Some problems come upon us; others we bring on ourselves. Here, Gideon did this to himself! Gideon’s newfound wealth and notoriety resulted in the lifestyle of a king, if not the official title. Like an eastern potentate, “Gideon had seventy sons who were his own offspring, for he had many wives” (Jdg 8:30). But that […]
Read More… from July 17, 2023 — The Tipping Point For Trouble
If we can see it, Gideon’s identity crisis will teach us who we are in God’s eyes, and that’s enough. You remember how much the Lord did to keep Israel from assuming they had won the victory? He selected the man who was “the least in my father’s house” and whose clan was “the weakest […]
Succoth and Peniel, famous for their connection with Jacob, fail to help in the time of need. Although the enemy was driven from the field, the battle was far from over. Partial victories in our lives come back to haunt us. So not only did the original tribes of Naphtali, Asher, and Manasseh pursue the […]
We’ve been told that Gideon liked working the night shift out of fear (Jdg 6:27). But God… It was night when the Lord told Gideon to destroy his father’s altar (Jdg 6:25). Also at night (7:9) He told him to spy out the camp. And his big battle was at night, too. Isn’t the Lord […]
Man thinks might is right; God says right is might. “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Rom 8:31). The common idiom is, “You can’t make this up.” Do you know the meaning of Harod? Here it is: “To shudder with terror; hence, to fear; also to hasten (with anxiety):—be (make) afraid, […]
“And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him” (1 Jn 3:19). Gideon had stirred up a hornet’s nest! Hearing that someone in the hills of Manasseh was taking Jehovah, the God of Israel, seriously, the foe decided there was no time to lose. “Then all […]
Read More… from July 10, 2023 — Looking For Assurance From Heaven?
True faith in God needs to be seen first in the family before it’s seen on the field of battle. Anticipating coming blessing, Gideon named the altar “The-Lord-Is-Peace” (Jdg 6:24). But battles must be fought before peace is secured. Israel had been languishing in their sin for seven years. But once they turned to the […]
Some men might be ready for the fight, but what good is that if God’s people have no food? Imagine the scene. The Israelites have been hiding in dens and caves, fearful of the Midianites who looked to steal every grain of their crops. Gideon, youngest son of “Joash the Abiezrite” (Jdg 6:11), is surreptitiously […]
Here’s another proof that the Bible isn’t old fashioned—it’s timeless. The prophet speaks to us! The victory won by Deborah, Barak, Jael, and the ragtag militia gathered at Mount Tabor was so effective that “the land had rest for forty years” (Jdg 5:31). But the first line of the next chapter explains that the victory […]