Judges chapter 7. Last week, we looked at Judges chapter 6, specifically the call and preparation of Gideon. Remember that the particular oppressor at this particular point in the book of Judges are the Midianites in chapter 6 in verses 1 to 10. It indicates that agent of oppression, again, the same cycle that we've seen up to this particular point, the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord.
So the Lord delivered them into the hand of Midian for seven years. After the children of Israel cry out because of their distress, then the Lord raises up a human deliverer, a particular judge. And in this particular case, it's Gideon. So the call and preparation in chapter 6.
Tonight we'll look at the victory over the Midianites in chapter 7. So I'll just pick up reading in 7. 1. Then Jerob Baal, that is Gideon, and all the people who were with him rose early and encamped beside the well of Herod, so that the camp of the Midianites was on the north side of them by the hill of Moreh in the valley. And the Lord said to Gideon, the people who are with you are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel claim glory for itself against me, saying, my own hand has saved me.
Now therefore proclaim in the hearing of the people, saying, whoever is fearful and afraid, let him turn and depart at once from Mount Gilead. And 22,000 of the people returned, and 10,000 remained. But the Lord said to Gideon, the people are still too many. Bring them down to the water and I will test them for you there.
Then it will be that of whom I say to you, this one shall go with you, the same shall go with you. And of whomever I say to you, this one shall not go with you, the same shall not go. So he brought the people down to the water. And the Lord said to Gideon, everyone who lapsed from the water with his tongue as a dog laps, you shall set apart by himself.
Likewise, everyone who gets down on his knees to drink. And the number of those who lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, was 300 men. But all the rest of the people got down on their knees to drink water. And the Lord said to Gideon, by the 300 men who lapped, I will save you and deliver the Midianites into your hand.
Let all the other people go, every man to his place. So the people took provisions and their trumpets in their hands. And he sent away all the rest of Israel, every man to his tent, and retained those 300 men. Now the camp of Midian was below him in the valley.
It happened on the same night that the Lord said to him, arise, go down against the camp, for I have delivered it into your hand. But if you are afraid to go down, go down to the camp with Purah, your servant, and you shall hear what they say. And afterward, your hands shall be strengthened to go down against the camp. Then he went down with Pura, his servant, to the outpost of the armed men who were in the camp.
Now the Midianites and Amalekites, all the people of the east, were lying in the valley as numerous as locusts, and their camels were without number, as the sand by the seashore in multitude. And when Gideon had come, there was a man telling a dream to his companion. He said, I have had a dream. To my surprise, a loaf of barley bread tumbled into the camp of Midian.
It came to a tent and struck it so that it fell and overturned, and the tent collapsed. Then his companion answered and said, this is nothing else but the sword of Gideon, the son of Joash, a man of Israel. Into his hand, God has delivered Midian and the whole camp. And so it was when Gideon heard the telling of the dream and its interpretation that he worshiped.
He returned to the camp of Israel and said, arise, for the Lord has delivered the camp of Midian into your hand. Then he divided the 300 men into three companies, and he put a trumpet into every man's hand with empty pitchers and torches inside the pitchers. And he said to them, look at me and do likewise. Watch, and when I come to the edge of the camp, you shall do as I do.
When I blow the trumpet, I and all who are with me, then you also blow the trumpets on every side of the whole camp and say, the sword of the Lord and of Gideon. So Gideon and the hundred men who were with him came to the outpost of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, just as they had posted the watch. And they blew the trumpets and broke the pitchers that were in their hands. Then the three companies blew the trumpets and broke the pitchers.
They held the torches in their left hands and the trumpets in their right hands for blowing. And they cried, the sword of the Lord and of Gideon. And every man stood in his place all around the camp. And the whole army ran and cried out and fled.
When the 300 blew the trumpets, the Lord set every man's sword against his companion throughout the whole camp. And the army fled to Beth Acacia toward Zerahrah as far as the border of Abel Mahola by Tabeth. And the men of Israel gathered together from Naphtali, Asher, and all Manasseh and pursued the Midianites. Then Gideon sent messengers throughout all the mountains of Ephraim, saying, come down against the Midianites and seize from them the watering places as far as Bethbera and the Jordan.
Then all the men of Ephraim gathered together and seized the watering places as far as Bethbera and the Jordan. And they captured two princes of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeb. They killed Oreb at the Rock of Oreb, and Zeb they killed at the winepress of Zeb. They pursued Midian and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeb to Gideon on the other side of the Jordan." Amen.
Scripture Reading: Judges 7
Well, once again, another very instructive portion of scripture. This book of Judges, I hope, has been enjoyable to you. It's quite exciting, but the constant theme or refrain is the reality that God delivers Israel. They're under oppression.
