{"id":27379,"date":"2023-08-01T22:00:11","date_gmt":"2023-08-02T05:00:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/judges-6_11-27-copy\/"},"modified":"2023-07-18T15:04:27","modified_gmt":"2023-07-18T22:04:27","slug":"judges-6_28-40","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/judges-6_28-40\/","title":{"rendered":"God\u2019s Strength Is Greater Than Your Weakness"},"content":{"rendered":"

Judges 6:28-40 <\/strong>Click here for Bible Verses<\/a><\/p>\n

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Hi GAMErs!<\/p>\n

Today\u2019s passage is Judges 6:28-40.\u00a0 Let’s go!<\/p>\n

Judges 6:28-31 (NIV)<\/strong>
\n28\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0In the morning when the men of the town got up, there was Baal’s altar, demolished, with the Asherah pole beside it cut down and the second bull sacrificed on the newly built altar!
\n29\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0They asked each other, “Who did this?” When they carefully investigated, they were told, “Gideon son of Joash did it.”
\n30\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0The men of the town demanded of Joash, “Bring out your son. He must die, because he has broken down Baal’s altar and cut down the Asherah pole beside it.”
\n31\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0But Joash replied to the hostile crowd around him, “Are you going to plead Baal’s cause? Are you trying to save him? Whoever fights for him shall be put to death by morning! If Baal really is a god, he can defend himself when someone breaks down his altar.”<\/em><\/p>\n

On verses 28-31:\u00a0 Gideon obeys God\u2019s command to tear down the altar of Baal and the Asherah pole that were erected on his house. The townspeople take exception to Gideon\u2019s actions, saying that he must die.\u00a0 Gideon\u2019s father Joash comes to his son\u2019s defense.\u00a0 Joash basically makes two points.<\/p>\n

First, he says (paraphrasing verse 31) \u201cif Baal really is a god, he doesn\u2019t need you to defend him and avenge him.\u201d\u00a0 It seems that Joash, who had allowed the altar of Baal and the Asherah pole both to be erected on his property as well as later to be destroyed by Gideon, was having second thoughts about whether these gods were real.\u00a0 This is speculative, but perhaps Joash was inspired by his son\u2019s actions, was reminded of his spiritual heritage in the LORD, and was repenting of his idolatrous past.\u00a0 In any event what this tells me is that don\u2019t assume that just because a person looks very religious on the outside that they are.\u00a0 Everyone has questions and the outside appearance of religiosity can sometimes mask what is really going on inside that person\u2019s heart.\u00a0 So don\u2019t assume that someone is beyond inviting to church or beyond sharing the gospel with.\u00a0 You just might be tapping into a part of their heart that is looking for help.<\/p>\n

Second, when Joash says \u201cwhoever fights for him [i.e. Baal] shall be put to death by morning!\u201d (v31), Joash is really saying, \u201cif anyone tries to hurt my son Gideon in the name of Baal, that person will not be alive tomorrow morning.\u201d\u00a0 This was Joash giving his son Gideon the strongest protection and support that he could.\u00a0 Parents, when your kids take steps forward in faith, may you be their biggest support and encourager.\u00a0 You have no idea how much your support and encouragement means to them.\u00a0 Also, just as Gideon had Joash, you have a Father who comes to your defense and who stands up for you, even to the point of giving up life for you.\u00a0 As 1 John 2:1 says, \u201cMy dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense–Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.\u201d<\/p>\n

Judges 6:32 (NIV)<\/strong>
\n32\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0So that day they called Gideon “Jerub-Baal,” saying, “Let Baal contend with him,” because he broke down Baal’s altar.<\/em><\/p>\n

On verse 32:\u00a0 The worshipers of Baal began calling Gideon \u201cJerub-Baal\u201d, which means \u201cLet Baal contend with him\u201d. To the extent that this was a curse that they placed on Gideon, Gideon\u2019s story is a story of God\u2019s protection over His people.\u00a0 Others may curse you but God\u2019s protection over your life is stronger.\u00a0 Covered by the blood of Jesus, the protection that is over your life is stronger than any attack or curse that may be thrown at you.<\/p>\n

