The Book of Judges #12

WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.000 --> 00:00:04.839 As we come to God's word, let us ask for his illumination upon it 2 00:00:04.960 --> 00:00:10.279 tonight. And now, our God, as we have just saying of your 3 00:00:10.359 --> 00:00:14.960 word and saying about Your Commandments. And Lord, we we thank you for 4 00:00:15.080 --> 00:00:18.679 it, and we come again tonight to your word, to two more and 5 00:00:18.760 --> 00:00:24.839 Lord, we thank you, God for this Never Failing Fountain that continues to 6 00:00:24.960 --> 00:00:29.199 Minister Life to us, Lord, and we thank you how sweet it is, 7 00:00:29.280 --> 00:00:32.679 as us, almost as said, Lord, sweet as the honey. 8 00:00:33.079 --> 00:00:37.479 And God, indeed, your word is good to us, and we thank 9 00:00:37.520 --> 00:00:41.280 you, Lord, that we can even have more understanding than those older than 10 00:00:41.359 --> 00:00:46.320 us, because we have your commandment and your word. And so tonight, 11 00:00:46.320 --> 00:00:49.719 Lord, as we come to another part of your word, I pray, 12 00:00:49.799 --> 00:00:52.840 God, that you would speak to your people through it, and I pray 13 00:00:52.920 --> 00:00:58.119 that you would again use the words I say to help minister to them and 14 00:00:58.280 --> 00:01:02.799 the condition they find themselves in tonight, Lord, and we pray that your 15 00:01:02.799 --> 00:01:06.840 word would do its work, as it always does, because it never returns 16 00:01:06.879 --> 00:01:11.560 void. And so we pray and ask it tonight in Christ name, Amen, 17 00:01:12.959 --> 00:01:17.159 a little shorter passage tonight, as we come to the book of judges, 18 00:01:17.280 --> 00:01:22.560 Chapter Seven, we're reading from verse nineteen to the end of the chapter 19 00:01:22.640 --> 00:01:27.040 and then the first three verses of Chapter Eight, reminding you again this is 20 00:01:27.120 --> 00:01:32.159 God's word. So Gideon and the hundred men who were with him came to 21 00:01:32.200 --> 00:01:34.799 the outskirts of the camp at the beginning of the Middle Watch, when they 22 00:01:34.879 --> 00:01:38.519 just set the watch, and they blew the trumpets and smashed the jars that 23 00:01:38.560 --> 00:01:42.280 were in their hands. Then the three companies move the trumpets and broke the 24 00:01:42.359 --> 00:01:47.439 jars they held in their left hands and torches in the right hands of trumpets 25 00:01:47.439 --> 00:01:51.000 to blow and they cried out a sword for the Lord and for Gideon. 26 00:01:51.599 --> 00:01:53.760 Every man stood in his place around the camp and all the army ran, 27 00:01:55.359 --> 00:01:59.280 they cried out and fled when they blew the three trumpets, the Lord said, 28 00:01:59.319 --> 00:02:02.079 every man so it against his comrade and against all the enemy, and 29 00:02:02.079 --> 00:02:07.719 the army fled as far as best Shita, towards Zerea, as far as 30 00:02:07.719 --> 00:02:12.280 the border of Abomehola by Tabas, and the men of his Ra were called 31 00:02:12.319 --> 00:02:15.280 out from that Cli and from Asher and from all Manassa and they pursued. 32 00:02:15.319 --> 00:02:20.960 After media, Gideon sent messengers throughout all the he'll country of Ephraim saying come 33 00:02:21.000 --> 00:02:24.159 down against the Median Knights and captured the waters against them as far as Beth 34 00:02:24.240 --> 00:02:29.199 Barra and also the Jordan's. So all the men of Erem were called out 35 00:02:29.280 --> 00:02:34.120 and they captured the waters as Beth Barra and also the Jordan's, and they 36 00:02:34.240 --> 00:02:38.080 captured the two princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeb. They killed Orb at 37 00:02:38.120 --> 00:02:39.960 the rock of ORB and Zeb, they killed at the wine press of Zeb, 38 00:02:40.759 --> 00:02:45.280 and they pursued Midian and they brought the heads of Orbanzi to Gideon, 39 00:02:45.319 --> 00:02:47.960 across the Jordan's. Then the men of Ephraim said to him, what is 40 00:02:49.000 --> 00:02:52.159 this that you have done to us? Not to call us when you went 41 00:02:52.199 --> 00:02:55.560 to fight with Midian, and they accused him fiercely, and he said to 42 00:02:55.639 --> 00:03:00.159 them, what have I done now in comparison with you? Is not the 43 00:03:00.199 --> 00:03:06.479 gleaning of the Grapes of Efrom better than the grape harvest of abaser? God 44 00:03:06.520 --> 00:03:10.319 has given in your hands the princes of Midian, ORB and ze? What 45 00:03:10.439 --> 00:03:15.639 have I been able to do in comparison with you? Then their anger against 46 00:03:15.759 --> 00:03:20.000 him subsided when he said this. Thus sins the reading of God's words, 47 00:03:20.000 --> 00:03:24.080 and you may be seated. Well, I left you hanging last week. 48 00:03:24.240 --> 00:03:28.719 You were wondering, I'm sure, up until this moment. Oh, who's 49 00:03:28.719 --> 00:03:31.080 gonna win that battle? I gotta go tonight just to find out who it 50 00:03:31.199 --> 00:03:36.000 is, and we're gonna find out tonight. So in Verse Nineteen and twenty, 51 00:03:36.000 --> 00:03:39.879 were finally arriving at the actual battle, at least what little battle there's 52 00:03:39.919 --> 00:03:45.280 going to be, and we're told that this battle begins at the Middle Watch. 