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JUDGES CHAPTER 6

Tuesday October 5th, 2021 Pastor Stephanie Blackburn AIGGM Bible Studies

In the Book of Judges, Chapter 6, we find a man by the name of Gideon from the tribe of Manasseh son of Joash. This man Gideon as he was in a threshing floor at the winepress hiding from the Midianites who were against Israel at this time. An angel appeared to him calling him valiant warrior, but Gideon said how can I be valiant and the Midianites are oppressing us?

The angel of the Lord led him to offer an offering and commanded him to destroy the altar of Baal and ashteroth. He obeyed and destroyed the evil altars, that had brought Gods wrath against Israel. And offered a seven year old bull as a sin offering to the Lord.

Gideon was later called Jerru-baal for they said let Baal contend with him. But he was used to conquer an army of many as the seashore with an army of 300 people only. They shouted as instructed after surrounding the enemy "the sword of the Lord and of Gideon." When the enemy heard this they scattered." This was after the enemies (one of the soldiers received a scary dream about their defeat. It sent shivers around the enemy for they knew the Lord was with Gideon).

LESSON : you cannot plant a new altar when an evil one is operating. You need to uproot the evil altar first, Jeremiah 1:10.

GOD ALMIGHTY wants to exalt Himself in the battlefield . . for He is the greatest warrior ever and always will be! He is who desires to fight for us hence leading us into victory (Exodus 14:14).

Its NOT the number of people on your side . . .

What matters is . . . .

IS THE LORD ON YOUR SIDE?!?

When The LORD is on your side,

He will send warnings through dreams or visions to your enemies . . WARNING them NOT to touch

HIS Anointed One(s).

Do it Gideon's way!!

Judges 6

Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD, and for seven years he gave them into the hands of the Midianites.

Because the power of Midian was so oppressive, the Israelites prepared shelters for themselves in mountain clefts, caves and strongholds.

Whenever the Israelites planted their crops, the Midianites, Amalekites and other eastern peoples invaded the country.

They camped on the land and ruined the crops all the way to Gaza and did not spare a living thing for Israel, neither sheep nor cattle nor donkeys.

They came up with their livestock and their tents like swarms of locusts. It was impossible to count the men and their camels; they invaded the land to ravage it.

Midian so impoverished the Israelites that they cried out to the LORD for help.

When the Israelites cried to the LORD because of Midian,

he sent them a prophet, who said, "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: I brought you up out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

I snatched you from the power of Egypt and from the hand of all your oppressors. I drove them from before you and gave you their land.

I said to you, `I am the LORD your God; do not worship the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you live.' But you have not listened to me."

The angel of the LORD came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites.

When the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon, he said, "The LORD is with you, mighty warrior."

"But sir," Gideon replied, "if the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our fathers told us about when they said, `Did not the LORD bring us up out of Egypt?' But now the LORD has abandoned us and put us into the hand of Midian."

The LORD turned to him and said, "Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian's hand. Am I not sending you?"

"But Lord, [1] " Gideon asked, "how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family."

The LORD answered, "I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites together."

Gideon replied, "If now I have found favor in your eyes, give me a sign that it is really you talking to me.

Please do not go away until I come back and bring my offering and set it before you." And the LORD said, "I will wait until you return."

Gideon went in, prepared a young goat, and from an ephah [2] of flour he made bread without yeast. Putting the meat in a basket and its broth in a pot, he brought them out and offered them to him under the oak.

The angel of God said to him, "Take the meat and the unleavened bread, place them on this rock, and pour out the broth." And Gideon did so.

With the tip of the staff that was in his hand, the angel of the LORD touched the meat and the unleavened bread. Fire flared from the rock, consuming the meat and the bread. And the angel of the LORD disappeared.

When Gideon realized that it was the angel of the LORD, he exclaimed, "Ah, Sovereign LORD! I have seen the angel of the LORD face to face!"

But the LORD said to him, "Peace! Do not be afraid. You are not going to die."

So Gideon built an altar to the LORD there and called it The LORD is Peace. To this day it stands in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

That same night the LORD said to him, "Take the second bull from your father's herd, the one seven years old. [3] Tear down your father's altar to Baal and cut down the Asherah pole [4] beside it.

Then build a proper kind of [5] altar to the LORD your God on the top of this height. Using the wood of the Asherah pole that you cut down, offer the second [6] bull as a burnt offering."

So Gideon took ten of his servants and did as the LORD told him. But because he was afraid of his family and the men of the town, he did it at night rather than in the daytime.

