The Book of Judges Series – Revival in the Land 2/14/21
“In those days there was no king in Israel; every man did
what was right in his own eyes.”
Judges 17:6; 21:25 (NASB)
Introduction-“Who will go up for us…” (1:1-3)
I. Background of the period of the judges-The reason for Israel’s apostasy (1:4-3:6)
A. The political background-Hostilities between Israel and the Canaanites (1:4-36)
B. The spiritual background – Israel’s conduct and God’s response (2:1-3:6)
II. History of the period of the judges-The record of Israel’s apostasy (3:7-16:31)
A. 1st apostasy-Mesopotamian oppression-Othniel’s deliverance (3:7-14)
B. 2nd apostasy-Moabite oppression-Ehud’s deliverance (3:12-30)
C. 3rd apostasy-Canaanite oppression-Deborah/Barak (4:1-5:31)
- Part 1: The story – Deliverance through a woman (4:1-24)
- Part 2: The song following Israel’s victory over the Canaanites (5:1-31)
D. 4th Apostasy-Midianite oppression-Gideon’s deliverance (6:1-8:35) - Part 1: The Call of Gideon (6:1-24)
- Part 2: God tests His people to prepare them for service (6:25-32)
- Part 3: Gideon prepares for war with the Midianites – Signs (6:33-40)
*How do we know what God wants us to do? The importance of “signs.” - Part 4: Gideon’s victory is in the strength of the LORD (7:1-25)
a. The Historical and geographical setting of the story (v.1)
b. God preserves His victory – He wants us to know it’s Him! (vv.2-3)
c. God left no doubt that the coming victory would be His doing! (vv.4-8)
d. God revealed how His victory would be won – confusion (vv.9-14)
e. “The Battle Belongs to the LORD” (it really does! (v.15-18)
(1) Gideon’s (God-given strategy (vv.15-18)
(2) Gideon’s victory – Gideon’s army “stands”- God delivers (vv.19-22)
f. Battle already won – but “mop-up” operations still required (vv.23-24)
Conclusion: Midianite leaders pursued and killed (v.25) - Part 5: Gideon completes his conquest of Midian (8:1-27)
Conclusion – 40 years of peace (8:28-35)
Key Verse(s) *Gideon’s battle against a physical enemy like spiritual warfare today
Judges 7:2-3 (NASB) *Success coupled with pride can be spiritually destructive
“The LORD said to Gideon, ‘The people who are with you are too many for Me to give
Midian into their hands, for Israel would become boastful, saying, ‘My own power
has delivered me.’ Now therefore come, proclaim in the hearing of the people, saying,
‘Whoever is afraid and trembling, let him return and depart from Mount Gilead.’ So
22,000 people returned, but 10,000 remained.’“
“…if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and
pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear
from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”
2 Chronicles 7:14 (NKJV)
Judges 7:1-25 “Gideon’s Victory”
“Now the angel of the LORD…said…’I will never break My covenant…’”
Judges 2:1 (NASB)
Key Verses- “The Battle Belongs to the LORD” (it really does)!
Judges 7:4-6 (NASB) *The LORD arranges the situation so we have to depend on Him!
“Then the LORD said to Gideon, ‘The people are still too many; bring them down to
the water and I will test them for you there. Therefore it shall be that he of whom I
say to you, ‘This one shall go with you,’ he shall go with you; but everyone of whom
I say to you, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ he shall not go.’ So he brought the
people down to the water. And the LORD said to Gideon, ‘You shall separate everyone
who laps the water with his tongue as a dog laps, as well as everyone who kneels to
drink.’ Now the number of those who lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, was
300 men; but all the rest of the people kneeled to drink water.”
Judges 7:7 (NASB) *The LORD wants us to know all we really need is Him!
“The LORD said to Gideon, ‘I will deliver you with the 300 men who lapped and will
give the Midianites into your hands; so let all the other people go, each man to his
home.’”
Key x-References- How we fight our battles – literal or spiritual – by FAITH!
Deuteronomy 20:1 (NASB) * Those who trust in the LORD do not need to fear [~ B.C]
“When you go out to battle against your enemies and see horses and chariots and
people more numerous than you, do not be afraid of them; for the LORD your God,
who brought you up from the land of Egypt, is with you.“
Proverbs 21:31 (NASB) *We must do our part – but victory comes from the LORD
“The horse is prepared for the day of battle, But victory belongs to the LORD.”
Romans 7:21-23 (NASB) *Our battles today are mostly internal and/or spiritual
“I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good.
For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, but I see a different law in
the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a
prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members.”
2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (NASB) *The battle Christians face is largely in our mind
“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the
weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up
against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the
obedience of Christ…”
Ephesians 6:12 (NASB) *Our greatest enemies are spiritual and demonic
“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the
powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of
wickedness in the heavenly places.”
Key Terms (most words have a ‘field of meaning’ —> various translations)
“deliver” (v.2,7) Hebrew #3467 (209x), NASB yasha, prim. root: to deliver:– e.g. deliver(41), help* (14, preserve (1), safe (1), save* (123), savior (13), victorious (2)
Note: One of the Hebrew root words for “Joshua” and “Jesus” (“Savior” cf. Matthew 1:21)
“If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.”