Judges 8:27 Artistic Beauty

 27From all this Gideon made an ephod, which he placed in Ophrah, his hometown. But soon all Israel prostituted themselves by worshiping it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and his household.

“While this was probably done out of a sense of the religious failure of the people, the effect produced was evil and resulted in deterioration of the character of Gideon himself.” (Morgan)

“He did not set up an idol, but he made an ephod, an imitation of that wonderful vestment worn by the high priest. Perhaps he made it of solid gold, not to be worn, but to be looked at, simply to remind the people of the worship of God, and not to be itself worshipped. But ah, dear friends, you see here that, if we go half an inch beyond what God’s Word warrants we always get into mischief!” (Spurgeon)

“Perhaps it is easier to honour God in some courageous action in the limelight of a time of national emergency than it is to honour Him consistently in the ordinary, everyday life, which requires a different kind of courage.” (Cundall)

Artistic beauty has a way of impressing us and giving a sense of awe, but it is not necessarily a godly impression or awe. Many times, it can distract our focus from the LORD. In contrast to this ephod, God commanded that His altars be made of unfinished stone (Exodus 20:25), so that no one’s attention was focused on the beauty of the stone carver’s work.

Our eyes are always drawn to artistic beauty, the fall leaves turning colors, a kitchen that was remodeled, a beautiful home etc. 

The Lord knows our weaknesses! Oh how I enjoy the simple worship of music to the Lord with beautiful voices and instruments.

Last Thursday we attended a Bible study called Steps which consisted of 3 beautiful worship songs with the words illuminated on the wall without imagery, a great video teaching from a pastor, then the men and women separated into small groups for discussion and afterwards fellowship with snacks. The couple that provided snacks even provided gluten free cookies!

It was one of the best Bible studies I’ve attended in years! My spirit sang afterwards!

How do you refresh your spirit in the Lord?

Blessings 

Judges 8:18-21 Children of a King!

 18Next, Gideon asked Zebah and Zalmunna, “What kind of men did you kill at Tabor?”

“Men like you,” they answered, “each one resembling the son of a king.”

19“They were my brothers,” Gideon replied, “the sons of my mother! As surely as the LORD lives, if you had let them live, I would not kill you.”

20So he said to Jether, his firstborn, “Get up and kill them.” But the young man did not draw his sword; he was fearful because he was still a youth.

21Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, “Get up and kill us yourself, for as the man is, so is his strength.” So Gideon got up and killed Zebah and Zalmunna, and he took the crescent ornaments from the necks of their camels.

Children of a King

“They were my brothers, the sons of my mother: Apparently these two Midianite kings were responsible for the death of Gideon’s brothers. Gideon wanted this known and confessed before he executed these kings.

b. Rise yourself, and kill us: Zebah and Zalmunna knew they deserved death and even encouraged their executioner.” (Guzik)

It’s interesting that verse 18 translates son (children) of a king.

But what about you Christian? 

Ephesians 1:5 He predestined us for adoption as His sons through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of His will,

You are His sons and daughters in Christ!

But wait!

2 Corinthians 1:21Now it is God who establishes both us and you in Christ. He anointed us, 22placed His seal on us, and put His Spirit in our hearts as a pledge of what is to come.

You have His seal placed on you and His Spirit in your heart!

Do you look forward to His “pledge of what is to come”?

I do!

Blessings 

Judges 8:13-17 Refused to Help

 13After this, Gideon son of Joash returned from the battle along the Ascent of Heres. 14There he captured a young man of Succoth and interrogated him. The young man wrote down for him the names of the seventy-seven leaders and elders of Succoth.

15And Gideon went to the men of Succoth and said, “Here are Zebah and Zalmunna, about whom you taunted me, saying, ‘Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna already in your possession, that we should give bread to your weary men?’ ” 16Then he took the elders of the city, and using the thorns and briers of the wilderness, he disciplined the men of Succoth. 17He also pulled down the tower of Penuel and killed the men of the city.

Refused to Help

a. He came to the men of Succoth and said: The men of this city didn’t want to help Gideon or his army before victory was assured. They refused to help Gideon by faith, and so Gideon would punish them as he had promised.

b. He took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he taught the men of Succoth: Apparently Gideon publicly whipped the leaders of the city of Succoth with thorns and briers as a method of public rebuke.

c. He tore down the tower of Penuel and killed the men of the city: The text does not make it clear, but we suppose there was a justification for this severe penalty. Perhaps the people of Penuel were significant supporters of the Midianites and traitors against Israel. (Guzik)

There have been times that I refused to help also! I’ve judged someone that was in a predicament because of poor choices. But what if the Lord did the same to me? 

Brethren, why do we tend to judge others as if we were sitting on His throne? 

Father God, please turn my heart ❤️ from my evil ways and make me into the image of Your Son Jesus! In the name of Jesus I pray, amen.

