Gideon: Warriors in Hiding
Judges 6:33-725
6/14/09
INTRODUCTION
In the spring of 1851, he accepted a newly created teaching position at the Virginia Military Institute (VMI), in Lexington, Virginia. He became Professor of Natural and Experimental Philosophy and Instructor of Artillery. Despite the high quality of his work, he was not popular as a teacher. His memorized lectures and were recited to the class; any students who came to ask for help were only given the same explanation as before. And if students came to ask again, he viewed this as insubordination and likewise punished them.
The students mocked his apparently stern, religious nature and his eccentric traits. In 1856, a group of alumni attempted to have him removed from his position. Who was he? The Sword of the confederate Army, the right hand of Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson.
Military historians consider Jackson to be one of the most gifted tactical commanders in United States history. His Valley Campaign and his envelopment of the Union Army right wing at Chancellorsville are studied worldwide even today as examples of innovative and bold leadership. He excelled as well at the First Battle of Bull Run (where he received his famous nickname "Stonewall"), Second Bull Run, Antietam, and Fredericksburg.
He led under the belief that God had ordained him for this task.
We have begun our look at another military leader. Gideon has been called, he has responded with obedience. The people remain enslaved. Now is the time of deliverance, this is Gideon’s time!
LEADERS LEAD, EVEN WHEN IN NEED OF REASSURANCE.
I. The Story
A. The Fleece before the Lord (6:33-39)
33 Now all the Midianites, Amalekites and other eastern peoples joined forces and crossed over the Jordan and camped in the Valley of Jezreel. 34 Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet, summoning the Abiezrites to follow him. 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.
36 Gideon said to God, "If you will save Israel by my hand as you have promised- 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." 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.
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." 40 That night God did so. Only the fleece was dry; all the ground was covered with dew.
B. Too Big an Army to Give God Glory (7:1-8)
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. 2 The LORD said to Gideon, "You have too many men for me to deliver Midian into their hands. In order that Israel may not boast against me that her own strength has saved her, 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.
4 But the LORD said to Gideon, "There are still too many men. 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."
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." 6 Three hundred men lapped with their hands to their mouths. All the rest got down on their knees to drink.
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." 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.
C. God Paves the Way for His Glory (7:8-14)
Now the camp of Midian lay below him in the valley. 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. 10 If you are afraid to attack, go down to the camp with your servant Purah 11 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. 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.
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."
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."
D. Trumpets, Jars and Torches (7:15-20)
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." 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.
17 "Watch me," he told them. "Follow my lead. When I get to the edge of the camp, do exactly as I do. 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.’"
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. 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!"
Gideon’s strategy involves several elements:
„X Surround the Midianite camp with a line of men a few hundred feet apart. This way the enemy will feel like they are being attacked from all sides.
„X Attack late at night to surprise and confuse the enemy. The beginning of the middle watch would be about 10 pm.
„X Sound trumpets (shofars) from 300 different directions. Trumpets were used in battle to sound the charge or retreat, much as bugles were used in the American Civil War. Usually one trumpet would be sounded to direct each company of soldiers. When the enemy hears 300 trumpets they imagine that a huge army is attacking them.
„X Break pottery jars. The jars serve two purposes: (1) to hide the light of the torches until the right time and (2) to create a great deal of noise upon shattering in order to confuse the enemy.2
„X Raise torches. Torchlights suddenly appearing all around the Midianite camp underscore the impression of being surrounded and induce panic.
„X Shout a battle cry, "A sword for the LORD and for Gideon." 300 men shouting a battle cry from diverse directions adds to the fear and panic of the enemy.
E. A Rout of the Midianite Army (7:21-25)
21 While each man held his position around the camp, all the Midianites ran, crying out as they fled.
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. 23 Israelites from Naphtali, Asher and all Manasseh were called out, and they pursued the Midianites. 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. 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.
LEADERS LEAD, EVEN WHEN IN NEED OF REASSURANCE.
II. Lessons
A. Even Spirit Led people struggle with times of questioning.
Gideon was filled with spirit before he raised the questions of assurance.
B. We can expect God to reassure us in times of uncertainty.
God accommodated himself to Gideon’s need as a leader.
C. Fleecing was a spirit led endeavor to confirm what God had already revealed.
„X Not a Christian Ouija board
„X Not a means to manipulate God
D. God advances his kingdom in ways that will bring him glory.
"You have too many men for me to deliver Midian into their hands. In order that Israel may not boast against me that her own strength has saved her,
E. God is willing to use unorthodox means to accomplish his Goals.
Lappers, Pots and torches???
F. Leaders Lead, when God empowered leaders act others will follow.
17 "Watch me," he told them. "Follow my lead. When I get to the edge of the camp, do exactly as I do.
The Apostle Paul wrote, "Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ" (1 Corinthians 11:1).
LEADERS LEAD, EVEN WHEN IN NEED OF REASSURANCE.
CHALLENGE
Has God sought to entrust you with an assignment, a role in his deliverance story and you have lacked the assurance to take up the task?
Are you missing out on what God is seeking to do as he advances his Kingdom?
Then
Admit it
Recommit it
Get to it
If you are one of those who needs to admit that you struggle to believe you have a role in the deliverance story, if you need to recommit to your role, if you are struggle to get to it, then turn your hands upward and let’s pray.
