The Faith of Isaac and his father Abraham

This is faith

Read about Abraham's words here. He said he was going to come again with Isaac. He had no doubt in his mind that he was going to sacrifice him but he also had no doubt in his mind that he was going to come back with him.Genesis 22:4-5Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off. And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.Genesis 22:6-7And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together. And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?Put yourself in this situation. What would you say? Isaac is no little boy. He knows what's going on. What's happening dad? I see the wood, I see the knife, (gulp!) where's the sacrifice.It's him! And quite often we see the great faith of Abraham but let's not forget the great faith also of his son. I don't know about you but in the natural it would be quite hard to have a decent relationship with your father after an event like this wouldn't it?But we see Isaac having great faith in God also.Genesis 22:8And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them togetherWe see all along in this story that Abraham has absolutely no doubt that God was going to provide a sacrifice. He had no doubt in his mind that he was going to sacrifice Isaac however in Hebrews we read he also had a full expectation that God would raise him from the dead.God Was Demonstrating To Abraham What He Was Going To Do With His Own Son Jesus Christ...Genesis 22:9-12And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood. And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.The point here is that Abraham had no doubt at all in the promises of God. Abrahams faith was so strong that he knew God would not lie. God promised that through Isaac would come a multitude of nations. So Abraham thought he would sacrifice Isaac and God would raise him from the dead to keep his promise.Take on board just how great this man's faith was...He never doubted God.Whatever God said he did.This is faith.

The Faith of Rahab and Sarah

Women of Faith

Surprisingly, Rahab is one of two women named in Hebrews 11 as examples of godly faith. The other is Abraham's wife, Sarah. Few would question Sarah's inclusion. She exemplified, in most respects, what are generally considered Christian values and qualities. But Rahab? Why would the holy, righteous God include the name of a harlot as one of His faithful saints?
God, we must realize, shows His great mercy and power through human weaknesses (2 Corinthians 12:9). Out of Rahab's weakness she was made strong in faith—through the power of God. The record of her deeds provides sufficient scriptural evidence for why God included her in the faith chapter: "By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace" (Hebrews 11:31).
Many people would not risk their lives for family and friends. Yet Rahab risked her life to protect "enemy" spies. Rahab focused on the godly mission of the spies and her realization that they represented the God of Israel. Rahab didn't believe just in the existence of God, she literally believed what He revealed. That is, she believed it was He who was bringing Israel into the Promised Land. Risking her very life, she had no more evidence to go on than the reports from others that somehow, in some way, the God of Israel had given His people great victories over more-powerful foes.
Rahab stated confidently: "I know that the Lord has given you the land, that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land are fainthearted because of you. For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were on the other side of the Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed.
"And as soon as we heard these things, our hearts melted; neither did there remain any more courage in anyone because of you, for the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath" (Joshua 2:9-11).
Rahab was here living by faith and not by sight, for, though she saw none of these events actually happen, she had faith to believe that Israel's God was more powerful than all others and would take care of her and her family too.
Rahab's faith and conviction gave her the courage to look death in the face—and live. As Proverbs 28:1 tells us, "The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion." Courage is born from unwavering faith, as Rahab demonstrated.Is Rahab became a heroine of Faith think of our possibilities!

