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.

Scripture

So on that day, Israel saw God defeat Jabin, the Canaanite king. And from that time on Israel became stronger and stronger against King Jabin until they finally destroyed him.

Observation

Sisera gathers his troops and chariots to go to battle against Barak.

Barak attacks the Canaanites, and the Lord throws Sisera and all his warriors into confusion. Barak chases the entire army and kills them all.

Sisera flees on foot and comes across the tent of Jael. She invites him to lie in the tent. When he falls asleep, Jael drives a tent peg through his temple, killing him.

On that day, the Lord gave Israel a great victory over King Jabin. They grew stronger and stronger until they were able to destroy Jabin.

Application

Sometimes our victories are quick and decisive. Other times they take years to achieve.

This victory over Sisera’s army was very quick indeed, but it took a long time for the Israelites to overcome King Jabin.

This battle was a turning point. From that day they grew stronger and stronger.

Whenever we face battles and have victories, no matter has small they may seem, they lay the groundwork for the later total victory.

A small victory over sin today, or an answered prayer, might be the catalyst that enables me to go on to the bigger victory later.

Prayer

Thank you Lord that every battle I face belongs to you because I belong to you. I pray for victories today, whether victory over sin or breakthroughs in prayer. Amen.

Scripture

“Very well,” she replied. “I will go with you. but you will receive no honour in this venture, for the Lord’s victory over Sisera will be at the hands of a woman.”

Observation

After Ehud dies, the Israelites again sin, and the Lord hands them over the Canaanites. The commander of the Canaanite army is Sisera, who has 900 iron chariots.

After 20 years of oppression, the Israelites cry out to the Lord. A prophetess named Deborah calls for Barack. She tells him that the Lord wants him to call out 10000 warriors. The Lord will give him victory over Sisera.

Barack says he will do this on the condition that Deborah goes with him. She says she will go, but he will receive no honour from this victory as the Lord will kill Sisera at the hands of a woman.

Application

Barack hears the command of the Lord, but he lacks the faith to know that the Lord can give him victory in battle. Instead, he places his trust in Deborah, the Lord’s prophet.

How many Christians refuse to believe that God can speak to them or use them? They place their hope in a prophet, a pastor, or some other man or woman of God.

We all have the Holy Spirit in us. Every believer should be hearing the direction of God, the encouragement of God, the affirmation of God, without having to hear it through another person. This is not to deny the power of anointed ministry, but to say that our faith must be in God and not in His servants.

So Barrack is warned that because he doesn’t trust the Lord for victory, then the fame and honour of the battle will go to another.

When we trust in God alone, we discover that He can use us in ways we never thought possible.

Prayer

Lord, please help me to trust you in the battles I face today. Teach me how to hear your voice more clearly. Amen.

Scripture

Ehud said, ” I have a message from God for you.” As Eglon rose from his seat, Ehud reached with his left hand, pulled out the dagger strapped to his right thigh, and plunged it into the king’s belly.

Observation

In response to Israel’s rebellion, the Lord allows king Eglon of Moab to gain control over them. The Israelites serve Eglon for 18 years.

The Lord raises up Ehud as a rescuer to save them. The Israelites send Ehud to deliver the tribute money to Eglon. Ehud takes a double-edged dagger with him. He tells Eglon he has a secret message from the Lord. When they are alone, Ehud stabs Eglon, killing him.

Ehud then escapes back to Israel. He rallies an army to fight the Moabites. They kill 10,000 Moabites and regain control of the Jordan River.

After this, there is peace in the land for 80 years.

Application

If we are not surrendered to the Lord in our heart and mind, then a message from God can be very dangerous.

Eglon did not worship the Lord. When Ehud brought him a message from God, the message was judgement and death.

If you are determined to follow Jesus, the word of God is life and light.

If you are determined to follow your own ways, the word of God is deadly.

The message today is this – anything or anybody that will not surrender to the Lord will die.

Determine today that you will surrender everything to Jesus. Let him control every part of your life.

Prayer

Thank you Lord for the word of life. Your word is eternal life. Please show me the parts of my life that I still need to yield to you. Amen.

Scripture

These people were left to test the Israelites – to see whether they would obey the commands that the Lord has given two their ancestors through Moses.

Observation

The Lord left nations such as the Philistines and the Canaanites to teach warfare to a generation that had no experience in battle.

The Israelites quickly gave into the ways of their pagan neighbours, intermarrying with them and worshipping their gods.

The Lord then sent the Arameans to rule over them. When the people cried out to the Lord for rescue, He sent Othniel. The Spirit of the Lord came on him to deliver the people of God. The Lord gave Othniel victory, and there was peace in the land for 40 years.

Application

Why does God allow suffering, persecution and hardship? Why is it so hard to be a Christian?

