Today we begin Judges Chapter 7.
For the Complete Jewish Bible, click HERE.
For the King James Version, click HERE.
“Then Yeruba‘al, that is, Gid‘on, and all the people with him, got up early and set up camp by ‘Ein-Harod; the camp of Midyan was north of them, by Giv‘at-Moreh, in the valley.“-Judges 7:1
Verse 1 sets the scene by telling us how Israel’s enemy forces were arrayed against Gideon and his men.
The first thing you should know is the circumstances surrounding this battle were quite different compared to when Joshua led his army against the Canaanites.
The big difference is the fighting men being led by Gideon were not trained soldiers.
They were made up of merchants, farmers and craftsmen.
They were men from pretty much every strata of Hebrew society, but they were NOT men who had known war.
On the other side of the equation, the Midianites and Amalekites were also by no means a trained and disciplined army.
But there were a ton of them.
And they were hardened fighters who were in no way intimidated by the brutal aspects of war.
The geographical set up of these armies is also interesting.
We’re told that Gideon’s men had set up camp south of the Midianites near the spring of Harod (Ein Harod in Hebrew) at the bottom of Mount Gilboa.
Now pay close attention to where we’re told the Midianites were located.
The Scripture says “the camp of Midyan was north of them, by Giv‘at-Moreh, in the valley“.
The phrase “in the valley” is referring to the Jezreel Valley.
It seems like Israel’s enemy forces loved to gather there every year right before they went on their murderous raids.
Okay, I don’t know if you realized it folks but we’ve just come across another key Biblical pattern right here.
Because in every battle involving Israel and the Holy Land, the Valley of Jezreel is gonna play a central role.
Recall 50 years earlier when Barak had battled against King Yavin.
That battle was all about Barak taking Jezreel Valley back from Israel’s oppressors.
Next, fast forward to the end times when the war to end all wars known as the battle of Armageddon is gonna take place.
Even though everybody calls it the “battle of Armageddon”, do you know where this final battle is really gonna take place?
That’s right homies.
It’s gonna take place in the Jezreel Valley.
Which is the exact location where Gideon and his men are about to fight the Midianites and their uncircumcised allies.
Just as Israel’s enemies gathered against Israel here at the valley of Jezreel, so will it be in the end times.
So right here, we’ve encountered another repeating Biblical pattern.
Har Megiddo which is the Hebrew word for Armageddon simply means “the mountain of Megiddo”.
It is only because this mountain of Megiddo overlooks the valley of Jezreel that we call this final Biblical war the “battle of Armageddon”.
Got it?
Over and out.
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