"FOR THE LORD AND FOR GIDEON" - WAS GIDEON TAKING A SHARE OF GOD'S GLORY?

When I blow the trumpet, I and all who are with me, then blow the trumpets also on every side of all the camp and shout, ‘For the Lord and for Gideon.’” Judges 7:18

So who was Gideon? He was a key figure among the judges of Israel. He was not specifically called a judge but his biblical history is sandwiched between those who were called judges. More importantly than having a title of judge, he was specifically called by God to do the same things He had called the judges for -

Then the LORD raised up judges, who saved them out of the hand of those who plundered them. ....Whenever the LORD raised up judges for them, the LORD was with the judge, and he saved them from the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge. For the LORD was moved to pity by their groaning because of those who afflicted and oppressed them. Judges 2:16-18

Upon first reading this it didn't seem right that the command to shout "For the Lord and for Gideon" had been given. Alone it sounds like Gideon is trying to share some of the glory that God alone should be receiving. That was my thoughts upon my first reading.

Upon my second reading, the command for the shout made sense. It did not at all seem as if Gideon was trying to receive some of the glory from God. In fact, it seems to be God inspired.

In the context God recognized that Gideon was afraid to do what He was asking. So He said to Gideon,

“Arise, go down against the camp, for I have given it into your hand. But if you are afraid to go down, go down to the camp with Purah your servant. And you shall hear what they say, and afterward your hands shall be strengthened to go down against the camp.” Judges 7:9-11

God knows our hearts and He knows how to calm our fears.

So Gideon went down, with his servant, near the outposts to the camp of the Midianites and the Amalekites. He was out of their sight but he could see,

The Midianites and the Amalekites and all the people of the East lay along the valley like locusts in abundance, and their camels were without number, as the sand that is on the seashore in abundance. Judges 7:12

In other words they far outnumbered his army. This sight alone would be enough to put fear into Gideon's heart. The Scripture does not say. But it does say that after observing this Gideon overheard two guards speaking. This conversation that he overhears is the exact reason why God had sent him down to the camp.

When Gideon came, behold, a man was telling a dream to his comrade. And he said, “Behold, I dreamed a dream, and behold, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the camp of Midian and came to the tent and struck it so that it fell and turned it upside down, so that the tent lay flat.” And his comrade answered, “This is no other than the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel; God has given into his hand Midian and all the camp.” Judges 7:13-14

Upon hearing this, what was Gideon's response,

As soon as Gideon heard the telling of the dream and its interpretation, he worshiped. Judges 7:15a

He also took immediate command and action,

And he returned to the camp of Israel and said, “Arise, for the Lord has given the host of Midian into your hand.”...When I come to the outskirts of the camp, do as I do. When I blow the trumpet, I and all who are with me, then blow the trumpets also on every side of all the camp and shout, 'For the LORD and for Gideon.'" Judges 7:7:15b;17b-18

So why did he tell the men to shout, "For the Lord and for Gideon." Was he trying to share the glory with God? I believe that Gideon was capitalizing on what God had allowed him to overhear. If one man knew of Gideon and His God, then surely others had heard of him and His God too. So this shout in itself would put fear into the hearts of the Midianites. The context bears this out,

And they cried out, "A sword for the LORD and for Gideon!" Every man (all of Gideon's men) stood in his place around the camp, and all the army ran. They cried out and fled. Judges 7:20b-21

So what application can we draw from this.

Notice the wording of the interpretation of the dream,

“This is no other than the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel; God has given into his hand Midian and all the camp.” Judges 7:14

The clear meaning is, God would be the one to defeat the Midianites and their allies. But He would do so through an instrument, "the sword of Gideon" We too, are instruments in God's hands. He is continually at work in this world against His enemies. But for some reason he is pleased to use us to do so. So remember the next time you are confronted with the enemy/enemies of God the shout of Gideon and his army,

"A sword for the LORD and for Gideon!"

You may want to personalize it as I myself will do, "A sword for the LORD and for Ernie!"

Brothers and Sisters, God is at work in you. You are His instruments for righteousness in this world. We are the means by which His enemies will be defeated. And we are the means, through the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, by which He will save the world.

All Glory to God who is pleased to work through such lowly creatures as ourselves!

Book Review - SEASONS OF GRACE #3: THE TELLING by Beverly Lewis

Despite the fact that this was the final part of a trilogy, I did not feel I was jumping into the middle of a story. It very easily stands on its own.

Aimee Lilly, wonderfully reads the story. Using various voices for the different characters added to the realness of the story. Her voice was easy to listen to and her diction was flawless.

I could not testify to the accuracy of the Amish community portrayed, but the depiction of the story seemed real. That is because, it is not just an Amish story, it is a human story, a story of sin, consequences, confession, redemption, and forgiveness (both God’s and man’s). This human story has been authentically portrayed. The everyday conversations had a ring of reality to them. Even the spiritual conversations were natural, not strained at all. Their conversations, questions and answers, were ones that I myself might have been involved in.

The title of the story, The Telling, refers to a time of public confession, a revealing of hidden sins. It was easy to enter into the anguish over the sin to be confessed. It was just as easy to enter into the humble private confessions and prayers that were uttered to God before family and friends ever knew.

How family, friends, and church community responded demonstrated the reality of the consequences of sin. But it was the ultimate response, from the Amish community, of redemption and forgiveness that shines as the main theme of the book. When life is lived like this,forgiving as God in Christ has forgiven us, we are shown Christianity as it should be. As a result God is glorified.

I wholeheartedly recommend this audio book. It is offered by http://www.christianaudio.com/. It was a pleasure to be able to review this book for the christianaudio Reviewers Program.