Samuel the Prophet of Faith

Samuel the Prophet

Introduction
In the Old Testament, the Lord was instructing the children of Israel in dreams and visions to His prophets and priests. There were several periods during which the children of Israel did evil in the eyes of the Lord by worshipping idols. During those periods the word of the Lord became rare and there were not many visions. The Lord also delivered them to the hands of their enemies until they repented and returned to Him. He then gave them prophets and judges to lead them to His way and to rescue them from their oppressors.
Samuel, who was dedicated to the service of the Lord before his birth, became a prophet. He anointed the first two kings of Israel, Saul and David. During his lifetime, the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines. Every year, Samuel used to go on a circuit judging for Israel between Ramah, Bethel, Gilgal and Mizpeh. He lead Israel against the Philistines in Mizpeh.
The birth of Samuel
During the time of Eli the priest and his two sons Hophni and Phinehas were priests of the Lord in Shiloh, a man called Elkanah from Ramathaim had two wives Hannah and Peninnah. Peninnah who had children used to provoke Hannah who was barren, and this went on year after year.
Every year, Elkanah used to go to Shiloh and offer his sacrifices to the Lord in the Tabernacle. There Hannah wept to the Lord in the Tabernacle with bitter soul and prayed that He would remove her shame and give her a child. She vowed saying "O Lord of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head." (I Samuel 1:11)
Eli the priest saw Hannah mumble, for she was praying silently, and rebuked her thinking she was drunk. When he realized she was praying out of anguish and grief he blessed her saying "Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thy petition that thou hast asked of him." (I Samuel 1:17)
A year later, Hannah gave birth to a son and called him "Samuel" (which means "heard of God") for she has asked him of the Lord. When Samuel was two years old, she presented him in the Tabernacle in Shiloh to serve the Lord all his life.
Meanwhile Eli's two sons who were priests were wicked, and the Lord rejected them because they did not listen to their father's rebuke. A man of God came and told Eli the priest, their father that He will bring their wickedness on all his house and that they will all die in the prime of life. God also told him that his two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, will be killed together in the same day as a sign for the Lord's anger against them.
The Lord calls Samuel
Samuel was ministering to the Lord under Eli the priest as a child girded with a linen ephod. His mother Hannah made him a little coat and brought it to him along with their yearly sacrifices. Now Eli the priest blessed Elkanah and his wife to have more children. Hannah later on had three more sons and two daughters, while Samuel grew before the Lord.
One night when Eli the priest grew old and his sight became weak, Samuel was sleeping in the Tabernacle, where the ark of God was, God called Samuel, so he ran to Eli the priest and answered "Here am I; for thou calledst me". Eli then denied and asked him to go back to sleep. But then again the sound came calling Samuel, and he did the same, and Eli sent him back again. The third time, Eli understood that it was the Lord calling Samuel and sent him saying: "Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he calls thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth." (I Samuel 3:9)
Then the Lord came again and called Samuel. When Samuel did as Eli instructed him, the Lord told Samuel about the things He will do to Eli's house for the evil doings of his sons and for he has failed to restrain them.
Samuel then grew and the Lord was with him and all of Israel knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the Lord. The Lord appeared again in Shiloh and revealed Himself to Samuel.
Samuel and the Philistines at Mizpeh
The Israelites then went to fight the Philistines at Ebenezer and were defeated and four thousands of them were killed. After their defeat, they brought the ark of God from Shiloh to the camp, and came also the two sons of Eli the priest. But the Philistines defeated Israel again, captured the ark of God and killed thirty thousands of the Israelites among which were Hophni and Phinehas. When Eli the priest heard the bad news he fell off his chair and his neck was broken and died.
The ark of God remained in the hands of the Philistines for seven months during which their idols fell broken into pieces on their own, they were struck with tumors outbreaks and many died. The hand of the Lord was heavy on the Philistines, and they returned the ark to the Israelites for death has filled their cities. When the ark returned to the Israelites, they kept it Kiriath Jearim for twenty years, during which all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord.
Samuel then told the Israelites to rid themselves of all their wickedness and their foreign gods for God to deliver them form the hand of the Philistines. When they did and committed themselves to the Lord, Samuel gathered them at Mizpeh where they fasted and confessed "We have sinned against the Lord" (I Samuel 7:6) The Philistines seeing this came out to attack the Israelites, but Samuel made a whole burnt offering of a lamb and called on the Lord on behalf of Israel and God answered him. Meanwhile, God thundered against the Philistines and they were thrown in panic and they were smitten before Israel. That day Samuel built an altar to the Lord and called it "Ebenezer" (which means "stone of help"). The Lord subdued the Philistines all the days of Samuel.
Israel asks for a king
Samuel judged for Israel all his life in Ramah where he also built an altar. He also went on a circuit every year to judge for all Israel, but he always went back to his house in Ramah. When he grew old he made his sons judges over Israel, but they did not walk in his way but perverted judgement. Then, all the elders of Israel gathered to Samuel at Ramah asking him to appoint a king to rule over them as all the other nations had. This displeased Samuel for they have rejected God as their king, but the Lord allowed it asking Samuel to warn them about how the king will rule over them, how they will suffer form him and the Lord would not answer them. The Israelites insisted on having a king and refused to listen to Samuel.
Some time later, the Lord revealed to Samuel that a Benjamite man would come to him, and that to anoint king over Israel. The following day, Saul son of Kish lost his way while looking for his father's donkeys, and he went to ask guidance from Samuel. The Lord pointed him to Samuel who praised him and invited him to dine with him. Before Saul left, Samuel took a flask of oil and poured it on Saul's head and kissed him and told him that the Lord has chosen him as king. As Saul left Samuel, God changed his heart, and he prophesied. Later that day, Samuel called the Israelites to Mizpeh to choose a king and the Lord chose Saul and he was made king.
Samuel's farewell speech
The Ammonites then besieged the city of Jabesh and were going to gouge out the right eye of every one of the Israelites. Saul then, moved by the Spirit of God and His power, and lead the people of Israel to slaughtered the Ammonites. He was confirmed king over Israel at Gilgal. That same day, Samuel addressed the Israelites and told them again how evil was it from them to ask for a king instead of God. He asked for a sign from God for them to believe; he called upon the Lord and asked Him to send thunder and rain during that wheat harvest season. The Israelites stood in awe of the Lord and Samuel, and wept and asked for God's forgiveness. Samuel assured them that as long as they feared the Lord and followed His commandments He will save them.
Samuel anoints David
The Philistines rose again to fight the Israelites and scared them. Saul was waiting for Samuel to come to the camp but when he tarried, Saul offered the burnt offering. Soon after, Samuel came and rebuked Saul for his foolish act. God spoke on Samuel's tongue that Saul's kingdom would not endure and that God has chosen a man after God's own heart to be a king.
Later on, the Lord sent Samuel to ask Saul to go and punish the Amalekites and not to spare any of them or their animals. Saul fought them all the way to the east of Egypt and captured Agag their king and their best cattle but destroyed all the rest. Again God sent Samuel to rebuke Saul, who wanted to offer these animals to God. But God was not pleased by these offerings more than by obeying His words; and since God rejected Saul. Samuel killed Agag and went back to Ramah and grieved for Saul. The Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul and an evil spirit tormented him.
The Lord then said to Samuel: "How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons." (I Samuel 16:1) When Samuel did not choose any of Jesse's seven sons who were presented, they sent for the youngest, David, who was tending his father's sheep. He was the one with whom God was pleased and Samuel anointed him, and the Spirit of the Lord came on David in power.
When Saul heard of David, he brought him to play the harp when the evil spirit from God comes upon him. But when David killed Goliath by the name of the Lord Almighty, Saul kept a jealous eye on David for his success and because the Lord was with David. He also tried to kill him twice while playing the harp for him. David fled, he went to Samuel at Ramah and told him all that Saul had done to him. Then he and Samuel went to Naioth and stayed there. Sometime later, David sought refuge in the land of the Philistines.
Saul and the witch of Endor
When Samuel died, all Israel mourned for him and buried him in Ramah. Then the Philistines gathered to fight against Israel and scared Saul and terror filled his heart. He sought help from the Lord but God did not answer him. He sought a woman spiritist (because he had expelled them from the land). He found one in Endor, disguised himself and asked her to bring up Samuel.
When the woman saw Samuel, she screamed out of fear; she also realized that the man who sought her was Saul himself. When Saul asked Samuel for help and guidance, Samuel answered: "Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up? ... Why do you consult me, now that the LORD has turned away from you and become your enemy? The LORD has done what he predicted through me. The LORD has torn the kingdom out of your hands and given it to one of your neighbors--to David. Because you did not obey the LORD or carry out his fierce wrath against the Amalekites, the LORD has done this to you today. The LORD will hand over both Israel and you to the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. The LORD will also hand over the army of Israel to the Philistines." (I Samuel 28:15-19)

Conclusion
God knows the hearts and his promises never fail. God puts down the mighty ones from their seats and exalt the humble. God talks to His loved ones and reveals His acts to them. God's Spirit helps His servants and supports them. God is pleased by obeying His commandments more than by oblations and sacrifices.

