God wants leaders to walk in confidence by faith. Tola, Jair, Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon were each judges who led Israel and are mentioned in Judges 1012. Do not check up on God or test Him. When we put God in charge of leading our decisions, we will become conquerors, just as we read in the Bible story about Gideon! The Gideons, Hello there! He wrote to a friend, saying, We have thisand all the promises of God.. He instructs him to tear down the altars of Baal that his father has and to cut down the wooden image that is beside it. What kind of leader is this, who willingly tells his soldiers to leave just before the battle? However, Gideon is not always like that. but now the Lord hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites. At the sound of the trumpets, the enemies turned on each other with their swords and many fled. The main message of the entire Bible is Gods redemption of humanity. The story of Gideon teaches us that one must stand tall in the face of problems, that there is hope for the timid of soul. Beginning the Journey (for new Christians), See legal, copyright, and reprint information, My books are available in paperback and Kindle from Amazon. When he heard this, Gideon must have thought, Dont you know how weak and afraid I am? Of course God knew this, but He chose Gideon anyway. The young man was so afraid of the murderous band of tormentors at large, God provided wisdom and a blueprint that helped Gideon craft the perfect military strategy that led to victory. Gideon Therefore on that day he called him Jerubbaal,saying, Let Baal plead against him, because he has torn down his altar (Judges 6:31-32). After Gideons death, the concubines son killed all but one of his half brothers. When they found out that Gideon has done it, the men of the city talked to Joash, the father of Gideon. Daniel Behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my fathers house. But lets face it a car can get in a wreck. Acacia Wood in the Bible | Deeply Profound. Instead of accepting the words of the Angel, he doubted and questioned it immediately. Using images and statues to worship God is like reducing God to a mere pile of lifeless stone. WebThis is an incredibly humble act, and one that shows his trust in God. So when the morning comes, the Baal worshippers are enraged. Every time they would sow and start to see the produce of the earth, the Midianites AND the Amalekites would come up against them and leave them no sustenance. Grace Webnight of open heaven / day 32 (100 days fasting & prayer 20th june, 2023) Gideon got up early in the morning, and Judges 7:2 says, And the Lord said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me. Gideon had 32,000 men gathered on the hill overlooking the Valley below. Dive into the book's story and explore related videos, podcasts, and more from BibleProject. Then theyd cry out to God and hed send someone called a judge to help them defeat their enemies. The remaining soldiers fled. In obedience to what the Lord has asked him to do, Gideon grabs 10 men from among his servants and commences to destroying the altars and offering burnt sacrifices to God. He was from the tribe of Manasseh. Samson In The Bible: Powerful Lessons From His Life This post may contain affiliate links. Elijah These verses tell us something about Gideons courage. Go can do more with his 300 than you could ever do with your own 32,000. Hes on your side. The beliefs of the heathen were blended with the religion of the Hebrews, and this brought on the anger of the Lord. They were previously enjoying 40 years of peace and prosperity because of the victory God has provided through Deborah and Barak. I agree to abide by the However, God told Gideon that he had too many men and that He would give him the victory with only 300 men. You have permission to edit this article. We will look at the life and lessons we can learn from this Bible story. We know that Gideon is a faithful man who deserves to be mentioned in the hall of fame faith chapter. Lessons we can learn from Gideon - Fremont Tribune Similarly, we need to learn that God should be the Ruler of our lives. Did Gideon sin in asking for a sign? God is merciful, faithful, forgiving and good. We are talking about going after an army of men who have oppressed your people for years and youre told that YOU will be the one to defeat them. When there are repentance and a commitment to turn away from evil, God brings deliverance. One of them is a man named Gideon. On that day, Gideon has become a living mockery and taunt to the worshippers of Baal. In his time, Israel once again did evil in the sight of the LORD. Gideon chose to follow God, even when it wasnt popular. One of them is a man named Gideon. 