Title: God Who Writes Big
Contents
God who speaks loudly
(2007.09.09. Week) (Judges 7:9~18)
We often think that the great men who left big names are people who are born with good environment and heroic temperament.
But even those heroes see a lot of people who came from difficult circumstances and weak origins, yet became great figures.
* Han Myung-hoe, a famous politician in the Joseon Dynasty - was born as an eighth child, but became the best politician in the eras of Sejo, Yejong, and Seongjong.
*Chungmugong Yi Sun-sin, who heard the word Seong-woong, was the son of a poor family living in exile, but he became the best general of his time and saved the country.
Even in the Bible, we can find that great believers were weaker than we thought.
*Moses, the greatest hero of faith, was also a weak man - when God called him to be the leader of Israel, he tried to run away, saying, “I am not capable of being a servant of God.”
However, God did not give up and used him as a great worker.
*The same was true of the prophet Jeremiah, known as the great prophet - “I am weak like a child, I can do nothing” and tried to run away with the excuse, but God did not give up - “Do not say child, I will use it greatly” (Jeremiah 1:7).
Dear members, it is not necessary to have good conditions and the ability to change with confidence to do great things.
*No matter how weak you are, if you just say that you need God, and realize that God wants you, if you just leave it to God - I believe that God will use you greatly.
Don't underestimate yourself - I pray that you will become great believers by relying on God who wants to make us great.
1. Gideon was a weak man.
Because Israel had no leader and was weak, Gideon was plundered by the neighboring nation of Midian for 7 years.
Looking at the results, such a great leader, Gideon - If you look at the individual named Gideon, he was a man of no weakness.
1) A weak person. (6:11)
Now, with the development of agricultural machinery, all wheat threshing is done by machines, but in the past, it was noisy when threshing wheat.
If you place a large stone or tree and strike dry wheat on it, grains of wheat will pour out - but it is funny to see Gideon threshing wheat.
Unable to thresh in a large yard - Threshing wheat while suppressing the sound in a narrow winepress for squeezing grapes.
If the Midianites know about it while threshing wheat, it will be taken away. - It looks like threshing in hiding.
While working at your own home with your own efforts - for fear of being taken away - anxiously - Working in hiding - How fragile are you? Such a weak-minded person is Gideon.
2) The family is also the weakest among the families. (6:15)
Even though he is such a weak man, God still calls Gideon to be a worker by choosing him.
But Gideon waved his hand that he could not be a servant of God. What's that excuse?
(6:15) - "But Gideon answered him, "O Lord, with what shall I save Israel? Behold, my house is very weak among Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house."
*Our family is the weakest among our tribes.
*In my family, I am the weakest person. - This was his excuse.
3) Even our faith was weak. (6:17, 37,39)
Gideon, who has a weak heart and a weak family - but God will use it greatly - He promises, “I will surely be with you” (6:16).
Even if your family is weak, even if you are a timid person - if God promises to be with you, you should feel confident.
Even if you are weak - I pray that you will become bold believers believing that God is with us.
However, Gideon is weak in heart, and not only is his family weak - his faith is also weak.
*“Are you really God who promised to use me? Show me the evidence that you are God (6:17)” - and asks to show the evidence.
Finally, when Gideon cut his staff on the bread and meat, a fire came out and he showed the miracle of burning the bread and meat.
Did you believe well because you saw a miracle? Even when I see miracles, I doubt again.
*If you really want to use me as a judge, please show me a miracle again - I make a request. What miracle?
(6:37) - I will put a wad of wool in the yard, so the yard is dry and only the wool is wet with dew. do.
You really did that that night. - I still don't believe it and ask again.
(6:39) - Now let the fleece be dry and only the ground be wet with dew. - He does it again that night.
Even so, Gideon was hesitant in his ministry as a judge. He was so weak in faith.
4) A timid minister. (6:27)
Still, God did not give up on Gideon and commanded him to use him as a judge.
He said, “Tear down the altar of Baal in your father’s house, cut down the Asherah table, and use it as a firewood to offer sacrifices to God” (6:25-26).
He gave the command to destroy idols and offer sacrifices to Gideon, who was weak, Gideon from a poor family, and Gideon, who was weak in faith - God still wanted to use him as a judge.
*By the way, ... while doing God's work, we can't be bold... We do God's work in secret.
(6:27) Let's read together - "Then Gideon took ten of his servants and did as the LORD had told him, but he did not dare to do this by day, but at night, because he was afraid of his father's house and the people of his city." - He is a timid minister who hides in the night and does God's work because he is afraid of others and of his family and the people of his city. - When I see a man named Gideon, he doesn't seem like a person who can do great things.
Still, God does not give up and uses Gideon.
2. Even followers are weak (7:3, 6)
*When God calls Gideon to use him, 32,000 people volunteer as Gideon's soldiers.
* Among them, 22,000 people were frightened and fled before the war even started.
* Among the 10,000 remaining, 9,700 were sent back because they were unwise and reckless.
*There are only 300 people who can be used as soldiers.
3. The unchanging God. (7:9~11)
But God gives Gideon new courage.
*You are as insignificant as barley loaves, but I will help you to use it ((7:13)
*Your followers are a mess - but I'll make great use of the remaining 300 (7:7)
Even if you are weak and your followers are weak - believe in my God's power to use you.
4. Let's rely heavily on God alone (7:15)
Dear saints, what would Gideon, who was so weak, lead such insignificant soldiers? - Gideon finally had faith to depend on God.
(7:15) Let's read together - "When Gideon heard the dream and the interpretation, he worshiped and returned to the camp of Israel, saying, Arise, for the LORD has delivered Midian and all his camp into your hands" - Amen !!
(7:18) - "When I and all who follow me blow the trumpets, you also blow the trumpets around all the camp, saying, "For the Lord, for Gideon." He defeated the enemy who had been tormenting him for the rest of his life, and achieved peace of mind for the rest of his life.
Dear saints - *I am a weak person, so will I live weakly? Since you have little faith, will you live by your little faith?
*Even if you are weak, your past beliefs may be weak - God wants you to be great.
I pray that you will become great victors - by firmly believing in God, relying on God, and by the power of God.