WEBVTT

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 Well, let's step back for just a moment and, excuse me, let's consider the movement of the text as it relates to Gideon in particular.

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 And we have to go all the way back to chapter 6 for that.

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 At the beginning of the narrative, more especially chapter 6 verse 11, perhaps you can notate it there.

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 We are introduced to Gideon as a surprising and, frankly, from a human perspective, unqualified candidate to lead Israel against Midian.

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 I mean, there is nothing extraordinary about this man when we're introduced to him in chapter 6.

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 And that's really a big part of the story, a big part of the point that we're drawing from it.

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 But Gideon was nonetheless God's chosen instrument.

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 And as we read through chapter 6 and chapter 7, we see God doing this amazingly gracious work as he calls Gideon, as he assures Gideon over and over.

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 And then as we see him progressively transforming Gideon.

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 All of these things, things that we would equate in gospel language to conversion and sanctification and the work of grace in each of our lives as we come to know God and grow in our walk with God.

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 And there's no doubt, it's not very hard to see that Gideon wasn't perfect.

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 But he did continually display faithfulness.

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 He was faithful to the call that God gave him.

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 And God proved himself faithful and patient and merciful in Gideon's many, many moments of weakness, especially his weakness in faith.

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 But in the end, in the smaller task of destroying the altar of Baal in chapter 6,

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 and the larger task of going up against the Midianites with only 300 men, Gideon demonstrates the kind of faith that is worthy of honor

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 and is commended to us by the author of Hebrews.

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 In Hebrews chapter 11, when he tells us in verse 32 through 34,

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 Time would not even grant me to be able to tell you all about Gideon and his faith and the way that the Lord used him.

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 So that's the movement that we see.

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 There is buildup in this text from chapter 6 and chapter 7 where we see this really weak and insecure and cynical man who is doing everything he can not to obey God.

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 And yet he's constantly wooed by the grace of God and the power of God at work in his life.

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 And then we see this wonderful victory that he experiences in chapter 7.

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 Now, it would be great if we could move from chapter 7 and verse 25,

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 which is when the victory over Midian is really won.

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 It would be great if we could just go straight from that verse to the two verses that we just read in chapter 8.

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 That the land had rest.

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 That Midian was, they couldn't stick their heads up even anymore.

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 The whack-a-mole is finished.

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 It's broken.

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 Right?

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 And Gideon just goes home and he rides out into the sunset until the day he dies and everything's good.

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 But we can't do that.

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 The problem here is that there's an essential piece of the story that's given for our instruction in chapter 8.

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 And it's a, it's honestly, it's an ugly piece.

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 It's a really ugly piece.

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 The fact is that Gideon did not finish well.

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 And the chapter shows us that the deliverers that God used were still sinners who very often reflected the sins of the nation.

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 They were people of their own times.

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 And they weren't very different from the people that they were tasked with delivering in these moments.

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 Of course, the best of men are still capable of tremendous spiritual failure.

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 And Gideon's no exception to that.

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 Which reminds us of one of the main points of the book of Judges.

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 There are no heroes here.

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 There's no heroes in the book of Judges.

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 There are only sinners used by God to show his own love, grace, and mercy towards his people.

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 These deliverers are meant to point us toward a greater deliverer.

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 And we remember the only hero here is the Lord Jesus Christ.

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 But what are we to think about, or what are we to think when our spiritual leaders fail us in the way that Gideon and others failed?

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 How are we supposed to deal with that?

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 How are we supposed to handle people that are called of God and even used of God tremendously to help us know Christ and grow closer to Christ?

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 What are we to think, what are we to do when they fall into sin and when they fail to lead as God has called them to lead?

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 What are the signs that someone we trust is drifting toward this devastating kind of sin in their leadership?

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 What should we be looking for even?

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 And in the end, is there any hope actually of someone who will not fail us?

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 And of course there is.

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 But there's only one.

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 And we don't read about him until we get to Matthew.

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 That's the Lord Jesus, right?

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 And so I want to work through this chapter and look at some of the notable things that is happening in Gideon's sin.

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 And then through that, maybe we can find some instruction and helpful application personally to these things in our lives.

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 Here's the first thing I want you to see.

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 Gideon first pacified his critics with flattery.

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 He pacified his critics with flattery.

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 Now I admit, this is a very small thing in the text.

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 Most of us would consider this inconsequential to Gideon's larger failures in this passage.

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 None of us would really consider it disqualifying, especially given the fact that he was successful in this.

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 I'm going to read the first three verses here in just a moment.

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 But here's the point that I want to drive before we read them.

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 Small matters can be indicators of potential greater sins.

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 And if they're not dealt with the smaller matters in our lives, they're only going to grow.

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 They're only going to produce greater sin and greater failure.

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 So that reason alone means that these verses are worth considering in terms of Gideon's weakness.

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 Now we wouldn't come to the end and say, this thing alone is the reason why Gideon is bad.

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 We wouldn't do that.

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 It's just, he's human, right?

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 This is something that probably all of us could be guilty of in any given context.

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 But it does speak to the larger picture of what's happening here.

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 Verse 1, the men of Ephraim said to him, what is this that you have done to us, not to call us when you went to fight against Midian?

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 And they accused him fiercely.

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 That's strong language.

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 And he said to them, what have I done now in comparison with you?

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 Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the grape harvest of Abiezer?

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 In other words, isn't the things that's left over with you, Ephraim, better than what is the very best that we can offer as poor, humble Abiezerites?

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 God has given into your hands the princes of Midian, Oreb, and Zeb.

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 What have I been able to do in comparison with you?

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 Then their anger against him subsided when he said this.

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 This is kind of an interesting little situation here.

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 The background of it is at the end of chapter 7.

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 The Ephraimites had not initially been summoned to the battle against Midian.

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 But Gideon did end up calling them to effect a critical victory as the surviving Midianites tried to cross the Jordan River.

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 So they ultimately, if you remember from last week, the army of Midian, ultimately they destroy one another.

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 But some of them do actually escape.

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 And they're trying to get out of the country.

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 They're trying to head back east again.

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 They're done with Israel at this point.

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 But they have to cross the Jordan to get there.

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 Well, Gideon strategically sends messengers ahead of them to get the soldiers of Ephraim to cut them off at the waters.

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 And that's exactly what Ephraim did.

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 They went there and they cut them off.

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 A few of them did get past them.

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 But they helped to bring this victory to a close.

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 Well, once the victory was won, the men of Ephraim fiercely confront Gideon here for not calling them to the fight in the beginning.

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 Which is just anecdotally just a reminder that even the greatest victories come with criticism from those who should be celebrating.

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 Isn't that what Ephraim should have been doing?

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 Should they not have gathered with Gideon's men and the rest of the army and rejoice that God has delivered us from this terrible, terrible enemy?

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 But that's not what they do.

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 They go to where Gideon is and they complain and criticize.

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 And this word fiercely, that's a strong word here in Hebrew.

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 It's they are so frustrated with Gideon, they might be on the verge of killing him because he didn't call them in the beginning.

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 And Ephraim was known for this kind of cantankerous attitude.

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 We'll see it again later on in the book of Judges.

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 They were easily offended.

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 They always had some axe to grind.

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 And in fact, in some leaders' lives, the most frequent frustration comes from people who are exactly like this.

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 They're filled with pride.

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 They can never really learn to let things go.

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 They always have some criticism to offer, especially when they weren't consulted in the decision making to begin with.

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 So it's no wonder, it's no surprise that Gideon just wanted to say whatever he could say to pacify them and be able to move on with what he wanted to do.

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 Many would even say this was prudent.

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 This was extremely diplomatic on Gideon's part to deal with him the way that he did and move on.

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 I think we should have a different perspective.

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 It's not that what he said to them was necessarily untrue.

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 Technically, as far as honor goes, they won a great victory.

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 Gideon didn't do anything.

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 Gideon smashed a pot and yelled, lit his torch.

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 God did all the work there.

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 The Ephraimites actually captured two of the princes of Midian and killed them.

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 They received the honor for that.

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 So it's not exactly that what Gideon says here is untrue, but by resorting to flattery, he missed an opportunity to point the men of Ephraim back to the glory of God.

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 Why did he say nothing about his divine call and enablement to fight against Midian?

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 Why did he not bring that up to Ephraim?

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 According to chapter 6, verses 34 and 35, it was because he was clothed in the spirit of the Lord that Gideon was able to gather the people that he did,

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 which means that the people who were called to the battle were called really by God, not by Gideon.

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 Gideon wasn't calling the shots in this.

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 God was.

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 He was just along for the ride, so to speak.

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 Well, why does he not say that?

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 Why not correct the Ephraimites by speaking of God's desire to receive glory by defeating Midian with as minimal of a human force as possible?

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 Some may consider Gideon's response here to be prudent.

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 I think it actually worked against the very purpose of what God had intended the battle to achieve.

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 Rather than giving God glory in this moment, Gideon strokes Ephraim's ego so that they might have some of the glory that they wanted for this battle.

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 Do you see the problem there?

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 It may be a little thing.

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 We may say, well, we're making too much of this.

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 Maybe I am making too much of this.

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 But we can't just pass this off as if this was a glowing, positive characteristic in Gideon's leadership.

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 He's actually robbing God of something here.

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 He should have been leading those men to acknowledge the work of God and the glory of God.

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 Instead, he just flattered them so he could get them out of the way.

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 But why would he want to just get them out of the way?

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 That leads us to the second thing.

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 Gideon pursued his own agenda.

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 Gideon, at this point, pursued his own agenda.

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 Let's read a large portion of the text here, beginning at verse 4.

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 This is so sad.

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 Gideon came to the Jordan and crossed over, he and the 300 men who were with him, exhausted yet pursuing.

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 So he said to the men of Succoth, please give loaves of bread to the people who follow me, for they are exhausted.

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 I'm pursuing after Ziba and Zalmanah, the kings of Midian.

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 The officers of Succoth said, are the hands of Ziba and Zalmanah already in your hand, that we should give bread to your army?

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 Now, this gets personal for Gideon, verse 7.

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 So Gideon said, well then, when the Lord has given Ziba and Zalmanah into my hand, I will flail your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briars.

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 This is like an extreme way of saying, go out and cut me a switch.

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 You know, you've ever heard that?

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 And from there he went up to Penuel and spoke to them in the same way.

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 And the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered.

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 And he said to the men of Penuel, when I come again in peace, I will break down this tower.

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 Now Ziba and Zalmanah were in Karkor with their army, about 15,000 men.

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 Now look at this, this shows you the amazing victory God had won for Israel.

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 There's 15,000 men left.

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 These were all who were left of the army of the people of the east.

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 For there had fallen 120,000 men who drew the sword.

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 And they fell because 300 men stood around their camp at night and banged some pots and lit some torches and yelled a few things.

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 That's incredible.

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 Gideon went up by the way of the tent dwellers east of Noba and Jogbeha and attacked the army for the army felt secure.

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 Therefore, Ziba and Zalmanah fled and he pursued them and captured the two kings of Midian, Ziba and Zalmanah.

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 And he threw all the army into a panic.

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 Then Gideon, the son of Joash, returned from the battle by the ascent of Heres.

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 And he captured a young man of Succoth and questioned him.

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 And he wrote down for him the officials and elders of Succoth, 77 men.

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 And he came to the men of Succoth and said, Behold, Ziba and Zalmanah, about whom you taunted me, saying, Are the hands of Ziba and Zalmanah already in your hand, that we should give bread to your men who are exhausted?

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 And he took the elders of the city and he took thorns of the wilderness and briars and with them taught the men of Succoth a lesson.

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 And he broke down the tower of Penuel and killed the men of the city.

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 Then he said to Ziba and Zalmanah, Where are the men whom you killed at Tabor?

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 Now we're getting some clarity as to why Gideon's doing this.

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 He's not acting on behalf of the Lord.

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 Notice.

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 They answered, As you are, so were they.

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 Every one of them resembled the son of a king.

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 And he said, They were my brothers, the sons of my mother.

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 And as the Lord lives, if you had saved them alive, I would not kill you.

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 So he said to Jeth, or his firstborn, Rise and kill them.

