Lesson#07

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RETURN TO SYLLABUS
JUDGES 6
LESSON #07
FAITH MADE PERFECT IN WEAKNESS

• MEMORY VERSE: PHI 4:13

• JUDGES 6 OCCURS AT A TIME WHEN THE NATION OF EGYPT WAS WEAK HAVING HAD VARIOUS WEAK PHARAOH’S AND MANY INTERNAL PROBLEMS. THIS MADE EGYPT UNABLE TO THREATEN ISRAEL DURING THE TIME OF THE JUDGES. HOWEVER, MANY NOMADIC TRIBES PROVIDED AN IMMEDIATE THREAT.
• ALSO AT THE TIME OF JUDGES 6 THERE WAS A FAMINE IN THE AREAS AROUND ISRAEL WHICH CAUSED THE PEOPLE IN THOSE AREAS TO ENCROACH UPON ISRAEL IN SEARCH OF FOOD.

• READ JDG 6:1-24 CYCLE #4 CALL OF GIDEON

• SIN:

• THE CHAPTER BEGINS WITH THE SIN OF THE ISRAELITES. THAT TELLS US THAT THE CYCLE HAS BEGUN AGAIN.
• THE CHAPTER DOES NOT MENTION ANY SPECIFIC SIN SO WE CAN ASSUME IT IS THE SAME AS BEFORE…INTERMARRIAGE AND IDOLATRY.
• SERVITUDE:

• THE ISRAELITES BECAME SLAVES TO THE MIDIANITES. (1)
• THE MIDIANITES WERE A VERY LARGE GROUP OF NOMADIC PEOPLE SEEKING FOOD IN TIME OF FAMINE. THEY RAIDED FARMS.
• WE DO NOT KNOW HOW LARGE WAS THEIR POPULATION, FOR THE BIBLE SAYS THEY ARE UN-NUMBERED, BUT LIKE THE GRASSHOPPERS OVERFLOWING THE LAND. (5) IN OTHER WORDS, THEY OUT-NUMBERED THE ISRAELITES AND PUSHED THEM OUT OF TERRITORY THAT THEY HAD SETTLED.
• OUT OF FEAR OF THE MIDIANITES, THE ISRAELITES FLED TO THE MOUNTAINS AND LIVED IN CAVES. (2)
• ARCHAEOLOGY HAS FOUND MANY OF THESE CAVES.
• WHENEVER THERE WAS A HARVEST IN ISRAEL, THE SURROUNDING TRIBES FROM THE SYRIAN DESERT, INCLUDING THE MIDIANITES, THE AMALEKITES, AND OTHER TRIBES FROM THE FAMINE AREA TO THE EAST RAIDED THE ISRAELI FARMS.
• THEREFORE, THIS IS A SEASONAL INVASION WHENEVER THERE WAS A HARVEST IN SPRING AND IN AUTUMN.
• THE ABUNDANCE THAT GOD PROVIDED FOR THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL WAS STOLEN BY THE ENEMY.
• THE ENEMY ROBBED THE FLOCKS, THE ORCHARDS, AND THE GRAIN HARVEST SO THAT THERE WAS NOTHING LEFT FOR GOD’S PEOPLE.
• SUPPLICATION:

• FINALLY AFTER SEVEN YEARS OF THIS, THE ISRAELITES CRY TO GOD FOR HELP. (7)
• GOD SENT THEM A PROPHET TO ENCOURAGE THEM. (8)
• GOD TOLD THEM OF ALL HE HAD DONE FOR THEM.
• HE DELIVERED THEM FROM EGYPT AND THE EGYPTIANS.
• HE GAVE THEM THE PROMISED LAND.
• HE HELPED THEM DEFEAT THEIR ENEMIES SO THEY COULD POSSESS THE LAND.
• GOD EXPECTED THEM TO BE FAITHFUL TO HIM, TRUST HIM, AND OBEY HIM BUT THEY DID NOT HONOR GOD WITH THEIR OBEDIENCE.
• THEREFORE, THE ASSUMPTION IS THAT THEY AGAIN FELL INTO IDOLATRY AND AS A RESULT THEY WERE IN DANGER OF LOSING THE LAND AS GOD HAD TOLD THEM IN DEU 4.
• SALVATION:

