Gideon’s Son Decides To Become King

 For forty years after Gideon led the defeat of the Midianites, Israel lived at peace.  During that time Gideon commanded a lot of respect.  Unfortunately, that high degree of respect can lead one to making poor decisions and temptation, and Gideon fell into that trap as Judges 8:30 tells us.  “And Gideon had threescore and ten sons of his body begotten: for he had many wives.  And his concubine that was in Shechem, she also bare him a son, whose name he called Abimelech.”

 

While the Bible never specifically condemns polygamy, Deuteronomy 17:17 is very specific, warning leaders against getting caught up in polygamy may lead to turning away from God.  “Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.”  Joshua had set such an example that Judges 2:7 tells us, “And the people served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the LORD, that he did for Israel.”  Although the people followed the Lord as long a s Gideon lived, his ephod and marrying so many women weakened his testimony, and as soon as he was dead, the people turned away, according to Judges 8:32-35.  “And Gideon the son of Joash died in a good old age, and was buried in the sepulchre of Joash his father, in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.  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.

 

Gideon had refused to become king, realizing that God was the true king of Israel.  When the people began worshipping other gods after his death, one of his sons decided to capitalize on his relationship to Gideon and become king, as Judges 9:1-2 tells us.  “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.”

 

Although she was considered his wife, Gideon had never officially married Abimelech’s mother.  Abimelech was not close to his half-brothers, and did not want to share authority with them, so he went to his mother’s relatives to get support in seizing power.  With their help, he was able to hire mercenaries to help him kill his brothers and seize power, as Judges 9:4-56 describes.  “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.”

 

Desiring the prestige and power being king would bring, Abimelech had no concern about usurping God’s authority or killing his brothers.  Unfortunately, the more wealth, power or prestige an organization acquires, the more people want to take it over, and the more they are willing to do to get control.  Many have little interest in the organization, and once they get control they try to destroy anyone or anything they see as a threat to their control.   

Leaders But Not Kings

 People who don’t really trust God tend to put too much emphasis on the leader.  Some, like the leaders in Succoth and Penuel refuse to get involved until they are sure the leader will succeed.  Others put their trust in the man himself, depending on him to fix all the problems.  Gideon’s success led many of the Israelites to decide he should be king, as Judges 8:22-23 describes.  “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.  And Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: the LORD shall rule over you.”

 

While God had chosen men to lead Israel, he never intended them to become kings, and Gideon recognized that.  Two hundred fifty years later, when they demanded a king, in I Samuel 8:7, God told Samuel they were rejecting him by demanding a king.  “And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.”  Samuel tried to talk them out of it but they refused to listen.  God instructed him to do as they demanded, but before he did Samuel warned them what they were doing was wrong, in I Samuel 10:17-19.  “And Samuel called the people together unto the LORD to Mizpeh; And said unto the children of Israel, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all kingdoms, and of them that oppressed you: And ye have this day rejected your God, who himself saved you out of all your adversities and your tribulations; and ye have said unto him, Nay, but set a king over us…”

 

Gideon refused to disrespect God by becoming their king, but he did request a favor from them, in Judges 8:24.  “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.)”  Each culture tends to adopt a particular style of dress, making them easy to identify, and Ishmael’s descendants made a point of the men wearing earrings. 

 

The Israelites had saved the earring of the dead Midianites.  And they readily donated them to Gideon as he asked, in Judges 8:25-26.  “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.”  The people appreciated Gideon’s service and willingly donated the earrings, which totaled about fifty pounds of gold. 

 

Wanting to honor God and remind people of him, Gideon made a copy of the ephod the High Priest wore, 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.”  Unfortunately, our efforts to remind people of God can themselves become idolatrous, with people focusing on them instead of on God himself, and the more prestige a person earns, the worse the problem becomes.   Even the best Leaders make mistakes, and must be recognized as being human like everyone else. They must not be exalted as kings or demigods.

 

Despite the effect Gideon’s ephod had, Israel was free for the next forty years.  Gideon’s defeat of the Midianites so weakened them that they would never again invade Israel, as Judges 8:28 tells us.  “Thus was Midian subdued before the children of Israel, so that they lifted up their heads no more. And the country was in quietness forty years in the days of Gideon.”

Finishing The Job Without Support

Many times when we start to serve God we could use financial and physical help, or spiritual encouragement, but many people refuse to get involved until they see that it will succeed.   Gideon had already driven the Midianites out of west of Jordan, but their home land was on the east side, and the Israelite cities on the east of Jordan refused to get involved until they were sure he would be victorious, as Judges 8:4-9 describes.  “And Gideon came to Jordan, and passed over, he, and the three hundred men that were with him, faint, yet pursuing them.  And he said unto the men of Succoth, Give, I pray you, loaves of bread unto the people that follow me; for they be faint, and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian.

 

And the princes of Succoth said, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand, that we should give bread unto thine army?  And Gideon said, Therefore when the LORD hath delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into mine hand, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers. And he went up thence to Penuel, and spake unto them likewise: and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered him.  And he spake also unto the men of Penuel, saying, When I come again in peace, I will break down this tower.”

 

Gideon’s men needed the strength the food would have given them to chase down and defeat The Midianites.  Once they won the battle, they would be able to forage for their own food, and their victory would benefit the people of Succoth and Penuel even more than those on the west side of Jordan.  Angry, he warned them that they would be punished for their refusal to help when he finished.   He didn’t let a lack of support stop him.

 

Between killing their own forces in the dark and the attacks on their flanks as they fled, the Midianites had lost almost ninety percent of their army, about a hundred and twenty thousand men.  Finding some of their own people living at Nobah and Jogbehah, they thought they were safe from pursuit and set up camp.  Joshua caught them in camp and defeated and scattered them, capturing the two Midianite kings, as Judges 8:10-12 describes.  “Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, and their hosts with them, about fifteen thousand men, all that were left of all the hosts of the children of the east: for there fell an hundred and twenty thousand men that drew sword.  And Gideon went up by the way of them that dwelt in tents on the east of Nobah and Jogbehah, and smote the host: for the host was secure.  And when Zebah and Zalmunna fled, he pursued after them, and took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and discomfited all the host.”