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 But the young man did not draw his sword, for he was afraid because he was still a young man.

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 And it sounds a lot like his father a little earlier in the text, doesn't it?

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 And Ziba and Zalmanah pick up on that.

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 So they start to ridicule and mock Gideon as a result.

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 Verse 21, Then Ziba and Zalmanah said, Rise yourself and fall upon us, for as the man is, so is his strength.

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 Well, Gideon can't handle that, right?

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 He's full of pride at this point.

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 His honor has been brought into question by these kings that he has very clearly defeated.

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 And he can't handle it.

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 So here's what he does.

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 He arose and he killed Ziba and Zalmanah.

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 And he took the crescent ornaments that were on the necks of their camels.

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 Now, everything in chapter 7 emphasizes God's plan for saving his people.

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 And as long as Gideon trusted and obeyed God, things went better than he could have ever imagined.

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 But it's a different story in chapter 8.

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 The focus in these verses is on Gideon's pursuit of his own agenda, of his own glory.

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 And stepping outside of God's plan, he shows excessive pride.

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 He's driven by personal vengeance rather than humility and faithfulness that is required of spiritual leaders.

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 And there's so much in these verses that I'm just going to have to leave to you in your personal study to really dig deep into.

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 But let's at least hit the highlights here.

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 And here's one of the major highlights.

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 These are Gideon's plans, not God's.

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 These are Gideon's plans.

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 Everything up to this point in the Gideon narrative, I mean everything,

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 has seen the explicit instruction of God.

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 There's not a single moment in Gideon's life in chapter 6 and chapter 7

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 where he is doing his own thing or has been given permission to do his own thing.

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 Every single step of the way, he has been tasked with following the exact plan of God.

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 Whether it be the altar of Baal, the reduction of the army,

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 the unique action of the 300,

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 we are told that Gideon did what God told him to do.

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 He understood himself in those moments to simply be the instrument of God

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 responsible for trusting and obeying God's plan.

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 But in this episode, there's no mention at all of Gideon following God's instructions.

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 And as the story progresses,

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 it becomes clear that Gideon was most concerned about his own honor now

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 and a vendetta that he had against the Midianite kings.

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 Now, Barry Webb, I think, helps us here when he writes,

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 God now seems marginal rather than central to what is happening.

00:19:43.440 --> 00:19:51.440
 Gideon refers to God twice, but in both cases, it's to justify his own actions.

00:19:51.900 --> 00:19:53.559
 That's verse 7 and verse 19.

00:19:54.580 --> 00:20:01.160
 The author himself doesn't attribute anything that happens in this phase of Gideon's life to God.

00:20:02.039 --> 00:20:07.279
 Even at the climax in which Gideon comes upon the remaining enemy unaware,

00:20:07.279 --> 00:20:12.660
 it is he, not God, who throws them into a panic.

00:20:13.599 --> 00:20:16.399
 In contrast to what happened earlier,

00:20:17.000 --> 00:20:24.039
 this victory is Gideon's own achievement rather than God's gift.

00:20:25.899 --> 00:20:33.139
 How terrible to have great success apart from God.

00:20:33.140 --> 00:20:39.000
 That's exactly what Gideon experiences in this moment.

00:20:40.259 --> 00:20:42.280
 He has great success.

00:20:43.280 --> 00:20:44.980
 God has nothing to do with it.

00:20:45.500 --> 00:20:47.259
 And that's to Gideon's detriment.

00:20:48.560 --> 00:20:49.940
 He's just doing his own thing.

00:20:51.220 --> 00:20:56.200
 Doesn't matter what God wanted or what God said or instructed.

00:20:57.320 --> 00:20:59.060
 Gideon's got his own glory in mind.

00:20:59.620 --> 00:21:01.380
 And he's got a personal vendetta.

00:21:01.380 --> 00:21:06.320
 And nobody's going to stand in the way of him accomplishing what he wants to accomplish in that moment.

00:21:07.760 --> 00:21:11.780
 There's something to be said here when we get to verse 4

00:21:11.780 --> 00:21:17.140
 about Gideon only taking 300 with him across the Jordan.

00:21:18.620 --> 00:21:20.100
 Now think about this for just a second.

00:21:20.960 --> 00:21:23.820
 In chapter 7 and verse 23, we're told that

00:21:23.819 --> 00:21:29.299
 the army that had been sent home has now been called back.

00:21:30.159 --> 00:21:33.539
 And in their pursuit of Midian, catching up with Ephraim,

00:21:34.099 --> 00:21:37.799
 these other people from Naphtali and from Asher,

00:21:38.039 --> 00:21:40.759
 they have now gathered along with the 300 men.

00:21:41.200 --> 00:21:41.379
 Okay?

00:21:41.559 --> 00:21:43.700
 So there's more people than just 300 at this point.

00:21:43.700 --> 00:21:49.640
 We're also just told that the Ephraimites were angry

00:21:49.640 --> 00:21:52.779
 that Gideon didn't include them in the initial battle.

00:21:53.600 --> 00:21:57.480
 But then when we get to this point where Gideon has to leave

00:21:57.480 --> 00:22:01.640
 the borders of Israel, crossing the Jordan to chase after Midian,

00:22:02.039 --> 00:22:04.039
 it's just the 300 again.

00:22:04.299 --> 00:22:05.279
 Now why is that?

00:22:05.279 --> 00:22:07.740
 I think there's something for us to take from this.

00:22:08.319 --> 00:22:12.539
 One possibility is that it was clear to everyone involved,

00:22:13.119 --> 00:22:14.200
 victory had been won.

00:22:15.119 --> 00:22:16.240
 Why wouldn't they think that?

00:22:16.639 --> 00:22:20.460
 They now grossly outnumbered the Midianites.

00:22:21.000 --> 00:22:22.319
 Midianites aren't coming back.

00:22:22.819 --> 00:22:23.839
 God won the victory.

00:22:24.319 --> 00:22:26.000
 They should rejoice.

00:22:26.000 --> 00:22:28.819
 And no doubt, people understood that.

00:22:28.899 --> 00:22:30.799
 There was no reason for them to leave the land.

00:22:30.899 --> 00:22:33.740
 There was no reason for them to chase after the survivors.

00:22:33.740 --> 00:22:38.819
 It's also possible that Gideon kept his plans a secret

00:22:38.819 --> 00:22:41.539
 for a reason that isn't explained in the text.

00:22:42.599 --> 00:22:48.259
 In either case, the indication is that Gideon was pursuing his own plan

00:22:48.259 --> 00:22:50.500
 rather than obeying God here.

00:22:51.319 --> 00:22:52.500
 He's just doing his own thing.

00:22:52.940 --> 00:22:54.420
 Gideon has now gone rogue.

00:22:55.420 --> 00:22:58.660
 But it's not just that this is Gideon's plan, not God's.

00:22:58.799 --> 00:23:01.620
 The second thing that we find here, a huge part of this passage,

00:23:01.619 --> 00:23:06.779
 is that Gideon's pride turned him against his own people.

00:23:07.779 --> 00:23:09.059
 Turned him against his own people.

00:23:10.559 --> 00:23:11.619
 How tragic.

00:23:12.579 --> 00:23:16.219
 This episode that unfolds with the people of Succoth and Penuel.

00:23:17.399 --> 00:23:18.559
 It's an interesting one.

00:23:18.699 --> 00:23:22.699
 On one hand, it makes sense why they didn't want to help Gideon.

00:23:22.700 --> 00:23:27.500
 These two cities or towns, whatever they might have been, were the furthest east.

00:23:27.860 --> 00:23:31.680
 They were the closest to the Midianites and the people of the east at this point.

00:23:31.740 --> 00:23:35.580
 Which means that if Gideon didn't actually win

00:23:35.580 --> 00:23:39.759
 and the enemy found out that they had assisted Gideon,

00:23:40.360 --> 00:23:43.500
 guess who's first when the enemy comes back?

00:23:43.500 --> 00:23:50.759
 It's Penuel and Succoth, who at this point probably had escaped some of the damaging parts of this oppression.

00:23:51.299 --> 00:23:56.359
 So it makes sense, on one hand, why they would be reluctant to help Gideon.

00:23:56.700 --> 00:23:59.640
 On the other hand, these people of Israel,

00:23:59.779 --> 00:24:03.220
 they should have been able to look at Gideon and his 300 and what God had done

00:24:03.220 --> 00:24:05.500
 and say, God has won a victory here.

00:24:05.500 --> 00:24:10.500
 Of course, we are going to assist our people for the glory of God.

00:24:11.579 --> 00:24:15.599
 But at the end, this text is not about the people of Succoth or Penuel.

00:24:16.000 --> 00:24:17.960
 That's not the judgment that we're making here.

00:24:18.339 --> 00:24:19.980
 This passage is about Gideon.

00:24:20.619 --> 00:24:22.460
 And what do we find out about Gideon here?

00:24:24.400 --> 00:24:29.900
 Seeing that there's no explicit instruction for him to pursue Midian,

00:24:30.359 --> 00:24:33.180
 perhaps the resistance of these two towns

00:24:33.180 --> 00:24:39.360
 was God's subtle way of signaling Gideon not to go any further.

00:24:40.900 --> 00:24:45.539
 We're told in verse 4 that the 300 were exhausted yet pursuing.

00:24:46.160 --> 00:24:48.700
 Now those of us who are manly men say,

00:24:49.240 --> 00:24:52.539
 right on, doesn't matter if you're tired, you keep going.

00:24:53.200 --> 00:24:55.120
 Well, we could also look at that phrase and say,

00:24:55.120 --> 00:24:57.940
 this was foolish, his men were not prepared to fight again.

00:24:58.880 --> 00:25:02.860
 He was risking something massive here by continuing on.

00:25:04.080 --> 00:25:07.700
 Maybe these towns was God's subtle way, like God does with us sometimes,

00:25:07.860 --> 00:25:09.400
 where he's signaling to Gideon,

00:25:09.620 --> 00:25:12.779
 you better stop and think before you go any further.

00:25:13.660 --> 00:25:15.700
 Don't do this, Gideon.

00:25:15.799 --> 00:25:17.920
 You know, God's gracious to do that with us sometimes.

00:25:18.519 --> 00:25:20.500
 We get set in pursuing our own plans.

00:25:20.620 --> 00:25:21.480
 We want to do our thing.

00:25:21.519 --> 00:25:22.700
 And then God steps in the way.

00:25:22.900 --> 00:25:25.539
 And he just says, he sends somebody or something,

00:25:25.680 --> 00:25:27.120
 some obstacle that just says,

00:25:27.120 --> 00:25:30.440
 you better stop and think before you go much further with your plan here.

00:25:30.440 --> 00:25:31.779
 And what does Gideon do?

00:25:32.240 --> 00:25:34.680
 Well, he's offended and he blows right through the obstacle.

00:25:36.279 --> 00:25:42.019
 The problem is that when we're intent on pursuing our own agendas above God's,

00:25:42.559 --> 00:25:45.019
 we will allow no one to stand in our way.

00:25:47.000 --> 00:25:48.100
 Not even God.

00:25:48.099 --> 00:25:56.779
 Gideon's prideful pursuit potentially caused him to ignore a warning from God,

00:25:56.879 --> 00:25:58.179
 if that's what this was about.

00:25:58.919 --> 00:26:04.419
 But it definitely led him to turn against the very people he was supposed to be serving.

00:26:04.420 --> 00:26:10.279
 After he captures Ziba and Zalmanah,

00:26:10.539 --> 00:26:12.980
 he returns to the two cities.

00:26:13.920 --> 00:26:15.220
 And guess who he has with him?

00:26:16.360 --> 00:26:17.420
 Ziba and Zalmanah.

00:26:17.700 --> 00:26:19.640
 He keeps them alive on purpose.

00:26:20.360 --> 00:26:20.660
 Why?

00:26:21.259 --> 00:26:23.240
 Because he wants to go back to those two towns.

00:26:23.680 --> 00:26:24.779
 And he wants to show them,

00:26:25.220 --> 00:26:26.360
 look what I did.

