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.