The Call of Gideon

October 16, 2022 Background Scripture: Judges 6:1 - 27 Lesson Passage: Judges 6: 1, 2, 7 - 16a For some situations, we need much more assurance than for others. Sometimes it takes more than simply believing something or even hearing it. It gets more complicated when we are challenged to change our lives due to additional responsibilities. Gideon is the subject of our lesson today. Gideon was from one of the smallest tribes of Israel and his family was one of the smallest families in the tribe, Yet, Gideon was approached by the Lord and told that he would deliver Israel from the oppression of the Midianites. Israel had been suffering at the hands of the Midianites for seven years. Many had left their homes and were living in caves in the mountains. They were food insecure because of the raiding parties of the Midianites. When they ventured to plant crops, the Midianites would come in droves and destroy their fields and seize their livestock. When Israel cried out to God about their situation, God reminded them that their situation was the result of their disobedience to Him. God allowed the Midianites to oppress Israel as punishment for their disobedience. As in times past, God was prepared to extend His mercy towards Israel again. Previously, God had raised up deliverers to rescue His people from dire situations. We are always delighted when God sends us a hero or heroine. We are rarely prepared for God to use us in such a situation. If I believe I need rescuing, I don't tend to see myself as the rescuer! I know this was the case for Gideon because of his location when the Lord approached him. Gideon was hiding in a winepress to thresh wheat. Throwing wheat in the air to separate the kernel from the husk would have created a cloud of dust that would likely have attracted attention had he been in the opening such as in a field where this was normally done. The constricted space of a winepress was also uncomf01table for Gideon. Nevertheless, fear and hunger will drive us to take extreme actions. The Lord's address to Gideon was not befitting of his present situation. The Lord called Gideon a "mighty man of valor". This title did not fit a man who was cowardly hiding in a winepress to provide food for his family. However, this title did fit the man Gideon would become as a result of his following the Lord's instructions. The Lord called Gideon to become Israel's hero to deliver them from the oppression of the Midianites. The Background Scripture records the dialog between the Lord and Gideon as Gideon sought more assurance from the Lord. This was no small task God required of Gideon and Gideon did not feel he was up to the task. God gave Gideon several tasks to do with each becoming more difficult than the previous. This helped Gideon gain confidence in the Lord's presence with him. The Lord reduced Gideon's resources to make him more dependent on the Lord and not on his own strength. Then, Gideon was sent to deliver Israel from the Midianites. Heroes and heroines are not necessarily born as such. It has been said that God doesn't call the qualified, but rather, God qualifies those He calls. God knows each of us and what is required to give us the assurance we need to have faith in Him, God doesn't call us to serve Him because we have the strength or skills to do so. God calls us when we have the faith to trust Him and depend on His strength. In his weakness, Gideon was called to depend on God's strength. In his cowardice, Gideon was called by God to become Israel's deliverer. Robert C. Hudson October 1, 2022