Growing up into the full measure of Christ (Including preaching the Gospel, healing the sick and setting the captives free) & Embracing our New Identity in Him
Wednesday April 22, 2020 God’s faithfulness to the Reluctant Heroes : Gideon
44 thoughts on “Wednesday April 22, 2020 God’s faithfulness to the Reluctant Heroes : Gideon”
Psalm 92 English Standard Version (ESV)
A Psalm. A Song for the Sabbath.
92 It is good to give thanks to the Lord,
to sing praises to your name, O Most High;
2 to declare your steadfast love in the morning,
and your faithfulness by night,
3 to the music of the lute and the harp,
to the melody of the lyre.
4 For you, O Lord, have made me glad by your work;
at the works of your hands I sing for joy.
5 How great are your works, O Lord!
Your thoughts are very deep!
6 The stupid man cannot know;
the fool cannot understand this:
7 that though the wicked sprout like grass
and all evildoers flourish,
they are doomed to destruction forever;
8 but you, O Lord, are on high forever.
9 For behold, your enemies, O Lord,
for behold, your enemies shall perish;
all evildoers shall be scattered.
10 But you have exalted my horn like that of the wild ox;
you have poured over me fresh oil.
11 My eyes have seen the downfall of my enemies;
my ears have heard the doom of my evil assailants.
12 The righteous flourish like the palm tree
and grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
13 They are planted in the house of the Lord;
they flourish in the courts of our God.
14 They still bear fruit in old age;
they are ever full of sap and green,
15 to declare that the Lord is upright;
he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.
Good morning. Yes loving the sunshine, even though it is pretty cold out.
I love the Psalms that are about thanksgiving and praise. Vs 1and 2 praising Him in the morning and the night. It is something that has been ingrained in me by the Lord for many many years and it is so important, no matter the circumstance. Some people call it the attitude of gratitude and that is really what it should be an attitude. I ask for the attitude 24 hours a day Father God, to always have thankfulness and praise on my lips well before anything else in my communication to you. Thank you
Wendy
Amen!!! Ties into Isaiah 8.. Those who can keep their focus on the Lord will have everything they need.. those who vainly seek from man will end up with darkness and distress. There really is no alternative.
vs5-9 are very interesting. I have heard some mention that how could a good God allow what happened in Nova Scotia this week. Isaiah 8 says that those who put their trust in God will inevitably accuse their leadership and their God. These verses here tell us that there will most definitely be times where the evil doers seem to be flourishing but also firmly confirms their end and the penalty for living a life bent on evil and sin. We have an ingrained sense of justice that demands satisfaction. Those who murder the innocent either must be redeemed or will face the full penalty of their actions. We can rest in God’s justice and goodness in these things.
Yes I have heard that many times. If there is a God why would He allow such and such. I won’t deny I have struggled with this too, not wondering if there is a God, but why innocents have to suffer or die. Someone once said, “Why is the wrong question, rather we should say who are you Lord and how are you showing your Glory” that has helped me immensely over the years. These verse speaking of the righteous, Vs.15 in amplified “(They are living memorials) to declare that the Lord is upright and faithful (to His promises); He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.”
vs 12-15 is such a powerful confirmation of the blessings that come to the righteous…. Flourishing.. bearing fruit in old age… full of sap and green!!!! Praise the Lord.
They bear fruit in old age they are ever full of sap and green! To DECLARE that the Lord is uprightHe is my rock and there is no unrighteousness in Him! KC
Judges 6:30-40 English Standard Version (ESV)
30 Then the men of the town said to Joash, “Bring out your son, that he may die, for he has broken down the altar of Baal and cut down the Asherah beside it.” 31 But Joash said to all who stood against him, “Will you contend for Baal? Or will you save him? Whoever contends for him shall be put to death by morning. If he is a god, let him contend for himself, because his altar has been broken down.” 32 Therefore on that day Gideon was called Jerubbaal, that is to say, “Let Baal contend against him,” because he broke down his altar.