 

With the proof of victory in hand, Gideon returned to punish the leaders of Succoth and Penuel as he had promised, in Judges 8:13-17.  “And Gideon the son of Joash returned from battle before the sun was up, And caught a young man of the men of Succoth, and inquired of him: and he described unto him the princes of Succoth, and the elders thereof, even threescore and seventeen men.  And he came unto the men of Succoth, and said, Behold Zebah and Zalmunna with whom ye did upbraid me, saying, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand, that we should give bread unto thy men that are weary?  And he took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he taught the men of Succoth.  And he beat down the tower of Penuel, and slew the men of the city.”

 

Having proven his victory, Gideon questioned his prisoners, learning that they had murdered his brothers.  After learning that, he told his son to execute them as the law commanded, but the boy was hesitant to do so, as Judges 8:18-20 tells us.  “Then said he unto Zebah and Zalmunna, What manner of men were they whom ye slew at Tabor? And they answered, As thou art, so were they; each one resembled the children of a king.  And he said, They were my brethren, even the sons of my mother: as the LORD liveth, if ye had saved them alive, I would not slay you.  And he said unto Jether his firstborn, Up, and slay them. But the youth drew not his sword: for he feared, because he was yet a youth.”

 

The two Midianite kings implied he wasn’t man enough to kill them himself, so Gideon executed them, in Judges 8:21.   “Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, Rise thou, and fall upon us: for as the man is, so is his strength. And Gideon arose, and slew Zebah and Zalmunna, and took away the ornaments that were on their camels' necks.”  The execution of the two Midianite kings and destruction of their army so weakened the Midianites that they would never again pose a threat to Israel. 

 Many times when we start to serve God we could use financial and physical help, or spiritual encouragement, but many people refuse to get involved until they see that it will succeed.   Gideon had already driven the Midianites out of west of Jordan, but their home land was on the east side, and the Israelite cities on the east of Jordan refused to get involved until they were sure he would be victorious, as Judges 8:4-9 describes.  “And Gideon came to Jordan, and passed over, he, and the three hundred men that were with him, faint, yet pursuing them.  And he said unto the men of Succoth, Give, I pray you, loaves of bread unto the people that follow me; for they be faint, and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian.

 

And the princes of Succoth said, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand, that we should give bread unto thine army?  And Gideon said, Therefore when the LORD hath delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into mine hand, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers. And he went up thence to Penuel, and spake unto them likewise: and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered him.  And he spake also unto the men of Penuel, saying, When I come again in peace, I will break down this tower.”

 

Gideon’s men needed the strength the food would have given them to chase down and defeat The Midianites.  Once they won the battle, they would be able to forage for their own food, and their victory would benefit the people of Succoth and Penuel even more than those on the west side of Jordan.  Angry, he warned them that they would be punished for their refusal to help when he finished.   He didn’t let a lack of support stop him.

 

Between killing their own forces in the dark and the attacks on their flanks as they fled, the Midianites had lost almost ninety percent of their army, about a hundred and twenty thousand men.  Finding some of their own people living at Nobah and Jogbehah, they thought they were safe from pursuit and set up camp.  Joshua caught them in camp and defeated and scattered them, capturing the two Midianite kings, as Judges 8:10-12 describes.  “Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, and their hosts with them, about fifteen thousand men, all that were left of all the hosts of the children of the east: for there fell an hundred and twenty thousand men that drew sword.  And Gideon went up by the way of them that dwelt in tents on the east of Nobah and Jogbehah, and smote the host: for the host was secure.  And when Zebah and Zalmunna fled, he pursued after them, and took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and discomfited all the host.”

 

With the proof of victory in hand, Gideon returned to punish the leaders of Succoth and Penuel as he had promised, in Judges 8:13-17.  “And Gideon the son of Joash returned from battle before the sun was up, And caught a young man of the men of Succoth, and inquired of him: and he described unto him the princes of Succoth, and the elders thereof, even threescore and seventeen men.  And he came unto the men of Succoth, and said, Behold Zebah and Zalmunna with whom ye did upbraid me, saying, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand, that we should give bread unto thy men that are weary?  And he took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he taught the men of Succoth.  And he beat down the tower of Penuel, and slew the men of the city.”

 

Having proven his victory, Gideon questioned his prisoners, learning that they had murdered his brothers.  After learning that, he told his son to execute them as the law commanded, but the boy was hesitant to do so, as Judges 8:18-20 tells us.  “Then said he unto Zebah and Zalmunna, What manner of men were they whom ye slew at Tabor? And they answered, As thou art, so were they; each one resembled the children of a king.  And he said, They were my brethren, even the sons of my mother: as the LORD liveth, if ye had saved them alive, I would not slay you.  And he said unto Jether his firstborn, Up, and slay them. But the youth drew not his sword: for he feared, because he was yet a youth.”

 

The two Midianite kings implied he wasn’t man enough to kill them himself, so Gideon executed them, in Judges 8:21.   “Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, Rise thou, and fall upon us: for as the man is, so is his strength. And Gideon arose, and slew Zebah and Zalmunna, and took away the ornaments that were on their camels' necks.”  The execution of the two Midianite kings and destruction of their army so weakened the Midianites that they would never again pose a threat to Israel. 

 

Victory Against Overwhelming Odds

Gideon had started with thirty two thousand men, but when he followed the law and sent home all who were afraid, only ten thousand stayed.  God then separated them, keeping only three hundred for the army to face a Midianite force of more than a hundred thirty five thousand.  Even knowing God had promised victory, Gideon must have had serious qualms about the upcoming fight. 

 

To settle those qualms, God sent Gideon down to listen to the Midianite soldiers, in Judges 7:9-11a.  “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.

 

Judges 7:11b-14 describes what he overheard.  “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.  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.”

 

It was obvious the Midianites were psyched out and convinced Israel was going to win.  Excited by what he heard, Gideon returned to his army and laid out his strategy, 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.”

 

Gideon’s strategy was to give the illusion of a much larger force carrying out a surprise attack in the middle of the night.  Occurring just after they had changed the guard, before they could get settled in only made the Midianites seem less prepared.  The strategy worked even better than expected, as Judges 7:19-22 describes.  “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.”

