Changing of the Guard

Gideon Part 1
The Call

The Bible is full of stories of unlikely heroes. If ever there was someone least likely it was Gideon. Even his own family thought he was a loser. And when you’re told that often enough, every life situation only seems to affirm what everyone else is saying. But as we shall see, the Gideon at the start of the story is not the same Gideon we see at the end of the story.

But let’s backtrack first. After Joshua had lead the Israelites into the Promised Land they still had to conquer the various tribes that had occupied it. The Canaanites, Philistines, Amalekites, Midianites, Moabites, Amorites etc.

And during Joshua’s lifetime they only managed to partially do it.

The book of Judges follows on from Joshua. There is always a danger when a great leader dies. Will their legacy continue after the Changing of the Guards ?

Yes immediately it did continue with the new leadership chosen by God.
After Joshua died, the nation of Israel went to the Lord to receive his instructions. “Which of our tribes should be the first to go to war against the Canaanites?” they inquired. God’s answer came, “Judah. And I will give them a great victory.” 
Judges 1:1-2

The test for leadership always comes when the first real opposition is encountered. Do the new leaders have the wisdom and courage for the fight ? Judah took up the mantle and was very successful in driving out the Canaanites.

But there were some chinks in the armour.
But Manasseh did not drive out the people of Beth Shan or Taanach or Dor or Ibleam or Megiddo and their surrounding settlements, for the Canaanites were determined to live in that land. When Israel became strong, they pressed the Canaanites into forced labor but never drove them out completely. Nor did Ephraim drive out the Canaanites living in Gezer, but the Canaanites continued to live there among them. Neither did Zebulun drive out the Canaanites living in Kitron or Nahalol, so these Canaanites lived among them, but Zebulun did subject them to forced labor. Nor did Asher drive out those living in Akko or Sidon or Ahlab or Akzib or Helbah or Aphek or Rehob. The Asherites lived among the Canaanite inhabitants of the land because they did not drive them out. Neither did Naphtali drive out those living in Beth Shemesh or Beth Anath; but the Naphtalites too lived among the Canaanite inhabitants of the land, and those living in Beth Shemesh and Beth Anath became forced laborers for them. The Amorites confined the Danites to the hill country, not allowing them to come down into the plain. 
Judges 1:27-34

Half the tribes did not persevere with the Lord’s instructions and as a result, if we study a map of the Promised Land, we can see that these six tribes mentioned from Northern Israel had severely compromised the whole of Israel.

After Joshua died, the new leadership was a mixture of courageous and the half hearted. Unfortunately the half-hearted will let the whole team down. Half the tribes didn’t continue with doing what God had said and decided to rather enjoy their new land and make peace deals with the enemy instead. After a while the Israelite men and women began to marry people from the other nations and very soon began worshipping their gods - disobeying the number 1 and 2 commandments and bringing trouble to Israel for their disobedience. Please understand what the Bible is saying. If you fall in love with a Christian from another race or country the Lord will support your marriage. But if you go for someone with no commitment to Jesus, you will end up with exactly the same problems that Israel had.

Sound familiar ? There are also some big lessons in this story for our Nation.

Western Democratic freedom of thinking is split Conservative or Liberal and I’m not a political person but if we don’t fight against liberal thinking, we will go down the same path that Israel went. In New Zealand we used to give God his due respect In our law, in our culture and at least we tried to keep to his path. Split Enz used to sing - “Don’t look to the left, don’t look to the right, just follow that straight old line”. That was us in NZ.



But now the World, the likes of the Netherlands and Richard Branson have convinced us, Chlöe Swarbrick and so on that we can win the war on drugs by legalising them. They sound sophisticated, they look bright and successful but they are making peace deals with the enemy and getting into bed with them. This will not win the war, it will bring trouble from the Lord on this nation.

The trouble will be a consequence of the people disobeying God but even then many people will still have difficulty putting two and two together. It’s not necessarily the Lord who has sent judgment, it can be simply a consequence of our choices. In the 80’s a few Christians said that AIDS was God’s judgment on the gay population. But AIDS is a consequence of promiscuity just like any other STD so let’s be careful how we say our message and back it up with facts.

It says
Then the people of Israel began once again to worship other gods, and once again the Lord let their enemies harass them. This time it was by the people of Midian, for seven years.
Judges 6:1

Notice that God’s judgment was to let the enemies of Israel attack them. God himself wasn’t the one attacking. The Devil sits behind a curtain and if God allows the curtain to be pulled back, the Devil throw his poisonous darts, as many as possible. We sing “God Defend New Zealand” and he does. He is our Father and protects us. But if he steps out of the way, the enemy is ready to attack.