In the morning when the men of the town got up, there was Baal's altar, demolished, with the Asherah pole beside it cut down and the second bull sacrificed on the newly built altar!

They asked each other, "Who did this?" When they carefully investigated, they were told, "Gideon son of Joash did it."

The men of the town demanded of Joash, "Bring out your son. He must die, because he has broken down Baal's altar and cut down the Asherah pole beside it."

But Joash replied to the hostile crowd around him, "Are you going to plead Baal's cause? Are you trying to save him? Whoever fights for him shall be put to death by morning! If Baal really is a god, he can defend himself when someone breaks down his altar."

So that day they called Gideon "Jerub-Baal, [7] " saying, "Let Baal contend with him," because he broke down Baal's altar.

Now all the Midianites, Amalekites and other eastern peoples joined forces and crossed over the Jordan and camped in the Valley of Jezreel.

Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet, summoning the Abiezrites to follow him.

He sent messengers throughout Manasseh, calling them to arms, and also into Asher, Zebulun and Naphtali, so that they too went up to meet them.

Gideon said to God, "If you will save Israel by my hand as you have promised--

look, I will place a wool fleece on the threshing floor. If there is dew only on the fleece and all the ground is dry, then I will know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you said."

And that is what happened. Gideon rose early the next day; he squeezed the fleece and wrung out the dew--a bowlful of water.

Then Gideon said to God, "Do not be angry with me. Let me make just one more request. Allow me one more test with the fleece. This time make the fleece dry and the ground covered with dew."

That night God did so. Only the fleece was dry; all the ground was covered with dew.

[15] Or sir
[19] That is, probably about 3/5 bushel (about 22 liters)
[25] Or Take a full-grown, mature bull from your father's herd
[25] That is, a symbol of the goddess Asherah; here and elsewhere in Judges
[26] Or build with layers of stone an
[26] Or full-grown; also in verse 28
[32] Jerub-Baal means let Baal contend.

Meet Gideon: A Doubter Raised Up by God

Gideon, the reluctant warrior, overcame doubt to answer God's call

Written April 8th, 2021

Updated and Revised Tuesday October 5th, 2021

The story of Gideon in the Bible is told in Judges chapters 6-8. The reluctant warrior is also referenced in Hebrews 11:32 among the heroes of faith. Gideon, like many of us, doubted his own abilities. He suffered so many defeats and failures that he even put God to the test—not once but three times.

Key Accomplishments of Gideon :

Gideon served as the fifth major judge over Israel.

He destroyed an altar to the pagan god Baal, earning him the name Jerub-Baal, meaning contender with Baal.

Gideon united the Israelites against their common enemies and through God's power, defeated them.

Gideon is listed in the Faith Hall of Fame in Hebrews 11.

Gideon's Story In The Bible :

After seven years of brutal oppression by the Midianites, Israel cried out to God for relief. An unknown prophet told the Israelites that their wretched conditions were a result of their forgetting to give exclusive devotion to the one true God.

Gideon is introduced in the story threshing grain secretly in a winepress, a pit in the ground, so the marauding Midianites did not see him. God appeared to Gideon as an angel and said, "The LORD is with you, mighty warrior." (Judges 6:12, NIV) Don't miss the hint of humor in the angel’s greeting. The "mighty warrior" is threshing secretly for fear of the Midianites.

Gideon replied:

"Pardon me, my lord, but if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our ancestors told us about when they said, 'Did not the Lord bring us up out of Egypt?' But now the Lord has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian." (Judges 6:13, NIV)

Two more times the Lord encouraged Gideon, promising He would be with him. Then Gideon prepared a meal for the angel. The angel touched the meat and unleavened bread with his staff, and the rock they were sitting on spewed fire, consuming the offering. Next Gideon put out a fleece, a piece of sheepskin with the wool still attached, asking God to cover the fleece with dew overnight, but leave the ground around it dry. God did so. Finally, Gideon asked God to dampen the ground overnight with dew but leave the fleece dry. God did that as well.

God was patient with Gideon because he had chosen him to defeat the Midianites, who had impoverished the land of Israel with their constant raids. Over and over the Lord assured Gideon what his mighty power would accomplish through him. Aware of his own weakness and the daunting task before him, Gideon was an ideal vehicle for the Lord’s tremendous work of deliverance.

Gideon gathered a huge army from the surrounding tribes, but God reduced their number to only 300. There would be no doubt that victory was from the Lord, not from the army's might.

