God Unexpected: The Last Part of the Gideon Story
Judges 6:33-8:4 May 7, 2006
Intro:
God specializes in the “unexpected.” I think it is because what we “expect” is so often not in line with who God is and what God desires, that we get caught a little off guard, a little by surprise, when we step back and see what God is doing. For example, we sometimes expect life to be nothing but pleasure, while God knows that a little bit of drought makes the roots go down deeper and stronger. We sometimes expect to never have to suffer, while God knows that some of our most beautiful experiences of humanity will come through our suffering. We sometimes expect life to be easy, while God knows that the things we achieve with ease will never bring us satisfaction.
The last 2 weeks I have been sharing the story of Gideon, from Judges 6. Downstairs this morning, our boys are hearing the final part of the Gideon story, and learning that being a man of God means having the courage to obey. Even when the unexpected comes. I want to share that same story with you. It is a long one, but it is really all the same story and I don’t want to split it up, and as this is also communion Sunday I’m going to try to share it quickly and just make a series of simple observations along the way, without elaboration. It is a story of war, of violence and bloodshed, but I think that is ok, and since next week is Mother’s day and I’ll try to be warm and cuddly then…
background first...
First let me catch you up… two weeks ago Gideon met Jesus in the form of an angel, who greeting Gideon as a “mighty hero” and then promised that the presence of God would be with him. Gideon responded in obedience to God and took a very public stand for God, cementing his reputation as someone chosen by God.
the story continues… (Judges 6:33-8:4)
(6:33) Now all the Midianites, Amalekites and other eastern peoples joined forces and crossed over the Jordan and camped in the Valley of Jezreel. (6:34) Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon,
That is an important point – all that follows comes from the fact that “the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon”. Same for us: if, and only if, we welcome the Spirit of God into our lives, we will be victorious. Everything that follows comes from this reality.
and he blew a trumpet, summoning the Abiezrites to follow him. (6:35) He sent messengers throughout Manasseh, calling them to arms, and also into Asher, Zebulun and Naphtali, so that they too went up to meet them.
This is fascinating to me, especially in light of what follows. Gideon rallies the troops, prepares for battle, and they come. They come to fight, they believe in Gideon and in God. We’ll see in a few verses that 32 000 come.
(6:36) Gideon said to God, "If you will save Israel by my hand as you have promised-- (6:37) look, I will place a wool fleece on the threshing floor. If there is dew only on the fleece and all the ground is dry, then I will know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you said." (6:38) And that is what happened. Gideon rose early the next day; he squeezed the fleece and wrung out the dew--a bowlful of water.(6:39) Then Gideon said to God, "Do not be angry with me. Let me make just one more request. Allow me one more test with the fleece. This time make the fleece dry and the ground covered with dew." (6:40) That night God did so. Only the fleece was dry; all the ground was covered with dew.
Gideon is looking for some reassurance. He has heard the promise, taken a stand, acted on it, but he wants to be sure. And God guides. Now, the way God guides today is different – I don’t recommend this particular method, but the point is exactly the same: God guides. He cares. He walks with us. He knows our insecurities, He knows our doubts, He knows that we need Him, and so He guides. He helps. He walks beside. He did for Gideon; He does for us.
(7:1) Early in the morning, Jerub-Baal (that is, Gideon) and all his men camped at the spring of Harod. The camp of Midian was north of them in the valley near the hill of Moreh. (7:2) The LORD said to Gideon, "You have too many men for me to deliver Midian into their hands.
Ok, I’m no military strategist. I’ve never been to boot camp, never read books on war tactics, and I wasn’t even a cadet. But this statement seems backwards. “too many”?? I sense something unexpected…
In order that Israel may not boast against me that her own strength has saved her, (7:3) announce now to the people, `Anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.’" So twenty-two thousand men left, while ten thousand remained.
There is the 32 000. I read ahead, and in chapter 8:10 we discover that the enemy army numbers 135 000. NO WONDER 22 000 “trembled in fear” and turned back! And no wonder that Gideon asked for some extra guidance!
Note also the tender care of God. He didn’t push, He didn’t force, He didn’t embarrass. He let those who were terrified go home. He still doesn’t. He won’t push you, He’ll gently draw. He won’t force, He’ll invite. He won’t embarrass, He’ll comfort. That is who God is. That is why Jesus came into the world as a helpless infant. That is why Jesus told us to go out into the world and love people. That is who God is.
So Gideon loses 2/3rds of his army, when he was already outnumbered 4-1. Now it is 13-1.
(7:4) But the LORD said to Gideon, "There are still too many men.
Here comes the unexpected again…
Take them down to the water, and I will sift them for you there. If I say, `This one shall go with you,’ he shall go; but if I say, `This one shall not go with you,’ he shall not go."
(7:5) So Gideon took the men down to the water. There the LORD told him, "Separate those who lap the water with their tongues like a dog from those who kneel down to drink." ((7:6) Three hundred men lapped with their hands to their mouths. All the rest got down on their knees to drink.
(7:7) The LORD said to Gideon, "With the three hundred men that lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hands. Let all the other men go, each to his own place." (7:8) So Gideon sent the rest of the Israelites to their tents but kept the three hundred, who took over the provisions and trumpets of the others.
32 000, now we are down to 300. 1% of the original army. There are now 440 enemy soldiers for every 1 Israelite soldier.
Now the camp of Midian lay below him in the valley. (7:9) During that night the LORD said to Gideon, "Get up, go down against the camp, because I am going to give it into your hands. (7:10) If you are afraid to attack, go down to the camp with your servant Purah (7:11) and listen to what they are saying. Afterward, you will be encouraged to attack the camp.”
