Small Army, Big God
I love the Old Testament. It’s full of battle and manly things like Elijah calling down fire from heaven before Ahab and the prophets of Baal or God making the sun stand still for the Israelites to complete their battle in the daylight. Even in Judges we have the story of Ehud and the fat king. The Old Testament is so awesome but it’s also a sobering reminder; it’s pointing to man’s need for a Savior. People try and try to figure things out but it’s never enough without Jesus. Whether you are a skeptic or believer, we all have this sin issue that we can’t save ourselves from. We try but our power isn’t enough. That lack of power to overcome sin is what points us to the need of a perfect (not broken) Savior, Jesus.
We see many good men and women do many good things throughout the OT. People who were faithful and righteous. However, they all still had sin and weren’t the savior humanity needed. We’ve been looking at the story of Abraham in Student Ministry and his life is a roller coaster of faith and then lack of faith. We are walking through Judges and examining some of these “broken saviors” in the Old Testament. The title of today's message: Small Army, Big God and the big idea is this, Weakness defined by the world, is strength defined by God.
As we lead into Judges 7 let’s remember the end of last chapter. God’s word and promise was confirmed to Gideon through the dew and the fleece…twice. Now as we head into chapter 7, we look through the lens of God’s promise at everything that is about to happen. God said He would deliver Israel by Gideon’s hand. No matter how it looks or the method of deliverance, God has stated it, therefore it is truth
V. 1-8 God weakens us to show His strength
V. 1
Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) and everyone who was with him, got up early and camped beside the spring of Harod. The camp of Midian was north of them, below the hill of Moreh, in the valley.
We pick up here in these first verses with Gideon’s army assembled and it won’t be long before they head out for war. The army they were getting ready to face (the Midianites) were camped just down in the valley below where the Israelite arm could see what they were up against
V. 2-3
2 The Lord said to Gideon, “You have too many people for Me to hand the Midianites over to you, or else Israel might brag: ‘I did it myself.’ 3 Now announce in the presence of the people: ‘Whoever is fearful and trembling may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.’” So 22,000 of the people turned back, but 10,000 remained.
Gideon and his army went into this battle with an uphill battle from the beginning.We know that the Midianite army was around 135,000 strong. Israel had mustered 32,000 men to fight. Despite these uneven numbers, God tells Gideon the army is too big. I’m sure Gideon was thinking that even with 32,000 vs 135,000 this will be a miracle on God’s part. It is in fact more than a 4 to 1 ratio. There’s really no need to weaken this already weak army anymore. God knows man’s heart and sees that this size army would eventually take credit for this underdog victory in verse 2. Possibly Gideon and the army can start to rationalize the possibility of victory with that 4 to 1 ratio. When I watch a movie with a big battle scene (like Lord of the Rings) I start to analyze in my head “so how many would the underdog have to take out for victory?” Maybe they begin to think “if each of our guys can pick off 5 or 6 of their guys then yeah it’s a longshot but doable” This explains why the army of 32,000 was too large. Israel could still take credit for a victory if they had 32,000 troops. They could believe they were underdogs who triumphed through their own great bravery or strategy. God wanted the odds so bad that the victory would clearly be His alone. God tells Gideon to send away any who are fearful and trembling. This shrinks the army from 32,000 to 10,000. As God shrinks Gideon’s army let’s remember back to the end of chapter 6 and look through the lens of God’s promise. It doesn’t matter if ⅔ of your army is fearful and sent away, God has promised deliverance and victory in battle. God’s promise is unwavering.
V. 4
4 Then the Lord said to Gideon, “There are still too many people. Take them down to the water, and I will test them for you there. If I say to you, ‘This one can go with you,’ he can go. But if I say about anyone, ‘This one cannot go with you,’ he cannot go.”
After all that, God still tells Gideon there are too many soldiers for this battle. We have to think that this is a heavy thing to hear from God again. Gideon is faced with either submitting to God’s leading in faith or rolling the dice on what he can do with his army.
