I.        INTRODUCTION

A.      The period of the judges in Israel spanned about 300 years from the death of Joshua to the establishment of Israel as a kingdom.

                                                             1.      This period was characterized by seven cycles, each of which is described in Judges 2:11-19 and summarized in five steps: sin, servitude, supplication, salvation, and silence.

                                                             2.      In each cycle, the salvation of Israel was brought about by God through a judge whom God would raise up to deliver His people from oppression.

B.      Presently, let us consider the judge Gideon whom God raised up to deliver Israel from Midian (Judges 6-8).

II.      A SUMMARY OF GIDEON

A.      Gideon was the least among his family, but he became the greatest man in Israel.

                                                             1.      When the angel of the LORD called Gideon, he was hiding from the Midianites.

a.       Because of the sin of Israel, God gave them into the hand of Midian (Judg. 6:1, 7-10).  Midian oppressed Israel by invading their land and destroying their crops (Judg. 6:2-6).

b.       Gideon was attempting to save wheat from the Midianites when the angel called him to deliver Israel (Judg. 6:11-24).

i.         He was beating the wheat in a wine press (a pit) rather than on a threshing floor.

ii.        The angel addressed Gideon as a "valiant warrior” and directed him to deliver Israel from the hand of Midian.

iii.      Gideon answered, "O Lord, how shall I deliver Israel?  Behold, my family is the least in Manasseh, and I am the youngest in my father’s house” (v. 15).

iv.      The angel promised Gideon that God would be with him and then showed him a sign to assure him.

                                                             2.      That same night, Gideon destroyed his father’s idol and built an altar to the LORD.

a.       At the direction of God, Gideon cut down his father’s Asherah, built an altar, and burned the wood from the Asherah to fuel a burnt offering to the LORD (Judg. 6:25-27).

b.       When the men of Ophrah, Gideon’s city, saw what he had done, they sought to kill him.  However, Gideon’s father Joash interceded (Judg. 6:26-32).

i.         Joash’s regard for Baal and the Asherah had seemingly disappeared with this one faithful act of his youngest son.  He said to the men of the city, "Will you contend for Baal, or will you deliver him?  Whoever will plead for him shall be put to death by morning.  If he is a god, let him contend for himself, because someone has torn down his altar” (v. 31).

ii.        Joash then renamed Gideon "Jerubbaal,” which meant "Let Baal contend against him” (v. 32).

                                                             3.      At last, Gideon fulfilled his appointment from God as "valiant warrior.”

a.       When the Midianites and the Amelekites invaded Jezreel, Gideon assembled his family (the Abiezrites), his tribe (Manasseh), and other tribes to fight for Israel (Judg. 6:33-35).

b.       After being assured again by two more signs from God, this formerly timid man was ready to boldly lead his people in battle (Judg. 6:36-40).

B.      Gideon’s legacy is best remembered in his victory over Midian.

                                                             1.      By God’s choice, Gideon’s forces were vastly outnumbered by the Midianites (Judg. 7:1-8).

a.       Gideon began with 32,000 men, but God required him to reduce their numbers "lest Israel become boastful, saying, ‘My own power has delivered me’” (v. 2).

i.         First, 22,000 afraid and trembling Israelites were sent home.

ii.        The remaining men of Israel were tested according to how they drank water.  Those who knelt to drink were sent home, but the 300 who cupped water in their hands and brought it to their mouths remained.

b.       The invading Midianites and Amalekites "were lying in the valley as numerous as locusts; and their camels were without number, as numerous as the sand on the seashore” (v. 12).

                                                             2.      Nevertheless, Gideon and his 300-man army routed the Midianites (Judg. 7:9-8:21).

a.       When Gideon spied on the camp of Midian and overheard a man interpreting his friend’s dream as a sign of Gideon’s victory, Gideon was strengthened for battle (7:9-15).

b.       Gideon’s victory was won by very unconventional means.

i.         His 300-man army divided into three companies and surrounded the enemy camp.  All at once, they smashed pitchers, blew trumpets, and shouted.  The terrible sounds drove the enemies out of the camp and into confusion, and "the LORD set the sword of one against another” (7:22).

ii.        Men from the tribes of Naphtali, Asher, and Manasseh were then summoned to pursue the enemy, capture their leaders, and destroy their armies.

C.      Gideon succeeded as a warrior and a judge but failed with his family.

                                                             1.      Initially, Gideon wisely and humbly chose not to rule over Israel with his son (8:22-23).

a.       Israel invited Gideon to be their king, saying, "Rule over us, both you and your son, also your son’s son, for you have delivered us from the hand of Midian.”

b.       Gideon refused, saying, "I will not rule over you, nor shall my son rule over you; the LORD shall rule over you.”

c.        Gideon judged Israel for forty years in peace (8:28).

                                                             2.      However, Gideon’s other decisions involving his home and his family were foolish (8:24-32).

a.       Gideon asked for gold to be given to him from the spoils of the victory, and he made of the gold an ephod and set it up in his city of Ophrah.  This ephod became an idol, for "all Israel played the harlot with it there, so that it became a snare to Gideon and his household” (8:27).

b.       Gideon took many wives and had seventy sons, one of whom was named Abimelech, which means "my father is king.”  He was exceedingly evil, for after Gideon’s death he murdered his brothers and became king of Shechem (Judg. 8:33-9:57).

III.   LESSONS FROM GIDEON

A.      Faith is the victory.

                                                             1.      Gideon did not win the battle by his strength or military strategy but by unwavering faith in God.

a.       Facing the Midianites with only 300 men required tremendous courage and faith from Gideon and his army.  Reducing one’s forces as Gideon did was not a sound military strategy, but it was necessary for Israel to realize that their victory came from God.

b.       Gideon is one of those great examples of faith given in Hebrews 11:32-33.

                                                             2.      Similarly, we will not overcome the evils of this world or the power of death through our own strength or worldly wisdom but by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (1Cor. 15:56-57; 1John 5:4).

B.      The few with God can overcome the many without Him.

                                                             1.      Although Gideon was outnumbered, he prevailed over his opposition by the power of God.

a.       He destroyed the Asherah in Ophrah when the men of the city opposed him.

b.       Under his leadership, 300 Israelites defeated an innumerable army of Midianites.

                                                             2.      Likewise, faithful Christians are few in number (Matt. 7:13-14; 22:14; Luke 13:23-24), but we will overcome every obstacle to faith and righteousness through Jesus Christ (Rev. 17:14).

C.      The consequences of faithlessness and disobedience are severe.

                                                             1.      Several examples of "crime and punishment” are seen in the story of Gideon.

a.       God used Midian to punish Israel for their unfaithfulness, and Midian was punished by Israel for their wickedness.

b.       Gideon punished Succoth and Penuel for their refusal to assist him as he pursued Midian (Judg. 8:4-17).

                                                             2.      So it will also be that every sinful soul that refuses to obey the gospel of Christ and thereby receive forgiveness will be subject to a fearful and severe punishment (2Thess. 1:6-10).

D.      The trappings of power can affect even a righteous man.

                                                             1.      Gideon did many good things, but his position of authority altered his judgment.

a.       Gideon did well when he refused to be king, but his underlying desire for power seems to have manifested itself in his wicked son Abimelech ("my father is king”).  This arrogance led to the murder of his other sons.

b.       Gideon made a poor decision when he made the golden ephod, and the idolatry surrounding that ephod tainted Gideon, his family, his city, and his nation.

                                                             2.      Although none of us will obtain authority like Gideon, nevertheless we must be careful to use our influence for good and godliness rather than for selfish gain or exaltation.