Gideon - The Conqueror Part 2
Judges 8:9-8:21
Introduction
Martin Luther King Jr. said, "Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase."
The Lord had spoken to Gideon each step of the way. Gideon’s faith had grown. The angel of the Lord had called him and he listened. The command was to destroy the Baal altar, he doubted, was afraid, but he acted, obeyed, and destroyed the altar.
The Spirit of the Lord came upon him and he blew the trumpet and the army of Israel had arrived. The Lord sifted the army of 32,000 down to 300. Why, so Israel could not take credit for the victory.
Gideon’s faith had increased dramatically from the pit where he was sifting wheat. Each step of the way the Lord gave him a greater challenge. Gideon’s initial reaction was doubt and fear but his final action was faith in the Lord. Gideon’s faith in the Lord had won out over his fear.
Had Gideon been faced with his next decision at the beginning of his walk with the Lord he might have obeyed his fear and doubt. But the Lord was growing him to become the mighty warrior just as the angel of the LORD had said when he was at the bottom of the well, the pit hiding. The Lord grows our faith in the same way today.
Again, Gideon was faced with a decision. The Lord had commanded him to attack a force of 135,000 with only 300 men. The victory over the Midianites was assured. The LORD had given them into his hands. Verse 9 says,
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.
(numbered from Part1)
6. Recon of Midianites - v. 10 -
George Seaton said, "Faith is believing in things when common sense tells you not to."
Gideon was faced with a task that was beyond reason and beyond the capabilities of the 300 men. The Lord knew he would be afraid and filled with doubt. Who wouldn’t? But the Lord gave him a way to be encouraged.
If you are afraid to attack, go down to the camp with your servant Purah and listen to what they are saying. Afterward, you will be encouraged to attack the camp.” So he and Purah his servant went down to the outposts of the camp. 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.
Gideon was afraid. He had doubt about the outcome of the battle. The Lord had said they were "given into his hands" but Gideon doubted the "given". The valley below did not look good for the 300 Israelites. The enemies were gathered together and were "thick as locusts. Their camels could no more be counted than the sand on the seashore." No wonder Gideon doubted and was afraid.
The Lord gave Gideon an opportunity to strengthen his faith. He and Purah were to sneak into the camp and listen to what the Midianites were saying about the approaching battle. All he had to do was go.
Does the Lord give us opportunities to strengthen our faith when the enemies are all around? The answer is yes. He has given us other believers to encourage us each time we gather together. He gives us Bible studies to learn more of His great promises a victories of old. The problem is some are not willing to gather regularly. No wonder many believers live defeated lifestyles.
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.”
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.”
Gideon overheard a conversation just as he got to the camp. A "dreamer" was telling what he had seen in his sleep; a loaf of barley bread and a tent. The bread came down and crushed the tent in the middle of the camp.
The two symbols in the dream, the bread and tent, are significant in understanding the interpretation of the dream. Barley bread was the bread of slaves. It was cheap and made from ingredients that in the end it could barely be eaten by men. It was vile and disgusting. The bread or cake symbolized the nation of Israel who had become slaves to the Midianites.
The tent in the middle of the camp represented the Midianites and their leaders. They would be struck down by the loaf of bread as it came tumbling down the mountainside.
The friend knew what the dream and its symbols meant, the destruction of the Midianites by "the sword of Gideon". The Midianites were more afraid of Gideon than he was of them. I believe the Lord caused the Midianites to dream the dreams of fear and destruction, not just the two men but all of them. What is really interesting is they knew who Gideon was.
7. Gideon’s Reaction - v. 15
Frederick W. Cropp said, "There is much in the world to make us afraid. There is much more in our faith to make us unafraid."
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.”
Gideon got excited, pumped up, and was ready to go wage war. He had been strengthened just as the Lord had said. His response to the dream and its’ interpretation was worship. Gideon praised God because His word was true and the victory would be Israel’s.
He went back to the camp excited at what the Lord had revealed to him.
He was now confident of the outcome of the battle and he acted on his renewed and strengthened faith. He commanded the 300 and told them the battle is theirs to win. It was time to make preparation for the battle.
8. The Requisition - v. 16 - 18
Dividing the three hundred men into three companies, he placed trumpets and empty jars in the hands of all of them, with torches inside.
Preparation for battle began with organizing the army of 300 warriors. The 300 were divided into 3 companies, each one with 100 men. A three pronged attack was going to be better than one, especially if it was a surprise attack.
