Diana Erbskorn

God knew the hearts of the Israelites, that they were a prideful people. He knew them more than they knew themselves and knew what the outcome would be if he allowed their army to dominate and win because of their numbers. Shrinking of the army was necessary because through the eyes of men seeing their numbers as they were at 32,000 at least they would have a fighting chance against the Midianites. With the present army of men they had and if they won they could go around boasting and giving themselves the credit for the victory. God knew that they would be blinded by their own pride and not see God's hand in the victory. They would only see themselves as victors and give themselves the glory. So God took what could have been a mighty army and shrunk it to an impossible army to win an impossible battle. God had a plan. He took what would be impossible odds for any army, 300 against 135,000. God used man's visual fears. A battle that would be virtually impossible to win in numbers would become a battle of great faith. So the battle itself became a spiritual battle allowing a faithful leader, Gideon, to lead them and for all to trust the Lord that His word was good. God alone would receive the glory as he used man to accomplish his purpose. His purpose being that the Israelites would not see themselves in the victory but that they were being used by God to accomplish his purposes; God would receive the glory. Pressures Gideon might have felt if he did not obey and shrink his army- Major guilt for not obeying for the rest of his life; not being able to reap the many blessings of God; possible death. Gideon was able to obey God fully because God showed himself to Gideon through the fleece and again through the dream of the enemy. God gave Gideon the confidence he needed to accomplish a impossible feat, through God's leading. God made himself known to Gideon more than once. Gideon listened, he questioned, he learned, he saw God as he worked through each circumstance, he became stronger, his faith grew, and he became a mighty warrior for God's army. Prov. 3:5,6- Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge him and he will direct your paths.

2. They worshiped other gods, the gods of the Amorites. They broke the 2nd commandment. God of their fathers is not first in their lives, they have not forgotten him but put him on the back burner and replaced him with other gods, another country's god. We are doing the same today, replacing God with the love of money, success, society, materialism, sports. What do we put first in our daily lives? God or our passion? I find myself falling short each day being caught up in business. I tell myself I will set aside my quiet time in a few minutes when I get my laundry done, when I finish the dishes, after I send a letter to my friend, when I get off the phone, after the game tonight, or just before I go to bed.... the next thing I know I am so tired I have no time for God and the lights are turned off.... What kind of a relationship is that? I am no different than the Israelites who have rejected God and turned their backs on him for other things, other gods. A relationship with God on a daily basis takes work, takes time, and it takes a committment.... God forgive me.

Gideon is focusing on his present circumstances. He sees the difficult circumstances the Midianites have brought upon the Israelites. For 7 years they have been afflicted, persecuted and beaten. They fear the strength of the Midianites and hide in caves in the mountains. Gideon as well as all the Israelites know the stories of their heritage of how God had taken them from slavery in Egypt and brought them into the promised land. Here they are now, in the promised land expecting peace and what do they have but conflict and persecution. They are blinded by the truth of what God has told them. They have been disobedient. They are worshiping other gods. Yet, they are expecting the God of their fathers to save them from their enemies. The blame falls on God. It is his fault that they are in the situation that they are in. They are blinded by their own humanity, their own lusts and passions. I think that the reason God appears to Gideon is that he is pondering these things over and over again in his mind. He does not have answers but he is searching and God choses him to be his "Mighty Warrior." Gideon's assessment is incorrect in that though he has faith, his faith is weak because he does not see the big picture like God does. He doesn't like the pain and discomfort that suffering and fear bring. He has shown himself human. No human likes to suffer and face the fear of not knowing what lies ahead in the future, in sickness or in health. Blaming God is a cop out a form of weakness. The danger is that without God we will struggle and suffer without inner peace. There is a lack of understanding and there is hopelessness. With God we will still struggle and suffer but we have that inner peace that only God gives. He gives us the Holy Spirit within that gives us the knowledge of himself and we are able to see beyond the inevitable to an eternal reward. We have hope. we have peace.