V. 5-7
5 So he brought the people down to the water, and the Lord said to Gideon, “Separate everyone who laps water with his tongue like a dog. Do the same with everyone who kneels to drink.” 6 The number of those who lapped with their hands to their mouths was 300 men, and all the rest of the people knelt to drink water. 7 The Lord said to Gideon, “I will deliver you with the 300 men who lapped and hand the Midianites over to you. But everyone else is to go home.”
In verse 4 God says take them to the water and if I say they must go, then they must go. Gideon does as God directs. He steps out in faith once again to allow God to be glorified in the shrinking army. God separated them by those who lap like a dog in their hands and those who kneel to drink. Side note: who laps water like a dog to drink?? God uses the unexpected and broken for His glory. Now God has established His army of 300 to go against the 135,000 Midianites. He has stripped away any human strength or pride that Gideon or these soldiers could have. God has weakened Gideon to show His strength. And He does the same in our lives today.
God weakens us to show His strength
We may think we are strong or have all the answers necessary to walk through life successfully, but I’m here to tell you that we don’t. If you want to draw near to the Lord and fully walk in the work of the Holy Spirit in your life, your army will be shrunk…and that’s an amazing thing. Praise God that we can be sifted and refined down to the point where it’s all Him working through us rather than us having hollow credit that was ultimately due Him anyways. This whole idea of submitting and having our strength weakened flies in the face of our modern western culture. We live in a time and place where the way we appear is everything to us even though it’s built on a false sense of strength and having life figured out. Examples: trying to get the house clean when people come over (growing up example of stuffing things in closets and rooms), Social media presence, job resume/interview. We also have to be careful of tying our strength to country rather than clinging to God. God uses nations and people groups for His glory all the time and we see amazing freedoms that He’s given us here in America. However, it is a slippery slope to blur the lines between God and the “American Dream”. If we are finding our purpose and strength in anything (political leaning, leaders, athletics) but God then we are sorely wrong and have lost our way. The list can go on and on but the point is that we, as the individual, want to come across as strong, capable, and that we have it all figured out (or at least figured out enough where people won’t wonder). We (on our own strength) don’t, won’t, and can’t have it figured out. But as we look to God and walk in His promise (like Gideon at the end ch. 6) we start to lean less on self and what I can or can’t do and cling to God and God alone.
V. 9-15 God weakens us but never abandons us
V. 9
9 That night the Lord said to him, “Get up and go into the camp, for I have given it into your hand.
God tells Gideon to get up and go because He has handed the enemy into their hands.God is reminding Gideon of the promise and attaching action to the promise.
V. 10-11
10 But if you are afraid to go to the camp, go with Purah your servant. 11 Listen to what they say, and then you will be strengthened to go to the camp.” So he went with Purah his servant to the outpost of the troops who were in the camp.
God knows what He is putting before Gideon can be frightening and fear inducing. It takes a lot of faith in God’s promise to stand against 135,000 military trained soldiers with only 300 guys who lap water like dogs. God suggests Gideon take his servant with him so he doesn’t feel alone and He tells him to go visit the outpost camp. But God isn’t just arbitrarily having him do this. We see in v.11 “Listen to what they say, and then you will be strengthened to go to the camp”. We can deduce that Gideon was in fact afraid because he takes Purrah his servant with him. He needed strengthening in the face of fear so let’s see what God does
V. 12
12 Now the Midianites, Amalekites, and all the Qedemites had settled down in the valley like a swarm of locusts, and their camels were as innumerable as the sand on the seashore.