53 00:03:45.360 --> 00:03:47.879 Now, in the New Testament we know that the Romans divided their evening 54 00:03:47.919 --> 00:03:52.879 into four watches, because remember the Lord tubs walking on the sea at the 55 00:03:52.919 --> 00:03:55.280 Fourth Watch of the night. And of course, so they're when the four 56 00:03:55.319 --> 00:04:00.439 watches there could be no middle watch. But here the watches were the divided 57 00:04:00.560 --> 00:04:04.639 into three watches, and so they begin, apparently at the beginning of the 58 00:04:04.680 --> 00:04:10.000 Middle Watch of the evening. Is when they're going to start their battle and 59 00:04:10.039 --> 00:04:14.800 their actions. And of course this would mean that there's a time when somebody's 60 00:04:14.840 --> 00:04:18.199 coming to be on watch, somebody's leaving watch to go back and somebody else 61 00:04:18.319 --> 00:04:23.839 is sleeping because it's not their turn to either have been or to be on 62 00:04:24.040 --> 00:04:29.079 watch, and so there might be some strategy involved in doing that. And 63 00:04:29.079 --> 00:04:33.079 what takes place here isn't completely clear, but apparently in some fashion the three 64 00:04:33.560 --> 00:04:38.399 men of getting into army blew their trumpets and break their lamps, and so 65 00:04:38.480 --> 00:04:42.439 we have a loud sound of trumpets and we have the flashing of lights, 66 00:04:42.480 --> 00:04:46.399 which of course could be alarming, even with just three hundred men that could 67 00:04:46.439 --> 00:04:49.360 be doing that. And also this, of course, could negate the camels. 68 00:04:49.360 --> 00:04:54.319 Remember I said that the camel's Gideons all the camels and median I's had 69 00:04:54.319 --> 00:04:58.160 and that would be a huge advantage. Well, this would negate that advantage 70 00:04:58.199 --> 00:05:01.600 because of the confusion and they shout out what they're told to shout out a 71 00:05:01.600 --> 00:05:06.959 little bit different. There's shout out exactly a sword for the Lord and for 72 00:05:08.079 --> 00:05:13.160 Gideon. There's been a lot of battle cries in history and different battles, 73 00:05:12.920 --> 00:05:16.519 haven't there? One of the most famous was Admiral Nelson at the battle of 74 00:05:16.560 --> 00:05:21.160 Der Falgar from his ship when he sent the signals that he said England expects 75 00:05:21.519 --> 00:05:26.279 that every man will do his duty, and it rallied the English to the 76 00:05:26.360 --> 00:05:30.639 cause and of course they had victory at that battle and this one also for 77 00:05:30.720 --> 00:05:34.560 the sword. A sword for the Lord, for Gideon Unites The army together 78 00:05:35.000 --> 00:05:40.079 and empowers them and then it says they stood their place, and the result 79 00:05:40.199 --> 00:05:44.560 is that the media nights all began to flee. And in Verse Twenty Two, 80 00:05:44.600 --> 00:05:48.160 a very strange thing happens that you do not expect to happen in the 81 00:05:48.199 --> 00:05:53.879 battle. The Lord causes the men of the media nites and the Amalekites to 82 00:05:53.959 --> 00:05:59.839 actually begin to fight against each other as they were leaving, and that that 83 00:06:00.000 --> 00:06:04.079 it's a pretty good advantage in that battle. So they are fleeing and as 84 00:06:04.120 --> 00:06:08.600 they're fleeing they're killing each other. So that that's what's going on. So 85 00:06:08.680 --> 00:06:14.240 this is a pretty uh, very victorious thing that is happening here. And 86 00:06:14.319 --> 00:06:17.319 in Verse Twenty Three, it appears that now all of these men who have 87 00:06:17.439 --> 00:06:21.160 been called out, remember that were started out with a two thousand and we 88 00:06:21.240 --> 00:06:24.399 got rid of them and got rid of them, and now we're down to 89 00:06:24.439 --> 00:06:28.279 these three hundred. Well, now Gideon's calling them all back out and telling 90 00:06:28.319 --> 00:06:31.199 them it's time again to join in the service, and so it's time for 91 00:06:31.560 --> 00:06:36.240 reinforcements. Gideon hasn't thrown all military strategy out the window, even though it 92 00:06:36.319 --> 00:06:41.720 might appear so, and what he's doing here, but nonetheless he is doing 93 00:06:41.759 --> 00:06:45.720 the right thing. The time has come for report reinforcements to enter the battle, 94 00:06:46.000 --> 00:06:48.399 and so they do. And in Verse Twenty Four, another piece of 95 00:06:48.399 --> 00:06:55.040 strategy which is important has happened before. This is also a repeat strategy, 96 00:06:55.199 --> 00:06:59.759 where it is important for the armies to conquer and and and be holding at 97 00:06:59.759 --> 00:07:02.120 the waters to stop the enemy from going to the water, because of course 98 00:07:02.160 --> 00:07:08.480 that's very necessary in battle. And again, I had did the same strategy 99 00:07:08.519 --> 00:07:11.600 back in chapter three of judges. So he said, follow after me, 100 00:07:11.759 --> 00:07:14.680 for the Lord has given your enemies, the Moabites, in your hand. 101 00:07:15.040 --> 00:07:17.560 So they went down after him and seized the fords of the Jordan against the 102 00:07:17.600 --> 00:07:23.399 MOABITES and did not allow anyone to pass over. So Gideon's army does that 103 00:07:23.519 --> 00:07:27.439 same thing. Follow us the same strategy, and they too are successful. 104 00:07:28.319 --> 00:07:31.240 And in Verse Twenty Five They capture a couple of the princes of MIDIAN, 105 00:07:31.759 --> 00:07:33.920 a couple of men. I don't know about you, when I read these 106 00:07:34.000 --> 00:07:38.560 names, I just think these guys got to be from like a science fiction 107 00:07:38.600 --> 00:07:41.800 movie, right, uh, you know, Arab and Z. I mean 108 00:07:41.839 --> 00:07:45.000 it sounds like two guys that are coming down to our planet to take it 109 00:07:45.079 --> 00:07:48.480 over something. But but anyway, they killed both of them at their own 110 00:07:48.519 --> 00:07:54.120 properties. But there is something interesting to note here that you don't just get 111 00:07:54.160 --> 00:07:57.560 from the text. You have to look at it. Arab is killed at 112 00:07:57.600 --> 00:08:03.199 the rock of Arab and Zeb is killed at the wine press of Zeb. 113 00:08:03.519 --> 00:08:07.399 Now why is that interesting? Well, you have to