Gideon’s 300 - Just A Few Good Men

Just a Few Good Men

Judges 6-

http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/JustaFewGoodMen.html

Chapter 5 ends with these words: "And the land had rest forty years."

Chapter 6 begins: "And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord..."

The cycle continues for God’s chosen nation. It’s the same old story.

Rebellion - Retribution - Repentance - Restoration

Rebellion led to retribution, repentance would lead to restoration.

When America is under God’s blessing we forget Him, and we have made the complete circle many times as a nation.

God used the wicked Midianites to judge His people. V. 5 says they were like grasshoppers in number.

Imagine a field full of grasshoppers jumping around. What if you were told to count them. There would be no way.

We should shake in our boots when we see the parallels w/ global terrorism. They are innumerable and jumping around and impossible to defeat.

Terrorism isn’t our greatest threat, as great as it is. And it’s not N. Korea, Iran, or China. V. 1 says that "The Lord delivered them into their hands..."

In the Bible God often uses one wicked nation to judge another.

Our Christian founded nation has come a long way. We have freedom of religion but many are trying to twist that into freedom FROM religion. And we need to remember which religion we were founded upon.

George Washington: While just government protects all in their religious rights, true religion affords to government its surest support.

(Source: George Washington, The Writings of George Washington, John C. Fitzpatrick, editor (Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1932), Vol. XXX, p. 432 n., from his address to the Synod of the Dutch Reformed Church in North America, October 9, 1789.)

Thomas Jefferson: "The reason that Christianity is the best friend of Government is because Christianity is the only religion that changes the heart."

http://wiki.monticello.org/mediawiki/index.php/Christianity_is_the_best_friend_of_government

Jefferson: "Of all the systems of morality, ancient or modern, which have come under my observation, none appear to me so pure as that of Jesus."

http://www.angelfire.com/co/JeffersonBible/jeffintr.html

Can you imagine seeing such quotes in a public school textbook?

John Adams: "The highest glory of the American Revolution was this: it connected in one indissoluble bond the principles of civil government with the principles of Christianity."

http://www.wtv-zone.com/Mary/forsakenroots.html

John Quincy Adams: "It is no slight testimonial, both to the merit and worth of Christianity, that in all ages since its promulgation the great mass of those who have risen to eminence by their profound wisdom and integrity have recognized and reverenced Jesus of Nazareth as the Son of the living God."

http://www.errantskeptics.org/Quotes_by_Presidents.htm

Benjamin Franklin: God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the Ground without his Notice, is it probable that an Empire can rise without his Aid?"

There are many more quotes, but suffice it to say that when Americans turn their backs on Christianity they turn their backs on America! This doesn’t mean they have to be Christians, but they should at least tolerate us and appreciate us, for Christianity and its principles are what have made America great.

In Judges 6 God’s people are so ravaged by the Midianites that they are hiding in dens and caves. In v. 7 they cry out to God to for mercy and God gives them...

Gideon.

Here’s 4 principles from the life of Gideon that can help us all:

You and I are in a battle spiritually, it’s a fight, not a frolic; a war, not a waltz; it’s a warzone, not some tiptoe thru the tulips.

God just needs a few good men.

1. The Principle of Encounter.

v. 11, 14 Gideon has a word from the Lord.

v. 22-24a He was an ordinary man, not a prophet, preacher, priest, or a king. He was radically changed by this encounter. He used to be afraid. How do we know? Because he threshed wheat at the winepress.

The winepress was at the bottom of the hill so you could carry the grapes downhill. The wheat threshing took place at the top of the hill so the wind would drive away the chaff. Gideon is hiding at the bottom doing the work of the top. He’s hunkered in the bunker! The end of v. 11 says he’s hiding from the Midianites.

But fear turned to faith after his encounter with the Lord. His eyes turned from his enemies to the Lord.

We all must turn our eyes from our foes to our Father! We can live our lives looking at the terrorists or the political imbeciles in Washington or we can turn our eyes to the hills from whence cometh our help! "Looking unto Jesus!"

"The man that fears God can face any foe."

ill.--the 12 spies of Canaan: 10 saw giants, 2 saw God.

ill.--when most looked at Goliath and said "He’s too big to hit" David said, "He’s too big to miss!"