1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:17,260 I need to understand that this Sunday evening ministry is not a Sunday evening service per 2 00:00:17,260 --> 00:00:18,260 se. 3 00:00:18,260 --> 00:00:23,300 It is a Bible class, and so we are a little bit less formal here on Sunday evenings. 4 00:00:23,300 --> 00:00:27,140 I hope that you will feel free to respond when questions are asked. 5 00:00:27,140 --> 00:00:31,440 If you have a question along the way, just lift your hand and we will see if somebody 6 00:00:31,440 --> 00:00:33,080 here can answer it. 7 00:00:33,080 --> 00:00:36,980 Let's open our Bibles to judges. 8 00:00:36,980 --> 00:00:43,120 We are looking at this Old Testament book that describes a period of time in Israel's 9 00:00:43,120 --> 00:00:50,600 history between the conquest of the land and the coronation of Saul as the king. 10 00:00:50,600 --> 00:00:55,000 It is a period of 350 years or so. 11 00:00:55,000 --> 00:01:01,400 It is a time when there was no centralized government in Israel, and so everyone did 12 00:01:01,400 --> 00:01:03,760 that which was right in his own eyes. 13 00:01:03,760 --> 00:01:12,560 That is the key sentence in the book of Judges. 14 00:01:12,560 --> 00:01:21,960 I was reading a little bit ago about the archaeological diggings that have uncovered the villages 15 00:01:21,960 --> 00:01:26,920 that the Israelis built in this time period. 16 00:01:26,920 --> 00:01:35,520 It seems as though prior to this there were isolated villages of the Canaanites, but when 17 00:01:35,520 --> 00:01:42,560 the Israelites came with their hundreds of thousands of people, there were villages that 18 00:01:42,560 --> 00:01:46,720 began all over Palestine. 19 00:01:46,720 --> 00:01:50,280 Generally speaking, these villages were very poor villages. 20 00:01:50,280 --> 00:01:54,400 They did not have good defense systems. 21 00:01:54,400 --> 00:02:00,600 The people did not have the homes like the Canaanites had. 22 00:02:00,600 --> 00:02:06,720 We have to remember that the Israelites had been in bondage in Egypt for many years, and 23 00:02:06,720 --> 00:02:13,840 then had been 40 years in the wilderness, then were seven years in gaining the land, 24 00:02:13,840 --> 00:02:17,760 getting the upper hand at least in the land. 25 00:02:17,760 --> 00:02:27,640 During that time, other than their worship of Jehovah, they did not have a central culture. 26 00:02:27,640 --> 00:02:34,120 The Canaanites were highly developed in their culture with literature, art, architecture, 27 00:02:34,120 --> 00:02:35,120 et cetera. 28 00:02:35,120 --> 00:02:43,000 There is quite a contrast that archaeologists have found between the living standards and 29 00:02:43,000 --> 00:02:46,960 styles of the Israelites and the Canaanites. 30 00:02:46,960 --> 00:02:55,560 Now that may help explain why the Israelites so persistently went after false gods during 31 00:02:55,560 --> 00:02:58,600 this period. 32 00:02:58,600 --> 00:03:03,800 Because they looked around and saw the Canaanites worshipping their pantheon of false pagan 33 00:03:03,800 --> 00:03:11,440 deities, primarily the Baals, and they concluded that the worship of the Baals produced this 34 00:03:11,440 --> 00:03:15,200 rather luxuriant living, and they were poor. 35 00:03:15,200 --> 00:03:19,920 I thought that was an interesting insight. 36 00:03:19,920 --> 00:03:24,040 It is something that we can learn from today because as we look around, sometimes we are 37 00:03:24,040 --> 00:03:31,000 tempted to say, well, those out there in the world have so much more, and it can lead us 38 00:03:31,000 --> 00:03:35,160 into spiritual apostasy as well. 39 00:03:35,160 --> 00:03:39,640 The blessings that believers have are not promised so much for this world, though God 40 00:03:39,640 --> 00:03:41,080 promises to meet our needs. 41 00:03:41,080 --> 00:03:43,160 Our blessings are for the world to come. 42 00:03:43,160 --> 00:03:46,720 It is good for us to keep that in mind. 43 00:03:46,720 --> 00:03:52,840 As we come to Judges 7, we are in the midst of the text dealing with Gideon, who is also 44 00:03:52,840 --> 00:03:55,840 called Jeroboabel. 45 00:03:55,840 --> 00:04:03,560 It says, Then Jeroboabel, that is Gideon, and all the people who were with him rose 46 00:04:03,560 --> 00:04:07,080 early and camped beside the spring of Herod. 47 00:04:07,080 --> 00:04:16,320 You may recall that the Midianites, long-time enemies of the Israelis, for seven years now 48 00:04:16,320 --> 00:04:23,120 had been coming into the land during the harvest time and taking the animals and taking the 49 00:04:23,120 --> 00:04:28,080 grain, leaving these poor Israelites with nothing. 50 00:04:28,080 --> 00:04:34,800 This has happened again, and God has called Gideon to lead war against the Midianites 51 00:04:34,800 --> 00:04:36,520 and to stop this oppression. 52 00:04:36,520 --> 00:04:40,080 It is important to understand why the oppression was there. 53 00:04:40,080 --> 00:04:49,720 What was the cause for the Midianites coming in and taking the crops and produce of the 54 00:04:49,720 --> 00:04:50,720 Israelites? 55 00:04:50,720 --> 00:04:53,720 What was the cause of that? 56 00:04:53,720 --> 00:05:00,520 It was the sin of the people of Israel. 57 00:05:00,520 --> 00:05:01,520 Remember the cycle. 58 00:05:01,520 --> 00:05:04,480 There is sin on the part of the people. 59 00:05:04,480 --> 00:05:06,200 They did not faithfully seek the Lord. 60 00:05:06,200 --> 00:05:08,280 They went after other gods. 61 00:05:08,280 --> 00:05:15,240 Then there was servitude, as God brought punishment and oppression to them because of their apostasy. 62 00:05:15,240 --> 00:05:24,200 Following that, the people would repent and cry out to the Lord. 63 00:05:24,200 --> 00:05:30,000 God would then send a deliverer, a judge, and there would be peace in the land. 64 00:05:30,000 --> 00:05:32,800 Then the cycle would start all over again, it seems. 65 00:05:32,800 --> 00:05:35,920 Each time the cycle was a little bit further down. 66 00:05:35,920 --> 00:05:37,400 It was not a cycle that was level. 67 00:05:37,400 --> 00:05:44,480 It was a cycle spiraled downward morally for the nation. 68 00:05:44,480 --> 00:05:50,160 Once again, God has raised up an oppressor to teach his people a lesson. 69 00:05:50,160 --> 00:05:55,640 They have cried out to him, and he has raised up a deliverer whose name is Gideon. 