Samson’s Ungodly Attitude

When Samson’s father realized they had seen an angel, he panicked, convinced they were going to die.  His wife realized it would make no sense for God to have revealed himself to them if he was going to kill them, as Judges 13:23 tells us.  “But his wife said unto him, If the LORD were pleased to kill us, he would not have received a burnt offering and a meat offering at our hands, neither would he have showed us all these things, nor would as at this time have told us such things as these.”   God will never ask us to do something unless he intends to make it possible.  God fulfilled his promise, as we see in Judges 13:24.  “And the woman bare a son, and called his name Samson: and the child grew, and the LORD blessed him.  

As Samson grew, the Lord began to direct him to deliver Israel.  Judges 13:25-14:4 describes one such instance.  “And the spirit of the LORD began to move him at times in the camp of Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol.  And Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines.  And he came up, and told his father and his mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines: now therefore get her for me to wife.

Then his father and his mother said unto him, Is there never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines?

And Samson said unto his father, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well.  But his father and his mother knew not that it was of the LORD, that he sought an occasion against the Philistines: for at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel.” 

Samson’s father and mother were concerned because God had forbidden the Israelites to marry people who didn’t serve God because of the temptation to follow their gods.  Although he had been called to be a Nazarite before he was born, Samson was a very selfish person and didn’t care much about God’s wishes, preferring to hang around the Philistines since they were in power.    Since he wouldn’t fight the Philistines for God’s sake, God would use his attitude to make him mad at them. 

Unable to change his mind, his parents went to Timnath to plan the wedding, in Judges 14:5-7.  “Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath, and came to the vineyards of Timnath: and, behold, a young lion roared against him.  And the spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done.  And he went down, and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson well.”  God sent a young lion to warn him of the danger, but empowered by the Spirit of God, Samson ripped him apart as if he had been just a newborn lamb.  The warning made no impression on him, and they continued with the arrangements.

A short time later, Samson went down for the wedding. in judges 14:8-9.  “And after a time he returned to take her, and he turned aside to see the carcase of the lion: and, behold, there was a swarm of bees and honey in the carcase of the lion.  And he took thereof in his hands, and went on eating, and came to his father and mother, and he gave them, and they did eat: but he told not them that he had taken the honey out of the carcase of the lion.”  One of the requirements of a Nazarite was that they were not to touch a dead body or eat anything that had been contaminated by contact with one.  Seeing a hive of bees in the lion’s body, Samson opened the carcase and took some of the honey, violating his vow.  He gave his parents some of the honey, causing them to unknowingly violate the Jewish dietary laws and placing their health at risk.    This selfish disregard for God and his law would characterize Samson’s entire life.   

The Glory All Belongs To God

In Jephthah’s day, the Ammonite occupation affected the Israelites on the east side of Jordan, the Trans-Jordanian tribes far more than those on the west side, and the Philistine attacks were only minor annoyances.  As a result, Jephthah’s victory didn’t impact most of Israel very much, and they didn’t turn wholeheartedly to the Lord.  While Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon were able to keep them from turning away completely, they were not able to get them to commit fully either.  About twenty five years after Jephthah’s death, Israel turned completely away from the Lord, as Judges 13:1 tells us.  “And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD delivered them into the hand of the Philistines forty years.”

Having grown used to the Philistine depredations and not walking close to the Lord, the Israelites put up with Philistine domination for forty years.  Finally, God sent a special person to free them.   Just as he had done with Isaac, and would later do with John the Baptist and Jesus, God sent an angel to tell his parents he was to be born, in Judges 13:2-5.  “And there was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren, and bare not.  And the angel of the LORD appeared unto the woman, and said unto her, Behold now, thou art barren, and bearest not: but thou shalt conceive, and bear a son.  Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink not wine nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean thing: For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no razor shall come on his head: for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb: and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.” 

This child, Samson, was to be a Nazarite from birth.  Numbers 6:2-describes the requirements for a Nazarite.  “Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When either man or woman shall separate themselves to vow a vow of a Nazarite, to separate themselves unto the LORD: He shall separate himself from wine and strong drink, and shall drink no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of strong drink, neither shall he drink any liquor of grapes, nor eat moist grapes, or dried.  All the days of his separation shall he eat nothing that is made of the vine tree, from the kernels even to the husk.  All the days of the vow of his separation there shall no razor come upon his head: until the days be fulfilled, in the which he separateth himself unto the LORD, he shall be holy, and shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow.  All the days that he separateth himself unto the LORD he shall come at no dead body.  He shall not make himself unclean for his father, or for his mother, for his brother, or for his sister, when they die: because the consecration of his God is upon his head.  All the days of his separation he is holy unto the LORD.”  

As a sign of his complete submission to God, there were several things the Nazarite was required to do.  He was to allow his hair to grow naturally without trimming it during the period of his vow.  During the period of his vow, he was not to drink any fermented beverage, or eat or drink anything from the grape vine, nor was he to touch any dead body.  He was forbidden to follow the customary rituals of mourning for a loved one who died, but to stay focused on his consecration to God.  He was to maintain all of the moral standards of the law because he was holy unto the Lord.  Any alcohol or drugs the mother consumes are absorbed into the baby’s blood stream as well, so Samson’s mother was forbidden to drink fermented beverages during her pregnancy.      

When Samson’s mother told his father what the angel had said, he prayed and asked the Lord to send the angel to come and explain exactly how they were to raise such a child.   When the angel came, he repeated what he had told the woman, in Judges 13:13-14.  “And the angel of the LORD said unto Manoah, Of all that I said unto the woman let her beware.  She may not eat of any thing that cometh of the vine, neither let her drink wine or strong drink, nor eat any unclean thing: all that I commanded her let her observe.”

When Manoah offered him some food, the angel refuse to eat it insisting that only god was to be worshipped, even refusing to let them know his name, in Judges 13:15-18.  “And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD, I pray thee, let us detain thee, until we shall have made ready a kid for thee.

And the angel of the LORD said unto Manoah, Though thou detain me, I will not eat of thy bread: and if thou wilt offer a burnt offering, thou must offer it unto the LORD. For Manoah knew not that he was an angel of the LORD.

