What do you know about Gideon?

Categories: Gideon, Judges

Hi, we're your Bible Buddies. Shep, did you like the story about Gideon? Yes, Lily. Let's ask the boys and girls to read one of the brief stories about Gideon in Bible Characters, "Trumpets and Torches," or "How a Brave Man Tore Down an altar of Baal," or "How the Midianites Were Surprized At Midnight." You can also open your Bibles to Judges 6-8:28.

This is what I found when I read the story.

  • The Midianites acted like school bullies. They stole the crops of the Jewish farmers.

  • Gideon was hiding from the Midianites, so he was surprised to hear an angel call him a "mighty man of valor."

  • Gideon wasn't so sure that God really wanted him, so he tested God.

    • He first asked God to make the sheepskin wet and the ground dry around it. God did just that. Gideon was able to wring water out of the sheepskin.

    • Gideon then asked God if He'd reverse the process, keeping the sheepskin dry but making everything else wet. God did just as Gideon asked.

  • Gideon recruited 32,000 men for his army.

  • God told him that he needed a smaller army.

    • Gideon allowed all those afraid to fight to go back home.

    • He took the 10,000 remaining men to the water to drink.

    • 9700 got on their knees and lapped from the water.

    • 300 men cupped the water in their hands and drank.

  • Those 300 men were selected for duty.

  • Gideon gave each man these important supplies:

    • Trumpet

    • Torch  

    • Pitcher  

  • Gideon's army went to the Midianites' camp at night.

  • When Gideon gave the signal, the men broke the pitchers which
    exposed their torches, and they blew their trumpets.

  • The Midianites ran in every direction.

So what do we learn from Gideon's experience?

  • Don't be afraid to trust God.

  • You must be alert.

  • You don't need big numbers to win big battles.

  • Just obey God's direction.

 

That's a great story, Lily. Gideon was one of the Judges?

 

Yes, he was.

 

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