ADULT STS LESSON 173- THE CALL AND MINISTRY OF GIDEON
MEMORY VERSE: “And the LORD looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee?” (Judges 6:14).
TEXT: Judges chapters 6 to 8
The inconsistent walk of the children of Israel with God led to repeated defeats and captivity in the hands of their enemies at the time of the judges. The text records another instance of Israel’s backsliding and oppression by the Midianites for seven years. “And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years” (Judges 6:1). Midian was a nation Israel had previously defeated and almost wiped out from the face of the earth (Numbers 31:7-12). But Israel could no longer stand up to the remnant of Midian who had increased numerically over the years. Sin is destructive and brings oppression. Thus, God calls sinners to repentance and faith in Christ’s atoning sacrifice for salvation to end the needless and avoidable miseries that attend the life of sin. This lesson focuses on Israel’s sin, oppression by the enemy, repentance and divine intervention for their deliverance through Gideon.
GIDEON’S CALL AND COMMISSION (Judges 6:1-24; Psalm 130:4; Romans 2:4; Job 33:19-24; Proverbs 22:29; 2 Chronicles 7:14; Matthew 28:19,20; Mark 16:15,16)
“And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel: and because of the Midianites the children of Israel made them the dens which are in the mountains, and caves, and strong holds. And so it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites came up, and the Amalekites, and the children of the east, even they came up against them” (Judges 6:2,3). The Midianites and allied nations continually made incursions into the land of Israel, especially in the time of harvest and wasted the nation’s resources, including farm crops and livestock. At the height of their distress, Israel remembered God and cried to Him for deliverance. “And Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites; and the children of Israel cried unto the LORD” (Judges 6:6). Though it is awful that the sinful only remember God when things go wrong, He is always ready to forgive if they repent sincerely and continue in righteousness (Psalm 130:4). However, no one should take divine mercy and goodness for granted (Romans 2:4). God responded to Israel’s cry for help by sending a prophet to reprove them for their sins that brought oppression and suffering. God wants everyone crying to Him for deliverance to turn away from sin. After Israel was reproved by the prophet, an angel from the Lord appeared to Gideon to call and commission him for the task of saving Israel from the hand of the Midianites. Meanwhile, Gideon was engaged in a profitable labour when the angel met him.
He was threshing wheat, not by the wheat floor but by the wine press, to hide the crop from the fearsome and foraging Midianites. While deeply preoccupied in the labour, the angel said to him, “The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour” (Judges 6:12). Gideon’s valour’ certainly, lied in the diligence and ingenuity with which he was threshing his wheat in a place the Midianites would not suspect, just to beat the meddlesome adversary. Such indefatigable spirit always receives divine favour and approval (Proverbs 22:29). Responding to the angel’s message, Gideon bemoaned Israel’s misery and humiliation in the hands of their enemies (Judges 6:13). He expressed the contradiction in his mind about the divine presence and the affliction of Israel; that: “if the LORD be with us, why then is all this befallen us? And where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt? But now the LORD hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites” (Judges 6:13). The present state of some Christians who are bereft of spiritual revival elicits similar questions in the hearts of believers who have heard about past revivals. We must, however, move from asking questions to becoming the solution or revivalists in this end-time. God’s charge to Gideon was, …Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee?” (Judges 6:14). The Lord’s charge to present-day believers is, “…Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15,16).
Divine tasks are usually greater and higher than what human abilities alone can accomplish. Gideon acknowledged this truth and expressed his unworthiness and inability to accomplish the task. Poor family background and status are not part of divine consideration for choosing leaders over His people but spiritual qualities of salvation and obedience among others. To reorient Gideon’s mind, God assured him of His presence, which was all he needed to accomplish the divine task. “…Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man” (Judges 6:16). God’s presence and power transform weak instruments into fruitful vessels of honour in soul-winning. Gideon went further in his interaction with the heavenly guest by requesting a sign. The angel waited until he prepared his present and brought it to entertain him. On his arrival, the angel instructed, “…Take the flesh and the unleavened cakes, and lay them upon this rock, and pour out the broth. And he did so…” (Judges 6:20,21). For fear that he might die for seeing an angel, God assured him that he would not die. With growing faith in God, Gideon built an altar there unto Him and called it Jehovah-shalom.
GIDEON’S COURAGE AND CONQUEST (Judges 6:25- 40; 7:1-25; 8:1-21; Leviticus 9:1-8; Job 22:29; 2 Corinthians 7:6; 2 Timothy 2:21)
“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…” (Judges 6:25). Gideon’s readiness to obey God made him receive more instructions on how to initiate spiritual revival and restore true worship. First, he must offer sacrifices to the Lord. The bullock was to be offered for himself and the nation of Israel. The Old Testament priests began their ministry by offering similar sacrifices (Leviticus 9:1-8). The implication is that God will not use unclean vessels except they are first purged (2 Timothy 2:21). Second, Gideon was commanded to throw down the altar of Baal and cut down the grove around the altar. This latter instruction reveals that the worship of Baal, which was the major reason for Israel’s present suffering in the hands of the Midianites must be done away with and replaced with the worship of the true God.