go back a little 114 00:08:07.439 --> 00:08:11.879 bit to the beginning of chapter six when the Lord Calls Gideon. And where 115 00:08:11.879 --> 00:08:16.639 does the angel of the Lord First Appear to Gideon? At the wine press, 116 00:08:16.800 --> 00:08:22.120 while his son Gideon was beating out wheat in the wine press to hide 117 00:08:22.120 --> 00:08:24.800 it from the media nights. And where did the angel of the Lord Command 118 00:08:24.800 --> 00:08:30.879 Gideon to place his offering on the rock? And just just six twenty said 119 00:08:30.920 --> 00:08:35.039 take the meat and the unliving cake and put them on this rock and pour 120 00:08:35.120 --> 00:08:39.320 the broth over them, and he did. So it's interesting Gideon's life is 121 00:08:39.399 --> 00:08:43.279 kind of coming back full circle and and those are kind of just interesting details 122 00:08:43.320 --> 00:08:46.440 we don't over notice when we read through attacks, but it's interesting to see 123 00:08:46.440 --> 00:08:50.960 how that repeats again. So we're gonna move to chapter eight and versus one 124 00:08:52.000 --> 00:08:56.399 through three, and here we're gonna see Gideon doing a wonderful act of diplomacy. 125 00:08:56.720 --> 00:09:01.799 Is a little problem, but it has the ability to erupt into a 126 00:09:01.919 --> 00:09:07.960 really large issue. As Matthew Henry puts it, an unhappy spark was struck 127 00:09:09.360 --> 00:09:11.600 which, if Gideon had not, with a great deal of wisdom and grace, 128 00:09:11.759 --> 00:09:18.679 extinguished immediately, might have broken out into a flame of fatal consequence. 129 00:09:18.639 --> 00:09:24.080 In verse one, the men of EF him are very upset with Gideon, 130 00:09:24.600 --> 00:09:28.440 and the reason seems to be that Gideon didn't call them out at the beginning 131 00:09:28.840 --> 00:09:31.559 to join in the battle, at the beginning of it. Now, if 132 00:09:31.559 --> 00:09:37.159 we look back to Gideon's call in chapter six to the tribes, it is 133 00:09:37.240 --> 00:09:43.000 clear he did not include Effel, he says, and he sent messengers through 134 00:09:43.159 --> 00:09:46.240 Manassa and they too were called out to follow him. And he sent messengers 135 00:09:46.240 --> 00:09:54.559 to Asher Zebulon NAFTALA and they went up to meet them. But Efraim isn't 136 00:09:54.559 --> 00:09:56.919 mentioned. Now why? Well, we don't know. The Bible never tells 137 00:09:58.039 --> 00:10:01.240 us. We can make some guesses, we don't know if any of them 138 00:10:01.240 --> 00:10:05.679 are right. Some commentators think it was simply an oversight on Gideon's part. 139 00:10:05.759 --> 00:10:11.080 He just forgot to call them. Others thinks that he was deliberately snubbing the 140 00:10:11.120 --> 00:10:15.879 affirmights. Now again you have to remember something. He'll come back to the 141 00:10:15.919 --> 00:10:22.879 affirmtes and tribe of Manassa. Remember, those were the two children of Joseph 142 00:10:22.039 --> 00:10:26.799 that Jacob remembered did that little trick where he crossed his arms when he was 143 00:10:26.840 --> 00:10:31.120 blessing them, and so there's always been this kind of jealousy between these two 144 00:10:31.159 --> 00:10:35.799 tried. So that's playing into this as well. And so others think that 145 00:10:35.120 --> 00:10:39.840 perhaps all he was doing was holding the affirmtes back for when they were going 146 00:10:39.879 --> 00:10:43.320 to be needed his reinforcements in the battle, and perhaps that's what he did. 147 00:10:43.399 --> 00:10:48.200 I don't know, but I do favor that last one actually myself, 148 00:10:48.240 --> 00:10:52.679 but I can't prove it. But anyway, it seems that this late call 149 00:10:52.759 --> 00:10:54.519 of efforts to the battle has made them a little ticked. A little. 150 00:10:54.600 --> 00:10:58.879 Let's set with Gideon for what he's done. They don't just accuse him. 151 00:10:58.919 --> 00:11:03.639 The tech says they had use him fiercely. So they're upset. Robert Hawker 152 00:11:03.639 --> 00:11:09.559 and his poor man's commentary says what cause so good or what conducts so unexceptionable? 153 00:11:09.960 --> 00:11:15.519 But we'll meet with envy and the bailful effects of our corrupt passions. 154 00:11:16.519 --> 00:11:20.840 Shouldn't they have been joyful thankful. They just want a great battle is seven 155 00:11:20.919 --> 00:11:24.519 years. Oppression is over. The Media Knights and the AMALEKITES are done. 156 00:11:24.519 --> 00:11:30.840 They're conquered. This is good times. These are exciting times. But there's 157 00:11:30.879 --> 00:11:33.240 always people that kind of always can see the bad side, no matter how 158 00:11:33.240 --> 00:11:37.840 good something seems to be, and it can be hard for us to handle 159 00:11:39.000 --> 00:11:43.679 the success of others if we didn't have a part of it. Sometimes, 160 00:11:43.799 --> 00:11:46.879 I don't know, this would never happen to your pastor, but for me 161 00:11:46.399 --> 00:11:50.360 I can get jealous when the church across town is double the size of what 162 00:11:50.559 --> 00:11:54.120 the church I'm pastoring is, and then I kind of get a little jealous 163 00:11:54.159 --> 00:11:56.960 and all of that. But that's me, because that's a sign that I'm 164 00:11:56.960 --> 00:12:01.720 prone to. But but again, UM, why? Why did they do 165 00:12:01.759 --> 00:12:07.159 this? And something suspicious? There's a couple of things suspicious in their behavior, 166 00:12:07.200 --> 00:12:09.320 all right, and so I don't know, but at least it makes 167 00:12:09.360 --> 00:12:16.279 us wonder. Here, and and this is Um number one, is why 168 00:12:16.399 --> 00:12:20.360 they wait till after the battle, right, you know, why didn't they 169 00:12:20.399 --> 00:12:22.159 say when getting caused rest, Hey, what about us? We