Sermon Tone Analysis
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Intro:
Two weeks ago we started looking at Gideon
He was threshing wheat in a winepress when the Angel of the Lord appeared to him
The Angel called him a mighty man of valor
I’ve always seen Gideon as the Zacheus of the OT
Zacheus was a wee little man in a tree
Gideon was from the smallest clan of the smallest tribe
God called him to lead Israel in battle against the Midianites
Gideon wasn’t sure and tested god twice with the fleece
A faith that can’t be tested can’t be trusted.
Too often, what people think is faith is really only a “warm fuzzy feeling” about faith or perhaps just “faith in faith.”
J.G. Stipe said that faith is like a toothbrush: Everybody should have one and use it regularly, but it isn’t safe to use somebody else’s.
We can sing loudly about the “Faith of Our Fathers,” but we can’t exercise the faith of our fathers.
We can follow men and women of faith and share in their exploits, but we can’t succeed in our own personal lives by depending on somebody else’s faith.
God tests our faith for at least two reasons: first, to show us whether our faith is real or counterfeit, and second, to strengthen our faith for the tasks He’s set before us.
After God was patient with Gideon’s lack of faith, he tells gather the armies to go to battle
Tonight we are going to look at that battle
Read Judges 7:1-4
I. Thinning the Troops vs. 1-8
Gideon takes his troops and camps by the spring of Harod
The Valley of Jezreel is the big valley that has the Sea of Galilee and all the surrounding cities
This valley is the future scene of the battle of Armageddon
Gideon lived near the north east corner near Lebanon and Jordan
The Midianites were camped on the other side of a pass
Gideon had gathered 32,000 soldiers and impressive number
It still compared in number who were numbered to Locust and camels without number (vs.
12)
Around 135,000 troops
So you can imagine what Gideon is thinking when God says there are too many
God has a reason for doing this
He doesn’t want the people to say “My own hand has saved me.”
This is one of the biggest challenges to our faith
My own hand verses the hand of God
So God tells Gideon to send anyone home that is afraid
22,000 soldiers leave
Two-thirds of his army desserts him
He is left with 10,000 troops
Gideon’s faith is being tested
It is then Gideon should’ve expected a pep talk from God, but God says, “Nope, still too many”
Vs. 4 Take them to the water and I will test them
Those who lap the water like a dog set apart
7:5–6.
styles of drinking water.
Those who drink water in a kneeling position with their heads in the water to lap it up are (1) an easy target, (2) unaware of any enemy movement while they drink, and (3) susceptible to leeches.
The alternative is to lie down flat (where one presents less of a target) and to keep alert, bringing water to the mouth while continuing to look around.
Those who kneel down were targets for the enemy
But those who laid down and lapped it up with their hand were to stay
9,700 soldiers were sent home
vs. 7 God tells Gideon that with the 300 men I will give you the Midianites into your hand
Talk about testing your faith
He takes those 300 men and sends the rest to their tent
This is all about God getting the glory in saving Israel
They hadn’t admitted their wrongdoing in worshipping other idols
They cried out for help, so it would be God who would help them
II.
Gideon Promise vs. 9-18
That night God tells Gideon to go down and defeat the Midianites for He has given it into his hand
But God gives him an option
He tells Gideon to go down into the camp if he is afraid
He will be strengthened by what he hears
Lets be honest
If your troops were reduced from 32,000 to 300 in one day fear is going to play a huge factor
We don’t know what God would’ve done if Gideon had gone right then, but he didn’t
So Gideon and Purah, his assistant go to spy on the camp
First, Gideon sees troops and camels that are like the locust and numbered as many as the sands on the shore
As they sneak up to a tent a man is telling another about a dream
A huge cake rolled into camp and struck his tent and the tent lay flat
The comrade immediately says that God has give Gideon into Midian into his hand
Never underestimate how god is working behind the scenes
He can use dreams to invoke fear into the
As soon as Gideon hears the interpretation he worshipped the Lord
Motivated, he returns to the camp and tells everyone to get ready for battle
The Lord has given Midian into your hand
He then divides the camp into three groups
He gives each soldier a trumpet, empty jars with torches inside
Not the weapons you would expect, but it is about God rescuing his people
Faith always demands you be open to the impossible and improbable
Need 300 soldiers to defeat a massive army?
Give them a trumpet and a lamp
Faith demands that you be trust God
Gideon tells them when I blow the trumpet you do the same and shout “For the Lord and Gideon.”
A surprise attack coupled with fear over Gideon produces panic
III.
Defeat of Midian vs. 19-25
Lets set the stage
There were four watches at night, each 3 hours long
The first started at dusk or 6 PM
The middle watch was at 12 AM
They had just changed the guard and the rest of the soldiers were fast asleep
God planned an ambush when they least expected it
The soldiers were just getting into a deep sleep so they would be disoriented
The sound of trumpets and being surrounded by lights would give the impression of a massive army
The fear of Gideon spreading through the camp made the Midianites panic
As soon as they hear the trumpets the Midianites ran and fled as far as Beth-shittah about six miles away
As soon as the armies are on the run Gideon calls to Ephraim to come down and help capture the waters
Capture the waters meant to control the crossings of the Jordan rive
When people flee you can contain them by controlling the bridges
Ephraim was able to capture and execute the two princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb
I don’t know why but every time I read Oreb I start craving Oreo’s
Ephraim ended up being a great assist to Gideon, but they weren’t part of God’s initial plans
This is going to end up being a problem
IV.
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