JUDGES 8

(KNOWING GODS INSTRUCTION) .......BUT

Deuteronomy 7:1-4

[1] When the LORD your God brings you into the land you are entering to possess and drives out before you many nations —the Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites, seven nations larger and stronger than you— [2] and when the Lord your God has delivered them over to you and you have defeated them, then you must destroy them totally. Make no treaty with them, and show them no mercy. [3] Do not intermarry with them. Do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons, [4] for they will turn your children away from following me to serve other gods, and the Lord's anger will burn against you and will quickly destroy you.

Ÿ This was the clear instruction from God.

Ÿ No questions or misunderstanding.

Israel, under Joshua's leadership was now entering the Promised Land.

First victory was Jericho. Total destruction.

Second victory was Ai. Total destruction of the people, but not the goods and livestock.

Then came other areas.

Joshua 9:1-6

[1] Now when all the kings west of the Jordan heard about these things—the kings in the hill country, in the western foothills, and along the entire coast of the Mediterranean Sea as far as Lebanon (the kings of the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites )— [2] they came together to wage war against Joshua and Israel. [3] However, when the people of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, [4] they resorted to a ruse: They went as a delegation whose donkeys were loaded with worn-out sacks and old wineskins, cracked and mended. [5] They put worn and patched sandals on their feet and wore old clothes. All the bread of their food supply was dry and moldy. [6] 6 Then they went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and the Israelites, “We have come from a distant country; make a treaty with us.”

Ÿ This is known as the GIBEONITE DECEPTION.

Ÿ Question: When Joshua was deceived did he forget what God's instructions were?

Ÿ So, we know that nations were NOT destroyed. They were allowed to live.

Ÿ And what were the consequences? (Refer to Deuteronomy 7: Verses 2,3 &4.

Judges 3:5-6

5 The Israelites lived among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. [6] 6 They took their daughters in marriage and gave their own

daughters to their sons, and served their gods.

Ÿ Exactly what God had commanded them not to do.

A QUICK REVIEW

Judges 7:24-25

[24] Gideon sent messengers throughout the hill country of Ephraim, saying, “Come down against the Midianites and seize the waters of the Jordan ahead of them as far as Beth Barah.” So all the men of Ephraim were called out and they seized the waters of the Jordan as far as Beth Barah. [25] They also captured two of the Midianite leaders, Oreb and Zeeb. They killed Oreb at the rock of Oreb, and Zeeb at the winepress of Zeeb. They pursued the Midianites and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon, who was by the Jordan.

Judges 8:1-3

[1] Now the Ephraimites asked Gideon, “Why have you treated us like this? Why didn’t you call us when you went to fight Midian ?” And they challenged him vigorously. [2] But he answered them, “What have I accomplished compared to you? Aren't the gleanings of Ephraim's grapes better than the full grape harvest of Abiezer? [3] 3 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.

Ÿ Why were the Ephraimites upset?

Ÿ They wanted the recognition and glory.

Ÿ Gideon gives a very thoughtful and wise answer.

History: When the Ephraimites took their portion of the Promised Land they they were rewarded with the vineyards. These vineyards were far superior to the vineyards of Abiezer in their past.

Then he also gave them credit for the capture of Oreb and Zeeb.

Ÿ Gideon was not interested in credit. He just wanted to do as God asked.

Judges 8:4-9

[4] Gideon and his three hundred men, exhausted yet keeping up the pursuit, came to the Jordan and crossed it. [5] He said to the men of Sukkoth, “Give my troops some bread; they are worn out, and I am still pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.” [6] But the officials of Sukkoth said, “Do you already have the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna in your possession? Why should we give bread to your troops?” [7] Then Gideon replied, “Just for that, when the Lord has given Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, I will tear your flesh with desert thorns and briers.” [8] From there he went up to Peniel and made the same request of them, but they answered as the men of Sukkoth had. [9] 9 So he said to the men of Peniel, “When I return in triumph, I will tear down this tower .”

Ÿ Even though Gideon was the leader appointed by God over Israel, he was not respected. Other tribes were larger and more powerful and the leaders

were not going to give Gideon any assistance even so much as some bread. But he reminded them that the victory was his because God was in control.