want to 170 00:12:22.159 --> 00:12:26.679 fight? To Um, we don't. We don't see them doing that. 171 00:12:26.799 --> 00:12:28.279 They wait until the fighting is all over and then they go, Oh, 172 00:12:28.320 --> 00:12:33.279 you should have called us. I don't know, I'm a little UH. 173 00:12:33.399 --> 00:12:37.480 I'm not sure I'm going to forgive them on this, but the sermon Bible 174 00:12:37.519 --> 00:12:41.000 says the effort. Mights may have been either high spirit and vexed that they 175 00:12:41.000 --> 00:12:43.919 had not been invited to help and overflow overthrowing the media nights, or they 176 00:12:43.960 --> 00:12:48.240 may have only wished that they had a share in the glory and tried to 177 00:12:48.279 --> 00:12:52.960 make it appear they would gladly have joined Gideon. Now the reason I say 178 00:12:54.000 --> 00:12:56.000 I'm suspicious, and I told you the first reason. There's another reason too, 179 00:12:56.279 --> 00:13:01.480 because they pull this same thing later. They do it again later in 180 00:13:01.600 --> 00:13:05.960 judges you might remember Jeff the and in judges twelve we read the men of 181 00:13:07.000 --> 00:13:09.519 Efraim were called to arms and they crossed to Zephon and said to jeff the, 182 00:13:11.120 --> 00:13:13.240 why did you cross over to fight against the AMMONITES and did not call 183 00:13:13.360 --> 00:13:18.440 us to go with you? We will burn your house with fire, a 184 00:13:18.440 --> 00:13:22.320 little worse than Gideon had to do and do. And Jeffa said to them 185 00:13:22.480 --> 00:13:24.960 I and my people had a great dispute with the ammonites and when I called 186 00:13:26.000 --> 00:13:28.600 you, you did not save me from their hand, and when I saw 187 00:13:28.639 --> 00:13:33.000 that you would not save me, I took my life in my hand and 188 00:13:33.080 --> 00:13:35.759 crossed over against the ammonite, and the Lord gave them into my hand. 189 00:13:37.480 --> 00:13:39.320 Why, then, have you come up to me this day to fight against 190 00:13:39.320 --> 00:13:43.840 me? Then Jeff gathered all the men of Gilead and fought with Efraim, 191 00:13:43.879 --> 00:13:48.440 and the men of Gilead struck Efraim because they said you are fugitives of Efron, 192 00:13:48.480 --> 00:13:52.639 you Gileadites, Gilead. Well, never mind, in the midst of 193 00:13:52.720 --> 00:13:56.440 Efraim, in Manassa, so you said, they pulled us again. So 194 00:13:56.519 --> 00:14:01.720 I'm I'm kind of a little suspicious when someone does it again again. But 195 00:14:01.879 --> 00:14:09.840 Gideon handles this with superb diplomacy. He says, what have I done in 196 00:14:09.879 --> 00:14:16.759 comparison with you? Isn't the gleaning of Ephraim better than the grape harvest of 197 00:14:16.799 --> 00:14:20.639 Abiezer? In other words, why are you complaining? Isn't what you were 198 00:14:20.679 --> 00:14:26.559 able to do by killing the princess, and perhaps even much more that you 199 00:14:26.639 --> 00:14:28.559 did? I don't know what they did all in the end, because the 200 00:14:28.600 --> 00:14:31.440 text doesn't tell us, but you did much more than I did. The 201 00:14:31.480 --> 00:14:35.759 word grapes that is found in the King James and the S V is not 202 00:14:35.799 --> 00:14:39.519 there in the original, but it easily can be implied. But the point 203 00:14:39.639 --> 00:14:43.480 is that Gideon says you came in late, but you got more glory than 204 00:14:43.519 --> 00:14:48.360 anybody even by coming in La you should have nothing to really complain about. 205 00:14:50.320 --> 00:14:52.840 And and it brought to mind as I as I was reading this, what 206 00:14:54.080 --> 00:14:58.200 happened earlier, and I know I didn't preach judges as early here in this 207 00:14:58.320 --> 00:15:01.360 church, but it reminded me of when barracks said to Deborah. He said, 208 00:15:01.519 --> 00:15:05.360 Um, I'll go up to battle if you go with me, and 209 00:15:05.440 --> 00:15:07.360 Debora said art to go with you, but I would tell you now you're 210 00:15:07.399 --> 00:15:11.399 not going to get the glory for this battle. Somebody else is going to 211 00:15:11.480 --> 00:15:15.679 get the glory. And it was a one that got the glory. Remember 212 00:15:15.759 --> 00:15:20.960 jail, who called sister of the great general uh into her tent and drove 213 00:15:20.039 --> 00:15:26.799 the tent peg into his head. And so jail got the glory that Deborah 214 00:15:26.840 --> 00:15:33.519 prophesied instead of barrick getting the glory. And it appears that Ephraim not only 215 00:15:33.639 --> 00:15:37.120 killed the two princes, by the way, but it seems like they had 216 00:15:37.159 --> 00:15:39.879 a great slaughter of the Media Knights and now I said, well, I 217 00:15:39.919 --> 00:15:43.840 don't see that in the text. Nor do I. But Isaiah, Chapter 218 00:15:43.919 --> 00:15:48.279 Ten, verse Twenty Six says and the Lord of hosts will wheeled against them 219 00:15:48.320 --> 00:15:52.559 a whip has when he struck Midian at the rock of Areb, and his 220 00:15:52.639 --> 00:15:56.279 staff will be over the sea and he will lift it as he did in 221 00:15:56.320 --> 00:16:00.159 Egypt. So that seems to indicate that God is saying there was a eight 222 00:16:00.240 --> 00:16:04.559 battle that happened there. And again remember that jealousy, that that is always 223 00:16:04.639 --> 00:16:10.039 there. Even though EFROM was the firstborn, they're always concerning that they get 224 00:16:10.080 --> 00:16:14.519 that rightful glory that was theirs as as they received that blessing, and so 225 00:16:14.559 --> 00:16:19.279 there's always that tension. Isaiah refers to it. Chap manason devours EFROM and 226 00:16:19.360 --> 00:16:23.960 EFROM devours MANASA, together there against Judah. For All this, his anger 227 00:16:25.039 --> 00:16:29.480 is not turned away and his hand is not stretched out. Still, proverb 228 00:16:29.600 --> 00:16:34.440 eight nine reminds us a brother offended is more unyielding than a strong city, 229 00:16:34.600 --> 00:16:38.000 and quarreling is like the bars of a castle, and I'm going to come 230 00:16:38.039 --> 00:16:42.960 back to that in the application. So really in humility, getting in and 231 00:16:44.039 --> 00:16:47.519 saying hey, look, you got a better glory. You got the blessing 232 00:16:47.559 --> 00:16:51.399 of the firstborn, you took the princess. You you had a great slaughter. 