biblicalliteracy

Judges 6:11-8:31

The story of Gideon is well known. Of the many judges in Israel, he is probably second in popularity to the strong Samson. Gideon is the man who with only 300 men, brought terror into the army of the Midianites, who were “like grasshoppers for multitude; and their camels were without number, as the sand by the sea side for multitude” (Judges 7:12). Gideon was the man who tested God with the fleece on the ground; he wanted assurance that God indeed was calling him (6:37-40). So great was the fame of Gideon in his day that his reputation caused his people to desire to make him ruler over them (8:22), and haunted the dreams of his enemies (7:13-14) Though this man was a mighty judge, though God’s hand was upon him to do great things, to describe him simply, Gideon was one who feared man too often, yet for his successes, he willingly gave glory to God.

When we first meet Gideon in Judges 6:11, we find him threshing wheat inside with the winepress, “to hide it from the Midianites.” An angel appears to him and says, “The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour.” Remember that God is one who “calleth those things which be not as though they were” (Romans 4:17), for Gideon confesses that “I am the least in my father’s house” (Judges 6:15). Gideon is cautious to rush to do things on his own. He waits until he gets total assurance from God to step forward, but still, he fears. When God tells him to tear down his family altars to false gods, Gideon does so by night “because he feared his father’s household, and the men of the city” (6:27). Even when the city confronts him about this deed, it is his father that defends Gideon. Also, before God would use Gideon and this small band of 300, He tells Gideon to go down to the army, for He had given it to him, “but if thou fear to go down, go thou with Phurah thy servant down to the host: And thou shalt hear what they say; and afterward shall thine hands be strengthened to go down unto the host” (7:10,11). Sure enough, Gideon was afraid, and he did what God said to do to boost his confidence.

Gideon knew that the Midian believed that they were in danger of “nothing else save the sword of Gideon,” but when he went into battle, his war cry was, “The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon” (7:14,18, emphasis added). Likewise, when the men of Israel called Gideon to rule over them, they said, “for thou hast delivered us from the hand of Midian,” but Gideon said, “I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: the LORD shall rule over you”(8:22,23). It was he who told the fighting army of Israel, “Arise; for the LORD hath delivered into your hand the host of Midian” (7:15). Truly, Gideon was a mighty man of valour, and yet he was not without fault. He had many, many wives, and he even was taken by the snare of idolatry (8:27,30), but still he brought peace to Israel, he lived to a ripe age, and he glorified God in his day.

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