70 00:05:55,640 --> 00:06:01,840 The people who were with him camped beside a certain spring called the spring of Harad. 71 00:06:01,840 --> 00:06:09,240 The word Harad means fearing, and it tells you a little bit about the heart condition 72 00:06:09,240 --> 00:06:13,000 of this army that had gathered together. 73 00:06:13,000 --> 00:06:16,080 They were afraid, they were terrified of their enemies. 74 00:06:16,080 --> 00:06:18,080 Why was that? 75 00:06:18,080 --> 00:06:22,600 Do you have any idea? 76 00:06:22,600 --> 00:06:25,600 What did the Midianites have going for them? 77 00:06:25,600 --> 00:06:28,600 A couple of things. 78 00:06:28,600 --> 00:06:30,600 Numbers. 79 00:06:30,600 --> 00:06:33,640 There were how many of them, roughly? 80 00:06:33,640 --> 00:06:37,720 About 180,000 of them. 81 00:06:37,720 --> 00:06:42,080 They were a lot of people, big numbers. 82 00:06:42,080 --> 00:06:44,680 Does anybody remember how they traveled? 83 00:06:44,680 --> 00:06:45,680 Camels. 84 00:06:45,680 --> 00:06:52,440 They had this huge herd of camels that they used to go quickly from place to place, and 85 00:06:52,440 --> 00:06:54,600 so it was a fearsome force. 86 00:06:54,600 --> 00:07:00,920 It says the camp of Midian was on the north side of them by the hill of Moray in the valley. 87 00:07:00,920 --> 00:07:02,720 That was three or four miles away. 88 00:07:02,720 --> 00:07:10,640 The Lord said to Gideon, the people who are with you are too many for me to give Midian 89 00:07:10,640 --> 00:07:11,640 into their hands. 90 00:07:11,640 --> 00:07:18,080 God says you are going to have to go through a reduction of force, because Israel will 91 00:07:18,080 --> 00:07:23,000 boast and say, my own power has delivered me. 92 00:07:23,000 --> 00:07:24,760 God knew his people pretty well. 93 00:07:24,760 --> 00:07:29,720 Now therefore come, proclaim in the hearing of the people, saying, whoever is afraid and 94 00:07:29,720 --> 00:07:33,760 trembling, let him return and depart from Mount Gilead. 95 00:07:33,760 --> 00:07:37,200 Well, there's a wide open invitation. 96 00:07:37,200 --> 00:07:44,740 He had 30,000 people, a little more than that, who were with him in this army. 97 00:07:44,740 --> 00:07:46,840 How many of them left? 98 00:07:46,840 --> 00:07:47,840 22,000. 99 00:07:47,840 --> 00:07:51,760 Two out of every three said, thanks for the invitation. 100 00:07:51,760 --> 00:07:52,760 See you later. 101 00:07:52,760 --> 00:07:55,000 And they took off. 102 00:07:55,000 --> 00:07:56,000 But 10,000 remain. 103 00:07:56,000 --> 00:08:00,560 Well, the Lord said to Gideon, the people are still too many. 104 00:08:00,560 --> 00:08:02,080 Wait a minute. 105 00:08:02,080 --> 00:08:06,280 Two-thirds of the army is gone, and God is still saying that's too many. 106 00:08:06,280 --> 00:08:07,280 Sorry. 107 00:08:07,280 --> 00:08:12,120 He says, bring them down to the water, and I will test them for you there. 108 00:08:12,120 --> 00:08:16,280 Therefore it shall be that of whom I say to you, this one shall go with you, he shall 109 00:08:16,280 --> 00:08:17,280 go with you. 110 00:08:17,280 --> 00:08:21,160 But every one of whom I say to you, this one shall not go with you, he shall not go. 111 00:08:21,160 --> 00:08:24,680 He brought the people down to the water, and the Lord said to Gideon, you shall separate 112 00:08:24,680 --> 00:08:30,800 everyone who laps the water with his tongue as a dog laps, as well as everyone who kneels 113 00:08:30,800 --> 00:08:31,800 to drink. 114 00:08:31,800 --> 00:08:39,360 Now, the number of those who lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, was 300 men. 115 00:08:39,360 --> 00:08:42,400 But all the rest of the people kneeled to drink water. 116 00:08:42,400 --> 00:08:44,040 Interesting test, huh? 117 00:08:44,040 --> 00:08:45,960 The first one was, are you afraid? 118 00:08:45,960 --> 00:08:47,560 Two-thirds of them said, we're terrified. 119 00:08:47,560 --> 00:08:48,560 Goodbye. 120 00:08:48,560 --> 00:08:49,560 They left. 121 00:08:49,560 --> 00:08:52,160 The others are there, and God gives a second test. 122 00:08:52,160 --> 00:08:54,160 This one's kind of odd, isn't it? 123 00:08:54,160 --> 00:08:57,680 It's how they drink their water. 124 00:08:57,680 --> 00:09:01,280 And he says, those who kneel down to drink have to go. 125 00:09:01,280 --> 00:09:04,800 And that was 9,700 of them. 126 00:09:04,800 --> 00:09:08,160 Only 300 lapped it like a dog. 127 00:09:08,160 --> 00:09:11,520 Now, it's unclear here, it's exactly what the picture was. 128 00:09:11,520 --> 00:09:19,400 There are those who say that these people showed that they were vigilant and watchful, 129 00:09:19,400 --> 00:09:24,120 because they would reach down into the water and bring it up in their hand and drink it 130 00:09:24,120 --> 00:09:29,640 this way, and lap it with their tongues, rather than kneeling down on all fours. 131 00:09:29,640 --> 00:09:31,440 That kind of makes sense. 132 00:09:31,440 --> 00:09:33,560 That's the one I've heard all my life. 133 00:09:33,560 --> 00:09:40,520 In my study for this, I found out that Josephus, who was a Jew, a writer, a historian, back 134 00:09:40,520 --> 00:09:46,680 in the first century, Josephus says just the opposite, that it was the people who got down 135 00:09:46,680 --> 00:09:53,400 and lapped who were the ones not being careful, and that was purposeful. 136 00:09:53,400 --> 00:09:58,280 God chose them because there was absolutely nothing then for Gideon to depend upon. 137 00:09:58,280 --> 00:10:01,480 Kind of an interesting twist, I had not heard that one before. 138 00:10:01,480 --> 00:10:09,200 And the Lord said to Gideon, I will deliver you with the 300 men who lapped, and will 139 00:10:09,200 --> 00:10:14,120 give the Midianites into your hands. 140 00:10:14,120 --> 00:10:17,680 And let all the people go, each man to his own home. 141 00:10:17,680 --> 00:10:22,240 Where are you feeling outnumbered in your life tonight? 142 00:10:22,240 --> 00:10:26,840 Or do you feel like the enemy is bigger than you can possibly handle? 143 00:10:26,840 --> 00:10:32,760 This circumstance, this situation is so out of control, the enemy is so overwhelming, 144 00:10:32,760 --> 00:10:34,640 there's no way for you to handle it. 145 00:10:34,640 --> 00:10:38,480 Well, look what God promises to his people in those times. 