 

Already expecting to be defeated, the surprise attack completely demoralized the Midianites.  Unable to see who was there, they attacked anyone who got close, killing their own people, while the Israelites stayed up on the hillside blowing the trumpets and shouting.  Panicked, the Midianites fled to the various crossings of the Jordan in hopes of escaping Gideon’s forces.  Hearing them fleeing, the local Israelites came out in force to attack them, and Gideon sent messengers to the tribe of Ephraim to try to cut them off at the main crossing, as Judges 7:23-25 describes.  “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 tribe of Ephraim was able to cut off a lot of the Midianites, capturing the main two generals on the west side of Jordan before meeting Gideon and his three hundred men.  They blamed Gideon for not getting them involved at the first, in Judges 8:1, not understanding he was following what God had commanded.  It would have been far harder to carry out the surprise attack with a larger force, and they would not have been able to attack the flanks of the fleeing Midianites as effectively.   

 

When they accused him, Gideon pointed out that the Ephraimites had actually killed more Midianites than the three hundred had, and that they had killed the two main generals.  They were mollified by his statements, as Judges 8:1-3 explains.   “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.”

 

Like the men of Ephraim, many Christians do not realize we are not in competition with other Christians.  As a result they get upset and jealous of other people’s successes.  We must not allow their jealousy to stop us from doing the Job God gave us.  

Making Sure Of God’s Leadership

 Gideon had believed God enough to destroy the altar to Baal, and to call for the people to come help against the Midianites, but he was still unsure of his ability to lead them.   Perhaps he was just to start the ball rolling and let someone else lead.  He asked for a sign that he personally was to lead, 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.”

 

The fleece was soaked while the ground remained dry, but Gideon wasn’t completely sure.  He knew that some things collected more dew than others, so the second night he requested the opposite to make sure it was not just a natural phenomenon, 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.”

 

One of the most basic laws of science is that the same situations will always produce the same results.  Different results can only occur if something is different.  When the results were the opposite, it was clear this was not a natural phenomenon.  He could no longer doubt it was God’s plan for him to lead Israel.  With that assurance, he started getting ready for battle, 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.”

 

Even though they were vastly outnumbered, believing God would give the victory, Gideon was prepared to attack the Midianite forces.  God had a different plan, so that it would be clear the victory came from God rather than Gideon’s tactics.  Too many people would interfere with God’s plan, so he Had Gideon thin them out, 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.”

 

The Israelite army was a volunteer army, with each man fighting because he believed in the cause.  Deuteronomy 20 lists various reasons why men were to be freed from taking part in a war, and Deuteronomy 20:8 tells us one of those reasons was because they were afraid.  “And the officers shall speak further unto the people, and they shall say, What man is there that is fearful and fainthearted? let him go and return unto his house, lest his brethren's heart faint as well as his heart.”  The command to send everyone who was afraid home was just following God’s law.   

 

They had been seriously outnumbered with thirty two thousand, but that got a lot worse when they only had ten thousand left.  God’s plan would require secrecy, but only a few men to execute.  He instructed Gideon to watch how the men drank at the creek and separate them into two groups, 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.”

 

Gideon had no idea what God’s reasons were, but he followed orders.  God then told him that the smaller group was the ones who were to be in the army, 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.”  Everyone except those three hundred chosen ones were to return home.  

 

It must have seemed senseless to Gideon to send almost the entire army home when they were already so outnumbered, and without the assurance that it was God’s plan, he never have dared to do as God said.  Because he was convinced it was God’s will, he was obedient.  When we are trusting our own abilities and logic, the things God asks us to do frequently seem senseless and dangerous.  When we really trust God, we can face the danger, even when it seems illogical.  If we are not sure about what God wants, our fears will hinder our accomplishing what He intended.   God did not rebuke Gideon for wanting to be sure he was following God’s direction, because once he was sure, Gideon did follow through.

 

Taking The First Step Of Obedience

Sure that It was God who called him to lead Israel and deliver them, Gideon had offered a sacrifice.  Later that same evening, God spoke to him again, in Judges 6:25-26.  “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.”

 

The first thing God asked Gideon to do was to take a stand against the sin in his own family.  Doing so is hard for most people, because it may turns ones family against them, but everyone has to take such a stance if they are to be used mightily of God.  In Matthew 10:37, Jesus said, “He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.”  If a person lacks the faith obey God in some minor matter, there is no reason to think he will be able to face bigger challenges.  -

 

Knowing that obeying God might make his own family mad, Gideon did what God said secretly, in Judges 6:27.  “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.”

 

Gideon had been right about the way people would react to having their sin pointed out.  They called for him to be killed for standing against it, in 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.”  Christians today face similar threats for standing against abortion or homosexuality or other sins, and have to make a choice whether to obey God or maintain the status quo. 

 

Many times, even those who are involved with things that are wrong are not fully committed to them, and Gideon’s father cared more about his son than about worshipping Baal.  He pointed out that if Baal couldn’t defend himself against one man, he probably couldn’t do anything to help the people, 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.   Therefore on that day he called him Jerubbaal, saying, Let Baal plead against him, because he hath thrown down his altar.”

 

All Israel knew God had forbidden worshipping other Gods, so Gideon’s actions attracted attention.  A fresh invasion by the Midianites and Amalekites stirred up more resentment by the Israelites, and when Gideon called for help to fight them, the Northern tribes came out to help.  Gideon’s concern that the people wouldn’t follow him because he was not well known had been overcome by his stance against the worship of Baal and anger at the Midianites, as Judges 6:33-35 describes.  “Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the children of the east were gathered together, and went over, and pitched in the valley of Jezreel.  But the spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet; and Abiezer was gathered after him.  And he sent messengers throughout all Manasseh; who also was gathered after him: and he sent messengers unto Asher, and unto Zebulun, and unto Naphtali; and they came up to meet them.” 

 

Taking that first step of obedience was vital if Gideon was to lead Israel against the Midianites.  Without it the people would never have been inspired to follow him.  

Gideon’s Call

 After defeating Jabin, the Israelites were free, but as time passed they began to adopt the standards of the peoples who remained among them, disobeying God.  after forty years, it reached a point where God would no longer overlook their sin, and he allowed Israel be invaded over by the Midianites, as Judges 6:1-6 describes.  “And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years.  And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel: and because of the Midianites the children of Israel made them the dens which are in the mountains, and caves, and strong holds.  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.”

