Gideon Era

During Gideon’s lifetime, the land enjoyed peace for forty years.  Gideon son of Joash went back home to live.  He had seventy sons of his own.  Gideon died at a good old age and was buried in the tomb of his father Joash in Oprah of the Abiezrites.  No sooner had Gideon died than the Israelites again prostituted themselves to the Baals.  They set up Baal-Berith as their god and did not remember the Lord their God, who had rescued them from the hands of all their enemies on every side.  They also failed to shoe kindness to the family of Jerub-Baal for all the good things he had done for them. 

We Need A Ruler

The Israelites asked me to rule over them.  They wanted me to be there ruler and my son and my grandson because I had saved them form the hand of Midian.  But I told them, “I will not rule over you, nor will my son rule over you.  The Lord will rule over you.”  I may make one request though.  I might ask them about each of them giving me an earring from their share of the plunder.  That would amount to all the gold I will need for my life.  Maybe I can make a gold ephod or something like that. 

Execution

We later decided to address the two prisoners we had.  I could see the fear that they had in their eyes.  These men who were originally so haughty and so full of arrogance and had an air of invincibility about them, they thought nothing could touch them and nobody could defeat them.  Now these men were carefully choosing their words doing what they could to avoid death that surely awaited them from the men of the nation they were oppressing.  I asked Zebah and Zalmunna, “What kind of men did you kill at Tabor?”  They responded, “Men like you, each one with the bearing on a prince.”  I replied to them, “Those men were my brothers, the sons of my own mother!  As surely as the Lord lives, if you had spared their lives, I would not kill you.” I looked to Jether, my oldest son and told him to kill them!  But Jether was only a boy and did not draw his sword, because he was only a boy and was afraid.  Zebah and Zalmunna said, “Come, do it yourself.  ‘As a man, so is his strength.’”  So I stepped forward and killed them, and took the ornaments off their camels’ necks.   

Return to Succoth

We followed Zebah and Zalmunna to Karkor where they had amassed an army of fifteen thousand men.  This is all that was left of the eastern people; all the rest had fallen by the sword.  We went up by the route of the nomads east of Nobah and Jogbehah and we fell upon the unsuspecting army.  Zebah and Zalmunna fled the fight, but we pursued and captured them while we routed there army.  With these two kings as our prisoners we went back towards the Jordan.  We came again to Succoth and gathered the elders and men and said to them, “Here are Zebah and Zalmunna, about whom you taunted me by saying, ‘Do you already have the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna in your possession?’  Why should we give bread to your exhausted men?”  I took the men of Succoth and taught them a lesson by punishing them with the desert thorns and briers.  I then pulled down the tower of Peniel and killed the men of the town.

The Pursuit of Zebah and Zalmunna

Even with the men exhausted from the past few days we were in pursuit of Zebah and Zalmunna.  We came to the Jordan River and crossed over.  We came to the city of Succoth and I said to them, “Give my troops some bread, they are worn out, and I am still pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna the kings of Midian.”  I thought there is no way they would turn away these half starved men who have showed heroism and perseverance in this time of war.  The officials, however, said, “Do you already have the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna in your possession?  Why should we give bread to your troops?”  I replied to them, “Just for that when the Lord has given Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, I will tear your flesh with desert thorns and briers.”   I couldn’t believe it.  This little city was sitting on the fence.  They weren’t completely loyal to the Midinaites and weren’t completely loyal to Israel.  I’m not going to let this unpredictability of men discourage me.  I choose to rely in the remarkable reliability of God to sustain and empower me.   Just to imply that we had already had them in our possession and we would come to them asking for food and lying to them is an absurd assumption.  From there we went on to the city of Peniel and we received the exact same response s the men of Succoth.  So I responded to them much like I said the men of Succoth, “When I return in triumph, I will tear down this tower.”  I couldn’t believe the disrespect and that these two cities showed to the men that have defeated the Midianites.  The people that were keeping God’s chosen people under oppression and this army of hero’s was given no help by the people that were set free.  We were only met with contempt and disrespect.  God will repay them.   

A Sword For The Lord...

I got back to the camp as fast as I could and cried out to the men, “Get up! The Lord has given the Midianite camp into your hands.” I divided the camp up into three companies I gave each man a trumpet and an empty jar with a torch inside.  I told them all to watch me and follow my lead. “When we get to the edge of camp do exactly as I do.  When I and all who are with me blow our trumpets, then from all around the camp blow yours and shout, For the Lord and for Gideon.”  So we all reached the edge of camp just at the beginning of the middle watch, just after they had changed the guard.  We blew our trumpets and broke our jars.  We grabbed the torches in our left hands and holding our trumpets in our right hand we shouted, “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!”  We all held our position around the camp and the Midianites were thrown into a panic.  They didn’t know what to do and they turned their swords on each other and began killing their own men.  The army survivors fled to Beth Shittah toward Zereraha as far as the border of Abel Mehoahla near Tabbath.  Israelites from Naphtali, Asher, and Manasseh were summoned and they pursued the Midianites.  We sent messengers down the Ephraim telling them to seize the waters of the Jordan.  They seized it ahead of them as far as Beth Barah and they captured two Midianite leaders Zeeb and Oreb.  They killed Oreb at the rock and Zeeb at the winepress and brought their heads to me at the Jordan River.         