00:26:27.500 --> 00:26:30.400
 I won the victory that you didn't think I could win.

00:26:31.080 --> 00:26:31.759
 Here they are.

00:26:31.759 --> 00:26:34.079
 Now tell me,

00:26:34.420 --> 00:26:36.079
 is that about God's glory?

00:26:37.400 --> 00:26:39.279
 Or is that about Gideon's glory?

00:26:40.579 --> 00:26:42.019
 It's not about God's.

00:26:42.500 --> 00:26:44.119
 He doesn't even mention the Lord at this point.

00:26:45.019 --> 00:26:46.339
 It's all about Gideon.

00:26:48.240 --> 00:26:50.019
 He boasts of his success,

00:26:50.779 --> 00:26:53.440
 then he humiliated and murdered

00:26:53.440 --> 00:26:57.359
 the people who had early defied him.

00:26:57.359 --> 00:26:59.119
 Now,

00:26:59.819 --> 00:27:04.579
 this is a problem with spiritual leadership that goes rogue.

00:27:06.179 --> 00:27:07.819
 We get set on our own way.

00:27:08.639 --> 00:27:11.559
 We stop doing the things that God has told us to do.

00:27:12.319 --> 00:27:14.500
 We're not going to let anybody stand in our way.

00:27:14.979 --> 00:27:16.939
 And when somebody tries to stand in our way,

00:27:17.199 --> 00:27:18.839
 we resort to humiliation

00:27:18.839 --> 00:27:20.959
 and destruction.

00:27:22.639 --> 00:27:23.459
 Destroy them

00:27:23.459 --> 00:27:25.399
 rather than serve them

00:27:25.400 --> 00:27:26.440
 and help them.

00:27:27.380 --> 00:27:29.420
 And that's what's happening with Gideon, I believe.

00:27:30.540 --> 00:27:33.000
 Spiritual failure always has some component

00:27:33.000 --> 00:27:34.680
 of spiritual pride at its heart.

00:27:35.900 --> 00:27:39.440
 And when we stop submitting to God's plan,

00:27:39.660 --> 00:27:40.700
 pursue our own glory,

00:27:41.180 --> 00:27:42.940
 the results are devastating.

00:27:44.200 --> 00:27:46.220
 This is a sad part of this story.

00:27:46.220 --> 00:27:50.279
 Whether it be through the leadership of your home,

00:27:51.360 --> 00:27:53.680
 leadership in our church,

00:27:55.000 --> 00:27:57.839
 some other relationship that you have,

00:27:58.960 --> 00:28:01.160
 pride will ultimately lead you to hurt

00:28:01.160 --> 00:28:04.860
 the very people you're responsible to love and to serve.

00:28:06.460 --> 00:28:07.339
 Number three,

00:28:08.519 --> 00:28:11.319
 it gets worse, believe it or not.

00:28:11.319 --> 00:28:14.539
 Gideon positioned himself

00:28:14.539 --> 00:28:17.339
 as God's priest and king.

00:28:18.359 --> 00:28:19.980
 Gideon positioned himself

00:28:19.980 --> 00:28:22.539
 as God's priest and king.

00:28:22.879 --> 00:28:23.579
 Verse 22,

00:28:24.720 --> 00:28:27.299
 then the men of Israel said to Gideon,

00:28:28.359 --> 00:28:29.799
 rule over us,

00:28:29.980 --> 00:28:31.079
 you and your son

00:28:31.079 --> 00:28:32.539
 and your grandson also.

00:28:33.659 --> 00:28:35.399
 For you, Gideon,

00:28:36.139 --> 00:28:37.859
 have saved us

00:28:37.859 --> 00:28:39.899
 from the hand of Midian.

00:28:39.900 --> 00:28:40.820
 Wow.

00:28:42.700 --> 00:28:44.580
 So in response to Gideon's actions,

00:28:44.740 --> 00:28:45.759
 the men of Israel declare

00:28:45.759 --> 00:28:48.200
 that they want Gideon to be their king.

00:28:49.519 --> 00:28:52.100
 And this was more than just a season of leadership.

00:28:52.759 --> 00:28:55.160
 This was clearly a royal structure

00:28:55.160 --> 00:28:57.580
 involving authority

00:28:57.580 --> 00:28:59.000
 and the throne being passed down

00:28:59.000 --> 00:29:00.259
 from generation to generation.

00:29:00.360 --> 00:29:01.320
 They say, we want you

00:29:01.320 --> 00:29:03.400
 and then we want it to be set up in such a way

00:29:03.400 --> 00:29:04.480
 that when you're dead, Gideon,

00:29:04.540 --> 00:29:05.300
 it's your sons

00:29:05.300 --> 00:29:06.340
 and when your sons are dead,

00:29:06.400 --> 00:29:07.040
 it's your grandson.

00:29:07.460 --> 00:29:08.440
 And so they want a king

00:29:08.440 --> 00:29:10.920
 and they want Gideon to be that king.

00:29:11.340 --> 00:29:13.759
 Now, their desire for a king

00:29:13.759 --> 00:29:14.620
 wasn't the problem.

00:29:15.160 --> 00:29:16.660
 In fact, that's one of the major points

00:29:16.660 --> 00:29:17.259
 of the book.

00:29:17.840 --> 00:29:19.000
 Israel needs a king.

00:29:19.660 --> 00:29:20.480
 They need a king

00:29:20.480 --> 00:29:21.920
 who will unite the nation.

00:29:22.240 --> 00:29:22.900
 They need a king

00:29:22.900 --> 00:29:24.779
 who will rule in righteousness.

00:29:24.779 --> 00:29:26.660
 But they don't just need any king.

00:29:26.839 --> 00:29:28.559
 They need God's king.

00:29:28.920 --> 00:29:31.639
 And that's eventually going to come in David.

00:29:32.000 --> 00:29:35.420
 And David is going to point them forward to Jesus.

00:29:35.940 --> 00:29:36.899
 But right now,

00:29:36.960 --> 00:29:40.059
 they're only concerned about their king,

00:29:40.399 --> 00:29:41.559
 not God's king.

00:29:44.500 --> 00:29:46.859
 The whole scene is a travesty, really.

00:29:46.859 --> 00:29:50.199
 Because it's exactly what God's actions

00:29:50.199 --> 00:29:51.740
 were intended to prevent

00:29:51.740 --> 00:29:53.919
 in chapter 6 and 7.

00:29:56.639 --> 00:29:57.879
 God comes to Gideon.

00:29:57.959 --> 00:29:59.479
 He takes the weakest one.

00:30:00.359 --> 00:30:02.819
 He whittles his army down to 300 people.

00:30:03.219 --> 00:30:04.299
 He gives them a victory

00:30:04.299 --> 00:30:05.639
 that didn't even involve them

00:30:05.639 --> 00:30:06.899
 using a sword.

00:30:08.339 --> 00:30:08.819
 Why?

00:30:09.339 --> 00:30:11.019
 He needed Israel to see

00:30:11.019 --> 00:30:12.059
 his glory,

00:30:12.259 --> 00:30:12.939
 his love,

00:30:13.000 --> 00:30:13.699
 his salvation,

00:30:13.700 --> 00:30:15.059
 so that they would turn away

00:30:15.059 --> 00:30:16.160
 from idolatry,

00:30:16.480 --> 00:30:17.519
 so that they would turn away

00:30:17.519 --> 00:30:18.259
 from their sin

00:30:18.259 --> 00:30:19.660
 and turn back to him

00:30:19.660 --> 00:30:21.160
 for their good,

00:30:21.460 --> 00:30:22.539
 for their blessing.

00:30:23.220 --> 00:30:24.279
 But that's the opposite

00:30:24.279 --> 00:30:25.340
 of what's happening here.

00:30:25.539 --> 00:30:27.080
 They're not actually turning to God.

00:30:27.240 --> 00:30:29.279
 They're turning to Gideon instead.

00:30:30.380 --> 00:30:31.240
 It's the opposite

00:30:31.240 --> 00:30:31.980
 of what occurred

00:30:31.980 --> 00:30:33.460
 in the earlier story

00:30:33.460 --> 00:30:35.360
 with Barak and Deborah.

00:30:36.360 --> 00:30:38.819
 There, the Lord had been praised.

00:30:39.880 --> 00:30:42.660
 Here, only Gideon is praised.

00:30:43.700 --> 00:30:45.299
 A man who has become

00:30:45.299 --> 00:30:46.640
 a God-like figure

00:30:46.640 --> 00:30:48.519
 in the eyes of his followers.

00:30:49.660 --> 00:30:51.180
 And Gideon went along with it.

00:30:51.559 --> 00:30:53.380
 Look with me at 23 to 27.

00:30:54.160 --> 00:30:55.100
 Gideon said to them,

00:30:55.480 --> 00:30:56.920
 I will not rule over you,

00:30:57.100 --> 00:30:58.940
 and my son will not rule over you.

00:30:59.340 --> 00:31:00.720
 The Lord will rule over you.

00:31:01.059 --> 00:31:01.880
 Sounds great

00:31:01.880 --> 00:31:02.720
 until you see

00:31:02.720 --> 00:31:03.819
 what he actually meant.

00:31:04.299 --> 00:31:05.039
 Verse 24.

00:31:05.860 --> 00:31:06.600
 And Gideon said,

00:31:06.680 --> 00:31:07.720
 Let me request of you.

00:31:08.200 --> 00:31:08.880
 Every one of you

00:31:08.880 --> 00:31:09.819
 give me the earrings

00:31:09.819 --> 00:31:10.620
 from his spoil.

00:31:11.259 --> 00:31:12.319
 For they had golden earrings

00:31:12.319 --> 00:31:13.659
 because they were Ishmaelites.

00:31:14.379 --> 00:31:15.279
 And they answered,

00:31:15.399 --> 00:31:16.480
 We will willingly give them.

00:31:17.419 --> 00:31:18.519
 And they spread a cloak.

00:31:19.139 --> 00:31:20.279
 Every man threw in it

00:31:20.279 --> 00:31:21.539
 the earrings of his spoil.

00:31:22.359 --> 00:31:23.799
 The weight of the golden earrings

00:31:23.799 --> 00:31:24.519
 that he requested

00:31:24.519 --> 00:31:27.220
 was 1,700 shekels of gold.

00:31:28.279 --> 00:31:28.779
 Besides,

00:31:29.259 --> 00:31:30.559
 that's in addition to

00:31:30.559 --> 00:31:31.519
 the crescent ornaments

00:31:31.519 --> 00:31:32.379
 and the pendants

00:31:32.379 --> 00:31:33.379
 and the purple garments

00:31:33.379 --> 00:31:34.700
 worn by the kings of Midian.

00:31:34.700 --> 00:31:37.160
 And besides the collars

00:31:37.160 --> 00:31:37.779
 that were around

00:31:37.779 --> 00:31:39.080
 the necks of their camels,

00:31:40.480 --> 00:31:42.019
 Gideon made an ephod of it.

00:31:42.980 --> 00:31:43.980
 Put it in his city

00:31:43.980 --> 00:31:44.559
 in Ophrah.

00:31:45.640 --> 00:31:46.380
 And all Israel

00:31:46.380 --> 00:31:47.500
 whored after it there.

00:31:48.240 --> 00:31:49.600
 Became a snare to Gideon.

00:31:50.480 --> 00:31:51.539
 To his family.

00:31:52.500 --> 00:31:52.960
 At first,

00:31:53.140 --> 00:31:54.120
 it seems like Gideon

00:31:54.120 --> 00:31:54.920
 was wise enough

00:31:54.920 --> 00:31:56.440
 to see the problem

00:31:56.440 --> 00:31:58.360
 and to point people

00:31:58.360 --> 00:31:59.019
 back to God.

00:31:59.120 --> 00:32:00.240
 But a closer look

00:32:00.240 --> 00:32:01.019
 reveals that

00:32:01.019 --> 00:32:02.259
 what Gideon

00:32:02.259 --> 00:32:03.379
 was actually doing

00:32:03.379 --> 00:32:05.539
 was positioning himself

00:32:05.539 --> 00:32:07.460
 as Israel's ruler.