God, as I said, raises up an earthly deliverer. He uses, in this instance, Gideon to effect victory over the Midianites to free Israel from this bondage. Well, tonight, as we look at this particular section, remember the larger context, 6.1 to 9.57, essentially deals with Gideon. Now, of course, Gideon dies at the end of chapter 8, but his son Abimelech, who's not a judge, we see he usurps some authority and engages in some treachery, but that's still included in this Gideon narrative.
So chapter 6, 1 to 957 deals with Gideon. Chapter 7, as I've already mentioned, deals specifically with the victory over the Midianites. And the chapter breaks down nicely into three sections. First, the reduction of troops.
Secondly, the encouragement of Gideon. And thirdly, the victory over the Midianites. And there's a recurring theme in this section of 6, specifically 6 to 8, that God works through weakness. His strength, as the apostle Paul learned, is perfected in weakness.
When we meet this man Gideon, the first thing that he says is, I'm not fit for this because I'm, you know, the smallest or my clan is the weakest in Manasseh and I am the least in my father's house. We see that Gideon has a fear of his townspeople and of his own family when it comes to break down the altar of Baal. We see that just after the Spirit of the Lord comes upon Gideon, Gideon then asks the Lord specifically for these two signs with reference or with the intention to confirm the word that he had spoken. When we think of mighty hero Gideon, I mean, absolutely he comes into our mind that way now because we see him victorious.
But when you think of mighty hero, Gideon probably isn't your first choice. He's not sort of a John Wayne figure, he's not Rambo, he's not got all the bullets and the guns and he's, you know, just this brazen man with all of these guts running right into the midst of the Midianites. Every step of the way it's as if God has to reassure him, God encourages him, God stoops to deal with Gideon on his particular level. So I think the importance of all of this is to demonstrate and highlight for us the glory of God, the sovereignty of God, the mercy, the kindness, and the goodness of God.
So hopefully we'll appreciate that
Introduction
as we move through the narrative this evening. But
Reduction of Troops
note first the reduction of troops in verses 1 to 8. The troops are assembled at verse 1, then Jerob Baal, that is Gideon, remember he got that name because of destroying the altar, his father called him that, let Baal plead. Then Jerob Baal, that is Gideon, and all the people who were with him, rose early and encamped beside the well of Herod. so that the camp of the Midianites was on the north side of them by the hill of Moreh in the valley. So they are now gathered together to engage the enemy.
According to what we read in this particular chapter, there's 32,000 of them. When we look in chapter 8 and we see the dead bodies of the Midianites, there's 120,000 of them. So there's a great disparity at the very beginning. There's this great difference in terms of force and strength and power and might represented between the two armies.
Already at this point Gideon's probably a bit fearful having to enter into the fray with such a powerful army. I mean, he's not a foolish man, he's not a stupid man, he can understand the difference between 100,000 plus and his 32,000 men. Now notice, the troops are reduced. We need to understand that
Verse 2: The Controlling Principle
verse 2 is the key point in all of this. We need to make sure that we appreciate this, because oftentimes we get to these lappers and kneelers, the way that God distinguishes between those whom He keeps and those whom He lets go, and we think there's something about those men, there's something good about lapping water like a dog. Maybe it means that we're more alert, we're on guard. That has nothing to do with it whatsoever.
Verse 2 is the point of this particular section. The Lord said to Gideon, the people who are with you are too many. Now remember, Gideon knows math. He knows what he's looking at in terms of the Midianite army.
He knows what he's looking at in terms of his own army, and here God the Lord comes to him and says, the people who are with you are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands. Perhaps Gideon at this point would have said, I beg to differ, Lord. It does not seem like it's too many, but rather it seems like it's too few. Now notice why God says what he says.
Lest Israel claim glory for itself against me, saying, my own hand has saved me. So as I said, verse 2 is the main point of the entire section. We cannot miss this. The Lord works through weakness in order to manifest His power.
That's what's on display here. As I've already mentioned, throughout God's dealings with Gideon, we see a man that is weak. Even prior to that, we see the helplessness of Israel in chapter 6, verses 2 to 6. When the Midianites come through the land, what do the Israelites do?
They run for cover. They hide themselves. They are not a strong folk at this particular instance. Gideon has small beginnings, 6.15.
Gideon's fear of his family in town, chapter 6, verse 27. Gideon's request for a sign in 6.36-40. The reduction of Gideon's army in this particular section. Gideon's fear and his need for encouragement later on in this chapter in 7.10-15.
All of this underscores the point. God is demonstrating His power through the weakness of Gideon and through the weakness of Israel. Again, I mentioned 2 Corinthians 12, verse 9. You can turn there.
