Judg 6:1 | KingComments | STEP | Gideon is not a deliverer about whom only one verse is written, as about Shamgar. Nor is he a deliverer standing in the shadow of a woman, like Barak. In Gideon we have a deliverer who is raised up and trained by God Himself. In contrast to the above mentioned judges, Gideon enables us to see his personal exercises and how he is led to align with God’s thoughts. God goes to work with Gideon. With wisdom and patience He makes Gideon an instrument that He can use to bless His people. The way God deals with Gideon is an example of how God prepares everyone who knows and loves Him and desires to serve Him to perform a service for Him. This service does not consist of a one-off action, but of a whole life of service. After forty years of rest, it again happens. A new generation has emerged in Israel. For them, God’s interference with His people in the past is nothing but a thing of the past. This new generation is no better than their fathers. They also do what is evil in the sight of the LORD. Again God must let His discipline come upon the people. He loves them too much to let them go on the wrong path. God wants to deal with His people. He would like to tell them what lives in His heart for them. He would also like them to tell Him what is in their hearts for Him. How it must grieve God to see His people react to all His love in this way. He wants to instruct and teach His people through their fellowship with Him. If they don’t want to, He must instruct and teach them through the hands of an enemy. This time God uses Midian. Midian is a family people of Israel. They are connected with each other through Abraham. Midian is a son of Abraham and Ketura ( ). Seven years, which speaks of a complete period, the Israelites sigh under this domination. The name Midian means ‘strife’. Is this enemy not recognizable in the lives of many deviated Christians? Is he not also present in communities of faith where people are at odds with each other? In the following verses we see the effect of this.

‏ Judges 6:1

Introduction

Gideon is not a deliverer about whom only one verse is written, as about Shamgar. Nor is he a deliverer standing in the shadow of a woman, like Barak. In Gideon we have a deliverer who is raised up and trained by God Himself. In contrast to the above mentioned judges, Gideon enables us to see his personal exercises and how he is led to align with God’s thoughts.

God goes to work with Gideon. With wisdom and patience He makes Gideon an instrument that He can use to bless His people. The way God deals with Gideon is an example of how God prepares everyone who knows and loves Him and desires to serve Him to perform a service for Him. This service does not consist of a one-off action, but of a whole life of service.

Given Into the Hands of Midian

After forty years of rest, it again happens. A new generation has emerged in Israel. For them, God’s interference with His people in the past is nothing but a thing of the past. This new generation is no better than their fathers. They also do what is evil in the sight of the LORD. Again God must let His discipline come upon the people. He loves them too much to let them go on the wrong path.

God wants to deal with His people. He would like to tell them what lives in His heart for them. He would also like them to tell Him what is in their hearts for Him. How it must grieve God to see His people react to all His love in this way. He wants to instruct and teach His people through their fellowship with Him. If they don’t want to, He must instruct and teach them through the hands of an enemy.

This time God uses Midian. Midian is a family people of Israel. They are connected with each other through Abraham. Midian is a son of Abraham and Ketura (Gen 25:1-2). Seven years, which speaks of a complete period, the Israelites sigh under this domination. The name Midian means ‘strife’. Is this enemy not recognizable in the lives of many deviated Christians? Is he not also present in communities of faith where people are at odds with each other? In the following verses we see the effect of this.