RAID by Dr. Shah, Clearview Church, Henderson, NC

Introduction: We just watched a clip from “Act of Valor.” It’s a 2012 movie about a team of Navy Seals trying to stop a terrorist plot against the United States. In order to rescue some hostages, they have to go behind enemy lines into a terrorist compound in the jungles of Philippines. The way it was filmed, cameras were mounted on the Seals’ helmets; it almost feels like you are there in the raid. Today’s message in our series through Judges is titled “RAID.” Just like there were raiding parties in the Old West, like the Indian raiding parties, we’re going to meet Gideon’s raiding party of 300 against a massive coalition of the Midianites, the Amalekites, and all the people of the east. We’re going to see how God turned the battle for them. Main Point: Anytime we give credit for something spectacular to anything other than the supernatural hand of God, we are trying to rob God’s glory. Faith by its very nature allows for an alternative explanation for victory. What will you choose to believe? Will you choose to give God glory?

Judges 7      19 So Gideon and the hundred men who were with him came to the outpost of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, just as they had posted the watch; and they blew the trumpets and broke the pitchers that were in their hands. 20 Then the three companies blew the trumpets and broke the pitchers—they held the torches in their left hands and the trumpets in their right hands for blowing—and they cried, “The sword of the LORD and of Gideon!” 21 And every man stood in his place all around the camp; and the whole army ran and cried out and fled.

Context: Gideon’s surprise victory over the massive coalition of the Midianites, the Amalekites, and all the people of the east is often looked upon as a great example of military genius. Afterall, a band of just 300 men, armed with only torches, pitchers, and trumpets, defeating an army of 135,000 troops along with their innumerable camels is truly a remarkable example of stealth, guerilla tactics, and psychological and unconventional warfare. It was even tried out very successfully during the establishment of the State of Israel. This was in 1948 after the British Mandate ended and Israel declared itself an independent state. It was very important to capture Lydda (a town between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem), especially the airport, but there were 7000 Arab troops there. So, in the middle of the night, 16 Israelis dressed up as Arabs, came into town and started shouting in Arabic. It caused such chaos in the city that people turned on each other and started firing at each other. In that terrified state, they abandoned their posts and fled over the border. It has been written about by some of those in command who also knew the Old Testament (Yigael Yadin, The Art of Warfare in Biblical Lands, and Abraham Malamat, “The War of Gideon and Midian: A Military Approach.” 

Although, it is true that a surprise attack with superb planning can be very effective against an overconfident enemy or even a low morale enemy, I don’t think that’s ultimately what’s going on in this account. In fact, when you study the text in its context, it is anything but that. Don’t forget what God had repeatedly said to Gideon in this whole bizarre process of preparing for the battle:

• Judges 7:2 And the LORD said to Gideon, “The people who are with you are too many for Me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel claim glory for itself against Me, saying, ‘My own hand has saved me.’” So, he whittled the army down from 32,000 men to 10,000.
• Judges 7:4 But the LORD said to Gideon, “The people are still too many; bring them down to the water, and I will test them for you there.” This time, he whittled them down from 10,000 to 300. 

So, if we start praising Gideon and his 300 for their alertness, numbers, strategy, or psychological warfare, we are doing exactly what God said not to do. In fact, people tried to do that at the time as well when they tried to make Gideon their king, and he replied in Judges 8:23 But Gideon said to them, “I will not rule over you, nor shall my son rule over you; the LORD shall rule over you.” Gideon knew better.

Principle: Anytime we give credit for something spectacular to anything other than the supernatural hand of God, we are trying to rob God’s glory.

Application: Have you tried to rob God’s glory? Do you give credit to anyone or anything other than God?

