Scripture:

His companion answered, “Your dream can mean only one thing – God has given Gideon son of Joash, the Israelite, victory over Midian and its allies.”

Observation:

The Lord tells Gideon he has too many men in his army. If he wins with this army, people will boast that they saved themselves by their own strength. He tells Gideon to send home anyone who is afraid. This leaves 10,000 men.

The Lord says that this is still too many. Now Gideon is to separate the men on the basis of whether they drink by putting their faces in the water or by scooping it up to their mouths with their hands.

There are just 300 who drink from their hands, but this is enough for the Lord.

The Lord now tells Gideon to creep into the Midianite camp. There he hears one man tell another of a dream which seems to indicate that God is going to smash their army.

He rounds up his men and instructs them to surround the Midianite camp. They are to carry burning torches covered by clay pots. On the signal, they are to blow their horns, break the pots, and shout “For the Lord and Gideon.”

When they do this, the Midianites break into a panic. They kill one another and some flee. They are pursued by the Israelites, who kill two of their commanders, Oreb and Zeb.

Application:

Dreams and their interpretation can be important if we are focused on trying to obey the Lord.

In this case, the man who had the dream and the one interpreting it were both convinced that God was speaking. For them it was calamity, but for God’s people it was victory.

It is not always so clear cut. All of our dreams, visions, words of knowledge and prophecies must be brought to the Lord for confirmation.

God delights to use these gifts, but we must ensure that we clearly discern what the Holy Spirit is saying to us.

Prayer:

Thank you Lord for this account of victory in battle. Please help me to listen to what you might want to say to me today. Amen.

Scripture:

Gideon built an altar there, and named it Yahweh-Shalom, which means “The Lord is Peace.”

Observation:

Gideon realises that he has been talking to the angel of the Lord, and he thinks he is going to die because of this. But the Lord reassures him. Gideon builds an altar to the Lord and calls it Yahweh-Shalom, the Lord is peace.

That night the Lord commands Gideon to cut down his father’s altar to Baal and the Asherah pole. He is to build an altar to the Lord and sacrifice his father’s bull as an offering to the Lord.

The next morning, when the townspeople see what has happened, they demand that Gideon’s father send him out to be killed for destroying Baal’s altar. Gideon’s father retorts that if Baal is a god he can defend his own altar.

Shortly after this, the Midianites return. Gideon quickly raises an army. Then he places a fleece on the ground, asking God to confirm His plans by making the fleece wet with dew but keeping the ground dry. When he wakes up, this is exactly what has happened. That night, he asks the Lord to wet the ground but keep the fleece dry. Again the Lord confirms His plans for Gideon to lead the Israelites into battle against the Midianites.

Application:

God is Yahweh Shalom. The Lord is peace.

The Lord is the one who gives us peace in the middle of turmoil.

The Lord is the one who gives us peace with Himself though the death of Jesus. We have been brought from being enemies of God to being friends with God.

Peace is the Lord’s nature. He does not get nervous or anxious. He does not get taken by surprise.

The Lord is peace, and He shares his peace with us when we walk in step with Him.

Prayer:

Lord, you are Yahweh Shalom. You are peace. I receive you and your peace, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Scripture

The angel of the Lord appeared to him and said,”Mighty hero, the Lord is with you.”

Observation

After 40 years of peace under Deborah, the Israelites turn away from the Lord. The Lord hands them over to the Midianites, who for 7 years invade Israel and destroy their crops.

The angel of the Lord appears to Gideon while he is threshing whet at the bottom of a wine press. The angel of he Lord addresses him, “Mighty hero, the lord is with you.”

Gideon replies, “If the lord is with us, why hasn’t he rescued us as he did our ancestors from the Egyptians?” The angel tells Gideon that he is the one the Lord will use to rescue them.

Gideon goes off to prepare an offering for the angel of the Lord. He brings back a goat, some bread, and broth. The angel touches this with the tip of his staff, and fire flares up to consume it all.

Application

It is while Gideon is hiding in a winepress fearful of being caught by the Midianites that the angel of the Lord calls him the mighty hero.

The Lord does not describe us by our current circumstances. He sees the potential that we have and the destiny He has for us. He draws out of us those qualities that he already placed in us.

When God calls us, we might be tempted to think that he is wrong. How could I ever do that? I am the weakest person in the whole country.

When God gives us a task, He gives us the resources and the ability to fulfil the task. We could never do it, but we don’t have to because He does it in us.

Prayer

Thank you Lord for the calling you have on my life. Thank you for the assurance that you will provide all that I need. Amen.