5 Vital Lessons We Can Learn from the Life of Gideon. Did He begin to reconsider His pick? If we just keep the little that we have thought that it is nothing, then God will not be able to perform a miracle through us. Sometimes we suffer because of sin and rebellion like those Israelites who kept forgetting what God had done and turned to evil. This is another evidence of how Israel has fallen deep into the ditch of idolatry. Who is the angel talking about? INTRODUCTION: The Israelites are in trouble again. Do you know what that means? Hello Haron! . Because Israel failed to utterly drive out all the Canaanite inhabitants, their incomplete victory left small bands of the enemy scattered throughout the landand these heathen Canaanite tribes would from time to time invade Israel, take their crops, and sometimes even levy taxes upon the Israelite people. By Harold S. MartinA Bible Helps Booklet No. On the signal, the Israelites broke the pitchers, revealing the torches, and blew their trumpets, yelling The sword of the Lord and of Gideon!. As Gideon worked to try and thresh the wheat, an angel of the Lord came and sat under an oak tree nearby. What is BibleProject? himself as the opposite of a mighty warrior. (Judges 6:36-40), Gideon then gathered an army of 32,000 men to fight against the Midianites. I thoroughly enjoyed and was blessed by it! At this point in time, Gideon and those who are with him might start to doubt if ever they will still win this battle. My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.. The enemies of Israel were completely routed, and Israels homeland once again was secure, and the nation enjoyed 40 years of peace (Judges 8:28). Gideon in the Bible Can Teach You about Overcoming Fear What the Bible says about "Gideon": Judges 6:11. Gideons story reminds us that there is no one beyond the reach of Gods forgiveness or His ability to use for His purposes. Idols are powerless. United States of America, (Click + to show other publications in this category), (A Study of the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:1-12)), (A Study of Acts 18:1-26 and Romans 16:3-5), (Click + to show other publications that have this tag). Gideon Rebuild & Renew: Post-Exilic Books Gideon couldnt see how that was possible. PRINCIPLES FROM GIDEON Gideons official calling began when the Israelites cried out to God for help, and God answered their prayers by sending Gideon to lead them. I wrote it not only for you- but for me too! For a long time, the Israelites had been in a bad cycle. How would you feel leading 300 men against an army? I hope that this post will help motivate and inspire you to be the best leader or individual that you can be! Others (such as Gideon and Samson) are described in great detail. But God and Gideon had a secret plan. I believe you will be blessed. about 1,500 people have signed up for the study from about We must also remember that idols are the things we put between us and God. This blog post will discuss nine of the Gideon leadership qualities; its essentially a They are the Ones who truly lives and have the power over life and death. My books are available in paperback and Kindle from Amazon. Gideon placed a fleece on the ground, and overnight, dew fell on the fleece but not on the ground around it. The story of Rizpah was never one of my favorites. We dont hear that God ever told Gideon to make an ephod. When God first commanded him to rescue the Israelites, Gideon was hiding in a winepress to escape his enemies ( Judges 6:11 ). Such a blessing reading all through. After that, the Israelites wanted Gideon and his sons rule over them, saying hed saved them. Lots of things, but let me list four that I see: Bad stuff happens. As this might be the case, God has promised that the gates of Hades shall not prevail against the true church (Matthew 6:18). More than two-thirds of the men went home. that no flesh should glory in His presence. I learned this through a study called Gideon: Your Weakness. Who? The story of Abimelech points us in two directions. He forgives and can help us win victories and make a new start. Church Gideon is a faithful man mentioned in Hebrews 11. The LORD replied to Gideon and said that He will save Israel from the hands of the Midianites. An ephod was a priestly garment worn with a breastplate of precious stones, which in this casebecame a source of idolatry for the Israelites. Has Yahweh called you to do something that you dont feel equipped to do? Gideon suddenly attained a superstar status and many people started to look up to him. Jesus Christ, our Lord and Master, said that anyone who wants to worship God must do so in SPIRIT (John 4:24) and not with the use ofphysicalstones and statutes. Afterwards, Gideon