Judges 6:19-24 GOD IS WILLING TO WAIT Gideon's excuses and awareness of his limitations were all put out in the open before the Lord as if He didn't know about them. The Lord understands our doubts and fears. He knows the situations we are in personally and is fully aware of what is happening around us. After all, everything is under His sovereign authority. Further, He does not expect us to go beyond our own experiences alone. He said to Gideon, "I will be with thee." The same is true for us today. We are not left "to go a warfare" at our own charges. We are not asked by the Lord to do what we cannot possibly do. When we follow Him by faith, He opens the way before us and gives the power to accomplish the service He has for us to fulfill.
The offering Gideon wanted to give to the Lord was not just the desire for affirmation of God's call, but was also an expression of faith. For people in dire straits, it was a costly offering to give an ephah of scarce flour, one of the small goats he had hidden from the Midianites and the broth that would have fed the family. His act of worship was not a casual activity in which he was engaged. He gave the best he had to give and God obviously accepted it in a visible unusual way. Fire came from the rock as God accepted the burnt offering, meal offering and the drink offering which Gideon presented. The flesh of the kid of the goats speaks to us of the burnt offering - and of our Lord Jesus Christ who was "obedient unto death." The unleavened cakes, the meal offering, teaches us of the humility, the lowliness of Christ. The poured-out broth as a drink offering, takes us to the place where our Lord, "poured out His soul." Even though he didn't see the angel after the offering was accepted, the Lord plainly spoke to him and assured him of the peace that was between them. We too experience peace as a result of God's satisfaction with the sacrifice of Christ on our behalf. There is no point in waiting for some overpowering feelings before pressing ahead with God's calling. Accept what the Lord says, act on what He commands, and trust Him to do what He has promised.
By coming face to face with the "angel of the Lord," Gideon was changed. He was never the same again. That experience in a difficult time, taught him in a way that would have never been learned if the times were easy. We come to understand God in ways when we are in hardships that are indelibly impressed on us for life. "My strength is made perfect in weakness." When we experience God's grace in those hard times, our character, humility and ability to connect with other people spiritually is greatly enhanced. We become conscious of God and less self-conscious. It is inevitable that we become more conscious of God's presence when we worship and know that worship has been accepted.
At the time of our new birth we come to know God and the Lord Jesus Christ. "This is life eternal." Usually there is very little awareness of who He is and His holiness, His greatness and His majesty at that time because we are mainly conscious of having been saved by His grace. It is in the events that follow when we are under stress of one kind or another, we learn what the "peace of God" is really like. Our Lord reveals to us in many different ways the aspects of His being when "we walk in the light as He is in the light." The walk of faith gives us understanding of what "Jehovah-Shalom, the God of Peace," really means. "The peace of God which passeth all understanding," keeps our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. The doubts pass; the repentance and faith become real; disobedience is confessed and forsaken; obedience claims its priority in our lives.
God who is willing to wait for the results of genuine repentance and faith, is willing to forgive us for our doubting ways and gives us the promises of His presence and power. The reality of our return to faith will be seen in the facts and acts of true worship when we turn from ourselves and our ways, and submit to His gracious ways. Our vision then becomes sanctified and scriptural. We are willing to act under divine authority because the Lord enables us to see by faith, that which normally we would miss because of our fleshly and worldly limitations.
Some principles related to leadership in the story of Gideon are that we need initiative: the first step in bringing something about. Initiative demands .... 1. A call to action: Judg. 6:14 "Go in this thy might." That is a dynamic command; a divine imperative from the highest possible Authority. "I sent thee." The strength of the Lord makes it possible for us to answer this clarion call. The challenge to stir and quicken, comes to us from the Lord in spite of our fears, inhibitions, misgivings and apprehensions. Gideon's life had been touched from above in a similar way to Deborah, Paul, Abraham, Mordecai. 2. Availability: Judg.6:25. When we know what needs to be done, we must be available, obedient and daring. There are times when we hesitate for fear of making a mistake but the "false gods," that create strife, have to go. Esther, Rebekah, Hannah, David and Samuel all had to act in spite of their fears. 3. Loyalty: Judg.6:26. The challenge to one of those who are loyal to the Lord, is always lofty. Gideon's first hour of glory, was when the gods were torn down, trees felled and a sacrifice was made. Nicodemus, Elisha, Jonathan all had to go against the crowd. Initiative calls for 4. Leading: Judg.6:27. He blew a trumpet and by the action on the part of one man he galvanized all to action like Moses, Joshua and Deborah. 5. Dealing with doubts: Judg.6:36-40 is never easy for anyone who knows their limitations. Gideon dealt with doubts by using the fleece on the floor, the same place where he had his first dealings with God. The first time he was the fleece; the second, Israel would be blessed. Doubts were experienced by John, Thomas and Sarah and yet God was able to use them to bring blessing to others. 6. A sense of timing: Judg.7:1 is important once a course of action is clear. He did not delay, nor drag his heels but advanced in faith as did Jael, Bartimaeus, Philip and Zaccheus. 7. Worship as a reality: Judg.7:15. Later, by a Midianite tent with only Purah (fruitful) as a witness, he worshipped. God gives faith, courage, strength and a serenity of His presence when we are willing to do what we have been told to do. Abraham didn't know where he was going and Simeon didn't know when he was going to see the Lord Jesus. They just trusted God and were worshipers in the right place according to God's timing. 8. Responsibility: Judg.7:17. Once he was assured of victory, Gideon wasted no time swinging into action. Once in an obvious leadership role, the responsibility for the entire group who followed rested on him. Timothy, Gaius, Priscilla/Aquila, Esther all realized much depended them on acting responsibly.