Samson was a man of Faith

Samson a man of Faith ,with one weakness

Judges 13-16

“The child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb: and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.”(Judges 13:5b) In the Biblical account of Samson, a powerfully inspiring example is shown of how God can use a devoted but imperfect man to accomplish the most extraordinary and marvelous victories for those who love Him. Every child brought up in the Christian church is aware of the exploits of the Danite who was Samson; his heroic physical feats are well-known: he is a veritable “superman” of the Bible. Yet, we will also see how a man chosen by God can make the worst mistakes, and still glorify God through the transforming and guiding power of the Holy Spirit.
A Nazarite Unto God
Even from Samson’s conception, we see the hand of God moving in a dramatic and miraculous manner. His mother was barren(Judges 13:2), a condition that is seen earlier in Israel’s history in the case of Sarah, who brought forth Isaac, whose seed would bring the Great Messiah. Likewise, Samson would have critical importance in Israel’s survival and success. As a supernatural confirmation from God, an angel of the Lord came to visit his mother twice(13:3, 9) while she was alone to deliver a message from God regarding her offspring, only appearing to Manoah, her husband(13:11), at her request. This shows the important relationship and weight of responsibility she would have in the upbringing of Samson: not only to ensure a healthy pregnancy, but also to direct his ways toward spiritual understanding(as it appeared that his mother had to interpret the nature of the angel’s visit to his father). With these qualifications, Samson’s mother was typically a forerunner of the role Mary would have as mother of Israel’s Great Deliverer, Jesus Christ.
A distinctive state of spirituality and commitment to God would guide Samson from his very first movements in the womb. His mother was told by the angel of the Lord that he would be a Nazarite, and certain regulations would guide not only her through his pregnancy, but they would also ensure Samson’s relationship to and favor of God would be strong. The name “Nazarite” comes from the Hebrew root word “nazir”, which means “to vow”. An equivalent meaning of Nazarite in the Hebrew language is “consecrated one”. Samson, as all other Nazarites, was set aside for a sacred purpose, and a sacred office. It would be helpful to look summarily at the passage in Numbers 6 which describes the characteristics and requirements of one vowed to this sacred oath:
“He shall separate himself from wine or strong drink(vs. 3), ...eat nothing that is made of the vine tree(vs. 4), ...there shall no razor come upon his head(vs. 5), ...he shall come at no dead body(vs. 6).”
In Samson’s case, the first three conditions are given special importance by the angel. Additionally he must strictly observe the ordinance to the Jews to not eat anything stipulated unclean by the Law. When Manoah saw the angel on the second visit, and asked, “How shall we order the child, and how shall we do unto him?”(Judges 13:12), the angel answers, “Of all that I said unto the woman let her beware”(13:13) and reiterated that Samson must not have any strong drink or unclean food. Following these guidelines during the pregnancy would ensure that Samson would be strong in constitution genetically, both in mind and body.* In a child’s early life, utmost care and discipline must be given, as the effects of his/her treatment during this time will leave lasting impressions on this foundation, and sometimes leave irreversible scars. God would not leave Samson’s case to chance.
Special attention should be given to the fact that Samson was not allowed to cut his hair. In common with all Nazarites, this observance would designate him as one with a special vow to a godly life, but it also illustrates one of God’s precepts to the fullest extent: that is, not defiling the body, in any of its parts, with cuts or markings.(Lev. 19:28) Additionally, it showed one to be dead to cultural customs or trends, as one who lived mostly in a spiritual state. It pleased God to give Samson his incredible might from the source of a commonly recognized Nazarite trait, showing that this supernatural strength was indeed God’s power.
There is a particular act of providence in the way God approached Samson’s parents, and why He chose them. In the qualities of his mother, we see a prelude to Samson’s steadfast faith and confidence in God(13:6), and spiritual insight(13:23); and in his father is seen an impulsiveness, or boldness, that would be seen in Samson that did not conform always to spiritual sense(e.g. his father asking the angel for his name - 13:17)- yet also his father's firm trust in the Law(e.g. his affirmation after he confirmed the angel’s first visit - 13:12). Furthermore, both parents had a generous and devoted disposition toward God, which was the most important reason why Samson was placed in their care.
“And the spirit of the Lord began to move him at times in the camp of Dan...”(13:25) This happened so that Samson's brethren were reminded that he was chosen for a special mission with authority from God, which would thereby help gain later support for him when he assumed his role as deliverer of Israel.
A Transgression to War
Samson’s days were destined to be filled with glorious conquests, yet he would be brought into constant turmoil until the day he died. To fully comprehend how he found himself in these circumstances, it should be noted that the beginning of all of Samson’s trials and battles with the Philistines was the result of his brazen defiance of God’s commandment to not marry or associate with “strange”(foreign to Israel, e.i. God) women.(Duet. 7:3) As a Nazarite given a large allowance of the Holy Spirit, and one who was exalted above his brothers spiritually, God’s wrath was kindled greatly in this matter, because he bore God’s name in a special way, and an example of willful sin such as this one would lead many others into devastating folly. This sin, compounded by repeated committal, eventually led to his death.
Alas, Samson chose a wife of the Philistines, against the wishes of his father, and to the detriment of his witness as a Nazarite and to the reputation of his family. As Manoah, his father, said: “Is there never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said unto his father, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well.”(Judges 14:3) Reluctantly, his parents committed themselves to his decision. This signified that no one could truly rule over and chastise him but God Himself.
“Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath, and came to the vineyards of Timnath: and, behold, a young lion roared against him. And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done.”(14:5-6) The lion’s attack was a foreshadowing of the struggle that Samson would encounter in entering into relations with the Philistine camp, and his ultimate, effectual victory over them with ease(ease only ensured when the Spirit of the Lord came over him). With the awareness of this fact, it is worthy to note that his parents did not experience the attack with him(they apparently came later). Although they stood by their son’s decision in the marriage, they were really opposed to it. Therefore, their absence in the attack signified that the danger in Philistine conflicts would be strictly confined to Samson only. In addition, by fighting the lion alone, the event symbolized that Samson would have to battle the Philistines by himself, as a Nazarite separated and consecrated, with the supernatural strength of God. Though Samson had the support of his Danite brothers, God placed him in situations where he was required to fight without help from other men, but he never suffered a loss for the disadvantage, and in fact obtained unrivaled conquests.
