Judges Chapter 6
Showing all 40 verses for Judges Chapter 6.
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"And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years. "
"The Israelites went back to doing evil in the LORD's sight, so he let Midian dominate them for seven years."
I watch this cycle in every life that drifts from love towards self-interest: comfort dulls gratitude, and gratitude's absence opens the door to smaller gods. I do not delight in the seven hard years that followed, but I let them come because sometimes a wandering heart only turns home when the false comforts fail. Even now, when you feel far from me, know it is never too late to cry out and be heard.
"And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel: and because of the Midianites the children of Israel made them the dens which are in the mountains, and caves, and strong holds. "
"Midian's power over Israel grew so strong that the Israelites had to make hideouts for themselves in mountain dens, caves, and strongholds."
I see fear driving people into hiding, literally into caves and dens, and I grieve that oppression can shrink a whole nation's confidence. But even in your hiding places, I have not left you; I meet people exactly where fear has driven them. Do not be ashamed of the caves you have built for yourself - let me find you there, as I found Israel.
"And so it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites came up, and the Amalekites, and the children of the east, even they came up against them; "
"Whenever the Israelites had planted their crops, the Midianites would show up, along with the Amalekites and other eastern peoples, to attack them."
Enemies that return again and again, season after season, can wear down even the most resilient heart. I understand how exhausting it is to rebuild only to be raided once more. Do not measure my faithfulness by how long the trial lasts; I am preparing a deliverance you cannot yet see.
"And they encamped against them, and destroyed the increase of the earth, till thou come unto Gaza, and left no sustenance for Israel, neither sheep, nor ox, nor ass. "
"They camped out against Israel and destroyed the produce of the land all the way down to Gaza, leaving Israel nothing to live on - no sheep, cattle, or donkeys."
When everything you have worked for is stripped away - your food, your animals, your security - it can feel as though God has forgotten you. I promise you he has not; scarcity is never the end of the story I am writing. Hold on, because provision follows the deepest famine.
"For they came up with their cattle and their tents, and they came as grasshoppers for multitude; for both they and their camels were without number: and they entered into the land to destroy it. "
"They came with their livestock and tents, swarming in like locusts - both they and their camels too many to count - and they entered the land purely to wreck it."
Multitudes 'without number' descending like locusts is meant to feel overwhelming - and it was. I never ask you to face impossible odds pretending they are small; I ask you to trust that my power is bigger than any number arrayed against you. Whatever swarms against your life today, I am not intimidated by its size.
"And Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites; and the children of Israel cried unto the LORD. "
"Israel became desperately poor because of the Midianites, and the Israelites cried out to the LORD for help."
Notice that it was poverty and desperation, not comfort, that finally turned Israel's hearts back to crying out to me. I would rather you come to me freely out of love, but I will use even hardship to draw you back if that is what it takes. Your cry, however late, however broken, always reaches me.
"And it came to pass, when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD because of the Midianites, "
"So it happened that when the Israelites cried out to the LORD because of the Midianites -"
I do not need eloquent prayers or perfect theology from you - only honesty. Israel's cry was raw and born of suffering, and still I answered it. Bring me your unpolished need; that is enough to begin something new.
"That the LORD sent a prophet unto the children of Israel, which said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I brought you up from Egypt, and brought you forth out of the house of bondage; "
"The LORD sent a prophet to the Israelites who said to them, "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: I brought you up out of Egypt and out of the place where you were slaves.""
Before I sent a deliverer, I sent a reminder: look at what I have already done for you. I love to recall my faithfulness to people who have forgotten it, not to shame them but to rebuild their trust. When you feel forsaken, remember every past rescue as proof of what I will do again.
"And I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all that oppressed you, and drave them out from before you, and gave you their land; "
""I rescued you from the Egyptians and from everyone who oppressed you, drove them out ahead of you, and gave you their land.""
I want you to notice how personally I describe my past rescues - 'I delivered you... I drave them out... I gave you their land.' Salvation has always been intimate to me, never distant bureaucracy. Whatever freedom you now enjoy traces back to a moment when I acted for you specifically.
"And I said unto you, I am the LORD your God; fear not the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but ye have not obeyed my voice. "
""And I told you, I am the LORD your God - do not fear the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live. But you have not listened to me.""
The core problem was never a lack of information - I had told them plainly not to fear other gods - but a failure to obey what they already knew. I would rather you act on the small truth you have than wait for more you will only ignore too. Obedience, not additional knowledge, is usually what love requires next.
"And there came an angel of the LORD, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites. "
"An angel of the LORD came and sat under an oak tree in Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite. Joash's son Gideon was threshing wheat inside a winepress, trying to keep it hidden from the Midianites."
I found Gideon threshing wheat in a winepress, hiding from his enemies, not standing tall in a field. I love to meet people exactly as they are - fearful, hidden, unimpressive by the world's standards - because that is where I do my best work. Your hiding place does not disqualify you from my calling; it is often where I come looking.