33 Now all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the people of the East came together, and they crossed the Jordan and encamped in the Valley of Jezreel. 34 But the Spirit of the Lord clothed Gideon, and he sounded the trumpet, and the Abiezrites were called out to follow him. 35 And he sent messengers throughout all Manasseh, and they too were called out to follow him. And he sent messengers to Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali, and they went up to meet them.
36 Then Gideon said to God, “If you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said, 37 behold, I am laying a fleece of wool on the threshing floor. If there is dew on the fleece alone, and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said.” 38 And it was so. When he rose early next morning and squeezed the fleece, he wrung enough dew from the fleece to fill a bowl with water. 39 Then Gideon said to God, “Let not your anger burn against me; let me speak just once more. Please let me test just once more with the fleece. Please let it be dry on the fleece only, and on all the ground let there be dew.” 40 And God did so that night; and it was dry on the fleece only, and on all the ground there was dew.
Amp 39 Then Gideon said to God, “Let not your anger burn against me; let me speak just once more. Please let me test just once more with the fleece.
Again, I Love the relationship between Gideon and God. Gideon had reverence and a fear of God but did ask for further verification that God was with him. Pretty bold.
Rob
LOL… Bold indeed. If Gideon had been just “trying to get out of it” vs sincerely trying to confirm that it was God’s voice and will he was hearing is perhaps significant. I do get the sense that Gideon needed assurance.
Yes I love this too and the fact that Gideon was very definitely seeking confirmation. I don’t sense anything from him in these scriptures that he was being rebellious or even really trying to get out of it, he was just making doubly sure that this really was God speaking to him. And I love that God did what he asked and did not seem the least bit perturbed by it. Just part of the relationship and we can do the same.
vs 30-31. Gideon’s father’s response is amazing. “If he is a god, let Baal contend for himself” How often do we think or act like we need to “stand up for” or defend God. WOW
Good Morning all, Would appreciate you standing with me in prayer this morning as I have been resisting some sort of attack I feel for the last 4 hours against my thoughts , emotions … Been speaking Psalm 119 !KC
next passage Judges 7 World English Bible (WEB)
7 Then Jerubbaal, who is Gideon, and all the people who were with him, rose up early and encamped beside the spring of Harod. Midian’s camp was on the north side of them, by the hill of Moreh, in the valley. 2 Yahweh said to Gideon, “The people who are with you are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand, lest Israel brag against me, saying, ‘My own hand has saved me.’ 3 Now therefore proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, ‘Whoever is fearful and trembling, let him return and depart from Mount Gilead.’” So twenty-two thousand of the people returned, and ten thousand remained.
4 Yahweh said to Gideon, “There are still too many people. Bring them down to the water, and I will test them for you there. It shall be, that those whom I tell you, ‘This shall go with you,’ shall go with you; and whoever I tell you, ‘This shall not go with you,’ shall not go.” 5 So he brought down the people to the water; and Yahweh said to Gideon, “Everyone who laps of the water with his tongue, like a dog laps, you shall set him by himself; likewise everyone who bows down on his knees to drink.” 6 The number of those who lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, was three hundred men; but all the rest of the people bowed down on their knees to drink water. 7 Yahweh said to Gideon, “I will save you by the three hundred men who lapped, and deliver the Midianites into your hand. Let all the other people go, each to his own place.”
LOL. This passage always makes me smile. The odds (which were impossible already) weren’t crazy enought yet so God had to make it really really really REALLY evident to all that He was going to win this battle for them.
God was really looking for a remnant here who had been trained to be alert and not let their guard down… and even tough all these men were likely trained in warfare the same way … what made the difference? A focus bigger than their ‘need’ to quench their thirst or relax?KC
2 Yahweh said to Gideon, “The people who are with you are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand, lest Israel brag against me, saying, ‘My own hand has saved me.’
reminds me of 2 For 4:7 Amp
But we have this precious treasure [the good news about salvation] in [unworthy] earthen vessels [of human frailty], so that the grandeur and surpassing greatness of the power will be [shown to be] from God [His sufficiency] and not from ourselves.