I think this is the point that we're seeing in this book of Judges. There's no difference in terms of who God is and how He functions or operates with reference to His own glory and with reference to the deliverance of His people. 2 Corinthians 12.7, And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing, I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And he said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness.
Now that's the point in Judges chapter 7. That's the point in telling Gideon that 32,000 men, 32,000 soldiers are too many because if they get the victory then their tendency is going to be to take glory for themselves in their deliverance. Note the implication that Paul draws from the statement of the Lord after God says my grace is sufficient for you for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Paul says therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong." That's what God is doing through Gideon. Look back at just 2 Corinthians 4 for just a moment as well to kind of flesh this principle out as we see what's going on in this section. 2 Corinthians 4 Verse 3, but even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the God of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord. and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus' sake.
For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." Now notice this, but we have this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. You see the point. when Paul and his companions preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and sinners pass from death unto life, when sinners come out of darkness into marvelous light, when they are saved. It is by God's grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, and all glory belongs to the Father, to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. There's not glory to be had for the gospel preacher.
There's not praise and adoration given to the man. who has the beautiful feet. Certainly people ought to be thankful. Certainly people ought to be, you know, thankful to the fact that people have come and minister the truth. But the glory is given to God.
And that's the point in Judges 7 at verse 2. Lest Israel claim glory for itself against me, saying, My own hand has saved me. So the Lord knows our propensity He knows our tendency to claim glory for ourselves. That's what he is addressing here in verse 2.
Davis says it this way, does not 7.2 speak to us? Does it not tell us there is a certain deviousness in God's people, a tendency to steal God's praise? Does it not teach us that sometimes he cannot trust us with his work unless we realize how inadequate we are to do it? This may explain why God frequently chooses such unlikely instruments.
That's a great point. Now, if you follow the blogs, the Christian blogs or Christian news, you'll notice in the last several weeks there's been a couple pastors who have gotten into trouble for hiring a marketing company to make sure that their books got on the New York Times bestsellers list. In other words, churches paid money to an independent marketing firm who has strategies and abilities to so manipulate things that a book will be indicated as a bestseller on the New York Times bestsellers list. Now, there's probably a whole host of reasons why pastors would choose to do that.
All of them are wrong, as far as I'm concerned. But the point that we need to observe here with reference to God's dealings here in the victory over the Midianites, he does not need best-selling books. He does not need celebrity pastors. He does not need what we think are those calculated to accomplish the particular job.
Rather, God calls his people to be faithful, to speak the truth and to live in light of that truth, and to let him take care of the results, to let him take care of success or failure. Our job, our task, our calling is simply to be faithful with the truth, not to try and manipulate best-selling markets, not to try and have big tours where we go out and parade as celebrity preachers, but rather we are called to be faithful, to proclaim his truth and to live in light of it. Davis, again, I think this is very helpful. He quotes from a book called the Cambuslang Revival.
This took place in the 1700s in Cambuslang, Scotland. And here's what Davis quotes from that particular book. He says, few would ever have suspected William McCulloch of kindling a revival. He was a parish minister in Cambuslang, Scotland about 1740, a scholarly pastor excelling in languages, especially Hebrew.
He had, nevertheless, little gift for the pulpit. His own son described him as not a very ready speaker, not eloquent. His manner was slow and cautious. With a son like that, you don't need enemies, do you?
In fact, he was called an ale minister. You know what an ale minister was? As soon as he got up to go preach, people in the church would duck out to the local tavern to get a beer. That's what they would refer to as an ale minister.
He says, yet God chose to use William McCulloch's ministry as the means of revival in Cambuslang sometime before George Whitefield visited there. You've all heard of George Whitefield, probably. He was a great evangelist. He was a man that went about and was used mightily, preached, and people got saved.
There were great big revivals. Well, the Candia slang was interesting because there was revival under McCulloch before Whitefield ever got there. This is what God is saying in Judges 7-2. Here's what Davis goes on to say.
Now I cannot divine the divine ways, but I wonder if God was pleased to use William McCulloch in order to make it clear that the Cambuslang work could not be explained by eloquence or human dynamism, but only by the Spirit of God. The necessity of weakness, that is often God's method. That's the point here in chapter 7 verse 2. It's not upon the rich, the mighty, the powerful, the celebrity, but rather it's upon this man who still lives in his father's house, who's among the smallest clan among his tribe, who has this fearfulness, who has this trepidation, who needs constant signs and affirmations so that he'll go about his task.
It's he that the Lord chooses to use to deliver his people from Midianite oppression. So we get to the first reduction of troops. Notice in verse 3. Now therefore proclaim in the hearing of the people saying whoever is fearful and afraid let him turn and depart at once from Mount Gilead.
