Gideon: From Weakness Made Strong
by David Gibson
God called Gideon during a period called “the dark ages of Israel.” What can we learn from Gideon’s experience to help us through the encroaching darkness of our day? A lot!
Weak Faith
The angel told Gideon, “The Lord is with you, O valiant warrior,” and “Go in this your strength and deliver Israel from the hand of Midian. Have I not sent you?” (Judges 6:12, 14).
Gideon believed Israel’s glory days were over (Judges 6:13), that God had forsaken his nation (Judges 6:13, 15), and that he himself was unequal to the task (Judges 6:15).
God went out of His way to bolster Gideon’s faith by providing him with four supernatural assurances and two hard tests.
Growing Faith
The first sign involved the angel igniting Gideon’s sacrifice (Judges 6:17-24). God then gave Gideon his first test: to destroy his father’s pagan altar (Judges 6:25-32). Despite their fear, Gideon and his servants demolished the altar, replacing it with one dedicated to the true God.
The Spirit “clothed himself with Gideon” is the literal translation of Judges 6:34, according to F. F. Bruce (The New Bible Commentary, Revised, 264). Gideon then mustered 32,000 troops. Facing the Midianite army of 135,000 (Judges 8:10), Gideon’s men were outnumbered 4-to-1. Gideon knew God promised him victory, but he requested two more signs—wet fleece on dry ground and dry fleece on dewy ground (Judges 6:36-40). God graciously granted both.
To his credit, Gideon always did what God told him. By obeying despite his fears, his faith grew. Obviously, there is a lesson for us in that!
Strong Faith
Then the ultimate test: God told him he had too many men. “... Israel would become boastful, saying, ‘My own power has delivered me’” (Judges 7:2). Gideon watched as his army shrank to a mere 300. Gideon lost more than 99% of his men!
God arranged for Gideon to overhear a couple of Midianites discussing a dream which one interpreted to mean, “This is nothing less than the sword of Gideon ... God has given Midian and all the camp into his hand” (Judges 7:14).
Hearing that, Gideon’s faith was now equal to the task. He “bowed in worship” and announced to his men, “Arise, for the Lord has given the camp of Midian into your hands” (Judges 7:15). At last, he was ready. Then followed what T. DeWitt Talmage called “the strangest battle ever fought.”
Conclusion
Gideon had to do some pretty scary things, but he did them, and everything worked out fine, because God was with him. Warren W. Wiersbe said, “Gideon is a great encouragement to people who have a hard time accepting themselves and believing that God can make anything out of them or do anything with them” (Be Available, p. 49).
We too can enjoy victory if we do whatever God requires of us, no matter how unreasonable or intimidating it may seem.
“For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets, who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight” (Hebrews 11:32-34).
“... from weakness were made strong ...” This aptly describes Gideon, and it can describe us too if we, like him, truly live “by faith.”
God powerfully used Gideon during a very dark time. In our dark time, can God use us too?
To use us, God must prod us, test us, stretch us. He offers His great promises and His great help. Anything God tells us to do is doable. Believe it!