Rob
Yes it’s always so interesting how God seemed to always make it so clear to the Israelites that it was He who was winning these wars for them and not their own strength. Thinking of David when he killed Goliath. God obviously knew His people very well. Thinking of when He was yelling at Moses about them and wanting to wipe them all out and start again. Thank God for Moses. Hahaha For me I am thankful for Jesus who is at the right hand of the Father. I can just hear HIm saying “ it’s okay Father I died for Wendy, just be patient with her.
Judges 7 WEB “8 So the people took food in their hand, and their trumpets; and he sent all the rest of the men of Israel to their own tents, but retained the three hundred men; and the camp of Midian was beneath him in the valley. 9 That same night, Yahweh said to him, “Arise, go down into the camp, for I have delivered it into your hand. 10 But if you are afraid to go down, go with Purah your servant down to the camp. 11 You will hear what they say; and afterward your hands will be strengthened to go down into the camp.” Then went he down with Purah his servant to the outermost part of the armed men who were in the camp.
12 The Midianites and the Amalekites and all the children of the east lay along in the valley like locusts for multitude; and their camels were without number, as the sand which is on the seashore for multitude.
13 When Gideon had come, behold, there was a man telling a dream to his fellow. He said, “Behold, I dreamed a dream; and behold, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the camp of Midian, came to the tent, and struck it so that it fell, and turned it upside down, so that the tent lay flat.”
14 His fellow answered, “This is nothing other than the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel. God has delivered Midian into his hand, with all the army.”
15 It was so, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream and its interpretation, that he worshiped. Then he returned into the camp of Israel and said, “Arise, for Yahweh has delivered the army of Midian into your hand!”
16 He divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put into the hands of all them trumpets and empty pitchers, with torches within the pitchers.
17 He said to them, “Watch me, and do likewise. Behold, when I come to the outermost part of the camp, it shall be that, as I do, so you shall do. 18 When I blow the trumpet, I and all who are with me, then blow the trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and shout, ‘For Yahweh and for Gideon!’”
vs 8-9 are awesome! God wanted to make sure that they were going to be truly confident. So He actually offers Gideon an additional sign and confirmation to allay any remaining fear he might have. WOW WOW WOW!!! “Perfect love of God casts out all fear” Love this.
This reminds me of the scene from Princess Bride where they are going to storm the castle and taking inventory of their assets.. Trumpets, clay pots and torches + 300 men vs a vast army and go!!!! Humanly speaking, this plan sounds totally insane but of course God is far greater. Had they weighed this via human rational and strategies????
I love that the Father gave Gideon that added amount of confidence, and despite what it seemed from the vast impossibility of this working out in their favour, God was truly with them.
God seemed to know and make allowances for Gideons possible struggle with fear and needing constant encouragement here. I love that He was willing to do this in His relationship with Gideon.KC
Judges 7 “19 So Gideon and the hundred men who were with him came to the outermost part of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch, when they had but newly set the watch. Then they blew the trumpets and broke in pieces the pitchers that were in their hands. 20 The three companies blew the trumpets, broke the pitchers, and held the torches in their left hands and the trumpets in their right hands with which to blow; and they shouted, “The sword of Yahweh and of Gideon!” 21 They each stood in his place around the camp, and all the army ran; and they shouted, and put them to flight. 22 They blew the three hundred trumpets, and Yahweh set every man’s sword against his fellow and against all the army; and the army fled as far as Beth Shittah toward Zererah, as far as the border of Abel Meholah, by Tabbath. 23 The men of Israel were gathered together out of Naphtali, out of Asher, and out of all Manasseh, and pursued Midian. 24 Gideon sent messengers throughout all the hill country of Ephraim, saying, “Come down against Midian and take the waters before them as far as Beth Barah, even the Jordan!” So all the men of Ephraim were gathered together and took the waters as far as Beth Barah, even the Jordan. 25 They took the two princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb. They killed Oreb at Oreb’s rock, and Zeeb they killed at Zeeb’s wine press, as they pursued Midian. Then they brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon beyond the Jordan.”