And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD, What is thy name, that when thy sayings come to pass we may do thee honour?

And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is secret?”

Even the Holy Spirit directs our attention to God and Christ, rather than himself, according to John 16:13-14.  “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come.  He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you.”  Any angel or preacher who focus attention on themselves or something else is not of God.   Colossians 2:18-19 warns, “Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.”

Any thing that is accomplished here on earth is the result of God enabling the person to do it.  As a result, II Corinthians 10:17-18 commands, “But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.  For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.”

Preventing Conflict

Gideon had just driven the Ammonites out of Israel.  As frequently happens, there were a group of people who were not satisfied, as Judges 12:1 describes.  “And the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and went northward, and said unto Jephthah, Wherefore passedst thou over to fight against the children of Ammon, and didst not call us to go with thee? we will burn thine house upon thee with fire.”  They were threatening to burn Jephthah and his house for not letting them take part in the battle. 

The entire nation had been suffering the depredations of the Ammonites, with the Gileadites suffering the most because they were closest to Ammon and on the same side of Jordan.  Since they were less affected by the Ammonite attacks, some of the other tribes did not feel the same urgency to deal with the problem, as we see in Judges 12:3-4.  “And Jephthah said unto them, I and my people were at great strife with the children of Ammon; and when I called you, ye delivered me not out of their hands.  And when I saw that ye delivered me not, I put my life in my hands, and passed over against the children of Ammon, and the LORD delivered them into my hand: wherefore then are ye come up unto me this day, to fight against me?” 

Frustrated by their failure to act, and desperate for relief, Jephthah and the Gileadites had acted on their own, at the risk of their own lives.  The rest of the tribes would benefit greatly from their actions but instead of appreciating it, they were mad about it.   When the Ephraimites crossed the Jordan to attack the Gileadites, claiming they were not really part of Israel at all, it was just too much, as Judges 12:4-6 tells us.  “Then Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead, and fought with Ephraim: and the men of Gilead smote Ephraim, because they said, Ye Gileadites are fugitives of Ephraim among the Ephraimites, and among the Manassites.   And the Gileadites took the passages of Jordan before the Ephraimites: and it was so that when those Ephraimites which were escaped said, Let me go over; that the men of Gilead said unto him, Art thou an Ephraimite? If he said, Nay; Then said they unto him, Say now Shibboleth: and he said Sibboleth: for he could not frame to pronounce it right. Then they took him, and slew him at the passages of Jordan: and there fell at that time of the Ephraimites forty and two thousand.” 

Some people are not as aware of problems in a country or church as others, and the bigger the organization the greater the differences.  Those differences in perception can become sources of serious conflict, as we see in difference between the attitudes of the common people who deal with the crime, drugs, diseases, and job competition resulting from an open border, and the wealthy political and academic figures who live in gated communities far from the border and benefit from the job competition by hiring illegals for lower wages.  The same kinds of things happen in churches, with different groups losing contact with what other groups are dealing with.   Wealthy pastors or church members often lose sight of what the poorer members are struggling with, for example, and begin making demands and setting standards that create hardships or drive away those who are less fortunate.     

Paul addressed this issue in Galatians 5:13-16.  “For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.  For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.  But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.  This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.”  As he says, we are to love one another, and that requires developing a personal relationship so that we understand each other.  Godly love requires accepting people as they really are, rather than what we imagine them to be.    While we have a great deal of freedom as Christians, we also have a responsibility to consider the needs and feelings of others. 

When we begin to attack others who want or need something different we can seriously harm the relationships between us, sometimes even destroying the nation or church.  Ephraim’s attacks on the Gileadites resulted in the deaths of forty two thousand people.  As Paul pointed out in I Corinthians 3:3, conflict always indicates an unspiritual state.  “For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?”  When we are walking in the Spirit, we will not be focused on our pride and selfish desires, but will be considerate of others, as Philippians 2:3 commands.  “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.”

Making Promises To God

The Ammonites were determined to destroy Israel, and their claims had been just an excuse.  They ignored Jephthah’s overtures for peace, and attacked.  Judges 11:29-31 describes Jephthah’s response.  “Then the spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah, and he passed over Gilead, and Manasseh, and passed over Mizpeh of Gilead, and from Mizpeh of Gilead he passed over unto the children of Ammon.  And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands, Then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, shall surely be the LORD'S, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering.”

In the excitement of the moment and hoping to secure God’s blessing, Jephthah promised to sacrifice whatever came out of his house to meet him when he returned if they were successful.  Judges 11:32-33 describes the victory.  “So Jephthah passed over unto the children of Ammon to fight against them; and the LORD delivered them into his hands.  And he smote them from Aroer, even till thou come to Minnith, even twenty cities, and unto the plain of the vineyards, with a very great slaughter. Thus the children of Ammon were subdued before the children of Israel.”

When Jephthah returned home, he was horrified by what his vow was going to cost, as Judges 11:34-35 tells us.  “And Jephthah came to Mizpeh unto his house, and, behold, his daughter came out to meet him with timbrels and with dances: and she was his only child; beside her he had neither son nor daughter.  And it came to pass, when he saw her, that he rent his clothes, and said, Alas, my daughter! thou hast brought me very low, and thou art one of them that trouble me: for I have opened my mouth unto the LORD, and I cannot go back.”

Jephthah had made the vow with no thought of what it might entail.   God was already committed to giving the victory and there was no need to bribe him to help them.   The vow indicates an underlying doubt that God would keep his promise, and as Romans 14:23 tells us, “…whatsoever is not of faith is sin.”  Jephthah regretted having made such a commitment, but realized he was obligated to keep it.  Ecclesiastes 5:4-6 warns, “When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.  Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.  Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands?”  Once he had made the promise he dared not break it even though he had made it rashly. 

Jephthah’s daughter understood, and encouraged him to fulfil the vow, just asking for two months to mourn the things she would never get to experience before she was sacrificed, in Judges 11:36-40.  “And she said unto him, My father, if thou hast opened thy mouth unto the LORD, do to me according to that which hath proceeded out of thy mouth; forasmuch as the LORD hath taken vengeance for thee of thine enemies, even of the children of Ammon.  And she said unto her father, Let this thing be done for me: let me alone two months, that I may go up and down upon the mountains, and bewail my virginity, I and my fellows.

