Alicea

Q2. What does Gideon ask for his reward? (8:24-27) Was Gideon wrong to take a reward? Where did the sin begin? Gideon asks for an earring from each person. It appears they gave him more than just an earring each. I think Gideon was more unwise than wrong to take a reward. I think that if he had refused t he reward God would have blessed him abundantly. The sin began when he fashioned the golden ephod and set it up where it began to be worshipped. When that started he did not pull down the ephod and admonish the people but allowed it to continue.

Q1. Why does Gideon refuse to be king over Israel? (8:22-23) In what sense would becoming king be treason? Why didn't the Israelites see bestowing kingship as treason? Gideon refuses to be king because he understands that is God's position in Israel. He made a covenant with Israel while in the wilderness that He would deliver them a land and that He was to be their King, setting someone else up to be king would be treason. The Israelites didn't see it that way because all the other countries around them had kings and they wanted to be the same; also their hearts were not right with God. They had become "wordly" and forgotten who brought them to where they were and the convenant that had been established.

Why does Gideon slay Zebah and Zalmunna? Is he unjust or fulfilling his just obligation? (Numbers 35:16) Why does Romans 12:19 prohibit Christians from taking vengeance? He slays them because they killed his brothers in a past incidence. According to Numbers 35:19 he has the right to kill them. ? Romans 12:19 says that vengeance belongs to the Lord, it is not ours to take.

Q3. Why must Gideon vanquish the Midianite force of 15,000 men in Karkor? What danger do we face when we deal with problems only half-way? If he didn't vanquish what force was left they would turn around and attack again and dominate and harass Israel again. When we only deal with our problems half-way they come back in full force to plaque us once again.

Q2. What does Gideon ask the Ephraimites to do? Why are they so angry? Who do you learn from Gideon's approach to the Ephraimites' arrogance? Gideon asks the Ephramites to capture two of the Midianite kings and they are angry because they feel slighted that they weren't asked to take part in the whole battle. Sometimes we need to humble ourselves and allow others to be appeased in order to keep peace.

Q6. What does the rolling barley loaf mean in the Midianite's dream? Why does the Lord show Gideon this dream? The loaf is small and insignificant, like Gideon's army, and yet it destroys the tent. The Lord shows this to Gideon to reassure him.

Q1. Why does Gideon divided into three companies? What is the strategy with the trumpets, the empty jars, and the torches? (7:16-20) What was the result of this strategy? Why did this strategy work? Gideon divided into three companies so as to surround the Midianites. The empty jars hid the light from the torches so when they were broken there was sudden light and sudden noise when the trumpets were blown. This made it look like the Midianites were surrounded by many troops. It frightened the Midianites and confused them to the point they actually attacked each other before they ran away.

Q5. What significance, if any, do you see in selecting the "lappers" from the "kneelers"? I have heard sermons about this many times. Some say that one showed tht they were were more aware than others because they were looking around and keeping alert instead of just taking care of their immediate needs. I think God used it as a means to cut down the number of men with Gideon.

Q4. Why do we demand that God's directions make sense to us before we'll follow them? What's the spiritual danger here? We're afraid of being -- or being perceived as -- religious kooks. How can we balance blind obedience with getting confirmation through spiritual people whose discernment we trust? I want God's directions to make sense because of my own pride, I don't want to be wrong. The spiritual danger is pride is sin. We can get confirmation by praying and having others pray with us.

Q3. Why did God feel Gideon's army was too large? Why was shrinking the army's size to a tiny band essential in restoring Israel's faith and allegiance? What kinds of pressures would Gideon be feeling NOT to obey God in shrinking his army? How was Gideon able to obey God fully in this? He felt the army was too large because when they won they could say they did it by their strength and not give God the glory for the victory. When the army was a tiny band Israel would know without a doubt that it was God who had won the victory for them. It required a leap of faith on Gideon's part to take such a small amount of men into battle, when he could have taken more. Fear of losing the battle with so few men was a real fear when appearances and common sense were brought in the picture. Gideon obeyed God fully in this by an act of will on his part to obey God and demonstration of his faith in God, that he was called to do this and God would give the victory.

