For The Lord And For Gideon A Hero's Journey
The end of this passage reaches the climax of the story, and identifies the true Hero. Not only has the hero of the story reduced the number of those entering the battle against the outnumbering foe, but He will be the victor against the Israel’s enemies. After, receiving full assurance from the Lord, the confident and strategic Gideon mounts his attack against the armies of the Midianites and Amalekites. The view of Gideon has now changed, he is now identified as a masterful militaristic figure, who instructs his army. Gideon strategically divides his army into regiments, placing trumpets and empty jars with torches in their hands. Gideon instructs his army to do exactly as he does. “When I and all who are with me blow our trumpets, then from all around blow yours and shout, ‘For the Lord and for Gideon’” (Jud. 7:18).
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It is in these ideas that the view is presented in the stories mentioned earlier that Gideon is the hero in story.
However, as we continue to look at passage verse twenty-two states, “When the three hundred trumpets sounded, the Lord caused the men throughout the camp to turn on each other with their swords.” Even the one percent that remained of Gideon’s original army, did not draw a sword against their enemy. As we look at the irony of Gideon’s word “a sword for the Lord and a sword for Gideon,” we witness that only swords drawn in this battles were the swords that belonged to the enemies of Israel, which they drew on themselves. Therefore, continuing the idea of reductionism, the story identifies that the Lord is the “HERO,” He alone is sovereign and powerful vanquishing His people’s
enemies.
However, the reader must not only be concerned with identifying the Hero. After identifying the hero the reader is to move towards understanding the role the hero played in the story, by making the connections. The army of Israel experienced God’s victory because they were able to see that the Lord is sovereign and omnipotent/powerful against the impossible in order to accomplish his will. However, in order for Israel’s army to see that the Lord is sovereign and omnipotent/powerful, they had to be stripped of all assurance in their own abilities.
And, like William Booth we too be able to proclaim that “The greatness of the man’s power is the measure of his surrender.” For Paul states, in 2 Cor. 12:10, “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” It is only through God and not ourselves, that we find victory.
The biblical truth is simple, when we fully put our trust in God only then can we experience His victory. The question I have for you is are you experiencing the victory of God in your life? If you are not, why? The other question I have for you is are you helping others experience the victories of God in their lives. Like our story the victory was not just for Gideon and his army, it was for the whole community of Israel. The victory of is for more than you and me, it is for the entire community of believers. What will you do to help others experience the victories of God?
Now that we have learned that is through complete surrender in God that we can experience His victories in our live. I urge you to make this words meaningful in your life.
It is in these ideas that the view is presented in the stories mentioned earlier that Gideon is the hero in story.
However, as we continue to look at passage verse twenty-two states, “When the three hundred trumpets sounded, the Lord caused the men throughout the camp to turn on each other with their swords.” Even the one percent that remained of Gideon’s original army, did not draw a sword against their enemy. As we look at the irony of Gideon’s word “a sword for the Lord and a sword for Gideon,” we witness that only swords drawn in this battles were the swords that belonged to the enemies of Israel, which they drew on themselves. Therefore, continuing the idea of reductionism, the story identifies that the Lord is the “HERO,” He alone is sovereign and powerful vanquishing His people’s
enemies.
However, the reader must not only be concerned with identifying the Hero. After identifying the hero the reader is to move towards understanding the role the hero played in the story, by making the connections. The army of Israel experienced God’s victory because they were able to see that the Lord is sovereign and omnipotent/powerful against the impossible in order to accomplish his will. However, in order for Israel’s army to see that the Lord is sovereign and omnipotent/powerful, they had to be stripped of all assurance in their own abilities.
And, like William Booth we too be able to proclaim that “The greatness of the man’s power is the measure of his surrender.” For Paul states, in 2 Cor. 12:10, “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” It is only through God and not ourselves, that we find victory.
The biblical truth is simple, when we fully put our trust in God only then can we experience His victory. The question I have for you is are you experiencing the victory of God in your life? If you are not, why? The other question I have for you is are you helping others experience the victories of God in their lives. Like our story the victory was not just for Gideon and his army, it was for the whole community of Israel. The victory of is for more than you and me, it is for the entire community of believers. What will you do to help others experience the victories of God?
Now that we have learned that is through complete surrender in God that we can experience His victories in our live. I urge you to make this words meaningful in your life.