Likewise, the lion’s attack showed that not only would Samson accomplish his daring acts of heroism alone, but he would do it primarily by his own strength(body and Spirit) without any weapons made for war. Samson never used any conventional weapons of his day, and only used a jawbone of a small, lowly animal(an ass) to smite his enemies. Samson's weapon of choice, and his most destructive, was the sword of the Spirit.
“And after a time he returned to take her[his wife], and he turned aside to see the carcase of the lion: and behold, there was a swarm of bees and honey in the carcase of the lion.” (14:8) This further symbolized that Samson would utterly vanquish his adversaries, and what was found in the center(bees, honey) would be the fruit of his mission. The bees and the honey signified that although Samson would find many delights(the women he loved) in the Philistine stronghold, the inhabitants would constantly be a thorn in his side, “stinging” him from time to time(the treachery of his enemies).
Samson then brought some of the honey to his parents as a token of his generosity.(14:9) This act represented the sweet gift that he would give to his family, to his immediate and the larger family of Israel, by his conquering deliverance for them. The fact that his parents did not question where it came from alluded to the trust in him and faith in God that, no matter how the victories were attained, his parents knew that they were by the providence of God.
“So his father went down unto the woman: and Samson made there a feast; for so used the young men to do. And it came to pass, when they saw him that they brought thirty companions to be with him. And Samson said unto them, I will now put forth a riddle unto you: if ye can certainly declare it me within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty sheets and thirty change of garments. But if ye cannot declare it me, then shall ye give me thirty sheets and thirty change of garments.”(14:12-13) Samson poses the riddle as a form of entertainment. However, more importantly, he offers it to show that he possessed not only physical prowess, but also formidable mental acumen. It is probable that he did this to intimidate them and keep them in check due to his inherent distrust of the people of God’s enemy.
He then put forth the riddle to them: “Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness.”(14:14) The riddle, in essence, was another way of expressing the symbolic insights behind his conquer of the lion. An additional meaning to extract might be that the works of the Philistines were as vomit in God's eyes(out of the eater came forth meat), and that Samson displayed fruits of righteousness(out of the strong came forth sweetness). To properly arrive this particular interpretation, one must ascertain how "meat" is related to an "eater" as a biological process, and understand that "strong" and "sweetness" are nouns describing the character of personality.
At this point, the error in choosing a foreign wife and communing with the Philistines as a Nazarite becomes evident. The men cannot decipher the riddle, so they, in turn, resort to base physical threats to achieve their desired end, so as not to be made a fool, and to receive a reward. They harass his wife, and threaten to kill her and her father, if she does not get them the answer.(14:15) Fearing men more than God, since she does not know God, she applies extreme pressure and manipulation on Samson.(14:16) Long-suffering and patience were virtues that Samson did not cultivate well(advantageous as a physical warrior, but detrimental spiritually), which led to him expounding the answer to his wife when she persisted, who then told the men.(14:17) It would seem that Samson thought his riddle was indecipherable, and carried the bearing of God’s provision in it, so he did not count on a possible loss. However, as often happens in sin with believers, God left him to face the consequences of violating Israel’s marital regulation, and would not necessarily keep him free of problems. In the heat of passion, yet also by the Holy Spirit foreordained by God, Samson slew thirty other Philistines to repay the wager.(14:19) To the argument that Samson should not have killed, due to his Nazarite vow regarding dead bodies, it is worthwhile to grasp the truth that God’s missions will sometimes supersede a temporal regulation in order to allow a follower to accomplish His higher purposes; in this case, Samson was to be Israel’s deliverer and judge, which required killing. After the slaughter of the thirty men, he left his wife, in an angry protest.
Samson had his faith in his commission to God further tested when he met the surprise that his “wife was given to his companion, whom he had used as his friend.”(14:20) Her father thought that he “hadst utterly hated her”, and instead offered her younger sister with the superficial enticement that she was fairer. However, it is likely that these actions were used as an excuse to distance Samson, as an Israelite outsider, from the Philistine clan. Not only did God not allow Samson success in his personal relationships with them, but the Philistines enmity would not allow him to ever become one of them. It is very likely that his companion(to whom his wife was given) was also a Philistine, as one who abode with him in that country. It is also important to learn from this incident that, in our resentments toward them over a disagreement, we should not shut our loved ones out of fellowship for very long; reconciliation is much more difficult when anger is allowed to fester, and God will sometimes judge us for our unforgiving attitude.
In response, Samson correctly interpreted this lamentable predicament as really a rejection from the Philistines as a people. He says, with the conviction of one who carries the Holy Spirit: “Now shall I be more blameless than the Philistines, though I do them a displeasure.”(15:3) He then proceeded to burn their cornfields by employing a clever tactic using foxes and firebrands.(15:4-5) This was clearly Samson’s act of revenge, but it also shows spiritually how the Holy Spirit would quickly and ubiquitously burn the chaff of the Philistines’ sinful oppression, and utterly weaken their spiritual nourishment and vigor, symbolized in the burning of the corn, vineyards, and olives, by Samson’s mission. As a result of this action, his wife and her father are burned by the angry Philistine men.(15:6) Tragically, the fate that she had originally tried to avoid by betraying Samson and sinning ultimately befell her.* In this case, we see how an act of revenge, in the heat of passion, often causes a consequence of far worse proportions than the original provocation.