And he said, Go. And he sent her away for two months: and she went with her companions, and bewailed her virginity upon the mountains.  And it came to pass at the end of two months, that she returned unto her father, who did with her according to his vow which he had vowed: and she knew no man. And it was a custom in Israel, That the daughters of Israel went yearly to lament the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite four days in a year.”

Facing the death of a loved one, or during an emotionally charged religious service it is easy to make commitments to God that he did not want.  The only time God asked a person to sacrifice a child was when he asked Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, and even then he prevented him from carrying it out, and he had not wanted Jephthah to sacrifice his daughter.  Many times in emotionally charged situations, people commit to things God does not want, but once they have made the commitment, as Ecclesiastes 5:5 says, saying I made a mistake doesn’t let us off the hook.  I wonder how many people are going to be judged for not having fulfilled the promises they made to perform a certain ministry during some emotionally charged revival or youth rally, or how many pastors will be judged for having encouraged such promises when God was not calling the person to such a ministry?  It is always better not to make a promise than to break one, and especially a promise to God.

Don’t Get Stuck In The Past

The Ammonites had invaded Israel from the east, eventually crossing the Jordan taking over most of Israel.  The Philistines took advantage of the situation to attack from the west.  After eighteen years, the Israelites on the east side, in the land of Gilead chose Jephthah to lead a rebellion.  Jephthah first tried to resolve the problems peaceably, as described in Judges 11:12.  “And Jephthah sent messengers unto the king of the children of Ammon, saying, What hast thou to do with me, that thou art come against me to fight in my land?”

The Ammonites claimed Israel had taken all the land on east of the Jordan from them and demanded they give it back, in Judges 11:13.  “And the king of the children of Ammon answered unto the messengers of Jephthah, Because Israel took away my land, when they came up out of Egypt, from Arnon even unto Jabbok, and unto Jordan: now therefore restore those lands again peaceably.”

Jephthah pointed out that Israel had gone out of their way to avoid conflict with the various tribes who occupied the land east of the Jordan, in Judges 11:15-19.  “And said unto him, Thus saith Jephthah, Israel took not away the land of Moab, nor the land of the children of Ammon: But when Israel came up from Egypt, and walked through the wilderness unto the Red sea, and came to Kadesh; Then Israel sent messengers unto the king of Edom, saying, Let me, I pray thee, pass through thy land: but the king of Edom would not hearken thereto. And in like manner they sent unto the king of Moab: but he would not consent: and Israel abode in Kadesh.

Then they went along through the wilderness, and compassed the land of Edom, and the land of Moab, and came by the east side of the land of Moab, and pitched on the other side of Arnon, but came not within the border of Moab: for Arnon was the border of Moab.  And Israel sent messengers unto Sihon king of the Amorites, the king of Heshbon; and Israel said unto him, Let us pass, we pray thee, through thy land into my place.”

Rather than allowing Israel to pass by as the requested, the Amorites attacked them and were defeated, as Jephthah explained in In Judges 11:20-22.  “But Sihon trusted not Israel to pass through his coast: but Sihon gathered all his people together, and pitched in Jahaz, and fought against Israel.  And the LORD God of Israel delivered Sihon and all his people into the hand of Israel, and they smote them: so Israel possessed all the land of the Amorites, the inhabitants of that country.  And they possessed all the coasts of the Amorites, from Arnon even unto Jabbok, and from the wilderness even unto Jordan.”  Israel had not taken the land from the Ammonites but from the Amorites.   The Ammonites had no rightful claim on the land. 

In similar situations, the Ammonites had taken the land of those they defeated, claiming their god had given it to them, and Israel was claiming the same right, as he explains in Judges 11:23-24.  “So now the LORD God of Israel hath dispossessed the Amorites from before his people Israel, and shouldest thou possess it?  Wilt not thou possess that which Chemosh thy god giveth thee to possess? So whomsoever the LORD our God shall drive out from before us, them will we possess.”

 Their demands for Israel to give them the land were unfounded, and hypocritical.  Other people had just as much right to claim that land as the Ammonites, and for three hundred years all of them had accepted Israel’s claim, as Judges 11:25-27 explains.  “And now art thou any thing better than Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab? did he ever strive against Israel, or did he ever fight against them, While Israel dwelt in Heshbon and her towns, and in Aroer and her towns, and in all the cities that be along by the coasts of Arnon, three hundred years? why therefore did ye not recover them within that time? Wherefore I have not sinned against thee, but thou doest me wrong to war against me: the LORD the Judge be judge this day between the children of Israel and the children of Ammon.”  After three hundred years, all of the people who might have had a legitimate claim were dead.  There was no way to make thing right with them. 

It is impossible to correct the wrongs of the past once the original victims and perpetrators have died.   Constantly trying to right the wrongs of past generations perpetuate resentments and keep both sides from being able to move forward.  For example, slavery in the United States has been illegal for over a hundred fifty years.  All of the former slaves and slave owners have long since died, making it impossible to make things right for either side.  Unfortunately, the focus on trying to correct that has perpetuated racism and resentment, convincing many blacks they have no chance of success, and burdening whites with a sense of guilt for things they had no control over.   Con artists and corrupt politicians play on those feelings to enrich themselves.    It is amazing how rich people like Al Sharpton, Michael Moore, and others have gotten while the people they purport to be helping get steadily poorer.    

Don’t allow yourself to be caught in that trap.  We can’t change the past, so don’t waste time and energy trying.  Acknowledge there were problems and move on from where you are, as Paul said in Philippians 3:13-14.  “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

God Delays An Answer

After Abimelech’s death, God sent two judges, who led Israel to follow god for another forty five years, but after the second one died Israel turned away from God again, beginning to worship other gods, in judges 10:6.  “And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim, and Ashtaroth, and the gods of Syria, and the gods of Zidon, and the gods of Moab, and the gods of the children of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines, and forsook the LORD, and served not him.”