It is when our vision has been enhanced to see things around us as God see them, that our initiative moves us to step ahead in faith and apply ourselves to that which God has called us. Initiative by itself can be dangerous if the parameters of divine guidance are not adhered to. That is why vision must come first. The steps taken by faith with God-given confidence, then allows us to begin to see as God sees and our whole perspective is changed. Once Gideon caught a vision of the Lord, then the events surrounding him didn't seem impossible to change. He saw things through God's eyes. When direction was given by the Lord, he acted with initiative and the Lord began to work through His chosen judge. The results of that led in turn to an appropriate perspective of all that was happening and why. The corrective measures were applied and God, in His own way and time, brought the desired actions of His people to where they were delivered from the crippling power of strife.
There are examples of perspective in Jn.13:2-17; 21:15-19. [1] Perspective is a certain point of view in understanding or judging things or happenings, especially one that shows them in their true relation to one another. Judg.6-8; 2Cor.3:6-11; Hab.1:1-4; 3:17-19. Essential to perspective is balance. 6:16 It is one thing to envisage dreams and conquests; it is quite another to carry them out. [2] Recognition of needs, 6:17 when brought to the attention of most of us, when given a job to do, dredge up a score of excuses, why it can't be done. We must depend on divine intervention for success. [3] Quietness of soul: 6:27. is a key to perspective. Very often, the greatest accomplishments for God are carried out in the quietness of our inner lives. Here, away from view, we carry out our private and personal commitment entrusted to us by the Lord. When we, [4] Understand our impact on others: 6:31-32, invariably, our conduct and character make an impact for good or evil upon our contemporaries. Perspective is the dynamic that transforms us, guides the faith of others, stirs slumbering spirits and startles sleeping souls. Godliness polarizes people. [5] Any change must be superior to what has been destroyed: 6:35. When one knows God, he becomes a channel through which courage and strength flows to others and is a blessing and inspiration to touch, revive, and refresh. [6] Focus: 7:2,4,5,7,9. Timid men focus on the foe, not on the One who would lead them to triumph. The water test wasn't so much for the men as for Gideon's faith in God. The combat ratio of 1: 450 was the same as Elijah's. [7] Usefulness is proportionate to our willingness to be little: Judg.7:14. The Lord knows us better than we know ourselves. He knows our strengths and weaknesses. He deals with us in infinite integrity. Self-importance can interfere with the ongoing plans of God. To be counted of little consequence in our own ability and estimation makes us useful. Perspective enables us to [8] See the big picture: 7:24. In a look at the overall picture, Gideon diffused the Ephraimites' complain in a gentle, good- natured, humorous, humble way.
WAITING AND TRUSTING The Lord waited, He knew the man, He knew his fears He knew his need of a sign, something physical to appear And settle his actions of faith to where by faith he could act Confident that the Lord was in control to make deliverance a fact.
It is not always easy to walk by faith at first One is afraid of consequences that come to burst On unsuspecting heads who stand up against strife Not realizing the lasting effects can make or ruin life.
So, the Lord waits, and then the man of faith returns Arms full of that which cost a lot, and God with holy fire burns That which is a sweet savor to Him from a man's full heart Now he, by God's power and grace, can make a start.
When the eyes of faith rise above the natural to spiritual vision And when the work and word of God are applied to the present condition Those whose vision gives direction to solve the difficulties in the way ahead Move forward in confidence in the Lord - and nothing dread.
Plans are made and the honor of God prompts initiative Leaving complacency behind holy vision gives incentive Actions take the places of ideas and distant dreams And faith propels one forward making reality out of schemes.
Perspective in us is developed as we go ahead by faith There is a great delight as the joys of victory we taste Then life in God becomes real and we know why we are here God's plans for us and our reason for being becomes clear.
"Father, I thank Thee for Thy patience and willingness to not abandon me when I am so often slow to act. I do not want to complicate the process of acting in Thy will. By Thy grace imparted to me, I will seek to just take the next obvious step as it opens up before me. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen."