Q3. Too Large

[Kathern Edenloff]

I have read with interest of the many replies to the question of the size of the army Gideon was to use. It may not have made much difference to ones sent home with out fighting. They might possibly have been relieved as they must have trusted Gideon. He would surely have told them what the Lord had spoken to him. It would be nice if we all could say we have as much faith in our daily walk with our Lord, but being the people we are we do stumble here and there. It is nice to know we have a loving. forgiving and understanding Father that knows us better than we know ourselves. Sometimes I wonder if we aren't as stubborn as the Israelites.

[Chris]

The reason why God felt that the army was too large is due to the fact that if Gideon had gone out and had been victorious over the Midianites it wouldn't necessarily have been considered by the Israelites as having anything to with God helping them and certainly would not have led to restoration of their faith and allegiance.

Gideon must have been under terrible pressures and fear for what others would think of him as a leader and also for the safety of his army as God continually asked him to reduce his army. In this day and age we wouldn't initially even consider going to fight another country with a smaller amount of men but the reason behind God's request was that Israel's faith and allegiance was more likely to be restored if there was a victory over the Midianites with so few men.

In the end after being led by God to go down the Midian camp Gideon heard a Midianite telling of a dream that he had whose interpretation of it was that God had given Gideon victory over the Midianites. Once he had heard this he felt reassured and was then in no doubt of obeying God's will.

[Tom Gilbert]

This was a great example of showing that "God's ways are not our ways".

The smaller the army the more obvious that God is responsible for their victory.

Gideon had already experienced some proof that God was guiding him (remember the fleece?).

Still, pressure to be a good leader...especially in his new assignment...must have been intense.

He opened himself up to ridicule and doubt from his men by sending so many home (although I find it interesting that the largest number--22,000--we the ones who were afraid and left right away, like they were waiting for permission

The added confidence builder of God telling Gideon to go down to the enemy camp where he overheard about the dream that prophesied his victory certainly must have helped.

God seems to send lots of messages. How often have I asked, then not really listened? Am I a "lapper"?

The proof that the Bible has the instructions is constantly revealed...like in this study!

[Barbara Momphard]

Why did God feel Gideon's army was too large?

God does explain the reasons for dismissing two-thirds of the army:

"You have too many men for me to deliver Midian into their hands. In order that Israel may not boast against me that her own strength has saved her ...." (7.2) Dr. Wilson's exposition:

God knows us well. We're so easily tempted to take credit for the things that go well, but blame God when they fail. Our pride is so deceptive, we may not even recognize the signs.

Why was shrinking the army's size to a tiny band essential in restoring Israel's faith and allegiance?

So they would know that it was God who delivered them from their enemy.

What kinds of pressures would Gideon be feeling NOT to obey God in shrinking his army?

From his own army.

How was Gideon able to obey God fully in this?

He believed God..."with man things are impossible but with God all things are possible"

[Marvin Phelps]

God didn

[Marjorie Knight]

If God had allowed Gideon to have that largearmy of men, they would have felt they won because of their own

strength and not God's power.

God told Gideon to sneak into the enemy camp and listen to their conversations. What an amazing way to be reassured.

[Audrey Hill]

If a big army had defeated the Midinites - they would have bragged about how they did it. God would not have gotten the Glory. God wanted them to know for sure that He had delivered them.

God promised Gideon that he would save him and deliver the Midianites into his hand. Gideon trusted God. With God all things are possible. Without Him - where would we be?

God was going to work a miracle and He wanted Israel to realize that.

[Mike Dickinson]

#3 Q3. Why did God feel Gideon's army was too large?

God knew all too well that with the original size of the army the Israelites would claim the victory in their own rights, thereby negating His presence and power.

Why was shrinking the army's size to a tiny band essential in restoring Israel's faith and allegiance?

Gideon began with 32,000 men and ended up with just 3 hundred. When we have a healthy bank balance we rarely need to depend on God for His provision and can often take Him forgranted. God

[luminosa]

God felt the army was too large because Israel might believe they gained victory over the Midianites by their own might.

Shrinking the army was essential in restoring Israel's faith and allegiance by demonstrating how God can do the miraculous and He can be trusted to keep His promises.

Gideon could have succumbed to his natural senses: how on earth could we defeat a vast horde of people with just 300 men? He could have been concerned with how he would appear as a leader, worried that his followers might say, "Is this guy crazy or what?" Gideon could have yielded to fear.

Gideon was able to obey God fully by exercising obedience and trust. He believed God.