Frustrated with their disobedience, God allowed the Ammonites and Philistines to invade their land.  Initially the invasion was on the east side of the Jordan, but later they invaded the west side as well, occupying the land for the next eighteen years, according to Judges 10:7-9.  “And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hands of the Philistines, and into the hands of the children of Ammon.  And that year they vexed and oppressed the children of Israel: eighteen years, all the children of Israel that were on the other side Jordan in the land of the Amorites, which is in Gilead.  Moreover the children of Ammon passed over Jordan to fight also against Judah, and against Benjamin, and against the house of Ephraim; so that Israel was sore distressed.”

Finally, things got so bad the people cried out to God, admitting they had sinned and asking for help, in Judges 10:10.  “And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, saying, We have sinned against thee, both because we have forsaken our God, and also served Baalim.” 

Having delivered them so many times before, God decided to let them experience the consequences of their behavior for a while longer and refused to bail them out right away, according to Judges 10:11-14.  “And the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Did not I deliver you from the Egyptians, and from the Amorites, from the children of Ammon, and from the Philistines?  The Zidonians also, and the Amalekites, and the Maonites, did oppress you; and ye cried to me, and I delivered you out of their hand.  Yet ye have forsaken me, and served other gods: wherefore I will deliver you no more.  Go and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation.”  Obviously they preferred those other gods to God, so they should just pray to them for help. 

Many times, when people come to us for help, they just want us to bail them out, but have no intention to make real changes in their life.  Until they make an effort to correct their sin, we are wasting our time trying to help them, because they will just go back and do it again.  When they sincerely want to get their life right, they will be willing to take action.  Israel finally made such a commitment, in Judges 10:15-16.  “And the children of Israel said unto the LORD, We have sinned: do thou unto us whatsoever seemeth good unto thee; deliver us only, we pray thee, this day.  And they put away the strange gods from among them, and served the LORD: and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel.  ”

God knows our heart.  Sometimes he doesn’t answer our prayers until we actually commit ourselves to obeying him, even when what we are praying for is something good.    I he gave us what we asked without that commitment, it is probable we will not follow through and obey him, regardless ho much we promised to do so, and God knows this. 

Choosing A Wicked Leader

Gideon had a powerful impact on Israel.  For forty years, during his life they were at peace.  Unfortunately the next generation did not understand or appreciate what he had done, as Judges 8:33-35 tells us.  “And it came to pass, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the children of Israel turned again, and went a whoring after Baalim, and made Baalberith their god.  And the children of Israel remembered not the LORD their God, who had delivered them out of the hands of all their enemies on every side: Neither showed they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal, namely, Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had showed unto Israel.”  As soon as Gideon died, the younger generation turned away from God again, and began worshipping idols. 

Gideon had refused to accept the throne and had insisted that his sons would not be kings.  Most of his seventy sons were willing to accept their father’s decision, but he had one son with a common law wife who wanted to become king, according to Judges 9:1-6.  “And Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem unto his mother's brethren, and communed with them, and with all the family of the house of his mother's father, saying, Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the men of Shechem, Whether is better for you, either that all the sons of Jerubbaal, which are threescore and ten persons, reign over you, or that one reign over you? remember also that I am your bone and your flesh.

And his mother's brethren spake of him in the ears of all the men of Shechem all these words: and their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech; for they said, He is our brother.  And they gave him threescore and ten pieces of silver out of the house of Baalberith, wherewith Abimelech hired vain and light persons, which followed him.  And he went unto his father's house at Ophrah, and slew his brethren the sons of Jerubbaal, being threescore and ten persons, upon one stone: notwithstanding yet Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left; for he hid himself.  And all the men of Shechem gathered together, and all the house of Millo, and went, and made Abimelech king, by the plain of the pillar that was in Shechem.”

Like many modern politicians, Abimelech got some of his relatives to raise money to attack potential competitors, and campaign for him.  He hired people with no other responsibilities or commitments to travel with him to give the impression he had a lot of supporters, even stooping to have his brothers murdered to eliminate any possible competition.  Like most people who crave power, he was willing to do whatever it took to get it.   The strategy worked and he was made king over two of the more powerful cities in Israel.

Based on ambition and greed, the alliance did not last long as we see in Judges 9:22-24.  “When Abimelech had reigned three years over Israel, Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech: That the cruelty done to the threescore and ten sons of Jerubbaal might come, and their blood be laid upon Abimelech their brother, which slew them; and upon the men of Shechem, which aided him in the killing of his brethren.” 

God would use the ambition and greed that had led to Abimelech’s being anointed King to destroy his kingdom and avenge the murder of Gideon’s sons.  Some of Abimelech’s strongest supporters rebelled against him and chose another leader, in Judges 9:25-29.  “And the men of Shechem set liers in wait for him in the top of the mountains, and they robbed all that came along that way by them: and it was told Abimelech.  And Gaal the son of Ebed came with his brethren, and went over to Shechem: and the men of Shechem put their confidence in him.  And they went out into the fields, and gathered their vineyards, and trode the grapes, and made merry, and went into the house of their god, and did eat and drink, and cursed Abimelech.  And Gaal the son of Ebed said, Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? is not he the son of Jerubbaal? and Zebul his officer? serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem: for why should we serve him?  And would to God this people were under my hand! then would I remove Abimelech. And he said to Abimelech, Increase thine army, and come out.”

Some of the people still supported Abimelech, which led to a fight.   Abimelech wiped out the rebels, but in the process, he was killed as we see in Judges 9:45-54.  “And Abimelech fought against the city all that day; and he took the city, and slew the people that was therein, and beat down the city, and sowed it with salt.  And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard that, they entered into an hold of the house of the god Berith.  And it was told Abimelech, that all the men of the tower of Shechem were gathered together.  And Abimelech gat him up to mount Zalmon, he and all the people that were with him; and Abimelech took an ax in his hand, and cut down a bough from the trees, and took it, and laid it on his shoulder, and said unto the people that were with him, What ye have seen me do, make haste, and do as I have done.  And all the people likewise cut down every man his bough, and followed Abimelech, and put them to the hold, and set the hold on fire upon them; so that all the men of the tower of Shechem died also, about a thousand men and women.