I dreamed a dream

The camp of Midian was below us and in the middle of the night the Lord said to me, Get up, go down against the camp, because I am going to give it into your hands.  If you are afraid to attack, go down to the camp with your servant Purah and listen to what they are saying.  Afterward, you will be encouraged to attack the camp.”  At this point with only 300 men I could use any encouragement I could get.  I took my servant Purah with me and we snuck into the enemies camp.  We quietly made our ways among the tents and camels without being seen.  It wasn’t very enoucraging at first.  I couldn’t even begin to count the camels or the people.  They were thick like locusts.  There were so many people in that one space.  I happened to come upon a ten just as a man was telling his dream he had a dream that a round loaf of barley bread came tumbling into the Midinaite camp.  It struck the tent with such force that the tent overturned and collapsed.  His friend responded this can be nothing more than the sword of Gideon son of Joash the Israelite.  God has given the Midianites and the whole camp into his hands.  When I heard the dream and the interpretation I knew what I had to do.  I couldn’t waste any time.  It was time for battle.    

300

We had a great turn out for the army.  So many men came to fight.  They signed up and we lined them up.  We had a immense army.  It wasn’t as big as the midianite army but I think it was big enough and strong enough to do the job especially with God also fighting for us.  We were all camped at the Spring of Harod and the midian camp was just north of us in the valley near the Hill of Moreh, and God said something to me I didn’t expect.  God said, “You have too many men. I cannot deliver Midian into their hands, or Israel would boast against me, ‘My own strength has saved me’. Now announce to the army, ‘Anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.’” I was caught off guard. We have too many men?  The Midianites still had more than we did with all the men that were there.  How could we have too many?  I was not expecting that at all, but I knew that God knows what best so I said the men, “Anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.”  So, twenty-two thousand men left while ten thousand remained to fight the Midianites.  I thought to myself surely God won’t think this is too big of an army. But the Lord said to me, “There are still too many men.  Take them to the water and I will sift them for you there.  If I say, ‘This one shall go with you’, he shall go; but if I say ‘This one shall not go with you,’ he shall not go.”  So I took the men down to the water so the Lord could separate them out.  The Lord told me, “Separate those who lap the water with their tongues like a dog from those who kneel down to drink.”  Three hundred mean lapped with their hands to their mouths.  All the rest got down on their knees to drink.”  Surely I thought the three hundred men would be going home but God said, “With the three hundred men that lapped I will save you and give the Midinaites into your hands.  Let all the other men go, each to his own place.”  I thought this was crazy, but I obeyed and sent the rest of the men home but kept the three hundred and they took over the provisions and trumpets of the other.       

Fleece Experiment 2

One time wasn’t enough for me.  I needed assurance one more time.  After the first fleece experiment I wanted to be extra sure so I said to God, “Do not be angry with me.  Let me just make one more request.  Allow me one more test with the fleece.  This time make the fleece dry and the ground covered with dew.”  I woke up the next morning and the fleece was completely dry and the ground was covered in dew.  It looks like we’re going to war.  I'm going to need a huge army to win this war.      

Fleece Experiment 1

I need to be absolutely sure that I am doing what God has asked me to do so this is what I did.  I laid a fleece out on the threshing floor and I said to God, “If you will save Israel by my hand as you have promised look, I will place a wool fleece on the threshing floor.  If there is dew only on the fleece and all the ground is dry in the morning, then I will know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said.”  So I went to bed and woke up the next morning and that’s what happened I got up early and grabbed fleece to wring out the dew and it came out to a bowlful of water.  Maybe I’ll do one more test.  That should convince me. 

Call To Arms

Something has got to be done and I guess I’m the one to do it.  The Midianites, Amalekites and a myriad of other eastern people have joined forces and have now crossed the Jordan River and are now camped in the Valley of Jezreel.  The spirit of the Lord came upon me in such a strong way I had to blow the trumpet to summon all the Abiezrites to follow me.  I sent messengers throughout Manasseh calling them to arms and to Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali so that they too would go up to meet us.  These Midianites have to be stopped.  They may have number but we have the One True God on our side.  We can overcome them.  I just need to do a little test first.

My Name Is...