00:32:08.960 --> 00:32:09.660
 Now we know

00:32:09.660 --> 00:32:10.519
 this is what he's doing.

00:32:10.680 --> 00:32:11.720
 Later on in the passage,

00:32:11.799 --> 00:32:12.299
 if you look at

00:32:12.299 --> 00:32:13.900
 verses 30 and 31,

00:32:14.119 --> 00:32:15.879
 now Gideon had 70 sons,

00:32:16.240 --> 00:32:17.019
 his own offspring,

00:32:17.559 --> 00:32:18.879
 for he had many wives.

00:32:19.519 --> 00:32:20.640
 And he had this concubine

00:32:20.640 --> 00:32:21.519
 who was in Shechem.

00:32:22.000 --> 00:32:23.240
 He also bore him a son

00:32:23.240 --> 00:32:24.420
 and called his name Abimelech.

00:32:24.559 --> 00:32:25.460
 That's foreshadowing

00:32:25.460 --> 00:32:26.299
 something that's going to get

00:32:26.299 --> 00:32:27.200
 even really bad

00:32:27.200 --> 00:32:27.879
 in chapter 9.

00:32:29.099 --> 00:32:29.839
 But what is that?

00:32:30.099 --> 00:32:31.839
 Gideon has accumulated

00:32:31.839 --> 00:32:33.399
 a harem of women.

00:32:33.939 --> 00:32:34.959
 This is consistent

00:32:34.959 --> 00:32:36.919
 with the kings of his day.

00:32:37.799 --> 00:32:38.699
 They had a harem of women

00:32:38.699 --> 00:32:39.939
 that they had lots of kids with.

00:32:40.019 --> 00:32:41.279
 That was a sign of honor.

00:32:41.359 --> 00:32:42.779
 It was a sign of royalty.

00:32:43.199 --> 00:32:44.599
 He takes all of the garments

00:32:44.599 --> 00:32:45.279
 of these kings

00:32:45.279 --> 00:32:46.319
 that he had just killed.

00:32:47.459 --> 00:32:48.399
 Their crescent ornaments,

00:32:48.659 --> 00:32:50.419
 their purple garments,

00:32:50.539 --> 00:32:50.959
 all the things.

00:32:51.039 --> 00:32:53.439
 He takes that for himself.

00:32:54.639 --> 00:32:56.240
 And when we get into chapter 9,

00:32:56.240 --> 00:32:57.839
 we find that the expectation

00:32:57.839 --> 00:32:59.240
 around Gideon

00:32:59.240 --> 00:33:00.439
 and the people of Israel

00:33:00.440 --> 00:33:02.600
 is that his 70 sons

00:33:02.600 --> 00:33:05.680
 would continue his reign.

00:33:06.620 --> 00:33:08.360
 So what Gideon says

00:33:08.360 --> 00:33:09.059
 on the surface

00:33:09.059 --> 00:33:10.580
 and what Gideon does

00:33:10.580 --> 00:33:12.000
 in practice

00:33:12.000 --> 00:33:13.360
 are at war

00:33:13.360 --> 00:33:14.299
 with one another here.

00:33:16.059 --> 00:33:17.220
 But the heart

00:33:17.220 --> 00:33:18.620
 behind Gideon's actions

00:33:18.620 --> 00:33:20.640
 revolves around this issue

00:33:20.640 --> 00:33:21.779
 of the ephod.

00:33:22.900 --> 00:33:23.600
 If you don't know

00:33:23.600 --> 00:33:24.279
 what an ephod is,

00:33:24.340 --> 00:33:25.080
 it's very simply

00:33:25.080 --> 00:33:26.220
 it was a vesture

00:33:26.220 --> 00:33:28.320
 that the high priest wore

00:33:28.319 --> 00:33:30.259
 when fulfilling his duties

00:33:30.259 --> 00:33:31.159
 in the tabernacle.

00:33:31.859 --> 00:33:34.240
 There was only one ephod

00:33:34.240 --> 00:33:35.000
 in Israel

00:33:35.000 --> 00:33:36.419
 and God made

00:33:36.419 --> 00:33:38.039
 very clear instructions

00:33:38.039 --> 00:33:39.859
 on how it was to be used

00:33:39.859 --> 00:33:41.079
 and where it was to be used

00:33:41.079 --> 00:33:42.259
 and who was to use it.

00:33:44.379 --> 00:33:46.059
 This ephod represented

00:33:46.059 --> 00:33:48.339
 by the high priest

00:33:48.339 --> 00:33:49.599
 or worn by the high priest

00:33:49.599 --> 00:33:51.579
 represented God's channel

00:33:51.579 --> 00:33:53.579
 of communication

00:33:53.579 --> 00:33:54.339
 and communion

00:33:54.339 --> 00:33:55.139
 with his people

00:33:55.139 --> 00:33:56.059
 in the tabernacle.

00:33:56.059 --> 00:33:58.200
 Gideon knows that.

00:33:59.000 --> 00:34:00.179
 What Gideon does

00:34:00.179 --> 00:34:01.859
 in essence

00:34:01.859 --> 00:34:04.539
 is he takes this ephod

00:34:04.539 --> 00:34:06.299
 to position himself

00:34:06.299 --> 00:34:08.079
 as the primary channel

00:34:08.079 --> 00:34:09.519
 through which God

00:34:09.519 --> 00:34:10.460
 would now communicate

00:34:10.460 --> 00:34:11.639
 to the people of Israel.

00:34:12.159 --> 00:34:12.820
 Do you see what he's doing?

00:34:13.519 --> 00:34:15.539
 The Lord will rule over you

00:34:15.539 --> 00:34:16.860
 through me.

00:34:18.039 --> 00:34:19.099
 So let me gather

00:34:19.099 --> 00:34:20.259
 all my kingly things.

00:34:20.759 --> 00:34:21.820
 Let me get it set up here

00:34:21.820 --> 00:34:22.340
 in Ophrah.

00:34:23.340 --> 00:34:24.460
 But we need a priest

00:34:24.460 --> 00:34:25.500
 and a prophet as well.

00:34:25.500 --> 00:34:26.119
 You know what?

00:34:26.280 --> 00:34:27.599
 Better for that to be me.

00:34:27.860 --> 00:34:29.559
 Let me take the spoil

00:34:29.559 --> 00:34:30.260
 of our war

00:34:30.260 --> 00:34:31.659
 and let's make an ephod.

00:34:31.860 --> 00:34:32.739
 Forget the tabernacle.

00:34:32.900 --> 00:34:33.480
 Forget what God

00:34:33.480 --> 00:34:34.260
 has said in the law.

00:34:34.599 --> 00:34:36.119
 This is the new ephod now.

00:34:36.320 --> 00:34:37.619
 You want to hear from God?

00:34:37.840 --> 00:34:38.800
 Come to me now.

00:34:39.820 --> 00:34:41.519
 You want judgment from God?

00:34:42.099 --> 00:34:42.940
 Don't worry about

00:34:42.940 --> 00:34:44.039
 the other stuff.

00:34:44.420 --> 00:34:46.059
 Come to me in Ophrah

00:34:46.059 --> 00:34:47.739
 now.

00:34:49.099 --> 00:34:50.000
 So when Gideon

00:34:50.000 --> 00:34:50.780
 tells the people

00:34:50.780 --> 00:34:51.340
 that the Lord

00:34:51.340 --> 00:34:52.000
 will rule over him,

00:34:52.199 --> 00:34:52.900
 he really meant

00:34:52.900 --> 00:34:53.800
 that God would rule

00:34:53.800 --> 00:34:55.200
 only through him.

00:34:55.880 --> 00:34:57.220
 And he was setting himself

00:34:57.220 --> 00:34:58.820
 up supposedly

00:34:58.820 --> 00:35:00.139
 under God's authority

00:35:00.139 --> 00:35:02.059
 to be Israel's

00:35:02.059 --> 00:35:02.880
 prophet,

00:35:03.059 --> 00:35:03.260
 priest,

00:35:03.340 --> 00:35:03.700
 and king.

00:35:04.519 --> 00:35:05.559
 But he had to go

00:35:05.559 --> 00:35:06.840
 outside of God's channels

00:35:06.840 --> 00:35:07.559
 to do that.

00:35:08.680 --> 00:35:10.079
 It's a tragic sin

00:35:10.079 --> 00:35:11.360
 in this narrative.

00:35:11.940 --> 00:35:12.780
 And it's going to have

00:35:12.780 --> 00:35:14.160
 enormous consequences

00:35:14.160 --> 00:35:15.240
 for Gideon's family

00:35:15.240 --> 00:35:17.039
 and for the nation.

00:35:17.039 --> 00:35:17.719
 Now,

00:35:18.000 --> 00:35:19.420
 it is not difficult

00:35:19.420 --> 00:35:20.880
 to see how spiritual leaders

00:35:20.880 --> 00:35:21.880
 can easily fall

00:35:21.880 --> 00:35:22.500
 into the trap

00:35:22.500 --> 00:35:23.159
 described here.

00:35:24.440 --> 00:35:25.739
 When we fall,

00:35:26.119 --> 00:35:26.840
 when we pursue

00:35:26.840 --> 00:35:27.679
 our agenda

00:35:27.679 --> 00:35:28.699
 above the Lord's,

00:35:28.940 --> 00:35:30.800
 we will find it easier

00:35:30.800 --> 00:35:31.699
 to circumvent

00:35:31.699 --> 00:35:33.219
 God's ordained methods

00:35:33.219 --> 00:35:35.000
 to establish

00:35:35.000 --> 00:35:35.840
 our own power.

00:35:38.380 --> 00:35:39.699
 And in the worst

00:35:39.699 --> 00:35:41.380
 cases,

00:35:41.980 --> 00:35:43.599
 we'll convince the people

00:35:43.599 --> 00:35:44.619
 under our authority

00:35:44.619 --> 00:35:48.079
 that we are the channel

00:35:48.079 --> 00:35:49.639
 for God's communication.

00:35:50.880 --> 00:35:52.259
 And in the end,

00:35:52.719 --> 00:35:53.380
 God's word

00:35:53.380 --> 00:35:54.299
 is diminished.

00:35:55.440 --> 00:35:56.139
 God's people

00:35:56.139 --> 00:35:57.319
 are deceived.

00:35:58.299 --> 00:35:59.579
 And sin reigns

00:35:59.579 --> 00:36:00.119
 in the place

00:36:00.119 --> 00:36:00.639
 of righteousness.

00:36:02.559 --> 00:36:04.119
 And where does it start?

00:36:05.059 --> 00:36:06.559
 With a man's desire

00:36:06.559 --> 00:36:07.619
 for his own glory

00:36:07.619 --> 00:36:09.679
 rather than God's glory.

00:36:09.679 --> 00:36:12.679
 And when that continues

00:36:12.679 --> 00:36:13.639
 unimpeded,

00:36:13.879 --> 00:36:16.119
 it becomes disastrous

00:36:16.119 --> 00:36:18.099
 for God's people.

00:36:19.279 --> 00:36:20.139
 Number four,

00:36:21.519 --> 00:36:22.339
 Gideon promoted

00:36:22.339 --> 00:36:23.419
 improper worship.

00:36:24.239 --> 00:36:25.259
 It's the final step

00:36:25.259 --> 00:36:25.899
 really, isn't it?

00:36:26.579 --> 00:36:27.419
 Improper worship.

00:36:27.519 --> 00:36:28.159
 Verse 27,

00:36:28.599 --> 00:36:29.599
 Gideon made an ephod

00:36:29.599 --> 00:36:30.519
 of it and put it

00:36:30.519 --> 00:36:31.219
 in his city

00:36:31.219 --> 00:36:31.799
 in Ophrah

00:36:31.799 --> 00:36:32.719
 and all Israel

00:36:32.719 --> 00:36:33.759
 hoored after it there

00:36:33.759 --> 00:36:34.699
 and it became

00:36:34.699 --> 00:36:35.960
 a snare to Gideon

00:36:35.960 --> 00:36:37.379
 and his family.

