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Written by JJ
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Monday, 15 March 2010 07:39 |
Gideon part 5
We just saw the Lord providing the victory for Gideon, oh sure the battle hasn’t took place yet, but look at the end of vs. 9, “for I have delivered it into thine hand” the word delivered is past tense, God’s word is good, and He gives the victory.
Jdg 7:10 But if thou fear to go down, go thou with Phurah thy servant down to the host:
Jdg 7:11 And thou shalt hear what they say; and afterward shall thine hands be strengthened to go down unto the host. Then went he down with Phurah his servant unto the outside of the armed men that were in the host.
God wanted Gideon to hear something. Phurah was probably an arms bearer and could also collaborate what was heard.
Jdg 7:12 And the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the children of the east lay along in the valley like grasshoppers for multitude; and their camels were without number, as the sand by the sea side for multitude.
Jdg 7:13 And when Gideon was come, behold, there was a man that told a dream unto his fellow, and said, Behold, I dreamed a dream, and, lo, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the host of Midian, and came unto a tent, and smote it that it fell, and overturned it, that the tent lay along.
And when Gideon was come,.... With Phurah his arms bearer with him, both were within hearing range and could hear the conversation of the outer guards, there was
a man that told a dream unto his fellow; his fellow soldier that was next to him while they both stood guard. Probably a dream he had dreamed the night before he came to stand watch.
and said, behold, I dreamed a dream, and, lo; now he’s going to relate the dream to his comrade.
a cake of barley bread tumbled into the host of Midian: something that looked like a barley loaf came to him in the dream and he saw it rolling, perhaps creating a noise. Tumbling down an hill, much like the one where Gideon and his army were and rolling into the host of Midian, which lay in a valley.
and came unto a tent; probably the king's tent, or the tent of the generals.
and smote it that it fell; which might justly seem strange, that this barley loaf could crush a tent, but remember the size of Gideons’s army.
and overturned it, that the tent lay along: the tent was flattened and turned upside down.
(Jdg 7:14) And his fellow answered and said, This is nothing else save the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel: for into his hand hath God delivered Midian, and all the host.
And his fellow answered and said,.... remember this dream was from God, whom he gave the interpretation to.
this is nothing else save the sword of Gideon, the son of Joash, a man of Israel; this signifies nothing else, but of Gideon and his little army.
a man of Israel; namely, a courageous mighty man, and the very name of him might strike with terror:
for into his hands hath God delivered Midian and all his host; which the man concluded from this dream, and the interpretation of it suggested to him from God.
Jdg 7:15 And it was so, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, and the interpretation thereof, that he worshipped, and returned into the host of Israel, and said, Arise; for the LORD hath delivered into your hand the host of Midian.
And it was so, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, and the interpretation thereof,.... it was like the breaking of a seal, and discovering what is hid under it.
that he worshipped; reverenced God and his divine Majesty,
and returned into the host of Israel; and said, arise from your sleep
for the Lord hath delivered into your hand the host of Midian; he now had no doubts, he was sure of the victory, as if it had already happened.
Jdg 7:16 And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put a trumpet in every man's hand, with empty pitchers, and lamps within the pitchers.
And he divided the three hundred men into three companies,.... perhaps to show an army with a right and left wing.
and he put a trumpet in every man's hand; the noise would be very great and it would seem as if they were an great army, to terrify their enemies
Jdg 7:17 And he said unto them, Look on me, and do likewise: and, behold, when I come to the outside of the camp, it shall be that, as I do, so shall ye do.
And he said unto them, look on me, and do likewise,.... Observe what I do, and do the same, in blowing a trumpet, breaking a pitcher, and shouting
and, behold, when I come to the outside of the camp it shall be, that as I do, so shall ye do; and not before, now sound was to be made.
Jdg 7:18 When I blow with a trumpet, I and all that are with me, then blow ye the trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and say, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon.
When I blow with a trumpet, I and all that are with me,.... He being at the head of one of the three companies, perhaps the middlemost,
then blow ye the trumpets also on every side of all the camp; such a sound must have been very terrifying.
and say, the sword of the Lord, and of Gideon; or "for the Lord, and for Gideon";
Jdg 7:19 So Gideon, and the hundred men that were with him, came unto the outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch; and they had but newly set the watch: and they blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers that were in their hands.
So Gideon, and the one hundred men that were with him came unto the outside of the camp, in the beginning of the middle watch; the second watch, for had he come at the first watch, many as yet might not have been in bed, or at least not fallen asleep, but he took this time, a little after midnight, in the dead of the night, when the whole army was fast asleep:
and they had but newly set the watch and they blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers that were in their hands; this did Gideon and his hundred men.
Jdg 7:20 And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow withal: and they cried, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon.