• BECAUSE OUR GOD IS A MERCIFUL GOD, HE SENDS THEM JUDGE GIDEON (A WARRIOR, SAVIOR, AND LEADER).
• WE ARE INTRODUCED TO GIDEON UNDER A TREE, RESTING FROM THE HARVEST.
• THE INTERESTING AND IMPORTANT THING TO NOTICE IS THAT GIDEON IS HARVESTING GRAIN IN THE VALLEY BY THE WINEPRESS WHICH WAS NOT THE USUAL LOCATION FOR HARVESTING GRAIN.
• THE THRESHING OF GRAIN WAS ALWAYS DONE ON A MOUNTAINTOP SO THAT WHEN THEY TOSSED THE GRAIN INTO THE AIR, THE WIND WOULD BLOW THE CHAFF AWAY.
• GRAPES WERE ALWAYS HARVESTED AND TAKEN TO THE WINEPRESS LOCATED IN THE VALLEYS.
• THE REASON GIDEON IS NOT THRESHING GRAIN ON THE MOUNTAINTOP IS THAT HE IS HIDING FROM THE ENEMY. HE DOES NOT WANT THE ENEMY TO SEE THAT A HARVEST WAS TAKING PLACE FOR FEAR OF ROBBERY BY THOSE MIDIANITES.
• WHEN THE ANGEL OF THE LORD (PRE-INCARNATE JESUS CHRIST) FOUND GIDEON UNDER A TREE, WAS GIDEON A MAN OF COURAGE AND FAITH OR A WEAK COWARDLY MAN? HOW DO YOU KNOW?
• GIDEON IS A COWARD. HE IS AFRAID OF THE ENEMY TO THE EXTENT THAT IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO HARVEST GRAIN WITHOUT THE WIND SEPARATING THE GRAIN FROM THE CHAFF.
• HE IS RELYING ON HIS OWN INADEQUATE WORKS TO PROVIDE FOR THE NEEDS OF HIS FAMILY.
• HE IS NOT TRUSTING GOD FOR PROTECTION.
• GIDEON ASKS THE LORD WHY THEY ARE SUFFERING SO MUCH WHEN GOD HAD BEEN FAITHFUL TO DELIVER THEM IN THE PAST.
• NOTICE THAT THE TONE OF GIDEON’S QUESTION MAKES IT SEEM AS THOUGH THEIR PROBLEMS ARE GOD’S FAULT.
• THE ANGEL OF THE LORD IGNORES GIDEON’S TONE AND TELLS HIM THAT GIDEON IS TO BE THE DELIVERER. (14)
• THE MARVELOUS SENSE OF HUMOR OF JESUS CHRIST: (14)
• GIDEON IS WEAK AND SEES HIMSELF AS WEAK. HE IS A COWARD IN FEAR OF THE MIDIANITES.
• YET JESUS CHRIST TELLS HIM TO USE HIS MIGHT AND STRENGTH TO DELIVER THE ISRAELITES…A MIGHT AND STRENGTH THAT GIDEON DID NOT HAVE!
• THE ANGEL OF THE LORD USES THE SINGULAR “YOU ARE A MIGHTY MAN OF VALOR.”
• GIDEON IGNORES THE SINGULAR PRONOUN AND SAYS, “IF THE LORD IS WITH US.”
• HOWEVER, THIS IS EXACTLY HOW GOD ENCOURAGES GIDEON.
• IN REALITY THIS IS A CALL TO FAITH BY GOD. IT IS AS THOUGH GOD SAYS TO HIM, TRUST ME, I WILL MAKE YOUR WEAKNESSES A STRENGTH.
• THIS IS EXACTLY PAUL’S PERSPECTIVE IN HIS MINISTRY.
• READ 2COR 12:9-10
• STRENGTH IS MADE PERFECT IN WEAKNESS. IF STRENGTH IS MADE PERFECT IN WEAKNESS THEN FAITH GROWS AS WEAKNESS TRUSTS GOD TO SUPPLY THE STRENGTH. IN OTHER WORDS, LIKE GIDEON, WE NEED TO SEE OURSELVES AS GOD SEES US…MIGHTY IN STRENGTH…FOR THAT IS WHAT FAITH IS, SEEING SITUATIONS AND OURSELVES THROUGH GOD’S EYES. (THIS IS WHY WE NEED TO GET THE MEMORY VERSE DEEP INTO OUR HEARTS.)
• AT THIS POINT IN THE STORY, GIDEON DOES NOT SEE HIMSELF THROUGH GOD’S EYES.
• THE EXCUSE THAT GIDEON GIVES THE LORD IS ALL ABOUT HIS WEAKNESS.
• HE IS FROM THE TRIBE OF MANASSEH, A TRIBE FROM WHICH NO IMPORTANT PERSON EMERGED.
• HE IS FROM A POOR, INCONSEQUENTIAL FAMILY IN THAT TRIBE.
• HE IS THE WEAKEST, MOST INSIGNIFICANT MEMBER OF HIS FAMILY.
• NOTICE GOD’S ENCOURAGEMENT THAT PRODUCES SOME WILLINGNESS IN GIDEON. (16)
• GIDEON’S WEAK FAITH REQUIRES A SIGN (17-21)
• GIDEON PREPARES AN OFFERING TO THE LORD.
• THE SIGN THE LORD GIVES TO GIDEON IS FIRE THAT CONSUMES THE OFFERING.
• GIDEON BUILDS AN ALTAR TO GOD AND CALLS IT JEHOVAH-SHALOM. (24)
• THE NAME JEHOVAH IS THE NAME FOR A GOD WHO MAKES COVENANTS WITH HIS PEOPLE.
• THE NAME, SHALOM, MEANS = PEACE.
• BY FAITH GIDEON IS TRUSTING GOD’S PROMISE OF PEACE IN VERSE 23.

