Gideon: A Deliverer For The People
Judges 6:1-14
Again this week we are taking a look at our Sunday School lesson as it deals with the nation of Israel and their leaders who God chose to lead them.
In last week’s lesson, Joshua was the successor to Moses and Israel was willing to obey God and all that He commanded Joshua. They pledged to obey God and follow Joshua and they did. This week’s lesson fast forward to some forty years later after the death of Joshua and there were judges who ruled Israel. Judges ruled Israel from the “time of Joshua death and ended with the coronation of Saul” (Sunday School Commentary). Gideon was not the first judge to rule Israel during the time of the Judges, he was the sixth. Also, he is considered a military hero and a spiritual leader who delivered Israel from the hands of the Midinaites and Amalekites as these nations oppressed and plundered Israel’s crops for seven years. Things were to the point that the Israelites were forced to hide themselves and their farm products in caves and in mountain clefs during harvest times because the Midinaites and Amalekites would descend on the Israelites like vultures and take what they had, this left the Israelites improveshed. After seven years of these repeated actions, Israel realized they needed help and turned to the Lord in prayer.
What caused Israel to reap such punishment? Israel had turned from God and began to worship idol gods—Baal. This was totally against the Will of God; when Israel served the Lord they prospered and when they disobey God they were oppressed at the hands of the Midinaites and Amalekites. Another thought here is that when God’s people replace Him with their gods as this goes against the first commandment of “Thy shall have no other god before me”; when God is first in the lives of His people blessing flow. Spiritual wickedness and disobedience resulted in Israel being oppressed at the hands of wicked nations. One can make a compelling argument that many Christians today often make the same mistake. Take a comparative look at our current economic situation and compare it to our forefathers who totally trusted God and reflect on the history of Israel and see if we are seeing ourselves in a mirror. Israel serves as lessons on how we as modern day believers are to serve God continually as oppose to when trouble rises.
Thank God for His mercy and when His people call out to Him He answers our prayers. God and His mercy refuse to allow His people to remain in a destitute situation. God raises leaders to lead His people back to Him. In this instance, God called Gideon while he was threshing wheat in a winepress. This is a testimony to God that He calls whomever, whenever and however as a deliverer. Also, God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things as He did with Gideon. Gideon became a mighty warrior because the Lord was with him and Gideon operated in God’s strength. Another noteworthy thought here is that God know our abilities better than we do.
The lessons learned from this study are:
1. Christians/believers should pray constantly and not wait for trials and tribulations to come upon us before we call on the Lord.
2. Obedience to God represents our love for God as we are to love Him with our total being—whole heart.
3. God hears and answers the prayers of the righteous.
4. God’s people will be punished for their disobediences and will be blessed for their obedience.
5. God will not allow oppressors to annihilate His people (believers).
6. God always has a chosen leader who is capable to lead His people back to Him during difficult times.
7. God provides the necessary strength and courage for His leaders.
8. When called by God step out in faith because God is with you and knows you capabilities.
9. Spiritual leaders never operate in their own strength—its God the Holy Spirit operating in you.
10. Don’t allow sin to operate in your community because after a while it becomes common place. If you give sin/Satan a ride he will want to drive---meaning sin will take over.
God will deliver His people if they call on Him in sincere prayer and with a repentant heart.
Author’s contact:
wwhite@goodshpeherdwritingandpublishing.com white3285@sbcglobal.net
www.goodspeherdwritingandpublishing.com, http://willie-writing.blogspot.com
Again this week we are taking a look at our Sunday School lesson as it deals with the nation of Israel and their leaders who God chose to lead them.
In last week’s lesson, Joshua was the successor to Moses and Israel was willing to obey God and all that He commanded Joshua. They pledged to obey God and follow Joshua and they did. This week’s lesson fast forward to some forty years later after the death of Joshua and there were judges who ruled Israel. Judges ruled Israel from the “time of Joshua death and ended with the coronation of Saul” (Sunday School Commentary). Gideon was not the first judge to rule Israel during the time of the Judges, he was the sixth. Also, he is considered a military hero and a spiritual leader who delivered Israel from the hands of the Midinaites and Amalekites as these nations oppressed and plundered Israel’s crops for seven years. Things were to the point that the Israelites were forced to hide themselves and their farm products in caves and in mountain clefs during harvest times because the Midinaites and Amalekites would descend on the Israelites like vultures and take what they had, this left the Israelites improveshed. After seven years of these repeated actions, Israel realized they needed help and turned to the Lord in prayer.
What caused Israel to reap such punishment? Israel had turned from God and began to worship idol gods—Baal. This was totally against the Will of God; when Israel served the Lord they prospered and when they disobey God they were oppressed at the hands of the Midinaites and Amalekites. Another thought here is that when God’s people replace Him with their gods as this goes against the first commandment of “Thy shall have no other god before me”; when God is first in the lives of His people blessing flow. Spiritual wickedness and disobedience resulted in Israel being oppressed at the hands of wicked nations. One can make a compelling argument that many Christians today often make the same mistake. Take a comparative look at our current economic situation and compare it to our forefathers who totally trusted God and reflect on the history of Israel and see if we are seeing ourselves in a mirror. Israel serves as lessons on how we as modern day believers are to serve God continually as oppose to when trouble rises.
Thank God for His mercy and when His people call out to Him He answers our prayers. God and His mercy refuse to allow His people to remain in a destitute situation. God raises leaders to lead His people back to Him. In this instance, God called Gideon while he was threshing wheat in a winepress. This is a testimony to God that He calls whomever, whenever and however as a deliverer. Also, God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things as He did with Gideon. Gideon became a mighty warrior because the Lord was with him and Gideon operated in God’s strength. Another noteworthy thought here is that God know our abilities better than we do.
The lessons learned from this study are:
1. Christians/believers should pray constantly and not wait for trials and tribulations to come upon us before we call on the Lord.
2. Obedience to God represents our love for God as we are to love Him with our total being—whole heart.
3. God hears and answers the prayers of the righteous.
4. God’s people will be punished for their disobediences and will be blessed for their obedience.
5. God will not allow oppressors to annihilate His people (believers).
6. God always has a chosen leader who is capable to lead His people back to Him during difficult times.
7. God provides the necessary strength and courage for His leaders.
8. When called by God step out in faith because God is with you and knows you capabilities.
9. Spiritual leaders never operate in their own strength—its God the Holy Spirit operating in you.
10. Don’t allow sin to operate in your community because after a while it becomes common place. If you give sin/Satan a ride he will want to drive---meaning sin will take over.
God will deliver His people if they call on Him in sincere prayer and with a repentant heart.
Author’s contact:
wwhite@goodshpeherdwritingandpublishing.com white3285@sbcglobal.net
www.goodspeherdwritingandpublishing.com, http://willie-writing.blogspot.com
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