Judges Part 6

VI. Judges 6. A. This chapter begins the account of Gideon being raised up to judge Israel. Next to Samson, Gideon’s record as a champion of faith (HEB 11:32) is the longest in this book. B. Israel’s sin in going after the gods of the Amorites (v. 10) brought them again under oppression, this time to the Midianites. They had chosen Joshua’s “Door #2” and were Judges 6-26-25 Page 9  now feeling the consequences of service to a false god who led them by their lusts and was of no help to them when trouble came (JOS 24:15 c/w JDG 6:1-6). The pleasures of sin (and of false religion which accommodates it) are only for a season. HEB 11:24-25. 1. Idolatry, as vain and ridiculous as it is, has always been remarkably appealing to, and difficult to separate from, for God’s people who are prone to cultivate a religion that appeals to the flesh. 1CO 10:7, 20; 2CO 6:16. 2. The oppressors were traced back to Midian (from root words meaning brawling, contention), a son of Abraham. GEN 25:2. 3. Midian had a land of their own for a time and Moses hid in a portion thereof, marrying the daughter of the priest, Reuel/Jethro. EXO 2:15-21. 4. Because of their confederacy with Balak in corrupting Israel in the wilderness, God commanded that they be vexed, smitten. NUM 25:16-18; 31:1-18. a. The account of NUM 31:1-18 implies a thorough destruction of Midian, yet there was evidently a surviving remnant which repopulated that land and became a formidable enemy. c/w 1KI 11:14-17. b. NOTE: The remnant of a sin over which we have had victory may lie dormant, seemingly dead, but as long as we are in the flesh, it can revive through our indifference to holy government of our old man. Our bodies and minds must be under continual subjection to the law of Christ for continued dominion. 1CO 9:27; GAL 4:8-11. 5. The Midianites advanced a brutal deprivation policy, as Moses had prophesied would happen to Israel when they turned from God. LEV 26:16; DEUT 28:51. a. A modern example of this was Stalin’s seizure of all the grain stores of the Soviet Ukraine to feed Russia and prop up the illusion of the success of socialism/communism (the Holodomor). The Ukraine was reduced to starvation and cannibalism. Millions died. b. It was at this nadir that Israel gave up on the helpless gods of the Amorites and cried unto the LORD. v. 6. C. It is said that “...whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered...” (JOEL 2:32 c/w ROM 10:13). 1. Deliverance began with a reproving sermon from a prophet. vs. 7-10. 2. The great salvation by repentance and faith in ACT 2:38-47 began with a reproving sermon about their guilt of innocent blood tempered with grace, mercy and hope. ACT 2:29-37. 3. Deliverance from evil should be a regular plea but it behooves us to prioritize deliverance us from the evil of sin to help prevent the need for deliverance from bondage by evil men and from bondage to sin. MAT 6:13. D. The LORD (vs. 14, 16, 23) found Gideon clandestinely threshing and hiding wheat to preserve life under dismal oppression, and God blessed him. vs. 11-18. 1. Men have a duty of faith to provide for their house. 1TI 5:8. 2. Men of faith understand that political powers are limited by God and sometimes must be resisted. 1PE 2:13-16; ACT 5:29. 3. Mind the circumstances of Gideon’s tactics: they are not a model or excuse to flippantly disregard civil power for every discomfort or abuse of power. 4. In Gideon, God chose a prudent man with doubts and a meek opinion of his status in Israel, to His own glory. v. 15 c/w 1CO 1:26-29. 5. Gideon was a sign-seeker looking for confirmation of the word (v. 18) and God accommodated him in the verses to follow. E. vs. 19-24 show us that: Judges 6-26-25 Page 10  1. Gideon had prudently stored enough to prepare a reasonable fare (v. 19) and this may remind us of our duty to lay up in store material and spiritual treasures against the day of God. MAT 6:20; 1TI 6:17-19; 1CO 16:1-2. 2. The LORD’s acceptance of our offerings is His answer of peace through Jesus Christ. 1PE 2:5 c/w HEB 13:15-16. F. Before the Midianites could be destroyed, false religion needed to be cast down. vs. 25-32. 1. Thus, the casting down of imaginations and all idols (material or otherwise) are preparations for gospel success and deliverance from the oppressor. 2CO 10:5; ACT 26:18. 2. Wherever God is supposed to reign, His house must be judged and cleansed. 1PE 4:17; JAM 4:8. 3. Gideon’s cautious bravery at the word of God is notable (v. 27) and godly zeal does well to learn to be wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. MAT 10:16. 4. Curious that the false god Baal needed to have his worshippers plead for him when his system was insulted. vs. 29-32. a. False gods habitually need the support of extra-judicial zealots to avenge their being “dissed.” ACT 19:23-34. b. But the true God is well able to plead His own case and cause against gainsayers. JOB 22:15-17. G. The enemies gathered in mass for war but the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon and many rallied to the cause. vs. 33-35 c/w ISA 59:19. H. Gideon sought confirmation that God would use him to save Israel by putting a fleece upon the floor. If in the morning the dew were only on the fleece but not the ground, then Gideon would know that God would save Israel by him. It came to pass. But for Gideon, that wasn't enough, so he reversed the sign the next day and that also came to pass. vs. 36-40. 1. First, God had already declared that he would save Israel (v. 14). Was the subsequent asking for a sign an act of faith or doubt? 2. Gideon's sign was not merely a circumstance; it was a miracle. Should we start asking God for miracles to determine His will? Remember that sign-seeking is not unique to the godly. MAT 12:39. 3. Gideon did not put out a fleece to determine God's guidance (which had already been given). Gideon was seeking confirmation. 4. Gideon had already asked for a confirming sign and God granted it. vs. 17-22. 5. Gideon's putting out the fleece was really an expression of his reluctance to believe the call of God. 6. That Gideon asked God to not be angry when he changed the sign (v. 39) indicates that he knew he was on thin ice. 7. God accommodated Gideon but God later judged Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist, who sought a sign in unbelief (LUK 1:11-20). Should this be the model for us? Why choose Gideon's model? 8. Gideon’s fleece project does NOT establish a precedent for us to follow. 9. We have nothing in Scripture that instructs us or encourages us to seek signs from God to determine His will in decision-making. Scripture's commands and its principles of wisdom are to direct our decisions. Judges 6-26-25 Page 11