Gideon

When one hears the word judge, one probably thinks of someone in a black robe that is listening to lawyers arguing a case in a courtroom. This image can become very misleading when reading the Book of Judges. The biblical judges were not legal professionals, but were prophets and warriors. Each Judge must be specially called, and qualified by the influence of the Holy Spirit. (Gordon). My main focus is Gideon, who was called by God to do a wonderful thing.

Gideon is a Hebrew name meaning “Hewer”, or “Feller”. Gideon lived in the 13th Century BC. He is the youngest son of Joash, the great warrior of Abiezrite. Gideon had seventy sons and was a farmer who lived with his family in the small town of Ophrah and worked the family lands outside of the town. Although Gideon is portrayed as being small in stature, he was a man who didn’t give up easily.

Gideon is the 6th Judge of Israel. Before saving Israel from the Midianites, God told Gideon to put his family’s house in order and to destroy Baal to establish the Lord God of Israel as Lord over his home. Gideon then secretly cut down the Baal altar at night. It was Gideon’s father who kept the townspeople from lynching him when they discovered what he had done. G

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Ham or Khawm, in Hebrew means black, hot, and burnt. Gideon died at a good old age, and was buried in the tomb of his father Joash. This showed that God was only interested in the smaller group who were more watchful and alert, and didn’t give themselves over completely to their naturally needs. If there were any harvest at all, the Midianites would come back and take it for themselves. Although Gideon felt like he wasn’t worthy, God chose him. ” The light of 300 torches and the sound of their trumpets disturbed the dark soundless night. Gideon leads his army to a hillside beside the spring of Harod where the Midianite camp was just below them. The Lord told Gideon “By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand. Through theses chain of events, the Lord had strengthened the weak faith of Gideon, giving him signs of His existence. When it came time to deliver Israel from the hand of the Midian, God went to the smallest tribe, to the least family within that tribe, and chose the youngest member of that family, Gideon, to deliver Israel. After Gideon’s death, his non-legitimate son Abimelech succeeded him, who seemed to have all the courage, vigor and energy of his father, but he also had restless ambition, reckless unscrupulousness, and daring impiety. They also took any sheep or cattle the Israelites had.

Approximate Word count = 1387
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)

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