Isn’t that beautiful? God knows what Gideon is going through, he knows Gideon is afraid, and God initiates. God wakes Gideon up in the middle of the night so that He can reassure Him. Notice too that Gideon doesn’t put on a fake act of faith – he doesn’t say “of course I am not afraid, God, You said You’d be with me and that is good enough for me to lead an army of 300 against 132 000…” Gideon jumps at the opportunity, as we read next.
But just before I read the next part, you need to know this: this is the last thing that Scripture records God saying to Gideon. From here, through the rest of the story, Gideon simply acts on what God has already said. He believes, he is, literally, en-couraged, and he goes. He obeys.
So he and Purah his servant went down to the outposts of the camp. (7:12) The Midianites, the Amalekites and all the other eastern peoples had settled in the valley, thick as locusts. Their camels could no more be counted than the sand on the seashore.(7:13) Gideon arrived just as a man was telling a friend his dream. "I had a dream," he was saying. "A round loaf of barley bread came tumbling into the Midianite camp. It struck the tent with such force that the tent overturned and collapsed."(7:14) His friend responded, "This can be nothing other than the sword of Gideon son of Joash, the Israelite. God has given the Midianites and the whole camp into his hands."7:15) When Gideon heard the dream and its interpretation, he worshiped God. He returned to the camp of Israel and called out, "Get up! The LORD has given the Midianite camp into your hands."
I have to point out this: Gideon says the Lord, “HAS given” – it has already happened, as far as Gideon is concerned. He has heard the fear, he knows the enemy is already on the run, he knows he has the victory. True, the battle has not yet happened – but the end is already secure.
That is true for us in so many ways, but one that I’ll mention – the way that Christians face death. The end is secure, eternal life is the true promise, it is already accomplished ahead of time.
(7:16) Dividing the three hundred men into three companies, he placed trumpets and empty jars in the hands of all of them, with torches inside.
(7:17) "Watch me," he told them. "Follow my lead. When I get to the edge of the camp, do exactly as I do.(7:18) When I and all who are with me blow our trumpets, then from all around the camp blow yours and shout, `For the LORD and for Gideon.’"
(7:19) Gideon and the hundred men with him reached the edge of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, just after they had changed the guard. They blew their trumpets and broke the jars that were in their hands. (7:20) The three companies blew the trumpets and smashed the jars. Grasping the torches in their left hands and holding in their right hands the trumpets they were to blow, they shouted, "A sword for the LORD and for Gideon!" (7:21) While each man held his position around the camp, all the Midianites ran, crying out as they fled.
I think that is incredibly significant. In the midst of the panic, the confusion, the 132 000 enemy soldiers running and crying out and making all sorts of terrifying noise, what did Gideon and his army do? “Each man held his position.” Without even a sword in their hands – a torch in one and a trumpet in the other, with 132 000 crazed and terrified enemy soldiers in the middle of the night. Wow. That is powerful, and that is for us to hear this morning. In the midst of the frenzy, every single one of us needs to hold our position. We take up a place beside one another, and commit to loving each other and fighting beside and for one another, and when things get crazy, and we have heard the call and promise of God, and have been chosen by Him to join alongside each other through life, then it is time to stand. If we stand, we will see victory. If we run, if we abandon our post in our relationships, we maybe, maybe, save our own skin, but we jeopardize the lives of those around us.
(7:22) When the three hundred trumpets sounded, the LORD caused the men throughout the camp to turn on each other with their swords. The army fled to Beth Shittah toward Zererah as far as the border of Abel Meholah near Tabbath. Israelites from Naphtali, Asher and all Manasseh were called out, and they pursued the Midianites.
(7:24) Gideon sent messengers throughout the hill country of Ephraim, saying, "Come down against the Midianites and seize the waters of the Jordan ahead of them as far as Beth Barah."
So all the men of Ephraim were called out and they took the waters of the Jordan as far as Beth Barah. (7:25) They also captured two of the Midianite leaders, Oreb and Zeeb. They killed Oreb at the rock of Oreb, and Zeeb at the winepress of Zeeb. They pursued the Midianites and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon, who was by the Jordan.
They stand firm, and God brings the victory. Not a single Israelite soldier dies (see 8:4). And remember all those 22 000 that got scared and went home? They get a second chance – they get to join in and share in the victory. Just like God! I love it!!
One more part to the story. Gideon doesn’t just invite the 22 000 back, he invites one more group of people – the ones from Ephraim. They come, they join in this incredible victory, they capture and kill two of the four main enemy leaders, they get to be a part of setting their land free from this tyrannical army. The goodness extends.
What should we expect next? I’d say a mighty party! A huge celebration of victory. Time for awards and acclaim and praise to God. I’d expect Gideon to be on top of the world, to be lifted up by the people, remember the cry, “For the LORD and for Gideon!” – the mighty hero, the deliverer. The land is free, because Gideon obeyed. That is what I’d expect…
(8:1) Now the Ephraimites asked Gideon, "Why have you treated us like this? Why didn’t you call us when you went to fight Midian?" And they criticized him sharply.
Conclusion:
Here is what I hope and pray you will take away this morning. The only victory is God’s victory. He HAS done it. My only job, and your only job, is to obey over the long haul. When God has called, to plant our feet and stand our place. Even if we are staring into the crazed eyes of 440 terrifying enemy soldiers. Even if we stand and obey and stand and obey and finally see the amazing, mighty, God-be-glorified victory, and then someone who has fought beside us a moment ago starts to “criticize sharply.” Even then, we stand and obey.
God’s way is almost always unexpected; and it is always good. May you and I have the power to obey, to stand firm, and to let God have His way in us.
