August 4, 2015 – Judges 6:11-12

One time the angel of the Lord came to a place called Ophrah and sat under an oak tree. This oak tree belonged to a man named Joash from the Abiezer family. His son Gideon was beating some wheat in a wine press. He was hiding so that the Midianites could not see the wheat. The angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon and said, “The Lord be with you, brave soldier.” Judges 6:11-12.  (One version says mighty hero!)When our son was a little boy, his hero was Superman.  He dressed like Superman, but he soon learned that dressing like Superman would not help him be like Superman.  Especially when he tried to jump off a tall ladder — he didn’t fly.Gideon was the youngest in his family.  His brothers thought he could do nothing.  Yet the Angel who came to see him knew differently, the Lord sent the Angel to visit Gideon.Earlier when the Israelites did not obey God, God gave them to the Midianites for seven years.  Now it was time to free the Israelites, and Gideon would be the mighty hero, the brave soldier who would lead the army. But was it just Gideon?What made Gideon believe the Angel?  When the Angel said God would be with him.  Later, in the story, found in Judges 6 and 7, the army was too big.  They sent some soldiers home, and then had them drink from the water.  Those who lapped like a dog from their hand stayed to fight.  Why did God do this?  So that when victory came, everyone would know it was the Lord God who gave the victory.  Indeed, He did.  In Judges 7:22, the Lord caused the Midianites to fight one another, and they fled.  The Lord won the battle.  Whenever you don’t understand what is happening, there is someone who can always help you.  The Lord God himself.Then Gideon said, “Pardon me, sir, but if the Lord is with us, why are we having so many troubles? We heard that he did wonderful things for our ancestors. They tell us that the Lord took them out of Egypt. But now it seems the Lord has left us and is letting the Midianites defeat us.” The Lord turned toward Gideon and said, “Then use your great power and go save the Israelites from the Midianites. I am sending you to save them.”  But Gideon answered and said, “Pardon me, sir. How can I save Israel? My family group is the weakest in the tribe of Manasseh, and I am the youngest one in my family.”  The Lord answered Gideon and said, “I will be with you, so you can defeat the Midianites as easily as if they were only one man.” Judges 6:11-12 Scripture is from Easy to Read Version.