00:36:37.380 --> 00:36:39.420
 Do you remember

00:36:39.420 --> 00:36:40.300
 Gideon's nickname

00:36:40.300 --> 00:36:41.079
 through this story?

00:36:41.340 --> 00:36:42.840
 We see it once in a while.

00:36:43.519 --> 00:36:44.280
 Jerob Bell.

00:36:44.800 --> 00:36:46.440
 Let Bell contend

00:36:46.440 --> 00:36:47.680
 against him.

00:36:48.960 --> 00:36:50.119
 It identified him

00:36:50.119 --> 00:36:50.720
 as the one

00:36:50.720 --> 00:36:51.760
 who was willing

00:36:51.760 --> 00:36:52.599
 to attack

00:36:52.599 --> 00:36:54.380
 the nation's idolatry

00:36:54.380 --> 00:36:55.300
 in order to glorify

00:36:55.300 --> 00:36:56.619
 the Lord instead.

00:36:57.800 --> 00:36:58.460
 The author

00:36:58.460 --> 00:36:59.619
 sprinkles the name

00:36:59.619 --> 00:37:00.960
 throughout the narrative

00:37:00.960 --> 00:37:01.800
 as a reminder

00:37:01.800 --> 00:37:03.519
 that all of this

00:37:03.519 --> 00:37:04.300
 was ultimately

00:37:04.300 --> 00:37:04.840
 about

00:37:04.840 --> 00:37:06.519
 God confronting

00:37:06.519 --> 00:37:07.380
 the idolatry

00:37:07.380 --> 00:37:07.960
 of his people,

00:37:08.600 --> 00:37:09.300
 calling them back

00:37:09.300 --> 00:37:10.240
 to faithfulness.

00:37:11.559 --> 00:37:12.700
 But because of

00:37:12.700 --> 00:37:13.559
 Gideon's sin,

00:37:14.760 --> 00:37:15.840
 he promoted

00:37:15.840 --> 00:37:17.519
 improper worship

00:37:17.519 --> 00:37:20.019
 that just produced

00:37:20.019 --> 00:37:20.760
 a different form

00:37:20.760 --> 00:37:21.539
 of idolatry.

00:37:23.740 --> 00:37:24.280
 Again,

00:37:24.360 --> 00:37:25.059
 says Barry Webb,

00:37:25.300 --> 00:37:26.220
 the man who began

00:37:26.220 --> 00:37:27.460
 his career in Ophrah

00:37:27.460 --> 00:37:28.519
 by leading Israel

00:37:28.519 --> 00:37:29.880
 out of idolatry

00:37:29.880 --> 00:37:31.440
 ends his career

00:37:31.440 --> 00:37:32.380
 by leading them

00:37:32.380 --> 00:37:34.380
 back into it.

00:37:34.840 --> 00:37:37.840
 the ephod

00:37:37.840 --> 00:37:38.380
 becomes

00:37:38.380 --> 00:37:40.559
 Israel's new object

00:37:40.559 --> 00:37:41.280
 of worship

00:37:41.280 --> 00:37:42.480
 and it became

00:37:42.480 --> 00:37:43.059
 a snare

00:37:43.059 --> 00:37:43.900
 even to Gideon

00:37:43.900 --> 00:37:44.600
 and his family.

00:37:45.559 --> 00:37:46.720
 The one

00:37:46.720 --> 00:37:47.539
 who on multiple

00:37:47.539 --> 00:37:48.200
 occasions

00:37:48.200 --> 00:37:49.300
 had direct

00:37:49.300 --> 00:37:50.660
 encounters with God.

00:37:51.539 --> 00:37:52.340
 The one

00:37:52.340 --> 00:37:53.880
 who witnessed

00:37:53.880 --> 00:37:56.100
 God's power

00:37:56.100 --> 00:37:57.200
 at work

00:37:57.200 --> 00:37:57.920
 on behalf

00:37:57.920 --> 00:37:59.160
 of his people.

00:37:59.519 --> 00:38:00.019
 The one

00:38:00.019 --> 00:38:00.860
 who intimately

00:38:00.860 --> 00:38:01.559
 knew

00:38:01.559 --> 00:38:02.840
 God's peace

00:38:02.840 --> 00:38:04.019
 and mercy

00:38:04.019 --> 00:38:05.079
 in relationship

00:38:05.079 --> 00:38:06.139
 with him

00:38:06.139 --> 00:38:07.559
 in the end

00:38:07.559 --> 00:38:08.860
 is still

00:38:08.860 --> 00:38:09.719
 ensnared

00:38:09.719 --> 00:38:11.239
 by improper

00:38:11.239 --> 00:38:11.860
 worship.

00:38:12.860 --> 00:38:13.779
 Tremendous

00:38:13.779 --> 00:38:15.159
 sin.

00:38:16.559 --> 00:38:18.099
 Now to be clear,

00:38:18.559 --> 00:38:20.400
 there's no indication

00:38:20.400 --> 00:38:21.279
 that Gideon

00:38:21.279 --> 00:38:21.739
 stopped

00:38:21.739 --> 00:38:22.559
 worshiping

00:38:22.559 --> 00:38:23.619
 Yahweh

00:38:23.619 --> 00:38:24.679
 in favor

00:38:24.679 --> 00:38:25.659
 of a false deity.

00:38:26.059 --> 00:38:26.659
 Remember what we

00:38:26.659 --> 00:38:27.519
 talked about earlier

00:38:27.519 --> 00:38:28.480
 this morning

00:38:28.480 --> 00:38:29.740
 with the graven image

00:38:29.740 --> 00:38:30.300
 and what that

00:38:30.300 --> 00:38:30.760
 commandment

00:38:30.760 --> 00:38:31.940
 is all about.

00:38:33.000 --> 00:38:33.740
 He failed

00:38:33.740 --> 00:38:34.440
 to worship

00:38:34.440 --> 00:38:35.000
 the way

00:38:35.000 --> 00:38:35.519
 God had

00:38:35.519 --> 00:38:36.240
 commanded

00:38:36.240 --> 00:38:37.619
 him to worship.

00:38:38.159 --> 00:38:38.840
 He's doing

00:38:38.840 --> 00:38:39.240
 worship

00:38:39.240 --> 00:38:40.260
 his way

00:38:40.260 --> 00:38:41.079
 now.

00:38:41.480 --> 00:38:42.059
 And what

00:38:42.059 --> 00:38:42.860
 that does

00:38:42.860 --> 00:38:43.460
 is it

00:38:43.460 --> 00:38:44.380
 introduces

00:38:44.380 --> 00:38:45.340
 improper

00:38:45.340 --> 00:38:45.980
 forms of

00:38:45.980 --> 00:38:46.340
 worship

00:38:46.340 --> 00:38:47.420
 that led

00:38:47.420 --> 00:38:48.059
 Israel

00:38:48.059 --> 00:38:49.139
 into full

00:38:49.139 --> 00:38:50.460
 out idolatry.

00:38:50.460 --> 00:38:50.519
 glory.

00:38:52.599 --> 00:38:53.320
 What a

00:38:53.320 --> 00:38:53.820
 heartbreaking

00:38:53.820 --> 00:38:54.500
 end

00:38:54.500 --> 00:38:55.619
 to an

00:38:55.619 --> 00:38:56.019
 otherwise

00:38:56.019 --> 00:38:56.699
 glorious

00:38:56.699 --> 00:38:57.400
 story

00:38:57.400 --> 00:38:59.300
 of God's

00:38:59.300 --> 00:38:59.840
 grace

00:38:59.840 --> 00:39:00.159
 in the

00:39:00.159 --> 00:39:00.519
 life

00:39:00.519 --> 00:39:01.840
 of his

00:39:01.840 --> 00:39:02.199
 servant.

00:39:05.099 --> 00:39:05.860
 We come

00:39:05.860 --> 00:39:06.119
 to it

00:39:06.119 --> 00:39:06.340
 and we

00:39:06.340 --> 00:39:06.699
 think,

00:39:07.159 --> 00:39:08.019
 how does

00:39:08.019 --> 00:39:08.260
 this

00:39:08.260 --> 00:39:08.740
 happen?

00:39:11.119 --> 00:39:11.780
 How is

00:39:11.780 --> 00:39:12.400
 it possible

00:39:12.400 --> 00:39:13.000
 for someone

00:39:13.000 --> 00:39:13.280
 to have

00:39:13.280 --> 00:39:13.940
 experienced

00:39:13.940 --> 00:39:14.519
 all that

00:39:14.519 --> 00:39:14.820
 Gideon

00:39:14.820 --> 00:39:15.400
 experience,

00:39:15.500 --> 00:39:15.699
 to have

00:39:15.699 --> 00:39:16.740
 known God

00:39:16.740 --> 00:39:17.079
 in the way

00:39:17.079 --> 00:39:17.619
 that Gideon

00:39:17.619 --> 00:39:18.220
 knew God,

00:39:18.300 --> 00:39:18.800
 to see

00:39:18.800 --> 00:39:19.280
 all of

00:39:19.280 --> 00:39:19.679
 these things,

00:39:19.679 --> 00:39:20.460
 to still

00:39:20.460 --> 00:39:21.639
 fail in

00:39:21.639 --> 00:39:22.000
 such an

00:39:22.000 --> 00:39:22.500
 extreme

00:39:22.500 --> 00:39:22.980
 way?

00:39:23.339 --> 00:39:23.659
 How is

00:39:23.659 --> 00:39:23.819
 that

00:39:23.819 --> 00:39:24.359
 possible?

00:39:25.399 --> 00:39:25.699
 And yet

00:39:25.699 --> 00:39:25.960
 if we

00:39:25.960 --> 00:39:26.319
 read our

00:39:26.319 --> 00:39:26.679
 Bibles

00:39:26.679 --> 00:39:27.339
 carefully,

00:39:27.679 --> 00:39:28.239
 we find

00:39:28.239 --> 00:39:28.500
 that it

00:39:28.500 --> 00:39:28.960
 happens

00:39:28.960 --> 00:39:29.919
 again,

00:39:30.719 --> 00:39:31.359
 and again,

00:39:32.039 --> 00:39:33.000
 and again,

00:39:33.759 --> 00:39:34.579
 and again.

00:39:35.859 --> 00:39:36.480
 And if

00:39:36.480 --> 00:39:36.799
 we pay

00:39:36.799 --> 00:39:37.279
 attention

00:39:37.279 --> 00:39:38.159
 to the

00:39:38.159 --> 00:39:38.500
 Christian

00:39:38.500 --> 00:39:39.039
 world in

00:39:39.039 --> 00:39:39.399
 which we

00:39:39.399 --> 00:39:39.719
 live,

00:39:39.919 --> 00:39:40.419
 you'll see

00:39:40.419 --> 00:39:41.019
 it happens

00:39:41.019 --> 00:39:41.859
 over,

00:39:42.759 --> 00:39:43.500
 and over,

00:39:44.460 --> 00:39:45.099
 and over.

00:39:45.799 --> 00:39:46.019
 And we

00:39:46.019 --> 00:39:46.319
 say,

00:39:46.960 --> 00:39:47.940
 what are we

00:39:47.940 --> 00:39:48.379
 supposed to

00:39:48.379 --> 00:39:48.819
 do with

00:39:48.819 --> 00:39:49.259
 this?

00:39:49.679 --> 00:39:51.059
 How are we

00:39:51.059 --> 00:39:51.699
 to understand

00:39:51.699 --> 00:39:52.179
 this?

00:39:53.500 --> 00:39:54.319
 I get to

00:39:54.319 --> 00:39:54.879
 this point

00:39:54.879 --> 00:39:55.279
 in the

00:39:55.279 --> 00:39:55.559
 Gideon

00:39:55.559 --> 00:39:56.039
 narrative,

00:39:56.839 --> 00:39:57.819
 and I'm

00:39:57.819 --> 00:39:58.779
 nearly crushed

00:39:58.779 --> 00:39:59.359
 by it.

00:40:00.679 --> 00:40:01.199
 Like,

00:40:01.219 --> 00:40:01.480
 how does

00:40:01.480 --> 00:40:02.039
 this happen?

