JUDGES 6
Gideon's Doubts; God's Assurances
In the account found in Judges chapter 6, we find Gideon questioning, and God responding.
Perhaps we can learn from what we find here.
Gideon questions: (Judges 6:13,15)
1) Divine Presence - "IF the Lord is with us"
2) God's Purposes - "WHY then has all this happened to us?"
3) Present Relevance - "Where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about"?
4) Personal Participation - "How can "I" save Israel"?
In response, God gives assurance of:
1) His presence - Judges 6:12 "the Angel of the Lord appeared to him, and said to him, “The Lord is with you,"
2) His purpose - Judges 6:14 "...you shall save Israel from the hand of the Midianites. Have I not sent you?”
3) His power - Judges 6:16 "Surely I will be with you, and you shall defeat the Midianites as one man.”
So, let's talk first about God's PRESENCE, and we start by making the distinction between perception and reality. Reality is that God IS present. Our perceptions do not always match up. At times we do not "feel" like God is present, but the reality does not change. Feelings are often deceptive. It is terrible to "feel" alone or abandoned. It is much worse to actually BE alone or abandoned. If you are a child of God, you are never alone. We can learn from the account in Joshua 5:13-15 that the real question needing to be asked is NOT "Is the Lord WITH US", but rather, are we with Him. Some relevant Scriptures would seem to be:Psalm 37:28 "For the Lord loves justice, And does not forsake His saints; They are preserved forever,"
2 Cor. 4:9 "We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken;"
Deut. 31:6 " Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”
Matt 28:20 "and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
John 14:18 " I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you."
Remember that Jesus is "Immanuel", that is to say God with us".
Next, a few comments regarding God's PURPOSES.
God IS a god of purpose. He had a purpose in creating mankind. He had a purpose in sending His Son Jesus to die on a cross for our sins. He has a purpose in His imminent return to earth to set up His kingdom. He has a purpose for you and me.
Purpose provides: Direction, Motivation and Stability.
Those are things God wants us to have.
One of the many lessons we can learn from the Bible's history of Israel is that God DID have purpose for Israel - but they forsook HIS purposes and followed their own instead.
You can read more about God's purpose for you HERE.
Let's move on and talk briefly about RELEVANCE.
The truth is that there is nothing more relevant to our lives than God and His Word!
Because God IS truth and because His Word is truth, both are relevant.
The idea of relevance carries with it meaningfulness, applicability, usefulness, importance.
God's word is our authority for faith and practice - what could be more relevant?
God purposed for His Word to be relevant - cross-culturally, across the span of centuries, across the span of individual human experiences, geographic locations, etc. In addition, because His word is personal it is relevant.
"All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work." (2 Tim. 3:16)
"Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition..." (1 Cor. 10:11)
All of which incorporates personal participation. God's purposes involve YOU and so you must be participating.
In Acts 9 we read of the Damascus Road experience by which Saul of Tarsus became Paul. Paul's response to God's revelation was “Lord, what do You want me to do?” He was about to get involved in God's purpose for converting him. Is that a question YOU regularly ask God? It will be, if you desire to participate in His purposes.
What about the POWER of God?
That should actually be an easy one - but because of unbelief it is often not so obvious.
God has power to create, to save, to deliver, to change us, power over "nature", and so much more.
In Greek there are two different words that are translated power, both of which apply to God!
The Greek word "exousia" is "power" in the sense of authority.
In Matt. 28:18 we read that "And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth."
In the account in Matthew 9, we read in verse 6 "But that you may know that the Son of Man has power [authority] on earth to forgive sins...”
"The Greek word "dunamis' is "power" in the sense of strength.
"Jesus answered and said to them, “You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God." (Matt. 22:29)
In Ephesians 1:19-21 we read "...and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come."
In 2 Cor. 13:4 Paul writes "For though He was crucified in weakness, yet He lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in Him, but we shall live with Him by the power of God toward you."
If you are a born again child of God, you may have every Biblical assurance:
1) that God is PRESENT with you,
2) that God has PURPOSE for you,
3) that God and His Word are relevant for your everyday life (and the life to come!), and
4) that God's power (both His authority and His strength) are sufficient to accomplish His purposes.
"being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;" (Philippians 1:6)
"And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work." (2 Cor. 9:8)
"Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him,..." (Hebrews 7:25)
"Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, To God our Savior, Who alone is wise, Be glory and majesty, Dominion and power, Both now and forever. Amen." (Jude 1:24-25)
Perhaps we can learn from what we find here.
