Gideon - The Mighty Man of Valor
“Reduction for Victory”
Part 4 of a Series
We could also call this series The Life and Times of Gideon. In the previous three messages in this series, we have been studying the transformation of a man.
He started out as a fearful man of low confidence and no self-esteem.
After several encounters with the Angel of the Lord, his faith and purpose began to grow. But as we found out, it was not instantaneous but was a process; each encounter building upon the last.
Until finally, it has become clear to Gideon that it was his destiny to do something big; and he could get the job done.
Judges 7:1-8 NLT “So Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) and his army got up early and went as far as the spring of Harod. The armies of Midian were camped north of them in the valley near the hill of Moreh.
2 The Lord said to Gideon, "You have too many warriors with you. If I let all of you fight the Midianites, the Israelites will boast to me that they saved themselves by their own strength.
3 Therefore, tell the people, 'Whoever is timid or afraid may leave this mountain and go home.'" So 22,000 of them went home, leaving only 10,000 who were willing to fight.
4 But the Lord told Gideon, "There are still too many! Bring them down to the spring, and I will test them to determine who will go with you and who will not."
5 When Gideon took his warriors down to the water, the Lord told him, "Divide the men into two groups. In one group put all those who cup water in their hands and lap it up with their tongues like dogs. In the other group put all those who kneel down and drink with their mouths in the stream."
6 Only 300 of the men drank from their hands. All the others got down on their knees and drank with their mouths in the stream.
7 The Lord told Gideon, "With these 300 men I will rescue you and give you victory over the Midianites. Send all the others home."
8 So Gideon collected the provisions and rams' horns of the other warriors and sent them home. But he kept the 300 men with him.
Many times the workings, methods, and ways of God seem to make absolutely no sense. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to why God does things the way He does.
We see it in His choosing of Israel to be His people and the nation through whom the Messiah would come—He said that is wasn’t because of their great strength or numbers that He chose Israel, but because of their smallness and weakness.
With David it was a sling with 5 stones
With Samson it was the jawbone of a donkey.
With the hungry crowd of thousands, Jesus fed them with a little boy’s lunch.
Moses had a staff with which to open the Red Sea.
Gideon was the weakest of the weak and poorest of the poor. Like I said before, I am often amazed by those God chooses. It’s never the obvious choice, is it?
Often God waits until we are down to “Gideon’s 300” to answer our prayers and do a mighty work.
GIDEON’S POSITION (v.1)
Its interesting that the text begins with Gideon being called Jerubbaal. Remember that names have meanings and it was no mistake that he was given an addition to his name.
It means “Let Baal contend for his own defense.”
Remember, he had just destroyed the altar of Baal and when the people wanted to kill him for it, his dad rose up and said to let Baal defend himself if he is able.
And now, the Israelites gathered together and set up their camp by the Well of Herod. There were only 32,000 in this first gathering which was far less than the enemy’s camp.
In Hebrew, “Harod” means "Fountain of Trembling, or Affliction."
Think about it, they were assembling an army and told everyone to gather at the Fountain of Fear and Affliction.
You see these were people who had been oppressed and abused their entire lives. And, we could focus on their fear but the fact is, they stepped across the chicken line and showed up….. 32,000 of them.
Are you gathered at the Fountain of Trembling and Affliction? Has the devil been using his tactics of fear and intimidation on you?
When things are at their worst, God is at his best. Isaiah 59:19 says “When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him.”
THE ENEMY’S CAMP
The host of Midianites was camped by the Hill of Moreh. In Hebrew, “Moreh” means early rain!
I mean, think about it! Israel is gathering at the Fountain of Fear and Affliction while the enemy was camped at the Hill of the Early Rain? Something isn’t right with this picture, we would think it should be the opposite…. But God! Somebody say… But God!
God was about to bring VICTORY—the early rain was going to fall again! God was going to destroy the Midianites and once again pour out a rain that would eventually turn into a harvest.
And today we know that rain to be the Baptism in the Holy Spirit, the outpouring of Holy Spirit mentioned in Joel chapter 2. Today we have the latter rain—power of the Holy Ghost!
GIDEON’S DILEMMA (v.2)
Even though they were grotesquely outnumbered, the Lord said there are too many. Gideon’s needed to find God as his source of power and strength. 32,000 was too many and God wanted to make a statement.
It wasn’t that Gideon couldn’t defeat the Midianites with that number. Clearly he could have. But if he had, Gideon and not God would have received the glory (v.2).
And so, Gideon gathered the army and told them that anyone who was either afraid to fight or wanted out for any reason was free to go. So, 22,000 of them left but the Lord said that the remaining 10,000 was still too many.
God then did the incredible and tested Gideon’s faith (vv.4-7). One of the hardest lessons God’s people seem to have a hard time learning is that we can NEVER do in the flesh what God must do in the Spirit. Had Gideon used his 32,000 or 10,000 it would have been a victory by the flesh.
Gal 3:2-4 NLT, “Let me ask you this one question: Did you receive the Holy Spirit by obeying the law of Moses? Of course not! You received the Spirit because you believed the message you heard about Christ. 3 How foolish can you be? After starting your Christian lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort? 4 Have you experienced so much for nothing? Surely it was not in vain, was it?”
It would take a miracle for God to use only 300 men. But I am reminded of Zechariah 4:6 “Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.”
Often just before something really big happens, God strips us down to the bare bones. Sometimes this is physically, materialistically, financially but often the most difficult is when God breaks us down on the inside.
God cannot use us the way he desires until everything in our life is humbled and submitted to the Lord. Because, when the victory comes, it must happen in a way that gives glory to Him and not because of our own efforts and abilities.
The Apostle Paul said, “Without him I can do nothing.”
GIDEON’S PROMISE FROM GOD (vv.7,8)
God gave a wonderful two-part promise to Gideon:
“I will save you.”
“I will deliver the Midianites into your hand.”
I believe that there is someone here today that God will not only save from your situation, but will deliver the enemy into your hands; will let you take what the “Midianites” want to do to you, and turn it into a blessing instead.
God is the Master of turning situations around.
I mean think about it, This was the word of God to Gideon going into the battle. We will talk about the battle itself next week but we are closing this week with a reminder to the promise…..
You may say, “Pastor, why do you mention the promises and words of God so much?”
I will tell you why, it’s all we have and all we need.