146 00:10:38,480 --> 00:10:41,320 He said, Gideon, I will deliver you. 147 00:10:41,320 --> 00:10:45,240 But over and over again, God has promised that to his people in the battle. 148 00:10:45,240 --> 00:10:47,160 He will deliver us. 149 00:10:47,160 --> 00:10:50,120 If God is for us, what? 150 00:10:50,120 --> 00:10:52,160 Who can be against us? 151 00:10:52,160 --> 00:10:58,080 Though the odds are overwhelming, who can be against us if God is for us? 152 00:10:58,080 --> 00:11:04,860 Jesus Christ, the right man, is on our side, as Luther said in the hymn that we looked 153 00:11:04,860 --> 00:11:07,680 at last week. 154 00:11:07,680 --> 00:11:12,280 And so the 300 men took the people's provisions and their trumpets into their hands. 155 00:11:12,280 --> 00:11:18,920 In other words, the people who went home left behind their provisions and their trumpets. 156 00:11:18,920 --> 00:11:24,280 And Gideon sent all the other men of Israel, each to his tent, but retained the 300, and 157 00:11:24,280 --> 00:11:27,880 the camp of Midian was below him in the valley. 158 00:11:27,880 --> 00:11:30,360 And so you get a bit of the topography here. 159 00:11:30,360 --> 00:11:37,000 When it says he retained the 300 men, literally the Hebrew word there says he held them, which 160 00:11:37,000 --> 00:11:40,920 tells us that these 300 would like to have gone too. 161 00:11:40,920 --> 00:11:45,880 When they saw how this army was being depleted, they wanted to leave too. 162 00:11:45,880 --> 00:11:48,040 But Gideon said, no, you're not going to leave. 163 00:11:48,040 --> 00:11:51,760 He wouldn't allow them to leave. 164 00:11:51,760 --> 00:12:00,280 And the enemy, three or four miles away, was down here from them, down in the valley. 165 00:12:00,280 --> 00:12:04,320 That gives us a bit of an understanding of how he was able to surprise them. 166 00:12:04,320 --> 00:12:08,480 The same night it came about that the Lord said to him, Arise, go down against the camp, 167 00:12:08,480 --> 00:12:10,120 for I have given it into your hands. 168 00:12:10,120 --> 00:12:13,440 Now God says the same thing again, I will deliver you. 169 00:12:13,440 --> 00:12:15,880 I will give them into your hands. 170 00:12:15,880 --> 00:12:17,840 But if you are afraid, ha-ha. 171 00:12:17,840 --> 00:12:22,160 What have we learned about Gideon so far? 172 00:12:22,160 --> 00:12:27,320 Was he a big, brave warrior? 173 00:12:27,320 --> 00:12:32,440 Now when the angel of the Lord appeared to him and said, Almighty man of valor, it's 174 00:12:32,440 --> 00:12:35,480 what Gideon was going to be, not what Gideon was. 175 00:12:35,480 --> 00:12:40,280 Isn't it great that God sees what we're going to be and doesn't look at what we are at 176 00:12:40,280 --> 00:12:41,280 the time? 177 00:12:41,280 --> 00:12:46,800 Almighty man of valor, well, Gideon is still afraid, and that's proven. 178 00:12:46,800 --> 00:12:47,800 If you're afraid, go down. 179 00:12:47,800 --> 00:12:53,440 Go with Purah, your servant, down to the camp, and you will hear what they say. 180 00:12:53,440 --> 00:12:55,040 So God says, you go and spy it out. 181 00:12:55,040 --> 00:12:57,120 You do a reconnaissance mission. 182 00:12:57,120 --> 00:13:00,480 And afterward your hands will be strengthened that you may go down against the camp. 183 00:13:00,480 --> 00:13:05,360 And so he went with Purah, his servant, to the outpost of the army that was in the camp. 184 00:13:05,360 --> 00:13:08,400 Now here you've got this huge army. 185 00:13:08,400 --> 00:13:12,480 The Midianites, the Amalekites, and all the sons of the East were lying in the valley 186 00:13:12,480 --> 00:13:17,520 as numerous as locusts. 187 00:13:17,520 --> 00:13:21,440 And their camels were without number as numerous as the sand on the seashore. 188 00:13:21,440 --> 00:13:24,200 I'll try to get the picture of that. 189 00:13:24,200 --> 00:13:32,000 Here you've got Gideon and his 300 men, knees knocking, trembling, up on the higher ground 190 00:13:32,000 --> 00:13:37,000 looking down on this camp that is spread out as far as they can see. 191 00:13:37,000 --> 00:13:42,760 And wrapped in their robes are these Midianites, Amalekites, and other peoples from the East, 192 00:13:42,760 --> 00:13:47,080 soldiers wrapped up in their robes sleeping for the night. 193 00:13:47,080 --> 00:13:52,520 And the camels are there around them in this huge camp. 194 00:13:52,520 --> 00:13:57,520 Now Gideon came, behold a man was relating a dream to his friend. 195 00:13:57,520 --> 00:13:59,040 God is in charge here. 196 00:13:59,040 --> 00:14:00,520 God's arranging this whole thing. 197 00:14:00,520 --> 00:14:03,160 And he said, behold I had a dream. 198 00:14:03,160 --> 00:14:05,960 Now Gideon and Purah are just listening, see. 199 00:14:05,960 --> 00:14:11,160 They're out here beyond the fire in the darkness, just listening to what these people are talking 200 00:14:11,160 --> 00:14:12,160 about. 201 00:14:12,160 --> 00:14:15,160 I had a dream. 202 00:14:15,160 --> 00:14:20,600 A loaf of barley bread was tumbling into the camp of Midian and it came to the tent 203 00:14:20,600 --> 00:14:22,500 and struck it. 204 00:14:22,500 --> 00:14:27,040 So that it fell and turned it upside down so that the tent lay flat. 205 00:14:27,040 --> 00:14:30,320 What an odd dream. 206 00:14:30,320 --> 00:14:32,160 He dreamed about a loaf of bread. 207 00:14:32,160 --> 00:14:35,040 Have you ever dreamed about a loaf of bread? 208 00:14:35,040 --> 00:14:37,240 I don't recall having that dream lately. 209 00:14:37,240 --> 00:14:40,120 And it was a loaf of barley bread. 210 00:14:40,120 --> 00:14:47,920 Now barley was the food of the poor and was identified with the Israelites. 211 00:14:47,920 --> 00:14:51,320 It was the food given to animals. 212 00:14:51,320 --> 00:14:55,360 And there was this loaf of barley bread and it came tumbling out of the hills and fell 213 00:14:55,360 --> 00:15:02,160 against this tent that was Midianite and the whole thing collapsed flat. 214 00:15:02,160 --> 00:15:06,600 And his friend answered and said, this is nothing less than the sword of Gideon, the 215 00:15:06,600 --> 00:15:08,520 son of Joash, a man of Israel. 216 00:15:08,520 --> 00:15:10,960 Now why did he say that? 217 00:15:10,960 --> 00:15:19,000 Well you see they were aware that Gideon had rounded up some men and planned to fight them. 218 00:15:19,000 --> 00:15:23,560 That was knowledge of these people. 