• READ JDG 6:25-35 GIDEON’S TEST OF FAITH
• WHAT IS GIDEON’S ATTITUDE IN THIS TEST OF FAITH?
• GIDEON HAS FAITH IN GOD’S PROMISE, BUT IT IS NOT A STRONG, OVERWHELMING FAITH.
• GIDEON PLAYS IT SAFE.
• BEFORE GOD CAN TRUST GIDEON TO HANDLE THE BIG BATTLE, GOD TESTS HIS FAITH WITH A SMALLER TASK.
• HE MUST DESTROY ONE OF THE ALTARS FOR BAAL AND THE GROVE OF ASHERAH POLES NEXT TO THE ALTAR. THESE PLACES OF PAGAN WORSHIP BELONGED TO HIS OWN FATHER. THEN HE WAS TO BUILD AN ALTAR TO GOD IN ITS PLACE.
• NOTICE THAT GIDEON AGREES TO ACCOMPLISH THE TASK, BUT HE GOES AT NIGHT WITH TEN MEN BECAUSE HE IS AFRAID. (27)
• EVEN THOUGH HE GOES AT NIGHT, EVERYONE KNOWS WHO DESTROYED BAAL’S ALTAR.
• THE MEN OF THE CITY CONFRONT GIDEON’S FATHER, JOASH.
• AFTER DESTROYING THE ALTAR TO BAAL, GIDEON IS IN HIS FATHER’S HOUSE.
• DISCUSSION:

WHAT WAS THE LOGICAL ARGUMENT THAT JOASH PUT FORTH TO THE MEN OF THE CTIY THAT SAVED HIS SON, GIDEON:

• =1=

IF BAAL IS A TRUE GOD WITH POWER, HE WILL NOT NEED ANYONE TO DEFEND HIM.

• =2=

ANYONE WHO FIGHTS FOR BAAL WILL DIE BECAUSE THE TRUE GOD, JEHOVAH, HAS THE POWER TO DESTROY ALL WHO FIGHT FOR BAAL.

• =3=

IF BAAL HAS POWER, BAAL WILL PUNISH GIDEON FOR WHAT HE DID.