 

The Midianite invasion was intended to destroy Israel.  They burned homes, killed or enslaved people, and brought huge herds of livestock to wipe out the crops.  The Israelites were forced to flee their homes, digging dens into the hillsides and living in caves, foraging for whatever they could find to eat.  After seven years, the Israelites had nothing left, and began to seek God again.  When they prayed, God sent a prophet to remind them why things had gotten so bad, in Judges 6:6-10.  “And Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites; and the children of Israel cried unto the LORD.  And it came to pass, when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD because of the Midianites, That the LORD sent a prophet unto the children of Israel, which said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I brought you up from Egypt, and brought you forth out of the house of bondage; And I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all that oppressed you, and drave them out from before you, and gave you their land; And I said unto you, I am the LORD your God; fear not the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but ye have not obeyed my voice.”

 

God also chose an individual to Lead Israel in breaking the Midianite power, as we see 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?”

 

Gideon’s first question was how God could be with them when they were going through such hard times.  Here he was trying to hide the little bit of grain he had managed to find so that the Midianites would not steal it, and God said he was with him.  While God had miraculously brought them into the land, it seemed like he had completely forgotten about them.  God told him to go in the same faith that had enabled them to take the land and he would save the nation. 

 

Gideon was concerned about his ability to lead the people, because he ws from a very poor family in one of the least influential tribes, and even his own family didn’t consider him very important.  God told him that it wouldn’t matter with god on his side, 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.”

 

Gideon’s doubts are quite common for people who are struggling in their Christian lives.  How far can they trust a God who lets them have such problems, and why should he bless him?  Wouldn’t it be better to pick someone who was better known and more respected?  Before he stepped out by faith, Gideon asked God to give him a sign that the calling was really from God, in Judges 6:17-24.  “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.  And when Gideon perceived that he was an angel of the LORD, Gideon said, Alas, O Lord GOD! for because I have seen an angel of the LORD face to face.

 

 And the LORD said unto him, Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou shalt not die.  Then Gideon built an altar there unto the LORD, and called it Jehovahshalom: unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.”

 

It is important to notice the difference in Barak’s request for assurance and that of Gideon.  Barak had based his obedience on whether Deborah believed it was God’s will, refusing to go unless she went with him.  Gideon wanted to know for sure whether it was God’s will, and so he asked God for some special sign.  Unfortunately, too often we base our decisions on what others think rather than on what God shows us.  Assured it was God who was leading, Gideon took the time to worship God. 

A Lack Of Faith Cost The People’s Respect

 For eighty years after their defeat of the Moabites, Israel had stayed true to God, but eventually they had begun to stray and god had allowed Philistine robbers to begin attacking them.  Shamgar had personally acted to stop the robbers, and most of the people seem to have been unaware of what he had done.  As soon as the robbers stopped they went back to doing the same things, much like the former fighter pilot I knew.  He said that when they were involved in a battle, he was praying and promising to go to church and serve God, but as soon as the battle was over, he immediately radioed his buddies to meet him at the bar when they got back to base.  Judges 4:1 tells us that the Israelites did not take the philistine raids as a serious threat of make significant changes.   “And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD, when Ehud was dead.”

 

 Because they did not heed the warning. God sent a threat that they took seriously, as Judges 4:2-3 describes.  “And the LORD sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, that reigned in Hazor; the captain of whose host was Sisera, which dwelt in Harosheth of the Gentiles.  And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD: for he had nine hundred chariots of iron; and twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel.”

 

Jabin had a well-equipped and strong army, and for twenty years his forces did as they pleased in Israel.  Finally, it got so bad the Israelites realized they could not escape without God’s help and they began to pray.  There was a godly woman who served as a judge enforcing God’s law.  She was also a prophetess, telling the people what God told her.    She contacted Barak, telling him that God wanted him to lead Israel as Judges 4:4-7 describes.  “And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time.  And she dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in mount Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment.  And she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedeshnaphtali, and said unto him, Hath not the LORD God of Israel commanded, saying, Go and draw toward mount Tabor, and take with thee ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun?  And I will draw unto thee to the river Kishon Sisera, the captain of Jabin's army, with his chariots and his multitude; and I will deliver him into thine hand.”

 

Unwilling to trust God to guide him, Barak refused to try unless Deborah went with him.  She agreed to go but warned him that his lack of faith would prevent his getting the blessings he could have had, in Judges 4:8-10.  “And Barak said unto her, If thou wilt go with me, then I will go: but if thou wilt not go with me, then I will not go.  And she said, I will surely go with thee: notwithstanding the journey that thou takest shall not be for thine honour; for the LORD shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman. And Deborah arose, and went with Barak to Kedesh.  And Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh; and he went up with ten thousand men at his feet: and Deborah went up with him.”  Like a lot of Christians today, Barak believed God had the power to deliver Israel, but he had no confidence that God cared enough about him personally to bless him.   They depend on other people to have faith enough to get God’s blessing, rather than trusting God themselves.   They don’t realize how much their lack of faith hinders their Christian life.     

 

The Kenites were descendants of Moses’ midianite father-in-law who had joind up with Israel in their move to Canaan, and had settled in southern Judah.  Conflicts with his relatives led Heber to move north to an area not far from Jabins capital of Hazor, as Judges 4:11 describes.  “Now Heber the Kenite, which was of the children of Hobab the father in law of Moses, had severed himself from the Kenites, and pitched his tent unto the plain of Zaanaim, which is by Kedesh.”  Heber’s wife will play a pivotal role in the battle with Jabin’s army. 

 

Jabin’s general, Sisera learned of Barak’s gathering the Israelite army and went to meet them.  At Deborah’s urging, Barak Joined battle with Sisera’s army, defeating them as we see in Judges 4:12-16.  “And they showed Sisera that Barak the son of Abinoam was gone up to mount Tabor.  And Sisera gathered together all his chariots, even nine hundred chariots of iron, and all the people that were with him, from Harosheth of the Gentiles unto the river of Kishon.

 

And Deborah said unto Barak, Up; for this is the day in which the LORD hath delivered Sisera into thine hand: is not the LORD gone out before thee? So Barak went down from mount Tabor, and ten thousand men after him.  And the LORD discomfited Sisera, and all his chariots, and all his host, with the edge of the sword before Barak; so that Sisera lighted down off his chariot, and fled away on his feet.  But Barak pursued after the chariots, and after the host, unto Harosheth of the Gentiles: and all the host of Sisera fell upon the edge of the sword; and there was not a man left.”