Exodus 23 BSB “…26No woman in your land will miscarry or be barren; I will fulfill the number of your days. 27I will send My terror ahead of you and throw into confusion every nation you encounter. I will make all your enemies turn and run. 28I will send the hornet before you to drive the Hivites and Canaanites and Hittites out of your way.…”
7I will send My terror ahead of you and throw into confusion every nation you encounter. I will make all your enemies turn and run.
I’m longing to see the fulfillment of this and confusion lifting off of the body of Christ and transferred to those who plot evil. KC
John 6:63 New Living Translation (NLT)
63 The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life.
Philippians 3:3-4 New Living Translation (NLT)
3 For we who worship by the Spirit of God are the ones who are truly circumcised. We rely on what Christ Jesus has done for us. We put no confidence in human effort, 4 though I could have confidence in my own effort if anyone could. Indeed, if others have reason for confidence in their own efforts, I have even more!
Psalm 127:1 King James Version (KJV)
127 Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.
KEY to the Kingdom: Trust in the Lord and lean not to our own understanding…. Having a thriving submitted relationship with God is THE deciding factor in almost all of these stories. Praying for this kind of intimacy and submission in my own relationship with the Father.
Not only did they win the victory, but it was a resounding victory. I love vs.22 where Yahweh turned the enemy on each other, they did to each other what they were planning to do to Gideon and the Israelites. Reminds me of Haman, how what he had plotted to do to the Israelites came back on his own head. Always being reminded that God gets what He wants no matter what. Good to remember during this time. But He still needs a people to work with Him even if it is only a remnant!
Wendy
Healing and Discipleship 
Psalm 92 English Standard Version (ESV)
A Psalm. A Song for the Sabbath.
92 It is good to give thanks to the Lord,
to sing praises to your name, O Most High;
2 to declare your steadfast love in the morning,
and your faithfulness by night,
3 to the music of the lute and the harp,
to the melody of the lyre.
4 For you, O Lord, have made me glad by your work;
at the works of your hands I sing for joy.
5 How great are your works, O Lord!
Your thoughts are very deep!
6 The stupid man cannot know;
the fool cannot understand this:
7 that though the wicked sprout like grass
and all evildoers flourish,
they are doomed to destruction forever;
8 but you, O Lord, are on high forever.
9 For behold, your enemies, O Lord,
for behold, your enemies shall perish;
all evildoers shall be scattered.
10 But you have exalted my horn like that of the wild ox;
you have poured over me fresh oil.
11 My eyes have seen the downfall of my enemies;
my ears have heard the doom of my evil assailants.
12 The righteous flourish like the palm tree
and grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
13 They are planted in the house of the Lord;
they flourish in the courts of our God.
14 They still bear fruit in old age;
they are ever full of sap and green,
15 to declare that the Lord is upright;
he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.
Good morning. Yes loving the sunshine, even though it is pretty cold out.
I love the Psalms that are about thanksgiving and praise. Vs 1and 2 praising Him in the morning and the night. It is something that has been ingrained in me by the Lord for many many years and it is so important, no matter the circumstance. Some people call it the attitude of gratitude and that is really what it should be an attitude. I ask for the attitude 24 hours a day Father God, to always have thankfulness and praise on my lips well before anything else in my communication to you. Thank you
Wendy
Amen!!! Ties into Isaiah 8.. Those who can keep their focus on the Lord will have everything they need.. those who vainly seek from man will end up with darkness and distress. There really is no alternative.
vs5-9 are very interesting. I have heard some mention that how could a good God allow what happened in Nova Scotia this week. Isaiah 8 says that those who put their trust in God will inevitably accuse their leadership and their God. These verses here tell us that there will most definitely be times where the evil doers seem to be flourishing but also firmly confirms their end and the penalty for living a life bent on evil and sin. We have an ingrained sense of justice that demands satisfaction. Those who murder the innocent either must be redeemed or will face the full penalty of their actions. We can rest in God’s justice and goodness in these things.
