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Judges 7:19-22
Remember last week, I talked about the cycle of sin the Israelites were caught in. And briefly about how as we go further and further into the book of Judges, that you will find some of these judges – actually most of them – are not people of high moral regard, not by any means. That’s Gideon’s story as well.
Now many of us remember the story of Gideon. Gideon starts out great, but aside from his obedience Gideon did very little in the battle against Midian. In fact, the Bible tells us that God did it all.
Judges 7:19-22 (NIV) Gideon and the hundred men with him reached the edge of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, just after they had changed the guard. They blew their trumpets and broke the jars that were in their hands. The three companies blew the trumpets and smashed the jars. Grasping the torches in their left hands and holding in their right hands the trumpets they were to blow, they shouted, “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!” While each man held his position around the camp, all the Midianites ran, crying out as they fled. When the three hundred trumpets sounded, the Lord caused the men throughout the camp to turn on each other with their swords. The army fled to Beth Shittah toward Zererah as far as the border of Abel Meholah near Tabbath.
Did you hear that, God’s Word tells us that God caused the enemy to turn on themselves. Now we do have to give some credit to Gideon, he was obedient here. Gideon dismissed men from his army and dropped the number from about 30,000 all the way down to 300. And indeed God did turn the Midianites against each other. So it wasn’t Gideon who defeated them.
Now, if Gideon had just left things there, the story would be completely different. It would be a story of faith and obedience. Unfortunately Gideon doesn’t leave it there and he becomes vengeful – over someone taunting him. You know, sometimes I believe we forget to read the rest of the story. And we are going to get to more of Gideon’s story tomorrow, but for now lets just learn something good from this part of his story today.
It really is something to walk in step with God. Not lagging behind, not running ahead, not jumping around side to side, but actually be in step with God. This is truly where we need to be as Christians. You know, the rest of Gideon’s story shows us that we indeed need to listen and obey.