 

Realizing his army had no chance, Sisera left his troops to be killed while he fled for his life, coming to Heber’s camp, and seeking refuge there, as described in Judges 4:17-20.  “Howbeit Sisera fled away on his feet to the tent of Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite: for there was peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite.  And Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said unto him, Turn in, my lord, turn in to me; fear not. And when he had turned in unto her into the tent, she covered him with a mantle.  And he said unto her, Give me, I pray thee, a little water to drink; for I am thirsty. And she opened a bottle of milk, and gave him drink, and covered him.  Again he said unto her, Stand in the door of the tent, and it shall be, when any man doth come and inquire of thee, and say, Is there any man here? that thou shalt say, No.”

 

While Jabin’s army had not bothered Heber’s family, their connection with Israel stretched back two hundred years, so Jael favored Israel, killing Sisera, as Judges 4:21-23 describes.  “Then Jael Heber's wife took a nail of the tent, and took an hammer in her hand, and went softly unto him, and smote the nail into his temples, and fastened it into the ground: for he was fast asleep and weary. So he died.  And, behold, as Barak pursued Sisera, Jael came out to meet him, and said unto him, Come, and I will show thee the man whom thou seekest. And when he came into her tent, behold, Sisera lay dead, and the nail was in his temples.  So God subdued on that day Jabin the king of Canaan before the children of Israel.”

 

With the destruction of his army and death of his general, Jabin was unable to protect his kingdom and Israel quickly seized the various cities, as Judges 4:24 describes.  “And the hand of the children of Israel prospered, and prevailed against Jabin the king of Canaan, until they had destroyed Jabin king of Canaan.”  Deborah had warned Barak that because he would not trust God himself, he would not get the credit for the victory over Jabin’s army, and reading through her song in Judges 5, one realizes she took most of the credit for the victory, although she made Jael the heroine, in Judges 5:24-27.  “Blessed above women shall Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite be, blessed shall she be above women in the tent.  He asked water, and she gave him milk; she brought forth butter in a lordly dish.  She put her hand to the nail, and her right hand to the workmen's hammer; and with the hammer she smote Sisera, she smote off his head, when she had pierced and stricken through his temples.   At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay down: at her feet he bowed, he fell: where he bowed, there he fell down dead.”  Though he had led the army and been responsible for the victory, Barak would never get recognition for what he had done. 

 

Each Generation Must Learn To Obey God

The older generation of Israel knew how dependent they were on God but the younger people had never had to depend on him.   As a result they began to take his blessings for granted when things were going well, and Israel’s failure to drive the original inhabitants out completely left them in constant contact with their ungodly practices.  As a result, the younger group tended to adopt their standards and practices, angering God, who allowed them to be taken captive as Judges 3:12- 14 describes.  “And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the LORD.  And he gathered unto him the children of Ammon and Amalek, and went and smote Israel, and possessed the city of palm trees.  So the children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.”

 

When they finally figured out they had to have God’s blessings, they turned back to the Lord, and he sent a judge named Ehud to set them free, as Judges 3:15 describes.  “But when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised them up a deliverer, Ehud the son of Gera, a Benjamite, a man lefthanded: and by him the children of Israel sent a present unto Eglon the king of Moab.” 

 

After killing the Moabite king, Ehud led the Israelite army against the Moabites, defeating them as Judges 3:26-30 describes.  “And Ehud escaped while they tarried, and passed beyond the quarries, and escaped unto Seirath.  And it came to pass, when he was come, that he blew a trumpet in the mountain of Ephraim, and the children of Israel went down with him from the mount, and he before them.  And he said unto them, Follow after me: for the LORD hath delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand. And they went down after him, and took the fords of Jordan toward Moab, and suffered not a man to pass over.  And they slew of Moab at that time about ten thousand men, all lusty, and all men of valour; and there escaped not a man.  So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest fourscore years.”

 

Eglon’s reign over Israel had lasted long enough and been cruel enough that the Israelites made sure their children knew about it.  As a result they didn’t turn away from God for eighty years, but eventually all the ones like Ehud, who could remember what it was like died off, and the younger ones began to turn away again.   When they did, Philistine bandits began crossing the border into Israel and robbing travelers.  It reached a point where people were afraid to travel along the highways but were forced to sneak along little used paths, as Judges 5:6 describes.  “In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied, and the travellers walked through byways.”  The Philistine bandits quit coming into Israel to rob people after Shamgar killed six hundred of them with a pointed stick like they used to keep their oxen moving, as Judges 3:31 tells us.  “And after him was Shamgar the son of Anath, which slew of the Philistines six hundred men with an ox goad: and he also delivered Israel.”

 

It seems every generation has to go through some hard times before they understand their need for God.  It is easy for them to think they are the only ones who have ever had these problems.  I Corinthians 10:13 reminds us, “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” Like he did with Israel, God provides a way to overcome those problems, but we are required to be obedient before he does.  Too many people try to claim this verse without obeying him, and then blame God when they don’t get the victory. 

Why Do Believers Face The Same Struggles Repeatedly?

The generation that had spent forty years in the wilderness and had seen how God had enabled them to win against their enemies understood the role God played in their lives.  The next generation took the blessings for granted because they had not faced the same trials.  As a result they began worshipping the God’s of their neighbors.  As a result, God allowed them to be conquered by various other countries, but he did not stop caring about them, as Judges 2:16 tells us.  “Nevertheless the LORD raised up judges, which delivered them out of the hand of those that spoiled them.”

 

Unfortunately, each generation repeated the same mistakes because they failed to learn from their parents and grandparents, as Judges 2:17 describes.  “And yet they would not hearken unto their judges, but they went a whoring after other gods, and bowed themselves unto them: they turned quickly out of the way which their fathers walked in, obeying the commandments of the LORD; but they did not so.”  The book of Judges records thirteen times over a period of almost five hundred years that Israel followed the pattern described in Judges 2:18-19.  “And when the LORD raised them up judges, then the LORD was with the judge, and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge: for it repented the LORD because of their groanings by reason of them that oppressed them and vexed them.  And it came to pass, when the judge was dead, that they returned, and corrupted themselves more than their fathers, in following other gods to serve them, and to bow down unto them; they ceased not from their own doings, nor from their stubborn way.”

