1Timothy11516

Q2. (Judges 6:36-39) Why does Gideon put out a fleece before the Lord -- twice? I believe that gideon is, in fact, trying to discern God's voice from the other voices that may surround him. Voices of insecurity, voices of doubt and of fear. We all suffer from having voices crowd out God's voice. Why should gideon be any different? In fact, he thought very small of himself. Now when God speaks to us today, don't we have that split second of doubt, fear, or unbelief? We're human and so was gideon. I try not to put the patriarchs of our faith on a pedestal(it's hard not to)yet I try. Is this a sign of unbelief or of belief? Belief! Does this constitute "testing" God? No. Only in Malchi 3 does God say "test Me" How does it differ from the sinful testings of God the scripture warns against? It's a matter of the heart. only God can judge the motives of the heart. When, if ever, should we ask God to confirm his direction with a sign? I believe that with the Holy Spirit and the Word of God and the measure of faith that God has givin us thru His Son Jesus Christ, that if we ever ask God for a conformation of the direction that He is leading us into, it is with the Word He will answer us! What is the danger of demanding a sign? The danger is something like what happened to Zacheriah, the father of John the Baptist!

Q1. (Judges 6:33-35) What inspires Gideon to blow the battle horn and summon an army against the Midianites? I believe it was a combination of two things: The mounting opposition that was to come against Iseral and the Power of the Holy Spirit that was upon Gideon. What does Gideon have in common with other judges and leaders of his era? (Hint: see Deuteronomy 34:9; Judges 3:10; 11:9; 13:25; 14:6, 19; 15:14; 1 Samuel 11:6.) Joshua, son of Nun; Othneil, son of Kenaz; Jephthah the Gileadite; Samson; and Saul are the judges of old. The things that are similar to each is the mounting opposition that each one stood against and the fact that the Holy Spirit came upon them when the the tiome came for battle.

Q5. (Judges 6:25-31) What kind of leader has Gideon's father Joash been up to this point? I get the feeling that Joash is a politician of sorts. He is holding to old traditions and yet, he is swayed by the culture around him. Family values mean alot to him, however, he is lost in the titalwave of cultural pressure that is overwhelming Iseral. How does Gideon's action affect his father? although it is probally not a calculated move on Gideon's part, the result, as it were, was the same. Joash was confronted with his neglect of the law(...thou shall not have any god's before Me...)The knife that cut Joash to the quick, came from his own house(Gideon.) Shouldn't Gideon have considered the impact on his father? I'm sure he did! Yet, obiedence was on gideon's heart. How should this have affected Gideon's action? (See Matthew 10:34-38) Matthew 10:34-38 (Amplified Bible) 34 Do not think that I have come to bring peace upon the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to part asunder a man from his father, and a daughter from her mother, and a [a]newly married wife from her mother-in-law-- 36 And a man's foes will be they of his own household.(A) 37 He who loves [and takes more pleasure in] father or mother more than [in] Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves [and takes more pleasure in] son or daughter more than [in] Me is not worthy of Me; 38 And he who does not take up his cross and follow Me [[c]cleave steadfastly to Me, conforming wholly to My example in living and, if need be, in dying also] is not worthy of Me. "When Gideon realized that it was the angel of the LORD , he exclaimed, 'Ah, Sovereign LORD ! I have seen the angel of the LORD face to face!' But the LORD said to him, 'Peace! Do not be afraid. You are not going to die.' So Gideon built an altar to the LORD there and called it The LORD is Peace. To this day it stands in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.' " (6:22-24) Gideon rememberd these words. God told him he was not going to die. Gideon had seen the Lord face to face. This impacted gideons life and his spirit. So, how should've this affected giedon's actions? I say if gideon bulit an alter unto the Lord and if gideon valued the Lord Himself comming and commanding him to set Iseral free, then how Joash would take it that gideon tore down the alter to baal would not have made a difference at all.

What is the strategic significance of God's command for Gideon to tear down the Baal altar and Asherah pole? I believe that God was testing gideon's metal. God wanted to see not only if he was going to obey Him, but test hif faith as well. What a testamony! God not only thought highly of gideon to call him a mighty warrior(He thinks that way of all His children), God thought him worthy of a test. A test of faith. What positive thing is he to erect in their place? Using the material of his father's alter and the wood from the Assherah pole, gideon was to erect an alter, an altar unto the Lord. What risks are involved in this action? One risk is that the tearing down the altar would be interpeted as a act of insobordination against gideon's father. This of course in the eyes of the community, however gideon's betrayal of his father's trust in tearing down the community altar, by his own son, would be more crushing than public scorn. Why does Gideon do this at night? It could be peer presure or un-wise council from the men he chose to go with him. Stll, Gideon was given this command by the Lord! It could have been just smart de-construction plans. Less people to ask questions(less oposition)..more time to tear down the altar. Whatever the reason, gideon was obedient none the less. Is this night mission a sign of weakness or of faith? Faith!

God saw giedon as a mighty warrior. Yet, gideon saw himself as least of the least. However, when we see ourselves through God's loving eyes and in the reflection of the mirror of God's Word...we are more the conquers in Christ Jesus, we are Ambassadors of the Kingdom of Heaven. Still, we are Kings and Priests! It is my humble opinion that low self-esteem is on the verge of hurting the very heart of God. We were created in the image of God. The word states, "Let Us create man in OUR image..." That is to say we are created in the image of the Father, the of Son and the of Holy Spirit. Low self-esteem can open the door to a world filled with depression, self-hate, and all manner of insecurities. I'm sorry, this is not the heart of God! The LORD answered, 'I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites together.'" Oh Daddy, forgive me for doubting Your plan for my life. You have stamped YOUR image on my heart and have sealed it with Your promised Holy Spirit! You have given me all the strength that is Christ Jesus, i implore You now to give me the wisdom and the tanacity to act upon that which you have given me. So Be It!

Gideon was under the false assumption that God had abandoned Iseral and him. Furthermore, his assessment of God's sovreign move against Iseral, was incorrect. God is not to be mocked! Iseral had moved away from God's command and followed after forien gods. God Almighty is the same, yesterday and forever! "'But sir,' Gideon replied, 'if the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our fathers told us about when they said, "Did not the LORD bring us up out of Egypt?" By his own words, gideon did blame God, in part, for the midianites' attacks. We place the blame on God, for certain events in our lives, for several reasons. We blame out of ignorance of circumstances that we are in. We do not take ownership of our actions because of fear, doubt and unbelief in God's soverigenty. We are insecure beigns at heart and when one is insecure, blaming someone is the path of easiest resistance. This places us on shakey ground, not in respect to our salvation, but in respect to our fulfilling the destiny that God has for each one of us! We MUST know who we are in Christ Jesus!!

The Iseralites, once again, did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and followed after other gods. The gods of the Amelekites to be exact. The commandment that was broken was, thou shall have no other gods before Me. The Israelites did not listen to God when He said, "...do not worship the gods of the Amorites..." They followed after their own desires and passions. When we take our eyes of off Jesus Christ and His redemptive work of the Cross, we turn aside to all His commands and thus, trample under foot the precious blood of Jesus. When we are in this state of exestince, we are numb to his calling, His gentle voice, and the tugging on our hearts by the Holy Spirit. This puts us out from under His umbrella covering and we cannot fully fulfill the destiny he has for us.