Blessings 

Judges 8:10-12 Victory

 10Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor with their army of about fifteen thousand men—all that were left of the armies of the people of the east. A hundred and twenty thousand swordsmen had already fallen. 11And Gideon went up by way of the caravan route east of Nobah and Jogbehah, and he attacked their army, taking them by surprise. 12When Zebah and Zalmunna fled, Gideon pursued and captured these two kings of Midian, routing their entire army.

“Gideon, continuing in the boldness of the LORD, led a courageous surprise attack. This wasn’t the same as 300 attacking the vast army described in Judges 7:12, but it was still a small army against a much larger army.” (Guzik)

Victory 

I have heard it said that we:

FIGHT FROM VICTORY, NOT FOR VICTORY.

Jesus on the cross said, it is finished. Just as Gideon routed their entire army and won the battle, Jesus won the battle over death!

Hebrews 12:2 [looking away from all that will distract us and] focusing our eyes on Jesus, who is the Author and Perfecter of faith [the first incentive for our belief and the One who brings our faith to maturity], who for the joy [of accomplishing the goal] set before Him endured the cross, disregarding the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God [revealing His deity, His authority, and the completion of His work].

Have you accepted Jesus’s victory over death by accepting His free gift of salvation?

Blessings 

Discomfit: To defeat in battle; vanquish.

Judges 8:4-9 Exhausted

 4Then Gideon and his three hundred men came to the Jordan and crossed it, exhausted yet still in pursuit. 5So Gideon said to the men of Succoth, “Please give my troops some bread, for they are exhausted, and I am still pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.”

6But the leaders of Succoth asked, “Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna already in your possession, that we should give bread to your army?”

7“Very well,” Gideon replied, “when the LORD has delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, I will tear your flesh with the thorns and briers of the wilderness!”

8From there he went up to Penuelb and asked the same from them, but the men of Penuel gave the same response as the men of Succoth. 9So Gideon told the men of Penuel, “When I return in triumph, I will tear down this tower!”

Exhausted 

“If you, dear brethren and sisters, will give yourselves wholly to God’s work, although you will never get tired of it, you will often get tired in it. If a man has never tired himself with working for God, I should think he never has done any work that was worth doing.” (Spurgeon)

“Let us also serve the Lord when every movement is painful, when even to think is wearisome. These men were faint. You know what it is for a soldier to be faint; it is no nonsense, no pretense, it is real fainting. Yet to go running on when you are ready to faint, to keep right on when you are ready to drop, this is very trying work; yet let us do it, brethren, by God’s grace. Some people only pray when they feel like praying; but we need most to pray when we feel that we cannot pray. If we were only to preach, - some of us, - when we felt like preaching, we should not often preach.” (Spurgeon)

“Some have said that this showed resentment and harshness, but when a man is at war, he is not in the habit of sprinkling his adversaries with rosewater. War is in itself so great an evil that there are many other evils necessarily connected with it. It seems to me that if, when Gideon was trying to deliver his own countrymen, they scoffed at him, and refused him bread for his soldiers in the day of their hunger, they deserved to be punished with great severity.” (Spurgeon)

A few years ago my wife was the Nursery Coordinator for our church. It exhausted us physically and mentally after a year because we never got a break and there wasn’t enough volunteers for both Sunday services. Every function that the church had, the nursery was required to be open. When we asked the parents for help by volunteering in the nursery, we received similar responses that Gideon received when he asked for bread.

Have you ever been doing the Lord’s work and been scoffed at when you asked for help?

Blessings 

Judges 8:1-3 Recognition, Jealousy and Pride!

 1Then the men of Ephraim said to Gideon, “Why have you done this to us? Why did you fail to call us when you went to fight against Midian?” And they contended with him violently.

2But Gideon answered them, “Now what have I accomplished compared to you? Are not the gleanings of Ephraim better than the grape harvest of Abiezer? 3God has delivered Oreb and Zeeb, the two princes of Midian, into your hand. What was I able to do compared to you?” When he had said this, their angera against him subsided.

Recognition, Jealousy and Pride!

“The men of Ephraim joined in the fight against Midian when Gideon called out to them (Judges 7:24-25). Yet they were upset that Gideon did not call them before the battle started. Gideon’s initial call for help went out to the tribes of Manasseh (his own tribe), Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali (Judges 6:35).”

“The men of Ephraim seem to have cared more about recognition than the overall good of Israel. Instead of being jealous about the recognition that others received, they should have been happy that God’s people were rescued and that they had some part in the victory. Jealousy often hinders the work of God.”

“What have I done now in comparison with you: Gideon did not challenge their pride; instead he soothed their pride by complimenting them and giving them the recognition they seemed to crave. Most importantly, he challenged them to get involved in the work of God that was at hand. His reply was a wise way to deal with contention when there is work for the LORD to be done.” (Guzik)

James 3:16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every evil practice.

2 Corinthians 12:20 For I am afraid that when I come, I may not find you as I wish, and you may not find me as you wish. I fear that there may be quarreling, jealousy, rage, rivalry, slander, gossip, arrogance, and disorder.