As a result of the vicious murder of his wife, Samson again speaks by the authority of the Holy Spirit: “Though ye have done this, yet will I be avenged of you, and after that I will cease.”(15:7) Apparently, he then slaughtered a great multitude of them with his bare hands.(15:8) As evil men often do, who cannot see the hand of God nor hear His voice, the Philistines continued to persecute Samson, this time by manipulating his brethren in Judah to turn against him. Judah’s men said to him: “Knowest thou not that the Philistines are rulers over us? what is this that thou hast done unto us? And he said unto them, As they did unto me, so have I done unto them.”(15:11) Here is an example of how a bad witness for Jesus Christ will often turn our brothers from supporting us, and how they then fail to see the light that God is shining through us. Judah’s men reasonably, but incorrectly, drew the conclusion that his faith and commission were questionable, as he had been associating himself continually with the Philistines. It is also of interest that this event could be a foreshadowing of the chastisement of the Danites by the House of David(who was of Judah), which subsequently led to their departure from Israel.
Samson willingly turned himself in, and the men of Judah thought that they had secured him with two cords. Yet once he was in the midst of the Philistines, he easily broke the cords, picked up a jawbone of an ass, and slew a thousand of them in one battle.(15:13-15) Upon his victory, he celebrated the incredible conquest by composing a short song in commemoration of the event: “With the jawbone of an ass, heaps upon heaps, with the jaw of an ass have I slain a thousand men.”(15:16) But as the proud are often brought low before God, He reminded Samson of his dependence on Him through his thirst. Samson was then compelled to give a heartfelt and honorable prayer to God: “Thou hast given this great deliverance into the hand of thy servant: and now shall I die for thirst, and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised?”(15:18) Although Samson had many vices, and was not a typical Nazarite in his observances, he never forgot God’s hand in his life, and took his sacred vow seriously with all of his faith. God was therefore pleased, and from the jawbone that he used for His honor, came forth the water to replenish Samson.(15:19)
In the days that followed, Samson forgot God’s faithfulness in his victory, as often happens to the best of Christians, and went to see a harlot in Gaza.(16:1) Again joining himself with a non-believer, and in such a disgraceful manner, Samson would face a much more foreboding and clear message from God of His disapproval. His enemies surrounded him during the very sin, and tried to entrap him at the place of the crime. An act of the grace and power of the Holy Spirit working through repentant sinners is shown by Samson’s outwitting his foes and taking the gates and posts with him, escaping their clutches.(16:3) It is evident that he repented because he never returned to this kind of woman again.
But unfortunately, we again find that he became involved with another Philistine woman, whose name was Delilah.(16:4) With her, Samson does better than in his last relationship with a woman- by committing to her with love, but it is still a heinous sin before God: due to her being a strange woman, and due to Samson’s continued flagrant disregard of God’s sacred marital covenant. Thus she would ensnare him by charming him senseless, and would sabotage and ruin him more than any other person he knew, through her inquiries of his strength and her infidelity connected to her loyalty to her brethren. She pleads with Samson to tell her from where he received his unbelievable strength.(16:6) She is worse than all the other women because, from the beginning, she ruthlessly took money from the Philistine men(16:5) in order to allow him to be killed, and even afflicted him during his capture.(16:19) In an act of grace, God lets Samson know that she was lying, and was therefore untrustworthy, by allowing him to sense the danger and overcome it three times.(16:7-14) Yet, through persistent obstinacy in his sin, God gave him over completely to this woman through Samson's foolish confession, whereby he lost his power and his honor temporarily when she cut off his hair(16:19), which then led to his capture. As a final judgment on his licentious affairs, God blinded Samson through the gouges to his eyes by the evil men, to match his physical sight with the current state of his spiritual vision.(16:21)
A Steadfast Faith
Humiliated, bruised, and broken, Samson did not give up hope or his faith in God, and God was by no means through with him. "Howbeit the hair of his head began to grow again after he was shaven."(16:22) As a test, the blind Samson was pulled out of prison and made sport by the haughty Philistine lords.(16:25) In his death that follows, we see an illustration, in a larger context, of God’s work in Samson’s life. Through his moments of spiritual blindness, Samson was brought into a situation where he was constantly at odds with the Philistines and was the focus of their attacks. These periods of blindness would be caused by grieving the Holy Spirit through his careless actions, and brought a progressive weakening of his mission, symbolized by the shortening of his hair. Through God’s providential care, Samson was placed in scenarios where he could cause them significant damage, as he was placed between the two supporting pillars at the temple.(16:29) Despite his spiritual blindness, God worked through him for His purposes, and empowered him to overcome his adversaries, and God was ultimately glorified in Samson’s weakness. In Samson’s darkest hour, when there appeared to be no hope, or confidence in his strength or ability to fight, he still trusted God with this prayer: “O Lord God, remember me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.”(16:28) God then granted him his request, and Samson knocked over the pillars on each side of him, killing three-thousand of the Philistines, including their lords, but dying with them himself.(16:30) Thus, purely by God’s power, and through no visible ability, or faith in his own, Samson achieved a victory for God that was more miraculous and laudable than all of the battles combined in his lifetime.
The commentator Matthew Henry gives a particularly poignant interpretation of this event: “Christ was plainly typified. He pulled down the devil’s kingdom, as Samson did Dagon’s temple; and when He died, He obtained the most glorious victory over the powers of darkness. Then when His arms were stretched out upon the cross, as Samson’s to the two pillars, He gave a fatal shake to the gates of hell, and herein exceeded Samson, that He not only died with the Philistines, but rose again to triumph over them.”
Through all of his battles with the Philistines, Samson glorified God as one who was known to be empowered by the Holy Spirit(as a Nazarite), and became a shining, heroic, triumphant executor of the vengeance and judgment of God for his generation, and a magnificent example of courageous faith to those that followed. Through Samson’s life, God shows that He will use his imperfect disciples, even when they are ensnared and trapped in the enemy camp, to accomplish glorious works of righteousness through those who have a genuine, abundantly faithful and repentant heart to serve Him.

