OT Characters: Gideon

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas' website.

Hebrew words:

• Gidh'on (Gideon) -- 41x in Judges 6-8 and Hebrews 11
• Yerubba'al (Jerubbaal) -- sounds like Yerubh bo ha-ba'al (Let Baal contend) -- 14x in Judges 9, 1 Samuel 12, and 2 Samuel 11

Further study:

• Passages covered in the poscast:
  • Judges 6-8
  • Hebrews 11:32-33.
  • Referred to: Luke 9, Exodus 32, Numbers 21, Genesis 2
• Learn about Gideon's son, Abimelech -- Judges 9
• Study further passages where the Lord commissions a man or woman, who hesitates (either to obey or out of a sense of unworthiness), then follows God's word and wins the victory: Saul (1 Samuel 9), Isaiah (Isaiah 6), Jeremiah (Jeremiah 1), Esther (Esther 4), Amos (7), Peter (Luke 5… Can you find any more?
• Advanced:
  • See James Greig's intriguing Gideon Reconsidered.
  • For more on how we discern God's will (fleecing, how the Spirit works, etc), see: The Spirit (Jacoby) and Decision Making and the Will of God(Friesen).

Some things we learn about God:

• Stature among one's friends and family, community or colleagues does not impress God. He is looking for faith.
• At times the Lord may accede to our requests for faith-confirming signs (not that we have any guarantees what transpires might not be coincidence). As in the case of Thomas (John 20), He understands our debility and doubt.
• When we are dormant spiritually, God may activate us!

For kids:

• Take a look at Gideon the Unlikely Warrior.
• Also see Children’s Bible Lessons (on the Judges) – includes a word search.

Key verses:

• Judges 6:12 -- Gideon is commissioned.
• Judges 6:27 -- He tears down the altar to Baal.
• Judges 6:37 -- He puts out a "fleece" (not recommended).
• Judges 7:22 -- The Midianite army defeats itself!
• Judges 8:21 -- Gideon slays the Midianite rulers.
• Judges 8:27 -- Gideon, like Aaron before him, fashions what will become an object of (idolatrous) worship.

Next lesson: Samson