The Israelites had done evil in the sight of the Lord and therefore HE handed them over to the Midianites. The Midianites were very cruel to the Israelites. In fact, marauders from Midian, Amalek, and the people of the east would attack Israel and horde all their crops and live stock. They stripped their land like locust and the Israelities were left to starvation. It was then God's people began to cry out to HIM.
Even today, God's people do not understand God. Why? Although we have the BOOK, many do not read it. He is not only a God of Love but He is a God of righteousness. He is a God of judgment. Many today do not know the discipline God employs on His people. Scripture says that God discipline and chastise those whom HE loves. If we do not know the methods of discipline, then how are we to pray properly?
For doing evil and going after idols, God handed His people over to the heathen nations to oppress and harass them for seven years. It had to come to a point of starvation before His people would cry out to HIM. It had to come to this point before many were broken and contrite before HIM. As they cried out to HIM, God told them that they were not to be worshiping other gods and that they had not listened to HIM.
Gideon was a confused and ignorant man. Gideon is like many of God's people today. Many are facing difficult problems whether that be financial, health, or other storms. They ask God as Gideon had asked the angel in verse 13.
13 “Sir,” Gideon replied, “if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? And where are all the miracles our ancestors told us about? Didn’t they say, ‘The Lord brought us up out of Egypt’? But now the Lord has abandoned us and handed us over to the Midianites.”
Today, we tell people God can heal us! We tell people God is a God of miracles. But as Gideon had asked, many ask today, "Where are all the miracles our ancestors told us about?"
The problem has never been God delivering. The problem has always been us. His people have been worshiping idols and going after other gods. We ask, how can God's people be worshiping other idols? If God's people saw the demon behind the idols, they would probably not be worshiping them. But the demons or goat gods are hidden behind the man made idols whether it be tangible or intangible things. Many of God's people are addicted to smoking, drinking, pornography, drugs, and etc. Many are casually spending their money and making offerings to the industries of death such as alcohol and gambling. Many spending hundreds if not thousands on sport memorabilia, their pets, Hollywood, secular music, and etc rather than making their offerings to God.
The angel appeared to Gideon and he did not know why such hardships were upon the people of God. When such hardships are upon us, we must discern whether we are being disciplined/judgment or are we being persecuted. There is a big difference between persecution for the gospel and judgment. But regardless, Gideon brought an offering to God. The people of God were at the point of starvation and many were very poor. Gideon cooked a young goat. How expensive was this in his days? It must have been very expensive. We must learn to give our best to the Lord even in our lack. It is to show we will trust HIM for He is our provider. Where is our offering to HIM? Many today are like the world, they want everything for free. They come to God's House empty handed but they expect HIM to deliver them from their own mistakes and from the choices they had made.
As Gideon and his 300 men ran down the Midian camp, they blew their horns and broke their jars. The jars were covering the torches. In order for us to defeat the enemy and have victory in our lives, we must blow our horns in one hand and hold torches in the other. We must use the gift we have and pray without ceasing. What is to pray in the Spirit? If God has given us the gift to speak in tongue, why are so many parking this gift in the closet? The light or torches are in God's people. But in order for it to shine and be used effectively, the jars must be broken so the light can be revealed. The jars or vessels are us. We as HIS people that need to be broken so that HIS LIGHT will shine from us. Many today have His Light but they are still covered and cannot be seen because they are not a broken contrite people.
We must accept God's discipline in our lives so that we can be a broken people. And as we are broken, His Light will shine from us and He will give us the victory to overcome the enemy.
"They held the blazing torches in their left hands and the horns in their right hands, and they all shouted, “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!”
Fire of God Ministries International Church
Pastor Steve Yong Kim
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