233 00:16:51.519 --> 00:16:53.159 We I went in and had a little bit, but you're getting the 234 00:16:53.200 --> 00:16:59.679 glory of the battle and and so you should be grateful. And so they 235 00:17:00.039 --> 00:17:03.480 from mites actually are calmed by this, and actually they're anger subsides because of 236 00:17:03.519 --> 00:17:10.079 what Gideon says in verse three. He says you're the ones, and he 237 00:17:10.119 --> 00:17:15.119 said what have I been able to do in comparison with you? This takes 238 00:17:15.160 --> 00:17:18.720 a lot of humility on Gideon's part. He's the one to whom the angel 239 00:17:18.759 --> 00:17:22.319 had appeared, and I would have I would have I would have done that 240 00:17:22.400 --> 00:17:26.640 much differently. I just said Hey, what are you complaining? Do you 241 00:17:26.640 --> 00:17:29.160 know who I am? I'm Gideon. I don't know when the angel called 242 00:17:29.200 --> 00:17:32.799 the mighty man of Valor. I'm the one that that God spoke to. 243 00:17:32.880 --> 00:17:36.039 I'm the one that did the strategy here. I'm the one that they got 244 00:17:36.079 --> 00:17:40.359 the army down to three hundred. You shouldn't be saying anything against me, 245 00:17:40.440 --> 00:17:45.000 but Gideon was much more humble than I am and he remembered Paul's instructions, 246 00:17:45.000 --> 00:17:48.559 even though he hadn't read them yet, but he remembered Philippians two three. 247 00:17:48.559 --> 00:17:52.160 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility a count others more 248 00:17:52.160 --> 00:17:59.920 significant than yourselves. And he also brings God's providence when he says God has 249 00:18:00.079 --> 00:18:03.720 given into your hand. In other words, don't fight against the Providence of 250 00:18:03.759 --> 00:18:10.480 God, don't go against God has delivered them to you. And by complaining 251 00:18:10.880 --> 00:18:15.279 you're actually complaining against God, which really is the case with almost any complaining 252 00:18:15.319 --> 00:18:18.160 that we do right, it's almost always complaining against God. Well, I 253 00:18:18.160 --> 00:18:25.039 don't want to give some applications this evening. The reformers, especially during the 254 00:18:25.079 --> 00:18:29.799 time of Luther and others that were following him. They looked at this battle 255 00:18:29.839 --> 00:18:33.559 of Gideon versus the media, Knights and Amalekites, has the type of the 256 00:18:33.640 --> 00:18:38.200 proclamation of the Gospel. In the view of some, the trumpets representative proclaiming 257 00:18:38.240 --> 00:18:45.440 of the Gospel, the pictures represented the weak vessels that are called to do 258 00:18:45.519 --> 00:18:49.240 this, and the way Gideon attacked spoke of the foolishness of the gospel. 259 00:18:49.279 --> 00:18:53.960 That's how Martin Borhaus, who is a compatriot of Lutheran's wingly I, saw 260 00:18:55.000 --> 00:18:57.680 it, and Luther himself saw it very, very similarly, and there are 261 00:18:57.680 --> 00:19:02.559 certainly scriptures in the new estimate that could lead us to such an understanding. 262 00:19:02.599 --> 00:19:07.880 And First Corinthians four, Paul makes the comparison to the trumpet sounding the noise 263 00:19:07.960 --> 00:19:12.400 of of the clear proclamation of the Gospel and showing the superiority of the proclamation 264 00:19:12.559 --> 00:19:17.880 of the Gospel over speaking in tongues. And Second Corinthians four seven, Paul 265 00:19:17.920 --> 00:19:22.960 Speaks of the Gospel Messengers. But we have this treasure in jars of clay, 266 00:19:22.039 --> 00:19:27.920 and so the pictures of clay that Gideon's army had and boorhouse actually saw 267 00:19:27.960 --> 00:19:33.359 a correlation between the lamps that were left after the pictures are broken and the 268 00:19:33.359 --> 00:19:37.279 tongues of fire that lighted on the apostles at Pentecost. Martin Luther also saw 269 00:19:37.440 --> 00:19:42.160 the trumpets as referring to the preachers of the Gospel. But in the broken 270 00:19:42.240 --> 00:19:48.279 jars luther saw particularly the martyrs, and he said the bodies of the martyrs 271 00:19:48.279 --> 00:19:52.559 and saints, broken by various sufferings of the cross, educated the world by 272 00:19:52.599 --> 00:19:56.880 their example of love and truth and put the flight the godless along with their 273 00:19:56.920 --> 00:20:00.480 godlessness. So with the thoughts of the Ref Farmers and the theology of the 274 00:20:00.519 --> 00:20:03.200 reformers in mind that I have just given you, let me make a few 275 00:20:03.240 --> 00:20:11.400 applications concerning the proclaiming of the Gospel to the world. One thing I'd have 276 00:20:11.440 --> 00:20:17.920 you notice is that every member of gineon's army blew the trumpets they all put 277 00:20:18.799 --> 00:20:22.240 and I say that because, and this is something I guess I'll say, 278 00:20:22.279 --> 00:20:26.160 I believe and I don't want to go against others that might believe differently, 279 00:20:26.240 --> 00:20:30.440 but I have heard of those in the reform camp and I've run into them 280 00:20:30.440 --> 00:20:34.319 who say that no lay people should ever proclaim the Gospel, that they should 281 00:20:34.359 --> 