The Truth of the Matter

The Truth of the Matter

Last Sunday’s Sunday School lesson was from the Old Testament book of Judges. The lesson covered verses eleven through eighteen of chapter six. I wasn’t here last week, but I read the lesson after Joan and I returned from our trip. As I read the passage, the new-covenant principle it portrays struck me immediately. I think it is as timely for our church as I find it for myself, so today we’ll look at it together.

People see life in different ways. For some it is a roller coaster. For others it’s a daily grind. Some see it as an adventure. No matter how people see life, everyone who has lived much of it agrees; it isn’t easy, and no one can predict what will happen next.

Consequently, people take many different approaches in an effort to explain the events in their lives. Some look to science to provide answers. Some attribute events to “mother nature”, or even, human interference in the natural order. Many look to religion and theology. In contracts, we describe events over which we have no control as acts of God. Even our proverbs reflect our uncertainty. Hope for the best; prepare for the worst. When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Que sera, sera (what will be, will be).

We are right when we look to God for answers, but when we do, it’s important that we keep clearly in mind who God actually is. Otherwise we may attribute to Him events and behaviors that could not possibly be His. This passage in Judges gives us a great opportunity to practice. At first glance, we could easily misunderstand what’s going on. Let’s jump into the passage.

Judges 6:7-24 (NASB)

7  Now it came about when the sons of Israel cried to the LORD on account of Midian,

8  that the LORD sent a prophet to the sons of Israel, and he said to them, "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, 'It was I who brought you up from Egypt and brought you out from the house of slavery.

9  'I delivered you from the hands of the Egyptians and from the hands of all your oppressors, and dispossessed them before you and gave you their land,

10  and I said to you, "I am the LORD your God; you shall not fear the gods of the Amorites in whose land you live. But you have not obeyed Me."'"

It’s easy to read passages like this and see an angry God who is about to punish His people. That’s generally the first thing people think when they read things like this, but there is a better way; a more accurate way. Luke records that after Jesus rose from the dead, “beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.” -- Luke 24:27 (NASB)

The picture being painted here in Judges is one that foreshadows Christ.

God had a plan for His people. He sent Moses to free them from slavery in Egypt and prepared a pathway for them through the sea. Then He closed the sea over the enemy so they could make their way to the promised land in safety. He stayed with them in a pillar of fire and cloud and did not leave them. All they had to do was put their faith in Him and not in themselves or other gods.

The Hebrews however, did not trust in God. Instead they intermingled with those around them and began to put their faith in themselves and in the gods of the nations around them. This is what God is talking about when He says that they had not obeyed Him. They tried to do things their way rather than humbly accepting God’s way.

Under the new covenant, God has a plan for mankind. He has sent Jesus to free them from slavery to the so-called god of this world. He prepared a pathway; Jesus, is the Way. Then He triumphed over the enemy by the death and resurrection of Jesus and sealed His people with the Holy Spirit so they can make their way to the Kingdom in safety. He stays with His people by living in them and has promised never to leave them or forsake them. All mankind has to do is put their faith in Him, and not in themselves or other things.

OK, let’s continue with verse eleven.

11  Then the angel of the LORD came and sat under the oak that was in Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite as his son Gideon was beating out wheat in the wine press in order to save it from the Midianites.

12  The angel of the LORD appeared to him and said to him, "The LORD is with you, O valiant warrior."

The messenger of the Lord calls Gideon a valiant warrior, or mighty man of valor. God knows the truth. He knows who Gideon really is. We often forget who we are—or we don’t realize it, or don’t believe it. God says that we are more than conquerors through Him. (Romans 8:27) Gideon doesn’t realize who he is, but God knows, and God treats Gideon accordingly. God knows who we are too. We are His beloved children we are more than conquerors. He treats us according to who we actually are, whether we forget it or not.

Listen to how Gideon reacts:

13  Then Gideon said to him, "O my lord, if the LORD is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about, saying, 'Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt?' But now the LORD has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian."

Does Gideon’s response remind you of anyone? Gideon has heard about how great God is, but he can only look at what he sees with his eyes. All he can think about is the fact that he has to thrash his wheat inside the winepress so it isn’t noticed by the Midianites and taken from him. With circumstances this bad, surely God has abandoned Israel.

But God knows better.

14  The LORD looked at him and said, "Go in this your strength and deliver Israel from the hand of Midian. Have I not sent you?"

God calls things that are not as though they were, (Romans 4:17) and because He says them; they are. God knows that He is working through Gideon to rescue Israel. It hasn’t happened in the temporal realm yet, but because God is the one doing it, it is already an accomplished fact in the spiritual realm of His kingdom.

