Posts Tagged ‘mercy’

“And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah…” (Hebrews 11:32a ESV)

Of all of the names from the book of Judges found in Hebrews 11, Barak might be one of the most surprising. You may read his story in chapter four of Judges, but it really doesn’t place Barak in a very good light. He comes onto the scene receiving a reprimand from Deborah, a prophetess, as she reminds him of a command from the LORD that he apparently is choosing not to obey. He demonstrates his level of faith by telling Deborah that he will follow God’s command to go into battle, only if she will go with him. She agrees to go, but prophecies that he will not receive glory because the LORD will hand Sisera, Jabin’s commander, over to a woman. Just as prophesied, Jael, wife of Heber, drives a tent-stake through Sisera’s temple and then presents the fallen leader to Barak.

Barak exercised his measure of faith; he had enough faith to go into battle as long as a woman of God came with him. When we don’t possess enough faith to proceed, God provides. And then the LORD commends the faith.

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:1-2 ESV)

“And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah…” (Hebrews 11:32a ESV)

Have you ever marveled at what a gracious God we serve? Yahweh looks on the people that He chooses, covers their faults, declares them righteous, and then commends them. Four very unlikely candidates for God’s “Hall of Faith” (Hebrews 11) seem to appear just in passing. The four individuals mentioned from the book of Judges are a remarkable collection of men; not remarkable for what they accomplished, but remarkable because of God’s work in and through them. Not one of these men stands out as a spiritual giant, yet God places them into a list of individuals “commended through their faith.”

Gideon’s story is told in Judges, chapters six through nine. The Midianites and the Amalekites and the people of the East would come up against the Israelites and devour the produce of the land every time they planted crops. The outside oppression was so bad at that time that the Israelites made caves and dens and other strongholds in the mountains to hide. Gideon is introduced to the story while he is “beating out wheat in the winepress to hide it from the Midianites.” When the angel of the LORD informs Gideon of God’s call, Gideon asks for a sign. The angel of the LORD reached out the tip of the staff that was in his hand and touched a goat and unleavened cakes that had been placed on a rock; fire comes out of the rock and consumes the food – the angel of the LORD vanishes. When the LORD tells Gideon to tear down the altar of Baal that his father had and the Asherah pole beside it, Gideon performed this task by night “because he was too afraid of his family and the men of the town to do it by day.” Gideon then tests God twice by asking for a fleece to be either dry or wet while the ground is the opposite. God is gracious and continues showing signs.

We probably all remember the story of how God proclaimed that the army Gideon finally gathered was too large and how the LORD instructed it to shrink to just 300 men. When the LORD finally gives Gideon his marching orders, Gideon is informed that “if you are afraid” go down to the camp of the enemy and hear what they are saying. When Gideon and his servant get near the enemy camp they hear two soldiers conversing about a loaf of barley bread that comes down a hill and knocks over a tent. The soldiers conclude that it must represent the sword of Gideon; they agree that they are doomed. Hearing this story gives Gideon enough faith to follow the LORD’s instructions and he ends up routing the enemy (while God confused the enemy and caused them to turn on each other).

After the battles are won, the people want to make Gideon and his family their ruler. He says he would rather not, but he will take gold from them. He makes an ephod that becomes a snare to him and his family because people begin to worship this ephod. Gideon acquires many wives, has seventy sons by them, and also has a child by a concubine in Shechem. Gideon’s death is recorded at the end of chapter eight, but his story continues through chapter nine. Abimelech, the son of Gideon’s concubine, kills seventy sons of Gideon, sets himself up as king, is cursed by Gideon’s youngest son, Jotham, and the LORD has to deal with Abimelech and the people that helped him.

What a gracious and merciful God we serve, that looks at Gideon and commends him for his faith. May we all experience that same level of grace when we are repeatedly unfaithful to our Maker and Redeemer.

 “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:1-2 ESV)

Psalm 100:5 puts forward an excellent set of reasons to be thankful: “For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations.” A good, merciful, truthful, everlasting, and generational LORD must be praised.

Verses 1-4 provide a list of instructions explaining appropriate responses to the LORD’s goodness.

• “Make a joyful shout to the LORD.”
• “Serve the LORD with gladness.”
• “Come before His presence with singing.”
• “Know that the LORD, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people and the sheep of His pasture.”
• “Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise.”
• “Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.”

 Quotes in this post from (NKJV).