Now this is in the law of God in Deuteronomy chapter 20 at verse 8. We see this very thing. Deuteronomy 20 verse 8, laws concerning warfare, the officers shall speak further to the people and say, what man is there who is fearful and faint hearted? Let him go and return to his house, lest the heart of his brethren faint like his heart.
You see the wisdom in such an arrangement. If you're sharing a foxhole with a guy whose knees are knocking and his teeth are chattering and he's so afraid that he can't pick up his weapon and he won't engage the enemy, that can have a negative and a detrimental effect upon the troop in the foxhole. So God is very gracious in telling these people. This isn't just a little bit of fear.
I'm sure we'd all have fear if we're going into some sort of a skirmish. or battle or war, but these are the guys that are paralyzed with fear that simply cannot do what they're being called to do. And so there is a condition in the law to afford for them a stay from battle. And so that's what's here in this first reduction. proclaiming the hearing of the people, saying, whoever is fearful and afraid, let him turn and depart at once from Mount Gilead." Now notice, in 22,000 of the people returned and 10,000 remained. Now, I'm just thinking that Gideon's face is probably starting to look a little bit weary.
Wait a minute, we have 32,000 against their 120,000. That seems a small bit to me. So God says, tell them if they're fearful, then they can leave. So he says, if you're fearful, you can leave, probably thinking the majority won't be fearful. probably thinking the majority are ready to take up arms and to do battle against these pesky Midianites.
But 22,000 of the people returned. Had it been me, I might have said, do you want to reconsider? Do you guys want to think about this again? Do you want to stop for just...
But that's not what happened. So God is whittling down the armies of Israel. Why? So that Israel will not claim glory for itself against Him.
The Second Reduction: Lappers and Kneelers
Now notice the second reduction. It's the sovereignty of God's choice in verse 4. The Lord said to Gideon, the people are still too many. Bring them down to the water and I will test them for you there.
Then it will be that of whom I say to you, this one shall go with you, the same shall go with you. And of whomever I say to you, this one shall not go with you, the same shall not go." Now verses 5 and 6 are a little bit confusing. Here's the way I understand it. You've got lappers and you've got kneelers.
You've got those who lap like dogs and you've got those who kneel. I think that the language is a little bit confusing, but the idea is absolutely crystal clear. It is a means by which God whittles down the army of Israel. Again, listen to what Davis says.
He says, it is amazing how virtuous the lappers become in the view of expositors. They are heralded as the vigilant, watchful ones who lean down, scoop a little water, always with their eyes on the enemy, which may yet have been several miles to the north, while the kneelers are the careless who think only of their thirst. The text doesn't say that at all. When you read commentaries, you'll see guys saying, yeah, these lappers, you know, this, that, and the other, and the kneelers, this, that, and the other.
The text doesn't make any indication of that. It's verse 2 that is the controlling idea. It is simply a means to whittle down the army. God's not commending the lappers as being more vigilant.
We have to assume that since the statement of verse 3 has already been given, the 10,000 that remain are courageous men. They had the chance to leave, didn't they? Under the stipulation of God's law. Those 22,000 aren't faulted for being cowards or wimps or babies or anything like that.
If that was the case, Deuteronomy 28 wouldn't say such a thing. So the 10,000 that are left are bold men, they're courageous men, they're warrior men. So when it comes to lappers or kneelers, it's not as if God says, I have a special place in my heart for these lappers because they make me happy and they're more vigilant. No, these 300 are not a sign of Israel's strength.
It's a sign of Israel's weakness so that God can manifest and display his strength through this 300. Gil, I think, makes it a lot clearer. He says, though it seems that all the 10,000 men were men of courage, they've already been whittled out, and this method was taken not to distinguish those that were the most courageous from those that were the least so, but only reduce the number that should be engaged in this battle. That's the only thing going on between the lappers and the kneelers.
God does not care how you put water in your mouth. He does not think there's something commendatory about the way that you drink water and that makes you fit for service for him in battle over the Midianites. It was simply a means where God could sovereignly distinguish between the 90, what is it, 9,700 people versus the 300 people. That's it.
300 Men Retained
Now notice. This is what we've got. Verse 6, the number of those who lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, was 300 men. But all the rest of the people got down on their knees to drink water.
Then the Lord said to Gideon, by the 300 men who lapped, I will save you and deliver the Midianites into your hand. Let all the other people go, every man to his place. So Gideon, beginning in verse 1, has 32,000 versus 120,000. Gideon then gives the stipulation from Deuteronomy 20, and he loses 22,000 men.