Jobs Faith in a Unmovale God

The Trials of Job and His Faith in God

Have you experienced pain and suffering? Then you have shared Job’s anguish and perhaps his wonderment. Like Job, you also may find God near to you.
Job and his family. Illustrations by James Tissot
The book of Job in the Bible is the story of a devout man who lived thousands of years ago. But tragedy hovers over this most righteous man. When the book opens, we notice Job is about to lose everything – children, property and wealth, good name and even his health.
Why will Job suffer such tragedies? Because, of all things, God is about to challenge the devil with Job’s obedience and faith.
The big dare
The prologue or introduction to the book of Job tells us, the readers, the background of God’s challenge and Job’s suffering.
Scene I invites us behind the curtain to the universe-ruling throne of God. Angelic beings are delivering reports on their activities. Satan is among them. The Evil One has been roaming the earth, surveying his domain (Job 1:6-7; 1 John 5:19; Revelation 12:9).
Job’s troubles begin because God presents him to Satan the devil as a paragon of virtue. "Have you considered my servant Job?" God asks Satan. "There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil" (Job 1:8).
Yet God will soon allow Satan to afflict Job. Obviously, God is not punishing Job for sin. God himself says Job is "blameless and upright." Job suffers because he is the best of men, not because he is the worst.
Satan rejects God’s view of Job’s pious character. He implies that Job has an ulterior motive, a cynical reason for obeying and trusting God (verses 9-22). "Does Job fear God for nothing?" Satan asks. Satan insinuates that Job is simply out for what he can get from God. Job is only a fair-weather friend, Satan insists.
"Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has?" Satan argues. "You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land."
Satan’s challenge
Satan sneers at God’s pride and joy — the man Job, who is unlike any other. He doesn’t love you, Satan implies. Take away Job’s many blessings and you’ll find that he’s no friend of yours. Satan tries to make a bet with God. "Stretch out your hand and strike everything he has," Satan dares God, "and he will surely curse you to your face."
Really? Does Job love God only for selfish reasons? Well — let’s see, is God’s reply. He tells Satan, "Very well, then, everything he has is in your hands, but on the man himself do not lay a finger."
Job hears bad news
With God’s permission, Satan immediately grabs a handful of dirty tricks from his bag of suffering. He flings them at Job, and the world caves in on this innocent man. Job’s herds and property are either carried off by raiders or destroyed by natural disasters.
But Satan is proven wrong. After these terrible tragedies strike Job, he tears his robe and shaves his head. He falls to the ground in worship, saying, "The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised."
The author of the book of Job is careful to point out, "In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing."
The second dare
Time elapses. One day, another angelic briefing takes place in heaven. God reaffirms to Satan his contention that Job truly loves God and his ways (Job 2:1-7). Satan again scoffs at Job’s faith in God. "A man will give all he has for his own life," jibes Satan. "But stretch out your hand and strike his flesh and bones, and he will surely curse you to your face."
God again expresses confidence in Job. "Very well, then, he is in your hands; but you must spare his life," God instructs Satan.
The devil immediately strikes poor Job with putrid sores over his entire body. The fall of the house of Job is complete. It appears he has become — without his knowledge or permission — the collateral in one of history’s greatest tests.
Job is now on trial. He must answer a vital question. How will he, who had faithfully trusted God for help and protection, react to suffering that seems senseless and unjust? Will righteous Job reject God or maintain his faith?
So far, Satan has lost every round. He has been proven wrong about Job’s faithful relationship with God. But can Job endure? Will he continue to trust in God as the seemingly endless suffering rolls on, with only pain and death in sight? Will Job persevere though God seems to have forsaken him? That is the real issue at stake.
Job can be seen, then, as a metaphor of the suffering Christian. How Job reacts to God’s test says something about how we should react to trials. The book asks us to consider our faith. Would we continue to trust God, to love God with all our heart, soul and mind (Matthew 22:37-38) — even while suffering for reasons we don’t understand?
On the ash heap
Job lying on the ash heap
Job and his three friends
Scene 2 of Job takes place on an ash heap in the land of Uz, here on earth (Job 2:8). Job is suffering pain and anxiety. He is emotionally alone, tormented, confused, angry. His three friends who came to comfort him are instead emotionally and verbally persecuting him.
The human actors in the drama have no idea God is deeply involved in Job’s life at this precise moment. They have no understanding of what God is trying to accomplish nor why Job is suffering so terribly. Nor do they grasp that a cosmic issue is at stake.
Job himself does not understand why this evil is happening to someone who has faith in God. Why has a good God allowed such terrible things to happen to a, if not perfect, at least decent, God-fearing human being? Job, in short, is asking, "Why me, Lord?"
On the ash heap, the issues are very human, confused and not completely understood. The principal human characters are all plagued by incomplete and distorted knowledge. They make partial or even incorrect judgments about God’s activities. Or they misapply general observations to Job’s specific situation.
The prologue has given us a sneak preview of the heavenly perspective on Job. We know God is much pleased with and concerned about him. No matter that God has temporarily suspended Job’s protected condition. There is a reason.
Job is not a victim of time and chance but a part of God’s orchestrated purpose. Job has no inkling he is the star actor in a God-directed morality play on earth. As far as Job knows, God has disappeared from his life.
Job’s primal scream
Job desperately tries to solve the mystery behind his suffering. He struggles on his own, looking for clues. None appear.
Job prays expectantly. God will surely speedily intervene in his life — heal him of his disease explain to him what in the world is going on. But nothing happens. The horribly painful disease saps Job’s strength. He grows weaker and weaker. He becomes more confused.
Job’s language sometimes borders on the irrational and incoherent. At times he appears almost delirious. Opposing attitudes clash in his speeches. Job appeals to God to act before it is too late. At times he even challenges God. Please help me, he cries. Come to me quickly. "I will soon lie down in the dust," Job cries out, "you will search for me, but I will be no more" (Job 7:21).
Through his agony Job becomes increasingly confused, perplexed, discouraged, without hope. In his worst nightmare, Job sees death careening around the corner of his life, ready to run him down.
Job knows he is finished — through. He sees himself doomed to die a broken, lonely, hated and despised person. Job’s hopelessness is painted with poignant strokes throughout the book. In one place he moans, "My spirit is broken, my days are cut short, the grave awaits me" (Job 17:1).
Even though Job has done nothing wrong and pleads desperately for help, God still chooses to stay hidden. "I cry out to you, O God, but you do not answer," Job wails (Job 30:20).
