The Flawed People of a Flawless God

Scripture: Judges 7:12, 19-21

C.I.: Victory over Doubts

In our study on the Judges – we have seen them appear on the scene on deliver God's people. – But today, “The rest of the story,” before they became a judge. – Like us, we'll see one struggle with doubts (these keep us in bondage, afraid to act by faith)!

•  Four Doubts which Plague God's People, (Judges 6)

A. Doubt #1: “Does God Truly Care about Me?” (vs. 1-13)

1. Once again we see the people of God enter into sin, ( v. 1 ), “Then the sons of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the
Lord; - and the Lord gave them into the hands of the Midianites seven years.”

a. As we have seen each week – the people of God fall into the “Cycle of Sin.”
1) Rebellion – Oppression – Repentance – Deliverance.
2) Today we are only going to be dealing - with the first part of the cycle, [Rebellion & Oppression] .

b. During times of “Oppression” people often have a “Why ME?!” attitude.

•  This was Gideon's attitude, ( v. 13 ), “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.”

•  This “Why Me?” attitude often comes - from people who are unfamiliar with the love of God.

•  But like a loving parent, God doesn't abandon – He disciplines, ( Heb. 12:5-6 ), “My son, do not….”

c. God's discipline takes two forms:
1) He allows the natural consequences of bad decisions – to overtake us – that we might learn.
a) Baal was a god of harvest, rain, land. – So if Israel was going to worship him – God essentially
says, ‘Let him help you!' ( v. 4 ), “Midianites would come against Israel and utterly destroy the
produce of the earth as far as Gaza, & leave no sustenance in Israel, as well as no sheep, oxen or donkey
b) The gods of today are no different: STDs, hepatitis, AIDS, cirrhosis, – ( Rom. 1:27 ), “…men
with men, committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty for their error.”
2) He disciplines us through His word – so they might be spared these consequences.
a) Notice that God has sent a prophet to Israel – to proclaim what God has done for them…
b) ( vs. 8-10 ), “I brought you up from Egypt … I delivered you from the hands of your oppressors … you
shall not worship the gods of the Amorites…. – BUT YOU HAVE NOT OBEYED ME!”

d. The Lord shows He “cares about us” by His discipline, ( Heb. 12:11 ), “All discipline for the moment….”

B. Doubt #2: “Does God Know What He is Doing in Using Me?!” (vs. 14-24)

1. We offer ourselves many rationalizations as to why God shouldn't be using us…
a. “I'm too old/too young enough – too smart/too dumb – etc…!!!
1) ( v. 15 ), “O Lord, how shall I deliver Israel? – Behold, my family is least in Manasseh, and I am the youngest
in my father's house.” – In an organizational chart of Israel – Gideon was at the bottom!
2) But God saw Gideon for the man he could become…, ( v. 12 ), “And the angel of the Lord appeared to
Gideon and said to him, ‘The Lord is with you, O valiant warrior.'”

b. Those who are spiritually victorious in this life – see themselves from God's perspective.
1) Those who choose God are victors, ( Matt. 4:19-20 ), “Jesus said, ‘Follow Me & I will… immediately...!”
2) Once we accept God's view of us – nothing can stop us, ( quote Matt. 19:26; Phil. 4:13 ), “With
God, all things are possible ” – “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!”

C. Doubt #3: “Will God Really Take Care of Me?” (vs. 25-32 )

1. God starts with small tasks to show us that He really can be trusted to take care of us.
a. ( vs. 25-26 ), “Now that same night it came about that the Lord said to him, - ‘Take your father's bull and a second
bull seven years old, - and tear down the altar of Baal which belongs to your father, - and cut down the Asherah
that is beside it; - and build an altar to the Lord your God on the top of this stronghold in an orderly manner, and
take a second bull and offer a burnt offering with the wood of the Asherah which you shall cut down.'”
1) If we are unable to stand up for God with our family – how can we take on the world??!
2) ( Matt. 10:37 ), “He who loves father more than Me is not worthy of Me; he who loves son or….”

b. The Lord “took care” of Gideon in a way he had not anticipated.
1) The father whose altar he destroys defends him!
2) ( Jdgs. 6:30-31 ), “Then the men of the city said to Joash, ‘Bring out your son, that he may die, for he
has torn down the altar of Baal, and indeed, he has cut down the Asherah which was beside it.' –
But Joash said to all who stood against him, ‘Will you fight for Baal, or will you deliver him? - If he is a
god, let him fight for himself, - because someone has town down his altar.'”
3) God will take care of us – and we may find allies in the most unusual places!

c. So the answer to the question “Will God really take care of me?' Is a resounding, “YES!!”

D. Doubt #4: “Will God Keep His Promises?” (vs. 33-40)

1. Even after all this, Gideon still has his doubts, so he plays the “Fleece Game.”
a. ( v. 36 ), “Then Gideon said to God, ‘If You will deliver Israel through me, as You have said , behold, I will put a
fleece of wool on the threshing floor. – If there is dew on the fleece only, and it is dry on all the ground, then I will
know that You will deliver Israel through me, as You have spoken .'”
1) Now some may think, “That was a coincidence caused by a strange atmospheric condition!”
2) So Gideon tries again with a slight difference, “…let me make a test once more with the fleece, let it
now be dry on the fleece, and let there be dew on all the ground,” ( v. 39 )
3) People still play these silly games with God. – “If I get a phone call from my mother (before 6
pm), then I will know…!” – “If there is a parking space in front of the jewelry store, then I
will know it is God's will for me to propose…!”
4) The “Fleece Game” is NOT how people of faith discern God's will, - but rather how people
who lack faith – put God to the test!”
5) This “seeing is believing” kind of faith – is not faith at all, ( Heb. 11:1 ), “Now faith is the….”

b. The question is not, “Will God keep His promise?” – But rather, “Am I willing to allow God to use me
to do it?!!!”
1) God truly wants His people to be champions for Him – in every endeavor in our lives.
2) We just need to put our trust in Him!
3) ( II Pt. 1:3-4 ), “Seeing that His divine power has granted to us all things pertaining to life and
godliness, - through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. - For by
these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, - in order that by them you might
become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.”
4) We “escape” the bondage of our doubts – when we put our trust in the “promises” of God!!!

CONCLUSIONS:

1. God has not called for us to believe our doubts and to doubt our beliefs. – Rather we are called to believe our beliefs & doubt our doubts!

2. But learning to move past our doubts in a “growth process.” – It starts the moment we begin our new life in Christ, ( quote Jn. 3:3, 5 ).

3. The new birth is the one founded upon God's word as Jesus commands in I Pt. 1:23; Mark 16:15-16!