Q2. When, if ever, should we ask God to confirm his direction with a sign? What is the danger of demanding a sign? I thin we should ask God for a sign when we are unsure whether or not we have heard from God correctly, but I don't think we should make it a habit. If we do we will not mature in the Lord and recognize His voice and His leading when we need to. There is a difference between asking and demanding, we never must demand from God.

Q1. Why does Gideon put out a fleece before the Lord -- twice? Is this a sign of unbelief or of belief? This is a "testing" of God? How does it differ from the sinful testings of God the scripture warns against? See exposition Gideon puts out the fleece twice because he wants to be sure that it is really God that has called him. It is not really a "testing" of God, it is assurance that Gideon is needing. Sinful testing is when we try to force God into doing a miracle for our own benefit.

What inspires Gideon to blow the battle horn and summon an army against the Midianites. What does Gideon have in common with other judges and leaders of his era? (Hint: see Deuteronomy 34:9; Judges 3:10; 11:9; 13:25; 14:6, 19; 15:14; 1 Samuel 11:6.) See Exposition. The spirit of the Lord comes on Gideon and he blows the shofar. The spirit of the Lord also came other judges and leaders in his era.

What kind of leader has Gideon's father Joash been up to this point? (6:25b) How does Gideon's action affect his father? (6:30-31) Shouldn't Gideon have considered the impact on his father? How should this have affected Gideon's action? In what sense is Joash a follower of Yahweh now? Joash has been pretty passive up until now, seemingly allowing the people to do pretty much whatever they wanted. Gideon's action affect his father as the altars were on his land and the people now want to kill his son for tearing down the altar. I think Gideon may have considered the impact it would have on his father when he decided to try and keep it a secret that he did the tearing down. In spite of his consideration of his father he must obey the Lord. Joash takes a stand and allows the people to see how powerless Baal and Asteroth really were, he knew the power and reality of Yahweh.

Q3. Can a person be a "disobedient disciple"? Doesn't that represent an oxymoron? Did Gideon have a choice here? Do we have choices Yes a person can be a disciple and be disobedient. The bible is full of examples of just that. Gideon did have a choice. He could have chosen to do nothing. We make our choices every moment of the day.

Q2. How are we to obey the commandment to "Honor your father and your mother" in the kind of situation Gideon finds himself? What justification does Gideon have for his action? (Matthew 10:37). Honor means to treat with respect not necessarily obey. We are to obey our parents "in the Lord",worshipping a false god is not in the Lord. We are to obey God rather than man. When there is a conflict over what is the right thing to do and what are parents tell us to do is in conflict with what the word of God tells us to do, we must obey God.

Q1. Why does God tell Gideon to tear down the Baal altar and Asherah pole? (6:25) What positive thing is he to do in their place? (6:26) What risks are involved in this action. Why does Gideon do this at night? Is the night mission a sign of weakness or faith? (6:27) See Exposition. Having those altars in existence is a direct disobedience to the first two commandments. God is to be worshipped and He alone. He is bringing Gideon into right relationship with Him. Gideon builds an altar to the Lord in their place. Gideon does this at night because he knows the people will try to stop him if they see him do and even kill him. The night mission is a sign of common sense. He was obeying the Lord the best way he know how. God didn't tell him to do it in broad daylight, He just told him to do it and Gideon obeyed in the way he knew best.

