Day 91 – Judges 6-7

Talking Points

• Once again, Israel is in a cycle of sin and punishment. God tells them, “But you have not obeyed Me…” (6:10). For this, they have been taken captive by the Midianites for seven years. Imagine that for a second. Due to sin, they are captives in their very own land. How pitiful. The people of the one true God are slaves in their own land, not because of the strength of the Midianites, but because of their own failings. Isn’t that the truth of sin? It puts us in pitiful places, all of our own doing.
• God calls Gideon to be the next deliverer of His people. He is a reluctant hero at best. Still, God uses Him to demonstrate His power. Gideon is obedient to tear down the altars to the false gods and build an altar to God in its place.
• God took the number of fighting men with Gideon down from 32,000 to 300 to demonstrate His strength and power. It was a great and unlikely victory. The glory goes to God, alone.

Thoughts

Sometimes we place a lot of stock in our power, our resolve, and our faith. We believe God will use us, if we can muster up an acceptable level of all three. “God, look at me. I’m such a blessing to Your cause! God, You need me.” We should know better. If we look, we will see that’s not the case at all. Newsflash — God doesn’t need you, and He for sure doesn’t need me.

Look at the life of Gideon. He is an obedient leader. He removes the altars that exist in disgrace of Jehovah. He prevails in battle, securing an unlikely victory. He serves as one of twelve judges of God’s nation. What a testimony!

Well…not exactly.

When we find Gideon, he is threshing grain, hiding in a wine press — not exactly a brave warrior. When God tells him good things are coming, he accuses Him of abandoning His people. When God calls him, he asks for a miraculous sign, and then upon receiving it, he asks for another and another — not really stellar faith. The great act of obedience (pulling down the altars which stand defiant to God), well, he does that at night to remain undetected. Gideon seems to be a terribly fearful man and a test of God’s patience. He is unlikely, unimpressive, and honestly unworthy. And, he is exactly whom God chooses!

As I read the account, I recognize God’s great power and might, seeing that He is the real Deliverer. I see it is always about Him and His great glory. The LORD truly is our salvation!

I see something else as well, honestly for the first time. As I read the account, I see God’s mercy and kindness in His dealings with Gideon. I see His gentleness as He prodded this timid servant along. And, I see His grace — grace that would allow an unlikely, unimpressive, and honestly unworthy person to point to the glory of the living God. Many could work with the mighty, but what a glorious God we have who can powerfully use the weak! What a loving God to choose to do so. Praise the God of Gideon!

“…but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong.”
1 Corinthians 1:27