 

Because successive generations of Israel kept taking God’s blessings for granted and turning away. God left several groups among them to teach each generation their need for hid blessings, as Judges 2:20-3:4 explains.  “And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel; and he said, Because that this people hath transgressed my covenant which I commanded their fathers, and have not hearkened unto my voice;  I also will not henceforth drive out any from before them of the nations which Joshua left when he died: That through them I may prove Israel, whether they will keep the way of the LORD to walk therein, as their fathers did keep it, or not.  Therefore the LORD left those nations, without driving them out hastily; neither delivered he them into the hand of Joshua. Now these are the nations which the LORD left, to prove Israel by them, even as many of Israel as had not known all the wars of Canaan; Only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at the least such as before knew nothing thereof; Namely, five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Sidonians, and the Hivites that dwelt in mount Lebanon, from mount Baalhermon unto the entering in of Hamath.  And they were to prove Israel by them, to know whether they would hearken unto the commandments of the LORD, which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.”

 

People tend to adopt the attitudes and standards of those around them, and the Israelites were no exception, as Judges 3:5-8 describes.  “And the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, Hittites, and Amorites, and Perizzites, and Hivites, and Jebusites: And they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their daughters to their sons, and served their gods.  And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and forgat the LORD their God, and served Baalim and the groves.  Therefore the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Chushanrishathaim king of Mesopotamia: and the children of Israel served Chushanrishathaim eight years.”

 

It is not clear who Cushanrishathaim is, but he was from the area around Babylon. Like Chedorlaomer in Genesis 14, he was attempting to extend his kingdom to include Syria and Palestine.  After just eight years, Israel rebelled under the leadership of Caleb’s nephew, as described in Judges 3:9-11.  “And when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer to the children of Israel, who delivered them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother.  And the spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he judged Israel, and went out to war: and the LORD delivered Chushanrishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand; and his hand prevailed against Chushanrishathaim.  And the land had rest forty years. And Othniel the son of Kenaz died.”  Israel’s defeat of Cushanrishathaim’s army likely ended his hopes of expanding his empire before it was well established, leaving few records.

 

God still uses the people around us to make us aware of our dependence on him, bringing judgement on us when we stray from following him.   Like Israel, each generation seems to have to relearn the same lessons.    

 

It Didn’t Seem That Important

 God had specifically commanded the Israelites they were to drive the former occupants completely out from among them so that they would not begin to adopt those groups customs and religion, and not to make any treaties with them.  Wanting to get about living a normal life, Israel did not drive them completely out, choosing instead to negotiate treaties with them, as Judges 1:28- 33 describes.  “And it came to pass, when Israel was strong, that they put the Canaanites to tribute, and did not utterly drive them out.  Neither did Ephraim drive out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer; but the Canaanites dwelt in Gezer among them.  Neither did Zebulun drive out the inhabitants of Kitron, nor the inhabitants of Nahalol; but the Canaanites dwelt among them, and became tributaries.  Neither did Asher drive out the inhabitants of Accho, nor the inhabitants of Zidon, nor of Ahlab, nor of Achzib, nor of Helbah, nor of Aphik, nor of Rehob: But the Asherites dwelt among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land: for they did not drive them out.  Neither did Naphtali drive out the inhabitants of Bethshemesh, nor the inhabitants of Bethanath; but he dwelt among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land: nevertheless the inhabitants of Bethshemesh and of Bethanath became tributaries unto them.”

 

God was not pleased with their disobedience and warned them that because they had disobeyed him, he would no longer drive out their enemies before them like he had done at first.  Instead they would have to physically defeat their enemies in the future. As the angel told them in Judges 2:1-3.  “And an angel of the LORD came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said, I made you to go up out of Egypt, and have brought you unto the land which I sware unto your fathers; and I said, I will never break my covenant with you.  And ye shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land; ye shall throw down their altars: but ye have not obeyed my voice: why have ye done this?  Wherefore I also said, I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be as thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare unto you.”

 

The angel warned them that the presence of the former inhabitants would be a constant source of conflict, and that their worship of other Gods would be a constant source of temptation to turn away from God.  The people were quite upset at learning God would no longer drive out their eemies the way he had, as Judges 2:4-6 tells us.  “And it came to pass, when the angel of the LORD spake these words unto all the children of Israel, that the people lifted up their voice, and wept.  And they called the name of that place Bochim: and they sacrificed there unto the LORD.  And when Joshua had let the people go, the children of Israel went every man unto his inheritance to possess the land.”

 

It was probably at this point Joshua called the people together, insisting the commit to following only God, as was described in Joshua 23-24.  As a result of Joshua’s efforts to get such a commitment, Judges 2:7 tells us, “And the people served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the LORD, that he did for Israel.”

 

The people who had grown up under Moses’ leadership and remembered what God had done for them stayed faithful to God.  Unfortunately, the younger generation did not have those memories, and began to copy the lifestyles of the former occupants of the land, as Judges 2:11-13 tells us.  “And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim: And they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, which brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, of the gods of the people that were round about them, and bowed themselves unto them, and provoked the LORD to anger.  And they forsook the LORD, and served Baal and Ashtaroth.”

 

I’m sure the command to completely drive out the former occupants seemed a little harsh and excessive in light of the treaties, but failure to obey it led the next generation into sin.  I have no idea how many dedicated Christians have exposed their children and grandchildren to temptation and sin because they didn’t realize how important some seemingly minor command from God was.  Israel’s failure to follow God’s command completely would have serious consequences for their children and grandchildren, as Judges 2:14-15 describes.  “And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of spoilers that spoiled them, and he sold them into the hands of their enemies round about, so that they could not any longer stand before their enemies.  Whithersoever they went out, the hand of the LORD was against them for evil, as the LORD had said, and as the LORD had sworn unto them: and they were greatly distressed.”

 

We need to realize God always has a reason for his commands, and obey him implicitly, even when the commands seem pointless or excessive. 

Making Sure Of The People’s Commitment

Based on Caleb’s statement of his own age, it is probable Joshua was around eighty years old when he became Israel’s leader.   After many years as their leader, he realized he would not be able to continue indefinitely, and began to prepare the nation for when he would no longer be able to lead them.  He started by reminding them what God had done for them while he led them, in Joshua 23:1-4.  “And it came to pass a long time after that the LORD had given rest unto Israel from all their enemies round about, that Joshua waxed old and stricken in age.  And Joshua called for all Israel, and for their elders, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers, and said unto them, I am old and stricken in age: And ye have seen all that the LORD your God hath done unto all these nations because of you; for the LORD your God is he that hath fought for you.  Behold, I have divided unto you by lot these nations that remain, to be an inheritance for your tribes, from Jordan, with all the nations that I have cut off, even unto the great sea westward.