Yes I have heard that many times. If there is a God why would He allow such and such. I won’t deny I have struggled with this too, not wondering if there is a God, but why innocents have to suffer or die. Someone once said, “Why is the wrong question, rather we should say who are you Lord and how are you showing your Glory” that has helped me immensely over the years. These verse speaking of the righteous, Vs.15 in amplified “(They are living memorials) to declare that the Lord is upright and faithful (to His promises); He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.”
Wendy
vs 12-15 is such a powerful confirmation of the blessings that come to the righteous…. Flourishing.. bearing fruit in old age… full of sap and green!!!! Praise the Lord.
They bear fruit in old age they are ever full of sap and green! To DECLARE that the Lord is uprightHe is my rock and there is no unrighteousness in Him! KC
And cedar smells nice too:)
Judges 6:30-40 English Standard Version (ESV)
30 Then the men of the town said to Joash, “Bring out your son, that he may die, for he has broken down the altar of Baal and cut down the Asherah beside it.” 31 But Joash said to all who stood against him, “Will you contend for Baal? Or will you save him? Whoever contends for him shall be put to death by morning. If he is a god, let him contend for himself, because his altar has been broken down.” 32 Therefore on that day Gideon was called Jerubbaal, that is to say, “Let Baal contend against him,” because he broke down his altar.
33 Now all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the people of the East came together, and they crossed the Jordan and encamped in the Valley of Jezreel. 34 But the Spirit of the Lord clothed Gideon, and he sounded the trumpet, and the Abiezrites were called out to follow him. 35 And he sent messengers throughout all Manasseh, and they too were called out to follow him. And he sent messengers to Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali, and they went up to meet them.
36 Then Gideon said to God, “If you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said, 37 behold, I am laying a fleece of wool on the threshing floor. If there is dew on the fleece alone, and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said.” 38 And it was so. When he rose early next morning and squeezed the fleece, he wrung enough dew from the fleece to fill a bowl with water. 39 Then Gideon said to God, “Let not your anger burn against me; let me speak just once more. Please let me test just once more with the fleece. Please let it be dry on the fleece only, and on all the ground let there be dew.” 40 And God did so that night; and it was dry on the fleece only, and on all the ground there was dew.
Amp 39 Then Gideon said to God, “Let not your anger burn against me; let me speak just once more. Please let me test just once more with the fleece.
Again, I Love the relationship between Gideon and God. Gideon had reverence and a fear of God but did ask for further verification that God was with him. Pretty bold.
Rob
LOL… Bold indeed. If Gideon had been just “trying to get out of it” vs sincerely trying to confirm that it was God’s voice and will he was hearing is perhaps significant. I do get the sense that Gideon needed assurance.
Yes I love this too and the fact that Gideon was very definitely seeking confirmation. I don’t sense anything from him in these scriptures that he was being rebellious or even really trying to get out of it, he was just making doubly sure that this really was God speaking to him. And I love that God did what he asked and did not seem the least bit perturbed by it. Just part of the relationship and we can do the same.
Wendy
vs 30-31. Gideon’s father’s response is amazing. “If he is a god, let Baal contend for himself” How often do we think or act like we need to “stand up for” or defend God. WOW
Yes .. if he is a ‘god’ let Baal stand up for himself! KC
Good Morning all, Would appreciate you standing with me in prayer this morning as I have been resisting some sort of attack I feel for the last 4 hours against my thoughts , emotions … Been speaking Psalm 119 !KC
Praying!!!
Yes praying for you Karen.