• FOR A WHOLE DAY, THE MIDIANITES CALLED GIDEON, JERUB-BAAL WHICH MEANS = LET BAAL CONTEND (LET BAAL FIGHT HIS OWN BATTLES).
• ON THE VERGE OF A BIG WAR: (33)
• THE MIDIANITES, THE AMALEKITES, AND OTHER PAGAN TRIBES JOIN TOGETHER IN THE VALLEY OF JEZREEL.
• THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT LOCATION IN THE BIBLE:
• THE VALLEY OF JEZREEL, ALSO CALLED THE PLAIN OF ESDRAELON, AND THE PLAIN OF MEGGIDO ARE ALL THE SAME LOCATION.
• THIS IS THE FUTURE LOCATION FOR THE BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON.
• WHEN NAPOLEON PASSED THROUGH THIS VALLEY AND SAW THE LAY OF THE LAND, HE SAID THAT IT WAS A MARVELOUS PLACE FOR A BATTLE.
• THE POWERFUL ANOINTING BY THE HOLY SPIRIT
• THE HOLY SPIRIT ANOINTS GIDEON WITH POWER.
• IN THE OLD TESTAMENT, BELIEVERS DID NOT HAVE THE CONSTANT INDWELLING HOLY SPIRIT.
• THE HOLY SPIRIT ONLY ANOINTED A BELIEVER FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME SO AS TO PERFORM A SPECIFIC TASK.
• UNDER THE ANOINTING POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, GIDEON CALLS PEOPLE TO WAR BY A BLAST OF THE TRUMPET. SOME TRIBES SENT TROOPS TO HELP IN THE BATTLE:
• MANASSEH:
• THE ABIEZRITES ARE A CLAN FROM THE TRIBE OF MANASSEH. GIDEON WAS PART OF THIS CLAN.
• ZEBULUN
• ASHER
• NAPHTALI

• READ JDG 6:36-40 GIDEON’S FLEECE
• AFTER THE HOLY SPIRIT CAME UPON GIDEON (34), WHY DID HE NEED TO SET OUT THE FLEECE?
• GIDEON SHOULD NOT HAVE NEEDED ANOTHER SIGN TO KNOW THAT GOD WAS WITH HIM. THE FLEECE WAS NOT TO DETERMINE GOD’S WILL, BECAUSE GIDEON ALREADY KNEW WHAT GOD’S WILL WAS. THEREFORE, THE FLEECE WAS A REASSURANCE OF GOD’S PRESENCE WITH HIM.
• =1= HE HAD EXPERIENCED A VISITATION FROM THE ANGEL OF THE LORD (JESUS CHRIST).
• =2= HE HAD SEEN THE FIRST SIGN WHEN GOD SENT FIRE TO DEVOUR THE OFFERING HE MADE.
• =3= HE HAD THE WORD OF THE LORD THAT PROMISED HIM PEACE AND SAFETY.
• =4= HE HAD EXPERIENCED SAFETY THROUGH THE FIRST TEST WHEN HE TORE DOWN THE ALTAR TO BAAL.
• =5= HE HAD THE POWERFUL ANOINTING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
• GIDEON IS STILL STRUGGLING WITH HIS OWN VIEW OF HIMSELF.
• A PERSON CAN HAVE A LOT OF FAITH BECAUSE HE KNOWS GOD IS ALL-POWERFUL AND CAN ACCOMPLISH WHAT HE SAYS HE WILL DO. THE PROBLEM IS, WILL GOD DO IT THROUGH ME?
• DISCUSSION:

WHAT ANSWER CAN YOU GIVE GIDEON THAT WILL HELP HIM IN HIS STRUGGLE?

• GIDEON TESTS GOD:
• NOTICE THAT GIDEON KNOWS HE SHOULD NOT BE REQUESTING THIS SIGN, FOR HE SAYS TO GOD, “DON’T BE ANGRY WITH ME.” (39)
• THE WET FLEECE AND THE DRY GROUND.
• THE DRY FLEECE AND THE WET GROUND.

HOMEWORK
JUDGES 7
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FORCORRECTION.

• APPLICATION OF JDG 6
• IN WHAT WAYS DO YOU IDENTIFY YOURSELF WITH GIDEON?
• WHAT DO YOU LEARN FROM THIS LESSON THAT CAN HELP YOU WITH YOUR GIDEON-TYPE STRUGGLES?
• PREPARATION FOR JDG 7:1-25
• READ JDG 7:1-25
• THE MIDIANITE FORCES NUMBERED 135,000 AND GIDEON’S FORCES NUMBERED 32,000. WHY DID GOD SAY THAT GIDEON HAD TOO MANY MEN?
• WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF DISMISSING MEN WHO DID NOT DRINK WATER LIKE DOGS?
• WHAT METHOD DOES GOD USE TO ENCOURAGE GIDEON?
• WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE THREE GROUPS OF SOLDIERS, THE THREE KINDS OF WEAPONS THAT GIDEON USED, AND THE SHOUTED WORDS?
• MEMORY VERSE: PSALMS 9:10