And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers,.... The other two armies did this as well.
and held the lamps in their left hands; this gave a great blaze of light, which must have been the original shock and awe.
and the trumpets in their right hands to blow withal and they cried, the sword of the Lord and of Gideon and they continued the blowing of trumpets and the yelling.
Jdg 7:21 And they stood every man in his place round about the camp: and all the host ran, and cried, and fled.
How’s that for a victory?
Jdg 7:22 And the three hundred blew the trumpets, and the LORD set every man's sword against his fellow, even throughout all the host: and the host fled to Bethshittah in Zererath, and to the border of Abelmeholah, unto Tabbath.
Jdg 7:23 And the men of Israel gathered themselves together out of Naphtali, and out of Asher, and out of all Manasseh, and pursued after the Midianites.
It was a rout.
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Last Updated on Thursday, 01 April 2010 17:10 |
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Written by jJJ
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Saturday, 06 March 2010 23:03 |
Gideon pt 4
Chapter 7 gives us a great story as well as a good lesson to learn.
Jdg 7:1 Then Jerubbaal, who is Gideon, and all the people that were with him, rose up early, and pitched beside the well of Harod: so that the host of the Midianites were on the north side of them, by the hill of Moreh, in the valley.
Chapter 6 vs. 32 is where Gideon received his new name, Jerubbaal which means enemy of Baal. Gideon now that he is assured that God his with him from the signs given in the previous chapter, rises early to get on with the victory. He gathered his troops and marched to pursue the battle.
Jdg 7:2 And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me.
It’s a good thing I wasn’t Gideon! You may have heard me start to complain, “Are you serious? I have 32,000 men here to battle an army of 100,000 and you say there are too many? Oh how I would have needed this lesson, for I would have focused far too much on my own ability than trusting in the Lord. God wants to be clear that it is He who gives the victory.
Jdg 7:3 Now therefore go to, proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, Whosoever is fearful and afraid, let him return and depart early from mount Gilead. And there returned of the people twenty and two thousand; and there remained ten thousand.
Here is where I believe I would have had some serious doubts. Ten thousand left to face 100,000.
Jdg 7:4 And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people are yet too many; bring them down unto the water, and I will try them for thee there: and it shall be, that of whom I say unto thee, This shall go with thee, the same shall go with thee; and of whomsoever I say unto thee, This shall not go with thee, the same shall not go.
Now, how many reading this think that 10,000 against 100,000 are yet too many?
Jdg 7:5 So he brought down the people unto the water: and the LORD said unto Gideon, Every one that lappeth of the water with his tongue, as a dog lappeth, him shalt thou set by himself; likewise every one that boweth down upon his knees to drink.
Jdg 7:6 And the number of them that lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, were three hundred men: but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their knees to drink water.
There are many thoughts as to what the different styles of drinking meant. Some think that the ones putting there hands to their mouth were more cautious or careful about what they were doing. The ones bending down to lap the water like a dog were not careful, for they were more concerned about quenching there thirst than about the upcoming battle, not to mention the croc’s that may be in the water.
Jdg 7:7 And the LORD said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand: and let all the other people go every man unto his place.
Jdg 7:8 So the people took victuals in their hand, and their trumpets: and he sent all the rest of Israel every man unto his tent, and retained those three hundred men: and the host of Midian was beneath him in the valley.
Wow,,,9,700 men marching back home, leaving 300. Not only did they only number 300 but they had their victuals (provisions) in one had and trumpets in the other, pretty hard to fight under those conditions.
Jdg 7:9 And it came to pass the same night, that the LORD said unto him, Arise, get thee down unto the host; for I have delivered it into thine hand.
Yes, it is the Lord who we should look to, He gives us the victory.
2Co 12:10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
2Co 12:10 is a good vs. to remember, sometimes hard to put into practice. Too often I find myself trying to do things in my own strength. When I empty myself of myself that is when the Lord can use me. I have to get out of the way first.
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Last Updated on Thursday, 01 April 2010 17:10 |
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Written by JJ
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Saturday, 27 February 2010 22:50 |
Gideon part 3
Jdg 6:33 Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the children of the east were gathered together, and went over, and pitched in the valley of Jezreel.
Now you might be thinking that they were mad at Gideon for tearing down the idol. Not so, if you remember earlier in vs. 3 Israel had sown their fields and Gideon was threshing wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites. What we have is the enemies of Israel gathering as usual to invade and steel the crops has they had previously done. The valley of Jezreel is a large valley suitable base for the Midianite and Amalekite armies, not all that far away from where Gideon was.
Jdg 6:34 But the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet; and Abiezer was gathered after him.
