Judges 7
Leaders Prep Section
Watch this video, read these notes, and send the pre-written email (below) to your group 2-3 days before you meet.
Notes
Psalms 103:14 says that God knows our frame and remembers that we are dust.
We’re afraid sometimes…there’s nothing wrong with that. But instead of being embarrassed about it, maybe we should just talk to God.
Group Guide Starts Here
Context of scripture
Gideon (called Jerubbaal, meaning “let Baal fight for himself”) has sounded a trumpet for war…calling fighters from all over. He’s about to see who has shown up to fight an army of 135,000 Midianites.
Read Judges 7: 1-3
The Midianite army was camped three miles north of Gideon’s camp. The Israeli men called to fight with Gideon were called from four adjacent northern tribes. This means they would likely have passed by the enemy forces on their way to see Gideon…and would have seen their enemy’s enormous army.
Have you ever been afraid of doing something you felt God wanted you to do?
Read Judges 7: 4-8
The “spring of Harod” still exists. It is small…less than 15 feet across, very shallow, and winds around rocky terrain. Men would have come in small groups so Gideon could see them drink. Assuming they came in groups of 20 men, there would have been 500 groups unknowingly taking God’s test, one right after the other. In the end, only 3% passed.
Imagine if you were Gideon, watching group after group drink, 97% of them failing. Do you think Gideon was confident during this process…or slowly freaking out?
Read Judges 7: 9-18
God has obviously orchestrated this situation, giving this dream to the enemy soldier and allowing Gideon to overhear him talking about it.
Notice it’s at that this point Gideon says to his men that God has given (past tense!) Midian into their hands. In Gideon’s mind, the outcome is certain.
Gideon received so many signs from God before this…why do you think this had such a big impact on him?
Can you think of a time so many things were taken from you that you had no option but to trust God?
Read Judges 7: 19-25
The 120,000 men who slaughtered one another were easily viewable from the hilltop where Gideon’s 300 men stood. Afterwards, Gideon’s 300 chased the remaining 15,000 for a distance of approximately 10 miles…that 50 Midianites for every one of Gideon’s men.
Are you surprised at the lengths God was willing to go to instill confidence to Gideon?
Have you ever thought God would be angry, or at least disappointed, if you were afraid to follow him?