Judges Part 7

VII. Judges 7. A. This chapter sets forth one of the most incredible military victories of all time wherein a Judges 6-26-25 Page 11  small troop of 300 with improbable outfitting were used of God to defeat a multitudinous army of Midianites. This engagement far outranks the later famous 300 Spartans of the Battle of Thermopylae (480 BC) who were wiped out by the Persians. Oliver Cromwell’s victories against all odds in fighting the superior numbers and forces of the king in the English civil war of the 1600’s have been likened to Gideon’s victory but the comparison is imperfect. B. vs. 1-8. 1. God had made it clear by promise and confirmation that He would save Israel by Gideon’s hand (JDG 6:14, 36-40), and now proceeds to reduce Gideon’s forces. a. This would be a trial of faith for Gideon and here we do not see him putting up the type of doubting objections as he had done in the previous chapter. His faith was strengthening and faith is made to grow under pressures more than under pleasantness. 2TH 1:3-4. b. When we face things that challenge our presuppositions and comforts, we do well to pray, “...Increase our faith” (LUK 17:1-5). 2. God was deliberately handicapping Gideon and his forces so that there would be no doubt as to how the victory would be won. Oftentimes, God handicaps those closest to Himself to ensure that His glory is foremost. GEN 32:24-25; 2CO 12:7. 3. God guards His glory tightly and expects us to do likewise. JER 9:23-24; 1CO 1:29; 4:7; 1CO 15:57; PHIL 2:12-13. 4. God even availed Himself of a provision in Moses’ Law. v. 2 c/w DEU 20:8. a. We have no such provision in Christ’s Law. HEB 13:5; REV 2:10. b. We are held to higher accountability and duty. HEB 2:1-3. 5. After the herd was culled of the fearful, then God culled out the imprudent. a. Only those who were careful to maintain continual watchfulness were useful for this confrontation. EPH 6:18; 1TH 5:5-6. b. Not even the one who drank upstream of the rest was considered prudent but that is in its place a wise principle. Even the water of Life is purest from the Source before it is processed through sinners. 6. God will permit trouble in the church to sift the chaff from the wheat and manifest the approved. 1CO 11:19. 7. This should remind us to not measure the rightness or potential of a venture by the numbers. NUM 13-14; 2KI 6:15-17; LUK 12:32; 2CO 10:12. C. vs. 9-14. 1. God here helps Gideon in his forward walk of faith, not by giving him an “out” for fear’s sake as He had done with the 22,000 but by giving him some insights as to what the enemy was thinking. a. God has likewise given us a Book full of insights into the adversaries’ devices. 2CO 2:11. b. Our Bible reveals Satan’s goals, tactics and even his weak spots. MAT 4:1-11; 1JO 2:13-14; 5:18. 2. Gideon finds that the vast enemy is not totally convinced of their success. a. We err when we think that the enemy always has a united front and that God could not already be filling them with doubts and fears. ACT 5:34-39. b. Perhaps Gideon’s boldness in JDG 6:25-27 had become well-known and God used the enemy’s superstitions to affect their mind. c/w ACT 28:6. c. Perhaps God used their dreams to trouble them. c/w MAT 27:19; ECC 5:7. d. We do well to note that God is not only able to empower the faithful but also to enervate the enemy. Judges 6-26-25 Page 12  3. Gideon was a cake of barley bread, not a case of barley-brew. Soberness is needed for victory. ROM 13:12-14; 1TH 5:8. D. vs. 15-18. 1. The reconnaisance mission animated Gideon who in turn energized his men to set up a triangulated assault upon the enemy camp. NOTE: Much of our spiritual warfare depends upon such a triangulation: faith, hope and charity. 1CO 13:13. 2. The outfitting of Gideon’s men was not exactly typical of warriors: pitchers, lamps, trumpets. So “Christ crucified” was and is to natural man a stumblingblock and a piece of foolishness but stronger than men. 1CO 1:23-25. E. vs. 19-23. 1. The element of surprise was in their favor, as was the commandment of NUM 10:9. 2. The enemy in confusion fought one another while the 300 watched. a. This was another case of “...Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD...” (EXO 14:13-14). b. Confusion among the enemy is an effective tactic to be exploited when possible. 2CH 20:23; ACT 23:7. c. It is helpful in witnessing to employ the principle of Reductio Ad Absurdum to both hone your own arguments and show someone else where their arguments meet themselves coming. d. It has been said that you should not interfere with your enemy’s suicide. F. vs. 24-25. 1. Gideon did not stop once the host of Midian was threshed. They pursued and destroyed the heads of the enemy force. 2. NOTE: In our battles against sin, we must not only mortify the troops but also the chiefs which excite the troops: “...the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life...” (1JO 2:16). 3. Purifying the hands (outward sins) requires purifying the heart. MAT 15:18-19; JAM 4:8. G. This victory was celebrated as a model for victory against other enemies. PSA 83:11. H. This victory anticipated the victory of God through Jesus Christ over the entire realm of Satan. ISA 9:1-7. Judges 6-26-25 Page 13