This was the second sermon on Gideon. I thought it would be good to split the two sermons - the first week, Gideon's tests for God; the second week, God's test of Gideon. I think the first sermon two weeks ago preached better than this sermon. I love preaching narrative texts, but sometimes I have trouble getting beyond the narrative. This week was one of those weeks.
I have struggled with how to engage the humor in the stories about the Judges. This week's text had Gideon keeping the 300 soldiers who lap water like a dog, which I find funny. But, I have been unable to bring lighter moments to the sermons, for some reason.
“Here Come the Judges: Gideon 2” July 11, 2021; Judges 7; Summer Judges series; SAPC, Denton
That same night the Lord said to him, “Get up, attack the camp; for I have given it into your hand. 10 But if you fear to attack, go down to the camp with your servant Purah; 11 and you shall hear what they say, and afterward your hands shall be strengthened to attack the camp.” Then he went down with his servant Purah to the outposts of the armed men that were in the camp. 12 The Midianites and the Amalekites and all the people of the east lay along the valley as thick as locusts; and their camels were without number, countless as the sand on the seashore. 13 When Gideon arrived, there was a man telling a dream to his comrade; and he said, “I had a dream, and in it a cake of barley bread tumbled into the camp of Midian, and came to the tent, and struck it so that it fell; it turned upside down, and the tent collapsed.” 14 And his comrade answered, “This is no other than the sword of Gideon son of Joash, a man of Israel; into his hand God has given Midian and all the army.”
15 When Gideon heard the telling of the dream and its interpretation, he worshiped; and he returned to the camp of Israel, and said, “Get up; for the Lord has given the army of Midian into your hand.” 16 After he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and put trumpets into the hands of all of them, and empty jars, with torches inside the jars, 17 he said to them, “Look at me, and do the same; when I come to the outskirts of the camp, do as I do. 18 When I blow the trumpet, I and all who are with me, then you also blow the trumpets around the whole camp, and shout, ‘For the Lord and for Gideon!’”
19 So Gideon and the hundred who were with him came to the outskirts of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, when they had just set the watch; and they blew the trumpets and smashed the jars that were in their hands. 20 So the three companies blew the trumpets and broke the jars, holding in their left hands the torches, and in their right hands the trumpets to blow; and they cried, “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!” 21 Every man stood in his place all around the camp, and all the men in camp ran; they cried out and fled. 22 When they blew the three hundred trumpets, the Lord set every man’s sword against his fellow and against all the army; and the army fled as far as Beth-shittah toward Zererah,[e] as far as the border of Abel-meholah, by Tabbath. 23 And the men of Israel were called out from Naphtali and from Asher and from all Manasseh, and they pursued after the Midianites.
Introduction: We return to our summer preaching series on Judges, although next week we take another break and have a hymning, with a few reflections on why we sing in worship.
This is our second week dealing with Gideon. Not because Gideon is such a remarkable character, but because he is involved in several episodes with God.
Move 1: This week we reflect on how God turns the tables on Gideon.
a. A reminder from two weeks ago - Gideon has already had an angel of the Lord appear to him and provide a sign without Gideon even asking.
1. Gideon also has tested God with the dew and the fleece not once, but twice.
2. Gideon has been full of tests for God.
b. now, As Gideon gathers his 32, 000 troops to go to battle, God decides that this test business goes both ways.
1. God is going to test Gideon’s resolve and his faith in God to deliver victory over the Midianites and Amalekites.
2. Uh, Gideon, you have too many troops - So send home all the soldiers who are a bit afraid.
3. Now they are down to 10,000 soldiers.
4. still too many.
5. Gideon, take your soldiers down to the river for a drink of water. If they lap the water like dogs, keep them. If they cup their hands to get the water, send them home.
6. now, Gideon's troops are down to 300 men.
7. do you think that as Gideon is watching his men drink the water to see who laps the water and who does not that it occurs to him that maybe testing God is not the smartest move he's ever made?
c. Why does God test Gideon?
1. God makes it very clear: If Gideon defeats the Midianites and Amalekites with all of the soldiers, he will not know that God was the one who led you to victory.
2. But, in order for Gideon to defeat the enemy outnumbered with only 300 men, it means God is with him and God is the one delivering victory.
3. So we are reminded that God saves; we cannot do it on our own.
4. how easily we convince ourselves that we are can take care of ourselves on our own.
5. We do not need anyone else; we do not need God.
6. Ironically, when I hear people share their faith stories often the moments when we feel closest to God when we feel God’s presence and power most vividly, are those times when we feel most vulnerable when we feel helpless in the face of what the world presents.
7. But, when we are cruising through life, with everything going smoothly, we begin to think we can do it on our own.
8. God sears into Gideon’s memory, into the collective memory of God’s people, that with God, all things are possible, which means humbly recognizing or need for God.
d. hard to do.
1. So easy to forget God and try it ourselves.
2. like Gideon wiht his 32,000 troops, ready to take on the enemy trusting in their own abilities and resources.
3. But, there is God, calling Gideon back, calling us back into a recognition that we are God’s people, that we need God with us in all circumstances
4. Even as Gideon wins the battle with just a very few soldiers, notice the temptation to take credit himself.
5. Remember when Joshua and his troops surprisingly defeat Jericho? They have a rallying cry - “for the Lord has given you the city.” A reminder of their need to have God with them.
6. Notice what Gideon instructs his soldiers to shout: “For the Lord and for Gideon.”
7. Good old Gideon gets to share the credit with God.
8. he is still struggling to recognize his need for God.
Move 2: God works with Gideon, even when Gideon
a. When God senses Gideon's reluctance to believe that he can defeat the Midianites, God steps in to assist Gideon.
1. God suggests that if Gideon does not want to go to battle yet, perhaps he might sneak in to the Midianite camp and listen to what the Midianites are saying.
- Which Gideon does.
- He overhears a man telling about a dream and another man interpreting the dream to be about how Gideon is going to defeat the Midianites.
- now Gideon is ready to do battle.
- All the signs from God do not convince him, but overhearing someone share a dream apparently is convincing.
1. Gideon’s story asks us several questions - what signs do you need to step forward in faith?
2. Better yet - How do you act in faith when you have come to believe God is calling you to do something?
Move 3: Why is Gideon's story told?
a. Sort of silly stories really.
1. you have to chuckle when you read about Gideon studying whether his men cup their hands when drinking water or lap the water like dogs.
2. Or, the idea that Gideon wants to test God not once, but twice with the dew and the fleece.
3. we read Gideon and so easily notice his hypocrisy and his unfaithfulness.
4. But, in the midst of those stories we also see the God who continues to be at work, despite what silly things we humans might do
b. As a reminder.
- as a reminder when we test God, when we say, “God, if you really want me to go to college you'll make the ACT test have questions I can answer,” or when we say, “God, if you really want me to change my ways, then you'll need to give me this sign” maybe we'll remember how silly Gideon seemed and
3. Or, when we've been praying for God to guide us and we get that restless spirit in us that tells us what to do, maybe we will remember Gideon and try to do better in how we respond.
- 4.Or, when we know what God is telling us to do, but we choose instead to seek out the random assurance of strangers,. We'll remember Gideon and listen more closely to God.
- 5. or when we finally do what God tells us to do and it works and we want to take credit for it, we'll remember Gideon, and be reminded to give God the credit.
Conclusion: And I suppose, finally, we remember that the God who uses Gideon, who passes all the tests Gideon puts before him, who even pushes Gideon to places Gideon does not want to go, that God is the God who claims us and sends us into the world.
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