Gideon’s prompt obedience to these instructions in spite of the people’s frown was quite commendable. In the wake of this spiritual revival championed by Gideon, the oppressive nations gathered themselves together in battle against Israel. “But the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet; and Abiezer was gathered after him” (Judges 6:34); Empowered by the Holy Spirit, Gideon mobilised Israel for battle and sought divine guidance. Though His attitude here is commendable, his method of seeking divine guidance through the fleece should not be followed by New Testament believers. We should rely on God’s word and the Holy Spirit for guidance. The host of people that gathered in answer to Gideon’s invitation for battle were thirty-two thousand men of war (Judges 7:1-4). Although this army was far less than soldiers of the enemy nations, God instructed that Gideon should downsize the army by sending the fearful back home according to the earlier precept (Deuteronomy 20:8). Through this method, the number was reduced to ten thousand. However, God who did not want man to take the glory in His own battle commanded Gideon to take the remaining men to the water for a drink test to further reduce the size of the army. From the three hundred men that passed the test, few lessons are to be learned. One, the quality of our work and service shall always be tested. Two, many are called, but only few will eventually be chosen.
Three, hypocrites who hide in God’s work through cleverness and human oversight will eventually be fished out in God’s own way. Four, large numbers means little to God. The Lord can achieve anything either with many or with few (Luke 1:37). God, knowing that the size of the army of the allied enemy nations would be a source of fear, commanded Gideon to carry out espionage by going down to the enemy’s camp that night. His fear was replaced with faith as he realised from the interpretation of the dream that God had already given victory to Israel. By faith, Gideon quickly divided his army into three camps and put trumpets in every man’s hand with pitchers and lamps. Gideon’s three hundred men quickly routed the enemy by blowing the trumpets as commanded by their leader and thus shouted down the siege of the enemy with, “The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon”, just as Jericho walls were pulled down. God knows how to comfort and lift us up when we are cast down (2 Corinthians 7:6), and there is great accomplishment through synergy. In a strategic move, Gideon sent messengers to Ephraim to secure the water passages, the escape route of the enemy. Ephraim promptly obeyed and in the process captured the two princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb whom they slew. But Gideon was not satisfied because the two kings of Midian, Zibah and Zalmunna had escaped to their land with about 15,000 men. With the three hundred men, denied sustenance by their brethren and with failing strength, Gideon pursued the two kings, captured and executed them after he had made them realise that their fate was the harvest of what they sowed in murdering his own brothers in cold blood.
GIDEON’S CORRUPTIVE EPHOD AND ISRAEL’S DESCENT INTO IDOLATORY (Judges 8:22-35; Exodus 32:1-10; 1 Corinthians 10:7; Psalm 101:2,3)
On realising how God had greatly used him to deliver them, the men of Israel came to Gideon and offered him the royal throne of the land. “Then the men of Israel said unto Gideon, Rule thou, over us, both thou and thy son, and thy son’s son also: for thou hast delivered us from the hand of Midian” (Judges 8:22). Gideon’s answer to this offer was remarkably surprising and heartwarming (Judges 8:23). Gideon must have sensed that the monarchical system of government was not God’s perfect will for Israel and thus rightly rejected the offer. But his next request proved to be disastrous. He requested to have the golden earrings of their prey, the spoils of war from their enemy nations. The people willingly obliged. With the jewellry, Gideon made an ephod, which he put in his city in Ophrah. The ephod became an object of temptation as all Israel went a whoring after it, reminiscent of Aaron’s golden calf. This presumptuous action turned out to be a sour point in Gideon’s relationship with God. It became a snare to him, which suggests that in his last days his heart was no longer perfect with God. It is not surprising therefore, that after Gideon’s death, Israel whose hearts were already corrupted by Gideon’s golden ephod went back into deep idol worship.
Members must not idolise their leaders. Idol worship in all its ramifications and all objects of temptation should be avoided by believers so as not to attract God’s wrath (1 Corinthians 10:7). The life, call and ministry of Gideon teach a few lessons. One, Gideon was a humble, diligent and hard working person. Although he had many servants when the angel met him (Judges 6:27), he personally engaged in labour. Two, he was not involved in the idol worship going on in the land of Israel. This was why he became an easy suspect when the altar of Baal was broken down (Judges 6:29). Three, he was a man of sanctified temper, as can be seen from the way he answered the men of Ephraim, when they unreasonably upbraided him (Proverbs 15:1). Four, Gideon and the three hundred men did not give up even when their strength was failing due to tiredness and their brethren’s refusal to lend them a helping hand. Five, unfortunately, after his success, he could not watch over his passions and lusts. He made an ephod without God’s counsel and married many wives to gratify his flesh. We should be watchful, especially in times of success, either in ministry or any other venture, to avoid having a disastrous end (1 Timothy 6:11,12).
Questions for review:
1.What does Israel’s inability to stand before Midian teach us about the danger of backsliding?
2. Explain God’s assurance of His presence to Gideon to present-day believers.
3. Mention some qualities that God wants in His servants.
4. Why is it very important to depend solely on God in life’s battles?
5. List some godly qualities of Gideon.
6. Why must believers who have records of victory beware?
7. Cite a reference in the New Testament that forbids idolatry.