Every army, before it goes into battle, requisitions items to carry out the mission. They would go to the supply tent with the proper paperwork, present it to the person in charge, perhaps the supply sergeant, and get everything for the mission. Some things were always standard, weapon, ammunition, munitions, radios, etc.
Notice Gideon’s items. He gives his men trumpets, empty jars, and torches. We do not read of any weapons of any kind. Certainly they couldn’t be expected to carry out an attack with only these few things. None of them, except perhaps the torch, could be used in a fight.
The LORD was going to demonstrate His awesome power with these faithful three hundred. We do not read of anyone questioning or complaining. We do see men with great faith in their leader and the leader’s, Gideon’s, great faith in the LORD.
“Watch me,” he told them. “Follow my lead. When I get to the edge of the camp, do exactly as I do. 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.’”
The plan laid out for the battle was relatively simple, follow my lead and do everything that I do. The other command was to shout "For the Lord and for Gideon". The literal translation in Hebrew is, "Sword for the Lord and Gideon". They were to make sure the Midianites knew who it was with lit torches and blowing on the trumpets and smashing the pots.
It is the same battle plan that the Lord gives us today, "follow me". We trust in His word, follow Him only, act in faith, give witness of Christ and we will have the victory in life.
9. The Rout - v. 7:19 - 7:25
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. 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!” While each man held his position around the camp, all the Midianites ran, crying out as they fled.
Gideon and his men went down to the camp somewhere around midnight, the middle of the watch. They approached with their torches covered by the jars. They could see where they were going as they walked because the light shined downward but the enemy could not see the light because it was covered by the jars.
When they got into position around the camp, they blew the trumpets. I can imagine that every Midianite awoke from sleep scared to death because the noise was so loud and so very close.
Next, they broke the jars which made a tremendous noise. I would imagine that the enemy thought there were thousands and thousands of Israelites descending on their camp. The torches were also uncovered showing their close proximity. They shouted at the top of their voices "For the Lord and Gideon. The Midianite camp awoke in a fright, thought they were in the midst of a defeat by Gideon, and ran in every direction. They were crying!
The army of Gideon continued to blow the trumpets and shout but they also were to hold their positions. They did not move. They stood firm in the midst of a great battle, enemy all around them, with no offensive weapons.
The Lord gives us the same word today. 1 Corinthians 16:13 says,
Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. Do everything in love.
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.
The battle was truly won by the LORD. It was a miracle. Gideon and his men stood firm, held their position, and the LORD caused the enemy to turn in on itself with swords. Three hundred men of the Lord were victorious over an enemy that vastly outnumbered them.
The Lord had promised Gideon victory. Gideon walked by faith and went to battle. The Lord gave Gideon the victory. There would be no doubt in anyone’s mind that the LORD had given them the victory just as He had promised.
A.W. Tozer said, "The Bible recognizes no faith that does not lead to obedience, nor does it recognize any obedience that does not spring from faith. The two are opposite sides of the same coin."
Israelites from Naphtali, Asher and all Manasseh were called out, and they pursued the Midianites.
Gideon had wisely sent word to the surrounding areas. He told them to seize the Midianites as they ran. His fellow countrymen were called out and pursued the fleeing enemy. Those men who were sent home would get a piece of the action.
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. 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.
He also had told Ephriam to come down to the Jordan to cut off the Midianites escape to the other side. They captured the leaders. It is interesting that they were captured. Oreb by a rock and Zeeb next to a winepress, a similar location to the one the Lord had called out Gideon. The threat from Midian was gone for the moment.
10. Result - v. 8:1-21
Ephriam - v.1-4
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. But he answered them, “What have I accomplished compared to you? Aren’t the gleanings of Ephraim’s grapes better than the full grape harvest of Abiezer? God gave Oreb and Zeeb, the Midianite leaders, into your hands. What was I able to do compared to you?” At this, their resentment against him subsided.
Ephriam was critical of Gideon. It almost seems as though they arte angry he did not call them about the battle in the beginning. Of course Gideon was following the commands of the Lord that only 300 men take part in the destruction of the Midianite’s camp.
The Midianites being in on the battle in the beginning was not the motive or intent of the complaint toward Gideon. The Midianites wanted credit for the victory over Midian and more importantly, a large cut of the spoils of war.