And now God has them all get down to drink some water, and God says, I want 9,700 of these men to go back to their tents. What do you think's going on with Gideon at this particular point? If we're right, then this sketch that we've traced of him indicates a young man out of his father's house from a small clan amidst a tribe in Israel, a man who needed constant affirmation, constant confirmation, a man who after the spirit of the Lord comes upon him says, Lord, I want you to make this fleece wet. after the Spirit of the Lord. I just saw something on Twitter the other day.
It was a quote from Francis Schaeffer. And Schaeffer said something to this effect. Schaeffer was a famous Christian apologist. He says, the church will never do anything until it seeks to do it in the strength of the Spirit, which I heartily agree with.
But we need to understand that even in the strength of the Spirit, there are times when we say to God, Please affirm or confirm your word. It's very intriguing that it's not the Spirit came upon Gideon. It's literally the Spirit put on Gideon. The Spirit put on Gideon and then the very next scene is Gideon saying to the Lord God Almighty, can you please give me a sign?
You see, even when the Spirit is upon us, the best of men are men at best. And we struggle, and we have issues, and we have challenges, and we have difficulties, and we have all manner of trials that the Lord God Most High stoops down to bless us in the midst of these particular things to indicate something of His character and something of His sufficiency. So the point here is now that we have 300 men. And notice in verse eight, so the people took provisions and their trumpets in their hands.
This is the 300. And he sent away all the rest of Israel, every man to his tent. And he retained those 300 men. Now the camp of Midian was below him in the valley.
So the Lord will save Israel by the 300, the 9,700 are dismissed, and the 300 take up the provisions for the battle.
Encouragement of Gideon
And that brings us to the encouragement of Gideon in verses 9 to 15. Notice in verse 9, It happened on the same night that the Lord said to him, Arise, go down against the camp, for I have delivered it into your hand. I mean, that's the promise of God right there. I have delivered it into your hand.
This is a done deal. I realize I've whittled your army down from 32,000 to 300. I realize that you are looking at what appears to be an impossible situation, but the voice of the Lord has spoken. He has promised here in verse 9, go down against the camp for I have delivered it into your hand.
And then notice the encouragement offered in verse 10, but if you are afraid to go down. Doesn't God know his people? Isn't God gracious and kind to his people? See what we run the risk of when we run through passages like this, we don't stop to smell the flowers?
Do you see what God says to Gideon? If you are afraid to go down, I want to stop and I want to encourage you. Because when it comes time to battle Midianites, I don't want there to be any fear, I don't want there to be any trepidation, I don't want there to be any hesitancy in you whatsoever. So God devises this particular sign so that he can reach down to encourage Gideon.
Now you might think that after all the things that God has done for Gideon, and all the promises that He has made for Gideon, that this would have been enough. Perhaps we'd read from verse 9, Go down against the camp, for I have delivered it into your hand. You could just skip the next section and go right to verse 15, where He says, Arise, for the Lord has delivered the camp of Midian into your hand. That's not the way God operates.
Psalm 103 is a reality. Psalm 103 verses 14 and 15 underscore a very important point about our God to us. It says, I'm sorry, 103, 13 and 14. As a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those who fear him.
For he knows our frame, he remembers that we are dust. He knows what Gideon's made of. He knows that in chapter 6 at verse 15, Gideon says, wait a minute, I'm from a small clan. I can't do this.
He knows that Gideon didn't want to tear down the altar to Baal in the blazing sunlight of day. He didn't want to be caught. He does it at night. He knows that Gideon, even filled by the Spirit, or the Spirit having come upon him, says, Lord, would you please wet this fleece?
And then that wasn't even enough. In fact, Gideon understands his own predicament. He says, don't be angry with me, Lord, but can you provide another sign? This time leave the fleece dry and make the ground all around it wet.
I mean, Gideon is a man that needs these signs, these confirmations, this affirmation. And what does the Lord do? He gives it to him. He gives it to him.
You see, there are certain people that you can kind of neglect, and they'll just do fine all on their own. There's other people that need affirmation. There are certain wives out there that don't need to be told daily by their husbands, I love you, honey. You're my friend, or whatever.
But for the most part, ladies like to hear such things. There are men out there who if never anyone ever tells them, you're doing a good work, I'm happy with your performance, they're going to soldier on. There's other men that like to be encouraged. There's other men that need somebody to come alongside of them and say, hey, I want you to know that I appreciate what you do.
What does God do with a Gideon? Yes, there's men that just run right into battle. And then there's men that, on their way running into battle, need some affirmation along the way. And that's what God does with them.
God is gracious and kind. God is merciful. I mentioned with the old dolls recently at the Cascade that I was going through the book of Judges, and one of them raised her eyelids like, oh no. Anytime I mention the book of Revelation, she kind of freaks out a little bit.