It’s simple. The enemy want what we have. Our wealth. NZ is a very wealthy country. The Devil is like some crooked door-to-door salesman. If we eagerly open the door to the Devil because we think his offer sounds attractive and we sign up for one of his deals, it can be God’s judgment to allow the consequences. Legalising drugs means big business can make money at our cost as a Nation. Our resources will be depleted. There is no win-win deal with the Devil, we will lose big time.

See what the enemies of Israel did. They began destroying their crops and plundering their cattle. The land was devastated. They don’t love Israel, they hate them. Jesus said we will know them by their fruit. Do you have anyone or anything in your life who is against God but is offering an alternate road. I’m not talking about people who come to you or the church in need of help. I’m talking about people with resources who don’t love God. Watch out ! They may have a hidden agenda which will be at you and your children’s expense.

God has different ways of judging. Sometimes it’s the consequence of our actions. Sometimes the Lord just steps out of the way and the enemy attacks. But finally the judgment may be from the Lord himself as in Sodom and Gomorrah or with the Great Flood. In all cases the Lord forewarns, usually with an If and Then. In rare cases like Nineveh, the judgement was already made but God repented of his judgement when the people repented. See how kind the Lord is. He is very slow to anger, he wants to avoid it.

So Israel was sitting under judgment but the Lord is very gracious and merciful. He doesn’t forget his promises, he is faithful even though we are not. He sends an angel to a man named Gideon.

Because of the threat of the Midianites, Gideon was hiding in a wine press, threshing wheat for his starving family on the farm.

When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior. ” Judges 6:12

People in hard times who are beaten down by life and are in siege mentality often have a whole lot of negative first thoughts in any situation. Life has taught them to be suspicious and prepare for the worst. When the angel appeared, Gideon’s first thought was probably that he’d been caught by a Midianite and was about to die and then the angel spoke and called him “Mighty Warrior”.

I’m sure Gideon would have glanced back over his shoulder to check who was behind him - “Who me ?”

The first thing he actually says expresses his doubts about God. He doesn’t seem to know that the reason Israel is suffering is because they are worshipping idols. Instead he thinks God has let Israel down.

Then the Lord turned to him and said, “I will make you strong! Go and save Israel from the Midianites! I am sending you!”
Judges 6:14

Yes, you’re it ! You might be looking at yourself in the mirror questioning your chance of success in the Lord’s Mission he’s calling you to and you wouldn’t be the first to doubt the Lord.

But Gideon replied, “Sir, how can I save Israel? My family is the poorest in the whole tribe of Manasseh, and I am the least thought of in the entire family!” Whereupon the Lord said to him, “But I, Jehovah, will be with you! And you shall quickly destroy the Midianite hordes!”
Judges 6:15-16

Big job for a little fella. Don’t you love the way the Lord works. He chooses the most unlikely people, those with no chance of success and then He’s the one who does it and everyone benefits especially the person he’s asked.

But Gideon famously asks for a sign. In fact he asked for 3 but we’ll only talk today about the first request for proof because everyone knows about the fleece. It’s gone down in folklore.
Gideon replied, “If it is really true that you are going to help me like that, then do some miracle to prove it! Prove that it is really Jehovah who is talking to me! 
Judges 6:17

Usually it’s better to believe straight away as Abraham did. A lot of people who don’t particularly need a miracle ask for a sign as a proof. I know a few people who’ve done that, God will answer their prayer but still they don’t follow the Lord !

Don’t exasperate the Lord, it is frustrating for him when you doubt and ask for a sign. In fact,
One day some of the Jewish leaders, including some Pharisees, came to Jesus asking him to show them a miracle. But Jesus replied, “Only an evil, faithless nation would ask for further proof; and none will be given except what happened to Jonah the prophet! For as Jonah was in the great fish for three days and three nights, so I, the Messiah, shall be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights. 
Matthew 12:38-39

This is not talking about people who are seeking the Lord for a miracle or a healing out of need. This is talking about someone who the Lord is asking something of. Why does this look so familiar ? There is nothing new under the sun.

