TITLE:
Gideon's Army
TEXT:
Judges 6:11-16
PROPOSITION:
God can deliver us against insurmountable odds.
Introduction:
-
An unimportant
man in Israelite society of the time became the “savior” of the nation.
-
Army of 32,000
1.
Too large for God to use.
2.
All afraid – 22,000 go home
3.
Not alert – all but 300 gone.
-
Here are three
lessons – and 3 questions for us to learn.
1.
God is with us = Power
-
Judges 6:12
-
This is the
first word which the Lord’s angel directs to Gideon. It’s the main fact he
needs to recognize.
-
When Gideon
complains, he comes from the weakest clan and he’s the youngest of his family,
the Lord says, “Surely, I will be with you, and you shall defeat the
Midianites as one man.” Judges 6:16
-
QUESTION:
Where else do we find a promise of the Lord to empower his people?
1.
Many places in NT – Matthew 28:20; Luke 1:28 (to Mary)
2.
With Paul in shipwreck and storm, with Peter in prison
3.
With us – today – in answered prayer and providence
2.
Word of God = Certainty and Courage
-
The Lord caused
the Midianites to dream and fear Gideon. What he heard from their mouth was
caused by the Lord for him to have certainty of the battle’s success and
courage to attack
-
Judges 7:9-15
-
The tests with
the wool fleece were not enough. (Judges 6:36-40)
-
Even after
seeing two miracles, Gideon didn’t appear to be convinced, so the Lord gives
him another opportunity to bolster his courage, this time
listening to a
word from the mouths of the Midianites, but caused by a dream given to the
enemy by the Lord.
-
After hearing
the enemies’ fears, he praises God and rouses the army.
-
QUESTION:
What does God putting a dream in the enemy’s mind say about his sovereignty?
-
God is almighty, all powerful, creator, provider, protecto
3.
Wisdom = Peace
-
When the
Ephraimites complained to Gideon that he had not called them to fight against
the Midianites, he replied with wisdom and preserved the peace
-
There could
have been a major problem, split, division, civil war.
-
In wisdom,
Gideon de-fused the issue.
-
Judges 8:1-3
-
QUESTION:
How did Gideon calm the
Ephraimites? Where did he get such wisdom?
-
Everyone has value, each contributes in some way.
Conclusion:
-
God will be
with us
-
God is all
powerful, sovereign Lord
-
God gives us
wisdom
Basic outline and
questions from J. Randal Matheny
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