You know, these passages that deal with God and His wrath and His anger and His vengeance and His justice. If that's all that we call from the book of Judges, we're not reading it properly. We've missed God in His goodness, in His kindness, in His mercy, in His grace, in His love, in His gentleness and affection. I mean, here He said, I have delivered it, I have given it over to you.
And then He comes to Gideon. Gideon doesn't initiate it on this one. Verse 10, But if you are afraid to go down, go down to the camp with Purah your servant. Gideon, if you're scared, then I've got this sign for you.
You see, that's our God. If you've got some struggles, then here's something I have to give you a bit of a boost in the arm. And then he says in verse 11, and you shall hear what they say, and afterward your hands shall be strengthened to go down against the camp. This is God's endgame with Gideon.
I want your hands strong. I want you to go into battle, and I want you to do so riding on the promises of God. You see, we need to understand theology proper or the doctrine of God. It's not just what we conceive or see in the New Testament scriptures.
If we do not study books like Judges, we're not going to see this kind of a thing. We're not going to see God say to Gideon, and if you're afraid, then here's what you ought to do so that you can receive some encouragement. Don't you need to hear that from your God? Don't you need to understand that He cares for you?
That He's actually there in the midst of the trials and that He actually gives you what you are after? This is precisely the thrust in this passage. And then it says, then He went down with Purah, His servant, to the outpost of the armed men who were in the camp. Now just in case we have forgotten, lest we forget what they are facing.
Verse 12 underscores for us again the stark reality that 300 men are walking into battle against a formidable foe. Now, the Midianites and Amalekites, all the people of the East, were lying in the valley as numerous as locusts. Now, locusts are numerous when they do business, right? I mean, if you find one locust or one grasshopper in your backyard, it's not that big of a deal.
But a locust plague can darken the day. When that horde or that swarm comes overhead, it actually blocks out the sun. They can do millions and millions and millions of dollars worth of damage to fields and to crops. This is the language that's being used of the foe here, the Midianites, the Amalekites.
All the people of the east were lying in the valley as numerous as locusts, and their camels were without number. as the sand by the seashore in multitude. As I've said, as we've worked through this book, this is great storytelling. The author wants you to be right there in more. He wants you to be observing this whole situation so that when they come through victorious, all you can do is praise God.
All you can do is glorify the Lord. So he's showing us the tension that's involved, and all the while, this is the time where he's going to encourage Gideon. So Gideon sees this. Gideon's probably thinking, this isn't helping me.
This isn't encouraging me. I've got 300 men, and I'm seeing men more numerous as locusts. I'm seeing more camels than there is sand against the seashore. But then Gideon and Pura hear these two men talking.
The Midianite Dream and Its Interpretation
Verse 13, it ought not to surprise us that God speaks through a Midianite soldier to comfort his beloved Gideon. Remember it was the high priest in John's Gospel in John 11 says that one should die for the nation. It was Pontius Pilate who three times confessed the guiltlessness and holiness of our Lord Jesus Christ. God uses those means at his disposal to communicate to his people.
Verse 13, when Gideon had come, there was a man telling a dream to his companion. He said, I have had a dream. To my surprise, a loaf of barley bread tumbled in the camp of Midian. It came to a tent and struck it so that it fell and overturned and the tent collapsed.
Then his companion answered and said, This is nothing else but the sword of Gideon, the son of Joash, a man of Israel. Into his hand God has delivered Midian and the whole camp." Now, it did not occur to Gideon to ask these questions. How does this interpreter of the dream know me? How does this interpreter of the dream know that God is going to give us victory?
Do you notice that? The guy who has the drain sees this barley loaf come into the camp and it knocks down a tent. Why isn't the interpretation that barley loaf represents the armies of Midian and we're going to destroy Israel like a tent collapsing? The point is, is that God is employing these two Midianite privates to communicate an encouraging and confirming word to his servant Gideon.
Gideon knows the score. Gideon's not asking a bunch of questions. Gideon rather responds this way.
Gideon Worships and Rallies the Troops
Verse 15, and so it was when Gideon heard the telling of the dream and its interpretation that he worshiped. This is the only time in the book of Judges where an Israelite is said to worship Yahweh. Any other time the word worship is used, it is with reference to Israel worshiping gods, false gods, Baals and Ashtoreth. This is an instance of God the Lord showing to his servant Gideon what is going on.
And so it was when Gideon heard the telling of the dream and its interpretation that he worshipped. It's a great response, isn't it? Remember back in chapter 6 when Gideon, verse 22, perceived that he was the angel of the Lord. Gideon said, alas, oh Lord God, for I have seen the angel. of the Lord face to face.
