Judges 6-7
An Overview of Chapter 6
Again, the Israelites acted evil and God gave them into the hands of Midian. The Midianites oppressed the Israelites so much that the Israelites hid in caves in the hills. Israel finally cried out to God and he brought them a prophet who reminded the people that they had not obeyed Him. The angel of the Lord then visited a man named Gideon. Gideon questioned why God would allow all these terrible things to happen, where were the miracles that God had shown his forefathers. The Lords answer was that He was sending Gideon.
Gideon requested a sign, and the Lord brought fire from a rock to consume Gideon’s offering as a sign. That same night the Lord told Gideon to destroy the cities altar to Baal and their Asherah pole. Gideon did so and built a new altar and offered a sacrifice to God using the wood from the Asherah. The men of the city were not happy with this, but Gideon’s dad told them if Baal was a real god, let him contend with Gideon concerning his altar.
Following this Gideon called the men of Manasseh, Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali to join together to fight Midian. To be sure that God was with them Gideon asked for more signs and God provided them.
An Overview of Chapter 7
The Lord told Gideon that there were too many warriors to fight Midian, that they people would be boastful and think they had done it without God’s help. First Gideon sent away 22,000 men who were afraid, leaving only 10,000. That was still too many and God narrowed the number down to 300 warriors to fight Midian.
Knowing that Gideon was afraid the Lord allowed him to see that the Midianites were afraid of the Israelites led by Gideon. The Lord’s battle plan was simple but strange. The Israelites were to take torches and cover them with pots. They were to carry trumpets instead of swords. When they got to the Midianite camp they blew the trumpets and broke the pots revealing the torches. The already scared Midianites began wildly swinging their swords killing their own soldiers. Then the Midianites fled and the Israelites pursued them and killed their kings.
Reflection
Do you see a pattern in your life of doing evil, suffering consequences, then returning to God? Do you question why God allows bad things to happen to you? What battles has God fought for you?
For Further Study
Signs: Genesis 1:14, Genesis 9:13, Psalm 86:17, Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 12:38-39, Acts 2:43, 1Corinthians 1:22-24, 2Thessalonians 2:8-10
Again, the Israelites acted evil and God gave them into the hands of Midian. The Midianites oppressed the Israelites so much that the Israelites hid in caves in the hills. Israel finally cried out to God and he brought them a prophet who reminded the people that they had not obeyed Him. The angel of the Lord then visited a man named Gideon. Gideon questioned why God would allow all these terrible things to happen, where were the miracles that God had shown his forefathers. The Lords answer was that He was sending Gideon.
Gideon requested a sign, and the Lord brought fire from a rock to consume Gideon’s offering as a sign. That same night the Lord told Gideon to destroy the cities altar to Baal and their Asherah pole. Gideon did so and built a new altar and offered a sacrifice to God using the wood from the Asherah. The men of the city were not happy with this, but Gideon’s dad told them if Baal was a real god, let him contend with Gideon concerning his altar.
Following this Gideon called the men of Manasseh, Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali to join together to fight Midian. To be sure that God was with them Gideon asked for more signs and God provided them.
An Overview of Chapter 7
The Lord told Gideon that there were too many warriors to fight Midian, that they people would be boastful and think they had done it without God’s help. First Gideon sent away 22,000 men who were afraid, leaving only 10,000. That was still too many and God narrowed the number down to 300 warriors to fight Midian.
Knowing that Gideon was afraid the Lord allowed him to see that the Midianites were afraid of the Israelites led by Gideon. The Lord’s battle plan was simple but strange. The Israelites were to take torches and cover them with pots. They were to carry trumpets instead of swords. When they got to the Midianite camp they blew the trumpets and broke the pots revealing the torches. The already scared Midianites began wildly swinging their swords killing their own soldiers. Then the Midianites fled and the Israelites pursued them and killed their kings.
Reflection
Do you see a pattern in your life of doing evil, suffering consequences, then returning to God? Do you question why God allows bad things to happen to you? What battles has God fought for you?
For Further Study
Signs: Genesis 1:14, Genesis 9:13, Psalm 86:17, Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 12:38-39, Acts 2:43, 1Corinthians 1:22-24, 2Thessalonians 2:8-10
posted by Shaun Sells | 12:02 AM
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