00:40:04.599 --> 00:40:05.359
 I mentioned

00:40:05.359 --> 00:40:05.679
 to you when

00:40:05.679 --> 00:40:06.079
 we first

00:40:06.079 --> 00:40:06.480
 started

00:40:06.480 --> 00:40:08.179
 several weeks

00:40:08.179 --> 00:40:09.039
 ago thinking

00:40:09.039 --> 00:40:09.659
 about Gideon,

00:40:09.739 --> 00:40:10.279
 reading about

00:40:10.279 --> 00:40:10.839
 Gideon here,

00:40:11.699 --> 00:40:12.460
 that he's one

00:40:12.460 --> 00:40:12.859
 of the most

00:40:12.859 --> 00:40:13.819
 relatable people

00:40:13.819 --> 00:40:14.359
 in the scriptures,

00:40:14.360 --> 00:40:14.480
 believers,

00:40:14.880 --> 00:40:15.599
 and he is.

00:40:16.680 --> 00:40:17.780
 We know

00:40:17.780 --> 00:40:18.680
 Gideon's

00:40:18.680 --> 00:40:20.000
 fear

00:40:20.000 --> 00:40:21.820
 because we

00:40:21.820 --> 00:40:22.480
 feel that

00:40:22.480 --> 00:40:22.880
 fear.

00:40:23.620 --> 00:40:24.160
 Personally,

00:40:24.280 --> 00:40:25.019
 we know what

00:40:25.019 --> 00:40:25.599
 it's like to

00:40:25.599 --> 00:40:26.180
 feel that way.

00:40:26.620 --> 00:40:27.280
 We know

00:40:27.280 --> 00:40:27.780
 Gideon's

00:40:27.780 --> 00:40:28.099
 weakness

00:40:28.099 --> 00:40:28.860
 because we

00:40:28.860 --> 00:40:29.360
 too are

00:40:29.360 --> 00:40:29.860
 weak.

00:40:30.240 --> 00:40:30.880
 We know,

00:40:31.000 --> 00:40:31.940
 we understand

00:40:31.940 --> 00:40:32.720
 Gideon's

00:40:32.720 --> 00:40:33.519
 constant need

00:40:33.519 --> 00:40:34.280
 for reassurance

00:40:34.280 --> 00:40:34.860
 from God

00:40:34.860 --> 00:40:35.820
 because we

00:40:35.820 --> 00:40:36.420
 need that

00:40:36.420 --> 00:40:36.820
 constant

00:40:36.820 --> 00:40:37.420
 reassurance

00:40:37.420 --> 00:40:38.000
 from God.

00:40:38.500 --> 00:40:39.539
 We understand

00:40:39.539 --> 00:40:40.160
 the fleece

00:40:40.160 --> 00:40:41.039
 because in

00:40:41.039 --> 00:40:41.660
 our own way,

00:40:41.840 --> 00:40:42.440
 we lay out

00:40:42.440 --> 00:40:42.960
 fleeces all

00:40:42.960 --> 00:40:43.380
 the time.

00:40:45.840 --> 00:40:46.360
 And we

00:40:46.360 --> 00:40:46.800
 love to

00:40:46.800 --> 00:40:47.260
 relate to

00:40:47.260 --> 00:40:47.639
 Gideon in

00:40:47.639 --> 00:40:48.000
 that way

00:40:48.000 --> 00:40:48.420
 because we

00:40:48.420 --> 00:40:48.740
 love to

00:40:48.740 --> 00:40:49.079
 see the

00:40:49.079 --> 00:40:49.960
 victory that

00:40:49.960 --> 00:40:50.720
 God brings

00:40:50.720 --> 00:40:51.720
 despite all

00:40:51.720 --> 00:40:52.000
 of those

00:40:52.000 --> 00:40:52.360
 weaknesses.

00:40:52.519 --> 00:40:52.780
 But how

00:40:52.780 --> 00:40:53.559
 many of us

00:40:53.559 --> 00:40:53.840
 have ever

00:40:53.840 --> 00:40:54.300
 spent much

00:40:54.300 --> 00:40:54.720
 time in

00:40:54.720 --> 00:40:55.260
 chapter 8?

00:40:56.280 --> 00:40:56.940
 Maybe not

00:40:56.940 --> 00:40:57.480
 many of us

00:40:57.480 --> 00:40:57.860
 at all.

00:40:57.980 --> 00:40:58.159
 You know

00:40:58.159 --> 00:40:58.420
 why?

00:40:58.619 --> 00:40:58.800
 Because

00:40:58.800 --> 00:40:59.260
 chapter 8

00:40:59.260 --> 00:40:59.500
 is hard

00:40:59.500 --> 00:40:59.940
 to read.

00:41:00.460 --> 00:41:01.139
 Because just

00:41:01.139 --> 00:41:01.559
 like we

00:41:01.559 --> 00:41:03.539
 see Gideon's

00:41:03.539 --> 00:41:04.079
 fear in

00:41:04.079 --> 00:41:04.440
 ourselves,

00:41:04.539 --> 00:41:05.119
 we see our

00:41:05.119 --> 00:41:05.579
 fear in

00:41:05.579 --> 00:41:05.980
 Gideon's

00:41:05.980 --> 00:41:06.179
 fear,

00:41:06.420 --> 00:41:07.019
 we also

00:41:07.019 --> 00:41:07.740
 see our

00:41:07.740 --> 00:41:08.360
 pride in

00:41:08.360 --> 00:41:08.820
 Gideon's

00:41:08.820 --> 00:41:09.179
 pride.

00:41:09.179 --> 00:41:12.960
 We

00:41:12.960 --> 00:41:13.480
 understand

00:41:13.480 --> 00:41:14.359
 what Gideon

00:41:14.359 --> 00:41:14.839
 is doing

00:41:14.839 --> 00:41:15.259
 in chapter

00:41:15.259 --> 00:41:15.839
 8 because

00:41:15.839 --> 00:41:16.339
 we do

00:41:16.339 --> 00:41:16.819
 the same

00:41:16.819 --> 00:41:17.199
 thing.

00:41:19.279 --> 00:41:19.919
 We get

00:41:19.919 --> 00:41:20.239
 in our

00:41:20.239 --> 00:41:21.239
 minds that

00:41:21.239 --> 00:41:21.599
 we have

00:41:21.599 --> 00:41:22.079
 an agenda

00:41:22.079 --> 00:41:22.619
 to pursue

00:41:22.619 --> 00:41:23.059
 for our

00:41:23.059 --> 00:41:23.879
 lives and

00:41:23.879 --> 00:41:24.519
 nobody's

00:41:24.519 --> 00:41:24.739
 going to

00:41:24.739 --> 00:41:25.159
 stand in

00:41:25.159 --> 00:41:25.399
 the way

00:41:25.399 --> 00:41:25.739
 of that.

00:41:26.359 --> 00:41:26.480
 Our

00:41:26.480 --> 00:41:27.179
 spouse

00:41:27.179 --> 00:41:27.419
 isn't

00:41:27.419 --> 00:41:27.579
 going to

00:41:27.579 --> 00:41:27.879
 stand in

00:41:27.879 --> 00:41:28.099
 the way

00:41:28.099 --> 00:41:28.440
 of that.

00:41:28.599 --> 00:41:28.839
 Our

00:41:28.839 --> 00:41:29.199
 church

00:41:29.199 --> 00:41:29.419
 isn't

00:41:29.419 --> 00:41:29.559
 going to

00:41:29.559 --> 00:41:29.899
 stand in

00:41:29.899 --> 00:41:30.139
 the way

00:41:30.139 --> 00:41:30.519
 of that.

00:41:30.839 --> 00:41:30.960
 Our

00:41:30.960 --> 00:41:31.639
 kids

00:41:31.639 --> 00:41:31.779
 aren't

00:41:31.779 --> 00:41:31.960
 going to

00:41:31.960 --> 00:41:32.279
 stand in

00:41:32.279 --> 00:41:32.480
 the way

00:41:32.480 --> 00:41:32.819
 of that.

00:41:33.059 --> 00:41:33.399
 No

00:41:33.399 --> 00:41:33.679
 one's

00:41:33.679 --> 00:41:33.899
 going to

00:41:33.899 --> 00:41:34.259
 stand in

00:41:34.259 --> 00:41:34.460
 the way.

00:41:34.619 --> 00:41:35.000
 Not

00:41:35.000 --> 00:41:35.559
 even God

00:41:35.559 --> 00:41:35.819
 is going

00:41:35.819 --> 00:41:36.219
 to stand

00:41:36.219 --> 00:41:36.460
 in the

00:41:36.460 --> 00:41:37.239
 way of

00:41:37.239 --> 00:41:37.539
 what I

00:41:37.539 --> 00:41:37.779
 want to

00:41:37.780 --> 00:41:37.960
 do

00:41:37.960 --> 00:41:38.140
 with

00:41:38.140 --> 00:41:38.440
 my

00:41:38.440 --> 00:41:38.940
 life.

00:41:41.380 --> 00:41:41.860
 Doesn't

00:41:41.860 --> 00:41:42.200
 matter

00:41:42.200 --> 00:41:42.700
 what God

00:41:42.700 --> 00:41:43.100
 says

00:41:43.100 --> 00:41:43.820
 related to

00:41:43.820 --> 00:41:44.240
 how we

00:41:44.240 --> 00:41:44.460
 should

00:41:44.460 --> 00:41:44.900
 give.

00:41:45.500 --> 00:41:45.860
 It's

00:41:45.860 --> 00:41:46.100
 my

00:41:46.100 --> 00:41:46.400
 money.

00:41:46.980 --> 00:41:47.180
 It's

00:41:47.180 --> 00:41:47.480
 my

00:41:47.480 --> 00:41:48.000
 resources.

00:41:48.480 --> 00:41:48.780
 I've

00:41:48.780 --> 00:41:49.040
 got an

00:41:49.040 --> 00:41:49.300
 agenda

00:41:49.300 --> 00:41:49.800
 for it

00:41:49.800 --> 00:41:50.240
 and I'm

00:41:50.240 --> 00:41:50.400
 going to

00:41:50.400 --> 00:41:50.700
 use it

00:41:50.700 --> 00:41:50.960
 the way

00:41:50.960 --> 00:41:51.260
 that I

00:41:51.260 --> 00:41:51.720
 want to.

00:41:53.320 --> 00:41:53.780
 Doesn't

00:41:53.780 --> 00:41:54.060
 matter

00:41:54.060 --> 00:41:54.519
 what God

00:41:54.519 --> 00:41:54.840
 says

00:41:54.840 --> 00:41:55.220
 about the

00:41:55.220 --> 00:41:55.500
 way that

00:41:55.500 --> 00:41:55.640
 I'm

00:41:55.640 --> 00:41:55.940
 supposed

00:41:55.940 --> 00:41:56.680
 to serve

00:41:56.680 --> 00:41:56.880
 and

00:41:56.880 --> 00:41:57.580
 disciple

00:41:57.580 --> 00:41:58.040
 others

00:41:58.040 --> 00:41:58.580
 and give

00:41:58.580 --> 00:41:59.040
 up my

00:41:59.040 --> 00:41:59.940
 life in

00:41:59.940 --> 00:42:00.380
 order to

00:42:00.380 --> 00:42:01.100
 serve the

00:42:01.100 --> 00:42:01.420
 ministry

00:42:01.420 --> 00:42:01.820
 of Christ.

00:42:01.940 --> 00:42:02.160
 That

00:42:02.160 --> 00:42:02.400
 doesn't

00:42:02.400 --> 00:42:02.680
 matter

00:42:02.680 --> 00:42:02.960
 because

00:42:02.960 --> 00:42:03.200
 it's

00:42:03.200 --> 00:42:03.500
 my

00:42:03.500 --> 00:42:03.900
 time

00:42:03.900 --> 00:42:04.500
 and it's

00:42:04.500 --> 00:42:04.860
 my

00:42:04.860 --> 00:42:05.640
 life and

00:42:05.640 --> 00:42:05.780
 I've

00:42:05.780 --> 00:42:06.019
 got a

00:42:06.019 --> 00:42:06.560
 plan for

00:42:07.780 --> 00:42:08.080
 the way

00:42:08.080 --> 00:42:08.320
 that I

00:42:08.320 --> 00:42:08.640
 want to

00:42:08.640 --> 00:42:09.040
 use it.