Then went Abimelech to Thebez, and encamped against Thebez, and took it.  But there was a strong tower within the city, and thither fled all the men and women, and all they of the city, and shut it to them, and gat them up to the top of the tower.  And Abimelech came unto the tower, and fought against it, and went hard unto the door of the tower to burn it with fire.  And a certain woman cast a piece of a millstone upon Abimelech's head, and all to brake his skull.  Then he called hastily unto the young man his armourbearer, and said unto him, Draw thy sword, and slay me, that men say not of me, A woman slew him. And his young man thrust him through, and he died.”

While they may appear to get by with it, wicked people always end up paying for their crimes.  Judges 9:55-57 explains that this civil war was a direct result of their sin.  “And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they departed every man unto his place.  Thus God rendered the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did unto his father, in slaying his seventy brethren: And all the evil of the men of Shechem did God render upon their heads: and upon them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal.”  Israel would not seek a king again for over one hundred fifty years.

Keeping Perspective

God’s plan for Israel was that every person be personally accountable to God and there was no political organization.  As Judges 17:6 tells us, “In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.”  The priests and Levites were to serve as judges, enforcing God’s law, and in special situations he would provide prophets to tell them what God said.  When they went away from God and were punished, if they turned back he sent judges such as Gideon to lead them to follow God. 

Many people do not like taking responsibility, so when Gideon led in defeating the Midianites and Amalekites, the people asked him to be their king, in Judges 8:22.  “Then the men of Israel said unto Gideon, Rule thou over us, both thou, and thy son, and thy son's son also: for thou hast delivered us from the hand of Midian.”  Gideon recognized that this was not God’s plan but an attempt to substitute human ideas for God’s, and refused, in Judges 8:23.  “And Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: the LORD shall rule over you.”

Many people today want to put some man as their head instead of taking responsibility for themselves.  As a result pastors and church leaders often exercise considerable power.  In Revelation 2:6, God complimented the church at Ephesus for not having fallen into that practice because it is something he hates.  “But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate.”  A little later, in Revelation 2:14-15, he condemned the Church at Pergamos for allowing this ungodly attitude.  “But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.  So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, which thing I hate.”  As Romans 14:12 reminds us, “…every one of us shall give account of himself to God.”  We can’t just sluff off our responsibility on somebody else. 

When we begin to glorify or honor men too much we may encourage a prideful attitude that will hurt or destroy their ministry or turn people away from God.   While Gideon refused to become king, he asked for a small part of the spoil they had taken from the Midianites, in Judges 8:24-27.  “And Gideon said unto them, I would desire a request of you, that ye would give me every man the earrings of his prey. (For they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.)

And they answered, We will willingly give them. And they spread a garment, and did cast therein every man the earrings of his prey.  And the weight of the golden earrings that he requested was a thousand and seven hundred shekels of gold; beside ornaments, and collars, and purple raiment that was on the kings of Midian, and beside the chains that were about their camels' necks.”

Appreciating what he had done, the people willing gave Gideon what he asked, and he used it to make an Ephod, a symbol of the priestly power and God’s love for Israel, as we see in Judges 8:27.  “And Gideon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah: and all Israel went thither a whoring after it: which thing became a snare unto Gideon, and to his house.”  Gideon had intended his ephod to be a means of focusing people’s attention on the Lord, but it became a distraction, with his own family going to worship there instead of going to Shiloh to worship at the Tabernacle as God had commanded.  Over the years, many well intentioned pastors and church leaders have established programs and organizations to support and encourage Christians.  Unfortunately, over time, they have become a distraction, with people focused on those things rather than on the local church.  Even organizations and programs such as Focus on the Family, Promise Keepers, a denominational group or fellowship all have this potential to distract from what God intended.  We need to keep our focus on god rather than anything else.  

Winning An Impossible Victory

After forty years of peace, Israel had gotten the idea they had things under control and forgot that God is the one in control.  They turned away from God and he caused the Midianites to invade their land.  When they prayed for help, god sent Gideon to help them.  Before they went into battle, God reduced their army from thirty two thousand men to just three hundred because he wanted them to understand it was not their power but his that kept them safe. 

They were vastly outnumbered, and God knew that even Gideon might hesitate to attack so he sent him down to spy on the Midianites to reassure him, in Judges 7:9-12.  “And it came to pass the same night, that the LORD said unto him, Arise, get thee down unto the host; for I have delivered it into thine hand.  But if thou fear to go down, go thou with Phurah thy servant down to the host: And thou shalt hear what they say; and afterward shall thine hands be strengthened to go down unto the host. Then went he down with Phurah his servant unto the outside of the armed men that were in the host.  And the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the children of the east lay along in the valley like grasshoppers for multitude; and their camels were without number, as the sand by the sea side for multitude.”

When he came down to the Midianite and Amalekite camps, Gideon couldn’t even make a good guess as to how many they had and it would have been impossible to count all the livestock they had brought to wipe out the Israelite crops, but when Gideon listened he realized they were more afraid of him and his army than he was of them, in Judges 7:13-14.  “And when Gideon was come, behold, there was a man that told a dream unto his fellow, and said, Behold, I dreamed a dream, and, lo, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the host of Midian, and came unto a tent, and smote it that it fell, and overturned it, that the tent lay along.  And his fellow answered and said, This is nothing else save the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel: for into his hand hath God delivered Midian, and all the host.”

Realizing the Midianites were terrified, believing they were going to be defeated, Gideon’s confidence was greatly strengthened.  He would use that fear as a part of his strategy, as we see in Judges 7:15-18.  “And it was so, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, and the interpretation thereof, that he worshipped, and returned into the host of Israel, and said, Arise; for the LORD hath delivered into your hand the host of Midian.  And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put a trumpet in every man's hand, with empty pitchers, and lamps within the pitchers.  And he said unto them, Look on me, and do likewise: and, behold, when I come to the outside of the camp, it shall be that, as I do, so shall ye do.  When I blow with a trumpet, I and all that are with me, then blow ye the trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and say, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon.”