 

They could expect God to continue to bless them if they would trust him and follow his commands, as he told them in Joshua 23:5-12.  “And the LORD your God, he shall expel them from before you, and drive them from out of your sight; and ye shall possess their land, as the LORD your God hath promised unto you.  Be ye therefore very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, that ye turn not aside therefrom to the right hand or to the left; That ye come not among these nations, these that remain among you; neither make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause to swear by them, neither serve them, nor bow yourselves unto them: But cleave unto the LORD your God, as ye have done unto this day.  For the LORD hath driven out from before you great nations and strong: but as for you, no man hath been able to stand before you unto this day.  One man of you shall chase a thousand: for the LORD your God, he it is that fighteth for you, as he hath promised you.  Take good heed therefore unto yourselves, that ye love the LORD your God.”

 

He also warned them that if they turned away from God’s directions, following the example of the world around them, God would cease to bless them, in Joshua 23:13-16.  “Else if ye do in any wise go back, and cleave unto the remnant of these nations, even these that remain among you, and shall make marriages with them, and go in unto them, and they to you: Know for a certainty that the LORD your God will no more drive out any of these nations from before you; but they shall be snares and traps unto you, and scourges in your sides, and thorns in your eyes, until ye perish from off this good land which the LORD your God hath given you.

 

And, behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth: and ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the LORD your God spake concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof.  Therefore it shall come to pass, that as all good things are come upon you, which the LORD your God promised you; so shall the LORD bring upon you all evil things, until he have destroyed you from off this good land which the LORD your God hath given you.  When ye have transgressed the covenant of the LORD your God, which he commanded you, and have gone and served other gods, and bowed yourselves to them; then shall the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and ye shall perish quickly from off the good land which he hath given unto you.”

 

Whether God blessed them or cursed them would be dependent on whether they chose to serve God or not.  After giving them some time to think about what he had told them, Joshua called them together again, reminding them in detail how Gd had blessed them, in Joshua 24:1-13.  “And Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and called for the elders of Israel, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers; and they presented themselves before God.  And Joshua said unto all the people, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood in old time, even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nachor: and they served other gods.

 

And I took your father Abraham from the other side of the flood, and led him throughout all the land of Canaan, and multiplied his seed, and gave him Isaac.  And I gave unto Isaac Jacob and Esau: and I gave unto Esau mount Seir, to possess it; but Jacob and his children went down into Egypt.  I sent Moses also and Aaron, and I plagued Egypt, according to that which I did among them: and afterward I brought you out.  And I brought your fathers out of Egypt: and ye came unto the sea; and the Egyptians pursued after your fathers with chariots and horsemen unto the Red sea.  And when they cried unto the LORD, he put darkness between you and the Egyptians, and brought the sea upon them, and covered them; and your eyes have seen what I have done in Egypt: and ye dwelt in the wilderness a long season.

 

And I brought you into the land of the Amorites, which dwelt on the other side Jordan; and they fought with you: and I gave them into your hand, that ye might possess their land; and I destroyed them from before you.  Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose and warred against Israel, and sent and called Balaam the son of Beor to curse you: But I would not hearken unto Balaam; therefore he blessed you still: so I delivered you out of his hand.  And ye went over Jordan, and came unto Jericho: and the men of Jericho fought against you, the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Girgashites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; and I delivered them into your hand. And I sent the hornet before you, which drave them out from before you, even the two kings of the Amorites; but not with thy sword, nor with thy bow.  And I have given you a land for which ye did not labour, and cities which ye built not, and ye dwell in them; of the vineyards and oliveyards which ye planted not do ye eat.”

 

Based on what God had done for them in the past, Joshua asked the people to commit to whether they would follow God or not, In Joshua 24:14-15.  “Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD.  And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

 

When Paul wrote, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation,” in Romans 10:9-10, he was referring to this kind of a commitment.  He was not simply talking about simply saying you believed but actually committing to that belief. 

 

Like many people today, the Israelites were quick to make an emotional decision, in Joshua 24:16-18.  “And the people answered and said, God forbid that we should forsake the LORD, to serve other gods; For the LORD our God, he it is that brought us up and our fathers out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, and which did those great signs in our sight, and preserved us in all the way wherein we went, and among all the people through whom we passed: And the LORD drave out from before us all the people, even the Amorites which dwelt in the land: therefore will we also serve the LORD; for he is our God.”

 

Joshua was quick to point out that they needed to make an actual long term commitment, not just not just jump in for the short term benefits, in Joshua 24:19-20.  “And Joshua said unto the people, Ye cannot serve the LORD: for he is an holy God; he is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins.  If ye forsake the LORD, and serve strange gods, then he will turn and do you hurt, and consume you, after that he hath done you good.”

 

Joshua warned them that God would not be satisfied with just saying the words, but would expect them to follow through on their promise.  The people insisted that was their intention, in Joshua 24:21-22.  “And the people said unto Joshua, Nay; but we will serve the LORD.  And Joshua said unto the people, Ye are witnesses against yourselves that ye have chosen you the LORD, to serve him. And they said, We are witnesses.”

 

Joshua then insisted that if they were sincere they would make some changes in their lifestyle, in Joshua 24:23-24.  “Now therefore put away, said he, the strange gods which are among you, and incline your heart unto the LORD God of Israel.  And the people said unto Joshua, The LORD our God will we serve, and his voice will we obey.”

 

Convinced of their sincerity, Joshua made a covenant or contract with them, setting up a memorial to remind them of their covenant or contract with God, in Joshua 24:25-28.  “So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and set them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem.  And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God, and took a great stone, and set it up there under an oak, that was by the sanctuary of the LORD.  And Joshua said unto all the people, Behold, this stone shall be a witness unto us; for it hath heard all the words of the LORD which he spake unto us: it shall be therefore a witness unto you, lest ye deny your God.  So Joshua let the people depart, every man unto his inheritance.”   What happened to Israel from that point on would be up to them.  Joshua had done everything he could to ensure they followed God.

