Faith Does Not Depend on Everyone Being Onboard

 Gideon was fighting to restore Israel’s independence.  With only a three hundred man army, the Midianites had been put to flight, and driven across the Jordan.  While the tribes on the west side had joined into the battle attacking the Midianites and killing many, the Jews on the eastern ide were hesitant to get involved, as we see in Judges 8:4-6.  “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?” 

 

All he had asked for was some food for his troops, but they were afraid to get involved until victory was assured.  If he could capture the rest of the leaders then they would stand with him.  Clearly, they did not trust God to give the victory, even though the Midianite army had been routed.  Gideon warned them their refusal to trust God and take a stance would  result in serious suffering, in Judges 8:7.  “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.”

 

The same thing happened at Penuel, as Judges 8:8-9 tells us.  “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.”  Since they refused to make any contribution to their own defense, Gideon said he would destroy their fortress.  When we commit to follow God in faith there are almost always some who lack the faith to support the action until they see how everything turns out.   

 

The Midianite forces had fled into an area along the border of Ammon and Israel to regroup.  Between the panicked killing of each other in the dark and the attacks by the Jews as they fled, they had lost a hundred twenty thousand men, leaving only about fifteen thousand, according to Judges 8:10.  “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.”

 

Still woefully outnumbered, Gideon swung around by two of the cities Israel had taken even before the came into the land of Canaan, and caught the Midianites by surprise, capturing the two main leaders and routing the rest, according to Judges 8:11-12.  “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.”

 

Thinking they were safe, the Midianites were unprepared for Gideon’s attack, and the battle only lasted a short time.  By sunrise the next morning Gideon and his men had returned to Succoth, where he punished the leaders of for their refusal to help defeat the Midianites as Judges 8:13-17 describes.  “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.”  He had the leaders of Succoth whipped or caned with branches from thorn bushes, and tore down the fort at Penuel, killing the men who had refused to help. 

 

Interrogating the Midianite kings, Gideon learned that they had had his brothers killed, and ordered them executed,  in Judges 8:18-20.  “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. “

 

When Gideon’s son hesitated to kill them, the Midianite kings made fun of Gideon, implying he wasn’t man enough to do it himself.  Hearing that, Gideon executed them himself, retaining the symbols of their authority that they had on their camel’s necks, as Judges 8:21 describes.  “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.”