Study #1–Gideon
We will be looking at the 6th chapter of Judges concerning a Judge named Gideon.
Before going any further, read the 24th chapter of Joshua to see the reason Israel found itself in the deplorable situation we find them in Judges 6 and 7
Judges Chapter 6 1 Israel Oppressed by Midian Then the sons of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the Lord; and the Lord gave them into the hands of Midian seven years. 2 The power of Midian prevailed against Israel. Because of Midian the sons of Israel made for themselves the dens which were in the mountains and the caves and the strongholds.The Midianites were the descendents of Abraham and Keturah, whom he married after Sarah died.
The Midianites and the Amalekites moved as a disorganized nomadic tribe. They were raiders.
They did not grow crops of their own.
They were so numerous and powerful they just wondered around and took what they wanted.
Judges 6:3-5 3 For it was when Israel had sown, that the Midianites would come up with the Amalekites and the sons of the east and go against them. 4 So they would camp against them and destroy the produce of the earth as far as Gaza, and leave no sustenance in Israel as well as no sheep, ox, or donkey. 5 For they would come up with their livestock and their tents, they would come in like locusts for number, both they and their camels were innumerable; and they came into the land to devastate it.Israel took to the hills; they moved into the dens and into the caves up there. They had to. They saw their crops which they had left all taken by the enemy.
This is the historical period into which the story of Gideon is cast.
God had already told them these things would happen if they turned from and served other Gods.
6 So Israel was brought very low because of Midian, and the sons of Israel cried to the Lord.No one was crying out to the Lord when they were worshipping the idols and everything was alright.
Now they are in trouble and they cry.
They use God as a spare tire like many do today
7 Now it came about when the sons of Israel cried to the Lord on account of Midian,God can always give a reason and He always lets people know what brings on these things.
We will see this in Judges 6:8-11
Judges 6:8-11 8 That the Lord sent a prophet to the sons of Israel, and he said to them, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘It was I who brought you up from Egypt and brought you out from the house of slavery. 9 ‘I delivered you from the hands of the Egyptians and from the hands of all your oppressors, and dispossessed them before you and gave you their land, 10 and I said to you, “I am the Lord your God; you shall not fear the gods of the Amorites in whose land you live. But you have not obeyed Me.” 11 Then the angel of the Lord came and sat under the oak that was in Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite as his son Gideon was beating out wheat in the wine press in order to save it from the Midianites.Gideon was way down in the Valley. He should have been up there on the mountain. Bad things happen down there in the valley if you stay there but if you call on God He is able and will lead you out.
Thrashing wheat normally was done on top of the hill so that the wind would blow the chaff away.
Down in the valley where there was very little wind the chaff would blow back into their faces. The winepress was down in the valley so they could gather the grapes in the high places and bring them down to be pressed.
The grapes were placed in a large box or trough where the people walked on them to press them into wine.
Hopefully they washed their feet first.
Judges 6:12 The angel of the Lord appeared to him and said to him, “The Lord is with you, O valiant warrior.”The Angel of the Lord was Christ incarnate.
We will see proof of that in verse 22 and 23
I think that when Gideon looked up and saw Him and heard Him say, “O valiant warrior,” he looked behind him to see if there wasn’t somebody else there, because that term did not apply to him.
He probably said, “I am down here at the winepress pitching grain up into the air when I ought to be up yonder on top of the hill.
If I were a valiant warrior,” that is where I would be, not down here.
I am nothing in the world but a coward.”
Judges 6:13 Then Gideon said to him, “O my lord, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about, saying, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the Lord has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian.”Whine, whine, whine!! He seemed to be blaming it all on the Lord instead of looking for the cause.
Apparently Gideon’s old man had not told him that that idol he had outside and the other alters before that was what had gotten them there.
Now the angel of the Lord did not say that He was with Israel at this time; He was with Gideon.
He was not with Israel because of their sin. The angel said, “The Lord is with thee”—singular—with you, Gideon.
But Gideon cannot believe that God would be with him.
He wants to know where all those miracles are that their fathers had told them about.
He believed that the Lord had forsaken Israel.
He was as wrong as a man could be.
The Lord had not really forsaken them; they had forsaken the Lord.
Judges 6:14 The Lord looked at him and said, ” Go in this your strength and deliver Israel from the hand of Midian. Have I not sent you?”This is the call and commission of Gideon. It is a commission of courage. It is interesting to note, however, that even at this point Gideon did not believe God. Note what Gideon says:
1. Why did the Lord allow Israel to be under captivity to the Midianite? 2. What kind of houses were the Israelites living in during Gideon’s time? 3. Who were Gideon’s parents? 4. Why was Gideon and his father thrashing wheat down in the valley? 5. Where was the trashing supposed to be done and why? 6. Describe the thrashing method. 7. How is the condition of Gideon compare to the low state Christians get in when they are disobedient? 8. How do you get out of that valley? 9. Identify “The Angel of the Lord” mentioned in Judges 6:12 10. Why was Gideon surprised when “The Angel of the Lord called him, “O valiant warrior.” 11. Was Gideon’s complaining justified? Explain. 12. Give some examples of how Gideon’s whining in Judges 6:13 compare to some of the grumbling and blaming God for bad situations people get in today. 13. Did God promise to be with Gideon or Israel? Send questions/answers to gcckendallville@gmail.com
