Today's Reading Is Judges 7

The first question is, why is this name Jerubbaal becoming so famous, spreading rapidly across the land? (v.1)

Since Gideon is remembered now as the man who "cut down" the altar of Baal and the Asherah that reigned beside it, he is becoming known as the man who defied the gods. And since it was Joash who erected this altar with this image (Jdgs.6:25), it was Joash who turned away the wrath of the unbelieving mob from murdering his son (Jdgs.6:31-32).

Therefore it begs the question as to why Joash set it up in the first place since he never had faith in it. Obviously, then the mob looked to him as a leader, and so to ease the burden of this forced responsibility, he gave them something to have faith in since Yahweh wasn't giving life to their labor. But why didn't anyone think to ask that maybe the rain isn't coming because of their sin?

Therefore Joash wasn't a very good leader or spiritual advisor. He was like a quack doctor who didn't even believe in the medicine he was selling. Nevertheless, this name that he gave Gideon, in his defense, stuck to him like dog manure accidentally stepped in on the sole of the shoe.

And Joash was correct; if Baal was more than the strongest or smartest man in the neighborhood, then he could defend himself. So the LORD wants to eliminate the possibility of that pride corrupting the faith of Gideon from the start. (v.2)

Therefore it's important to get our translation right regarding this confidence that the people now had in Gideon's leadership. They were desperate for a leader, like children without a mother. So in verse 1, the camp of Midian was set up north of "him." And it should read north of him because these people were (in him) to do all that he commanded. They were so desperate that the LORD wanted to be sure that he would receive all the glory for this victory so the cycle of unbelief wouldn't repeat again, exalting a man to be the image of their worship.

Therefore we will see how Gideon labors to avoid this temptation in this chapter, but even in his attempt to rebuke them for it, it becomes a snare to him when the desired effect misfires on him.

But for now, the LORD seeks to turn him into a leader after His own heart by weeding out all who don't have the heart to be made useful for this war. (v.3)

But what is the standard that God has set to demonstrate that He should receive all the glory? (v.4)

Romans 9:9–13 (NKJV)

9 For this is the word of promise: "At this time, I will come, and Sarah shall have a son." 10 And not only this, but when Rebecca also had conceived by one man, even by our father Isaac 11 (for the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls), 12 it was said to her, "The older shall serve the younger." 13 As it is written, "Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated."

Isn't this where God exercises His sovereign right to choose whom He will for the battle? Is God choosing any of these men for what is in them or what they are able to offer Him? Therefore shouldn't we be asking what God is trying to teach Gideon more than why God is choosing the ones who drink from their hands? (v.5-7)

Romans 9:19–24 (NKJV)

19 You will say to me then, "Why does He still find fault? For who has resisted His will?" 20 But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, "Why have you made me like this?" 21 Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor? 22 What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, 23 and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory, 24 even us whom He called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?

Therefore this standard of separation is about how God is going to receive the glory for Himself, not about the abilities of the 300 men who remained. Besides, as we shall see, none of these 300 men even enter into battle with the Midianites on this special operation to confound Israel's tormentors (v.22). Therefore, it cannot be about what these men can offer by use of ordinary skills. (v.8-9)

So while I'm not going to get into a useless debate and study of the difference in the manner by which the men drank from the brook, for all of them had to get on their knees in some form to drink, it was the ones who cupped their hands to draw water from the stream that was separated for this mission while the rest were on all fours like dogs or laying on their belly with their faces in the water.

But in Gideon's fear, by going down to the outskirts of the Midianite camp, what does God reveal to him concerning God's glory? (v.10-11)

There were Midianites, Amalekites, and many other sons of the east without number in comparison to Gideon's 300. (v.12)

But as Gideon and Purah crept up to the camp, they overheard a man sharing his dream with his friend. But where would this dream have come from? And why barley bread? (v.13)

What does barley or bread have to do with a sword? (v.14)

Does Gideon believe his own press? (v.15)

Who has the right to interpret the Word of God? Well, according to the new covenant, every man has the right to seek God's Word and interpret it. However, only those who know the LORD are able to interpret it rightly.

2 Peter 1:19–2:3 (NKJV)

19 And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; 20 knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, 21 for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. 1 But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. 2 And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. 3 By covetousness, they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time, their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber.

1 Corinthians 2:10–16 (NKJV)

10 But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. 11 For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so, no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. 13 These things we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15 But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. 16 For "who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?" But we have the mind of Christ.