Judges 8:8-21

[8] From there he went up to Peniel and made the same request of them, but they answered as the men of Sukkoth had. [9] So he said to the men of Peniel, “When I return in triumph, I will tear down this tower.” [10] Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor with a force of about fifteen thousand men, all that were left of the armies of the eastern peoples; a hundred and twenty thousand swordsmen had fallen. [11] Gideon went up by the route of the nomads east of Nobah and Jogbehah and attacked the unsuspecting army. [12] Zebah and Zalmunna, the two kings of Midian, fled, but he pursued them and captured them, routing their entire army. [13] Gideon son of Joash then returned from the battle by the Pass of Heres. [14] He caught a young man of Sukkoth and questioned him, and the young man wrote down for him the names of the seventy-seven officials of Sukkoth, the elders of the town. [15] Then Gideon came and said to the men of Sukkoth, “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? ' ” [16] He took the elders of the town and taught the men of Sukkoth a lesson by punishing them with desert thorns and briers. [17] He also pulled down the tower of Peniel and killed the men of the town. [18] Then he asked Zebah and Zalmunna, “What kind of men did you kill at Tabor? ” “Men like you,” they answered, “each one with the bearing of a prince.” [19] Gideon replied, “Those 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.” [20] Turning to Jether, his oldest son, he said, “Kill them!” But Jether did not draw his sword, because he was only a boy and was afraid. [21] 21 Zebah and Zalmunna said, “Come, do it yourself. ‘As is the man, so is his strength.’ ” So Gideon stepped forward and killed them, and took the ornaments off their camels’ necks.

Ÿ It's tempting here to title this as "GIDEONS REVENGE", but holding to Gideons own character, a far better and appropriate title would be "GOD'S REVENGE."

Judges 8:22-27

22 The Israelites said to Gideon, “Rule over us—you, your son and your grandson—because you have saved us from the hand of Midian.” [23] But Gideon told them, “I will not rule over you, nor will my son rule over you. The Lord will rule over you.” [24] And he said, “I do have one request, that each of you give me an earring from your share of the plunder. ” (It was the custom of the Ishmaelites to wear gold earrings.) [25] They answered, “We'll be glad to give them.” So they spread out a garment, and each of them threw a ring from his plunder onto it. [26] The weight

of the gold rings he asked for came to seventeen hundred shekels, not counting the ornaments, the pendants and the purple garments worn by the kings of Midian or the chains that were on their camels' necks. [27] 27 Gideon made the gold into an ephod, which he placed in Ophrah, his town. All Israel prostituted themselves by worshiping it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and his family.

Ÿ A strong and Godly person gains much respect.

Ÿ Gideon was trying to impress on the people that this symbol was a representation of God's miraculous works.

Ÿ But, just as they did in every other situation, they corrupted any possible good (as a reminder) and began to worship the symbol rather than God himself.

Ÿ Remember that God put the place of worship in Shiloh. The home of the ARK of the covenant.

Ÿ Even Gideon was tempted to stay home and not travel to Shiloh for worship.

Judges 8:28-35

[28] Thus Midian was subdued before the Israelites and did not raise its head again. During Gideon’s lifetime, the land had peace forty years. [29] Jerub-Baal son of Joash went back home to live. [30] He had seventy sons of his own, for he had many wives. [31] His concubine, who lived in Shechem, also bore him a son, whom he named Abimelek. [32] Gideon son of Joash died at a good old age and was buried in the tomb of his father Joash in Ophrah of the Abiezrites. [33] No sooner had Gideon died than the Israelites again prostituted themselves to the Baals. They set up Baal-Berith as their god [34] and did not remember the Lord their God, who had rescued them from the hands of all their enemies on every side. [35] 35 They also failed to show any loyalty to the family of Jerub- Baal (that is, Gideon) in spite of all the good things he had done for them.

CONCLUSIONS

Ÿ Despite our status in life, God will use us in His own way to bring glory to Himself.

Ÿ The ONLY thing we should be worshiping is GOD.

Ÿ Pride has no place in our life.

Ÿ All glory goes to God.

Ÿ People will fail! Including myself.

Ÿ God knows our hearts and will provide us with whatever is necessary to serve Him best.

2 Peter 1:3

His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.