Gideon is a reluctant leader, he throws out the fleece two nights in a row requesting opposite results and God answers Gideon and then GOD allows Gideon to overhear a discussion in the enemy camp that greatly encourages him. Once God has built his confidence in God's ability to give the victory Gideon moves with great passion and decisiveness. It makes me think of how Jesus moved throughout HIS entire ministry. Jesus passion, HIS fuel, HIS food was to walk in obedience to the Father. We clearly see this in John 4:34, when Jesus says “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work,” Jesus told them.
Below is a summary of Judges 6-8
The Israelites are crushed by Midianites, nomadic raiders who invade each year at harvest time (6:1–10). God appears to a reluctant Gideon and calls him to be Israel’s deliverer (vv. 11–24). Gideon fulfills his first mission, to destroy the town’s Baal shrine, which is on his own father’s land (vv. 25–32). Then, filled with God’s Spirit and encouraged by two miraculous signs, Gideon calls out an army to resist the Midianites (6:33–7:1). But God tells Gideon the army is too large, and systematically reduces his force to a mere 300 men (vv. 2–8). Encouraged by yet another sign (vv. 9–15), Gideon sets his men around the Midianite camp with torches and rams’ horn trumpets. At 10:00 that night the trumpets sound! The confused Midianites, seeing only blurred figures stumbling in the dark outside their tents, strike out in panic and kill each other (vv. 16–22). As the Midianites flee, the rest of Israel rallies and cuts down the stragglers (vv. 23–25). In the wake of the battle Gideon diffuses tribal jealousy (8:1–3), disciplines the elders of an Israelite town that refused to help his forces (vv. 4–17), executes two Midianite kings (vv. 18–21), and rejects Israel’s appeal that he accept the throne (vv. 22–27). For the rest of Gideon’s long life the Israelites continue to serve the Lord (vv. 28–35).
Key verse. 6:16: Numbers don’t count.
Personal application. One individual willing to obey God can still have an impact on his or her entire society.
Richards, L. O. (1991; Published in electronic form by Logos Research Systems, 1996). The Bible readers companion (electronic ed.) (164). Wheaton: Victor Books.
We see throughout the OT what God can do, will do, and loves to do through one willing, obedient servant! We see this perfectly in Jesus, who being God in the flesh was obedient to death, even death on a cross Phil 2:8. How was HE able to do this? Yes, yes, HE was and is God, but remember HE is also fully human, fully human. HE knew God through the Word, through prayer, through fellowship, through OBEDIENCE TO THE WILL OF THE FATHER.
As redeemed humanity we are invited into the Trinity, we are invited to experience the joy and the glory of God. We have a foretaste of this as the Holy Spirit takes up residence within our hearts and teaches us that we are now God's adopted children, HIS heirs and joint heirs with Jesus! We lean in Romans 8:15 For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!”
Father in heaven,
Enable us to walk in intimacy, love, grace and peace with YOU! Enable us to stay so close that we KNOW YOUR will intimately and we may walk joyfully in obedience with YOU.
Please work this for YOUR glory and our JOY in YOU!
love,
m