Judges
Week 12 — Gideon—The Weak Mighty Warrior
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Called in weakness. (Chapter 7)
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The oppression of sin.
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The _________ of the weak.
14 The Lord turned to him and said, “Go [הָלַךְ (ha·laḵ)] forward in this strength that is now yours, and you will deliver Israel from the hand of Midian. Have I not sent you?” (Jdg 6:14)
The Lutheran Study Bible: … Go in this might of yours [EHV: Go forward in this strength that is now yours]. Foreshadowing Gideon’s future success, it is expressed, however, with sarcasm.
15 He said to the Angel, “Pardon me, my lord, but how can I deliver Israel? Look! My clan is the lowliest in Manasseh, and I—I am the least in my father’s house.” (Jdg 6:15)
… go [הָלַךְ (ha·laḵ)], I am sending you to Pharaoh” (Ex 3:10)
16 But the Lord said to him, “Surely I will be with you, and you will strike down Midian as one man.” (Jdg 6:16)
So he said, “I will certainly be with you.” (Ex 3:12a)
One of you would put a thousand to flight because the LORD your God himself was fighting for you, just as he promised you. (Jos 23:10)
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The ___________________ of God’s presence.
17 Gideon said to him, “If I have now found grace in your eyes, offer me a sign that it is you who are speaking with me. 18 Please do not leave this spot until I come back to you. I will bring my gift and set it before you.” He said, “I will sit here until you return.” 19 So Gideon went and prepared a young goat, and he made unleavened bread from a half bushel of flour. He put the meat into a basket and the broth into a pot. He then brought them out to the Angel under the oak, where he presented them. (Jdg 6:17–19)
The People’s Bible: An ephah of flour weighs 40 pounds, enough for more than 20 loaves of bread. A whole animal takes time to kill and cook. This offering was no fast-food banquet.
20 The Angel of God said to him, “Take the meat and the unleavened bread and set them on this rock, and pour out the broth.” So that is what he did. 21 The Angel of the Lord reached out the tip of the staff that was in his hand and touched the meat and the unleavened bread, and fire came up from the rock and consumed the meat and the unleavened bread. Then the Angel of the Lord vanished from his sight. (Jdg 6:20–21)
23 Then Moses and Aaron entered the Tent of Meeting. When they came out, they blessed the people, and the Glory of the Lord appeared to all the people. 24 Fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the fat pieces on the altar. When all the people saw it, they shouted for joy and fell on their faces. (Le 9:23–24)
22 Gideon realized that this was the Angel of the Lord, and he said, “Oh, no! It is the Lord God [יְהוָה אֲדֹנָי]! Yes, I have seen the Angel of the Lord face-to-face!” 23 But the Lord said to him, “Peace be with you. Do not be afraid. You will not die.” (Jdg 6:22–23)
“Lord,” is God’s personal name that stresses faithfulness to his law and gospel.
אֲדֹנָי is normally translated "Lord" except when it is used in the expression אֲדֹנָי יְהוָה (Adoni Yahwey) where is translated “God.” This is a name for God that express his _________________, _______________________, and ___________.
24 So Gideon built an altar to the Lord there, and he named it “The Lord Is Peace.” To this day it stands at Ophrah of the Abiezrites. (Jdg 6:24)
Worship is any ________________, ___________, or _______________ that we direct toward God as a way of _________________ him or _______________ to him.
During the Middle Ages, this gesture [fold your hands] was used by vassals pledging loyalty to a lord—and later adopted by Christians as a posture of humility toward God. So, by the 9th to 10th century, folded hands became common in Christian art and worship, especially in Western Europe.
In the Old Testament and Jewish tradition, people didn't fold their hands when praying. Instead, they often: lifted their hands toward heaven (Psalm 63:4, 1 Timothy 2:8); stood or knelt; Sometimes spread out their hands (1 Kings 8:22; Ezra 9:5). Folding hands was not part of Jewish prayer practice—in fact, "folding hands" in the Old Testament is sometimes used as a symbol of laziness (Proverbs 6:10; Ecclesiastes 4:5), not reverence.
Early Christians like to pray standing or kneeling with uplifted hands, following Jewish patterns.
Abraham looked up, and he saw three men standing in front of him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them, and he bowed down [חָוָה (cha-vah)] to the ground. (Ge 18:2)
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Come up to the Lord, you and Aaron, along with Nadab and Abihu and seventy of the elders of Israel, and worship [חָוָה (cha-vah)] me from a distance. (Ex 24:1)
Moses quickly bowed to the ground and worshipped [חָוָה (cha-vah)]. (Ex 34:8)
Chad Bird: Hebrew destroys any false notion that humans are just "brains on a stick," as James K. A. Smith puts it, our souls aren’t trapped in bodies. Rather, as embodied images of God, we worship our Creator with the totality of who we are knees, arms, chest, feet, and face included.
After they went into the house and saw the child with Mary, his mother, they bowed down and worshipped him. Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. (Mt 2:11)
He went a little farther, fell on his face, and prayed. He said, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” (Mt 26:39)
Chad Bird: The physicality of worship is itself a confession that our bodies are the gifts of God, with which we serve, worship, and praise him. … Perfect righteousness is impossible for us, and if you wait for that, you will never come into the presence of God. You must admit that you are not righteous, and that you need help. This is when you can say that you are approaching God to worship.
Points to Ponder
- What is one thing that stood out for you from this week’s message?
- What excuses does Gideon give for not being the right person (vv. 15–16)? How do these sound similar to our own?
- How does God respond to Gideon’s objections? What promise does He give?
- Why does Gideon ask for a sign (vv. 17–21)? Do you think that shows weakness or honest searching?
- What does Gideon’s altar, “The Lord is Peace,” tell us about how God calms our fears?
- How does Jesus fulfill the promise “I will be with you” in our lives today? Give examples
- Comment on your feelings about church traditions both good and bad.
Read: Judges 6-7