What is God's answer to Gideon's self-image? (6:16) Does this spiritual principle apply to our lives as Christians? Can you recall any New Testament passages that teach the same principle? What is an appropriate prayer to pray in light of what God has taught you from this passage? God says Gideon is a mighty warrior. We often look at things the need doing for Christ and feel intimidated, that we aren't talented enough or smart enough, or we think what if this or that happens. This results in stalemate. I think of the scripture in Matthew where Jesus said "with God all things are possible". Lord, you know the end from the beginning. If You are calling me to do this I know that You will enable to perform what You have called me to do. Amen

How did God see Gideon? (6:12) How did Gideon see himself? (6:15). Whose self-perception is most accurate? How can our own self-perception prevent us from becoming what God has made us to be? see exposition. God saw Gideon as the "mighty warrior". Gideon saw himself as the least and weak. God's perception is the most accurate. Our own self-perception can be so crippling that we don't even try to reach out and do things we feel God is calling us to do. We loose our "God perception" and forget that we of ourselves cannot do it, but if God is with us we are "able to go up and take the country."

According to the prophet in 6:7-10, what is the reason for Israel's oppressed state? What commandment did they break? In what way hadn't they "listened"? (see exposition). How does this affect Christians today? They were oppressed because they worshiped false gods and broke the first and second commandments. They did not listen to God when He told them not to worship the gods of the Amorites. Today we slip into worship of other things, people, riches, knowledge, physical appearance, etc.

In what way does Gideon blame God for his troubles in 6:13? (see exposition). Is Gideon's assessment accurate? Why or why not? Why do we blame God? What's the danger and how can we stop short of this in the future? He asks if God is with them why has all this persecution happened to them and why doesn't He deliver them as He did when He brought them out of Egypt. I am sure Gideon felt abandoned by God, in view of his feelings and they way things appeared to him they were accurate, in view of the reality of the situation, his assessment was inaccurate. God was there all the time but Israel had turned its back on Him. We blame God because we are selfish, immature and arrogant. We expect God to be at our beck and call and take care of all our troubles. The danger is the sin of presumption, presuming God will take care of all our troubles. We become angry and it interferes with our love relationship with Him. We can stop short of this in the future by reminding ourselves of His unchanging love. We should examine ourselves and see if there is sin we need to repent of and do so if needed. We need to keep ourselves centered in the Word and know that all things work together for the good of the called in Christ Jesus.

Q4. (4:19-20) In this context, what is the condition that must be met for the promise to be valid? What is the limit of the fulfillment of the promise? In your own words, what does the promise mean to you? The gift must be given out of our resources out of love for God, because we know it will bring Him pleasure. There isn't a limit. To me it means He will meet all my needs spiritual, emotional, physical and financial. However if meeting certain financial requests would harm my spiritual needs God will put my spirit first because as my Father He gives good gifts, ones that He knows will be good for me.

Q3. (4:14-16) How were the Philippians' financial gifts credited to their heavenly account, do you think? How was their giving linked to temporal blessings? I think they were joyful because of their giving, it is more blessed to give than receive. I think they also received blessings in the natural which enabled them to give more to the gospel.

Q1. (4:11-12) How can a "prosperity doctrine" threaten Christian ministry? To what prime motivation in us does such a teaching often appeal? In balance, what does the Bible teach about poverty and riches? The answer is in the word "ministry". Ministry means to serve, to take care of others needs. Giveing to get is not serving. It is keeping the focus on one's self not on Christ or the people He wants us to serve. Prosperity teaching appeals to selfishness and greed. I loved pickledilly's answer from proverbs, to have just enough, not too much and not too little. We saw in our Abraham studies how God does bless people with riches and we see from Paul's life that sometime there are riches and sometimes not so rich. The scripture teaches us that the problem is not how much you have or have not, the problem is the LOVE of money, which is the root of all evil. Prosperity doctrine feeds the love of money.

Q4. (4:8) Why is mind control necessary for success? For mental and spiritual peace? What have you decided to focus on instead of your anxieties? How is this working for you? We must focus our thoughts on our present occupation in order to perform our task properly. If we allow our minds to wander wherever our random thoughts take us we become subject to all sorts of subjects some whick can lead us to sin and/or tremendous anxiety. I have decided to focus on thankfulness. Right now I have extreme stress at work, when I feel like blowing up and walking out, I try to remind myself how thankful I need to be just to have a job. I also pray for the ones who are making life more difficult for me. This does bring me peace and enables me to carry on.