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GIDEON: A JUDGE AND A MIGHTY MAN OF VALOR
The Prophetic Dream
Judges 7:9-15
Lesson #10
Victor M. Eskew
INTRODUCTION
A. After aligning for battle at the well of Harod, God reduced Gideon’s troops two times.
1. The first reduction was from 32,000 men to 10,000 men.
2. The second reduction was from 10,000 men to 300 men.
3. NOTE: This was less than 1% of the original army.
B. Gideon, being a normal man, would have experienced certain feelings about this move by God.
1. One of the feelings he probably felt was fear.
a. Gideon knew the mass of troops the enemy had.
b. He knew his littleness in this situation.
c. Even though he trusted God, he had never seen God operate on such a large scale during his life.
2. LESSON: Faith does not eliminate fear. Faith has to overcome fear.
C. God knew Gideon. He would never send him to the battlefront without being prepared. In this section, we see God supplying Gideon with the confidence needed to lead Israel to victory.
I. THE REVOLT IS COMMANDED BY GOD (Judges 7:9)
A. The Summons (Jgs 7:9a)
And it came to pass the same night, that the Lord said unto him, Arise, get thee down unto the host…
1. The Lord wasted no time sending Gideon and his troops into battle.
2. The anticipation was over. It was time for the battle to begin.
3. It was now time for Gideon to truly answer the Lord’s call deliver Israel out of the hand of the Midianites.
4. Could Israel really be successful with just three hundred men?
B. The Surety (Jgs. 7:9b)
…for I have delivered it into thine hand.
1. The battle had not been fought, but God told Gideon the enemy had already been delivered into their hand.
2. This is what some refer to as the “prophetic present.” Victory was so certain that God spoke of it as if it had already occurred.
3. LESSON: Eternal life is sometimes spoken of in this manner in the New Testament. Eternal life is NOT a present reality. It is part of the Christian’s hope (Tit. 1:2). Hope, according to Paul, is not something that is seen right now (Rom. 8:24-25). However, it can be spoken of as a present reality because it is definite for those who continue to believe and obey in this life (John 5:24).
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life…
II. THE RECOURSE IF FEARFUL (Judges 7:10-11a)
A. The Sentiment (Jgs. 7:1a)
But if thou fear to go down…
1. What happens now is unbelievable. God notes the fear that Gideon might have.
2. This manifests at least two things about God.
a. He knows the heart of man (See Ps. 38:8-10).
I am feeble and sore broken: I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart. Lord, all my desire is before thee; and my groaning is not hid from thee. My heart panteth, my strength faileth me: as for the light of mine eyes, it also is gone from me.
b. He deeply cared for His servant Gideon (See 1 Pet. 5:7).
…for he careth for you.
B. The Strength (Jgs. 7:2b-3a)
…go thou with Phurah thy servant down to the host: and thou shalt hear what they say; and afterward shall thine hands be strengthened to go down unto the host…
1. The Lord had a plan whereby Gideon could overcome his fear and attack the Midianites.
2. He was to go down near to the camp of the host of the enemy with his servant Phurah and “hear what they say.”
a. This is the only time this servant is mentioned in the Bible.
b. Perhaps he was sent to confirm the words that Gideon was going to hear.
3. The result of hearing these words would be powerful. “…and afterward thine hands shall be strengthened to go down unto the host…”
III. THE REVELATION TO GIDEON (Judges 7:11b-14)
A. The Rim of the Enemy is Reached (Jgs. 7:11b)
…Then went he down with Phurah his servant unto the outside of the armed men that were in the host.
1. We are not told how far the journey was.
2. But, we do learn something about Gideon. What was it?
a. He was fearful. He needed to have his hands strengthened.
b. He was faithful. He trusted God to strengthen his hand for the war.
B. The Rival Has A Multitude (Jgs. 7:12)
And the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the children of the east lay along in the valley like grasshoppers for a multitude; and their camels were without number, as the sand by the sea side for a multitude.
1. The people looked like a swarm of grasshoppers.
2. Their camels were as numerous as the sand by the sea.
C. The Report of a Dream (Jgs. 7:13-14)
1. The Conversation Begins (Jgs. 7:13)
And when Gideon was come, behold, there was a man that told a dream unto his fellow, and said, Behold, I dreamed a dream, and, lo, a cake of barley bread tumbled unto a tent, and smote it that it fell, and overturned it, that the tent lay along.
a. The barley cake was extremely small. Barnes makes this additional comment: “i. e. such a cake as could hardly be eaten by men, it was so vile: a term expressive of the contempt of the Midianites for the people of Israel” (e-sword).
b. It entered into a tent and smote it, and overturned it so the tent lay along. Barns notes that the tent could represent the tent of the king of the Midianites.
2. The Conclusion Reached (Jgs. 7:14)
And his fellow answered and said, This is nothing else save the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel: for into his hand hath God delivered Midian, and all the host.
a. How the man knew the interpretation of the dream, we are not told.
b. In some way, the hand of God played a part in the dream and its interpretation. He intended for the words of interpretation to give courage to Gideon.
IV. THE RESPONSE OF GIDEON TO THE DREAM (Judges 7:15)
A. The Cherishing of God (Jgs. 7:15a)
And it was so, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, and the interpretation thereof, that he worhiped…
1. The text reveals that Gideon worshiped God upon hearing the words of the two men.
2. Worshiped
a. Strong (7812): to depress, prostrate (in homage to God)
b. BDB: to bow down to God in worship
3. LESSON: When God blesses, one of the immediate responses man should have is to worship the Almighty (The Samaritan leper, Luke 17:15-16).
And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.
B. The Command to Israel’s Army (Jgs. 7:15b)
…and returned into the host of Israel, and said, Arise; for the Lord hath delivered into your hand the host of Midian.
1. Gideon’s heart and hands were now strengthened to do battle.
2. Gideon was convinced that even with just 300 men, he and Israel could defeat the Midianites.
3. Listen to Gideon’s words: “Arise; for the Lord hath delivered into your hand the host of Midian.”
a. Gideon spoke in the present tense.
b. The victory had already been won in his eyes now.
CONCLUSION
A. Gideon has been given proof after proof after proof by God that He would be with him.
1. The food on the rock being consumed by fire
2. The wet fleece and dry ground
3. The dry fleece and wet ground
4. The dream and its interpretation
B. Gideon was full of faith and ready to do the Lord’s will.
C. I don’t know about you, but I almost feel like Gideon. I, too, am convinced that God can and will give us the victory!