00:42:10.320 --> 00:42:10.780
 And it

00:42:10.780 --> 00:42:11.420
 starts in us

00:42:11.420 --> 00:42:11.880
 as kids

00:42:11.880 --> 00:42:12.160
 and as

00:42:12.160 --> 00:42:12.600
 young people.

00:42:12.700 --> 00:42:12.860
 We get

00:42:12.860 --> 00:42:13.280
 all of

00:42:13.280 --> 00:42:13.760
 these dreams

00:42:13.760 --> 00:42:14.720
 about what

00:42:14.720 --> 00:42:14.980
 we want

00:42:14.980 --> 00:42:15.300
 our life

00:42:15.300 --> 00:42:15.620
 to be

00:42:15.620 --> 00:42:15.940
 like and

00:42:15.940 --> 00:42:16.320
 we write

00:42:16.320 --> 00:42:16.580
 them out

00:42:16.580 --> 00:42:16.740
 and we

00:42:16.740 --> 00:42:17.019
 put them

00:42:17.019 --> 00:42:17.260
 on our

00:42:17.260 --> 00:42:17.620
 wall and

00:42:17.620 --> 00:42:18.500
 we dream

00:42:18.500 --> 00:42:19.080
 every night

00:42:19.080 --> 00:42:19.480
 about how

00:42:19.480 --> 00:42:19.780
 we want

00:42:19.780 --> 00:42:20.200
 our lives

00:42:20.200 --> 00:42:20.660
 to be

00:42:20.660 --> 00:42:21.120
 and we

00:42:21.120 --> 00:42:21.460
 get in

00:42:21.460 --> 00:42:22.000
 our head

00:42:22.000 --> 00:42:22.700
 this is

00:42:22.700 --> 00:42:23.019
 what I

00:42:23.019 --> 00:42:23.600
 want out

00:42:23.600 --> 00:42:23.820
 of my

00:42:23.820 --> 00:42:24.300
 life and

00:42:24.300 --> 00:42:24.940
 nobody's

00:42:24.940 --> 00:42:25.140
 going to

00:42:25.140 --> 00:42:25.480
 get in

00:42:25.480 --> 00:42:26.080
 my way.

00:42:27.120 --> 00:42:27.420
 And if

00:42:27.420 --> 00:42:27.880
 it means

00:42:27.880 --> 00:42:28.100
 that I

00:42:28.100 --> 00:42:28.320
 have to

00:42:28.320 --> 00:42:28.880
 sacrifice

00:42:28.880 --> 00:42:29.200
 my

00:42:29.200 --> 00:42:29.680
 personal

00:42:29.680 --> 00:42:30.160
 walk with

00:42:30.160 --> 00:42:30.280
 the

00:42:30.280 --> 00:42:30.440
 Lord

00:42:30.440 --> 00:42:30.860
 then so

00:42:30.860 --> 00:42:31.180
 be it.

00:42:31.200 --> 00:42:31.300
 I've

00:42:31.300 --> 00:42:31.519
 got a

00:42:31.519 --> 00:42:31.820
 plan.

00:42:32.000 --> 00:42:32.360
 If it

00:42:32.360 --> 00:42:32.759
 means that

00:42:32.759 --> 00:42:32.920
 I've got

00:42:32.920 --> 00:42:33.519
 to sacrifice

00:42:33.519 --> 00:42:34.280
 faithfulness

00:42:34.280 --> 00:42:34.579
 to the

00:42:34.579 --> 00:42:34.880
 church

00:42:34.880 --> 00:42:35.440
 and obedience

00:42:35.440 --> 00:42:35.780
 to the

00:42:35.780 --> 00:42:35.960
 Lord

00:42:35.960 --> 00:42:36.539
 then so

00:42:36.539 --> 00:42:36.900
 be it.

00:42:37.000 --> 00:42:37.340
 I've got

00:42:37.340 --> 00:42:37.699
 a plan

00:42:37.699 --> 00:42:38.039
 for my

00:42:38.039 --> 00:42:38.360
 life.

00:42:38.599 --> 00:42:38.900
 And we

00:42:38.900 --> 00:42:39.639
 start pursuing

00:42:39.639 --> 00:42:40.079
 our own

00:42:40.079 --> 00:42:40.460
 agendas

00:42:40.460 --> 00:42:41.219
 and when we

00:42:41.219 --> 00:42:41.860
 start pursuing

00:42:41.860 --> 00:42:42.219
 our own

00:42:42.219 --> 00:42:42.559
 agendas

00:42:42.559 --> 00:42:43.139
 guess what

00:42:43.139 --> 00:42:43.639
 ultimately

00:42:43.639 --> 00:42:44.119
 happens?

00:42:44.340 --> 00:42:45.259
 We position

00:42:45.259 --> 00:42:46.159
 ourselves

00:42:46.159 --> 00:42:47.420
 as the

00:42:47.420 --> 00:42:47.960
 only ones

00:42:47.960 --> 00:42:48.259
 that can

00:42:48.259 --> 00:42:48.619
 really

00:42:48.619 --> 00:42:49.139
 understand

00:42:49.139 --> 00:42:49.539
 God's

00:42:49.539 --> 00:42:49.940
 truth for

00:42:49.940 --> 00:42:50.179
 us.

00:42:50.639 --> 00:42:51.059
 And we

00:42:51.059 --> 00:42:51.579
 start making

00:42:51.579 --> 00:42:51.980
 statements

00:42:51.980 --> 00:42:52.659
 like this.

00:42:52.940 --> 00:42:53.500
 I hear

00:42:53.500 --> 00:42:53.840
 what you're

00:42:53.840 --> 00:42:54.239
 saying

00:42:54.239 --> 00:42:56.119
 but God

00:42:56.119 --> 00:42:57.039
 told me

00:42:57.039 --> 00:42:58.599
 to do

00:42:58.599 --> 00:42:59.039
 this.

00:42:59.840 --> 00:43:00.460
 Or God

00:43:00.460 --> 00:43:01.340
 told me

00:43:01.340 --> 00:43:02.640
 that this

00:43:02.640 --> 00:43:02.960
 is what

00:43:02.960 --> 00:43:03.420
 he wants.

00:43:03.900 --> 00:43:04.200
 It doesn't

00:43:04.200 --> 00:43:04.700
 matter what

00:43:04.700 --> 00:43:05.059
 you're telling

00:43:05.059 --> 00:43:05.420
 me God

00:43:05.420 --> 00:43:05.800
 said in

00:43:05.800 --> 00:43:06.180
 the Bible.

00:43:06.380 --> 00:43:06.880
 I know

00:43:06.880 --> 00:43:07.160
 what he

00:43:07.160 --> 00:43:07.740
 told me.

00:43:08.019 --> 00:43:09.019
 We position

00:43:09.019 --> 00:43:09.920
 ourselves as

00:43:09.920 --> 00:43:10.340
 prophet,

00:43:10.559 --> 00:43:10.740
 priest,

00:43:10.820 --> 00:43:11.200
 and king

00:43:11.200 --> 00:43:11.760
 of our

00:43:11.760 --> 00:43:12.280
 own lives.

00:43:12.340 --> 00:43:12.600
 It's not

00:43:12.600 --> 00:43:13.360
 Jesus anymore.

00:43:13.920 --> 00:43:14.740
 It's us.

00:43:16.800 --> 00:43:17.340
 And you

00:43:17.340 --> 00:43:17.519
 know what

00:43:17.519 --> 00:43:18.160
 that inevitably

00:43:18.160 --> 00:43:18.860
 ends in?

00:43:20.340 --> 00:43:20.780
 False

00:43:20.780 --> 00:43:21.160
 worship.

00:43:23.280 --> 00:43:24.140
 We become

00:43:24.140 --> 00:43:24.640
 the object

00:43:24.640 --> 00:43:25.000
 of our

00:43:25.000 --> 00:43:25.519
 own worship.

00:43:27.579 --> 00:43:28.240
 We live

00:43:28.240 --> 00:43:28.600
 our lives

00:43:28.600 --> 00:43:28.920
 for us.

00:43:28.980 --> 00:43:29.079
 Yeah,

00:43:29.120 --> 00:43:29.400
 we'll have

00:43:29.400 --> 00:43:29.840
 our Christian

00:43:29.840 --> 00:43:30.360
 thing around

00:43:30.360 --> 00:43:30.559
 us.

00:43:30.620 --> 00:43:30.820
 We'll do

00:43:30.820 --> 00:43:31.180
 the church

00:43:31.180 --> 00:43:31.320
 thing.

00:43:31.340 --> 00:43:38.539
 We come

00:43:38.539 --> 00:43:38.960
 to chapter

00:43:38.960 --> 00:43:39.760
 eight and

00:43:39.760 --> 00:43:40.519
 we understand

00:43:40.519 --> 00:43:41.079
 Gideon's

00:43:41.079 --> 00:43:41.920
 sin because

00:43:41.920 --> 00:43:42.460
 it's our

00:43:42.460 --> 00:43:42.840
 sin.

00:43:43.900 --> 00:43:44.400
 It's our

00:43:44.400 --> 00:43:44.760
 sin.

00:43:48.500 --> 00:43:49.240
 So what

00:43:49.240 --> 00:43:49.440
 do we

00:43:49.440 --> 00:43:49.700
 do?

00:43:51.320 --> 00:43:52.240
 Three ways

00:43:52.240 --> 00:43:52.700
 I think this

00:43:52.700 --> 00:43:53.340
 is instructive

00:43:53.340 --> 00:43:53.820
 for us.

00:43:57.059 --> 00:43:57.660
 First,

00:43:58.660 --> 00:43:59.700
 there are

00:43:59.700 --> 00:44:00.120
 gospel

00:44:00.119 --> 00:44:00.759
 implications

00:44:00.759 --> 00:44:00.779
 implications

00:44:00.779 --> 00:44:01.279
 to this

00:44:01.279 --> 00:44:01.639
 text.

00:44:02.639 --> 00:44:03.179
 Really,

00:44:03.420 --> 00:44:03.619
 really

00:44:03.619 --> 00:44:04.079
 important

00:44:04.079 --> 00:44:04.440
 ones.

00:44:07.579 --> 00:44:08.219
 One of

00:44:08.219 --> 00:44:08.599
 the things

00:44:08.599 --> 00:44:09.039
 that makes

00:44:09.039 --> 00:44:09.539
 this text

00:44:09.539 --> 00:44:10.440
 terrifying for

00:44:10.440 --> 00:44:12.000
 me is that

00:44:12.000 --> 00:44:12.759
 I know

00:44:12.759 --> 00:44:14.359
 that I can

00:44:14.359 --> 00:44:14.960
 fall like

00:44:14.960 --> 00:44:15.299
 Gideon

00:44:15.299 --> 00:44:15.619
 Phil.

00:44:16.659 --> 00:44:17.359
 I don't

00:44:17.359 --> 00:44:17.859
 want to read

00:44:17.859 --> 00:44:18.420
 this text

00:44:18.420 --> 00:44:18.960
 because it

00:44:18.960 --> 00:44:19.519
 reminds me of

00:44:19.519 --> 00:44:19.739
 what I'm

00:44:19.739 --> 00:44:20.420
 actually capable

00:44:20.420 --> 00:44:20.739
 of.

00:44:20.739 --> 00:44:21.599
 And if you

00:44:21.599 --> 00:44:22.759
 think that

00:44:22.759 --> 00:44:23.779
 you're incapable

00:44:23.779 --> 00:44:24.519
 of falling

00:44:24.519 --> 00:44:24.979
 in the way

00:44:24.979 --> 00:44:25.979
 that Gideon

00:44:25.979 --> 00:44:26.279
 fell,

00:44:26.359 --> 00:44:26.979
 you're fooling

00:44:26.979 --> 00:44:27.359
 yourself.