Luminosa

[Julie]

I think God wanted the soldiers to be fully dependent upon Him, THe 1st men who left were timid for they "trembled" this made the others more effective.

[Donald Henhawke]

God having Gideon reduce his army to meager proportions would furthur emphasize his power and glory rather than given an avenue for man to boast in their hearts and mind.

Its probably only human to feel apprehensive taking such a drastic faith in Gods directions.

Gideon overcame some doubt by listening to loose lips,that ultimately sank the enemies ships.

peace.

[debs4jc]

Why did God feel Gideon's army was too large? Why was shrinking the army's size to a tiny band essential in restoring Israel's faith and allegiance? What kinds of pressures would Gideon be feeling NOT to obey God in shrinking his army? How was Gideon able to obey God fully in this?

God clearly states that He does not want Israel to feel that they were victorious because of their own strength. A clear miracle of 300 men defeating 135,000 would show the Israelites that God had not abandoned them and that they should still have faith in Him.

Gideon would get a lot of flack from his army, co-commanders, even family members about this decision. They would point out that God brought all these men here--why turn them away?

Now we see the assurance that Gideon got from the fleece and from the comments of the Midianite soldiers. He shows no wavering, no doubt, he knows that God is with him and this is what he is supposed to do.

[linda biloni]

Israel has had a reputation for doubting God and a large army would give them reason to doubt God's part in the victory.

For an army of 300 to fight and be victorious over an army the size of the Midianites, they would have to have faith and the grace of God.

Gideon would have the pressure of appearing to be weak by sending men home that were afraid to fight. He would also look foolish to send all his army home except for 300, especially after he went through the trouble of organizing them. He might appear indecisive to his army

Gideon could overcome these pressures and obey God because he had God's promise and he also had his faith strengthened by the signs God gave him with the fleece.

[Christopher Smith]

Q3. Why did God feel Gideon's army was too large? Why was shrinking the army's size to a tiny band essential in restoring Israel's faith and allegiance? What kinds of pressures would Gideon be feeling NOT to obey God in shrinking his army? How was Gideon able to obey God fully in this?

The manner in which the battle played out could only have been a miracle. Three hundred men do not defeat 135,000 in conventional (non-NBC) war, except by the hand of God! A large army would not only have reduced the honor given to God, but because of its inferior numbers to those of the Midianites, Gideon's army would have been applauded for their bravery and superior warfare skills.

Gideon could have evaluated the numbers of his forces and, noting they were smaller than those of the Midianites, may have seen his forces as small enough to give credit to God, but not small enough for him to be a fool to lead them into a preemptive strike. Gideon could have perceived God's goals, and considered his own tinkering with God's plan as acceptable behavior as long as he made sure God's goals were met. Instead of this, Gideon did not try to manage God's plan and make his own contributions/alterations.

God helped Gideon obey fully in this, by giving him specific steps to take. Rather than acting on decisions from his vain ponderings, Gideon acted on the specific steps, ordering his men to drink and acting on God's judgements of this drinking. Basically, God kept Gideon's mind off the larger picture and focused him on actions within his capability.

[bjcollin]

Q3. Why did God feel Gideon's army was too large? Why was shrinking the army's size to a tiny band essential in restoring Israel's faith and allegiance? What kinds of pressures would Gideon be feeling NOT to obey God in shrinking his army? How was Gideon able to obey God fully in this? See exposition

God felt that Gideon's army was too large because He did not want for them to boast against Him that they did it in their own strength. It was essential to restore Israel's faith and allegiance to God in that if they could see that God did it and not they themselves, then they could see that God was still for them and not against them. Gideon would be facing massive peer pressure from the other warriors in Israel's ranks once their numbers were less than the Midianites numbers. Gideon was able to fully obey God in that his faith was strengthened by his relationship with God.

[DianeM]

God felt that Gideon's army was to be to prove to the other Israelites that God was among them. The shrinking of the army size was important to have them realize that whatever God leads you into, He will provide everything that is essential to Glorify and Magnify the One True God!! No one is stronger or mightier than God! The kinds of pressures Gideon would feel would be, fear that he would lose and that his men would be wiped out. That his leadership ability would be one of failure, but gratefully Gideon trusts God. Gideon was able to obey God because he trusted Him and knew that God was in control and would know the outcome.

[Joanie]

Gideon Lesson 3

Question 3

Why did God feel Gideon's army was too large? Why was shrinking the army's size to a tiny band essential in restoring Israel's faith and allegiance? What kinds of pressures would Gideon be feeling NOT to obey God in shrinking his army? How was Gideon able to obey fully in this?

God felt Gideon's army was too big an army to Give God The Glory.

