On Sunday I heard a powerful and inspiring sermon about Gideon’s army in Judges chapter 7. As I was already reading through the book of Judges this week I decided that I would spend some extra time getting the scoop on Gideon.
Let me give you a little background. Because the people of Israel had done evil in the sight of the Lord, God gave them into the hands of their enemies – in this case the Midianites. Because of Midian the people of Israel had to make dens in the mountains to live. They had to hide any produce they managed to grow.
Judges 6:6 says Israel was brought very low because of Midian. As we find over and over, in their desperation, the Israelite’s call out to God. His solution in this case is found in the ‘unlikely’ Gideon.
Where did God find Gideon? He was pounding wheat in the wine press (to hide it from the Midianites). He was providing for his family. He was doing what needed to be done to survive in desperate times. Gideon was resourceful. He wasn’t sitting in his cave. He was working when the angel of God appeared!
And what did the angel say? THE LORD IS WITH YOU, O MIGHTY MAN OF VALOUR!
Quite shocking I would imagine, but Gideon does take the moment to remind the angel that God has forsaken Israel. A reminder of our own fallacy, just in case you thing the angel appeared because Gideon was filled with faith and nearly perfect.
The angel didn’t miss a beat but then says…Go in this might of yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian vs 14 ESV.
Gideon then responds, Please, Lord, how can I save Israel. My clan is the weakest in Manassah and I am the least in my father’s house. And God says… “I will be with you”.
Here are four take aways from these verses
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God calls us in the middle of our present obedience. As we are faithful, He gives more responsibility
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God expands and uses the abilities He has already given us
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God uses us in spite of our limitations and failures
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We must continue to be spiritually vigilant and consistently follow after God
Great men and women of faith may suddenly appear to rise up, but the truth is that they have been in training for a lifetime. By the way, God is truly no respecter of persons. Gideon’s clan was the weakest of all of Israel, and he was the ‘underdog’ in his family!
Don’t be surprised if all of a sudden you experience the ‘call’ of God in the days of great darkness and evil.