"And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour. "
"The angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon and said, "The LORD is with you, mighty warrior.""
Gideon was hiding in fear when I called him 'thou mighty man of valour' - I named the courage in him before he had shown any. I still speak to people according to who they are becoming, not only who they currently are. Let me call out the strength in you that you cannot yet see in yourself.
"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. "
"Gideon replied, "Excuse me, sir, but if the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all the miracles our ancestors told us about, like the LORD bringing us out of Egypt? Because right now it feels like the LORD has abandoned us and handed us over to Midian.""
Gideon's honest complaint - 'if the LORD be with us, why then is all this befallen us?' - is not rebuked by me; doubt spoken honestly to my face is closer to faith than silent resignation. I welcome your hardest questions about suffering rather than demanding you pretend everything is fine. Bring me your 'why', and let me meet you in it.
"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? "
"The LORD looked at him and said, "Go in the strength you have, and you will rescue Israel from Midian's power. Am I not the one sending you?""
I looked at Gideon and told him to go 'in this thy might' - the very strength he doubted having. My calling on your life is not contingent on you first feeling ready; I equip you as you step out, not before. Whatever task feels beyond you today, notice that I am the one sending you, and that changes everything.
"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. "
"Gideon said, "Excuse me, but how can I possibly save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I'm the least significant person in my own family.""
Gideon protested that his family was poor and he was the least in his father's house - and I chose him anyway. Your sense of inadequacy is not a disqualification in my eyes; it is often the very soil where my strength grows best. Stop ranking yourself against others and start trusting who I say you are.
"And the LORD said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man. "
"The LORD said to him, "I will certainly be with you, and you will defeat the Midianites as if they were only one man.""
I promised Gideon 'I will be with thee' before I promised him victory - presence always comes before power in my dealings with people. You do not need to feel like a mighty warrior; you only need to know I am with you, and the rest follows. Let my companionship, not your confidence, be what steadies you.
"And he said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, then shew me a sign that thou talkest with me. "
"Gideon said, "If I've really found favour with you, then give me a sign to prove it's really you talking to me.""
Gideon asked for a sign, and I did not scold him for it - I gave him one. I am patient with a wavering faith that is honestly seeking confirmation, because I would rather walk you slowly into trust than demand a leap you are not ready for. It is never wrong to ask me to show you I am real.
"Depart not hence, I pray thee, until I come unto thee, and bring forth my present, and set it before thee. And he said, I will tarry until thou come again. "
""Please don't leave until I come back with a gift and set it in front of you," Gideon said. And the angel replied, "I will wait until you return.""
Gideon asked me to wait while he prepared an offering, and I stayed. I am never in such a hurry that I cannot wait for you to bring me what is genuinely yours to give. Take the time you need to respond to me thoughtfully; I am not going anywhere.
"And Gideon went in, and made ready a kid, and unleavened cakes of an ephah of flour: the flesh he put in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot, and brought it out unto him under the oak, and presented it. "
"Gideon went in and prepared a young goat and unleavened bread made from a large amount of flour. He put the meat in a basket and the broth in a pot, brought them out to the visitor under the oak tree, and set them down."
Gideon poured out real effort and real cost - a whole ephah of flour, a kid, broth carried carefully - to bring me his offering. Worship costs something, and that is part of what makes it meaningful; I treasure what is given carefully, not carelessly. What you bring me does not need to be extravagant, only sincere.
"And the angel of God said unto him, Take the flesh and the unleavened cakes, and lay them upon this rock, and pour out the broth. And he did so. "
"The angel of God told him, "Take the meat and the bread, put them on this rock, and pour out the broth." And Gideon did exactly that."
I asked Gideon to lay his offering on the rock and pour out the broth - simple, precise instructions in a moment of holy encounter. Sometimes I ask small, specific things of you not because the details matter for their own sake, but because obedience in small things prepares you for the larger calling ahead. Trust the instructions even when you do not yet understand their purpose.
"Then the angel of the LORD put forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and there rose up fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes. Then the angel of the LORD departed out of his sight. "
"Then the angel of the LORD reached out the tip of the staff in his hand and touched the meat and the bread. Fire rose up out of the rock and burned up the meat and the bread completely. And then the angel vanished from Gideon's sight."
Fire rising from the rock to consume the offering was my unmistakable answer to a hesitant man's request for proof. I delight in confirming myself to sincere seekers in ways they cannot mistake for coincidence. When you genuinely seek confirmation from me, do not be surprised when I answer clearly.
"And when Gideon perceived that he was an angel of the LORD, Gideon said, Alas, O LORD God! for because I have seen an angel of the LORD face to face. "
"When Gideon realised it really had been an angel of the LORD, he said, "Oh no, LORD God! I've seen an angel of the LORD face to face!""