He feared that He would die. He came into contact with the Holy One of Israel and what's His response? He's afraid that He's going to die. He comes into contact with the Holy One of Israel through these Midianite soldiers and what's His response?
It is to worship. This is a good way, this is a good result of having come into contact with the God of heaven and earth, when we fear, when we worship. And notice that Gideon is encouraged, he returned to the camp of Israel, and said, Arise, for the Lord has delivered the camp of Midian into your hands." So he worships, he's encouraged, and he rallies the troops for the Lord.
Victory over the Midianites
Now notice thirdly and finally the victory over the Midianites.
The Battle Strategy Explained
The strategies explained in verses 16 to 18. The strategy is explained in verses 16 to 18. Then he divided the 300 men into three companies and he put a trumpet into every man's hand with empty pitchers and torches inside the pitchers. And he said to them, look at me and do likewise.
Watch, and when I come to the edge of the camp, you shall do as I do. When I blow the trumpet, I and all who are with me then you also blow the trumpets on every side of the whole camp and say the sword of the Lord and of Gideon." So basically the issue was they were going to create such confusion and chaos among the Midianite armies that there would be bedlam. There would be panic and that is precisely what happens. So they break these pitchers, you've got noise.
They bring out their torches, you've got light. They cry the sword of the Lord and of Gideon. Now what happens when you're awakened in the dead of night? Are you conscious and aware of everything?
This happened the other day when Micah was over. I went to wake him up in the morning because he had to catch a plane. And he was very confused. I walked into the room.
I said, you need to get up. It's time to go. And he was just looking through me like I could have been Charles Manson with a butcher knife. He would have never recognized me.
And then I started to try and whack him into consciousness. I didn't actually hit him. I said, where's my shirt? I know you used my shirt last night.
Just thought that would jar his mind. He was still just puzzled. Last night, there was what sounded like a gunshot. I don't know if you guys heard that.
We live kind of close together. I didn't hear it. My wife did. And it caused her a bit of panic.
Nice to know that I don't wake up when there's gunshots. That's not a very safe situation. But generally speaking, when you first wake up, are you really alert? Are you ready to battle?
Do you grab your weapon and throw it down? Now, if you're highly trained and you're used to this sort of a life, possibly. The idea here was to create pandemonium. The idea here was to create chaos.
The idea here was to freak out the enemies of the Lord. And this is the way they would accomplish this particular task.
The Strategy Executed
Notice in verse 19, so Gideon and the hundred men who were with him came to the outpost of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch. This is probably midnight, so the people are fast asleep except for the watchers, those on guard, just as they had posted the watch. and they blew the trumpets and broke the pitchers that were in their hands. Then the three companies blew the trumpets and broke the pitchers. They held the torches in their left hands and the trumpets in their right hands for blowing, and they cried, the sword of the Lord and of Gideon." Which is ironic because they don't have swords.
They're not engaged in that type of warfare. What actually is the sword of the Lord but the Midianite soldiers going at each other? Notice in verse 21, and every man stood in his place all around the camp. That indicates devotion.
These 300 men, though small, feeble, and weak, were nevertheless devoted. At this point, they were standing firmly behind Captain Gideon or General Gideon. They were going to do precisely what he said. There is no evidence whatsoever of any wavering from the plan.
They are obeying God. They are complying with the commander-in-chief. They are carrying out their orders absolutely effectively. Verse 21, And the whole army ran and cried out and fled.
Now, someone would come along and say, wait a minute, you've got 300 troops, you've got 120,000, you've got a pitcher, you've got a torch, and you've got trumpets and the voice of the Israelites crying out, the sword of the Lord and of Gideon. That would never work.
The Lord Delivers: Midianites Routed
Come to a theology lesson in verse 22. When the 300 blew the trumpets, the Lord set every man's sword against his companion throughout the whole camp. So you see what happened. Midianites woke up, Midianites panicked, and Midianites started killing each other.
That's what the text says. They freaked out, and they started killing one another. This was God's plan. Gil says it this way. and so slew one another, either suspecting treachery, and so in revenge, wrath, and indignation drew their swords on each other.
Or through the terror and amazement they were in at the sounds they heard and the blazing torches dazzling their eyes, they knew not what they did or who they fell upon, taking their friends for foes, supposing the Israelites were got into their camp. So you see, God orchestrated this victory that 300 men, not armed to the teeth, but armed with the knowledge of God and faith and confidence in God, God then sets every man's sword against his companion. Bloch describes it this way. The bedlam in the enemy camp is described in three verbs.
And they, all the camp, ran. And they cried out wildly, and they fled. This is the natural response of those who have been awakened from the deepest of sleep to the sounds of horns blowing, jars smashing, people shouting, and the sight of 300 blazing torches around the camp. This is psychological warfare at its best.