00:20:37.640 never be sharing the gospel because they're not ordained and they shouldn't be doing that. 282 00:20:38.079 --> 00:20:41.559 I don't agree with that personally. I don't think that's right. I 283 00:20:41.599 --> 00:20:45.400 believe and Act Fort says those who were scattered went about preaching the word. 284 00:20:45.440 --> 00:20:49.720 I think all Christians went about at that time scattered through the persecution, and 285 00:20:49.759 --> 00:20:55.160 we're preaching the word and as a result of that the church was greatly increased 286 00:20:56.319 --> 00:21:00.000 and every soldier broke his picture. So the lamp was shown. Every Christian 287 00:21:00.079 --> 00:21:04.240 is to let their light shine before the world. We as believers, we 288 00:21:04.319 --> 00:21:07.640 know our Lord said we are the light of the world. He is the 289 00:21:07.720 --> 00:21:11.960 light, but so are we, as he calls us, and perhaps our 290 00:21:11.039 --> 00:21:15.920 Lord was making an illusion in our Texas evening to the sermon and amount he 291 00:21:15.960 --> 00:21:18.079 said, you are the light of the world. A city, said on 292 00:21:18.119 --> 00:21:22.359 a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it 293 00:21:22.440 --> 00:21:25.440 under a basket, but on a stand and it gives light to all the 294 00:21:25.480 --> 00:21:27.799 house. In the same way, let your light shine before others so that 295 00:21:27.839 --> 00:21:32.920 they may see your good works and give glory to your father who is in 296 00:21:33.000 --> 00:21:36.720 heaven. I'm guessing. I don't know, it could be wrong here, 297 00:21:37.039 --> 00:21:40.359 but I'm guessing a lot of the kids that are here probably know that little 298 00:21:40.359 --> 00:21:42.559 song, this little light of mine, and hide it under a Bushel. 299 00:21:42.640 --> 00:21:45.920 No, I'm gonna let it shine. And I don't know, I think 300 00:21:47.160 --> 00:21:51.240 kids do sing that song. Maybe I'm wrong, but but if you're singing 301 00:21:51.240 --> 00:21:55.279 a kids you know what I'm talking about. But again, we're all gospel 302 00:21:55.400 --> 00:21:57.319 light bearers doing that. And they cried out the sword of the Lord, 303 00:21:57.359 --> 00:22:02.079 because every believer has the sort of the Lord. We are all equipped with 304 00:22:02.119 --> 00:22:06.559 the word. The church for years trying to stop the lay people from reading 305 00:22:06.599 --> 00:22:11.720 the Bible and tell them that that they weren't smart enough to understand the Bible 306 00:22:11.759 --> 00:22:15.799 and they hid the Bible from them. But then came the glorious unfolding of 307 00:22:15.799 --> 00:22:18.160 the Gospel and the word of God, and all of a sudden every Christian 308 00:22:18.240 --> 00:22:22.359 has has the word of God in their home and and we can use that 309 00:22:22.759 --> 00:22:27.319 in our proclamation. I want to make a side note about this. That 310 00:22:27.440 --> 00:22:33.400 luther, when Luther wrote about the arguments for free will in his book the 311 00:22:33.440 --> 00:22:37.039 bondage of the will, he makes reference as battle, and this is really 312 00:22:37.119 --> 00:22:38.440 kind of a side note, is not? So how does this relate? 313 00:22:38.480 --> 00:22:41.839 What? Probably doesn't, but just humor me for a moment. He says 314 00:22:41.920 --> 00:22:48.480 reason is so captivated by her inferences and the words of her own wisdom that 315 00:22:48.599 --> 00:22:52.279 she does not know what she is saying or what she's talking about, though 316 00:22:52.279 --> 00:22:56.240 it is most fitting that free choice should be defended by such arguments. Has 317 00:22:56.400 --> 00:23:02.319 Mutually Devour and make an an to each other, just as the media nights 318 00:23:02.400 --> 00:23:07.640 destroyed themselves by mutual slaughter when they fought against Gideon and the people of God. 319 00:23:07.680 --> 00:23:11.240 At least found that an interesting illusion to the gospel of free choice that 320 00:23:11.559 --> 00:23:15.160 Luther says it ends up devouring itself with all the arguments that they use. 321 00:23:17.319 --> 00:23:23.359 But let me also make up perhaps a better and more applicable application from the 322 00:23:23.440 --> 00:23:29.759 story concerning how we share the Gospel. When is the church we want to 323 00:23:29.759 --> 00:23:34.279 preach the Gospel, should we have a definite, planned, reasonable strategy, 324 00:23:34.440 --> 00:23:38.160 or should we just try to do the ridiculous, as it seems like God 325 00:23:38.200 --> 00:23:45.599 instructs Gideon To do here? Now, no one can argue that when we 326 00:23:45.680 --> 00:23:48.839 do something ridiculous that turns out really good, that it's easy for God to 327 00:23:48.839 --> 00:23:52.000 get the glory. That's true, but the Lord does remind us, as 328 00:23:52.000 --> 00:23:57.960 he sends the disciples out to be wisest serpents and harmless as doves. There 329 00:23:57.960 --> 00:24:03.519 are times, yeah, when a ridiculous to our surprise, actually works. 