put out a fleece of wool on two consecutive nights, first asking for the fleece to be wet and the ground to be dry, then for the fleece to be dry and the ground to be wet. Parables Gideon was something of an unlikely war hero. Still, even without a formal education, Gideon was an effective leader in Gods service. Idols are nothing but a sign of mans rebellion against his Creator. But Psalm 106:34-36 says, They did not destroy the nations . Gideons story and indeed that of all those forgetful Israelites shows how easily we can slip away from Gods guidance and fall into real trouble. It can be our career, possession, friends, families, habits, and sins. Webnight of open heaven / day 32 (100 days fasting & prayer 20th june, 2023) life this Bronze Age leader in Judges 6 to 8, we learn a number of spiritual We cannot be too small for God to use, but we can be too big. And one of the great laws of the universe is that God will punish unbelief and disobedience. Gods plan 2) apply the doctrine that you know and. Joash and Gideon somehow were able to grow and harvest a little wheat, even though bands of Midianite soldiers were plundering and destroying most of the crops. We think that other people can do it better than us. 1 & 2 Timothy 2) God prefers a few dedicated and disciplined disciples to multitudes of uncommitted workers. God knows our personality and our weaknesses, our tendency towards sin. Once again God coaxed Gideon on. Learning Peoples of the Promised Land The writer of Hebrews simply says, Time would fail me to tell of Gideon (Hebrews 11:32). Gideon said to God, If you will save Israel by my hand as You have saidlook, I shall put a fleece of wool on the threshing floor; if there is dew on the fleece only, and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that You will save Israel by my hand, as You have said.. But Gideon knows that God is with them and that is more than enough. Praise the Lord! Christian pulled out the key, and discovered that it opened every doorand soon he found his way out of Doubting Castle.). Learn how your comment data is processed. The Midianites had oppressed them for many years, but now they were free. Gideon was always loyal to God and His cause, no matter what. God can always help us turn our weakness to strength. It says that the Lord turned to him and said, Go in this might of yours, and you shall save Israel from the hand of the Midianites. Why don't you sign up today -- and then encourage some of The backdrop for Gideons 5 Vital Lessons We Can Learn from the Life of Gideon But we cant become lax in seeking Gods will for our lives, praying, reading, studying and thinking about his word. God delights to reveal His power when we human beings acknowledge our weakness. Imagine Gideons fear when God said Go down against the [Midianite] camp, for I have delivered it into your hand. Its one thing to hear what God wants us to do but to actually do it can feel like a whole new battle! This time, 11,700 more soldiers went home. Into his hand God has delivered Midian and the whole camp., Hearing this renewed Gideons faith. Gideon had great faith in God. Welcome to my little spot on the Internet where you can always get positive uplifting words spoken. Robert Lehigh, Editor Idolatry can take any form. You shall save Israel from the hand of the Midianites!, These words, spoken to Gideon by an angel sent from God, were certainly meant to be encouraging but Gideons first thought seems to have been, Why me? Gideon sees It means mighty warrior or strong man. Other translations refer to him as a great destroyer.. His concubine, who lived in Shechem, also bore him a son, whom he named Abimelek. Your email address will not be published. God to reverse a national tragedy. As Christians, we must worship only God the Father and Jesus Christ. Then God spoke again: There are still too many!. The Story Of Gideon In The Bible Minding your own business, doing what is necessary to survive, and helping your family stay. But when Gideon is about to sigh a relief, God said to further decrease their number. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. At the appointed timeabout 10 oclock at night: When Midians army heard the 300 pitchers smashing, and the 300 trumpets blaring, and saw the 300 torches waving wildly in the darknessthey ran, and cried, and fled (7:21b). Gideons wisdom was evident in his military strategy. At first, Gideon was able to gather about 32,000 men to battle against their enemies. I He gathers his men together, all 32,000 of them only to have the Lord tell him that there are too many men. Lessons From Abimelech. Tell the Story: That night God spoke to Gideon again telling him to tear down the idols (or Asherah poles) and altars to Baal and build an altar to the one true God. Gideon was afraid of what the people would do to him if they found out, so he obeyed God but did it at night so no one would know. Gideon is one of the most well-known figures in the Bible. Would you save him? The strong and fearless warriors do not hide as what Gideon is doing. Letting God rule our lives means that we surrender everything to Him. And even though there were more than four times that many enemy soldiers camped in the ValleyGod directed Gideon to thin out his ranks. They were yelling at his father Joash to bring out his son so that he may die but Joash would have none of that. Think about how men or women will take such good care of a car. The Bible story about Gideon is incredibly inspiring for all of us! When times were good, References NIGHT OF OPEN HEAVEN / DAY 32 (100 DAYS FASTING As a result, he was able to defeat the enemy and bring peace to Israel. re: Imposter syndrome, I totally hear you! And as we shall see, the astonishing victory that Gideon achieved over the enemy demonstrates that mans extremity is Gods opportunity. The Midianites were thrown into panic. When God called Gideon amighty man of valor, He is SERIOUS and He is not mistaken. Gideon was a very persevering man. He had a growth mentality. Dr. Wilson's Books Ask Him to show you that reason and trust me, He will! Sermon on Six Trust Lessons from Gideon | Judges 5-6 In the confusion, some committed suicide, and others killed their own comrades. It is hard to imagine that a nation founded on godly principles would soon have the pride to turn away from God and developed their own system of idolatrous worship. Thank you so much for dropping by. So far A round loaf of barley bread came tumbling into the Midianite camp. I understand In The Bible: Powerful Lessons From His Life Gideon is a faithful man mentioned in Hebrews 11. His life reveals many lessons that show us how to 5 Lessons From Gideon You Can Apply To Your Life Today A young man attempting to help his family His life story gives us the encouragement that no matter what the situation we may be in right now, God will eventually work things out for good. In the same manner, we also want to let people see our faithful works so that they will glorify our Father in heaven. Yet God wasnt going to have the Israelites saying they defeated the enemy in their own strength so he had Gideon send all but 300 men home. We can sit quietly and listen carefully while a person in distress unloads his burden. The ones who were left were the careful. Indeed, Gideon initially lacks faith and courage to overcome the enemy. Effective service for God does not depend on our social status or our family background, but on Gods presence with us (Judges 6:15-16). Great Prayers One of the more poignant moments in Scripture is the scene where an angel begin to dig into the life of Gideon and pull out spiritual gold that will Between the Midianites and Amalekites, there were 135,000 men against Gideons 32,000 men. Gideon became courageous to go down into the valley and attack the Midianite camp. Joash challenged the follower of Baal to prove the divinity and power of their god. Abimelech (also spelled Abimelek), one of Gideons sons, served as a judge of Israel following the judgeship of Gideon. I find it interesting that Gideon didnt question how God saw him right away. The Midianites numbered 135,000. Even the Smithsonian wrote about it! Its something that we have to consciously work on and rise to be the Gideons that God has called us to be! Thanks Beatrice Wambui! that I can unsubscribe at any time. The Lord told Gideon He would use him to free Israel from the oppression of the Midianites, and Gideon expressed his doubt that God would use someone like him to bring about the deliverance of Israel. When Gideon returned with the meal, the Lord told him to place it on a rock where it was consumed by fire. And where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt? Your team and people connected to your destiny are counting on you! This means that it does not have to be like statues and images. But Gods standard doesnt rest on human How God Works in Dark Times (Judges 6:1-24) Related Media Gideon, Lesson 1 January 12, 2020 If you keep up with the news, its difficult not to get depressed. . It is the same reason why they have the vicious cycle of being punished by their enemies and delivered by God over and over again. He had heard about Gods miracles in the past, and then said, But the Lord has forsaken us and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites. Gideon was right in saying that the Lord brought the people of Israel up from the land of Egypt (v.13a), but he was wrong in saying The Lord has forsaken us (v.13b). If heisa