Be careful how you wake up your spouse. Don't shout and scream and yell and shine a flashlight in their eyes, because they might just reach for the vase and clock you on right in the head. That's what happened in Midianite, and that's how they gained victory through the power of God Almighty. So the army fled, indicates that in verse 22.
The army continues to flee. Verse 23, the men of Israel gathered together from Naphtali, Asher, and all Manasseh and pursued the Midianites. Then Gideon sent messengers throughout all the mountains of Ephraim. Remember that, because in chapter 8 at verse 1, the Ephraimites say, why didn't you employ us to go to battle against Midian?
You see, the Ephraimites were not called to go to battle against Midian. They were not participants. It's at this point, when the Midianites are fleeing through Ephraim, that then Gideon says to the Ephraimites, I want you to give pursuit of these particular people." So that's going to cause a little bit of friction in chapter 8. So Gideon says, come down against the Midianites and seize from them the watering places as far as Bethpera and the Jordan.
Then all the men of Ephraim gathered together and seized the watering places as far as Bethpera and the Jordan. They captured two princes of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeb. They killed Oreb at the Rock of Oreb and Zeb they killed at the winepress of Zeb. They pursued Midian and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeb to Gideon on the other side of the Jordan." Again, we read that and we say, that sounds a bit brutal, that sounds a bit harsh, that sounds a bit difficult for us to get our delicate minds wrapped around.
Well, remember, the Midianites oppressed the children of Israel for seven years. And they really got them where they lived. Remember the Midianite plan was that every time that Israel sowed seed, the Midianites would come and destroy it. So for seven long years, they weren't eating properly, they were constantly on the run, they were having to hide in their own land that was gifted to them by their God, So when it comes time to bring judgment to bear upon the Midianites, it is not outlandish, it is not brutal, but rather it is justice for them to bring the heads of Oreb and Zeb to Gideon on the other side of the Jordan.
Application and Typological Conclusion
Well in this passage, I hope we've seen the sovereignty of God. The emphasis in the entire section is on His power in delivering Israel from Midian. Verse 2, that key text, that key idea there is that He gets glory in doing such things. Verse 7, I will save you and deliver the Midianites into your hand.
Verse 9, for I have delivered it, verse 14, where it says that this Midianite soldier says, into his hand God has delivered Midian and the whole camp. And then again, verse 22, the Lord set every man's sword against his companion. The means employed by God is choice of Gideon. A man that perhaps you and I wouldn't have chosen, but God nevertheless does.
The reduction of the army in verses 2 to 8, lest Israel exercise that tendency to claw back glory for themselves instead of giving glory to God most high. A pagan to bring the prophetic word and a military strategy designed to evidence his handiwork and not their ability on the battlefield. And then hopefully we appreciate in all of this the kindness of God, not only in the way that he dealt with Gideon, graciously saying to him in verse 10, but if you are afraid to go down, go down to the camp with Purah your servant. but also because God delivered Israel from Midianite oppression. At the very end in Chapter 8, prior to the death of Gideon, it says that the country was quiet for 40 years in the days of Gideon.
I think that's the last time that's going to be mentioned in the Book of Judges, but up to this point, This was a great victory that the Lord wrought through Gideon for his people. And as we've had cause to notice several times, all of these earthly judges function typologically. They point forward to the judge or deliverer or the savior who had come to save his people from their sins. These various men saved or delivered Israel from bondage and oppression in particular difficult situations, but they could never rip out of the people this desire to do evil in the sight of the Lord.
That recurring cycle, that recurring theme after Gideon dies, the children of Israel go back to the same sort of practice. It takes the Son of God, the Deliverer of God, to not only redeem, save, and deliver us from our sins, but to captivate our hearts so that we will continue with Him. It may be imperfectly, but by His Spirit, by His grace, and by His Word, we will persevere to the very end. So all of these men point us forward to the Lord Jesus Christ, who would, in fact, save us from our sins.
Let us pray.
Closing Prayer
Our Father, we thank You for Your Word and we thank You for Your grace and mercy revealed here. We just pray now that You would go with us and help us to reflect upon these truths, help us to find encouragement in our own struggles and in our own trials and in our own temptations, and to see, God, that You are good, and that You are for us, and that Your Word is sufficient, and Your promises are sure. I thank You for this opportunity to meet together. I pray that You'd go with us now, bring us together on Friday night.
Bless Pastor Hothmeyer with a safe trip to the Northwest. Bless his time with the brethren in Sea-Tac and in Glen Cullen. and God bring him safely to us and may his words be an encouragement to our hearts. And we pray these things through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.