After Joshua, one of the key leaders of the Israelites, died, God began to raise up judges to help lead the Israelites and defeat the enemies of Israel. Now, this period where judges ruled the Israelite people lasted over 300 years. During this time, a cycle kept repeating among the Israelite people: the Israelites forgot about God, God disciplined them by sending enemies to attack them, the Israelites would turn back to God, and a judge would gather an army to help defeat their enemies. This cycle repeated over and over again. We can read about the different judges whom God appointed throughout the Old Testament.
One of the judges whom God raised up was Gideon. Judges 6 tells us that “the Israelites did evil in the Lord’s sight. So the Lord handed them over to the Midianites for seven years" (verse 1). This was the beginning of the cycle that the Israelites found themselves in when they forgot God. These Midianites were no ordinary enemy. They were downright cruel. In fact, Scripture tells us that they were "so cruel that the Israelites made hiding places for themselves in the mountains, caves, and strongholds" (verse 2). The Israelites were so terrified of the Midianites that they hid from them however they could. Whenever the Israelites "planted their crops," which was critical for survival for the Israelites, the Midianites and other enemies would come attack and destroy their crops, leaving the people of Israel with "nothing to eat" (verses 3-4). As a result, the Israelites were "reduced to starvation" (verse 6). Finally, they called out to God to help them (verse 5).
When the Israelites called out to God, He heard them and called Gideon to help defeat the Midianites. Gideon may have wondered how God could use him to defeat the powerful enemies of Israel, the Midianites, but He ultimately trusted God to use him (Judges 6). Judges 7 recounts the remarkable defeat of the Midianites through Gideon and his army. When Gideon gathered an army to help defeat the Midianites, God told him that his army was too big. It was not until Gideon reduced his army to 300 men that God approved of the size of the army (verse 7). Remarkably, God used this small, 300-man army to defeat the Midianites. He reduced the size of Gideon's army so that all of the Israelites would know that they had not defeated the Midianites on their own strength (verse 2). He wanted them to know that He had given them the victory. Indeed, He had.
The Israelites could have avoided the years of agony that the Midianites had brought on them if they had just kept their eyes on God and not forgotten Him. After all, the reason that God sent the Midianites was because the Israelites forgot Him. They lived for themselves. As a result, God disciplined them by sending the Midianites. God disciplines those He loves. We cannot get away with sin in our lives. God will discipline us, but that is because He loves and cares for us. He is also quick to show grace and offer forgiveness when we turn to Him.
It is time to take our sins seriously, knowing that God will discipline His children like any good father. Look up Hebrews 12:5 and memorize it. Let this verse remind you to take your sin seriously. Let it also remind you of your loving Heavenly Father, who is quick to offer grace and forgiveness when you turn to Him.
1So Jerub-baal (that is, Gideon) and his army got up early and went as far as the spring of Harod. The armies of Midian were camped north of them in the valley near the hill of Moreh. 2 The Lord said to Gideon, “You have too many warriors with you. If I let all of you fight the Midianites, the Israelites will boast to me that they saved themselves by their own strength. 3 Therefore, tell the people, ‘Whoever is timid or afraid may leave this mountain and go home.’” So 22,000 of them went home, leaving only 10,000 who were willing to fight.
4 But the Lord told Gideon, “There are still too many! Bring them down to the spring, and I will test them to determine who will go with you and who will not.” 5 When Gideon took his warriors down to the water, the Lord told him, “Divide the men into two groups. In one group put all those who cup water in their hands and lap it up with their tongues like dogs. In the other group put all those who kneel down and drink with their mouths in the stream.” 6 Only 300 of the men drank from their hands. All the others got down on their knees and drank with their mouths in the stream.
7 The Lord told Gideon, “With these 300 men I will rescue you and give you victory over the Midianites. Send all the others home.” 8 So Gideon collected the provisions and rams’ horns of the other warriors and sent them home. But he kept the 300 men with him.
The Midianite camp was in the valley just below Gideon. 9 That night the Lord said, “Get up! Go down into the Midianite camp, for I have given you victory over them! 10 But if you are afraid to attack, go down to the camp with your servant Purah. 11 Listen to what the Midianites are saying, and you will be greatly encouraged. Then you will be eager to attack.”
So Gideon took Purah and went down to the edge of the enemy camp. 12 The armies of Midian, Amalek, and the people of the east had settled in the valley like a swarm of locusts. Their camels were like grains of sand on the seashore—too many to count! 13 Gideon crept up just as a man was telling his companion about a dream. The man said, “I had this dream, and in my dream a loaf of barley bread came tumbling down into the Midianite camp. It hit a tent, turned it over, and knocked it flat!”
14 His companion answered, “Your dream can mean only one thing—God has given Gideon son of Joash, the Israelite, victory over Midian and all its allies!”
15 When Gideon heard the dream and its interpretation, he bowed in worship before the Lord. Then he returned to the Israelite camp and shouted, “Get up! For the Lord has given you victory over the Midianite hordes!” 16 He divided the 300 men into three groups and gave each man a ram’s horn and a clay jar with a torch in it.
17 Then he said to them, “Keep your eyes on me. When I come to the edge of the camp, do just as I do. 18 As soon as I and those with me blow the rams’ horns, blow your horns, too, all around the entire camp, and shout, ‘For the Lord and for Gideon!’”
19 It was just after midnight, after the changing of the guard, when Gideon and the 100 men with him reached the edge of the Midianite camp. Suddenly, they blew the rams’ horns and broke their clay jars. 20 Then all three groups blew their horns and broke their jars. They held the blazing torches in their left hands and the horns in their right hands, and they all shouted, “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!”
21 Each man stood at his position around the camp and watched as all the Midianites rushed around in a panic, shouting as they ran to escape. 22 When the 300 Israelites blew their rams’ horns, the Lord caused the warriors in the camp to fight against each other with their swords. Those who were not killed fled to places as far away as Beth-shittah near Zererah and to the border of Abel-meholah near Tabbath.
23 Then Gideon sent for the warriors of Naphtali, Asher, and Manasseh, who joined in chasing the army of Midian. 24 Gideon also sent messengers throughout the hill country of Ephraim, saying, “Come down to attack the Midianites. Cut them off at the shallow crossings of the Jordan River at Beth-barah.”
So all the men of Ephraim did as they were told. 25 They captured Oreb and Zeeb, the two Midianite commanders, killing Oreb at the rock of Oreb, and Zeeb at the winepress of Zeeb. And they continued to chase the Midianites. Afterward the Israelites brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon, who was by the Jordan River.
