This week, we shall continue the
study of the Book of Judges of the Old Testament.
(1) Many scholars consider 40 years as a generation in the Old Testament and so it appears that the Israelites had a hard time passing their faith to the next generation. How can we ensure that the next generation would follow The Lord?
(2) How unique or unusual was their plight under the Midianites compared with what they experienced before? How does their plight resemble the life of a wayward Christian who can never have rest as he depends on his own effort apart from the Lord?
(3) Have you ever tasted a similar experience?
(4) Before giving them a deliverer, God made sure that they knew the reason for their demise. Though the rebuke is quite familiar, it’s worth reflecting upon: See if these words of rebuke have any contemporary meaning to our generation, including yourselves.
(5) How long did they wait this time before they cried out to the Lord and what was the reason given?
(6) How does the fact that they still had a prophet among them speak to their spiritual condition?
(7) Pause and reflect on the main message to you today. How may you apply it to your life?
(1) Where normally did people in Israel thresh their wheat? (See Ruth 3:2)
(2) Why did Gideon thresh his in the wine press?
(3) How did the angel of the Lord address Gideon?
(4) How unusual was Gideon's reply? What does it tell you about Gideon’s state of mind?
(5) Were his doubts and complaints justified? Why or why not?
(6) Compare carefully v. 11 and v. 14. Who then is this angel of The Lord?
(7) How did The Lord frame His “calling” in v. 14?
(8) If you were Gideon, what might be your immediate response?
(9) How different is your “would-be” response from Gideon's?
(10) Compare Gideon’s response to say, Saul’s (1 Sam. 9:21). Were they genuine? Were they justified?
(11) God’s calling and His promised presence always go hand-in-hand. How does this fact speak to you?
(12) What did Gideon’s question and his action (in vv. 17-18) signify?
(13) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
Note:
Threshing floors were often on hills where the night wind could more easily blow away the chaff, while a winepress was a hole in the ground.
(1) What did Gideon’s action in vv. 17-19 signify as far as his recognition of who this messenger of the Lord was?
(2) What did the action of the “angel” show in vv. 20-21?
(3) What did this action mean to Gideon judging both from his fear and the building of an altar?
(4) Do you think that with this experience or encounter, Gideon was ready to carry the commission of the Lord? Why or why not?
(5) Before the act of deliverance, what did God instruct Gideon to do the same night?
(6) What was the significance of (a) the tearing down of the Asherah pole, (b) the building of a proper altar, and (c) the altar belonging to Gideon’s father or household?
(7) How did Gideon carry out this order of the Lord and why?
(8) What does it tell you about Gideon and his relationship with the Lord at this time?
(9) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
(1) What does the reaction of the people of the town tell us about the spiritual condition of the Israelites in general at the time?
(2) How does it speak to the action taken by Gideon?
(3) What was the response by Gideon’s father? Are you surprised by this response? Why or why not?
(4) In the course of the people’s investigation (v. 29), I am sure that Gideon’s father must have done his own investigation and heard from Gideon directly. What then did Joash show with his defense of his son who tore down “his” altar to Baal?
(5) Gideon belonged to the tribe of Manasseh. Can you remember the tribes from which the previous judges came?
(6) As much as Gideon had the clear calling of the Lord to deliver his people, what was the key to his act of deliverance and the timing?
(7) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
(1) Gideon had seen the Lord, heard His voice, saw His miraculous reception of his offering; he had the courage to tear down his father’s altar for Baal and witnessed the subsequent result; now the Spirit of the Lord came upon him and he recruited a huge army. Why then did he still need further proof of God’s promised deliverance?
(2) Was the Lord mad or impatient with his request? Why?
(3) What was his first request?
(4) What was the result of his first test?
(5) Why was he not satisfied?
(6) What was his next request?
(7) Do you think Gideon planned the two tests as one?
(8) Was the Lord mad or impatient with his further request? Why?
(9) Can we test the Lord like Gideon? Why or why not?
(10) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
(1) What does “Jerub-Baal” mean? What effect would it have on Gideon being called this name all the time? (Put yourself in his shoes.)
(2) Why did God want to trim Gideon’s army?
(3) What might it mean to Gideon?
(4) What excuse did God allow these Israelite “volunteers” have?
(5) How many took this opportunity to back out of the battle?
(6) What might be the message(s) to us today (a) as followers of Jesus Christ, and (b) in calling others to follow Christ and serve in His cause?
(7) What did this mean to Gideon who, not long ago, struggled with his trust in God’s promise?
(8) How many were left to follow Gideon and how many did God want to trim the army down to?
(9) What was the second means that God used to trim the army?
(10) What might be the difference between kneeling down to drink and lapping water from their cupped hands to their mouths?
(11) In essence, with the two eliminations, what kind of men did God want to have in His army? What kind of people did He not want?
(12) What is its implication to us as disciples of Jesus Christ?
(13) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
(1) We read of many lively exchanges between Gideon and the Lord in the previous chapter. Did Gideon say anything to the Lord during the elimination process? What does this say about Gideon?
(2) What does it tell you about the training process that a person needs to go through before being greatly used by the Lord?
(3) How does the Bible describe the Midianite army?
(4) As much as Gideon appeared to have progressed quite a bit in his faith, how did God provide him with further encouragement and why?
(5) How might the dream affect the Midianite army and why did God use a “barley loaf” to denote the sword of Gideon?
(6) What did Gideon do upon hearing the dream? What does “worship” mean in this context?
(7) Have you ever worshipped God out of a similar experience? What does “worship” mean to you every Sunday?
(8) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?