Gideon questions: (Judges 6:13,15)
1) Divine Presence - "IF the Lord is with us"
2) God's Purposes - "WHY then has all this happened to us?"
3) Present Relevance - "Where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about"?
4) Personal Participation - "How can "I" save Israel"?
In response, God gives assurance of:
1) His presence - Judges 6:12 "the Angel of the Lord appeared to him, and said to him, “The Lord is with you,"
2) His purpose - Judges 6:14 "...you shall save Israel from the hand of the Midianites. Have I not sent you?”
3) His power - Judges 6:16 "Surely I will be with you, and you shall defeat the Midianites as one man.”
So, let's talk first about God's PRESENCE, and we start by making the distinction between perception and reality. Reality is that God IS present. Our perceptions do not always match up. At times we do not "feel" like God is present, but the reality does not change. Feelings are often deceptive. It is terrible to "feel" alone or abandoned. It is much worse to actually BE alone or abandoned. If you are a child of God, you are never alone. We can learn from the account in Joshua 5:13-15 that the real question needing to be asked is NOT "Is the Lord WITH US", but rather, are we with Him. Some relevant Scriptures would seem to be:Psalm 37:28 "For the Lord loves justice, And does not forsake His saints; They are preserved forever,"
2 Cor. 4:9 "We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken;"
Deut. 31:6 " Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”
Matt 28:20 "and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
John 14:18 " I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you."
Remember that Jesus is "Immanuel", that is to say God with us".
Next, a few comments regarding God's PURPOSES.
God IS a god of purpose. He had a purpose in creating mankind. He had a purpose in sending His Son Jesus to die on a cross for our sins. He has a purpose in His imminent return to earth to set up His kingdom. He has a purpose for you and me.
Purpose provides: Direction, Motivation and Stability.
Those are things God wants us to have.
One of the many lessons we can learn from the Bible's history of Israel is that God DID have purpose for Israel - but they forsook HIS purposes and followed their own instead.
You can read more about God's purpose for you HERE.
Let's move on and talk briefly about RELEVANCE.
The truth is that there is nothing more relevant to our lives than God and His Word!
Because God IS truth and because His Word is truth, both are relevant.
The idea of relevance carries with it meaningfulness, applicability, usefulness, importance.
God's word is our authority for faith and practice - what could be more relevant?
God purposed for His Word to be relevant - cross-culturally, across the span of centuries, across the span of individual human experiences, geographic locations, etc. In addition, because His word is personal it is relevant.
"All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work." (2 Tim. 3:16)
"Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition..." (1 Cor. 10:11)
All of which incorporates personal participation. God's purposes involve YOU and so you must be participating.
In Acts 9 we read of the Damascus Road experience by which Saul of Tarsus became Paul. Paul's response to God's revelation was “Lord, what do You want me to do?” He was about to get involved in God's purpose for converting him. Is that a question YOU regularly ask God? It will be, if you desire to participate in His purposes.
What about the POWER of God?
That should actually be an easy one - but because of unbelief it is often not so obvious.
God has power to create, to save, to deliver, to change us, power over "nature", and so much more.
In Greek there are two different words that are translated power, both of which apply to God!
The Greek word "exousia" is "power" in the sense of authority.
In Matt. 28:18 we read that "And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth."
In the account in Matthew 9, we read in verse 6 "But that you may know that the Son of Man has power [authority] on earth to forgive sins...”
"The Greek word "dunamis' is "power" in the sense of strength.
"Jesus answered and said to them, “You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God." (Matt. 22:29)
In Ephesians 1:19-21 we read "...and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come."
In 2 Cor. 13:4 Paul writes "For though He was crucified in weakness, yet He lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in Him, but we shall live with Him by the power of God toward you."
If you are a born again child of God, you may have every Biblical assurance:
1) that God is PRESENT with you,
2) that God has PURPOSE for you,
3) that God and His Word are relevant for your everyday life (and the life to come!), and
4) that God's power (both His authority and His strength) are sufficient to accomplish His purposes.
"being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;" (Philippians 1:6)
"And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work." (2 Cor. 9:8)
"Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him,..." (Hebrews 7:25)
"Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, To God our Savior, Who alone is wise, Be glory and majesty, Dominion and power, Both now and forever. Amen." (Jude 1:24-25)