Judges Part 2

Israel Oppressed by Midian

6 Then the sons of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the Lord; and the Lord gave them into the hands of Midian seven years. DO EVIL AND THERE MAY BE CONSEQUENCES.

2 The [a]power of Midian prevailed against Israel. Because of Midian the sons of Israel made for themselves the dens which were in the mountains and the caves and the strongholds. 3 For it was when Israel had sown, that the Midianites would come up with the Amalekites and the sons of the east and [b]go against them. 4 So they would camp against them and destroy the produce of the earth [c]as far as Gaza, and leave no sustenance in Israel as well as no sheep, ox, or donkey. https://www.foxweather.com/extreme-weather/california-crops-lost-floods-shortage : While the state grows about half of all the fruit and vegetables for the country, Monterey County is responsible for over $4 billion in revenue primarily through strawberries, lettuce and broccoli.

5 For they would come up with their livestock and their tents, they would come in like locusts (OR MOTHS IN CO IN MAY:); for number, both they and their camels were innumerable; and they came into the land to devastate it. 6 So Israel was brought very low because of Midian, and the sons of Israel cried to the Lord.

7 Now it came about when the sons of Israel cried to the Lord on account of Midian, 8 that the Lord sent a prophet to the sons of Israel, and he said to them, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘It was I who brought you up from Egypt and brought you out from the house of [d]slavery. WHEN WE CRY OUT TO THE LORD SOMEONE MAY BE SENT TO US TO CHALLENGE OR ENCOURAGE US.

9 I delivered you from the hands of the Egyptians and from the hands of all your oppressors, and dispossessed them before you and gave you their land, 10 and I said to you, “I am the Lord your God; you shall not fear the gods of the Amorites in whose land you live. But you have not [e]obeyed Me.”’” ONLY FEAR THE LORD GOD ALMIGHTY.

Gideon Is Visited (THERE WERE 7 YEARS OF OPPRESSION - MIDIANITES THEN 40 YEARS OF REST -MHM)

11 Then the angel of the Lord came and sat under the [f]oak that was in Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite as his son Gideon was beating out wheat in the wine press in order to save it from the Midianites. I GUESS ANGELS MAY LIKE SITTING UNDER OAKS, TOO. :)

12 The angel of the Lord appeared to him and said to him, “The Lord is with you, O valiant warrior.” I'M THANKFUL THE LORD HAS BEEN WITH ME FOR 22 YEARS IN THE ACTIVE, GUARD AND RESERVE ARMY.

13 Then 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 abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian.” 14 The Lord [g]looked at him and said, “Go in this your strength and deliver Israel from the hand of Midian. Have I not sent you?” BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU SAY TO THE LORD, THE LORD MAY NOT GIVE YOU THE ANSWER YOU WANT.

15 He said to Him, “O Lord, [h]how shall I deliver Israel? Behold, my family is the least in Manasseh, and I am the youngest in my father’s house.” 16 But the Lord said to him, “Surely I will be with you, and you shall [i]defeat Midian as one man.” I PRAY I'M ABLE TO DEFEAT EVIL INDIVIDUALLY, AND YOU AS WELL, BUT BETTER 2 HAVE 2.

17 So [j]Gideon said to Him, “If now I have found favor in Your sight, then show me a sign that it is You who speak with me. THIS WILL BE DISCUSSED BELOW.

18 Please do not depart from here, until I come back to You, and bring out my offering and lay it before You.” And He said, “I will remain until you return.”

19 Then Gideon went in and prepared a young goat and unleavened bread from an [k]ephah of flour; he put the meat in a basket [l]and the broth in a pot, and brought them out to him under the [m]oak and presented them. 20 The angel of God said to him, “Take the meat and the unleavened bread and lay them on this rock, and pour out the broth.” And he did so. 21 Then the angel of the Lord put out the end of the staff that was in his hand and touched the meat and the unleavened bread; and fire sprang up from the rock and consumed the meat and the unleavened bread. Then the angel of the Lord [n]vanished from his sight. THAT WOULD BE WILD TO SEE!