THE FAITH OF GEDEON
Thursday – June 7, 2018, Sivan 24, 5778
Greetings and welcome back to this faith building Bible study from the Book of Hebrews. We are all given a measure of faith, the same faith God has at the new birth, however, it is our responsibility to build or develop that faith to the mountain moving level. I will be moving forward today in our study, so let us turn our attention to our primary text and read aloud.
Hebrews 11:31-33 (KJV)
31 By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.
32 And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:
33 Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,
I have just finished the study of Joshua, Jericho, and Rahab and many wonderful lessons were studied, learned, and are now being implemented in each of our lives. Our human author of Hebrews tells us by the Spirit of God that there is not enough time to talk about the faith of many others from which we can learn much. He or she does mention a few names and we will take a little time to review some of them as part of our faith building process. The name “Gedeon” in our text is the man Gideon, who was one of the Judges of Israel, and his story is found in the Book of Judges chapters six, seven, and eight. The following is a wonderful summary of Gideon’s life copied word for word from the Complete Word Study Dictionary.
Gedeón; masc. proper noun, transliterated from the Hebr. Gidʿōn (<H1439>, OT), a hewer. Gideon, the son of Joash and fifth judge of Israel. He first comes into notice when an angel appears to him under the oak in Ophrah and assures him of God’s special favor (Judg. 6:11, 12). Subsequently, God commanded him to offer as a sacrifice to the Lord the bullock which his father had set apart for Baal and to destroy the altar of Baal. He did both, but only escaped the murderous wrath of his fellow citizens through the wily intervention of his father (Judg. 6:31). The great works of Gideon’s life were the abolition of idolatry (Judg. 8:33) and the deliverance of the land from the invasions of the Midianites. Before undertaking the latter enterprise, he secured a pledge of the divine favor in the phenomena of the dew and the fleece (Judg. 6:36-40). God, desirous of showing the victory to be the immediate result of supernatural agency, diminished Gideon’s army from 32,000 to 300. With this small force, Gideon completely terrified and successfully routed the enemy in an assault by night (Judg. 7:15-21). Gideon refused the crown (Judg. 8:23) from the whole nation, which his son, Abimelech, afterward received from a part of the people. Gideon judged Israel for forty years (Judg. 8:28), and the nation enjoyed peace and engaged in the worship of God (Judg. 8:33). He was one of her greatest rulers and is honorably mentioned in Heb. 11:32. The Complete Word Study Dictionary – New Testament.
When we first find Gideon, he is hiding from the Midianites. In spite of his apparent cowardice God through an angel calls him a “mighty man of valour”.
Judges 6:12 (KJV)
12 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour.
This is God calling things that be not as though they are. He does that in each of our lives as well. Will we receive it and walk it out in faith by love? We saw God calling things that be not as though they are already with Abram when God changed his name to Abraham. We are to do the same as our Heavenly Father. Many are reluctant to say they are healed for example when by all appearance they are obviously ill believing it to be lying. If God says we are already healed by the strips of Jesus and we say we are not than we are calling God, the Word of God, a liar. The Word of God is the highest level of Truth in the spirit or natural realms. For us to say something contrary to the Word of God is to lie. We are to confess that the Word of God says we are healed and our faith is in the process of appropriating that healing into the physical realm.
Our level of faith in a particular area determines the time required for manifestation. Just because a person has faith in the Covenant to bring wealth into their life does not mean they have faith to bring healing and health into their life. God needed a man to deliver Israel, He saw something in Gideon that could be developed for that very task. God sees things and has placed talents and gifts in you and me that He can develop if we will allow Him. He wants each of us to be essential persons, exercising great faith for the Kingdom of God. He wants His Glory (goodness) to shine from us at home, in the community, and in the Church. God did not take Gideon from hiding behind the barn immediately to destroying the idols of the people and the Midianites. Step by step the faith of Gideon was built until Israel was again prosperous and serving God.
Judges 8:28 (KJV)
28 Thus was Midian subdued before the children of Israel, so that they lifted up their heads no more. And the country was in quietness forty years in the days of Gideon.
Repeatedly God raised up strong leaders for Israel and over and over again they backslide as soon as that leader died. The great mass of the people need strong uncompromising leadership committed to the ways of God and none other for they are one death (one generation) away from returning to pagan idols.
Judges 8:33 (KJV)
33 And it came to pass, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the children of Israel turned again, and went a whoring after Baalim, and made Baalberith their god.
Let each of us examine ourselves to be sure we have cast down all idols and are serving the One True God. Have we sacrificed the bullock that was intended for one of those idols to our God instead? Let us determine with diligence that we will never return to the idols. Until our next publication, I speak this Scriptural prayer for your life right now, receive it in the name of Jesus, confess it, and walk it out with thanksgiving.
Numbers 6:24-26 (AMP)
24 The Lord bless you and watch, guard, and keep you;
25 The Lord make His face to shine upon and enlighten you and be gracious (kind, merciful, and giving favor) to you;
26 The Lord lift up His [approving] countenance upon you and give you peace (tranquility of heart and life continually).
By: Dr. David Wood, Author, Bible Teacher, and Prophetic Voice
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