Gideon's terror upon realising he had seen the angel of the LORD face to face shows how overwhelming holiness can feel to an ordinary person. I understand that drawing near to me can be frightening before it becomes wonderful. Do not let fear of my greatness keep you from the relationship I am offering you.
"And the LORD said unto him, Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou shalt not die. "
"But the LORD said to him, "Be at peace. Don't be afraid - you are not going to die.""
My first words after Gideon's terror were 'Peace be unto thee; fear not.' I always meet human fear with reassurance, not condemnation. Whatever dread you carry about facing me, hear this promise spoken directly to you as well: you shall not die, but live in my peace.
"Then Gideon built an altar there unto the LORD, and called it Jehovahshalom: unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrites. "
"So Gideon built an altar there to the LORD and named it "The LORD is Peace." It was still standing in Ophrah, the home of the Abiezrites, at the time this was written."
Gideon named that altar 'Jehovah-shalom' - the LORD is peace - marking the very spot where his fear turned to trust. I want you to build your own markers, memories or altars, of the moments I gave you peace, so you can return to them when fear rises again. Peace with me is meant to be remembered, not forgotten.
"And it came to pass the same night, that the LORD said unto him, Take thy father’s young bullock, even the second bullock of seven years old, and throw down the altar of Baal that thy father hath, and cut down the grove that is by it: "
"That same night, the LORD said to him, "Take your father's bull - the second bull, seven years old - and tear down the altar to Baal that your father has, and cut down the sacred pole standing next to it.""
Before Gideon could lead Israel against outward enemies, I asked him to tear down the idol in his own father's yard. Real transformation always starts at home, with the compromises closest to us, before it can spread outward. Do not wait to address what is broken in your own household before you attempt great things for me.
"And build an altar unto the LORD thy God upon the top of this rock, in the ordered place, and take the second bullock, and offer a burnt sacrifice with the wood of the grove which thou shalt cut down. "
""Then build a proper altar to the LORD your God on top of this rock, laid out the right way, and use the second bull to offer a burnt sacrifice, using the wood from the pole you cut down as fuel.""
I did not only ask Gideon to destroy Baal's altar; I asked him to build a new one to me in its place. Tearing down what is false is only half the work - I want something better built in its stead. Whatever wrong thing you remove from your life, let me help you build something good where it stood.
"Then Gideon took ten men of his servants, and did as the LORD had said unto him: and so it was, because he feared his father’s household, and the men of the city, that he could not do it by day, that he did it by night. "
"So Gideon took ten of his servants and did exactly as the LORD had told him. But because he was afraid of his father's household and the men of the town, he couldn't do it in daylight, so he did it at night instead."
Gideon obeyed me, but he did it by night because he feared his own household and neighbours - imperfect obedience is still obedience, and I honour it. You do not need to feel fully brave to do the right thing; trembling obedience still moves my purposes forward. I am not waiting for your fear to disappear before I can use you.
"And when the men of the city arose early in the morning, behold, the altar of Baal was cast down, and the grove was cut down that was by it, and the second bullock was offered upon the altar that was built. "
"When the men of the town got up early the next morning, they found the altar of Baal torn down, the sacred pole beside it cut down, and the second bull sacrificed on the newly built altar."
By morning the whole town could see what Gideon had done under cover of darkness - hidden obedience to me rarely stays hidden for long. What you do quietly out of faithfulness to me will, in time, be seen and will speak for itself. Let your private convictions become public witness without you needing to force it.
"And they said one to another, Who hath done this thing? And when they enquired and asked, they said, Gideon the son of Joash hath done this thing. "
"They asked each other, "Who did this?" And after investigating, they concluded, "Gideon, son of Joash, did this.""
The townspeople's investigation - 'who hath done this thing?' - shows that standing for truth invites scrutiny and often anger from those still attached to the old idols. Do not be surprised when doing right stirs opposition rather than applause. I am with you in that scrutiny just as I was with Gideon.
"Then the men of the city said unto Joash, Bring out thy son, that he may die: because he hath cast down the altar of Baal, and because he hath cut down the grove that was by it. "
"The men of the town said to Joash, "Bring your son out here - he must die, because he tore down the altar of Baal and cut down the sacred pole beside it.""
The men demanded Gideon's death for tearing down their idol - a chilling reminder of how fiercely people will defend even a false god over the truth. I never ask you to fear that kind of anger more than you trust me; earthly consequences for obedience are real, but they are not the final word. Courage costs something, and I see every cost you pay for me.
"And Joash said unto all that stood against him, Will ye plead for Baal? will ye save him? he that will plead for him, let him be put to death whilst it is yet morning: if he be a god, let him plead for himself, because one hath cast down his altar. "
"But Joash said to everyone confronting him, "Are you going to argue Baal's case for him? Are you going to save him? Whoever argues for him should be put to death before the morning's out. If Baal is really a god, let him defend himself - after all, it's his altar that's been torn down.""
