Gideon is one of the most important sections in the whole book of Judges.
We’ve studied how God called this man who came from one of the poorest families in Israel and how in the beginning Gideon tested God.
We saw how God in turn tested him back and then how with scarce military resources Gideon went on to kick some major butt on the battlefield.
We’ll see his era as a judge soon come to an end and then his sons rise up to succeed him.
So there are 2 key lessons to be gleaned from our study of this 5th Judge of Israel.
The first lesson was we learned how important it is to understand and interpret Scripture within the context of both its culture and time it was written.
I call this the immediate view of Scripture.
Unfortunately, this is about as far as most people get in their understanding of the Word.
The second lesson is to take what I call the long-term view of Scripture.
What do I mean by that specifically?
I mean to recognize the eternal and unchanging patterns that God has established in His Word.
Something I’ve been harping on like forever it seems.
It’s these patterns that let us know the way humans act remain the same…whether 10,000 years ago or 10 minutes ago.
That’s right.
We are very predictable and unchanging creatures.
And because we are both predictable and unchanging this means that human history itself is also predictable and unchanging.
It’s a cyclical phenomenon that repeats itself over and over again.
You know how the sun rises and sets every day?
Well, that’s how the history of man progresses.
It moves forward from one stage to the next.
Again, NOT in some random haphazard way as the evolutionists would like you to believe, but in foreseeable and PREDICTABLE beats or steps.
This is one of the biggest lessons Scripture teaches us.
Understanding and being able to discern this pattern is what the Scripture calls true wisdom.
King Solomon alluded to this in his famous tome known as the Book of Ecclesiastes.
“Generations come, generations go,
but the earth remains forever.
The sun rises, the sun sets;
then it speeds to its place and rises there.
The wind blows south,
then it turns north;
the wind blows all around
and keeps returning to its rounds.
All the rivers flow to the sea,
yet the sea is not full;
to the place where the rivers flow,
there they keep on flowing.”
-Ecclesiastes 1:4-7
The point I’m getting at here is that the history of mankind progresses in foreseeable cycles over and over and over again.
And it does so in the precise order that Scripture says it will.
Which means we can count on it continuing to do so until God steps in to stop the cycle of doom…a time I believe is coming soon.
So understand this.
The era of the Judges not only represents Israel’s downward spiral towards unfaithfulness and idolatry, it also represents mankind’s downward, almost suicidal trek towards Godlessness and immorality today.
The book of Judges is the hand that has just ticked on the 11 o’clock hour on the chronometer of Israelite history.
And it shows us where we’re at today in 2022.
Today we’re experiencing unprecedented levels of greed, corruption, fear and immorality.
These are the signs of the times that lets us know we’re one divine tick away before the Lord returns and puts a stop to all this nonsense.
Of course, the world has no idea what’s going on.
They’re still holding on to the hope of some kind of worldwide peace without God as John Lennon sang about in his song “Imagine”.
And they’re worshipping the gods of scientific progress.
Of course, there’s nothing wrong with worldwide peace and scientific progress.
But trying to achieve those things without God?
I don’t think it’s possible.
Because this is His universe.
He created it man.
And He created you.
Over and out.
CONNECTING THIS TEACHING TO THE NEW TESTAMENT
“For his invisible attributes,
namely, his eternal power
and divine nature,
have been clearly perceived,
ever since the creation of the world,
in the things that have been made.
So they are without excuse.”
-Romans 1:20
Thanks bossman, only fools say there ls no God
Amen!