In the book of Judges, chap. 6, we find that the people of Israel are not living as men and women of valor. In fact, they were living as defeated people. They had fallen away from God and back into a sinful lifestyle of paganism and idol worship. In fact, Gideon, the hero of our story, had a father who had become a priest of a pagan God. Because of Israel's sin, God allowed them to be delivered over to their old enemies of the desert, the Midianites and the Amalakites, who came up like “swarms of locusts” with their cattle and their tents, covering the whole breadth of the land and devouring its produce, so that no food, sheep, oxen, or other livestock remained for the Israelites. The people of Israel were forced to find refuge in dens, caves, and fortresses in the mountains. This went on for seven years, until finally the people cried out to God for help, and God sent them a prophet to rebuke them for their evil ways.
But God's sending of this prophet was a prelude to His sending them aid. For God would once again teach the people of Israel, and teach us by their example, that those who follow God should fear no one or no thing, because God is on our side. With God by our side we cannot lose no matter what or who we face in life. This was true for the people of Israel, it is true for the church, and it is true for each of us. God wants to teach us today how to be mighty men and women of valor; people who have the courage to stand up for God, no matter what circumstances we find ourselves in. |
