 12 the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour.

b. God’s Appointment - 14 And the LORD looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee?

c. God’s Assurance - 23 the LORD said unto him, Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou shalt not die.

2. The Sufficiency In God’s Work

a. The Evidence Of The Fleece And The Dew (6:36-40)

b. The Evidence Of The Fellow And His Dream - Sidlow Baxter

"Doubt sees the obstacles, Faith sees the way.

Doubt sees the darksome night, Faith sees the day. Doubt dreads to take the step, Faith soars on high. Doubt whispers, “Who believes?” Faith answers - “I.”

3. The Sufficiency In God’s Will - Trust In:-

God's Presence - 18 And he said, I will tarry until thou come again. God's Patience - The Fleece And The Dew,

God's Protection - The Fellow And His Dream

God's Plan - 32,000 - 300 - Victory