Signs waste time like rain stops play
Gideon hurried home and roasted a young goat and baked some unleavened bread from a bushel of flour. Then, carrying the meat in a basket and broth in a pot, he took it out to the Angel, who was beneath the oak tree, and presented it to him. The Angel said to him, “Place the meat and the bread upon that rock over there, and pour the broth over it.” When Gideon had followed these instructions, the Angel touched the meat and bread with his staff, and fire flamed up from the rock and consumed them! And suddenly the Angel was gone! 
Judges 6:19-21

Big mistake by Gideon. Don’t forget there was little food around, he was starving, now the angel had zapped all his food, what a waste. If we stall from what the Lord is asking us to do, we often end up suffering with regret. When we were down in Palmerston North, one of our friends had a call to go to Auckland to be trained for ministry. Very shortly he got a call from his employer that he had a promotion to a main bank in Wellington and he decided to take the job. He probably reasoned that this was the way the Lord was going to provide for his future but this was not what the Lord was asking of him. What followed was a year of misery then finally he decided to go to Baptist College and now he’s been nearly 20 years in the Ministry and Chaplain to the Breakers in 4 winning campaigns. It could have been 5 !

The Lord is very gracious isn’t he ? But he is Holy too.

Gideon placed the bread and meat on the rock as the angel had told him. Just like that he had unknowingly placed it on an altar. Then he poured the broth over it to make it impossible to ignite. A split second later it had disappeared in flames. Flesh gone in an instant before a Holy God. Moses stood before the burning bush which didn’t turn to ash but Gideon was surely the first one to exclaim "Our God is a consuming fire". He thought he was next.

When Gideon realized that it had indeed been the Angel of the Lord, he cried out, “Alas, O Lord God, for I have seen the Angel of the Lord face-to-face!” “It’s all right,” the Lord replied. “Don’t be afraid! You shall not die.” 
Judges 6:22-23

Gideon has a severe dose of hypochondria. Get a grip says the Lord. Same thing Jesus had to tell the disciples in the boat on the stormy seas on their way to their Mission on the other side of the lake. “Don’t be afraid! You shall not die.”

So Gideon started his Mission.
That night the Lord told Gideon to hitch his father’s best ox to the family altar of Baal and pull it down, and to cut down the wooden idol of the goddess Asherah that stood nearby. “Replace it with an altar for the Lord your God, built here on this hill, laying the stones carefully. Then sacrifice the ox as a burnt offering to the Lord, using the wooden idol as wood for the fire on the altar.” 
Judges 6:25-26

First things first. Get rid of the idol, the root of the problem. We can’t do a Mission for the Lord if there is something against him standing in the way, we have to deal with the problem in our own lives first, in this case the family altar to Baal.

That takes courage. Gideon knows there will be a negative reaction from all his family. He is the reluctant "Mighty Warrior". He’ll do it so he doesn’t get zapped like the meat but he is like the secret undercover Christian leaving a tract behind on the passenger seat. He knows someone will get angry if he gives them the Gospel straight so he does it covertly.

So Gideon took ten of his servants and did as the Lord had commanded. But he did it at night for fear of the other members of his father’s household, and for fear of the men of the city; for he knew what would happen if they found out who did it! Early the next morning, as the city began to stir, someone discovered that the altar of Baal was knocked apart, the idol beside it was gone, and a new altar had been built instead, with the remains of a sacrifice on it. “Who did this?” everyone demanded. Finally they learned that it was Gideon, the son of Joash. “Bring out your son,” they shouted to Joash. “He must die for insulting the altar of Baal and for cutting down the Asherah idol.” 
Judges 6:27-30

Gideon was no Daniel. He was KFC - Kentucky Fried Chicken.

Luckily for Gideon his Dad was brave and smart. Dad to the rescue.
But Joash retorted to the whole mob, “Does Baal need your help? What an insult to a god! You are the ones who should die for insulting Baal! If Baal is really a god, let him take care of himself and destroy the one who broke apart his altar!” From then on Gideon was called “Jerubbaal,” a nickname meaning “Let Baal take care of himself!” 
Judges 6:31-32

The Devil was defeated at the Cross. He can only bluff and make loud noises. Do not be afraid, you shall not die !

We make a start on the Mission however feeble and afraid we are. But we do it. Remember it’s the Lord’s Mission not ours. He will see it through we do not have to be afraid of anything. Gideon’s Dad stepped up to the plate and he told the people that if Baal was a true god he would be able to take care of Gideon himself. When we are doing the Lord’s Mission, we have nothing to fear from Allah, Krishna, Buddha, Karma or any other false Messiah, they are all false gods made of wood and stone, they are dead.

And thanks to his Dad, Gideon gained a new status. Gideon’s Mission had lift off !

Next time we will look at the next stage of the Mission - the preparation. Don’t worry about the Lord’s Mission if it seems too big. No one goes straight to into battle. Whoever thought of sending a new recruit to the front line ?