To understand the true intent of Gideon’s victory, remember the filters of Christ and the Christian life, but also don’t forget from last week – Gideon is the new Moses. We saw the similarities in how they were both called by God and the similarities in the signs that God gave them. This becomes even clearer in this raid at 3 different points:

1. Spotter up:

When it came time for the raid on the enemy, listen to Judges 7        9 It happened on the same night that the LORD said to him, “Arise, go down against the camp, for I have delivered it into your hand. 10 But if you are afraid to go down, go down to the camp with Purah your servant…” God wanted Gideon to go down to the camp to assure him that he had already delivered the enemy into his hand. In other words, God was giving Gideon ample proof that the battle was already won even before a single weapon was drawn and a single drop of blood was spilt. 

Principle: Faith is not a leap in the dark. Faith is “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things unseen” (Hebrews 11:1). God gives us plenty of reasons to believe that he is working and great things are happening. Unfortunately, many tell God that “it is still not enough, and we still need more proof.”

But God also understands that Gideon is afraid, and he tells him to take his servant Purah with him. Again, remember, when Moses was also afraid to go back to Egypt to set his people free, and he said in Exodus 4       13 “…O my Lord, please send by the hand of whomever else You may send.” 14 So the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses, and He said: “Is not Aaron the Levite your brother? I know that he can speak well. And look, he is also coming out to meet you. When he sees you, he will be glad in his heart. God understands our frailty as human beings, and he wants us to take someone with us. There is also a type here regarding Jesus. On the night when Jesus was betrayed, it says in Matthew 36      37 And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. 38 Then He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me.” So also, Judges 7:11 “…Then he went down with Purah his servant to the outpost of the armed men who were in the camp.”

Application: We all need people in our lives to strengthen us in our time of weakness. Moses had Aaron, Gideon had Purah, and even Jesus, the second person of the godhead, took his inner circle of disciples with him as he faced the cross. Do you have people in your life that you can connect with and call upon to stand with you in your time of trouble? Men’s prayer group, Women’s prayer group, Sunday School class, Wednesday evening bible study, small groups, ministry groups.

2. Reconnaissance:

Judges 7     12 Now the Midianites and Amalekites, all the people of the East, were lying in the valley as numerous as locusts; and their camels were without number, as the sand by the seashore in multitude. 13 And when Gideon had come, there was a man telling a dream to his companion. He said, “I have had a dream: To my surprise, a loaf of barley bread tumbled into the camp of Midian; it came to a tent and struck it so that it fell and overturned, and the tent collapsed.”

In ancient times, dreams were often considered the way God spoke to people. In fact, the Bible talks much about dreams (Abraham and Jacob had dreams about the future of Israel, Joseph and Daniel interpreted dreams for others, Joseph (husband of Mary) had a dream to accept Jesus as his son, Peter about the Gentiles). Does this mean that God speaks to people through dreams? Sometimes, God does speak to people through dreams. He may give you a confirmation or otherwise about a decision. Sometimes, he even saves people through dreams. It’s like the Muslim family at dad’s came because Jesus told them in a dream to go to church. So also, a young man gave money to dad because Jesus told him in a dream to give it to the church. This does not mean that every dream that you and I see have some meaning from God. In fact, some of our dreams have to do with what we ate that evening. Some have to do with some stress or difficulty that we may be facing at the time. One time Nicole and I were having an argument, and I dreamt that night that she had died, and I woke up extremely sad…Maybe, God intended that dream. Another time, Nicole woke up extremely angry with me because of a dream! She didn’t speak to me for a while. Yes, God does speak at times through our dreams, but a sure way to know his will is through his Word.

So, what’s the meaning of the dream? Judges 7:13 “…I have had a dream: To my surprise, a loaf of barley bread tumbled into the camp of Midian; it came to a tent and struck it so that it fell and overturned, and the tent collapsed.” Barley was not the choicest bread, wheat was. Barley represented the people of Israel. The tent was the mighty coalition of the various enemies of Israel. The loaf tumbling into the camp was like the least likely opponent coming against the mighty enemies and they collapsed. Listen to the interpretation – Judges 7:14Then his companion answered and said, “This is nothing else but the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel! Into his hand God has delivered Midian and the whole camp.” In other words, God had put the fear of Gideon upon the enemies.

