Gideon

June 11, 2017 Background Scripture: Judges 6 – 8 Lesson Passage: Judges 6:11 – 18 Gideon can be described as the reluctant judge who complained about what God was not doing rather than realizing that God could use him to do whatever Israel needed of God. The Midianites’ oppression of Israel had deflated the nation’s esteem and caused many to attempt to hide their grain or produce during the time of harvest to prevent the Midianites from taking it. This is the scene when we first learn of Gideon. He is threshing grain in a winepress to avoid being detected by the Midianites. When the angel of the Lord approached Gideon and addressed him as a mighty and brave warrior, it seemed more like irony than true accolades. Gideon’s response informs us as to what was truly on his mind. Gideon felt that Israel had been abandoned by God. He questioned what had happened to the God who loomed large in Israel’s history during her golden years of national pride and dominance. Like many children of God today, Gideon seemed oblivious to the fact that God had not changed but Israel’s behavior certainly had. God had not turned His back on the nation but rather Israel had turned her back on the God who had delivered her from Egypt and brought her into the land of promise, Canaan. Israel’s oppression by the Midianites was the result of the spiritual behavior of the nation when she abandoned God’s ways. During the time of the judges, every man in Israel did according to what was right in his own eyes. This was done in spite of the fact that God had shown them what was right by providing them with the Law that described righteousness. Gideon’s complaint was answered with a surprise, God would again show Himself to be among His people—and He would do it through Gideon. The one who complained about having no hero would become the hero for the nation. Gideon’s first assignment was to destroy the idol god his father had erected. This he did at night. His second assignment would not be so easy but would require total dependence on God. Gideon needed to confront the armies of the Midianites and the Amalekites. Although the Spirit of the Lord was upon him, Gideon did not readily accept the assignment but instead responded with skepticism and doubt. Gideon wanted concrete proof that God would deliver them through him and therefore he requested a sign as God’s assurance. When the sign was granted according to Gideon’s request, he requested a second sign. (Note that he did not require this before destroying his father’s idols. We often respond quite differently to the true enemy.) After the second sign was granted, Gideon was ready to proceed. However, God further reduced Gideon’s chances of winning this battle using his own abilities. After following God’s plans and successfully defeating their enemy, Gideon continued to judge Israel for forty years. Gideon, the one who had complained that God had abandoned Israel, became one of the most successful and longest serving judges in Israel’s history as a result of submitting himself to God’s lordship and direction. Robert C. Hudson April 20, 2017