They arrive at the camp. Now to make the fear even greater the very next verse says the army they are facing had enough camels that they were like the sand on the seashore. Remember, they could see down in the valley and clearly see the massive army they were up against
V. 13-15
13 When Gideon arrived, there was a man telling his friend about a dream. He said, “Listen, I had a dream: a loaf of barley bread came tumbling into the Midianite camp, struck a tent, and it fell. The loaf turned the tent upside down so that it collapsed.” 14 His friend answered: “This is nothing less than the sword of Gideon son of Joash, the Israelite. God has handed the entire Midianite camp over to him.” 15 When Gideon heard the account of the dream and its interpretation, he bowed in worship. He returned to Israel’s camp and said, “Get up, for the Lord has handed the Midianite camp over to you.”
Now they come upon a soldier relaying a dream he had about this ensuing battle. In it the Midianites are defeated and Gideon is victorious through the power of God. We see in v.15 Gideon has 2 responses to hearing this dream. He is immediately aware that this is God strengthening him and he is moved to worship. Man, when we get to see God moving, it should push us to immediate worship. Then the next thing is he is moved to action “Get up, for the Lord has handed the Midianite camp over to you.” God didn’t call him to sit on his hands, but to GO and DO the work laid before him by God. Gideon needed the strengthening in the face of his fear and God used those around him to strengthen him. He reminded him of His promise and then kept reinforcing it through people put in Gideon’s life.
God weakens us but never abandons us
God will strip us down and shrink our army but that doesn’t mean He abandons us. In fact this smaller army we now have just keeps pushing and pointing us to our God who is so mighty and so big. When we stop clinging to whatever idols and strength we think we have, we begin to solely cling to Him. Once clinging to Him, we see His strength and presence in our lives. It will be hard mind you, but He won’t abandon us. God puts people and things in our lives and then He uses those people and things to guide us according to His will. Gideon was scared (and probably felt alone as leader) so God encouraged him through the soldiers and the company of his servant. God places people in our lives to speak truth and life in us. He places people around us to hold us accountable and point us to Him. This is why being in Christian community is so critical. It’s so much more than just sitting in a Sunday service for an hour each week. It’s digging into each other's lives and being vulnerable and real with your brothers and sisters in Christ. Even more than the people around us, God gives us the ultimate help in this hard life…Himself, the Holy Spirit.
John 14:15-18
15 “If you love Me, you will keep My commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor (some translations Helper) to be with you forever. 17 He is the Spirit of truth. The world is unable to receive Him because it doesn’t see Him or know Him. But you do know Him, because He remains with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I am coming to you. (HCSB)
The more our army is shrunk down, the more the Holy Spirit is present and LOUD in our lives. Allow God to shrink your army and get your worldly ear plugs out so you can see that He hasn’t abandoned you but He’s getting ready to use you for the Kingdom, for His glory!
V. 16-22a God uses us in unexpected ways
V. 16-18
16 Then he divided the 300 men into three companies and gave each of the men a trumpet in one hand and an empty pitcher with a torch inside it in the other. 17 “Watch me,” he said, “and do the same. When I come to the outpost of the camp, do as I do. 18 When I and everyone with me blow our trumpets, you are also to blow your trumpets all around the camp. Then you will say, ‘For Yahweh and for Gideon!’”
Gideon and his army prepare for battle. The way they prepare for battle doesn’t look like what we would expect. Most armies grab their shields and swords and put on protective armor. This army is told to get ready by grabbing a trumpet, pitcher, and a torch. Not exactly the most fear inducing weaponry. This reminds me of God’s victory for the Israelites at Jericho in the book of Joshua. There they marched, were silent, and then blew some trumpets and the mighty walls of Jericho fell. We don’t have any explicit mention of God laying out this style plan or attack with the trumpet, pitcher, and torch. However, we can see from Gideon’s journey to this point that the Holy Spirit was working through him. Also don’t forget that by faith Gideon is operating through the promise of deliverance that God has made. His plan is one that is Spirit led and executed. As we submit to the Holy Spirit working in us, it may look odd from a fleshly perspective, but we can trust in the Holy Spirit’s leading in our journey.
