Daily Reading: Judges 5-8
Remember when the Lord told the Israelites to completely destroy certain groups of people and they didn't do it? Now we are seeing how they are reaping from their disobedience.
"Midian so impoverished the Israelites that they cried out to the Lord for help." 6:6
Footnote:
Again the Israelites hit rock bottom before turning back to God. How much suffering they could have avoided if they had trusted him! Turning to God shouldn't be a last resort; we should look to him for help each day. This isn't to say life will always be easy. There will be struggles, but God will give us the strength to live through them. Don't wait until you're at the end of your rope. Call on God first in every situation.
6:14-16
The Lord turned to him and said, "Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian's hand. Am I not sending you?"
"But Lord, " Gideon asked, "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."
Footnote:
"I will be with you," God told Gideon, and God promised to give him the strength he needed to overcome the opposition. In spite of this clear promise for strength, Gideon made excuses. Seeing only his limitations and weaknesses, he failed to see how God could work through him.
Like Gideon, we are called to serve God in specific ways. Although God promises us the tools and strength we need, we often make excuses. But reminding God of our limitations only implies that he does not know all about us or that he has made a mistake in evaluating our character. Don't spend time making excuses. Instead spend it doing what God wants.
Somewhere along the way, Gideon got brave! God told him to tear down the altar of Baal and he did it!
Footnote:
After learning what Gideon had done, the townspeople wanted to kill him. Many of those people were fellow Israelites. This shows how immoral God's people had become. God said in Deuteronomy 13:6-11 that idolaters must be stoned to death, but these Israelites wanted to stone Gideon for tearing down an idol and worshipping God! When you begin to accomplish something for God, you may be criticized by the very people who should support you.
Was Gideon testing God with the fleece or was he simply needing more encouragement?
Footnote:
Today the greatest means of God's guidance is his Word, the Bible. Unlike Gideon, we have God's complete, revealed Word. If you want to have more of God's guidance, don't ask for signs; study the Bible.
"But Lord, " Gideon asked, "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."
Footnote:
"I will be with you," God told Gideon, and God promised to give him the strength he needed to overcome the opposition. In spite of this clear promise for strength, Gideon made excuses. Seeing only his limitations and weaknesses, he failed to see how God could work through him.
Like Gideon, we are called to serve God in specific ways. Although God promises us the tools and strength we need, we often make excuses. But reminding God of our limitations only implies that he does not know all about us or that he has made a mistake in evaluating our character. Don't spend time making excuses. Instead spend it doing what God wants.
Somewhere along the way, Gideon got brave! God told him to tear down the altar of Baal and he did it!
Footnote:
After learning what Gideon had done, the townspeople wanted to kill him. Many of those people were fellow Israelites. This shows how immoral God's people had become. God said in Deuteronomy 13:6-11 that idolaters must be stoned to death, but these Israelites wanted to stone Gideon for tearing down an idol and worshipping God! When you begin to accomplish something for God, you may be criticized by the very people who should support you.
Was Gideon testing God with the fleece or was he simply needing more encouragement?
Footnote:
Today the greatest means of God's guidance is his Word, the Bible. Unlike Gideon, we have God's complete, revealed Word. If you want to have more of God's guidance, don't ask for signs; study the Bible.
I want to leave you with this footnote for Chapter 7. Remember in this chapter that God has reduced Gideon's army to 300 men. Why? So that it would be obvious that God is the one who handed the Midianites over to him. They didn't win the battle in their own strength. I love that because I know I am so limited when I do things in MY own strength. There's no way I can be the wife, mother, Christian, friend, etc. I need to be if I try to do it all on my own. Thank you, Lord, that I don't have to!
Footnote:
Are you facing a battle?
God can give you the strength you need for any situation.
And don't be startled by the way he helps YOU!
Like Gideon, you must LISTEN to God and be ready to take the first step.
Only after you begin to obey God will you find the courage to move ahead.
Keep reading -- 286 days left!
All footnotes taken from the Life Application Study Bible, NIV
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