A trumpet was only necessary when a commander had so many men that they could not all hear his voice at one time,  The sound of three hundred trumpets surrounding them would imply they were being attacked by a huge force.  In a night attack, only the company commanders would dare show a light so three hundred lamps around them would heighten the impression of being attacked by a huge force, and the shouting would sound like officers giving commands.  The strategy worked like a charm, as Judges 7:19-22 tells us.  “So Gideon, and the hundred men that were with him, came unto the outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch; and they had but newly set the watch: and they blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers that were in their hands.  And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow withal: and they cried, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon.  And they stood every man in his place round about the camp: and all the host ran, and cried, and fled.  And the three hundred blew the trumpets, and the LORD set every man's sword against his fellow, even throughout all the host: and the host fled to Bethshittah in Zererath, and to the border of Abelmeholah, unto Tabbath.”

Caught completely off guard, the Midianites and Amalekites panicked and fled.  Terror stricken and unable to see they unintentionally killed thousands of their own people.  The Israelites stayed up on the hills around them, blowing their trumpets and adding to the confusion.  Hearing the commotion, many of the Israelites who lived in the region attacked the Midianites as they fled, and Gideon sent messengers ahead for the people in Ephraim to attack them while they were crossing the Jordan River, according to Judges 7:23-25.  “And the men of Israel gathered themselves together out of Naphtali, and out of Asher, and out of all Manasseh, and pursued after the Midianites.  And Gideon sent messengers throughout all mount Ephraim, saying, Come down against the Midianites, and take before them the waters unto Bethbarah and Jordan. Then all the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and took the waters unto Bethbarah and Jordan.  And they took two princes of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb; and they slew Oreb upon the rock Oreb, and Zeeb they slew at the winepress of Zeeb, and pursued Midian, and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon on the other side Jordan.”

The Ephraimites captured and killed two of the main leaders of the Midianites, and brought their heads to Gideon, but they blamed him for not calling them to the battle earlier so they could have played a bigger role and gotten more spoil, as we see in Judges 8:1-3.  “And the men of Ephraim said unto him, Why hast thou served us thus, that thou calledst us not, when thou wentest to fight with the Midianites? And they did chide with him sharply. And he said unto them, What have I done now in comparison of you? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer?  God hath delivered into your hands the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb: and what was I able to do in comparison of you? Then their anger was abated toward him, when he had said that.” 

Gideon pointed out that they had actually killed more of the Midianites and Amalekites than he and his army had killed.  Mollified by his statements, they didn’t cause any more trouble, never understanding God’s working.  Years later, when they did the same thing to Jephthah, he didn’t attempt to placate them and forty two thousand were killed, in Judges 12.  Had God not caused the Midianites to panic, there is no possible way Israel could have defeated them, even with the Ephramites to help them.    

Trimming Down So God’s Power Can be Shown

The Israelites were desperate to break free of the Midianites and Amalekites, so they came readily to follow Gideon, although they were greatly outnumbered, in Judges 7:1.  “Then Jerubbaal, who is Gideon, and all the people that were with him, rose up early, and pitched beside the well of Harod: so that the host of the Midianites were on the north side of them, by the hill of Moreh, in the valley.”

It was a good thing Gideon was sure God was going to give them the victory, because even as much as they were outnumbered, God said they had too many people, in Judges 7:2-3.  “And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me.  Now therefore go to, proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, Whosoever is fearful and afraid, let him return and depart early from mount Gilead. And there returned of the people twenty and two thousand; and there remained ten thousand.”

God was concerned that Israel would think they won because they had such a big army instead of realizing it was God who gave the victory.  He said anyone who was afraid was to go home and because they were so outnumbered, twenty two thousand left immediately, while ten thousand remained.  God said it was still too many, in Judges 7:4-6.  “And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people are yet too many; bring them down unto the water, and I will try them for thee there: and it shall be, that of whom I say unto thee, This shall go with thee, the same shall go with thee; and of whomsoever I say unto thee, This shall not go with thee, the same shall not go.  So he brought down the people unto the water: and the LORD said unto Gideon, Every one that lappeth of the water with his tongue, as a dog lappeth, him shalt thou set by himself; likewise every one that boweth down upon his knees to drink.  And the number of them that lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, were three hundred men: but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their knees to drink water.”

Over the years I have met a number of people say that believed that they were going to accomplish God’s purpose because they had a great many Christians with them.  Despite the huge crowds, the marches against abortion made little difference.  When a huge rally resulted in a changed policy, the people bragged that they won because they had so much support, Just as God feared Israel would do.  To prevent them thinking it was their power, God cut the army down, eliminating all but three hundred men so that there would be no question that the victory was completely the result of God’s work.  There was no possible way three hundred could defeat the Midianites when their army greatly outnumbered the thirty two thousand that Gideon started with unless God worked miraculously. 

With the army reduced to three hundred men. God could show his power.  The others were sent home, in Judges 7:7-8.  “And the LORD said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand: and let all the other people go every man unto his place.  So the people took victuals in their hand, and their trumpets: and he sent all the rest of Israel every man unto his tent, and retained those three hundred men: and the host of Midian was beneath him in the valley.”

Many times we forget that there is only one God, and he still has the same amount of power whether there a million people on his side or only one.  When we are worried about how many are on our side, we are trusting human power, rather than God’s, and he may not act as a result.  Acts 5 tells the story of Ananias and Sapphira being killd for lying about their gifts.  Acts 5:11-15 tells the results of their deaths.  “And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things.  And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon's porch.  And of the rest durst no man join himself to them: but the people magnified them.  And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.)  Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them.” 

Many who might have joined the church were afraid to join after seeing God’s power, but those who did join did so because they had seen his power, making the church much stronger.  Today, many churches are spiritually weak, because the emphasis is on the size of the congregation and what they are doing rather than on God’s power.  