219 00:15:23,560 --> 00:15:27,440 And he may have meant this as sort of a joke, a jest. 220 00:15:27,440 --> 00:15:30,240 Oh well, that's Gideon. 221 00:15:30,240 --> 00:15:31,240 That's Gideon. 222 00:15:31,240 --> 00:15:34,000 And it's his sword. 223 00:15:34,000 --> 00:15:37,240 God has given Midian and all the camp into his hand. 224 00:15:37,240 --> 00:15:39,760 Ha, ha, ha. 225 00:15:39,760 --> 00:15:40,760 You see. 226 00:15:40,760 --> 00:15:47,160 However he meant it, when Gideon heard that account and the interpretation, it says that 227 00:15:47,160 --> 00:15:50,920 he bowed in worship. 228 00:15:50,920 --> 00:15:51,920 He bowed in worship. 229 00:15:51,920 --> 00:15:53,920 What a great phrase. 230 00:15:53,920 --> 00:15:54,920 What a great response. 231 00:15:54,920 --> 00:15:59,720 And Gideon is learning something. 232 00:15:59,720 --> 00:16:05,960 Gideon is here responding from his heart to the Lord. 233 00:16:05,960 --> 00:16:09,600 And his heart response is one of worship. 234 00:16:09,600 --> 00:16:15,520 And he returned to the camp of Israel and he said, arise for the Lord has given the 235 00:16:15,520 --> 00:16:20,040 camp of Midian into your hands and he divided the 300 men into three companies. 236 00:16:20,040 --> 00:16:24,080 That was typical strategy, divide. 237 00:16:24,080 --> 00:16:30,040 And he put trumpets and empty pitchers into the hands of all of them with torches inside 238 00:16:30,040 --> 00:16:31,560 the pitchers. 239 00:16:31,560 --> 00:16:34,560 Now this is not typical strategy. 240 00:16:34,560 --> 00:16:41,760 They went into battle with their hands filled but not with spears and swords and armament, 241 00:16:41,760 --> 00:16:50,000 rather with pitchers that had torches inside of them hidden so they could not be seen. 242 00:16:50,000 --> 00:16:53,160 And on the other hand a trumpet. 243 00:16:53,160 --> 00:16:56,280 Now the trumpet here is the shofar. 244 00:16:56,280 --> 00:16:59,680 That is that horn that is blown into. 245 00:16:59,680 --> 00:17:02,960 Perhaps you've seen pictures or heard them. 246 00:17:02,960 --> 00:17:04,880 Shofars are not musical instruments. 247 00:17:04,880 --> 00:17:11,880 They are a means of assembling people or ordering troops in warfare. 248 00:17:11,880 --> 00:17:17,840 They would give these rather loud and odd sounds on the shofar. 249 00:17:17,840 --> 00:17:20,400 And so those are what they had their hands filled with. 250 00:17:20,400 --> 00:17:23,200 And he said, look at me and do likewise. 251 00:17:23,200 --> 00:17:26,520 Behold when I come at the outskirts of the camp, do as I do. 252 00:17:26,520 --> 00:17:31,280 When I and all who are with me blow the trumpet, then you also blow the trumpets all around 253 00:17:31,280 --> 00:17:36,080 the camp and say, for the Lord and for Gideon. 254 00:17:36,080 --> 00:17:41,160 You see the Midianites knew his name and the Lord's name. 255 00:17:41,160 --> 00:17:42,640 And so that is the strategy. 256 00:17:42,640 --> 00:17:45,560 They're going to go on three sides. 257 00:17:45,560 --> 00:17:46,760 Gideon's going to give the signal. 258 00:17:46,760 --> 00:17:47,760 He will start. 259 00:17:47,760 --> 00:17:49,600 He will break this pitcher. 260 00:17:49,600 --> 00:17:50,600 Suddenly there will be a torch. 261 00:17:50,600 --> 00:17:52,360 There will be light. 262 00:17:52,360 --> 00:17:53,920 And there will be the sound of the trumpet. 263 00:17:53,920 --> 00:17:57,240 And that will happen then all around on three sides. 264 00:17:57,240 --> 00:18:01,880 And so Gideon and the hundred men who were with him came to the outskirts of the camp 265 00:18:01,880 --> 00:18:03,560 at the beginning of the middle watch. 266 00:18:03,560 --> 00:18:08,480 This is the watch that went from 10 o'clock at night to 2 o'clock in the morning. 267 00:18:08,480 --> 00:18:09,480 This is the swing shift. 268 00:18:09,480 --> 00:18:14,320 When they had just posted the watch, and so these guys hadn't really gotten into their 269 00:18:14,320 --> 00:18:15,320 routine yet. 270 00:18:15,320 --> 00:18:16,320 This was sort of in transition. 271 00:18:16,320 --> 00:18:19,800 It was a critical moment of weakness. 272 00:18:19,800 --> 00:18:25,800 When there would be movement in the camp as the guards were going back to their places 273 00:18:25,800 --> 00:18:32,240 to sleep, and just at that moment they blew the trumpets and smashed the pitchers that 274 00:18:32,240 --> 00:18:33,240 were in their hands. 275 00:18:33,240 --> 00:18:38,640 And when the three companies blew the trumpets and broke the pitchers, they held the torches 276 00:18:38,640 --> 00:18:43,400 in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands were blowing and cried, A sword 277 00:18:43,400 --> 00:18:47,360 for the Lord and for Gideon. 278 00:18:47,360 --> 00:18:55,280 And each stood in his place around the camp, and all the army ran, crying out as they fled. 279 00:18:55,280 --> 00:18:57,840 Now why did they flee? 280 00:18:57,840 --> 00:18:59,880 What was so scary about this? 281 00:18:59,880 --> 00:19:02,040 Well first of all there was the element of surprise. 282 00:19:02,040 --> 00:19:05,160 Here it is a quiet night. 283 00:19:05,160 --> 00:19:07,360 The stars are out. 284 00:19:07,360 --> 00:19:09,280 The watch has just changed. 285 00:19:09,280 --> 00:19:11,880 Everything's okay. 286 00:19:11,880 --> 00:19:14,160 And suddenly around them there's all of this noise. 287 00:19:14,160 --> 00:19:18,400 There are people crying out for the sword of the Lord and Gideon. 288 00:19:18,400 --> 00:19:19,880 There's the sound of trumpets. 289 00:19:19,880 --> 00:19:22,160 There are these torches held high. 290 00:19:22,160 --> 00:19:25,160 It is a surprise attack. 291 00:19:25,160 --> 00:19:29,400 And they would normally have expected that behind each one of those torches would come 292 00:19:29,400 --> 00:19:33,160 several thousand Israeli warriors. 293 00:19:33,160 --> 00:19:39,160 They had no idea who was there, who wasn't there, but that's what they would expect. 294 00:19:39,160 --> 00:19:43,960 And I can't help but think that God also put panic in their hearts. 295 00:19:43,960 --> 00:19:47,440 And there was movement already in the camp as their own soldiers were coming back to 296 00:19:47,440 --> 00:19:50,440 rest, and when they woke up were startled, shocked. 