A New Series for February Bible Characters Feb. 3 Am Gideon Guy Feb. 10 Am Cornelius Matt T. Feb. 10 Pm Nebuchadnezzar Guy Feb. 17 Am Moses Guy Feb. 17 Pm Aaron . Britt T. Feb. 24 Am Stuart W. Noah . Stuart W. Feb. 24 Pm Lydia . Matt.T

The Outline of Gideon’s life 1.Judges 6 The Choice God made. 2. Judges 7 The battle “Do as I Do.” 3. Judges 8 The Victory { God is The One Who is to be Praised”} Conclusion: Gideon lives to be an old, old man.He is blessed and is recorded as the 5th Judge Of Israel.

Judges 6 The Choice God Made

Gideon ..A man of faith. Heb. 11:32-40 Who is he? 1. Father was Joash 2. Nicknamed: Jerubbaal 3. 2 Mentioned in the bible as Having 70 sons.. a) Ahab. 2 Kings 10:1 b) Gideon. Judges 8:30

4. Gideon said “I am a nobody.” When its not your talent: 1. Moses said “It’s not my gift”. I don’t speak well.Send someone else. God wanted him to go! 2. Jonah said “It’s not my gift”.I’m not that kind of passionate person to go and warn ungodly people. 3. Jeremiah said, “It’s not my gift”. I am too young to serve in such a way. God wanted him to go. 4. Gideon said “I am a nobody.”

Gideon– Judges 6:12 – 16 12 And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him, and said unto him, The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valour.13 And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the Lord be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt? but now the Lord hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.

14 And the Lord looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee? 15 And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house. 16 And the Lord said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man.

Gideon is chosen by God God never makes a mistake…He is too wise To make a mistake and too good to do wrong.

1)The enemies of Israel Judges 6:1ff- Midianites, Amalekites, people of the East 2) Enemies.a) Destroyed Israel’s crops and took animals(Judges 6:1-6 b) Fear was in the hearts of Israel c) Gideon …threshing the wheat by a wine-press! 3) Why was God’s people in this condition?.They had left serving God and so many were serving idols.

Gideon wants to be assured that God Really wants him. Judges 6:16- 21 1. He prepares an offering for the Lord. 2. The angel touches the offering with the tip of his staff and fire comes out of the rock and consumes it. 3. Gideon is afraid that he had seen the face of an angel and might die. He was assured that would not be case .

Judges 6:26-30 Gideon was told to tear down his father’s Altar of Baal and the grove by it. Build an altar to God. Gideon took 10 men of his servants and went By night and did so. The next morning, inquiry is made who had done this It was decided that it was Gideon. The men of the city come unto Joash, Gideon’s father and demands that Gideon be brought out and killed.

Joash, Gideon’s dad would not do it. Joash said, will you plead for Baal? ..if he Be a god let him plead for himself. Joash his dad called him “Jerubbaal..saying, Let Baal plead for himself.

Judges 6:25-32 Destroy Father’s altar… He does so.. Build an altar to the Lord. He did so. People want to kill him. His father would not do it… Let Baal speak for himself.

Gideon wants further proof.. : Judges 6:36-40 The fleece be wet. And all around dry. Then, the reverse, the fleece be dry and all around on the ground be wet. This was done. Gideon wanted to be sure that it was God who wanted him to be the savor of the People. We must always be sure that we are right according to God’s word.

Do what is right even if unpopular. We need to be men and women who Stand for God. Stand on evidence..the word of God. 2 Tim. 3:16-17 Jno.20:24-25 Do what is right even if unpopular.

We need God’s reassurances of His help.Psa.46:1 ….Look for it in His word. Heb. 13:5-6 ….Look for help from our brethren Acts 28:15 … .Our experiences , Heb. 10:32- 35. ….Observation of others. 2 Cor. 9:1,2

Gideon: God’s Deliverer for Israel Judges 7 :1-7 .We depend on God .Number irrelevant cf I John 5:19 God has power to deliver. I Cor 1:18 Glory to God I Cor. 1:26-31

2 . Judges 7 The Battle

Judges 7:1-7 Made a call sent out to various tribes of Israel. 32,000 men responded. God said:Too many.. All who are fearful and not want to fight, return home. 22,000 returned home God said too many..10,000 taken down to the water. Only those who Lapped the water as a dog was chosen. Only 300 left.

Gideon is told to go that night into the camp And he heard a man interpreting a dream… The result was that v. 15 “God hath delivered Midian into the hands of Gideon.”Gideon returns to his army…Divides the 300 into 3 companies..Each given a trumpet in the right hand, and a Pitcher and a torch in the left..The people are surrounded where the 135,00 Enemies are camping.

Judges 7:17-25 The Message to the people Judges 7:17-25 The Message to the people.. And he said unto them, Look on me, and do likewise; and, behold, when I come to the outside of the camp, it shall be that as I do, so shall ye do. When I blow with a trumpet ,I and all that are with me, then blow ye the trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and say, The Sword of the Lord, and of Gideon.

Judges 7:19 So Gideon and the 100 men that were with him, came unto the outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch; and they had but newly set the watch: and they blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers that were in their hands. 20 And The three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers and held the lamps in their left hands,and the trumpets in right hands to blow withal: and cried

THE SWORD OF THE LORD, AND OF GIDEON THE SWORD OF THE LORD, AND OF GIDEON. And they stood every man in his place round about the camp; and all the host ran ,and cried, and fled.

Judges 7:21 And the 300 blew the trumpets and the Lord set every man’s sword against his fellow, even throughout all the host..

Gideon is victorious. Punishes those who refused food for his army. 3. The Victory Judges 8 a) Problem with the brethren from Ephraim. b) Solved by Gideon’s wisdom. Judges 8:1-4 c) Sad. When Gideon asked the men of Succoth for bread for his weary soldiers, they would not. He would remember this when he returned. Penuel..did likewise. Gideon is victorious. Punishes those who refused food for his army.

Gideon is Victorious.. Punishes the men of Succoth And Penuel .

This lesson …these men who were We as brethren need to remember This lesson …these men who were in the family of Israel, would not help their own brethren! Gal. 6:10

Judges 8:22-23 Great Lesson by Gideon’s refusal to Rule over them. Judges 8:22-23 THE LORD SHALL RULE OVER YOU! Gideon and the gold earrings and his Ephod. Judges 8:24-27

Ephod: The Ephod was usually a linen pouch worn by the priests on their chests. In this case, the ephod was evidently highly decorated with gold, and probably because of its weight, hung upon a wall.

Gideon: Stood in the Gap Will you stand in the Gap? Your influence for good Hold family together Hold congregation together Hold a generation together. Hold to God’s Unchanging Hand!

Gideon was not a perfect man. (Ephod) Gideon was a man of great faith. Gideon was a man that God knew .. A Mighty man of valour..

GIDEON, LISTED BY GOD IN THE HALL OF FAME OF HEROES OF FAITH… .. Heb. 11:32-35 ..Gideon! His name is written!