That night, Gideon gave each man a trumpet and a torch concealed inside a pottery jar. At his signal, they blew their trumpets, broke the jars to reveal the torches, and shouted: "A sword for the LORD and for Gideon!" (Judges 7:20, NIV)

God caused the enemy to panic and turn on each other. Gideon called out reinforcements and they pursued the raiders, destroying them.

Later in life, Gideon took many wives and fathered 70 sons. His son Abimelech, born to a concubine, rebelled and murdered all 70 of his half-brothers. Abimelech died in battle, ending his short, wicked reign.

The life of this hero of faith ended on a sad note. In anger he punished Succoth and Penuel for not helping in his war against the Midianite kings When the people wanted to make Gideon their king, he refused, but took gold from them and made an ephod, a sacred vestment, probably to commemorate the victory. Unfortunately, the people were led astray by it, worshipping it as an idol. Gideon's family did not follow his God.

Background :

The name Gideon means "one who cuts to pieces." Gideon's hometown was Ophrah, in the Valley of Jezreel. His father was Joash from the tribe of Manasseh. In his life, Gideon worked as a farmer, military commander, and judge over Israel for 40 years. He was the father of Abimelech as well as seventy unnamed sons.

Strengths :

Even though Gideon was slow to believe, once convinced of God's power, he was a loyal follower who obeyed the Lord's instructions.

Gideon was a natural leader of men.

Weaknesses

In the beginning, Gideon's faith was weak and needed proof from God.

He showed great doubt toward the Rescuer of Israel.

Gideon made an ephod from Midianite gold, which became an idol to his people.

He also took a foreigner for a concubine, fathering a son who turned evil.

Life Lessons From Gideon :

God can accomplish great things through us if we forget our weaknesses, trust in the Lord, and follow his guidance. "Putting out a fleece," or testing God, is a sign of weak faith. Sin always has bad consequences.

Key Bible Verses :

Judges 6:14-16

"Pardon me, my lord," Gideon replied, "but how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family." The LORD answered, "I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites, leaving none alive." (NIV)

Judges 7:22

When the three hundred trumpets sounded, the LORD caused the men throughout the camp to turn on each other with their swords. (NIV)

Judges 8:22-23

The Israelites said to Gideon, "Rule over us—you, your son and your grandson—because you have saved us from the hand of Midian." But Gideon told them, "I will not rule over you, nor will my son rule over you. The LORD will rule over you." (NIV)

What God told Gideon ?

God promised Gideon victory and safety. God then asked Gideon to gather some unleavened cakes and some meat and after Gideon did this he set them on a rock and God consumed them with fire. Gideon realizing it was God built an altar to Him. Later at night God commanded him to destroy his father's altar to Baal.

The Story of Gideon :

Judges 6,1-7,25

In some way the Israelites offended God in return God allowed them to be captured by Midianites for seven years. The Midianites destroyed the crops of the Israelites and also stole their livestock. They left no food for the Israelites. The Lord sent His angel who appeared to Gideon. They talked and the angel said he would be the Israelites champion. God promised Gideon victory and safety. God then asked Gideon to gather some unleavened cakes and some meat and after Gideon did this he set them on a rock and God consumed them with fire. Gideon realizing it was God built an altar to Him. Later at night God commanded him to destroy his father's altar to Baal. The people in the village wanted to kill Gideon, but Joash, Gideon's father, talked the people out of it. Then the people called Gideon "Jerubbaal," meaning "Let Baal take action." The Midianites and the Amalek moved into the Jezreel valley to attack. Gideon wasn't sure so he told God to do one thing for him. Gideon asked that a wool fleece be wet with dew and the floor dry. This happened and Gideon was still not sure and asked God to do the opposite of what He did the last night. The next day the opposite of what had occurred. Because of these signs Jerubbaal knew God was on his side. Gideon had 32,000 soldiers and God told Gideon he had too many soldiers. Then God said " Go tell the men that if they are afraid that they may leave." Twenty thousand men left leaving Gideon with ten thousand men. God again appeared to Gideon and said to him, "There are still too many soldiers. Lead them down to the river, and I will test them for you there. I tell you that a certain man is to go with you, he must go with you. But no one is to go if I tell you he should not go if I tell you he should not." Then Gideon led his men down to the river. The Lord said to Gideon "Tell the men to drink. Those men who lap the water like dogs shall be set free. There were three hundred men remaining. Then Gideon moved his men to the area above the valley of the Midianites. That night the Lord told Gideon to descend upon the camp, and if you are afraid take your aide Purah down to the camp." So Gideon took his aide Purah down to the camp outposts and heard some talking about Gideon's army. Then he returned to the camp of the Israelites and told them to arise because He had delivered them the camp of Midian. Preparing the men for the attack, he divided them into three companies, and supplied them with horns and empty jars. He gave the men some orders for the attack. Gideon and his men came upon the camp at the middle watch. The men blew horns and held torches in their left hands and in their right hands held horns. The camp was fleeing throughout the encampment. The Midianites flew as far as Beth-shitt-ah. The Israelites were called to arms throughout the land. They captured the two princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb, killing Oreb at the rock of Oreb and killing Zeeb at the winepress of Zeeb. The men carried the heads back to Gideon. 1