297 00:19:50,440 --> 00:19:52,480 There are these people moving around. 298 00:19:52,480 --> 00:19:56,440 There's all of this noise, the torches around the camp, and they suddenly began to fight 299 00:19:56,440 --> 00:19:58,520 each other. 300 00:19:58,520 --> 00:20:04,160 The Lord set the sword of one against the other even throughout the whole army. 301 00:20:04,160 --> 00:20:06,520 And they began to kill each other. 302 00:20:06,520 --> 00:20:10,600 And all the Israelites did was to stand there and blow trumpets and hold up torches. 303 00:20:10,600 --> 00:20:12,600 Isn't that amazing? 304 00:20:12,600 --> 00:20:16,560 What an amazing story. 305 00:20:16,560 --> 00:20:21,000 And it says that they fled in two different directions, and the men of Israel were summoned 306 00:20:21,000 --> 00:20:24,800 from Naphtali, Ashur, and Al-Manasseh, and they pursued Midian. 307 00:20:24,800 --> 00:20:28,080 Now these may have been some of the guys who had gone home. 308 00:20:28,080 --> 00:20:33,040 We're not sure, but he got some help and they took out after the fleeing army. 309 00:20:33,040 --> 00:20:36,680 And Gideon sent messengers throughout the hill country of Ephraim saying, come down 310 00:20:36,680 --> 00:20:37,680 against Midian. 311 00:20:37,680 --> 00:20:41,640 Take the waters before them as far as Beth-Berah and the Jordan. 312 00:20:41,640 --> 00:20:43,960 So this is the crew that was to cut off the Jordan. 313 00:20:43,960 --> 00:20:48,240 They were to wade at the Jordan River at the ford so they could catch the army coming across 314 00:20:48,240 --> 00:20:49,240 that direction. 315 00:20:49,240 --> 00:20:51,520 And they did that. 316 00:20:51,520 --> 00:20:55,280 And they captured the two leaders of Midian, Orab and Zeab. 317 00:20:55,280 --> 00:20:59,040 Orab means raven, Zeab means wolf. 318 00:20:59,040 --> 00:21:03,080 Sounds like a motorcycle gang, doesn't it? 319 00:21:03,080 --> 00:21:08,760 Wolf and raven were killed, one at a rock and another at a wine press that bore their 320 00:21:08,760 --> 00:21:12,120 names from that time on. 321 00:21:12,120 --> 00:21:13,520 And there was a great victory. 322 00:21:13,520 --> 00:21:20,680 Now interestingly in chapter 8 we begin by the men of Ephraim coming with a complaint. 323 00:21:20,680 --> 00:21:27,120 There's just been this wonderful victory and suddenly there is criticism. 324 00:21:27,120 --> 00:21:28,840 And does that ever happen to you? 325 00:21:28,840 --> 00:21:35,680 He says, what is this thing you've done to us, not calling us when you went to fight 326 00:21:35,680 --> 00:21:37,300 against Midian? 327 00:21:37,300 --> 00:21:40,760 And they contended with him vigorously. 328 00:21:40,760 --> 00:21:44,120 What do you think is the motive on the part of these Ephraimites? 329 00:21:44,120 --> 00:21:47,520 Why are they so upset? 330 00:21:47,520 --> 00:21:51,280 They want to get on the glory. 331 00:21:51,280 --> 00:21:53,600 Their pride was hurt. 332 00:21:53,600 --> 00:21:54,600 They were jealous. 333 00:21:54,600 --> 00:22:00,280 They were jealous of what had happened and they didn't get to share in it. 334 00:22:00,280 --> 00:22:02,560 How do you handle criticism? 335 00:22:02,560 --> 00:22:07,600 When people criticize and complain to you, what do you do? 336 00:22:07,600 --> 00:22:15,400 Now I respond to that, I'm sorry to say, measures something about us, doesn't it? 337 00:22:15,400 --> 00:22:18,720 I've tried to learn not to react quickly. 338 00:22:18,720 --> 00:22:20,520 I've had to apologize too many times. 339 00:22:20,520 --> 00:22:25,240 I don't like apologizing so I try not to react too quickly. 340 00:22:25,240 --> 00:22:32,120 Now in this case what Gideon did was to give a very soft answer. 341 00:22:32,120 --> 00:22:41,680 Proverbs 15.1 says, a soft answer turns away wrath, grievous words stir up anger. 342 00:22:41,680 --> 00:22:49,120 And in the midst of all this anger and jealousy, Gideon responds, what have I done now in comparison 343 00:22:49,120 --> 00:22:50,120 with you? 344 00:22:50,120 --> 00:22:52,000 He says, I haven't done anything. 345 00:22:52,000 --> 00:22:54,560 You've really won the battle. 346 00:22:54,560 --> 00:22:59,280 Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abaezer? 347 00:22:59,280 --> 00:23:00,280 That was his household. 348 00:23:00,280 --> 00:23:03,080 He says, you've done so much more. 349 00:23:03,080 --> 00:23:07,840 God has given the leaders of Midian, Orab and Zeb into your hands. 350 00:23:07,840 --> 00:23:12,600 And what was I able to do in comparison with you? 351 00:23:12,600 --> 00:23:17,720 He gives an easy answer and it says their anger toward him subsided when he said that. 352 00:23:17,720 --> 00:23:19,760 Now that's a good lesson for us. 353 00:23:19,760 --> 00:23:26,920 That when we are criticized, when people come with this remark or that one, that we give 354 00:23:26,920 --> 00:23:30,680 a soft answer. 355 00:23:30,680 --> 00:23:36,280 And Gideon and the 300 men who were with him came to the Jordan and crossed over, weary 356 00:23:36,280 --> 00:23:37,280 yet pursuing. 357 00:23:37,280 --> 00:23:38,280 Now here's the deal. 358 00:23:38,280 --> 00:23:44,160 Gideon and his band are still going after some of the fleeing army. 359 00:23:44,160 --> 00:23:47,800 They have now gone those miles eastward to the Jordan. 360 00:23:47,800 --> 00:23:55,400 They cross the Jordan into the Transjordan and they are pursuing some of the army. 361 00:23:55,400 --> 00:24:01,040 And they come to the city of Sukkoth, some of their own people that was on the east side 362 00:24:01,040 --> 00:24:02,040 of the Jordan River. 363 00:24:02,040 --> 00:24:07,600 And they said to these people, give loaves, please, of bread to the people who are following 364 00:24:07,600 --> 00:24:13,560 me for they are weary and are pursuing Zeba and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian. 365 00:24:13,560 --> 00:24:18,240 And the people of that village said, are the hands of Zeba and Zalmunna already in your 366 00:24:18,240 --> 00:24:21,720 hands that we should give bread to your army? 367 00:24:21,720 --> 00:24:27,200 You see there was this little custom that you would cut off the hands of your captives. 368 00:24:27,200 --> 00:24:28,200 They were leaders. 