The Lord allows temptations and opposition to make us stronger in Him. if life was always easy, we would not see a need to pray.

These tests also come as a way of allowing God (and us) to see if we will be faithful to Him. If it costs nothing to be faithful, is my heart truly committed to the Lord?

In the case of the Israelites, they very quickly became like their neighbours instead of winning them to follow the Lord.

Sometimes, it seems that it is easier to be like the people of the world so we can fit in. The truth, however, is that this way leads to spiritual death.

Prayer

Lord, it is hard to stand up to all the temptations that surround me. Please help me to stand firm for you. Amen

Scripture

The Israelites did evil in the Lord’s sight, and served the images of Baal. They abandoned the Lord, the God of their ancestors, who had brought them out of Egypt. They went after other gods, worshipping the gods of the people around them. and they angered the Lord.

Observation

The generation of Joshua dies, and a generation grows up that fails to acknowledge the Lord. Instead, they worship the idols of Baal and the other gods of the nations around them.

This makes the Lord angry, and He hand them over to raiders who steal their possessions. They fight against other nations, but they are defeated because the Lord is not with them.

The Lord raises up judges to rescue the Israelites, but the people continue to worship other gods. They worship the Lord while the judge is alive, but they quickly turn back to foreign gods.

Application

During my lifetime, I have seen the overturning of Christian values right across the Western world. Australia really wasn’t an expressively Christian country in the way the United States was, but our culture and our institutions were. Our shared morality with basically Biblical.

It started collapsing in the 1970s as the sexual revolution took hold and increasingly socialist ideas infiltrated mainstream politics.

Whether it is Australia, the United States, or the United Kingdom, the people have turned away from the Lord to pursue other gods.

As we have abandoned the Lord and his ways, we have suffered an avalanche of societal woes. The only long-term remedy is a revival in which there is a massive turning back to the ways of Jesus.

Despite the refusal of Israel to follow the Lord consistently, and their repeated return to idolatry, the Lord never gave up on them. I believe that the lord will not give up on Australia and that revival will come.

Prayer

Holy Spirit come and blow your breath over this nation. Lead us away from our idols and back to you, the one true God. Amen.

Scripture

“For your part, you were not to make any covenants with the people living in this land. You were to destroy the altars. You disobeyed my command. Why did you do this?”

Observation

The angel of the Lord meets with the people of Israel at Bokim. He confronts them about their failure to destroy the altars of the pagan gods. Because of this, the Lord will no longer drive out the people living in the land. The Israelites weep on hearing this judgement .

Joshua sends the people away, each tribe to take the land allocated to them. The Israelites continue to serve the Lord throughout Joshua’s life.

Joshua dies at the age of 110.

Application

The Lord commanded Israel to kill the people living in the land, to make no covenants with them, and to destroy their altars. They failed to obey these important commandments.

Israel was meant to be a holy nation, dedicated to the Lord. In order to do this, they must not tolerate worship of any other god other than the Lord.

When we read the Old Testament, we see there is constant temptation for them to turn away from the Lord to worship other gods, particularly Baal and Ashtoreth. At times, child sacrifices were made to these false gods.

The church is also meant to be holy and dedicated to the Lord. We must not worship the idols that the world wants us to follow. Some denominations have walked away from the gospel of Jesus Christ to worship other gods such as the social gospel and marxism.

I need to keep my heart pure and set apart for the Lord. It is a daily battle, ensuring that the gods of this world are not enticing me to worship them.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, you are the Way the Truth and the Life. There is no other God but you. Amen.

Scripture

The Lord was with the people of Judah, and they took possession of the hill country. But they failed to drive out the people living in the plains, who had iron chariots.

Observation

As the people advanced into the countryside, The tribes had varying levels of success in driving out the prior inhabitants. For some of the tribes, they could take some of the land, not all of it. For others, the best they could do is take the Canaanites as slaves.

The worst was the tribe of Dan, who were confined to the hill country and were not allowed onto the plains. Later, when they grew more numerous, they were able to take the Amorites as slaves.

Application

The Lord had promised the land of Israel to His people. They had been instructed to kill all the inhabitants of the land. Yet, they were unable or unwilling to do this, and the pagan customs of these people would be a stumbling block for the Israelites for generations to come.

The gift of the land was both a promise and a task. It was given to them by the Lord, but they had to take possession of it.

In the same way, our maturity as disciples is both grace and responsibility. The Holy Spirit gives us the ability to be holy people, but we also have to repent, or turn away from, our sins.

God gives us the land, but we have to destroy the inhabitants. We have the promise of holiness, but we have to choose God’s way.

This is a lifelong battle, but the rewards go beyond this life and into eternity.

Prayer

Thank you, Holy Spirit, for making it possible for me to live without sin. Please help me to dedicate myself to you each and every day. Amen.