Job’s tragic circumstances challenge and contradict everything he has always believed about God as a rewarder of the good. Life has gone crazy for Job, and he has been locked up in the padded cell of his own mind.
Wrestling with God
Job can only assume God is persecuting him hiding from him. He lashes out at God in pain and anguish. "If I have sinned, what have I done to you, O watcher of men? Why have you made me your target?" Job complains (Job 7:20).
We should not mistake Job’s terrible discouragement, his lashing out at God, for disbelief. God’s existence is not in question. Job knows that somewhere in the universe God must be alive. "Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him," Job cries out in despairing belief (Job 13:15). Still trusting in God as his Advocate, Job insists, "I know that my Redeemer lives" (Job 19:25).
Meanwhile, Job’s friends are shocked at his outbursts against God. Surely, the comforters think, the fire of God is about to burn up this man. They are afraid to admit that no cause-and-effect reason exists for Job’s painful trial. That would imply they live in a senseless world. How could God be just and strike Job unjustly?
Blame the victim
Their answer? Job obviously must have sinned grievously against God. Yes, that’s it — Job’s sins are the cause of his suffering. God is off the hook. The friends put forth the old "if you are suffering you must be sinning" answer to suffering. It is blame-the-victim time. Although at first the came to console Job, they end up attacking him relentlessly as a hideous sinner.
Eliphaz pontificates: "Is not your wickedness great? Are not your sins endless?" (Job 22:5). He and the other two friends completely misread Job’s spiritual condition and God’s purpose. They, too, try to find the perpetrator of the crime — the cause of Job’s terrible suffering. But they accuse the wrong person — innocent Job.
Part of what the friends say about the relationship of sin and cursing, virtue and reward is true. Sin does have consequences — we do reap what we sow (Psalm 1; Galatians 6:7). But Job’s friends misapply their remarks in Job’s case. They take a general principle and nail it to a specific person — Job — and the specific trial he is undergoing. They will soon be shocked to discover how wrong they are (Job 42:7-8).
On the ash heap, all the drama’s actors, Job especially, have been asking questions of God and imputing motives to him. Job has already prosecuted God. The friends have been, let us say, mistaken witnesses against Job.
From the storm
In scene 3, God storms into Job’s presence. Now, it’s my turn, he says. I will cross-examine you.
Throughout the dialogues between Job and his friends, Job especially, had claimed vast knowledge of the way things work — or should work — in this world. Job said of a hoped-for encounter with God, "I have prepared my case, I know I will be vindicated" (Job 13:18).
Now, out of the raging storm, God begins to challenge Job’s claim to understanding: "Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge?" (Job 38:2).
From the whirlwind, God demands of Job, "Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him?" (Job 40:2). God tells Job he doesn’t know what he’s talking about when he questions God’s fairness.
He isn’t going to answer any of Job’s "Why?" questions. God has come to cross-examine. "I will question you, and you shall answer me," he tells Job twice (Job 38:3; 40:7).
How does God answer Job? He sidesteps every question Job had. Instead, God gives Job a wilderness appreciation tour, recounting the majesties of nature from hail to horses (Job 38:22; 39:19). Is this relevant? Indeed, it is.
God’s point to Job, Philip Yancey wrote in Disappointment With God, is this: "Until you know a little more about running the physical universe, Job, don’t tell me how to run the moral universe."
Aaagh! How stupid I was, thinks Job. He smacks his brow and puts his hand to his mouth. Job finally understands the error of his hasty conclusion (Job 40:4). He grasps that his position is built on ignorance. He realizes God is quite capable of running the universe correctly.
A bigger God
Job now knows that whatever has happened to him — in some way he can’t fully understand — will work out for his benefit, for everyone’s benefit (see Romans 8:28). Job can say to God, "I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted" (Job 42:2).
Job is now convinced of God’s infinite wisdom in dealing with him as he sees fit. Job now knows there is a purpose for his suffering — God’s purpose. That is quite enough for him. The mighty voice of God thundering out of the whirlwind puts everything into perspective for Job. It says: God is alive; God is here; God cares; God is capable.
Job has been given an answer, not the one he expected, but one much more important. No matter that he had not been given a chance to present his own case. When God appears, Job’s questions melt away precisely because God has now revealed himself.
Surprisingly, God does not condemn Job for railing against him and accusing him. God only corrects Job’s misconception about his ability to rule the creation.
To be sure, God reprimands Job because Job condemned him for injustice. Out of the storm, God batters Job with these questions: "Would you discredit my justice? Would you condemn me to justify yourself" (Job 40:8). But God does not accuse Job of sin. God neither calls him self-righteous nor a blasphemer.
God won’t condemn
Does this mean that we might also dare express our frustration, our anger — even call God to account in our ignorance and confusion — without being condemned by God? Shocking though it may be — yes, we can.
In Philip Yancey’s words: "One bold message in the Book of Job is that you can say anything to God. Throw at him your grief, your anger, your doubt, your bitterness, your betrayal, your disappointment — he can absorb them all." God is much bigger than we are.
Job also recognizes how big, how great, God is. After hearing God’s argument, Job says, "I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes" (Job 42:6). But repent of what? Of some specific sin? Not quite. Job explains, "Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know" (verse 3).
It wasn’t that Job had to overcome a specific sin, but rather that he had to grow in understanding. Job had been too hasty in concluding God was unjust or inept.
Job now had a deeper, clearer perception of his Creator. But this new awareness was only a by-product of the real purpose of Job’s suffering — the testing of his faith and love. In this case, God needed to know something about Job, and Job needed to know something about himself and about God.
The why of suffering
The book of Job, then, teaches us that suffering may occur for reasons we don’t understand unless or until God reveals them to us (see John 9:1-7, for example). Trials may come because God needs to know something about a faithful servant (Genesis 22:1-12). Job’s suffering had such an intent — to prove whether he would love God in spite of everything.
This message of Job has deep implications for the Christian’s relationship with God. Trials and suffering provide spiritual enrichment and build a relationship between us and God (2 Corinthians 12:7-10; Hebrews 12:4-12; James 1:2-4; 1 Peter 4:12-19).
Job also tells us no ironclad relationship exists between suffering and sin. Just because Christians suffer trials or tragedies does not mean God is punishing them for some sin.
The book of Job is about much more than suffering or God’s justice. Job affirmed that God was still God — no matter what — and always worthy of our love, reverence and worship. That was the test on Job, and he passed it. He vindicated both himself and God by remaining faithful. Job proved it is possible for humans to love God unconditionally.
Suffering had been an expansive, faith-demonstrating opportunity for Job. God had grown much bigger; Job had become smaller.

