7:2 - God wants to make it crystal clear that the victory comes only through His power. Which probably didn't do much for Gideon's already fragile courage!
7:7 - Why do you think God chose only the people who lapped water from their hands? It could be that these people are able to have their head up as they drink, so they are ready if the enemy attacks...they might be the most reliable fighting men. Or it could just be that God chose the smaller group so that He could have even more glory. I lean towards the second option.
7:13ff - Think about this. The Midianite camp is huge - their camels are uncountable...they stretch as far as the eye can see. What is the probability that Gideon walks up to the two guys in camp that are going to be talking about a divinely inspired dream and interpretation about him? What are the odds? It is cool to see how intricately God weaves His plans and brings His people into them. Think about the countless plans that God is working that you are walking towards - it's pretty cool to think about.
7:15 - I find it really ironic that Gideon trusts the words of these Midianite soldiers more than He trusts God. After he hears them, he is finally ready to do what God has called him to do for two chapters now.
8:2 - Gideon puts forth a really good show of diplomacy here. Instead of starting a civil war within the people of God, he uses humility to defuse the situation. He says, "Hey, all we did was smash some pots and yell...you are the guys who captured and killed the princes, right?" It is amazing what tact and humility can do compared to hot-headed pride.
8:4 - Unfortunately, we are about to watch everything unravel for Gideon. In the span of a few verses he completely morphs...he was the scared guy, using diplomacy, now he is about to become the vengeful man of action (not necessarily in a God honoring way). Gideon crosses the Jordan and goes off on a personal vendetta outside of the Promised Land - nowhere do we see God call him to do this - his people have already been freed from the oppression of the Midianites (In verse 8:19 we see that he is seeking vengeance for the death of family members).
8:7/9 - These people don't feed his army of three hundred so he instantly pronounces judgement on them. Again, he is taking this into his own hands...we do not see God speak to him at all like we did in previous chapters. Gideon has gone from judge meeting out God's will to a terrorizer.
8:16/17 - We see that his anger worsens as he doesn't get what he wants. The first city that refused to feed his men has its leaders whipped and tortured. The second city really ticked him off with their refusal, so he killed every man in the city. When vengeance and anger are left alive to burn, they continue to get worse and worse.
8:20 - It might just be that his son is uncomfortable with executing defenseless men that God has not called them to kill?
8:23 - Doesn't it make sense that the people would want to make him a king. He has led the forces against the Midianites. He has started acting like a king by judging people and giving out summary executions. He has started expanding territory outside the Promised Land like kings always do. Why wouldn't they ask him - that what's he's acting like? Fortunately Gideon makes a wise plan and refuses their offer. The only negative is that he does not use this opportunity to set the people right. He doesn't tell them that it was God and God alone that brought victory. And then to ruin his great speech he closes out by asking everybody for their gold earrings!
8:27 - An ephod is what the priests wore, so it is some sort of garment he makes out of gold (generally when people make stuff out of gold after God does something for them, it doesn't turn out well - see: Aaron). If you can recall that God made the fleece miraculously wet and dry, which is what convinced Gideon that the Spirit of God was with him. Maybe Gideon created this golden fleece to make sure that God's Spirit was always with him - but it becomes an idol. He starts out meaning well, but ends up leading people down a road to idolatry and setting his people up for Baal worship in the years to come. It sounds like some of the religious symbols that people today put too much stock in...it starts out well and good, honoring the life of a saint or something, but morphs into something they worship, which is not good.
9:5 - Abimelech is the only son that is from a concubine. He was probably an outcast in his family. He goes only to his mother's side of the family if you notice and destroys his father's side. He probably hated his dad for bringing him into the world as an outsider, and he wanted to show that he was better than Gideon by taking the kingship he refused.
9:7ff - Jotham actually gives a prophetic parable. Each of the big trees the little trees (i.e. people) approach rejects their offer for kingship, because there is no point. Why would a person give up the life God has called them to to rule over others, when God is already doing that? The trees finally turn to the brambles (Abimelelch) and ask him to be their king. He accepts and asks them to come under his vines. It is absurd! Trees can fit under the brambles of a thorn bush - just like it is absurd for the people to reject God for Abimelech. Because of their choice, their lives will end in destruction.
9:49 - Just like Jotham prophecies - their lives end in fire under the branches of the thorn bush (Abimelech).
9:53 - So in one chapter, everyone who conspired to destroy Gideon's family is dead.
9:55 - The Israelites following Abimelech walk away, ending the cycle of revenge and violence (Also showing how little they actually cared about following him).
2 comments:
Ch. 7 I have not read that in such a long time. They started out with 32,000 and God took that down to just 10% of what Gideon started with so that without a doubt no one, not even the Midianites could doubt that God was with Gideon and his mighty 300.
7:7. I was always taught as a kid that the men who lapped with there hands were real warriors. Obiously God would not even need real warriors, but he uses those who are best equipped to do his will. It makes me want to pay better attention to the battles we face today (Ephesians) so that I am better prepared to recognize God's voice.
7:13ff. The thing I find interesting is that God didn't require him to hear the two Midianites talking about their dream, it was an option. Gideon could have just followed God's orders. I guess he had a little history in that department from the last chapter.
Ch. 8. Now you touch on something that continues to bother me about how to understand much of the old testament. You say that Gideon is taking things into his own hand and that God did not call him to chase down the two kings. Often there are a lot of things that have happened that there is no direct command or order by God. God did not tell Gideon to take trumpets and jars, it appears he might have come up with that idea himself. I guess my frustration lies at it is difficult at times to determine are these men acting for themselves and how they "think" God wants them to, or are they following a direct command. When there is a direct command it is a no brainer. Does that make sense?
8:26 1700 shekels of Gold, $800,000 today. That is one expensive Ephod.
How did Gideon go from saying "I will not rule over you but God will" to 4 versus latter worshipping an ehod. Good comments on the 8:27. I agree that Gideon's attentions were good at first, but it goes to show you that physical reminders of God can be dangerous. The only time it would be good is when God commands it, like erecting a pile of stones to remember what God did for them.
Ch. 9 I really like the parable or prophecy Jotham told. I will have to dwell on that some more.
Thanks for the comments.
It is actually 9.3% of the original total - duh!
That is cool, Tim, God set the whole Midianite dream thing up for Gideon and it was optional.
God usually tells the people what they are supposed to do clearly, but doesn't always tell them how to do it. He told Gideon to attack the Midianites, but let Gideon use his creativity. He didn't tell Gideon to go nuts outside the Promised Land, and Gideon used his creativity in a twisted way (Whipped people with thorny vines - that's brutal...I wonder if they were like Mesquites)
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