Gideon’s focus is on the temporal—what He can perceive with his senses. So he glosses right over what God said and responds according to the flesh.

15  He said to Him, "O Lord, how shall I deliver Israel? Behold, my family is the least in Manasseh, and I am the youngest in my father's house."

16  But the LORD said to him, "Surely I will be with you, and you shall defeat Midian as one man."

So God reiterates that Gideon will accomplish God’s plan. But notice what God does not do:

·       God doesn’t smite Gideon,

o   or display wrath against him,

o   or bring calamity upon him to teach him a lesson.

·       God doesn’t tell Gideon to repent of this sin of unbelief.

·       He doesn’t wait until Gideon has confessed all his sins before moving ahead with His divine plan.

·       God doesn’t cast Gideon aside in favor of someone more worthy.

·       Gideon’s imperfection doesn’t mess up God’s plan, or cause it to be delayed, or cause God to fall back to plan B.

For his part, Gideon still feels uncertain, so he asks God for a sign. God gives Gideon a revelation. Let’s quickly look in on how this comes about.

17  So Gideon said to Him, "If now I have found favor in Your sight, then show me a sign that it is You who speak with me.

18  "Please do not depart from here, until I come back to You, and bring out my offering and lay it before You." And He said, "I will remain until you return."

19  Then Gideon went in and prepared a young goat and unleavened bread from an ephah of flour; he put the meat in a basket and the broth in a pot, and brought them out to him under the oak and presented them.

20  The angel of God said to him, "Take the meat and the unleavened bread and lay them on this rock, and pour out the broth." And he did so.

21  Then the angel of the LORD put out the end of the staff that was in his hand and touched the meat and the unleavened bread; and fire sprang up from the rock and consumed the meat and the unleavened bread. Then the angel of the LORD vanished from his sight.

22  When Gideon saw that he was the angel of the LORD, he said, "Alas, O Lord GOD! For now I have seen the angel of the LORD face to face."

Gideon finally sees things according to the Spirit. When a glimpse God’s greatness is revealed to him, he realizes something of just how awesome his God is and he is in awe to the point of reverent fear.

Once again, the God who is love reassures Gideon. Listen to the tenderness in God’s response.

23  The LORD said to him, "Peace to you, do not fear; you shall not die."

God is very tender with us. He interacts with each of us in exactly the way that fits us best. He made us and gave us our personalities, so it stands to reason that the perfect Father would know exactly how to guide, instruct, and mature us.

24  Then Gideon built an altar there to the LORD and named it The LORD is Peace. To this day it is still in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

Gideon made a memorial of the revelation he got about God. It served as a reminder that God is peace. When we face turmoil we can be sure that we are looking at the temporal, or fleshly, world. In the spiritual realm, all is peace and rest. Romans tells us that the kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. Jesus said that He left His peace with us and He gave it as God gives, not as the world gives. It’s irrevocable and free.

Life is unpredictable. When difficulties come and unexpected changes happen that is not a sign that God is displeased with us or that He has turned His back on us. Don’t worry, God’s throne is not a swivel chair.

God is not the author of evil. God is love, how could He possibly bring calamity? The world is cursed because of Adam’s fall, so bad things happen. The prince of darkness is the so-called god of this world, so there is plenty of evil to go around.

God says in Deuteronomy 31:6 (NIV) “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” He says it again in Joshua 1:5 and Hebrews 13:5. God’s not going anywhere.

Some of the most difficult and unwelcome events in life yield some of the greatest blessings from God. They are scary, even painful, yet He is in them working His plan in and through us. Romans 8:28 (NASB) tells us, “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”

Changes have been happening here at our little church. Due to health issues, people central to the success of this fellowship have been unable to participate. It now appears that this will continue to be the case for an extended period of time. More changes may come. These changes may look frightening, but they need not be. They may tempt us to be upset or feel hurt, but that doesn’t have to be the case.

Like Gideon, when we first contemplate what’s going on we may respond according to the flesh. Even so, God is working His plan in all of it. Like Gideon, we should ask, and listen for, God’s thoughts. His Spirit within us will not fail us. God wants us to know what He is doing and He wants to give us the blessing of joyously participating in it.

We may feel like we can’t see around the next bend, but we can put one foot in front of the other and take the step that’s right in front of us. As we read in Proverbs 3:5-6 (NASB), “Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.” All we need to do is put one foot in front of the other.

God is big enough to make sure His plans aren’t thwarted by us. He has set us free from bondage. Part of that freedom is the ability to live in the confidence that you can’t mess this up. Just trust Him with all your heart and take the next step.

No matter what the future holds for this church, or for each of us individually, we know that God is for us. He loves us. He is allowing us to participate in His plans.

May God bless each of you.