MPC, 20th October 2002.Judges 6-9 - "Solution or Problem?"
Andrew Richardson MPC, 20th October 2002.
A crooked cop. Undermining a rape investigation.
That was the story line on The Bill a couple of weeks back. One of my favourite TV shows.
Sergeant Liz Roughton and her team are chasing a serial rapist. Trying to bring a nasty criminal to justice. And protect the women of Sun Hill.
But one of the team has his own agenda. One of the team doesn't like women. And he's in league with the rapist. Helping him out. Letting him know how the investigation's going. Where and when he can commit his crimes.
This team that's supposed to be catching the rapist. Protecting women. They're actually protecting the rapist. Helping him. To do what he wants and get away with it. The solution has become part of the problem.
And sad to say, that's what happens with Israel's judges. If you can remember back before the Bible teaching weekend and the holidays. The Judges are God's chosen leaders. They're supposed to be the solution to Israel's problems. To lead them into battle against their enemies. To lead them out of their sin and idolatry. And to point them back to God.... But just like the team from The Bill, the Judges end up being part of the problem. Leading Israel away from God. Back into idolatry and sin.
It's a situation that gets worse and worse as you read through Judges. But Gideon is the first judge who really causes as many problems as he solves. Have a look with me at how he finishes up. At the end of chapter 8. Verse 27. Gideon gets some gold and makes it into an ephod, a special kind of shirt, which he places in Ophrah, his town. All Israel prostitutes themselves by worshipping it there, and it becomes a snare to Gideon and his family.
What a tragic note. Gideon the judge leading Israel into the idolatry God hates. God's solution becoming part of the Problem.
But it's not how things start out. Gideon starts off as a humble hero. With a childlike trust. Following God's plan every step of the way.
Look back to the beginning of the story with me. In ch 6. It's the same old situation Israel faces time and time again in Judges. They've abandoned God and they're facing the consequences. This time they're being oppressed by the Midianites. And things are worse than ever before. In ch 6 v 2. The power of Midian is so oppressive, the Israelites have to prepare shelters for themselves in mountain clefts, caves and strongholds. And vs 4. The midianites ruin the crops all the way to Gaza, they don't spare a living thing for Israel, neither sheep nor cattle nor donkeys.
The Midianites are really giving Israel a tough time. And Gideon's job is to get rid of them. To deliver Israel from this oppressive enemy. God sends his angel to Gideon. And this is what he tells him to do. In v 14 The Lord says, "Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian's hand. Am I not sending you?"
It's a huge job God's giving Gideon. To get rid of this enemy who's got Israel hiding in the mountains. Scared and oppressed. And Gideon know's it's too much for him by himself. He's humble. V15 "But Lord," Gideon asks, "how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family."
Gideon know's he can't deliver Israel by himself. But God's got good news for him. In v 16 The Lord answers, "I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites together." Sounds reassuring. But Gideon's still not confident. In v 17 he replies, "If now I have found favour in your eyes, give me a sign that it is really you talking to me. Please do not go away until I come back and bring my offering and set it before you." And the Lord said, "I will wait until you return."
On Friday we had a family outing to the swimming pool over at Newmarket. It's a great setup for kids. Lots of wading pools, toys, water slides. But our two year old Nathan... he's a bit cautious about the water. At first he won't go in unless I'm right there holding his hand. Even if it's only up to his knees. And he'll only go down the slides if I come down with him. He needs to know I'm with him every step of the way.
And that's Gideon. Cautious. Needing reassurance Won't go anywhere unless God is holding his hand. He knows it's God who's going to win the battle. He's humble enough to realise if God's not with him he'll get no where.
You see it again when Gideon's got his army together and is wondering if he can take on the Midianites. He needs to know God is fighting for him. V36 Gideon says to God, "If you'll save Israel by my hand as you have promised - look, I'll place a wool fleece on the threshing-floor. If there is dew only on the fleece and all the ground is dry, then I'll know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you said." And that's what happens. Gideon rises early the next day; he squeezes the fleece and wrings out the dew - a bowl full of water.
But even having one hand held isn't enough for Gideon. He needs both hands held. Verse 39 he says to God, "Don't be angry with me. Let me make just one more request." Hold my other hand, he says. Allow me one more test with the fleece. "This time make the fleece dry and the ground covered with dew." And that night God does it again. Only the fleece is dry; all the ground is covered with dew.
Now you might think God would start to get tired of all these tests. That Gideon should just take God at his word and get on with the job. But God's happy to reassure Gideon. He's happy to keep telling him he's right there with him. He even gives him another sign. Without being asked. Lets him overhear one of the Midianites talking about a dream, chapter 7 v. 14. The Midianite says, "This dream can be nothing other than the sword of Gideon son of Joash, the Israelite. God has given the Midianites and the whole camp into his hands."
God reassures Gideon time after time. And he's happy to do it because Gideon has the right attitude. He's dependent on God. He humbly trusts him. Like a child. He knows the only way he's going to defeat the Midianites is if God wins the victory.
And that's exactly right. Gideon's got the kind of attitude God wants all the Israelites to have. To trust he's the real saviour. He's the one who'll win the victory. That's why he goes to all that trouble to make the Israelite army so small. With all those weird tests about how people drink their water. He wants everyone to knows it's God's strength that's saved them not their own. Chapter 7 v 2. Gideon's pulled together his army of 30 thousand. And the Lord says to him, "You've got too many men for me to deliver Midian into their hands. And this is why. It's in order that Israel may not boast against me that her own strength has saved her."
God's wants the Israelites to have no doubt about who wins the battle. He wants them all to know what Gideon knows. He's not the real saviour. God is.
And when Israel wins that amazing victory, defeating 120 000 of Midianites with only 300 men, it looks like God's point is sure to get through. That Gideon the humble warrior won't just save Israel from the Midianites. He'll show them that God is their real saviour and point them back to him.
