Each set of chapters in judges seems to start with the same thing… “Then the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord….”

This time they are delivered into the hands of Midian for seven years. The Midianites are starving them, descending on the Israelites every harvest “like a plague of locusts”.

We meet Gideon as he is threshing wheat in the winepress in order to hide it from the Midianites. An Angel of the Lord comes with him and says “The Lord is with you….” The angel tells Gideon to pull down the altar to Baal which his father has built in order to keep peace with the Midianites.

Gideon did so, and having proven himself willing to do the Lord’s work, he is told to raise an army against the Midianites. He does, quite a large one. Too much, in fact, for the Lord, who says “The people who are with you are too many for Me to give the Midianities into their hands, lest Israel claim glory for itself against Me, saying my own hand has saved me.” So the number of warriors is cut back from 30,000 to just 300.

With these 300 Gideon chases out the Midianites, using some interesting tactics at the direction of God. The chapter ends sadly though, with Gideon making some sort of “ephod” out of silver at the victory, with which “all the Israelites played the harlot.” So, though there was peace for years, eventually the Israelites again forgot their Lord. “Nor did they show kindness to the house of Gideon in accordance with the good he had done….”

Dear God, Thank you for today. Thank you for the beautiful celebration service today for our school, which talked about wisdom, and loving you and loving each other and giving time and kindness to each other. Please help me to remember you and thank you always, and teach my children to do the same. In Jesus’ name, Amen