Rather than fight or argue with the men and leaders of Ephriam Gideon humbles himself and builds them up. He points to Ephriam’s accomplishments of capturing the princes as far greater than the destruction of the camp. He calms their anger and avoids any further problem or resentment.
Succoth and Penial - v. 5-9
Gideon and his three hundred men, exhausted yet keeping up the pursuit, came to the Jordan and crossed it. He said to the men of Succoth, “Give my troops some bread; they are worn out, and I am still pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.” But the officials of Succoth said, “Do you already have the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna in your possession? Why should we give bread to your troops?” Then Gideon replied, “Just for that, when the LORD has given Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, I will tear your flesh with desert thorns and briers.” From there he went up to Peniel and made the same request of them, but they answered as the men of Succoth had. So he said to the men of Peniel, “When I return in triumph, I will tear down this tower.”
Gideon and the 300 kept pursuing the enemies of Israel. By this time they were tired and need food and water. Gideon made the request to two cities, one was Succoth and the other was Penial. Both of the leaders and people of the cities denied Gideon’s men food or water. It was a decision that both cities would pay a dear price.
Gideon steps into the role of judge and passages judgment on the two cities for denying his army their basic needs. Succoth’s leaders would have the flesh torn from their bodies by the thorns of the desert. We have experience in Arizona concerning thorns and flesh. Some of the thorns reach and inch or two long depending on the plant.
Penial would have its’ tower in the city destroyed and their men killed. It was a harsh punishment for not giving the Israelites bread and water and certainly Ephriam suffered no such fate for their pride.
Gideon son of Joash then returned from the battle by the Pass of Heres. He caught a young man of Succoth and questioned him, and the young man wrote down for him the names of the seventy-seven officials of Succoth, the elders of the town. Then Gideon came and said to the men of Succoth, “Here are Zebah and Zalmunna, about whom you taunted me by saying, ‘Do you already have the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna in your possession? Why should we give bread to your exhausted men?’” He took the elders of the town and taught the men of Succoth a lesson by punishing them with desert thorns and briers. He also pulled down the tower of Peniel and killed the men of the town.
What was the difference? Why such a harsh penalty? Gideon was God’s chosen leader. The men of both cities were betting against Gideon in his pursuit of the Midianites. They both denied help to God’s army and at the same time were assisting the enemy. They were traitors in the midst of the nation. If he survived he would be back to pass judgment on their treachery.
Theirs was the sin of hardness of heart toward their brethren and treason against the God of heaven. Of what good was it for Gideon and his men to risk their lives to deliver Israel if they had traitors right in their own nation? (Weirsbe)
The 15,000 Left - v. 10
Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor with a force of about fifteen thousand men, all that were left of the armies of the eastern peoples; a hundred and twenty thousand swordsmen had fallen. Gideon went up by the route of the nomads east of Nobah and Jogbehah and fell upon the unsuspecting army. Zebah and Zalmunna, the two kings of Midian, fled, but he pursued them and captured them, routing their entire army.
Gideon’s army continued to pursue the 15,000 men remaining from the preceding battle. They were all that was left of the 135,000 men in the Midianite army. The army had already slain by the LORD’S hand 120,000 of their swordsmen. Again, we see the great power and might of the LORD. The two kings that were left would perish by Gideon’s sword and judgment would be carried out on the cities of Succoth and Penial.
Gideon had carried out the mission that the Lord had set before him. Every enemy and every traitor in the nation had been killed or punish. The Israelite nation could again worship the LORD in freedom and safety. They were again the great nation God had intended them to be.
Conclusion
Gideon had finally fulfilled the name given him by the angel of the LORD, "mighty warrior". ’He led an army of 300 to defeat 135,000. It was truly a miraculous feat of faith.
How did Gideon become this man? The LORD grew his faith a little at a time. God gave him small steps of faith that eventually led to a giant step of faith in the Lord God.
The LORD grows our faith the same way, one small step at a time. Will we one day be a mighty warrior? No, but you will become the person the Lord wants you to be.
Also, Gideon was filled with doubt and fear every step of the way. Remember, doubt is needed for faith to exist. Faith is trusting in things "unseen". Is fear ok? Yes, both fear and doubt are a part of stepping out into the unknown but faith can overcome the doubt and fear by simply taking the step of faith the Lord has commanded.
Gideon heard the word of the Lord and followed. The formula leading to a strong dynamic life changing faith is the same. Hear God’s word and heed God’s word. We read or hear and obey. That’s how we will become what the Lord desire us to be.
Invitation