god, let him plead for himself, because his altar has been torn down!. He was threshing out grain on the mountainside at Ophrah. Car buffs polish their vehicles and protect them. Man is bound to commit mistakes and failures but we can certainly be assured that God will never fail us because His words are true and enduring. We need to remember that we are to live this life according to His will and not our will. But get thishe does it in the evening because he feared his fathers household! Twice the book of Judges says there was no king in Israel, (and) every man did that which was right in his own eyes (17:6 and 21:25). The army was still too big to serve the Lords purpose. guidance from God to make difficult decisions about your future. 2) The other problem was that Israel failed to complete her task of driving out all the inhabitants of Canaan. What can we learn from the Bible story about Gideon? Yes, please sign I started thinking about cars while preparing a talk on Gideon for my church. Gideon was a man of great courage. However, his momentous reply was of humility: But Gideon said to them, I will not rule over you, nor shall my son rule over you;theLordshall rule over you.. Paintings and So if the Israelites didnt obey Him and they went back into bondage under the Midianites, then you too can be in bondage because of your disobedience. He rescued them. With his 300 men armed with nothing more than trumpets and torches hidden inside clay pitchers, the Israelites crept to the outskirts of the Midian camp. Though we are counted foolish, weak, and despised of this world, God certainly refers to us aswhat we will become. In the start of his story, Gideon is constantly seeking Gods direction. In desperation, the people of Israel cried to the Lord for help (Judges 6:6). Then he gave each man a trumpet, a pitcher, and a torch. can we recognize the voice of God He could only do this because he listened keenly to the Lords instructions. Yeah, I think thats about all the signs I would need to know that my Lord was talking to me through the appearance of the angel. Jesus' Parables for Disciples. In the process of studying the The discovery of the jug bearing his name adds weight to the biblical account of Gideon and suggests he was a real historical figure. We fall time and time again when we trust in our own strength instead of striving to find and to do Gods will in our lives. Gideon didnt think he was qualified for the job God had called him to do. John's Gospel You can learn more about Gideon by reading Judges chapters 6 8 or check out more here. Clans are a big thing. So what does the story of Gideon have to do with cars? " (Judges Through Gideon's struggles, we learn that we must remain vigilant and intentional in seeking out God's guidance. The book of Judges is sometimes He never gave up, no matter how difficult the situation was. The Midianites assembled a large army in the Valley of Jezreel (6:33), and as the opposition of the Midianites grew more intense, Gideon sent out an appeal for volunteers from several tribes in Israel to help drive out the Midianites. Those who got down on their knees to drink, forgetting to keep watch for the enemy, were dismissed. Imagine, youre threshing wheat in the winepress, so the Midianites dont see what youre doing and steal it from you. He later returned, inflicting severe punishment and death on his own countrymen. Whether it be because you are The people of Canaan were fearfully wickedsteeped in idolatry and immorality and cruelty. Gideon's story in the Bible is a powerful reminder of how quickly and easily we can lose sight of God's will in our lives. Thanks for this. The miracles to follow will far outweigh any fear that tries to hold you back! If Gideon can do it, so can you. It seemed like Gideon had a fighting force. Still too many? Jesus and the Kingdom The book of Judges (in the Old Testament) recounts about 300 years of Israels history under 13 men whom God raised up to defend the people of Israel from their enemies, and to restore some measure of order. Gideon divided his army into three companies which surrounded the Midianites on three sides, leaving open only one way for escape. First of all, we have the Bible to guide us and we are given by God free will. He was able to convey/communicate the vision and instruction that the Lord gave him. Our mission is to help people experience the Bible as a unified story that leads to Jesus. Our friend Gideon was hiding out in a winepress, threshing grain, when an angel of the Lord told him to save Israel. You are walking in one of Gods So That Moments where He is going to show up and totally destroy the enemy in your life. It struck the tent with such force that the tent overturned and collapsed., We