A few people took exception to one of my articles the other day, when I referred to Gideon as a coward. Maybe that was overstating the case; I certainly wasn’t using coward in the sense of Revelation 21:8, referring to someone who would deny their faith to save their skin. I was mainly noting how many times the story of Gideon refers to him being afraid.
I like Gideon, actually, because I can relate to him. His feelings of inadequacy. His fears. His doubts about God’s activity. I’m not perfect, and neither was he.
I love the story of Gideon and what it shows us about the power of God. I especially like the part where God is whittling Gideon’s army down to size. First, He lets everyone go who is afraid. 22,000 left! Out of 32,000. Gideon wasn’t the only one with a bit of fear. Then God said that 10,000 were still too many. “And the LORD said to Gideon, “The people are still too many. Take them down to the water, and I will test them for you there, and anyone of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall go with you,’ shall go with you, and anyone of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ shall not go.”” (Judges 7:4)
Then some of the men drank in one way and some in another. God chose the smaller group. Now I’ve heard people say that the 300 drank like real fighters, keeping their guard up as they drank. If God were selecting a group of Navy SEALS, that might be true. God is about to send men out with pitchers, torches, and trumpets to face and army that couldn’t be counted. He’s not looking for fighting ability. If anything, He was probably choosing the weakest among them! Remember, this is all about God getting the glory and not man.
Anyway, from bad fighting odds (32K versus uncountable troops), God moved things to impossible odds. Just like He likes them. This is the God that defeated entire armies with one (Samson) or two men (Jonathan and his armor bearer). This is the God that took down Goliath with an armorless shepherd boy. God likes to work without man’s strength, to work through weakness.
I think that may have been the problem with David taking the census (though I’m interested in hearing other theories). David seemed to have forgotten that he wasn’t depending on horses and chariots, but on the name of the Lord. It didn’t matter how many men David had, and David failed to recognize that.
God works through weakness. He prefers the long odds. What does that say to the church today?
I always found Joab’s response to David intriguing. It was almost as if he were saying, “Let God do what He wants with the number of the people, you leave it alone!” (a bad paraphrase of 1 Chron 21:3). And he was so digusted with the order that he didn’t even completely fulfill it (v.6).
Off topic, but I love Joab. My favorite line of his is in 19:13: “Be strong, and let us use our strength for our people and for the cities of our God, and may the Lord do what seems good to him.” Gives me chills reading that.
As to what he is saying to the church today? Maybe the same thing He told Gideon?
“The Lord is with you, O mighty man of valor” (Judges 6:12b).
“Go in this might of yours…do not I send you?” (v.14b).
“But I will be with you, and you shall strike the Midianites as one man” (v.16)
Then there is Matthew 6:25-34, 7:7-11; Romans 8:28-39; and the plethora of other texts; and of course the power of God in the community by the power of the Holy Spirit (which is why the Trinity is so essential to the Church’s theology). Heck, the whole concept of victory through suffering is mind blowing.
To God be the glory! That is the reason for everything.
Grace be with you –
Jr
I need to re-read the part about the census. I was thinking about it this morning while reading Exodus. The census was connected to a collection of a tax. The one mandated by the Law was for “atonement” I believe. The same price was required of all, rich and poor alike. I’m not sure how the tax itself would be a problem though, since neither David nor his descendants were shy about taxes and forced labor.
The kingdom of God is like a mustard seed…
Great post.
Pingback: Maybe the early Christians got it wrong | TimothyArcher.com/Kitchen
Hi Tim,
What does it say to the church (that God works through weakness)? Basically, that God will bless us and carry out His will and His purpose. As I look at my many many weakness and fears, I look to Paul who three times pleaded and sought the Lord out to take away what was given him, “a thorn in the flesh”. And in Paul’s communication with Jesus, Jesus tells him, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness”