In Hebrews Chapter 11, there you observe in verse 32, the author includes Gideon in his typical catalogue of OT great and suitable heroes of beliefs.
Gideon is the fifth judge of Israel who ruled for 40 years. He's without doubt counted among the exceptional heroes of beliefs in Israel's early history.
Yet as we go through the life of Gideon first described in in Judges Chapter 6, he didn't start off with person who is packed with faith. Faith didn't come effortlessly to Gideon. In fact, we see much of his unbelief. It was only once he experienced some spiritual change that he became heroic in his faith in God.
Application: Could it be not so for many of us? Do we not show having less faith in God when we are first asked to do something for Him? Do we not necessarily shy from seeking some service for God because we feel limited and thought that God cannot use us?
But as God transforms us, like what He did to Gideon, we will then begin to place more rely upon Him also to do what He has called us to do.
Do you bear in mind how you will reacted to God's call to provide Him in a few ministry? Have you been called to teach SS, become a member of the choir, become a member of the Exco, etc. ? Have you accept the call readily? Or performed you proceed through much have difficulties, exhibiting lack of faith in God, and for that reason you put so many questions across to God. Rather than sure if God use you. And so you continue debating with God.
Well, this is natural. In fact, in-may be good, to discover your inadequacy prior to the Lord. Lest God transforms me, otherwise I am going to not have the ability to do it by myself. So you struggle with God.
Gideon went through much struggle when God called him. In Judges Section 6 verses 11 & 12 we start to see the angel of the Lord appearing to Gideon and phoning him to go up and become the deliverer of his country from the Midianites.
The children of Israel feared the might of the Midianites who prevailed against them for their sin of disobedience (v. 1-2). These were so fearful that they had to hide themselves in dens, caves and strong keeps in the mountains to safeguard their own lives (v. 2). And in verses 3-6, our company is told that whenever Israel possessed sown, the Midianites and the Amalekites and the kids of the east emerged up as grasshoppers for multitude, and consumed the increase of the planet earth, giving no sustenance for Israel, nor for sheep nor ox nor ass, so that Israel was indeed "greatly impoverished. "
In verses 7-10, Israel cried unto god, the father for deliverance. The Lord heard them and dispatched a prophet to rebuke them of their sin of disobedience also to lead them to repent. After mailing the prophet to instruct the kids of Israel a lesson, the caring and gracious God next directed an angel to call a saviour to deliver Israel.
The call came up to Gideon who was simply to be the saviour of Israel (v. 12). And notice how God called Gideon. When the Lord calls, He assures His existence, His might and His valour (strength and capacity) are with Gideon.
Notice also that Gideon is so far anonymous. He was a poor farmer's youngest boy, supposedly dealing with his daddy in the plantation (v. 15) - a typical and obscure personality. AND God called him for a particular service.
Application: You don't need to be a person who is already ideal for God to call anyone to serve Him in some portion of service. In fact many times in the Bible, we see that God message or calls the weak and use the tiny and little. It is so that His might and His valour might be manifested through the weaknesses of His servants.
Did not the Lord call poor anglers to be His disciples to teach and proclaim His meaning of love for mankind?
Did not god, the father use five loaves and two small fishes from just a little boy to give food to more than 5000 people?
BUT, check out Gideon's immediate response in verse 13! Note his grievanceOh!why?where?but Instead of blaming the sin of disobedience and rebelliousness against the Lord on the part of Israel, Gideon was questioning why God allowed Israel to be suffer under the threats of the Midianites.
Application: Have we not asked Gideon's questions, especially during those times when we are broken hearted and bewildered (perplexed, cannot understand what's going on, cannot decide how to proceed). "God, you said you are beside me always and will deliver me, but look at what is taking place if you ask me - distress, suffering, poor. " Rather than seeing our very own faults, are we in the habit of blaming God for all your things that go wrong inside our lives?
How did god, the father God react to Gideon? Verse 14. Strong words, but reassuring. Gideon was to go ahead his might. And that which was his might? It's the assurance that "Jehovah is with him" (v. 12), and also in the understanding that it is Jehovah Himself had sent him: "havent I sent thee?" (v. 14).
Never brain all the accusations Gideon acquired made against the Lord, but God continues to be gracious to make sure Him His existence with Gideon as He sent him to be the deliverer of Israel from the Midianites.
But this is still insufficient confidence for Gideon. In verse 15, he complained again because he realised that he could not try to escape from God. GOD, THE FATHER was consistent in dialling him. He gave more excuses.
Application: Will it sound familiar to us? Moses performed a similar thing, providing excuses. And we too. All because of lack of faith and trust in the Almighy.
Like Gideon, we look inwards to ourselves, our diabilities, inadequeacies, weaknesses; rather than finding out about to who God is! - the one that has called, the one who has dispatched us, and the main one who will equip us.
Look at the way the Lord answer Gideon's complain and excuses in verse 16. Yet, again, this was insufficient for Gideon. And he again tried out to find a way of escape. "If then show me a sign. " (v. 17).
Application: Do we see a character filled with unbelief? Gideon's vocab is so packed with unbelief, skeptical delight, uncertainty, expression of hopelessness, grievances, sarcasm, and sign-seeking frame of mind showing insufficient trust. Is this part of your vocab as well, when god, the father direct us to do something?
Gideon's unbelief arose from and consisted in his considering circumstances rather than looking to God. Gideon's sight were earthbound and inward rather than heavenward and unto the Lord.
Yes, looking at circumstances rather than seeking to God is the certain reason behind unbelief. You will find other classic cases of this in the Scriptures.
