Gideon-Tested in Weakness

Judges

Week 17 — Gideon— Tested in weakness

¹² the Midianites and Amalekites and the whole army of the eastern peoples were spread out in the valley, thick as locusts, and their camels were more than could be counted, as many as the grains of sand on the seashore. (Jdg 7:12)

What happens to faith when the danger passes, when the enemy is defeated, but the heart is still vulnerable?

1. The _____________________ of pride.

²³ Then all the men of Israel were summoned, from Naphtali, from Asher, and from all Manasseh, and they pursued Midian. ²⁴ Gideon sent messengers throughout the entire hill country of Ephraim, saying, “Go down to confront Midian. Seize the waters before them, all the way to Beth Barah and the Jordan.” So all the Ephraimites who were called out seized the waters as far as Beth Barah and the Jordan. ²⁵ They also captured Oreb and Ze’eb, the two generals of Midian. They killed Oreb at the Rock of Oreb and Ze’eb at the Winepress of Ze’eb. Then they pursued Midian and brought the heads of Oreb and Ze’eb to Gideon by the crossing of the Jordan. (Jdg 7:23–25)

¹ The men of Ephraim said to Gideon, “What kind of thing was that which you did to us by not inviting us when you went to fight against Midian?” They contended with him vigorously. (Jdg 8:1)

[Israel said to Joseph] Now your two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, will be counted as mine. Ephraim and Manasseh will count as my sons the same as Reuben and Simeon. (Ge 48:5)

² Gideon said to them, “What have I accomplished compared to you? Are not the gleanings of Ephraim better than the whole grape harvest of Abiezer? ^3a It was into your hands that God delivered Oreb and Ze’eb, the leaders of Midian. So what have I been able to accomplish compared to you?” (Jdg 8:2–3a)

^3b Their anger against him died down when he said this. (Jdg 8:3b)

⁴ Gideon then went to the Jordan and crossed over with the three hundred men who were with him. They were exhausted but kept pursuing the enemy. ⁵ Gideon said to the men of Succoth, “Please give loaves of bread to the troops who are following right behind me, because they are exhausted, and I am pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian.” ⁶ But the leaders of Succoth said, “Are the cut-off hands of Zebah and Zalmunna already in your hands? Why then would we give bread to your army?” (Jdg 8:4–6)

⁷ Gideon replied, “Just for that, when the Lord gives Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, I will tear your flesh with thorns from the wilderness and with briars.” (Jdg 8:7)

⁸ Then Gideon went up from there to Penuel and made the same request, and the men of Penuel gave him the same answer that the men of Succoth had. ⁹ So Gideon said to the men of Penuel, “When I return in peace, I will tear down this tower.” (Jdg 8:8–9)

¹⁰ In the meantime Zebah and Zalmunna had arrived in Karkor. Their armies were with them, but only about fifteen thousand men were left from all the forces of the peoples from the East. One hundred twenty thousand swordsmen had fallen. ¹¹ Gideon went up by the route of the nomads who live in tents east of Nobah and Jogbehah. He struck the camp when it was not on alert. ¹² Zebah and Zalmunna fled, but Gideon pursued them and captured Zebah and Zalmunna, the two kings of Midian. This made the entire army tremble. (Jdg 8:10–12)

¹³ When Gideon son of Joash returned from the battle by the Ascent of Heres, ¹⁴ he captured a young man from Succoth. Gideon questioned the young man, who wrote down for him the names of the leaders of Succoth and of the town’s elders, seventy-seven men in all. (Jdg 8:13–14)

[Jesus said] But, if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a huge millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. (Mt 18:6)

When there is no repentance sin spirals out of control.

¹⁵ Gideon then went to the men of Succoth and said, “Look! Here are Zebah and Zalmunna, about whom you taunted me, saying, ‘Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hands? Why then would we give bread to your exhausted men?’ ” (Jdg 8:15)

⁴ The serpent said to the woman, “You certainly will not die. ⁵ In fact, God knows that the day you eat from it, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” ⁶ When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was appealing to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took some of its fruit and ate. She gave some also to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. (Ge 3:4–6)

^1b In the day that God created man, he made him in the likeness of God. ² He created them male and female and blessed them, and on the day they were created, he named them “mankind.” ³ Adam lived 130 years, and he became the father of a son in his own likeness, according to his own image, and he named him Seth. (Ge 5:1–3)

For the mind-set of the sinful flesh is hostile to God, since it does not submit to God’s law, and in fact, it cannot. (Ro 8:7)

Every good act of giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the lights, who does not change or shift like a shadow. (Jas 1:17)

In fact, it is God who is working in you, both to will and to work, for the sake of his good pleasure. (Php 2:13)

Indeed, I know that good does not live in me, that is, in my sinful fles” (Ro 7:18)

⁵ Indeed, let this attitude be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. ⁶ Though he was by nature God, he did not consider equality with God as a prize to be displayed, ⁷ but he emptied himself by taking the nature of a servant. When he was born in human likeness, and his appearance was like that of any other man, ⁸ he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross. ⁹ Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, ¹⁰ so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ¹¹ and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Php 2:5–11)

Points to Ponder

1. What is one thing that stood out for you from this week’s message?
2. What differences do you notice between Gideon’s response to Ephraim and his response to Succoth and Penuel?
3. What do the reactions of Ephraim and Succoth reveal about their hearts after God’s victory?
4. Why do you think success and victory can be more spiritually dangerous than suffering?
5. How does Gideon’s treatment of the people reveal that he has forgotten the lesson of the 300?
6. Can you recall a time when you used success, truth, or results to “prove yourself” rather than glorify God?
7. How does Jesus’ humility in Philippians 2 confront our instinct to boast?
8. What does daily repentance of pride actually look like in ordinary life?
9. How can remembering our identity in Christ help guard us against pride after success?
10. What is one practical way this week you can intentionally give glory to God rather than yourself?

Homework: Judges 8