Judges 6:33-40 (NIV)<\/strong>
\n33\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0Now all the Midianites, Amalekites and other eastern peoples joined forces and crossed over the Jordan and camped in the Valley of Jezreel.
\n34\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0Then the Spirit of the\u00a0LORD\u00a0came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet, summoning the Abiezrites to follow him.
\n35\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0He sent messengers throughout Manasseh, calling them to arms, and also into Asher, Zebulun and Naphtali, so that they too went up to meet them.
\n36\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0Gideon said to God, “If you will save Israel by my hand as you have promised–
\n37\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0look, I will place a wool fleece on the threshing floor. If there is dew only on the fleece and all the ground is dry, then I will know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you said.”
\n38\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0And that is what happened. Gideon rose early the next day; he squeezed the fleece and wrung out the dew–a bowlful of water.
\n39\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0Then Gideon said to God, “Do not be angry with me. Let me make just one more request. Allow me one more test with the fleece. This time make the fleece dry and the ground covered with dew.”
\n40\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0That night God did so. Only the fleece was dry; all the ground was covered with dew.<\/em><\/p>\n

On verses 33-40:\u00a0 Here Gideon requests two signs from God involving a woolen fleece.\u00a0 Some people look at that as a lack of faith on Gideon\u2019s part, as if Gideon was testing God.\u00a0 \u201cWhy couldn\u2019t Gideon just take God at His Word?\u201d they might ask.\u00a0 To me when I read these verses I get a different sense (at least today! :).\u00a0 To me it seems that Gideon wasn\u2019t lacking faith here but exercising faith.\u00a0 Gideon had already moved in faith by obeying God\u2019s command to take down his father\u2019s Baal altar and Asherah pole.\u00a0 Praying to God, Gideon says, \u201cIf You will save Israel by my hand as you have promised\u201d (v36), showing that he believed that a big part of Him believed that God had spoken this promise to him.\u00a0 I don\u2019t think Gideon was questioning whether God was real, faithful or able.\u00a0 Rather, I believe Gideon\u2019s questions and doubts had to do with himself.\u00a0 \u201cCould God use\u00a0me<\/em>?\u201d\u00a0 While Gideon believed in God, Gideon also seemed to have much doubts about himself, and now before Gideon could win a battle against the Midianites, Amalekites and other Eastern peoples, Gideon first had to settle the battle in his heart: \u201cWhat is greater: my faith in God or my doubts about myself?\u201d<\/p>\n

So these two requests for signs that Gideon makes were not to settle the question: \u201cIs God really there?\u201d\u00a0 Rather they were to settle the question, \u201cIs God really with\u00a0me<\/em>?\u201d\u00a0 God would answer Gideon\u2019s question twice with a resounding yes.\u00a0 God showed Gideon through these two requests that when Gideon spoke in faith and moved in faith (faith not in himself but in God), supernatural things could take place.<\/p>\n

Especially for those of us who question our ability when faced with a big challenge, this is the same battle that needs to be settled before God can truly use us.\u00a0 Is God\u2019s strength really stronger than my weakness?\u00a0 Yes.\u00a0 Absolutely.\u00a0 God is with you, and His strength is greater than your weakness.<\/p>\n

Thank You Father that You\u2019ve always got my back, You\u2019re always watching over me, and I\u2019ve got the best protection anyone could have in the blood of Jesus.\u00a0 Thank You that Your strength is greater than my weakness, and that Your strength can do amazing things even with someone like me.\u00a0 In Jesus\u2019 name, AMEN!<\/em><\/p>\n

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Copyright \u00a9 2021 Justin Lim. All rights reserved.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Hi GAMErs!<\/p>\n

Today\u2019s passage is Judges 6:28-40.\u00a0 Let’s go!<\/p>\n

Judges 6:28-31 (NIV)
\n28\u00a0\u00a0In the morning when the men of the town got up, there was Baal’s altar, demolished, with the Asherah pole beside it cut down and the second bull sacrificed on the newly built altar!
\n29\u00a0\u00a0They asked each other, “Who did this?” When they carefully investigated, they were told, “Gideon son of Joash did it.”
\n30\u00a0\u00a0The men of the town demanded of Joash, “Bring out your son. He must die, because he has broken down Baal’s altar and cut down the Asherah pole beside it.”
\n31\u00a0\u00a0But Joash replied to the hostile crowd around him, “Are you going to plead Baal’s cause? Are you trying to save him? Whoever fights for him shall be put to death by morning! If Baal really is a god, he can defend himself when someone breaks down his altar.”
\n\u00a0
\nOn verses 28-31:\u00a0 Gideon obeys God\u2019s command to tear down the altar of Baal and the Asherah pole that were erected on his house. The townspeople take exception to Gideon\u2019s actions, saying that he must die.\u00a0 Gideon\u2019s father Joash comes to his son\u2019s defense.\u00a0 Joash basically makes two points.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":27381,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-27379","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-gametime-sharing"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27379","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=27379"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27379\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":27382,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27379\/revisions\/27382"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/27381"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27379"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27379"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27379"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}