330 00:24:06.319 --> 00:24:11.039 I was out in the streets night and handing out tracks and talking to people 331 00:24:11.920 --> 00:24:14.480 and it came upon a guy and I was going to hand him a track 332 00:24:15.480 --> 00:24:18.359 and he said, I'm an old drunk, it's too late for anything for 333 00:24:18.440 --> 00:24:22.359 me. Just go give you a track to someone else. Now, normally 334 00:24:22.920 --> 00:24:26.799 I would have said no, no, it's not too late. Today is 335 00:24:26.799 --> 00:24:30.839 the day of salvation, this is a good day, this is your day 336 00:24:30.880 --> 00:24:33.480 of opportunity. It's never too late. As long as you have life, 337 00:24:33.519 --> 00:24:37.920 it's it's not too late. That's why I normally would have said but for 338 00:24:37.960 --> 00:24:42.319 whatever ridiculous reason I looked at him and said, you know, I think 339 00:24:42.319 --> 00:24:47.279 you're right. It's way too late for you and turned around to walk away 340 00:24:47.680 --> 00:24:51.000 and as I did he goes, Hey, hey, wait a minute and 341 00:24:51.000 --> 00:24:52.920 he said call me back. He said, what do you mean? It's 342 00:24:52.960 --> 00:24:56.799 too late for me, and we ended up talking that night for two hours 343 00:24:56.559 --> 00:25:00.519 and being able to share to him. Now I I would never really do 344 00:25:00.559 --> 00:25:03.640 that. I did another time I was working at GE when I was starting 345 00:25:03.720 --> 00:25:07.880 getting a trend to the church plant going. I was working for them and 346 00:25:08.720 --> 00:25:11.599 as time went on, I never, I'd ever tried to be foolish about 347 00:25:11.599 --> 00:25:17.480 sharing the Gospel and things like that. A lady uh who husbands sold O 348 00:25:17.599 --> 00:25:22.759 cult books and definitely did did not have Um, the same kind of ideas 349 00:25:22.759 --> 00:25:25.519 as me, and she said she she called me into the office one day 350 00:25:25.519 --> 00:25:26.720 and she said, you know what she said. I want to tell you 351 00:25:26.720 --> 00:25:30.759 I respect you. And she said, I don't respect a lot of Christians, 352 00:25:30.839 --> 00:25:33.599 but she said I do. I respect you, and I understood what 353 00:25:33.680 --> 00:25:36.720 she didn't respect a lot of Christians because I was managing some of them and 354 00:25:37.240 --> 00:25:41.680 I could get what she wouldn't. Uh. But she said, would you 355 00:25:41.759 --> 00:25:44.680 tell me what you believe? And I did something I've never done when somebody 356 00:25:44.680 --> 00:25:48.960 else to share the gospel. I started giving her like two that's not my 357 00:25:48.079 --> 00:25:52.039 normal way of sharing the gospel with somebody, but I started doing it and 358 00:25:52.079 --> 00:25:55.720 I said this is gonna sound crazy to you and I'm gonna say but I 359 00:25:55.720 --> 00:25:57.680 don't believe God has chosen. I started toning to these things and I get 360 00:25:57.720 --> 00:26:00.440 done, I look at her she goes, you know what, that makes 361 00:26:00.440 --> 00:26:03.519 a lot of sense now. She didn't. I wish I could tell she 362 00:26:03.559 --> 00:26:07.680 came to the Lord, but she didn't. But sometimes we just do something 363 00:26:07.680 --> 00:26:15.640 that's kind of strange. But sometimes that doesn't work. When we were starting 364 00:26:15.680 --> 00:26:21.400 the church in Claire Wisconsin, I um came up with this brilliant idea of 365 00:26:21.400 --> 00:26:25.440 putting brilliant and quotes there. Um I said we're gonna send out a letter. 366 00:26:25.839 --> 00:26:30.279 I got a mailing list from world magazine and they sold their mailing lists 367 00:26:30.279 --> 00:26:33.960 and so we got got their mailing list and we sent out a letter to 368 00:26:33.960 --> 00:26:38.359 everybody on that mailing list. And this is what we did. We said 369 00:26:38.480 --> 00:26:41.680 in the letter if you're looking for a church, and then we had bullet 370 00:26:41.680 --> 00:26:47.440 points. If you're looking for a church that has a dynamic children's ministry, 371 00:26:47.920 --> 00:26:52.480 Nope, sorry, we like to have our families worshiped together. Or if 372 00:26:52.519 --> 00:26:56.880 you are looking for a church with a dynamic praise band, no, sorry, 373 00:26:56.880 --> 00:26:59.079 we like seeing the old hymns of the church. Anyway, I went 374 00:26:59.079 --> 00:27:02.519 on point by point and all of the things that the other church has said 375 00:27:02.680 --> 00:27:06.519 and then I'd say that I thought this is going to be great and we 376 00:27:06.599 --> 00:27:11.119 set it out. You know, never got one person that ever responded that 377 00:27:11.200 --> 00:27:17.440 letter, except for one guy and he was ticked and uh, he called 378 00:27:17.440 --> 00:27:19.839 me up and he said where did you get my address, and I said, 379 00:27:19.880 --> 00:27:23.279 well, we got it from World magazine. He said, I didn't 380 00:27:23.279 --> 00:27:27.039 know they sold that. I'm calling them and canceling my subscription right now and 381 00:27:27.079 --> 00:27:30.920 don't you ever contact me again. So that was my brilliant response. That 382 00:27:32.000 --> 00:27:36.359 turned out to be not very good at all. So so I again I 383 00:27:36.359 --> 00:27:40.400 think the normal course of evangelism for a church just to have a good strategy. 384 00:27:40.440 --> 00:27:44.279 I think the fellowship groups, as churches doing their great opportunity for people 385 00:27:44.279 --> 00:27:47.599 to invite neighbors and people to invite friends and and to have them come. 386 00:27:47.680 --> 00:27:51.440 I think that's wonderful. I think that's a great way of getting the Gospel 387 00:27:51.440 --> 00:27:56.759 out as well. And so so we do that and and we thank God 388 00:27:56.920 --> 00:27:59.759 for again, normally the wise way, but once in a while, who 389 00:27:59.759 --> 00:28:03.319 knows us? Um, and if you ever do something ridiculous, hopefully it 390 00:28:03.359 --> 00:28:07.400 works out for you. But Um, two more quick applications. Whatever we 391 00:28:07.440 --> 00:28:14.519 think about emulating Gideon Strategy in the battle, we can certainly emulate Gideon's behavior 392 00:28:14.839 --> 00:28:18.480 in his humility. In Chapter Eight. It is by not giving into his 393 00:28:18.599 --> 00:28:22.119 pride the Gideon wins the day. Like I said, I would have said 394 00:28:22.119 --> 00:28:25.319 a lot of stuff. I would have said, you know, I'm Gideon, 395 00:28:25.359 --> 00:28:27.119 I'm the man of Bellor I'm Dad, Blah Blah. Gideon didn't say 396 00:28:27.119 --> 00:28:33.480 any of that. He humbled himself and because of that the effor Mites were 397 00:28:33.519 --> 00:28:41.039 soothed. I've almost had fifty years of pastoral ministry, at least full time 398 00:28:41.079 --> 00:28:47.240 ministry, in my life and I have observed in that time many conflicts that 399 00:28:47.279 --> 00:28:52.119 have happened in families and churches. That all it would have taken was for 400 00:28:52.200 --> 00:28:59.640 one person in the conflict to humble themselves and say I'm sorry, I was 401 00:29:00.440 --> 00:29:07.000 I did wrong here. Forgive me, please forgive me. But I have 402 00:29:07.079 --> 00:29:11.519 seen those conflicts lead to church splits, splits and families. I have seen 403 00:29:11.599 --> 00:29:18.319 families split because of that because people do not are not willing to take wrong. 404 00:29:18.359 --> 00:29:22.240 Remember Paul said to the Corinthians, why are you doing these lawsuits? 405 00:29:22.279 --> 00:29:27.079 Why don't you just take wrong yourself? That's hard to do. I know 406 00:29:27.920 --> 00:29:33.720 it's very difficult. ECCLESIAST these four forces. A brother offended is more unyielding 407 00:29:33.759 --> 00:29:38.599 than a strong city. So I mentioned earlier proverbs third team ten. By 408 00:29:38.640 --> 00:29:47.359 insolence comes nothing but strife. But those who take advice is wisdom. Sometimes 409 00:29:47.400 --> 00:29:52.759 I just think we need to take the high road and say I'm sorry, 410 00:29:52.240 --> 00:29:57.839 forgive me, and whether or not the other person says Oh, I've expected 411 00:29:57.880 --> 00:30:00.839 that maybe up to have you ever done that? Summer and you go and 412 00:30:00.839 --> 00:30:03.720 you ask him me say I'm so sorry, which Les Forgive Me, and 413 00:30:03.799 --> 00:30:08.039 you think in your mind you played it all out and they're gonna say uh, 414 00:30:08.119 --> 00:30:12.000 yeah, I'm really sorry too. But then it never happens that way. 415 00:30:12.759 --> 00:30:18.480 None. But still it's better. It's better that way. And finally, 416 00:30:18.559 --> 00:30:22.880 let me just say whatever we see of this battle, the reformers also 417 00:30:22.920 --> 00:30:27.279 sought as a picture of Christ, the pictures being broken. They saw as 418 00:30:27.400 --> 00:30:33.680 Christ broken upon the Cross and the light that came forth with the light of 419 00:30:33.680 --> 00:30:37.640 the Glorious resurrection. That's what the Gospel is. It's a glorious resurrection of 420 00:30:37.720 --> 00:30:45.960 Christ. The Gospel is the resurrection. They are synonymous terms. I found 421 00:30:45.000 --> 00:30:49.559 that years ago as I was going through acts. This beginning in verse Cho 422 00:30:49.599 --> 00:30:52.759 beginning from the Baptism and John on to the same day he was taken up 423 00:30:52.759 --> 00:30:56.880 from us. Must one be or day to be a witness with us of 424 00:30:56.000 --> 00:31:00.279 his resurrection. Act Four two. Being grieved, he taught the people and 425 00:31:00.440 --> 00:31:04.880 preached through Jesus the Resurrection from the dead. X Four three, and with 426 00:31:04.960 --> 00:31:10.400 great power gave the apostles witness of the direction of the resurrection of the Lord 427 00:31:10.519 --> 00:31:14.599 Jesus, and Great Grace was upon them all. At seventeen eighteen and certain 428 00:31:14.640 --> 00:31:18.200 philosophers of the epicureans and of the stoics encountered him and some said, what 429 00:31:18.240 --> 00:31:22.599 would this babblers say? Are there's some. He seems to be a center 430 00:31:22.680 --> 00:31:26.559 forth of strange gods, because he preached, unto them, Jesus and the 431 00:31:26.599 --> 00:31:32.400 resurrection. That's our message. That's a message that we have. We have, 432 00:31:32.799 --> 00:31:37.559 we have there's been one person in the history of the world who has 433 00:31:37.640 --> 00:31:42.559 been resurrected from the dead, one person. That's our message. We have 434 00:31:42.720 --> 00:31:45.880 it. He is ours, he is our God, he is the one 435 00:31:47.319 --> 00:31:49.920 that has been resurrected. Nobody else has that, no other religion has that. 436 00:31:51.599 --> 00:31:55.279 We're the only ones that have it. And the Gospel is simple, 437 00:31:55.279 --> 00:31:57.920 as Paul tells, the prints and first printinents fifteen is very simple. We 438 00:31:59.079 --> 00:32:01.640 preach Christ for our sins, according to the scripture, was buried on the 439 00:32:01.759 --> 00:32:07.839 third day. He rose again. That's it. It's that simple and that's 440 00:32:07.839 --> 00:32:13.079 what we have. And if you can believe in that and trust in that, 441 00:32:13.079 --> 00:32:17.279 that's where salvation is. It lies right in those things. Turned to 442 00:32:17.359 --> 00:32:22.759 the one who died for your sins and your life will be changed forever. 443 00:32:23.000 --> 00:32:28.359 Let's pray, Lord, we thank you for your word and we thank you 444 00:32:28.440 --> 00:32:35.079 God for types and shadows and Lord, I pray that tonight you would take 445 00:32:35.160 --> 00:32:39.720 some of these things, which are perhaps strange applications in some ways, but 446 00:32:39.839 --> 00:32:44.160 Lord, use them to speak to your hearts, of your people. I 447 00:32:44.279 --> 00:32:47.319 pray, and I asked God that none of us would be offended by the 448 00:32:47.319 --> 00:32:52.519 foolishness of the Gospel, but Lord, that we would trust it and not 449 00:32:52.640 --> 00:32:59.319 be afraid to share it with others, that our Lord Jesus Christ has risen 450 00:32:59.400 --> 00:33:08.720 from the day and he is triumphant over everything. And help us to know, 451 00:33:08.920 --> 00:33:15.599 God, what you can do with foolishness. But we asked this in 452 00:33:15.680 --> 00:33:17.759 Christ name. Amen. MM HM