Even after the battle. When the tribe of Ephraim get's upset with him because they weren't invited to the battle, Gideon's humble and diplomatic. Happy not to take the credit. In chapter 8 v 2 he says to the Ephraimites,
"What have I accomplished compared to you? Aren't the gleanings of Ephraim's grapes better than the full grape harvest of Abiezer? God gave Oreb and Zeeb, the Midianite leaders, into your hands. What was I able to do compared to you?" At this, their resentment against him subsided.
Things look so promising. A humble leader. Winning a victory and giving God the credit. If only the story ended there...
The problem is, Gideon's not finished. It's as if he suddenly realizes that he actually does have power. And he decides he's going to use it. Instead of humbly trusting God. Fighting God's battle in God's way. He takes off on his own private war. It's in the second half of chapter 8. And at first it doesn't look too bad. Seems like an extension of the original battle. Finishing off the last two Midianite kings Zebah and Zalmunna.
But as you read through the chapter, you start to realise things have changed. For a start. Gideon doesn't talk to God. Not even once. After all those reassuring little chats in the first part of the battle. This time there's nothing. Gideon doesn't want reassurance anymore. He knows what he wants and he knows he can get it.
And another thing. Gideon's character's changed. He's not humble and dependent anymore. He's ruthless. When the people in the town of Succoth won't help him he says to them Chapter 8 v 7 he says, "Just for that, when the Lord has given Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, I will tear your flesh with desert thorns and briers." And it's the same story at Peniel. V 9 he says to the men of Peniel, "When I return in triumph, I will tear down this tower."
‘I'll be back'....That's what Gideon's saying, like Arnold Schwartzeneger in Terminator. Peniel and Succoth are going to pay for not helping him. What a contrast with the humble way he treated the people from Ephraim. Now he's self confident.... harsh....arrogant.
The best things about Gideon, his humility, his dependence on God... they've disappeared. It's not that he's less successful in this part of the campaign. He still manages to defeat an army of 15 thousand with 300 tired men. It's just God's not part of the picture anymore. Gideon thinks he's got the power to manage by himself, thank you very much.
And the result is disastrous. The people completely forget the first great victory. Where Gideon was so obviously dependent on God. All they remember is his second victory. The harsh arrogant victory. Which looked like it was made without God's help. And look what they say. In v 22 The Israelites say to Gideon, "Rule over us - you, your son and your grandson - because you... You have saved us out of the hand of Midian."
Exactly what God wanted to avoid. The Israelites give the credit to a man instead of him. They miss the point completely.
And Gideon makes things worse. Sure he makes a feeble protest in v 23. About God being the real ruler. And him not being a king.... But then in v 24 he acts just like a king. He gets them all to give him tribute. In v 30 He has 70 sons with many wives. That's like a king too. And in v 31, and this is where you see his real attitude, he calls one of his sons Abimelech... which means 'son of a king'. Underneath his pious words, Gideon actually does want to be king. And he lives a kings lifestyle even if won't accept the title.
And on top of that he sets up that ephod we read about at the start. An idol for the people to worship. To lead them away from God. The same thing he's already done taking the credit for God's victory and becoming king in God's place.
Gideon showed so much potential. His first victory could have been a triumph. Not only getting rid of the Midianites. But pointing Israel back to God. Their real saviour.
But it never happens. He uses his power for his own agenda. He won't give God the credit. And instead of leading the people serve their real king.... Gideon takes God's place. He leads the people to serve him and his idol.
A tragic end. The man who should have been a solution to Israel's problems becoming part of the problem. Israel still trapped in sin and idolatry.
What Israel needs, what we need if we're ever going to get free of our sin, is a saviour who won't grasp power for himself. Who won't take advantage of their position like Gideon. Who'll humbly serve God right to the end...It's the kind of saviour we read about in Philippians chapter 2:6
Jesus Christ being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death--even death on a cross!
The exact opposite of Gideon. Not grasping at power. Not misusing power. Jesus who is God, becoming a human. Becoming a servant. Dying on the cross. A saviour who humbly trusts God to the end. Who saves us from our enemies and brings us back to God when we trust him.
And in Philippians Paul says our attitude should be the same as Jesus'. Humble. Doing nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Putting other people before yourself.
A lot like Gideon at the start. Nothing like him at the end. What about you?
And if there's anywhere you see that, if there's anywhere you see someone giving up their own agenda to go with God's.... it's in the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus is staring crucifixion in the face. He knows that's God's agenda. And what does he say? In Luke 22v42 He says, "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done."
Not my agenda but yours.... right to the end..... And Jesus' death is the triumph Gideon could have had. The triumph that saves us from our enemies and brings us back to God when we trust him. Jesus is the saviour we need. The saviour who doesn't go off on his own personal agenda. But sticks with God's agenda right to the end.
And you need to decide what response you're going to make to God, in the light of Jesus' great triumph. Are you going to serve him with a childlike trust? Like Gideon did at first. Depending on Jesus for forgiveness. Looking for God's approval every step of the way. That's the kind of followers God wants. In Luke 18:17 Jesus says if you don't receive the kingdom of God like a little child you'll never enter it.
But it can be so easy to have your own agenda. To attach strings to how you'll follow God. I'll follow you as long as it helps my career agenda. I'll follow you as long as it helps my have fun agenda. I'll follow you as long as it helps my boyfriend or girlfriend agenda
Just like Gideon. Your own private mission which you're committed to above anything else.
If you're harbouring a personal agenda in your relationship with God, get rid of it. Gideon's shown us personal agendas lead to disaster if you're following God. Childlike trust is the way to go. Depending on Jesus' great victory and looking for God's approval every step of the way.