Joash's clever defence - 'if he be a god, let him plead for himself' - exposed the absurdity of the town's misplaced loyalty. I love when truth is spoken plainly enough that people can see their own error for themselves. Sometimes the kindest thing you can do for someone caught in a lie is simply let the lie's own logic unravel it.
"Therefore on that day he called him Jerubbaal, saying, Let Baal plead against him, because he hath thrown down his altar. "
"So from that day on, Gideon was called Jerubbaal, meaning "Let Baal contend against him," because he had torn down Baal's altar."
Gideon was renamed Jerubbaal, 'let Baal plead against him' - a title meant as mockery that became a badge of honour once Baal proved powerless to respond. I can turn what people intend as an insult into a permanent testimony of my power working through you. Do not fear the names others give you when you stand for truth; I can redeem them.
"Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the children of the east were gathered together, and went over, and pitched in the valley of Jezreel. "
"Then all the Midianites, the Amalekites, and the eastern peoples gathered together, crossed over, and set up camp in the Jezreel Valley."
The enemy gathered again in overwhelming force just as Gideon had begun to walk in obedience - opposition often intensifies right after a step of faith, not before it. Do not read a fresh attack as proof that you took a wrong turn; it may simply mean you took the right one. I am preparing you for the very battle the enemy's gathering signals.
"But the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet; and Abiezer was gathered after him. "
"But the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet to call people to war; and his own clan, Abiezer, gathered behind him."
It was my Spirit coming upon Gideon, not his own courage, that finally moved him to sound the trumpet and gather Israel. Every good work you accomplish for me begins with my Spirit stirring you, not your own willpower. Let me clothe you with what you need; you do not have to generate courage on your own.
"And he sent messengers throughout all Manasseh; who also was gathered after him: and he sent messengers unto Asher, and unto Zebulun, and unto Naphtali; and they came up to meet them. "
"He sent messengers throughout the whole tribe of Manasseh, and they too rallied behind him. He also sent messengers to Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali, and they came out to join him."
Gideon sent messengers to gather allies from surrounding tribes - even a Spirit-filled leader still needed to reach out and rally others. I rarely ask you to accomplish my purposes entirely alone; part of your calling may simply be to invite others into what I am doing. Do not hesitate to ask for help when the task is bigger than you.
"And Gideon said unto God, If thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said, "
"Gideon said to God, "If you really are going to save Israel through me, as you've said -""
Gideon still needed reassurance even after receiving my Spirit and a divine calling - faith and doubt can coexist in the same heart without one cancelling the other. I do not condemn you for wanting more certainty even after you have already trusted me once. Bring me your ongoing uncertainty; I am patient with the process of growing sure.
"Behold, I will put a fleece of wool in the floor; and if the dew be on the fleece only, and it be dry upon all the earth beside, then shall I know that thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said. "
""I'm going to put a wool fleece out on the threshing floor. If the dew is only on the fleece, and the ground all around it stays dry, then I'll know you'll save Israel through me, just as you've said.""
Gideon's fleece test was an unusual request, and I met him in his very specific need for evidence. I am not offended by the particular ways you need reassurance, even when they seem unconventional. I would rather meet you exactly where your doubt lives than demand you trust blindly before you are ready.
"And it was so: for he rose up early on the morrow, and thrust the fleece together, and wringed the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water. "
"And that's exactly what happened - Gideon got up early the next morning, squeezed the fleece, and wrung out enough dew from it to fill a whole bowl."
I answered Gideon's fleece test exactly as he asked, wringing out a bowl full of water from the wool. When you come to me honestly seeking confirmation, I am willing to answer with precision, not vague ambiguity. Notice how specifically I can meet a specific request when your heart is sincere.
"And Gideon said unto God, Let not thine anger be hot against me, and I will speak but this once: let me prove, I pray thee, but this once with the fleece; let it now be dry only upon the fleece, and upon all the ground let there be dew. "
"Then Gideon said to God, "Please don't be angry with me - let me ask just one more time. Let me test this once more with the fleece: this time, let the fleece stay dry while the ground all around it gets the dew.""
Gideon asked for a second sign, nervously pleading that I not be angry with him for asking twice. I am not the short-tempered god he feared; I welcome your continued questions far more patiently than you expect. Never let fear of my anger stop you from bringing me your doubts a second or third time.
"And God did so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground. "
"And God did exactly that that night - the fleece stayed dry while dew covered all the ground around it."
I gave Gideon the second sign exactly as he asked, reversing the fleece and the ground. My patience with your doubts is not grudging tolerance; it is genuine, generous love that wants you fully confident before you step into what I have called you to do. Let this be proof that I would rather over-reassure you than send you out uncertain.