Think of Peter walking on normal water to Jesus. As long as he retains his attention on Jesus he treads the waves; but when he commences to shop around at the boisterous billows, his beliefs collapses, uncertainties seize him, he begins to sink, and cries out, "Lord, save me!"
Think of those twelve men of Israel who were delivered to spy on the land of Canaan. Ten of these announced that Israel is utterly not capable of occupying the land; as the other two need to immediately use. The difference - the ten had their eye on scenario, whereas the other two possessed their eye toward God. The ten put the down sides between them and God and consequently God looked very small. The other two put God between them and their difficulties, and the down sides seemed as but the chance for God to show His glorious electric power. Someone said, those ten pessimists found four "G's. " Grapes, great cities, giants, grasshoppers. However they forgot to see the biggest G which Joshua and Caleb could see, God.
Dear friends, Is it always the same around? We look at circumstances rather than seeking to God and this breeds unbelief, and unbelief begets helplessness and hopelessness. Let us focus on Him somewhat than on our problems, and learn to put full trust in Him.
Thus far we've seen that Gideon was so filled with unbelief when he was initially called by the Lord to be the saviour of Israel from the Midianties. But look now at his transforming experience.
Gideon in his debate with God challenged the Lord showing him a sign (v. 17). And the Lord God graciously acceded to his need. And after having seen the hallmark of a miraculous flame breaking from the rock to consume the unleavened cakes which had been laid there, Gideon was quite convinced (vv. 17-22). And he built an altar unto the living and true God and called it Jehovah-shalom (v. 24).
In the OT, you can find vital value about the altar. It is the place where God and men meet. There at the altar the real human heart interacts with God. When Gideon built the altar to Jehovah, it exhibited that he was in communion with god, the father. This means that he had made a clean period of time with the past, and became a worshipper of the main one true God.
The proof Gideon's alteration from his unbelief to trusting in god, the father was seen in that he named the altar Jehovah-shalom. The word "shalom" is the Hebrew expression for peace. He called the altar "Jehovah is my serenity. " For the very first time in the life span of this young Hebrew young man, came a sense of peace. And this is what goes on whenever a sinner is truly converted to the Lord. His heart is filled with wondrous peace.
Application: Do you have this tranquility? This calmness is a peace that know that all our sins are forgiven by the virtue of Christ's atoning loss of life by the sheddind of His important blood vessels on the mix. Are you cleaned in the blood of the Lamb? If you're washed, you have become reconciled to God, and the living Saviour daily keeps you, and there is a heavenly home awaiting for you in eternity.
If you do not yet have this serenity, you must come to the altar which God had built at Calvary when the Lord Jesus was sacrificed for our sins. He died and increased again to save lots of you and me from our sins. That is the altar in which a holy, adoring God offers us the pardon, tranquility, power and guarantee which we sinners need.
The next thing of Gideon's spiritual change was his consecration. He offered himself to the will of God on that altar which he built. He didn't only meet the Lord at the altar, but he also yielded himself to the Lord.
God tested his consecration once we see in vv. 25-26. It was a test of Gideon's trust and obedience unto the Lord. He was commanded to chuck down the altar of Baal - bogus god that your people had been led from the living and true God to worship. Therefore for Gideon to throw down the altar of Baal and also to erect to Jehovah in its place, and with a sacifice made upon it, was to seriously stand solid for his faith. It means appealing death for Gideon. Have he obey?
Verse 27 instructs us what he did. He handed the test of his faith in God. He was even ready to pass away for his new found faith in God by his action to ruin the altar of Baal. And trouble arrived for Gideon in verse 28. Things were not good for Gideon. But just a most remarkable surprise came. Look at verse 31. Gideon's father stood up and attended to the angry crowd. (see verse 31). It was an effort for the idol worshippers. The marvellous thing was that Gideon's father stood by him in his trust in the real and living God.
Application: Dear friends, might you stand company for your trust in God, if you are placed to the test? Sometimes we fear so much what our parents, bosses, friends will say if we stand strong for our beliefs. But to your surprise they could even commend us for our firmness in our stand. Have you been tested for your beliefs? Have you stand organization? Or do you want to stand firm? (Testimony of a sister who travelled ahead to be baptised and prepared to be trashed of the home, but to her delight, the father provided her an angpow).
And then we start to see the most remarkable transformation that took place in Gideon in verse 34. He was controlled by the Nature of God when the Spirit came upon him. It really is like God clothing him with God's armour to be ready to fight the Midianites which God possessed called Gideon to do.
Application: Note that when God phone calls, He provides what that we should do His work for Him. He desires you to fight the devil, He also provides His armour that you can placed on. He sends us to pass on the gospel, but He assures that He is with us always.
So we see that Gideon was converted to the real God, consecrated to the will of God, and then controlled by the Spirit of God to become the savior of the folks of Israel. People recognised each one of these and flocked to him when he blew the trumpet (v. 34). And the story that practices in the next few chapters tells of Gideon's wonderful success over Midian, and freeing Israel from her adversary. God offered him victory on the enemy as he fought, trusting in God Almighty.
What a transformation has occurred in Gideon's life - from a heart of unbelief to a heart converted to God, consecrated unto God's will and a life manipulated by the Nature of God. And he gained a place in the Hall of Great Trust in the reserve of Hebrews.
Conclusion
Let us study from the faith of Gideon. Let us not go through the circumstances around us, otherwise our trust in God will waver. But let us put our concentrate on Lord, completely trusting in Him only, let us be ready to stand company in our beliefs and deliver our life to Him, to His will. And He will clothe us along with his Holy Soul to do things, in trust, for Him which He has aimed us to do. May God help us.