Gideon is called into service. In the Hebrew “came upon” means clothed. So the Spirit of the Lord clothed Gideon, gave him armor, put protection on him. Abiezer, the Abiezrites, Gideon’s relation from the tribe of Manasseh of which he also belonged to. Finding no fault in what he had done, joined him their common cause against their enemy.
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Last Updated on Thursday, 01 April 2010 17:10 |
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Written by JJ
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Sunday, 21 February 2010 20:42 |
Gideon part 2
Judges 6: 1-14 showed us that the Lord sees us for what we are, what we can be. He has just called Gideon a “mighty man of valour” vs. 12, even though Gideon has reason not to believe that he is this man of valour.
Judges 6:15 And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.
Gideon is wondering just how is he to accomplish what the Lord wants him to do, after all he is from a poor family and on top of this he is the youngest in his family.
Judges 6:16 And the LORD said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man.
We must remember God plus one, is always a majority. God is faithful, will not call us to do something, and then abandoned us. Our duty is to obey.
In this next section, I really identify with Gideon. On Sunday mornings listening to the Preacher, sitting with other Christians, it is very easy to be faithful, but here is real life coming up for Gideon.
Judges 6:17 And he said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, then shew me a sign that thou talkest with me.
Gideon wants a sign. Is not our faith weak sometimes also?
Judges 6:18 Depart not hence, I pray thee, until I come unto thee, and bring forth my present, and set it before thee. And he said, I will tarry until thou come again.
Judges 6:19 And Gideon went in, and made ready a kid, and unleavened cakes of an ephah of flour: the flesh he put in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot, and brought it out unto him under the oak, and presented it.
Judges 6:20 And the angel of God said unto him, Take the flesh and the unleavened cakes, and lay them upon this rock, and pour out the broth. And he did so.
Judges 6:21 Then the angel of the LORD put forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and there rose up fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes. Then the angel of the LORD departed out of his sight.
I cannot say it better than John Wesley who says, “Consumed the flesh - By which, he shewed himself to be no man that needed such provisions, but the Son of God; and by this instance of his omnipotency, gave him assurance, that he both could, and would consume the Midianites.”
Judges 6:22 And when Gideon perceived that he was an angel of the LORD, Gideon said, Alas, O Lord GOD! for because I have seen an angel of the LORD face to face.
Judges 6:23 And the LORD said unto him, Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou shalt not die.
Judges 6:24 Then Gideon built an altar there unto the LORD, and called it Jehovahshalom: unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
Now the Lord has a task for Gideon.
Judges 6:25 And it came to pass the same night, that the LORD said unto him, Take thy father's young bullock, even the second bullock of seven years old, and throw down the altar of Baal that thy father hath, and cut down the grove that is by it:
Judges 6:26 And build an altar unto the LORD thy God upon the top of this rock, in the ordered place, and take the second bullock, and offer a burnt sacrifice with the wood of the grove which thou shalt cut down.
Remember, these were hard times, the Midianites had probably reduced the family’s heard, not to mention that the bullocks belonged to his father who had probably set them aside for the worship of Baal. In addition, he is to tear down his father’s altar to Baal and build an altar unto the Lord.
Judges 6:27 Then Gideon took ten men of his servants, and did as the LORD had said unto him: and so it was, because he feared his father's household, and the men of the city, that he could not do it by day, that he did it by night.
Now some might criticize Gideon for doing this at night and not by day, but at least he did it. The risk would have been the same for him whether he had done it in the day for all the city of Ophrah worshipped idols. Doing it at night probably insured that he would be able to complete the task.
Judges 6:28 And when the men of the city arose early in the morning, behold, the altar of Baal was cast down, and the grove was cut down that was by it, and the second bullock was offered upon the altar that was built.
Judges 6:29 And they said one to another, Who hath done this thing? And when they enquired and asked, they said, Gideon the son of Joash hath done this thing.
Judges 6:30 Then the men of the city said unto Joash, Bring out thy son, that he may die: because he hath cast down the altar of Baal, and because he hath cut down the grove that was by it.
Judges 6:31 And Joash said unto all that stood against him, Will ye plead for Baal? will ye save him? he that will plead for him, let him be put to death whilst it is yet morning: if he be a god, let him plead for himself, because one hath cast down his altar.
Judges 6:32 Therefore on that day he called him Jerubbaal, saying, Let Baal plead against him, because he hath thrown down his altar.
One can just imagine how mad the men of the city were the next morning as they awoke. They were going to pay their morning devotions to Baal but found the altar torn down, and a new altar was burning probably in the place where the old one had stood. They wanted to kill Gideon.
Gideon’s father Joash who had been a worshiper of Baal, now by the actions of his son realizes that if Baal were a real god he would know who had torn down the altar and would be able to take care of this himself. Joash also comes to his senses and prefers the life of his son to the worship of a false god.
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Last Updated on Thursday, 01 April 2010 17:10 |
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