Verifying God’s Direction

The angel causing fire to come from the rock and burn the sacrifice had been enough to convince Gideon to destroy the altar of Baal, because he knew God had forbidden the worship of other gods.  While the need to drive the Midianites out of Israel was equally obvious, It would take far more than just destroying a single altar, and would affect thousands of people.  Before he embarked on such a project, Gideon wanted to be sure he was following God’s direction, rather than his own emotions or sense of need.   Just because one has a specific burden, does not mean God has called him to fix the problem.  David saw a need for a permanent Temple, but God forbade his building it, designating Solomon to build it instead.

When we allow our burden to override God’s plans we can get ourselves into trouble.  Paul had a deep burden for his own people, the Jews, but God had called him to be an apostle to the Gentiles.   In Acts 19:21, Paul made up his mind to go to Jerusalem before going to Rome.  “After these things were ended, Paul purposed in the spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, After I have been there, I must also see Rome.”  Please note that the spirit referred to is his human spirit, not the Holy Spirit.  Passing near Ephesus, he had the church elders meet him in Miletus, where he told them that his burden was making him go, but that God had warned him that it would result in his being imprisoned, in Acts 20:22-23.  “And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there: Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me.”

When he came to Tyre, the Holy Spirit used the Christians there to tell Paul he should not go to Jerusalem, as Acts 21:4 tells us.  “And finding disciples, we tarried there seven days: who said to Paul through the Spirit, that he should not go up to Jerusalem.”  Paul continued to Caesarea where he was warned again not to Go, in Acts 21:10-14.  “And as we tarried there many days, there came down from Judaea a certain prophet, named Agabus.  And when he was come unto us, he took Paul's girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.  And when we heard these things, both we, and they of that place, besought him not to go up to Jerusalem.  Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.  And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done.”  Within a week of his arrival in Jerusalem, Paul was arrested and imprisoned for three years before being sent to Rome as a prisoner.  One can only speculate how much different his results might have been if he had listened to God instead of following his concern for Israel.

Gideon knew that God had said he was to set Israel free, but he did not want to make a mistake like Paul made, putting his own feelings ahead of what God wanted.  He asked for a specific sign that He was doing What God wanted, in Judges 6:36-38.  “And Gideon said unto God, If thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said, Behold, I will put a fleece of wool in the floor; and if the dew be on the fleece only, and it be dry upon all the earth beside, then shall I know that thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said.  And it was so: for he rose up early on the morrow, and thrust the fleece together, and wringed the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water.”  Dew is formed when moisture in the air condenses and collects on the ground or things around.  That enough dew formed on the fleece to wring it out while none formed on the ground would not be normal. 

However, it was possible that the wool might be cooler and thus cause more dew to form on it than on the ground around it so the next night Gideon asked for the opposite effect to ensure that there was no possibility of misunderstanding the sign, in Judges 6:39-40.  “And Gideon said unto God, Let not thine anger be hot against me, and I will speak but this once: let me prove, I pray thee, but this once with the fleece; let it now be dry only upon the fleece, and upon all the ground let there be dew.  And God did so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.”  If it was just a natural effect, the wool should have been wet both times.

It is important to note that in putting out the fleece, Gideon was not seeking God’s direction, but only trying to verify that he had understood God’s direction properly.  He also made sure it was something that could not happen naturally or by accident.  This is a great deal different than the pastor who tries out for a church and bases his decision whether to take the church if he is called on whether they have a certin percentage of the people vote for him.  Even if one hundred percent of the people present vote for him, it is not proof God wants him there, because if the people are desperate for a pastor they may vote in favor even if they don’t like the man, or because they listened to some influential member.  Likewise, a lower percentage does not mean it is not where God wants him.  Too often, putting out a fleece becomes an easy substitute for actually seeking and obeying God’s will day by day.  When we have clear directions by God, we don’t need to put out a fleece.  We just need to obey him. 

Check To See If The Message Is From God

Before Gideon accepted the angels assurance that God was going to use him to deliver Israel, he wanted a sign to make sure the messenger was in fact from God, as Judges 6:17-21 describes.  “And he said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, then show me a sign that thou talkest with me.  Depart not hence, I pray thee, until I come unto thee, and bring forth my present, and set it before thee. And he said, I will tarry until thou come again.  And Gideon went in, and made ready a kid, and unleavened cakes of an ephah of flour: the flesh he put in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot, and brought it out unto him under the oak, and presented it.

And the angel of God said unto him, Take the flesh and the unleavened cakes, and lay them upon this rock, and pour out the broth. And he did so.  Then the angel of the LORD put forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and there rose up fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes. Then the angel of the LORD departed out of his sight.” 

People often assume that they have been called of God to a particular ministry or action, and especially if some pastor or church leader tells them to.  God sometimes uses other people to direct us, but Satan sometimes uses people or angels to mislead.  It is important we learn to distinguish whether the messenger is from God or not.  Deuteronomy 18:18-22 made it clear they were to obey the prophet if he was from God, and not to follow those who were not.   “I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.  And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.  But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die.”

God gave two things to look for to see if a prophet was from God.  Deuteronomy 18:21-22 tells us that if the prophecy or sign the prophet gives doesn’t happen, he is not a prophet from God.  “And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken?  When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.”  Using this test alone, a great many evangelists and prophecy teachers can safely be described as false prophets. 

Sometimes even a false prophet guesses right or is able to do something that seems miraculous, because Satan is very powerful.  Deuteronomy 13;1-3 warns, “If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the LORD your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.”  If he directs our attention away from What God has said to other beliefs and practices, he is not from God.  The Angel miraculously burned the sacrifice demonstrating supernatural power, but he did not accept the sacrifice as am offering to himself or otherwise call attention to himself.  As a result, Gideon dared to destroy the altar to Baal and build an altar to God when instructed to do so.   

As Christians, we are instructed to take a similar approach to determining whether something is of God or not, in I John 4:1-8.  “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.  Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.  They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.  We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.  Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.  He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. “

We start by checking out what they say about Jesus Christ.  If that appear to be sound, we can look to see whether they are controlled by fleshly lusts.  We can look to see who they are following and or associate with, and how they feel about scriptural teachings, and finally, we can examine their attitude toward other people.  If these things are not right, we have reason for doubting they are from God despite their claims of spiritual gifts or recommendations by other churches or people.   