00:44:28.939 --> 00:44:29.399
 As Paul

00:44:29.399 --> 00:44:29.779
 said,

00:44:30.319 --> 00:44:30.819
 let each

00:44:30.819 --> 00:44:31.459
 man consider

00:44:31.459 --> 00:44:32.139
 himself and

00:44:32.139 --> 00:44:32.619
 take heed

00:44:32.619 --> 00:44:33.319
 lest he

00:44:33.319 --> 00:44:33.939
 fall.

00:44:35.399 --> 00:44:36.199
 Every one of

00:44:36.199 --> 00:44:36.719
 us are capable

00:44:36.719 --> 00:44:37.439
 of doing this

00:44:37.439 --> 00:44:37.919
 and worse.

00:44:37.920 --> 00:44:42.260
 I'm terrified

00:44:42.260 --> 00:44:42.960
 by passages

00:44:42.960 --> 00:44:43.400
 like this

00:44:43.400 --> 00:44:43.840
 because it

00:44:43.840 --> 00:44:44.900
 exposes that

00:44:44.900 --> 00:44:45.840
 if it can

00:44:45.840 --> 00:44:46.360
 happen to

00:44:46.360 --> 00:44:46.800
 Gideon,

00:44:47.440 --> 00:44:48.159
 it can

00:44:48.159 --> 00:44:48.599
 happen to

00:44:48.599 --> 00:44:48.900
 me.

00:44:50.340 --> 00:44:50.900
 And I

00:44:50.900 --> 00:44:51.200
 don't want

00:44:51.200 --> 00:44:51.500
 this to

00:44:51.500 --> 00:44:51.900
 happen to

00:44:51.900 --> 00:44:52.079
 me.

00:44:53.680 --> 00:44:54.380
 So what

00:44:54.380 --> 00:44:55.019
 hope do I

00:44:55.019 --> 00:44:55.300
 have?

00:44:56.099 --> 00:44:57.059
 If I know

00:44:57.059 --> 00:44:58.340
 that today I

00:44:58.340 --> 00:44:59.220
 could blow it

00:44:59.220 --> 00:45:00.039
 in such a

00:45:00.039 --> 00:45:00.940
 way as it

00:45:00.940 --> 00:45:01.820
 would disqualify

00:45:01.820 --> 00:45:02.480
 me from

00:45:02.480 --> 00:45:03.500
 pastoring this

00:45:03.500 --> 00:45:04.960
 church or

00:45:04.960 --> 00:45:05.320
 from being

00:45:05.320 --> 00:45:06.059
 faithful to my

00:45:06.059 --> 00:45:06.639
 wife or my

00:45:06.639 --> 00:45:07.300
 kids or whatever

00:45:07.300 --> 00:45:07.840
 it is that it

00:45:07.840 --> 00:45:08.180
 may be.

00:45:08.940 --> 00:45:09.580
 That's a

00:45:09.580 --> 00:45:10.600
 possibility because

00:45:10.600 --> 00:45:11.260
 of the potential

00:45:11.260 --> 00:45:11.980
 of sin in me.

00:45:12.200 --> 00:45:12.940
 So what hope

00:45:12.940 --> 00:45:13.560
 do I have?

00:45:14.539 --> 00:45:15.400
 The hope that

00:45:15.400 --> 00:45:17.280
 I have is

00:45:17.280 --> 00:45:17.620
 that my

00:45:17.620 --> 00:45:18.300
 eternity,

00:45:19.280 --> 00:45:19.780
 Gideon's

00:45:19.780 --> 00:45:20.260
 eternity,

00:45:21.420 --> 00:45:22.039
 and my

00:45:22.039 --> 00:45:23.320
 salvation and

00:45:23.320 --> 00:45:23.760
 Gideon's

00:45:23.760 --> 00:45:25.080
 salvation does

00:45:25.080 --> 00:45:25.800
 not ultimately

00:45:25.800 --> 00:45:27.280
 rest on how

00:45:27.280 --> 00:45:28.240
 well we do.

00:45:30.000 --> 00:45:31.100
 It rests on

00:45:31.100 --> 00:45:31.800
 the person of

00:45:31.800 --> 00:45:32.220
 Christ.

00:45:33.860 --> 00:45:34.820
 The fact that

00:45:34.820 --> 00:45:35.740
 he did it and

00:45:35.740 --> 00:45:36.440
 he did not

00:45:36.440 --> 00:45:36.780
 fail.

00:45:37.300 --> 00:45:38.780
 And he did

00:45:38.780 --> 00:45:39.380
 not fall.

00:45:40.640 --> 00:45:41.640
 In him,

00:45:42.640 --> 00:45:43.620
 I am

00:45:43.620 --> 00:45:44.260
 secure.

00:45:45.760 --> 00:45:46.780
 I may fail

00:45:46.780 --> 00:45:47.380
 you in a way

00:45:47.380 --> 00:45:47.740
 that would

00:45:47.740 --> 00:45:48.420
 crush you.

00:45:48.980 --> 00:45:49.539
 I hope I

00:45:49.539 --> 00:45:49.820
 don't.

00:45:50.080 --> 00:45:50.640
 By God's

00:45:50.640 --> 00:45:51.960
 grace, I

00:45:51.960 --> 00:45:52.320
 won't.

00:45:53.480 --> 00:45:54.300
 But even if I

00:45:54.300 --> 00:45:55.880
 do, it's not

00:45:55.880 --> 00:45:56.820
 the basis of my

00:45:56.820 --> 00:45:57.700
 behavior and my

00:45:57.700 --> 00:45:58.280
 way to be the

00:45:58.280 --> 00:45:58.980
 best pastor you

00:45:58.980 --> 00:45:59.400
 can be.

00:45:59.500 --> 00:46:00.019
 That's going to

00:46:00.019 --> 00:46:00.480
 get me to

00:46:00.480 --> 00:46:00.720
 heaven.

00:46:01.260 --> 00:46:01.900
 It's the fact

00:46:01.900 --> 00:46:02.800
 that Jesus is

00:46:02.800 --> 00:46:03.820
 that for me.

00:46:03.820 --> 00:46:33.820
NINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNING

00:46:33.820 --> 00:46:36.580
 is in regards to how are we to handle it

00:46:36.580 --> 00:46:39.680
 when spiritual leaders in our lives actually do fall and fail.

00:46:41.380 --> 00:46:44.340
 Many of you probably have experienced this in some way or another.

00:46:44.460 --> 00:46:46.760
 You've had some type of moral failure in somebody

00:46:46.760 --> 00:46:48.960
 that was supposed to be a spiritual leader in your life

00:46:48.960 --> 00:46:51.640
 that was dramatic and difficult.

00:46:52.420 --> 00:46:57.920
 There's an entire realm of what people are calling now deconstructionism

00:46:57.920 --> 00:47:00.039
 that really is focused on this particular thing.

00:47:00.039 --> 00:47:05.980
 They see reports coming out of pastors who are sexually abusing people in their churches

00:47:05.980 --> 00:47:07.400
 and abusing kids and they say,

00:47:07.679 --> 00:47:09.659
 well, if my pastor can fail in that way,

00:47:09.699 --> 00:47:12.139
 I don't want anything to do with this Christian thing to begin with.

00:47:13.259 --> 00:47:15.219
 So how are we supposed to, is that really the right response?

00:47:16.079 --> 00:47:19.599
 Well, if we understand that our hope is in Jesus

00:47:19.599 --> 00:47:23.279
 and not in those leaders that he's gifted to us or given to us,

00:47:23.920 --> 00:47:29.019
 then our faith can stand even when the faith of others around us falls.

00:47:30.039 --> 00:47:33.139
 And there's an interesting thing happening with Gideon

00:47:33.139 --> 00:47:35.380
 in the larger context of the Bible.

00:47:36.719 --> 00:47:39.239
 On the one hand, when we get to Hebrews chapter 11,

00:47:39.500 --> 00:47:43.159
 Gideon is not condemned, he's praised.

00:47:43.759 --> 00:47:45.659
 He's commended, actually, for his faith.

00:47:47.699 --> 00:47:49.179
 Now we get to that and we think,

00:47:49.679 --> 00:47:50.259
 now wait a minute.

00:47:50.260 --> 00:47:57.100
 How can the author say anything good about Gideon after what he did?

00:47:58.100 --> 00:48:00.580
 And the fact is, Gideon's a human.

00:48:03.060 --> 00:48:06.120
 Christ has delivered us from the ultimate penalty of sin,

00:48:06.340 --> 00:48:09.620
 but we still have this issue of indwelling sin,

00:48:09.940 --> 00:48:11.500
 the presence of sin in our lives.

00:48:11.760 --> 00:48:15.940
 And we need to be careful that we don't have an expectation of other people

00:48:15.940 --> 00:48:17.740
 that only Jesus can live up to.

00:48:18.300 --> 00:48:24.900
 There is a reality here that Gideon was just a man who sinned.

00:48:25.840 --> 00:48:28.659
 And that doesn't mean that everything that he did well

00:48:28.659 --> 00:48:30.420
 should be ignored or denied.

00:48:31.019 --> 00:48:32.720
 And I think the Bible teaches us that.

00:48:34.320 --> 00:48:38.300
 Of course, the church must also be concerned

00:48:38.300 --> 00:48:43.640
 to holding their spiritual leaders accountable to the word,

00:48:44.700 --> 00:48:48.740
 even removing them if they disqualify themselves

00:48:48.740 --> 00:48:51.340
 through gross and unrepented sin.

00:48:52.580 --> 00:48:55.740
 So I think what we learn here in regards to spiritual leadership

00:48:55.740 --> 00:48:59.920
 is that there is a tension in the Bible that we have to hold on to,

00:49:00.760 --> 00:49:06.300
 a tension that honors those whom the Lord puts in our way as leaders,

00:49:06.300 --> 00:49:11.700
 but not idolize them in such a way that when they fail,

00:49:12.740 --> 00:49:15.080
 our faith is the one that's crushed

00:49:15.080 --> 00:49:16.920
 because our faith isn't ultimately in them.

00:49:18.600 --> 00:49:20.580
 The third thing, and we've talked about it already,

00:49:20.700 --> 00:49:21.620
 so we'll just finish here.

00:49:22.480 --> 00:49:24.380
 The third thing that I think is a helpful takeaway

00:49:24.380 --> 00:49:28.400
 is just seeing Gideon's failures

00:49:28.400 --> 00:49:31.980
 as a warning of the dangers of not finishing well ourselves.

00:49:34.039 --> 00:49:35.539
 I quoted the verse to you already.

00:49:35.539 --> 00:49:36.380
 Gideon says,

00:49:36.380 --> 00:49:38.679
 therefore let anyone who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.

00:49:41.099 --> 00:49:43.539
 Gideon's sins are not limited to spiritual leaders.

00:49:44.400 --> 00:49:47.639
 They're just magnified when they exist in people

00:49:47.639 --> 00:49:50.219
 who have particular authority in our lives.

00:49:51.759 --> 00:49:53.300
 Everything that Gideon did,

00:49:54.000 --> 00:49:56.079
 we are capable of doing and often do.

00:49:56.079 --> 00:50:00.079
 None of us are above these sins.

00:50:01.639 --> 00:50:05.259
 So we need to approach these texts with great humility,

00:50:07.000 --> 00:50:10.440
 praying, asking for the Lord's grace

00:50:10.440 --> 00:50:13.219
 to deliver us from temptation,

00:50:13.639 --> 00:50:17.699
 to help us acknowledge and see the way of escape that he makes for us

00:50:17.699 --> 00:50:20.359
 so that we are able to endure the temptation

00:50:20.359 --> 00:50:23.559
 and the test that we face by his grace.

00:50:24.539 --> 00:50:26.619
 But ultimately, we need to live our lives

00:50:26.619 --> 00:50:28.379
 in light of the fact that we're sinners too.

00:50:29.859 --> 00:50:31.419
 And but for the grace of God,

00:50:31.679 --> 00:50:34.919
 we will fall in the same ways that these men fail.

00:50:34.920 --> 00:50:37.539
 So heed the warnings

00:50:37.539 --> 00:50:39.800
 and be faithful.

00:50:40.639 --> 00:50:41.340
 Be faithful.