need to understand the significance of the barley loaf. A small stream flowed by the camp. Gideon would have surely felt the pride starting to run through his vein. The men yelled, A sword for the Lord and Gideon!. Our clan is known to raise intelligent and hardworking people. God will then set different events to further improve the faith of Gideon. Taking As long as we are willing to become more faithful, God is able and will help us deal with our unbelief. Gideon was not qualified to lead an army against the Midianites, but God equipped him with everything he needed to do the job. Web1. Today, asking for a sign from God may or may not work. 10 Also I said to you, I am the Lord your God; do not fear the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But you have not obeyed My voice. . First of all, we have something that Gideon and Samuel did not. Judges 8 Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. About Us 5 Leadership Lessons From Gideon - Lifeway Voices He was precise. Then Gideon, who steadily sought the Lord, gathered 32,000 Israelites to battle the Midianites. He was the youngest in his family, he came from a clan that was the weakest in Manasseh, and he was facing an army with more soldiers than there were grains of sand on the beach. You can cancel at any time. God is not a respecter of Be careful so you dont get off track. We must actively pursue Him though prayer, reading and studying His Word. But bad things still can happen as in the case of a long-suffering man named Jobwho was loving and serving God when hit with the loss of his 10 children, most of his servants, all of his livestock and his own health. Just as Gideon was a mighty warrior and leader despite his humble beginnings, we can accomplish great things for God if we are willing to follow His call. However, God deems this as too many for His purpose. me up for this no-cost online Bible study. They wanted the glory for themselves. Isnt this amazing that the word of God is indeed alive and real? The usual place for threshing grain was an open and elevated place, where the wind would blow away the chaff when the wheat was thrown into the air. From drug lord to pastor: Herman Mendoza shares powerful testimony of, A Courageous Lady Sets Record, Bags First Degree At 19, Masters, I Wrote SSCE Eleven times Rebecca Korede Are, Seven Guidelines for Excellent Mobile Manners, The Heroes in the Bible and their Statement of Faith, Nara song | Lyrics with English Translation. He was a mighty warrior who led Israel to victory over its enemies. As leader of 32,000 men, he would have begun to think it was possible. Copyright 2023 All Rights Reserved. with the words, "The LORD is with you, mighty warrior! it. When the time came for the battle to occur, If the LORD be with us, why then is all this befallen us? He is a man who has little faith, confidence, and trust in God. Artwork of Gideon Gideon recognized that this was a personal call to serve God in a special way. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). Destroy this stronghold and replace it with Gods offerings). Gideon asked for three signs, which God provided. After the deliverance God gave to Israel through Deborah and Barak, Israel was given rest from her enemies for 40 years (Judges 5:31). Midian soldiers plagued Israel by making guerrilla raids on the landplundering and destroying the crops and the animals. But its not a mistake that He has chosen us. focused on the mission when distractions come, and. They were able to overcome and obtained a great victory for the nation of Israel. In the history of Israel, just after entering the Land of Canaanthe Bible says, Nevertheless the Lord raised up judges, which delivered them out of the hand of those that spoiled them (Judges 2:16). The winepress was a pit cut into the rock, and was used for crushing the juice out of grapes. So heres Gideon with the tribes of Manasseh, Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali standing with him against the Midianites and Gideon speaks to God. God spoke to Gideon and told him Surely I will be with you, and you shall defeat the Midianites as one man.. When Charles Spurgeon (at age 19) was called to pastor Park Street Church in London, he was convinced a mistake had been made, and that the invitation was intended for someone else. He asked God to make the fleece wet while all the ground around it very dry. God sees Gideon as he will become in the Lord as the way he sees you I love helping women grow in their faith and crush the fears that hold them back. Obeying With only 10,000 men, it was nearly impossible! Revelation Gideons fathers name was Joash. Things began to move swiftly after that event.
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