So, what was Gideon’s response? Judges 7:15 “And so it was, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream and its interpretation, that he worshiped…” The Hebrew word is hishtachavāh = he fell on his knees before God. Was it just because of the barley bread representing the poor situation of the people of Israel and the coming deliverance by his sword? Remember, Moses had brought manna from heaven for the people in the wilderness. It was temporary until they could come into the land and eat “wheat” bread. But, because of their sin, they were down to eating “barley” bread. This was reminder that God was about to tumble bread down for them like he did in the wilderness. But, there’s more: We know the miracle story when Jesus took 5 loaves and 2 fish and fed 5000, not counting women and children. Does anyone remember what kind of bread? John 6         8 One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him, 9 “There is a lad here who has five barley (krithinos) loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?” Later, Jesus said, John 6        32 “Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 34 Then they said to Him, “Lord, give us this bread always.” 35 And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.

Application: Can you see God doing a deeper work in your life through your trial? Don’t forget – the deeper work is Christ who is sufficient for all our needs.

3. Raid:

Judges 7       15 “…He returned to the camp of Israel, and said, ‘Arise, for the LORD has delivered the camp of Midian into your hand.’ 16 Then he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put a trumpet into every man’s hand, with empty pitchers, and torches inside the pitchers. 17 And he said to them, “Look at me and do likewise; watch, and when I come to the edge of the camp you shall do as I do: 18 When I blow the trumpet, I and all who are with me, then you also blow the trumpets on every side of the whole camp, and say, “The sword of the LORD and of Gideon!’ ” 19 So Gideon and the hundred men who were with him came to the outpost of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, just as they had posted the watch; and they blew the trumpets and broke the pitchers that were in their hands. 20 Then the three companies blew the trumpets and broke the pitchers—they held the torches in their left hands and the trumpets in their right hands for blowing—and they cried, “The sword of the LORD and of Gideon!” 21 And every man stood in his place all around the camp; and the whole army ran and cried out and fled. 22 When the three hundred blew the trumpets, the LORD set every man’s sword against his companion throughout the whole camp; and the army fled to Beth Acacia, toward Zererah, as far as the border of Abel Meholah, by Tabbath.

This has often been preached, taught, and even held up as an example of a brilliant military tactic, but they miss the context again. God kept warning them against this. Question: Do you really think – 300 men with torches inside the pitchers sneaking up to the enemy camp in the middle of the night. All of sudden, they blow 300 trumpets. Then they simultaneously break the pitchers and hold the torches in their left hands and trumpets in their right hands. As a result, the massive coalition just turns on itself. 

Don’t forget that Gideon is the new Moses. Also, don’t forget that Gideon has just worshipped before God. What is happening here is a recreation of Mount Sinai. Exodus 19       16 “Then it came to pass on the third day, in the morning, that there were thunderings and lightnings, and a thick cloud on the mountain; and the sound of the trumpet was very loud, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled. 17 And Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. 18 Now Mount Sinai was completely in smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire. Its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked greatly. 19 And when the blast of the trumpet sounded long and became louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him by voice. 20 Then the LORD came down upon Mount Sinai, on the top of the mountain. And the LORD called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up.” This was not the raid by Israel upon the evil coalition. This was the raid by God against the evil coalition. In the process, they turned on themselves. Psalm 7       14 Behold, the wicked brings forth iniquity; Yes, he conceives trouble and brings forth falsehood. 15 He made a pit and dug it out,  And has fallen into the ditch which he made. 16 His trouble shall return upon his own head, And his violent dealing shall come down on his own crown.

This is exactly what happened at the cross. God turned Satan’s ploy to kill the Son of God against himself.

Principle: Faith by its very nature allows for an alternative explanation for victory. What will you choose to believe?

Invitation: Is God fighting your battle for you? Are you fully trusting him? Are you saved? Are you ready for the trumpet on the day that Jesus comes? 1 Corinthians 15.      51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— 52in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.