God wanted the army to become only a tiny band so that Israel would not be able to boast against God that her own strength had saved her.

For 300 men to defeat an army of 135,000? Preposterous! That could only be considered a miracle, the intervention of God.

God cannot allow Israel to take credit for the victory, or they'll restore their disastrous pattern of depending upon themselves and failing to rely upon the true God. Until Gideon came along it took seven years of oppression and poverty before they humbled themselves enough to 'cry out to the Lord for help'.

Gideon could have been tempted to feel that he did not want to obey God concerning the 'shrinking army'. Surely the bigger the army, the better as the enemy had a great army. And what would the others think?

But Gideon has learned two vital lessons. That God is surely directing him and secondly to obey God even when he does'nt understand the reason for God's command. If Gideon allows his pride to dissuade him from obedience he puts his whole army and country in jeopardy . . . and proves what God has just said about men's tendency to pride at their achievements.

Gideon's humility before God helps him.

[Dennis Hatlestad]

The Lord as supreme commander of Israel reduced the army so that Israel would know that the victory was by his power and not by theirs.

[luray mcclung]

Gideon's army was too large because their victory over the Midianites would glorify man, not God. Our Lord provided a miracle with Gideon and his 300 warriors to restore Israel's faith and allegiance to Himself. Gideon's pressures may have been due to his unbelief. Praise be to God, he accepted God's word as truth in Judges 7:15. Gideon obeyed God fully because he

knew God was merciful in to him in his human condition, and God had already built Gideon's confidence by the fleece test. lmc

[Liza]

It was not by the might or power of a human army that they would be delivered, but by the power of God. Israel had seen God

[Walt Woodbridge]

Why did God feel Gideon's army was too large? Why was shrinking the army's size to a tiny band essential in restoring Israel's faith and allegiance? What kinds of pressures would Gideon be feeling NOT to obey God in shrinking his army? How was Gideon able to obey God fully in this?

Basically, if Gideon were to win the battle with a large army, Gideon would get the glory rather than God. Winning the battle against such great odds would prove it had to be God's doing rather then mere men. People would be looking for Gideon to be their hero, and facing the enemy with reduced numbers might bring them to question his obedience to the "silly idea" of thinning out the army. "That's not the way to win battles," they might be saying. Gideon had such confidence in his God, that he knew the battle was the Lord's anyway, no matter what the odds might be. "If God be for us, who can be against us."

[kitty]

God felt that Gideon's army was too big because, God is a jealous God, and He wants all the praise and the credit. If Gideon had gone in with his big army, God would not have gotten the credit.

Shrinking the army's size would increase Israel's faith and allengiance. By shrinking the army, Israel would have no reason why they couldn't serve God. It would get them back to serving the true Yahweh.

The pressure that Gideon would feel for not obeying God would be, the army and the country would be in totaly jeopardy. Gideon knew that the only way to get Israel back to God, was to obey everything God said.

Gideon listened to God. When God said the army was too big, Gideon did exactly what God said to shrink the army. Gideon knew to obey God, no matter how silly it may seem.

[heatherdills]

GOd felt Gideon's army was too large because He knew that they would take the credit for defeating the Midianites rather than giving Him the glory. Shrinking the army's size to a tiny band was essential in restoring Israel's faith and allegience because a few against many would be a true miracle. Failure, rejection by the people and loss of favor with God are some pressures Gideon would be feeling not to obey God in shrinking his army. Gideon was able to obey God fully in this byfollowing God's instructions.

[AngelOnLine]

Q3. Why did God feel Gideon's army was too large?

God didn

[Helen]

God felt that the men of Gideon's large army might assume they had won the battle by their own might and power, and assume they could repeat that. In so doing they could get themselves into inextricable situations which God could not support. He wanted to keep the focus on Himself, so that He could continue to direct the army into the brilliant destiny He had for the people of Israel.

Shrinking the army's size so much meant that they could not mistake God's planning for their own cleverness, and would continue to ask Him for the directions they needed. If He is to get us to our brilliant destiny, He has to keep our focus on Him.

Gideon might feel a lot of peer pressure from older soldiers who had done it in a different way, who "knew the ways of war better than Gideon". Others might see the method God outlined as madness. Gideon himself needed to confirm God's message to see that he had "got it right".

Gideon was able to obey God fully in this, because he had dealings with God before, eg the angel of God who had him prepare the two sacrifices. He had the Holy Spirit in him, who is the Spirit of wisdom and truth, so that the peace he experienced in his heart would guide him. In other words he was under the annointing and in unity with God.