369 00:24:28,200 --> 00:24:31,360 It's just saying, do you have their hands in your hands? 370 00:24:31,360 --> 00:24:35,120 And of course the answer was no. 371 00:24:35,120 --> 00:24:39,280 The point is, how do we know if you're going to win this battle? 372 00:24:39,280 --> 00:24:44,780 Besides, we live right on the border with these people and you're asking us to take 373 00:24:44,780 --> 00:24:46,120 sides and get involved? 374 00:24:46,120 --> 00:24:50,000 Well that wasn't a real good answer. 375 00:24:50,000 --> 00:24:55,280 Because God is the one who had ordered them to fight against the Midianites. 376 00:24:55,280 --> 00:24:59,440 And now the opportunity is there to assist in the battle and they're not willing to 377 00:24:59,440 --> 00:25:02,280 do their part. 378 00:25:02,280 --> 00:25:07,520 And so Gideon said, all right, when the Lord has given Zeba and Zalmunna into my hand, 379 00:25:07,520 --> 00:25:12,280 then I will thrash your bodies with thorns of the wilderness with briars. 380 00:25:12,280 --> 00:25:18,360 Now that sounds nasty, but it doesn't sound as nasty as it really was. 381 00:25:18,360 --> 00:25:24,400 It undoubtedly resulted in the death of the people who were punished this way. 382 00:25:24,400 --> 00:25:28,800 These thorns of the wilderness were nasty thorns, big thorns. 383 00:25:28,800 --> 00:25:32,320 And it's not certain exactly how this was accomplished, whether they were laid down 384 00:25:32,320 --> 00:25:37,920 and the thorns were dragged over them, or whether they were laid onto thorns and sledges 385 00:25:37,920 --> 00:25:40,120 then were drawn over them. 386 00:25:40,120 --> 00:25:44,800 But the point is that this was a torturous way to die. 387 00:25:44,800 --> 00:25:48,520 And he went up from there to Penuel. 388 00:25:48,520 --> 00:25:51,560 This was only about three or four miles away. 389 00:25:51,560 --> 00:25:55,200 And he spoke similar to them and the men of Penuel answered in a similar manner. 390 00:25:55,200 --> 00:26:00,320 And so he said to them, when I return safely, I will tear down this tower. 391 00:26:00,320 --> 00:26:04,680 Now people here in this village had a tower of some sort of fortress in which they would 392 00:26:04,680 --> 00:26:08,280 go to hide when the Midianites came through. 393 00:26:08,280 --> 00:26:09,280 Yes. 394 00:26:09,280 --> 00:26:27,040 What made him such bold to come across with this type of retaliation when he was going 395 00:26:27,040 --> 00:26:28,040 to die? 396 00:26:28,040 --> 00:26:29,040 Revenge. 397 00:26:29,040 --> 00:26:32,280 Well, what do you think changed him? 398 00:26:32,280 --> 00:26:35,280 He knew God was on his side. 399 00:26:35,280 --> 00:26:41,320 He had seen an amazing victory. 400 00:26:41,320 --> 00:26:43,320 He had become pretty convinced, hadn't he? 401 00:26:43,320 --> 00:26:48,840 Even though at first he was timid and tentative, we don't see that in him at this point. 402 00:26:48,840 --> 00:26:49,840 You're right. 403 00:26:49,840 --> 00:26:50,840 There was quite a change. 404 00:26:50,840 --> 00:26:56,320 In the case of these people of Penuel, he wasn't going to kill them that way, but he 405 00:26:56,320 --> 00:27:00,920 was going to tear down the tower that they depended upon. 406 00:27:00,920 --> 00:27:05,760 And so it says that these two kings were at Karqor and their armies with them, about 15,000 407 00:27:05,760 --> 00:27:09,800 men, just a fraction of the original. 408 00:27:09,800 --> 00:27:13,280 And all those who were left, the entire army of the sons of the East, for the following 409 00:27:13,280 --> 00:27:16,480 were 120,000 swordsmen. 410 00:27:16,480 --> 00:27:22,800 So there were 135, I think I said 180, or more, I was thinking the Assyrians, 135 of 411 00:27:22,800 --> 00:27:24,560 these Midianites. 412 00:27:24,560 --> 00:27:27,200 And most of them are gone. 413 00:27:27,200 --> 00:27:31,800 And Gideon went up by the way of those who had lived in the tents in the east of Noba 414 00:27:31,800 --> 00:27:37,320 and Jug Bihah and attacked the camp when the camp was unsuspecting. 415 00:27:37,320 --> 00:27:43,520 And so another surprise attack and the result was he took these two kings. 416 00:27:43,520 --> 00:27:49,440 And Gideon, the son of Zilash, returned from the battle by the assent of Horus and he captured 417 00:27:49,440 --> 00:27:50,960 a youth from Sukkoth. 418 00:27:50,960 --> 00:27:54,720 This is the first village he had come to that denied them provision. 419 00:27:54,720 --> 00:28:00,120 And they asked this youth to write down the names of the elders of that village. 420 00:28:00,120 --> 00:28:02,000 There were 75 of them. 421 00:28:02,000 --> 00:28:08,600 Just an insight here, there are some liberal theologians who try to tell us how illiterate 422 00:28:08,600 --> 00:28:14,080 the Israelites were at this particular period of time in their history. 423 00:28:14,080 --> 00:28:18,920 This would be an argument against that, that here is a youth who was able to write probably 424 00:28:18,920 --> 00:28:23,960 on a piece of pottery or on something like that, but he wrote down the names of the 75 425 00:28:23,960 --> 00:28:26,240 elders of the city. 426 00:28:26,240 --> 00:28:33,480 And he came to the city and showed them his captives and he took the elders of the city 427 00:28:33,480 --> 00:28:35,640 and did what he had threatened he would do. 428 00:28:35,640 --> 00:28:38,800 And when he came to Penual he did exactly the same thing there that he said he would 429 00:28:38,800 --> 00:28:39,800 do. 430 00:28:39,800 --> 00:28:43,800 He tore down their tower, leaving them without that mechanism of defense. 431 00:28:43,800 --> 00:28:49,440 And then he said to these two captives, Zeba and Zalmunna, what kind of men were they whom 432 00:28:49,440 --> 00:28:50,920 you killed at Tabor? 433 00:28:50,920 --> 00:28:56,160 Now we have some information here that we don't have anywhere else in Judges. 434 00:28:56,160 --> 00:29:00,800 We don't exactly know when this happened, but at some time these two guys, these two 435 00:29:00,800 --> 00:29:08,560 kings had come to Mount Tabor, which is where Gideon was from. 436 00:29:08,560 --> 00:29:10,800 And they had attacked Mount Tabor. 437 00:29:10,800 --> 00:29:16,560 And so Gideon is thinking back to that occasion, knowing who these two are, and he says what 438 00:29:16,560 --> 00:29:18,560 kind of men were those that you killed? 