What did God told Gideon to do ?

God chooses Gideon to deliver Israel :

Judges 6:11-18

Yet again “the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord,” and this time He caused them to suffer oppression under the Midianites.

Israel prevailed in the past against enemies they never could have faced alone as God gave them the victories. Now we come to a period in Israel’s history in which they are cowering behind rocks and in caves to protect themselves from Midian.

God has many ways in which He disciplines His children. There are times when He allows us to wallow in our sins that drag us down to a most shameful place. The prophet Jeremiah said people like this commit two evils, “they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.”

Sin is never simple and always serious. Jeremiah pointed out that when man forsakes God, he is turning his back on the One in whom there is eternal life. That is the first evil, because when a man sets his course to follow anything other than God, he is headed for evil.

The second evil about which Jeremiah wrote was the broken cisterns. A cistern’s purpose was to hold water. People sometimes say, “That won’t hold water” as a way of saying something is false. Jeremiah said people settled for far less than God’s blessings, and therefore, used flimsy cisterns that would not hold water

In Judges 6 we find Israel has suffered for seven years at the hands of the Midianites, who raided their crops and livestock. Midianites covered the land like ants, and “Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites; and the children of Israel cried unto the Lord.” Starvation eventually brought Israel out of their hiding places, and they sought God’s help.

The Lord heard Israel’s cry, and He sent an unnamed prophet to remind and reprove the people. Their forefathers were hopelessly enslaved in Egypt until God intervened on their behalf and brought them “out of the house of bondage.” God delivered Israel from everyone who oppressed them, and cleared the way for them to have a homeland.

God told them not to worship the gods of the Amorites, but they did not obey Him. We have no report of the response to the prophet’s preaching, but maybe some people repented as the Lord prepared them for deliverance.

An angel of Lord, or the Lord Himself, sat under an oak tree to be near Gideon. Gideon was threshing wheat by a winepress to hide from the Midianites. It is sometimes the way of the Lord to come to us when we are alone and we are busy carrying on our business.

“The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valour,” the Lord said to Gideon. Gideon asked how it could be that the Lord was with Israel, and yet the people lived in such misery. Why didn’t God work miracles as He had formerly done? As far as Gideon was concerned, the Lord had forsaken Israel and turned them over to the Midianites. He doubted that God would help His people.

The Lord told Gideon He would use him to free Israel from the oppression of the Midianites, and Gideon expressed his doubt that God would use someone like him to bring about the deliverance of Israel. Gideon wanted a sign reassuring him this was, indeed, the Lord. He asked Him to stay there until he could go home and prepare a meal, or sacrifice. The Lord said He would wait until Gideon returned.

When Gideon returned with the meal, the Lord told him to place it on a rock where it was consumed by fire.

There are TWO great lessons in this Scripture. The first lesson is God loves His people too much to let them continue living in sin. His discipline’s purpose is to bring people back to Him. The other [second] lesson is God knows what He is doing when He calls someone to serve Him. Gideon is far from being the only man who told God He could do much better in calling someone else.

Trust God and follow His leading for your life.

[ALL] The Bible ["Sunday"] School Lesson(s) and Bible Study(s) Is [Are] Written By: Pastor Stephanie Blackburn, Pastor and Founder and President of Abiding In God's Grace Ministries©, AIGGM©, AIGGM Church™ and AIGGM COMMUNITYⓇ [For Christ]. Based In Maryland, United States and Extending To Virginia and Pennsylvania, United States; and AIGGM© Ambassadors For CHRIST™, Internationally. Reach Her and The AIGGM© TeamⓇ At:

AbidingInGodsGrace@yahoo.com

-OR-

pastorblackburn.AIGGM@gmail.com

Love Always and God Bless Y'all,

Pastor Stephanie Blackburn