Wendy
next passage Judges 7 World English Bible (WEB)
7 Then Jerubbaal, who is Gideon, and all the people who were with him, rose up early and encamped beside the spring of Harod. Midian’s camp was on the north side of them, by the hill of Moreh, in the valley. 2 Yahweh said to Gideon, “The people who are with you are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand, lest Israel brag against me, saying, ‘My own hand has saved me.’ 3 Now therefore proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, ‘Whoever is fearful and trembling, let him return and depart from Mount Gilead.’” So twenty-two thousand of the people returned, and ten thousand remained.
4 Yahweh said to Gideon, “There are still too many people. Bring them down to the water, and I will test them for you there. It shall be, that those whom I tell you, ‘This shall go with you,’ shall go with you; and whoever I tell you, ‘This shall not go with you,’ shall not go.” 5 So he brought down the people to the water; and Yahweh said to Gideon, “Everyone who laps of the water with his tongue, like a dog laps, you shall set him by himself; likewise everyone who bows down on his knees to drink.” 6 The number of those who lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, was three hundred men; but all the rest of the people bowed down on their knees to drink water. 7 Yahweh said to Gideon, “I will save you by the three hundred men who lapped, and deliver the Midianites into your hand. Let all the other people go, each to his own place.”
LOL. This passage always makes me smile. The odds (which were impossible already) weren’t crazy enought yet so God had to make it really really really REALLY evident to all that He was going to win this battle for them.
God was really looking for a remnant here who had been trained to be alert and not let their guard down… and even tough all these men were likely trained in warfare the same way … what made the difference? A focus bigger than their ‘need’ to quench their thirst or relax?KC
2 Yahweh said to Gideon, “The people who are with you are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand, lest Israel brag against me, saying, ‘My own hand has saved me.’
reminds me of 2 For 4:7 Amp
But we have this precious treasure [the good news about salvation] in [unworthy] earthen vessels [of human frailty], so that the grandeur and surpassing greatness of the power will be [shown to be] from God [His sufficiency] and not from ourselves.
Rob
2 Corinthians
Praise God!!! YES!!!
Yes it’s always so interesting how God seemed to always make it so clear to the Israelites that it was He who was winning these wars for them and not their own strength. Thinking of David when he killed Goliath. God obviously knew His people very well. Thinking of when He was yelling at Moses about them and wanting to wipe them all out and start again. Thank God for Moses. Hahaha For me I am thankful for Jesus who is at the right hand of the Father. I can just hear HIm saying “ it’s okay Father I died for Wendy, just be patient with her.
Wendy
Amen!
Judges 7 WEB “8 So the people took food in their hand, and their trumpets; and he sent all the rest of the men of Israel to their own tents, but retained the three hundred men; and the camp of Midian was beneath him in the valley. 9 That same night, Yahweh said to him, “Arise, go down into the camp, for I have delivered it into your hand. 10 But if you are afraid to go down, go with Purah your servant down to the camp. 11 You will hear what they say; and afterward your hands will be strengthened to go down into the camp.” Then went he down with Purah his servant to the outermost part of the armed men who were in the camp.
12 The Midianites and the Amalekites and all the children of the east lay along in the valley like locusts for multitude; and their camels were without number, as the sand which is on the seashore for multitude.
13 When Gideon had come, behold, there was a man telling a dream to his fellow. He said, “Behold, I dreamed a dream; and behold, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the camp of Midian, came to the tent, and struck it so that it fell, and turned it upside down, so that the tent lay flat.”
14 His fellow answered, “This is nothing other than the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel. God has delivered Midian into his hand, with all the army.”
15 It was so, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream and its interpretation, that he worshiped. Then he returned into the camp of Israel and said, “Arise, for Yahweh has delivered the army of Midian into your hand!”
16 He divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put into the hands of all them trumpets and empty pitchers, with torches within the pitchers.