439 00:29:18,560 --> 00:29:24,200 And he said they were like you, each one resembling the son of a king. 440 00:29:24,200 --> 00:29:31,360 That's an idiom, an expression that means that they were like you, they were strong, 441 00:29:31,360 --> 00:29:36,520 they were good looking, they were privileged people. 442 00:29:36,520 --> 00:29:41,160 It tells us a little bit about Gideon as we saw before when we studied him. 443 00:29:41,160 --> 00:29:45,680 His father was wealthy and well known there in that city. 444 00:29:45,680 --> 00:29:51,720 And he said they were my brothers, the sons of my mother. 445 00:29:51,720 --> 00:29:59,480 So Gideon now brings a charge against these two and is going to do the duty of the avenger 446 00:29:59,480 --> 00:30:02,240 under the law of Moses. 447 00:30:02,240 --> 00:30:06,560 Now these were Midianites, not Israelites, but he's applying the law nonetheless that 448 00:30:06,560 --> 00:30:13,320 God gave in Deuteronomy 19 verse 6 verse 12 in which he had authority and right to punish 449 00:30:13,320 --> 00:30:16,820 these men for killing his next of kin. 450 00:30:16,820 --> 00:30:21,280 He says as the Lord lives, if only you had let them live, I would not kill you. 451 00:30:21,280 --> 00:30:26,840 But now they're about to get punishment that is commensurate with their murderous act. 452 00:30:26,840 --> 00:30:33,360 And so he said to Jethro, his firstborn, rise and kill them. 453 00:30:33,360 --> 00:30:41,480 Now in doing this, Gideon was giving to his firstborn son a privileged action. 454 00:30:41,480 --> 00:30:49,800 It was considered to be an honor to kill the kings of the opposing army. 455 00:30:49,800 --> 00:30:55,240 But it was also a disgrace to the kings to have a young man kill them, not a seasoned 456 00:30:55,240 --> 00:30:56,240 warrior. 457 00:30:56,240 --> 00:31:01,680 Furthermore, a young man who wasn't used to warfare may have done it in a way that 458 00:31:01,680 --> 00:31:02,680 was not quick. 459 00:31:02,680 --> 00:31:07,000 He may have blown it the first time, see. 460 00:31:07,000 --> 00:31:13,120 And so Gideon says to them, rise and kill them, but the youth did not draw his sword. 461 00:31:13,120 --> 00:31:14,120 He was afraid. 462 00:31:14,120 --> 00:31:16,120 I don't know where he learned that. 463 00:31:16,120 --> 00:31:24,440 But he was still a youth and you can understand even the child of a very brave warrior, which 464 00:31:24,440 --> 00:31:30,160 Gideon had not been most of his life, would still be reticent because of his youthfulness. 465 00:31:30,160 --> 00:31:33,240 The two kings pleaded, rise up yourself and fall on us. 466 00:31:33,240 --> 00:31:37,320 For as the man, so is his strength. 467 00:31:37,320 --> 00:31:40,320 And Gideon arose and he killed them both. 468 00:31:40,320 --> 00:31:43,000 And he took the ornaments that were on their camels' necks. 469 00:31:43,000 --> 00:31:48,400 These were crescent, sort of half-moon ornaments out of silver gold, something like that. 470 00:31:48,400 --> 00:31:50,800 And he took them. 471 00:31:50,800 --> 00:31:52,760 And so we have the conquest of Gideon. 472 00:31:52,760 --> 00:31:54,160 Now there's an interesting thing that happens. 473 00:31:54,160 --> 00:31:59,080 The people of Israel say to Gideon, rule over us. 474 00:31:59,080 --> 00:32:01,640 They're willing to make him their king at this point. 475 00:32:01,640 --> 00:32:02,640 Rule over us. 476 00:32:02,640 --> 00:32:05,320 You have brought great deliverance. 477 00:32:05,320 --> 00:32:08,600 And Gideon, to his credit, does not accept that offer. 478 00:32:08,600 --> 00:32:13,000 He says, I will not rule over you, nor shall my son rule over you. 479 00:32:13,000 --> 00:32:14,480 He says, I will not rule over you. 480 00:32:14,480 --> 00:32:19,680 I do not want a dynasty of my household ruling over this people. 481 00:32:19,680 --> 00:32:20,680 Why? 482 00:32:20,680 --> 00:32:24,680 He says, the Lord shall rule over you. 483 00:32:24,680 --> 00:32:30,280 Gideon understands that basic premise that God wanted to rule over his people. 484 00:32:30,280 --> 00:32:37,240 And he did say to them, each of you give me an earring from the spoil. 485 00:32:37,240 --> 00:32:43,600 And so this was a form of reward, or maybe even taxation it might be called. 486 00:32:43,600 --> 00:32:48,560 And they did that, and they spread it out, and there was a good deal of gold that was 487 00:32:48,560 --> 00:32:51,760 there as a reward to Gideon. 488 00:32:51,760 --> 00:32:57,760 And in verse 27 it says, Gideon made it into an ephod. 489 00:32:57,760 --> 00:33:02,320 What in the world is an ephod? 490 00:33:02,320 --> 00:33:08,120 You may recall that the high priest of Israel was given an ephod to wear. 491 00:33:08,120 --> 00:33:15,080 It was a piece of clothing, sort of a vest. 492 00:33:15,080 --> 00:33:19,440 And on that ephod were precious stones, and the names of the tribes of Israel were on 493 00:33:19,440 --> 00:33:21,960 it, you remember? 494 00:33:21,960 --> 00:33:23,320 Here we have another ephod. 495 00:33:23,320 --> 00:33:25,720 It is a vest. 496 00:33:25,720 --> 00:33:34,840 And from this material that he got as plunder, Gideon made this particular piece of clothing. 497 00:33:34,840 --> 00:33:43,640 Perhaps he did this so that as he went to his duties as judge, as he would perform his 498 00:33:43,640 --> 00:33:48,000 civil duties, that would be his vestment. 499 00:33:48,000 --> 00:33:54,240 We don't have any indication here that Gideon did this in rebellion against God. 500 00:33:54,240 --> 00:34:01,640 There's no indication that he did it to establish a false religion, an idolatrous worship in 501 00:34:01,640 --> 00:34:09,120 Israel, but the fact is that that ephod later on did become an object of idolatry. 502 00:34:09,120 --> 00:34:15,280 And it became a snare, as it says here, to Gideon and his household. 503 00:34:15,280 --> 00:34:19,200 And Gideon was subdued, the lamb was undisturbed for 40 years. 504 00:34:19,200 --> 00:34:24,920 Perhaps the last time this expression is found in judges, there were other judges that came 505 00:34:24,920 --> 00:34:29,520 later, but they were not periods of peace who followed them, as we shall see. 506 00:34:29,520 --> 00:34:33,040 But this time there were 40 years of peace following Gideon. 