Proverbs 16:18 Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.

The Bible has a lot to say about jealousy and pride! And because of our sin nature these sins are hard to battle! We feel wounded and we lash out! 

One of my sins is that I’m tone deaf, that is my speech tone changes when I reply to questions! It gets me in trouble more than I can count! 

Lord help me with the sin of jealousy, pride and my speech tone. Help me respond with the love of Jesus. I lift up everyone reading this devotional today and ask for a blessing on them and their family. In the name of Jesus I pray amen.

Blessings 

Judges 7:24-25 God Started the Work

 24Gideon sent messengers throughout the hill country of Ephraim to say, “Come down against the Midianites and seize the waters of the Jordan ahead of them as far as Beth-barah.” So all the men of Ephraim were called out, and they captured the waters of the Jordan as far as Beth-barah. 25They also captured Oreb and Zeeb, the two princes of Midian; and they killed Oreb at the rock of Oreb and Zeeb at the winepress of Zeeb. So they pursued the Midianites and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon on the other side of the Jordan.

“This was not unbelief on Gideon’s part. Though God started the work with a small number of soldiers, once the work began, Gideon wanted many to get involved in the work.”

“God blessed the effort of people of Ephraim, and they made good success against the enemy and their leaders.” (Guzik)

God Started the Work

Philippians 1:6 being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Philippians 2:13 For it is God who works in you to will and to act on behalf of His good purpose.

Brethren, scripture is clear that every human being was created by God for His pleasure and His purpose. 

Colossians 1:16 For in Him all things were created, things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities. All things were created through Him and for Him.

John 8:12 Once again, Jesus spoke to the people and said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Your purpose is to reflect the “light of life” so people know Jesus is in you!

Are you a mirror for Jesus, reflecting His light?

Blessings 

Judges 7:19-23 Sword of the Lord!

 19Gideon and the hundred men with him reached the outskirts of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, just after the changing of the guard. They blew their horns and broke the jars that were in their hands. 20The three companies blew their horns and shattered their jars. Holding the torches in their left hands and the horns in their right hands, they shouted, “A sword for the LORD and for Gideon!”

21Each Israelite took his position around the camp, and the entire Midianite army fled, crying out as they ran. 22And when the three hundred rams’ horns sounded, the LORD set all the men in the camp against one another with their swords. The army fled to Beth-shittah toward Zererahc as far as the border of Abel-meholah near Tabbath. 23Then the men of Israel were called out from Naphtali, Asher, and all Manasseh, and they pursued the Midianites.

“The Midianite soldiers awoke to an explosion of noise, light, and movement coming down on them from all directions. No wonder they thought they were being attacked by an army even bigger than they were.”

“And they cried, “The sword of the LORD and of Gideon”: This cry was not the result of pride on Gideon’s part. Instead, it showed wisdom in the attack because clearly the Midianites were already afraid of the sword of Gideon (Judges 7:14), and shouting helped to send them into panic.” (Guzik)

And the men of Israel gathered together from Naphtali, Asher, and all Manasseh, and pursued the Midianites: “If some have the courage to strike the enemy, there are others who will come out of their hiding-places to hunt the beaten foe. When you really want help, often you cannot get it; but when you can afford to do without assistance, you will sometimes be embarrassed by it.” (Spurgeon)

Have you ever had a God thing happen while studying His word? Well that happened this morning when I received my daily devotional from Alistair Begg. He modifies  Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening devotions. I couldn’t let this devotion pass without adding the original to this devotional.

Do you cry sword of the Lord?

Blessings 

September 20th AM

"The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon."
Judges 7:20

Gideon ordered his men to do two things: covering up a torch in an earthen pitcher, he bade them, at an appointed signal, break the pitcher and let the light shine, and then sound with the trumpet, crying, "The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon! the sword of the Lord, and of Gideon!" This is precisely what all Christians must do. First, you must shine; break the pitcher which conceals your light; throw aside the bushel which has been hiding your candle, and shine. Let your light shine before men; let your good works be such, that when men look upon you, they shall know that you have been with Jesus. Then there must be the sound, the blowing of the trumpet. There must be active exertions for the ingathering of sinners by proclaiming Christ crucified. Take the gospel to them; carry it to their door; put it in their way; do not suffer them to escape it; blow the trumpet right against their ears. Remember that the true war-cry of the Church is Gideon's watchword, "The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon!" God must do it, it is his own work. But we are not to be idle; instrumentality is to be used--"The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon!" If we only cry, "The sword of the Lord!" we shall be guilty of an idle presumption; and if we shout, "The sword of Gideon!" alone, we shall manifest idolatrous reliance on an arm of flesh: we must blend the two in practical harmony, "The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon!" We can do nothing of ourselves, but we can do everything by the help of our God; let us, therefore, in his name determine to go out personally and serve with our flaming torch of holy example, and with our trumpet tones of earnest declaration and testimony, and God shall be with us, and Midian shall be put to confusion, and the Lord of hosts shall reign forever and ever.