Apparently I have a new name now.  It really wasn’t my choice but the men of this city thought it was a fitting nickname for me.   This is what happened.   In the morning when the men of the town got up and saw that Baal’s altar was demolished they asked who had done this and after a little investigative work realized it was me.  They told my Dad (Joash) to bring me out because I should die for breaking down Baal’s altar and I cut down the Asherah pole.  My Dad replied to this hostile mob,”Are you going to plead Baal’s cause?  Are you trying to save him?  Whoever fights for him shall be put to death by morning!  If Baal really is a god, he can defend himself when someone breaks down his altar.”  What he said makes sense why would these people want to worship a god that can’t stop a person form breaking down his altar.  If Baal had any power he would have found a way to stop me or struck me dead for breaking down his altar.  It just shows how powerless he really is.  So form that day on everyone is calling me Jerub-Baal which means “Let Baal contend with him.”  This is all because I broke down his altar.  I say it’s totally worth it.

Bringing Down Baal!!

Waking up this morning was difficult because last night I decided to start early on turning the hearts of this land back to the Lord.  That’s what he desires of us!  So, after I finished building the altar that evening the Lord said to me, “Take the second bull from your father’s herd, the one seven years old.  Tear down your father’s altar to Baal and cut down the Asherah pole beside it.  Then build a proper kind of altar to the Lord your God on the top of this height. Using the wood of the Asherah pole that you cut down, offer the second bull as a burnt offering.”  So, I took ten of my servants and went down and did exactly what the Lord had told me to do.  I really hope Dad or any men in the city are angry at me.  Well, I did it at night so no one could have seen me.  I should be fine.  

Fire On A Rock

So I prepared this sacrifice that I was going to make and I figured this would be a normal sacrifice nothing strange or special would come of it.  Boy was I wrong.   I prepared a young goat and with an ephah of flour I made bread without yeast.  I put it all in a basket and took it back to brought to the man while he sitting under the oak tree.  He told me to take the meat and the unleavened bread and put it on a rock and to pour the broth over it so I did.  Then with tip of his staff that was in his hand this man touched the meat and unleavened bread and FIRE flared up from the rock! It consumed both the meat and the bread!  Then this man (obviously an angel of the Lord) disappeared!  I immediately fell face down and exclaimed. “Ah, Sovereign Lord!  I have seen the Angel of the Lord face to face!”  But the Lord said to me, “Peace! Do not be afraid.  You are not going to die.”  I was extremely relieved and it suddenly became apparent that God had actually called me to save Israel from the Hand of the Midianites.  So, I immediately built and altar to the Lord there and called it The Lord is peace.  This is a very daunting task.  I know I’m going to need some serious help from the Lord to make sure this is done right and we get the victory.    

A Strange Visitor

     The Midianites have been terrorizing people all over the land of Israel.   I needed to do some threshing but whenever anyone has tried to do that the Midinaites see them and they come and take what they have gathered and sometimes execute them.  So I got an idea to thresh in a winepress.  I knew it may take a much longer time than if I did it on a proper threshing floor but I couldn’t risk being seen by the Midianites.  While I was there threshing I had a visitor approach me and he knew my name and he said to me, “The Lord is with you mighty warrior.”  I was a bit confused by his word so I replied, “But sir, if the Lord is with us why, has all this happened to us?  Where are his wonders our fathers told us about when they said, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up out of Egypt?’  But now the Lord has abandoned us and put us in the hand on Midian.”  He turned to me and said, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand.  Am I not sending you?”  It was clear this man was a Divine leader and he was clearly giving me a message from our God, so I said to him, “Lord how can I save Israel?  My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.”  The Lord answered, “I will be with you and you will strike down all the Midianites together.”  Then I said, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, give me a sign that it is really you talking to me.  Please do not away until I come back and bring my offering and set it before you.”  And he said to me, “I will wait until you return.”  So I am now preparing this goat and the flour for this sacrifice.        

The Midianites Are Coming!!

The Midinaiteas are coming and they have invaded Israel.  The Midianites, Amalekites and some other eastern peoples have invaded the country and are destroying everything.  They have set up camps and are absolutley ruining absolutley everything they are killing our livestock and destroying the crops.  The came in like locusts it was impossible to count them they are so numerous.  We have had to hide in cave strongholds and in the clefts of the mountains.  For seven years we have been here.  We don't know what to do.  

We have cried out to God for help and for Him to save us.  There has been a prophet going around saying this is what the Lord the God of Israel says, "I brought you up out of Egypt, out of the Land of slavery.  I snatched you from the power of Egypt and from the hand of all your oppressors.  I drove them from you before and gave you their land.  I said to you, 'I am the Lord your God; do not worship the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you live.'  But you have not listened to me."