507 00:34:33,040 --> 00:34:39,600 It says that he went down, lived in his house, and had 70 sons who were his direct descendants. 508 00:34:39,600 --> 00:34:40,600 He had many wives. 509 00:34:40,600 --> 00:34:45,080 He may not have accepted the position of king, but he lived like a king. 510 00:34:45,080 --> 00:34:50,480 He had all of his wives and children, and he died at a ripe old age. 511 00:34:50,480 --> 00:34:53,080 He was buried in the tomb of his father, Joash. 512 00:34:53,080 --> 00:34:56,200 Oh, by the way, he had a son named Abimelech. 513 00:34:56,200 --> 00:35:00,840 We're going to learn about him in the next chapter. 514 00:35:00,840 --> 00:35:06,240 And so there is this record of the conquest of Gideon, and after he is off the scene, 515 00:35:06,240 --> 00:35:07,240 what happens? 516 00:35:07,240 --> 00:35:15,240 The sons of Israel again played the harlot with the bales, and made Baal Barith their 517 00:35:15,240 --> 00:35:16,240 god. 518 00:35:16,240 --> 00:35:20,120 Thus the sons of Israel did not remember the Lord their god, who had delivered them from 519 00:35:20,120 --> 00:35:25,080 the hands of all their enemies on every side, nor did they show kindness to the household 520 00:35:25,080 --> 00:35:30,680 of Jehovah-Bel that is Gideon in accordance with all the good that he had done to Israel. 521 00:35:30,680 --> 00:35:35,480 Well, the end of our study for tonight. 522 00:35:35,480 --> 00:35:40,560 I have some other questions I was hoping you would get to, but I can't do that this evening. 523 00:35:40,560 --> 00:35:43,000 We're going to have to close right on time. 524 00:35:43,000 --> 00:35:44,000 Yes, Joanne? 525 00:35:44,000 --> 00:35:53,000 When I ask you a question, so often in Israel, like, who would go to battle and they wouldn't 526 00:35:53,000 --> 00:36:00,000 battle, God would not allow them to do anything of the evil man they would be. 527 00:36:00,000 --> 00:36:03,000 He allows them to conquer. 528 00:36:03,000 --> 00:36:08,000 Why did he sometimes and other times not? 529 00:36:08,000 --> 00:36:10,520 I don't know the answer to that. 530 00:36:10,520 --> 00:36:17,840 I know that earlier on in the book of Joshua that was the case, and the fact that, what 531 00:36:17,840 --> 00:36:20,320 was his name? 532 00:36:20,320 --> 00:36:22,880 He took some of the goods from Ai. 533 00:36:22,880 --> 00:36:23,880 Aiken. 534 00:36:23,880 --> 00:36:28,480 How can you forget a name like that? 535 00:36:28,480 --> 00:36:31,960 Aiken was a real pain. 536 00:36:31,960 --> 00:36:37,960 And he did take some of the goods and brought judgment upon the house of Israel because 537 00:36:37,960 --> 00:36:40,480 of it, but here God allows Gideon to do it. 538 00:36:40,480 --> 00:36:43,320 Does anyone have an insight there regarding this? 539 00:36:43,320 --> 00:36:46,320 I don't know. 540 00:36:46,320 --> 00:37:03,320 When we started judging that the battles of Joshua would cleanse the land, and now these 541 00:37:03,320 --> 00:37:14,320 again were trying, it was a different scene here where it was God restoring the people 542 00:37:14,320 --> 00:37:17,320 of Hebron. 543 00:37:17,320 --> 00:37:22,760 Good point, and he allowed them to take plunder from the Egyptians, didn't he, when they left 544 00:37:22,760 --> 00:37:27,440 in order to repay them, so to speak, because of their slavery there. 545 00:37:27,440 --> 00:37:33,320 He arranged it so that they could just enforce the plunder on them. 546 00:37:33,320 --> 00:37:34,320 That's true. 547 00:37:34,320 --> 00:37:35,320 That's true. 548 00:37:35,320 --> 00:37:36,320 Please take this and get out. 549 00:37:36,320 --> 00:37:41,320 Any other closing thoughts? 550 00:37:41,320 --> 00:37:42,320 Questions? 551 00:37:42,320 --> 00:37:47,320 Why do you think God wanted the numbers reduced? 552 00:37:47,320 --> 00:37:56,320 So that it would be proved that it was God who had it. 553 00:37:56,320 --> 00:37:59,320 Any other thoughts about that? 554 00:37:59,320 --> 00:38:06,320 Don't you think it reinforced the presence of God with them? 555 00:38:06,320 --> 00:38:16,320 The fact that the only three hundred men was really sure that God was present with them. 556 00:38:16,320 --> 00:38:20,320 You and God are a majority. 557 00:38:20,320 --> 00:38:21,320 That's all it takes. 558 00:38:21,320 --> 00:38:25,320 If you're in the will of God, you're the majority. 559 00:38:25,320 --> 00:38:36,320 That's possible. 560 00:38:36,320 --> 00:38:58,320 The fact that they were surrounded on all sides, kind of like the nation of Israel today is 561 00:38:58,320 --> 00:39:03,320 surrounded by a lot of people. 562 00:39:03,320 --> 00:39:10,320 It doesn't matter today. 563 00:39:10,320 --> 00:39:15,320 We are in a cultural war, as we hear about, but it doesn't matter that we're outnumbered. 564 00:39:15,320 --> 00:39:19,320 What matters is that we are on the right side. 565 00:39:19,320 --> 00:39:21,320 That's God's side. 566 00:39:21,320 --> 00:39:28,320 Whichever way God allows the battles to go, in this vote or that one or this issue or 567 00:39:28,320 --> 00:39:33,320 that one, we know that in Jesus Christ we're on the right side. 568 00:39:33,320 --> 00:39:37,320 That ours is the victory in him. 569 00:39:37,320 --> 00:39:41,320 We must close, and I would invite you to bow with me. 570 00:39:41,320 --> 00:39:49,320 Lord, we give thanks to you for the experiences of life and the way that you teach us about 571 00:39:49,320 --> 00:39:50,320 yourself. 572 00:39:50,320 --> 00:39:55,320 We confess to you that there are times when we have taken the glory from battles that 573 00:39:55,320 --> 00:39:57,320 we have won. 574 00:39:57,320 --> 00:40:04,320 We want to learn the lesson that Gideon did that it doesn't depend upon us, it depends 575 00:40:04,320 --> 00:40:06,320 upon you. 576 00:40:06,320 --> 00:40:14,320 We pray that you will simply make us courageous believers of your promises and enable us in 577 00:40:14,320 --> 00:40:22,320 the battles of our lives, whether they seem small or large, to believe you and to not 578 00:40:22,320 --> 00:40:25,320 be afraid and to press on. 579 00:40:25,320 --> 00:40:31,320 Even when the odds are great, enable us to see you above all of that and to know that 580 00:40:31,320 --> 00:40:33,320 in you we have the victory. 581 00:40:33,320 --> 00:40:35,320 In Jesus' name, amen. 582 00:40:35,320 --> 00:40:56,320 Blessings and Shalom.