Making a False Assumption

 God had blessed Israel mightily in their effort to occupy the land, as Joshua 21:43-45 describes.  “And the LORD gave unto Israel all the land which he sware to give unto their fathers; and they possessed it, and dwelt therein.  And the LORD gave them rest round about, according to all that he sware unto their fathers: and there stood not a man of all their enemies before them; the LORD delivered all their enemies into their hand.  There failed not ought of any good thing which the LORD had spoken unto the house of Israel; all came to pass.”

 

With the land subdued, the Trans-Jordanian tribes, Reuben, Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh were allowed to return to the land they had conquered before crossing the Jordan, as Joshua 22:7-9 describes.  “Now to the one half of the tribe of Manasseh Moses had given possession in Bashan: but unto the other half thereof gave Joshua among their brethren on this side Jordan westward. And when Joshua sent them away also unto their tents, then he blessed them, And he spake unto them, saying, Return with much riches unto your tents, and with very much cattle, with silver, and with gold, and with brass, and with iron, and with very much raiment: divide the spoil of your enemies with your brethren.  And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh returned, and departed from the children of Israel out of Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan, to go unto the country of Gilead, to the land of their possession, whereof they were possessed, according to the word of the LORD by the hand of Moses.”

 

One of the first things the Trans-Jordan tribes did upon their return as to build a huge altar on the east side of the Jordan, as Joshua 22:10 tells us.  “And when they came unto the borders of Jordan, that are in the land of Canaan, the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh built there an altar by Jordan, a great altar to see to.”

 

Seeing and hearing about the altar, the other tribes assumed it was because they wanted to split off from Israel and start their own country and religious sect, as Joshua 22:11-20 describes.  “And the children of Israel heard say, Behold, the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh have built an altar over against the land of Canaan, in the borders of Jordan, at the passage of the children of Israel.  And when the children of Israel heard of it, the whole congregation of the children of Israel gathered themselves together at Shiloh, to go up to war against them.

 

And the children of Israel sent unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the half tribe of Manasseh, into the land of Gilead, Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, And with him ten princes, of each chief house a prince throughout all the tribes of Israel; and each one was an head of the house of their fathers among the thousands of Israel.  And they came unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the half tribe of Manasseh, unto the land of Gilead, and they spake with them, saying, Thus saith the whole congregation of the LORD, What trespass is this that ye have committed against the God of Israel, to turn away this day from following the LORD, in that ye have builded you an altar, that ye might rebel this day against the LORD? Is the iniquity of Peor too little for us, from which we are not cleansed until this day, although there was a plague in the congregation of the LORD, But that ye must turn away this day from following the LORD? and it will be, seeing ye rebel to day against the LORD, that to morrow he will be wroth with the whole congregation of Israel.  Notwithstanding, if the land of your possession be unclean, then pass ye over unto the land of the possession of the LORD, wherein the LORD'S tabernacle dwelleth, and take possession among us: but rebel not against the LORD, nor rebel against us, in building you an altar beside the altar of the LORD our God.  Did not Achan the son of Zerah commit a trespass in the accursed thing, and wrath fell on all the congregation of Israel? and that man perished not alone in his iniquity.”

 

The other tribes were remembering what had happened when some of the people got involved with the Moabite and Midianite women and their religion resulting in the deaths of twenty four thousand people in Numbers 25.  Others remembered how Achan’s disobedience at Jericho had caused the deaths of thirty six men.  They were afraid this would cause similar results. 

 

As the trans-Jordan tribes explained, they had no intention of breaking away or starting their own religion.  They were concerned that the Jordan river might be seen as a boundary separating them and they would be discriminated against or excluded from Israel.  They had built the altar as reminder they served and worshipped the same God.  They had no intention of using it for worship, as they explained in Joshua 22:21-29.  “Then the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh answered, and said unto the heads of the thousands of Israel, The LORD God of gods, the LORD God of gods, he knoweth, and Israel he shall know; if it be in rebellion, or if in transgression against the LORD, (save us not this day,) That we have built us an altar to turn from following the LORD, or if to offer thereon burnt offering or meat offering, or if to offer peace offerings thereon, let the LORD himself require it; And if we have not rather done it for fear of this thing, saying, In time to come your children might speak unto our children, saying, What have ye to do with the LORD God of Israel?  For the LORD hath made Jordan a border between us and you, ye children of Reuben and children of Gad; ye have no part in the LORD: so shall your children make our children cease from fearing the LORD.

 

Therefore we said, Let us now prepare to build us an altar, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice: But that it may be a witness between us, and you, and our generations after us, that we might do the service of the LORD before him with our burnt offerings, and with our sacrifices, and with our peace offerings; that your children may not say to our children in time to come, Ye have no part in the LORD.  Therefore said we, that it shall be, when they should so say to us or to our generations in time to come, that we may say again, Behold the pattern of the altar of the LORD, which our fathers made, not for burnt offerings, nor for sacrifices; but it is a witness between us and you.  God forbid that we should rebel against the LORD, and turn this day from following the LORD, to build an altar for burnt offerings, for meat offerings, or for sacrifices, beside the altar of the LORD our God that is before his tabernacle.”

 

Both sides had made false assumptions, which almost led to war.  Fortunately the main group took the time to talk with the Trans-Jordan tribes before attacking and learned the reason for their actions.  When they learned the reason they realized there was no reason for conflict, as Joshua 22:30-34 explains.  “And when Phinehas the priest, and the princes of the congregation and heads of the thousands of Israel which were with him, heard the words that the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the children of Manasseh spake, it pleased them.  And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest said unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the children of Manasseh, This day we perceive that the LORD is among us, because ye have not committed this trespass against the LORD: now ye have delivered the children of Israel out of the hand of the LORD.

 

And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, and the princes, returned from the children of Reuben, and from the children of Gad, out of the land of Gilead, unto the land of Canaan, to the children of Israel, and brought them word again.  And the thing pleased the children of Israel; and the children of Israel blessed God, and did not intend to go up against them in battle, to destroy the land wherein the children of Reuben and Gad dwelt.  And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad called the altar Ed: for it shall be a witness between us that the LORD is God.”

 

Many of the conflicts between Christians are the result of similar false assumptions.  Walking by faith requires learning to let God lead others as he sees fit, as Romans 14:1-4 tells us.  “Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.  For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs.  Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.  Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.”  It is important to understand this is about things which are questionable.  We are to warn them they are wrong, if they are doing something that is clearly contrary to God’s command, but we are not to impose our own standards or ideas on them.