V. 19-21
19 Gideon and the 100 men who were with him went to the outpost of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch after the sentries had been stationed. They blew their trumpets and broke the pitchers that were in their hands. 20 The three companies blew their trumpets and shattered their pitchers. They held their torches in their left hands, their trumpets in their right hands, and shouted, “A sword for Yahweh and for Gideon!” 21 Each Israelite took his position around the camp, and the entire Midianite army fled, and cried out as they ran.
Now the time of battle is here and the 300 men are stationed around the valley overlooking the Midianite army. As they follow Gideon’s lead they blow the trumpets, break the pitchers, and start yelling. This must’ve been startling and surprising for the army down in the valley. As they woke up there was mass confusion and panic among the 135,000 battle hardened soldiers.
V. 22a
22 When Gideon’s men blew their 300 trumpets, the Lord set the swords of each man in the army against each other.
In all this confusion and panic, God fulfills His promise of deliverance. “The Lord set the swords…against each other”. Scripture here is intentionally showing us that it wasn’t Gideon’s plan of confusion that caused the swords to go against each other. It was clearly and explicitly God who won this battle for His people. This is a clear parallel picture to what Jesus did for us on the cross. We are looking towards an unwinnable battle called sin. God sends His son but not in an expected military and mighty way. He sends Jesus as a baby who has to grow up in humble circumstances. Then He must die in a way that is reserved for criminals. Just like the unexpected method of victory for Gideon, God wins the battle of sin for us.
Application: God uses us in unexpected ways
Once we are weakened by worldly standards and the flesh is stripped back, then we are open to the leading of the Holy Spirit. The things that may have seemed outlandish or ridiculous in the flesh are now replaced with things from above.
Romans 8:5-8
5 For those who live according to the flesh think about the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, about the things of the Spirit. 6 For the mind-set of the flesh is death, but the mind-set of the Spirit is life and peace. 7 For the mind-set of the flesh is hostile to God because it does not submit itself to God’s law, for it is unable to do so. 8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. (HCSB)
To walk through life living according to the Spirit pushes us to live in unexpected ways according to the flesh. Our fleshly mind cannot comprehend the things of the Spirit. We can either walk in the flesh or the Spirit.
Another example is Abraham
Hebrews 11:17-19
17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac. He received the promises and he was offering his unique son, 18 the one it had been said about, Your seed will be traced through Isaac. 19 He considered God to be able even to raise someone from the dead, and as an illustration, he received him back.
God’s promise was to make Abraham a great nation through Isaac, not someone else. God tells Abraham to sacrifice Isaac and Abraham goes to do it knowing God’s promise to use Isaac. Abraham was willing to let his army be shrunk where he looked to God only. He didn’t understand the how, what, or why but his faith rested in God’s promise and goodness despite the unexplainable and unexpected ways of God to his rational mind.
The big idea is this, Weakness defined by the world, is strength defined by God. Ask God to use you and peel away the layers that are keeping you from living in the fullness of His promise and plan for you.It will be hard to have your army shrunk and your life refined, but God will use you for His glory. If you are a skeptic: I’m here to tell you that there is more to life than what we as humans are holding onto. God has won the unexpected victory and so badly wants you to know Him and see the purpose and meaning He has for you. Seek truth and God will show Himself in truth. Jesus came and did what you could never do. He went up on that cross, died, and rose again conquering sin and death. He did that for you because He loves you that much and that unconditionally. In a world of broken saviors, He is the perfect savior. He will never abandon you, but will draw near to you. To the lukewarm believer: If your faith is lukewarm and you’re satisfied with just checking off boxes (church attendance, read my Bible) then it’s time for you to wake up! God wants to use you in mighty ways for His kingdom. He wants to strip out those idols and shrink your army of the flesh so He can equip you for His good work. Stop being satisfied with the army you have built and let yourself be weakened. If you are a mature believer: I want to caution you about thinking you have it all figured out. God is placing more and more opportunities in front of you. Continue to ask that the light be shone on areas you’re selfishly holding onto. Look for more people God is placing across your path to pour into them.