Obedience Is More Important Than Talent

After Deborah and Barak were empowered by God to deliver Israel, there was a forty year period where Israel was at peace.  Gradually they forgot what it was like when they didn’t serve God, and as the older people died off, they younger generations became more interested in the religions around them.   Invasions by the Midianites and Amalekites finally caused the people to turn back to God for help.  When they began to pray, God sent a prophet to remind them of the contract with God. 

God also selected Gideon to set them free, in Judges 6:11-14.  “And there came an angel of the LORD, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites.  And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour.

And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the LORD be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt? but now the LORD hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.

And the LORD looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee?”

When the angel told him the Lord was with him, Gideon questioned how that could be true.  After all, he was hiding what he was doing from the Midianites to keep them from stealing his food and leaving his family to starve.  If God was with them, why was it so hard to survive?  While he knew what God had done in the past it seemed like he had deserted them.  God said that if they would go in the same way they had gone to escape Egypt and take the land, he would be able to defeat the Midianites, because they would have God’s power behind them. 

Gideon realized neither he nor his family had experience or a reputation that would prepare him for solving Israel’s problems.  God said he would take care of that problem, in Judges 6:15-16.  “And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.

And the LORD said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man.”

Our world puts a great deal of emphasis on talent and skill.  Unfortunately, some of the most talented and skilled fail at their professions.  Colin Kapernick provides a powerful example.  He has extreme talent and skill as a quarterback, but was dropped after a couple of seasons, and no other teams have been willing to hire him.  Kapernick, and the media has blamed this on raceism.  Actually he was fired because he insisted on doing things his own way, rather than working with the coach.  Sitting on the sidelines, the coach is able to observe things that the quarterback can’t see and call for changes that are needed.  A quarterback who refuses to adjust his playing to meet the situations makes it much harder to win.   When a person gets the idea that their opinion or idea is the only thing that matters and begins to ignore those who have experience about a situation, they can cause much damage, whether in government, in business, in the church, or in a family.  Frequently people who look only at their talents and skills do not realize the harm such a person may do. 

Even a person with minimal talent can learn to perform a job well, so to coaches or owners, the willingness to work with the coach and team is more important than innate talent or skill.  As a result, God seldom chooses those who seem the most confident or skilled to do his work, as I Corinthians 1:26-31 tells us.  “For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence.  But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.”

The Patriots did not winn the super bowl just on Tom Brady’s skill and talent.   Because he was willing to work with his coach, the coach was able to bring together an entire team to win.  In the same way, God chooses a man who will follow instructions and work with others to accomplish God’s purpose.  Many times those with the most talent are like Colin Kapernick and, in their pride and self-confidence hinder God’s purposes.  If we are to please and honor God, we must be willing to humble ourselves and follow his instruction.

Some People Hate The Truth

Each generation must decide for themselves whether they will serve God or not.  Forty years after Barak and Deborah defeated the Canaanites, another generation turned away from God, and Israel was invaded by the Midianites and Amalekites, whose only purpose was to destroy the Israelites, as Judges 6:3-5 tells us.  “And so it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites came up, and the Amalekites, and the children of the east, even they came up against them; And they encamped against them, and destroyed the increase of the earth, till thou come unto Gaza, and left no sustenance for Israel, neither sheep, nor ox, nor ass.  For they came up with their cattle and their tents, and they came as grasshoppers for multitude; for both they and their camels were without number: and they entered into the land to destroy it.”  We see the same attitude toward Israel today by descendants of these same peoples.  When they turned to god, he sent them another Judge, named Gideon. 

One of the reasons God had stopped blessing Israel vs because they had started worshipping other gods.  If God was to bless them, they needed to stop worshipping those other gods.  That was the first assignment Gideon was given, in Judges 6:25-27.  “ And it came to pass the same night, that the LORD said unto him, Take thy father's young bullock, even the second bullock of seven years old, and throw down the altar of Baal that thy father hath, and cut down the grove that is by it: And build an altar unto the LORD thy God upon the top of this rock, in the ordered place, and take the second bullock, and offer a burnt sacrifice with the wood of the grove which thou shalt cut down.  Then Gideon took ten men of his servants, and did as the LORD had said unto him: and so it was, because he feared his father's household, and the men of the city, that he could not do it by day, that he did it by night.”

Even those who are not deeply into their religion tend to get very defensive when their beliefs and practices are questioned.  Fearing the people’s reaction, Gideon waited until everyone was asleep to follow God’s command.  The next morning, when they found out what he had done, they were very upset, according to Judges 6:28-30.  “And when the men of the city arose early in the morning, behold, the altar of Baal was cast down, and the grove was cut down that was by it, and the second bullock was offered upon the altar that was built.  And they said one to another, Who hath done this thing? And when they inquired and asked, they said, Gideon the son of Joash hath done this thing.  Then the men of the city said unto Joash, Bring out thy son, that he may die: because he hath cast down the altar of Baal, and because he hath cut down the grove that was by it.”

Obeying God frequently brings us into conflict with those who do not worship him.  Mankind as a whole has chosen to reject God, substituting other things for him, as Romans 1:21-23 states.  “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.  Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.”  As a result they have rejected the principles and standards He has set, and they resent being reminded how foolish and wicked they are.  The world hates Christ because, as he said in John 7:7, “…me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil.”  Christians are hated because they remind the unbelievers of Christ.  John 16:2 warns, “They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.”  They become so caught up in their own beliefs they think they are doing the world a favor by killing Christians. 

When the people demanded that Gideon be put to death, his father pointed out that if their beliefs were true, they wouldn’t need to destroy people who disagreed, in Judges 6:31-32.  “And Joash said unto all that stood against him, Will ye plead for Baal? will ye save him? he that will plead for him, let him be put to death whilst it is yet morning: if he be a god, let him plead for himself, because one hath cast down his altar.”  If something is true, it will still be true whether people believe it or not.  If people have to destroy or kill those who have a different opinion or belief, it indicates they are afraid to let people find out whether it is true or not, whether we are talking about human caused climate change, Islam or some other religion,  or about a political party or system.  We mustn’t allow them to prevent us from finding out the truth and acting on it.