Therefore, when Gideon perceives their understanding of the events that are about to unfold, he bows low to worship. And what does he say to his 300 of God's choice army? (v.15)

This is the heart and center of the testimony of Gideon right here, which all would do well to perceive. Gideon now understands the glory of God. The enemy perceives him as the hero, interpreting the dream as "Gideon's Sword," but Jerubball knows better and cuts the rising pride down in himself.

In whose hands is the LORD delivering the camp of Midian? This was the Word of the LORD given to the mouth of the enemy by which they prophesied their own fate. But Gideon refused (in his heart) the glory for it. Let him hear who has ears to hear.

So what is the barley, and what is the bread?

The barley is the harvest, which is used to prepare the bread. But barley is also used for strong drink. And it is this mix that the LORD has stirred to create the confusion in the hearts of the camp of Midian. But it is bread, in that it is the Word of the LORD.

2 Thessalonians 2:11–12 (NKJV)

11 And for this reason, God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, 12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

And it reveals the nature of (the natural man's faith), that God (the Almighty) chooses the strongest and wisest of men to represent Him, as though it was ordained that only the strong and the wise survive.

1 Corinthians 1:25 (NKJV)

25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

1 Corinthians 1:26–31 (NKJV)

26 For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. 27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; 28 and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, 29 that no flesh should glory in His presence. 30 But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption—31 that, as it is written, "He who glories, let him glory in the Lord."

And these 300 men and Gideon are the "one man" or "one bread" by which the LORD feeds this camp of Midian the Word of the LORD.

Judges 6:16 (NKJV)

16 And the Lord said to him, "Surely I will be with you, and you shall defeat the Midianites as one man."

1 Corinthians 10:17 (NKJV)

17 For we, though many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of that one bread.

1 Corinthians 10:23–31 (NKJV)

23 All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify. 24 Let no one seek his own, but each one the other's well-being. 25 Eat whatever is sold in the meat market, asking no questions for conscience' sake; 26 for "the earth is the Lord's, and all its fullness." 27 If any of those who do not believe invites you to dinner, and you desire to go, eat whatever is set before you, asking no question for conscience' sake. 28 But if anyone says to you, "This was offered to idols," do not eat it for the sake of the one who told you, and for conscience' sake; for "the earth is the Lord's, and all its fullness." 29 "Conscience," I say, not your own, but that of the other. For why is my liberty judged by another man's conscience? 30 But if I partake with thanks, why am I evil spoken of for the food over which I give thanks? 31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

Now, this bread was for the promise of the Old Covenant, but the bread which comes from Christ was for the life of the world.

John 6:32–33 (NKJV)

32 Then Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."

1 John 1:5–2:2 (NKJV)

5 This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us. 1 My little children, these things I write to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.

Therefore, that's why the body of Christ (the membership), which was given as bread for the world, must have no malice in it to confuse those whom Christ came to seek and save.

Matthew 5:13–16 (NKJV)

13 "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. 14 "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

Luke 19:10 (NKJV)

10 for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost."

1 Corinthians 11:26 (NKJV)

26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes.

1 Corinthians 5:4–13 (NKJV)

4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, along with my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, 5 deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. 6 Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? 7 Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump since you truly are unleavened. For indeed, Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. 8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. 9 I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people. 10 Yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. 11 But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner—not even to eat with such a person. 12 For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside? 13 But those who are outside God judges. Therefore "put away from yourselves the evil person."

But we must interpret this from the Old Covenant's perspective so that Israel remains established in the land of promise for chosen days of Christ's coming. So what does Gideon do to play on their confusion in their appointed destruction? (v.16-18)

Why would Gideon turn around and use this statement, "For the LORD and for Gideon?" (v.18)

Doesn't he know that this is about God's glory alone? Why does he add for Gideon at this call to blow the trumpets? (v.20)

Is he trying to deceive his own when they added, "A sword for the LORD and for Gideon?"

Was he asking them to fight for his honor, also? As we shall see, this was not his intention but was a play that was used to strike at the fear that was already born in the camp of the enemy. The enemy feared him more than they feared the LORD. So it was Gideon who added the LORD to the glory of the sword that was ordained in the thought of the enemy. (v.14)

Nevertheless, it had its desired effect on the mind of the invaders who camped against the sons of Israel. (v.21-22)

But this was just the beginning of Gideon's fame and call to leadership. (v.23-25)

This caused the army of Midian to scatter in confusion, but Gideon had already sent messengers ahead of time to gather the men from the surrounding tribes to cut them off in their disorder and distress while they fled along the waters, and they were found as far as Beth-barah and across the Jordan.