17 He said to them, “Watch me, and do likewise. Behold, when I come to the outermost part of the camp, it shall be that, as I do, so you shall do. 18 When I blow the trumpet, I and all who are with me, then blow the trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and shout, ‘For Yahweh and for Gideon!’”
vs 8-9 are awesome! God wanted to make sure that they were going to be truly confident. So He actually offers Gideon an additional sign and confirmation to allay any remaining fear he might have. WOW WOW WOW!!! “Perfect love of God casts out all fear” Love this.
vs 13-14 What God was putting in the minds of the enemy army….
This reminds me of the scene from Princess Bride where they are going to storm the castle and taking inventory of their assets.. Trumpets, clay pots and torches + 300 men vs a vast army and go!!!! Humanly speaking, this plan sounds totally insane but of course God is far greater. Had they weighed this via human rational and strategies????
I love that the Father gave Gideon that added amount of confidence, and despite what it seemed from the vast impossibility of this working out in their favour, God was truly with them.
Wendy
God seemed to know and make allowances for Gideons possible struggle with fear and needing constant encouragement here. I love that He was willing to do this in His relationship with Gideon.KC
Judges 7 “19 So Gideon and the hundred men who were with him came to the outermost part of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch, when they had but newly set the watch. Then they blew the trumpets and broke in pieces the pitchers that were in their hands. 20 The three companies blew the trumpets, broke the pitchers, and held the torches in their left hands and the trumpets in their right hands with which to blow; and they shouted, “The sword of Yahweh and of Gideon!” 21 They each stood in his place around the camp, and all the army ran; and they shouted, and put them to flight. 22 They blew the three hundred trumpets, and Yahweh set every man’s sword against his fellow and against all the army; and the army fled as far as Beth Shittah toward Zererah, as far as the border of Abel Meholah, by Tabbath. 23 The men of Israel were gathered together out of Naphtali, out of Asher, and out of all Manasseh, and pursued Midian. 24 Gideon sent messengers throughout all the hill country of Ephraim, saying, “Come down against Midian and take the waters before them as far as Beth Barah, even the Jordan!” So all the men of Ephraim were gathered together and took the waters as far as Beth Barah, even the Jordan. 25 They took the two princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb. They killed Oreb at Oreb’s rock, and Zeeb they killed at Zeeb’s wine press, as they pursued Midian. Then they brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon beyond the Jordan.”
Exodus 23 BSB “…26No woman in your land will miscarry or be barren; I will fulfill the number of your days. 27I will send My terror ahead of you and throw into confusion every nation you encounter. I will make all your enemies turn and run. 28I will send the hornet before you to drive the Hivites and Canaanites and Hittites out of your way.…”
7I will send My terror ahead of you and throw into confusion every nation you encounter. I will make all your enemies turn and run.
I’m longing to see the fulfillment of this and confusion lifting off of the body of Christ and transferred to those who plot evil. KC
John 6:63 New Living Translation (NLT)
63 The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life.
Philippians 3:3-4 New Living Translation (NLT)
3 For we who worship by the Spirit of God are the ones who are truly circumcised. We rely on what Christ Jesus has done for us. We put no confidence in human effort, 4 though I could have confidence in my own effort if anyone could. Indeed, if others have reason for confidence in their own efforts, I have even more!
Psalm 127:1 King James Version (KJV)
127 Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.
Isaiah 26:3 King James Version (KJV)
3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.
KEY to the Kingdom: Trust in the Lord and lean not to our own understanding…. Having a thriving submitted relationship with God is THE deciding factor in almost all of these stories. Praying for this kind of intimacy and submission in my own relationship with the Father.
Not only did they win the victory, but it was a resounding victory. I love vs.22 where Yahweh turned the enemy on each other, they did to each other what they were planning to do to Gideon and the Israelites. Reminds me of Haman, how what he had plotted to do to the Israelites came back on his own head. Always being reminded that God gets what He wants no matter what. Good to remember during this time. But He still needs a people to work with Him even if it is only a remnant!
Wendy
Amen!
2 Chronicles 20 Also the story of Jehoshaphat …the battle is the Lord’s
Blessings Dear Friends. Love and hugs in Christ.
Love and blessings on your day all. ❤️
Wendy