JUDGES 7:1-8:17
SIFTING PROCESS: The Place: The well of Harod (means "Fountain of Trembling", "To shudder with terror and fear.") Roughly 1 in 100 made it through the sifting process. The fearful and afraid were disqualified immediately (just like at Kadesh-barnea); and 9,700 were undisciplined, drank without vigilance. Actually 7:4 says that GOD sifted them. 300 made it through the sifting process. Noah's Ark was 300 cubits long (Gen 6:15) and the woman's anointing oil in Mark 14:3-6 was worth 300 pence, the Holy of Holies was 10 x 10 x 10. 300 in Hebrew is written with a shin, which stands for El Shaddai. Conclusion: Gideon's 300 were an elite, matured, seasoned, inner-circle, church-within-the-church group.
BARLEY CAKE IN THE NIGHT: Gideon took Phurah with him to listen to what the enemy was saying in their camp. A loaf of bread is symbolic of the Body of Christ - it rolled out of the church and into the tents of wickedness. It was "the sword of Gideon" and symbolized the defeat of the Midianites. With the assurance of victory, Gideon worshipped.
MEANS OF GIDEON'S VICTORY: He saw the immense resources and powerful confederacy of the world around him. The vast numbers of the enemy spread out over whole valley. He was just a loaf of bread:
(1) Trumpets - voice of God.
(2) Empty pitchers - Emptied men, only fit to be broken. BUT, they held
(3) Lamps - the Life of Jesus ("treasure in earthen vessels" 2Co 4:1-10).
SECRET OF GIDEON'S VICTORY:
(1) Attacked at night - pressed forward in the dark.
(2) Persevered even when there was internal discord.
(3) Endurance and perseverance after his breakthrough. Exploit the victory by utilizing
momentum.
DIFFICULTIES & SNARES:
(1) Contention with Ephraim (internal discord). Deep humility is the answer.
(2) "Faint yet pursuing". 2Co 4:16 "outward man was perishing". But we live from the life of God (energy of faith). Stay focused.
(3) Flattery from the enemy can lead to self-confidence.
(4) Flattery from the people of God can lead to idolatry (self-appointments)
RESPONSE: Even good things can become a snare. After great victories, things can go to your head. The momentum gained through breakthrough needs to be optimized by plunging forward. Make the victory complete. Keep your eye on the prize: God's Presence and God's pleasure.
LUKE 23:13-43
OUT OF THE MOUTH OF TWO WITNESSES: Herod and Pilate both declared Jesus to be "not guilty".
THE KING ON THE CROSS: The cross reveals the deadly vileness of sin, God’s terrible judgment, God's amazing love, and our amazing Savior. For 15 hours Jesus was in the hands of wicked men. All that is behind him now. Wicked hands have done all they can do. Jesus now returned to his Father’s hands. He gave up His life, no one took it. "Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again." (John 10:17-18)
HOW JESUS DIED:
(1) Jesus knew it was His time to die.
(2) He wasn’t afraid of death.
(3) He died with his life completed ("It is finished".)
(4) He died without anger or bitterness.
(5) He died in complete control of his senses and his circumstances.
(6) He died knowing where he was going—back into the Father’s hands.
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE DIE? The death of Jesus is a model of how believers face death. We are not afraid. We are not filled with regrets. If we suffer, we hold fast to the promises of God and know that heaven awaits. For the followers of Jesus, death has lost its sting and the grave its victory.
(1) Our body is buried and our spirit goes immediately into God's visible Presence.
(2) We pass from this life into the spirit realm. It is like passing through a curtain.
(3) We are in the Father’s hands.
RESPONSE: Jesus handed Himself over to the Father, NOT to the devil. He was like a child in His Father's arms at that point. Completely trusting the Father. Isn't that how we want to die? No matter the circumstances, we turn ourselves over to the Father and trust Him. I want to die well! But first I have to live well. The fear of death is gone. See Hebrews 2:14-15 and with the fear of death, so too the phobias that get their strength from the fear of death. Death no longer has any victory. That last enemy is defeated!
PSALM 97:1-98:9
THE CONQUEROR HAS ARRIVED! Psa 97 & 98 are another call to worship. There is cause to rejoice: Our God is far above all gods, and high above the earth. He preserves our lives and delivers us out of the hands of our enemies. When Jesus is Lord of our lives, His judgments bring order to our lives.
MAKE A JOYFUL NOISE: Literally "to split the ears" . To shout for joy.
GOD'S SPECTACULAR APPEARANCE: "All the ends of the earth shall see...." The seas roar. The floods clap. The hills rejoice. While we "make a loud noise and rejoice and sing praise."
PROVERBS 14:7-8
"Stay away from a foolish man". Paul said, "Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you: And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith." (2 Thess 3:1-2) Avoid intimacy with a fool, so you don't become polluted. Foolishness is contagious.
RESPONSE: Keep reading these Psalms to yourself - teach yourself to praise God for Who He is, not just what He does. These are good Psalms for calming your heart, and getting it to submit to God's care. Acknowledge that God is in control and will restore right order. Despite appearances to the contrary, God is in control. God is at work. God sees it all.
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