Elijah was a Great Man of God

Elijah was A Great Man Of God

Rom 15:4 For whatsoever things were written afore time were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
Study of the Old Testament scriptures encourages us to continue in our faith, to trust in God, and to live for Him. The accounts of how the Lord faithfully worked in the lives of His people in times past, encourages us and strengthens us to live for Him. As the Lord worked in Elijah’s life, He will also work in our lives.
James 5:17-18 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours ( as Jesus also partook in our nature), and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain; and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the sky poured rain, and the earth produced its fruit. (NAS)
Elijah was a man of God, a man of faith, and a man of prayer. He believed God and He prayed according to the will of God; therefore, God answered his prayers. James tells us that Elijah had a nature like our own, in order to encourage us to pray for great things as Elijah did. We can expect the Lord to answer our prayers just as He answered Elijah’s prayers. Elijah was an imperfect human being just like the rest of us; he had his moments of failure just as we all do; and he sinned just as we all do. As we shall see in this study, his faith failed for a time, but the Lord was gentle and patient with him just as He is with us.
IKing 17:1-24
1King 17:1 And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.
Ahab was a wicked king in Israel and he led the people to worship Baal. God appointed Elijah the prophet to deal with Ahab. Elijah was a man of faith, he believed that God wanted him to confront Ahab, and he believed that God would stop the rain in the land of Israel, in answer to his prayer; therefore, he announced to Ahab that it would not rain for a number of years, not until he said it would rain again. This was designed to get the attention of Ahab as well as the attention of the people of Israel. Therefore, it did not rain for 3 and ½ years according to Elijah’s word, and in answer to Elijah’s prayer.
1King 17:2-7 And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan. And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there. So he went and did according unto the word of the LORD: for he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan. And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook. And it came to pass after a while, that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land.
The Lord commanded Elijah to go to the brook Cherith. The name Cherith means cutting, the brook Cherith was a place where the Lord began to increase Elijah’s faith by cutting away his doubts. The Lord commanded the ravens to bring bread and meat to Elijah twice a day, day after day. First of all, it is not natural for ravens to give their food to anyone; and secondly, ravens are scavengers, they are unclean and they eat unclean food. It is a miracle that the ravens would bring food to Elijah and that the food would be fit to eat. As time went on, the brook dried up and Elijah had to trust the Lord to provide for him in a new way. The brook dried up because it did not rain as a result of Elijah’s prayer; therefore, Elijah may have been tempted to pray for rain even though Israel had not yet repented of Baal worship. The Lord also puts us in circumstances that are designed to increase our faith, the circumstances are different but the results are the same. Difficult circumstances are designed by God to increase our faith, by removing our doubts. As was the case with Elijah, when the Lord has something He wants us to do, He first equips us and prepares us for the task.
1King 17:8-16 And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee. So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering of sticks: and he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink. And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand. And she said, As the LORD thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die. And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son. For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth. And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days. And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Elijah.
After the brook had dried up, the Lord told Elijah to go to a place called Zarephath to a widow woman who would provide for him. The word Zarephath means refinery, a place where metal is refined, where impurities are removed from metal. Job 23:10 But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold. The Lord was not yet finished with Elijah, the Lord had a plan to increase Elijah’s faith even more, and to increase our faith as we study the life of Elijah. Apart from the working of God, there was no way for the woman to provide for Elijah, she did not even have enough food for herself. She believed the word of God spoken by God’s servant Elijah; and as a result, the Lord made her handful of meal and her little oil last until after the rain came back to the earth. The Lord took Elijah from one impossible situation and placed him in another, but with the Lord all things are possible. While the Lord was at work increasing Elijah’s faith, He was using Elijah to make Himself known to the widow woman. There is no limit to the number of ways that the Lord can work in our lives. We can be sure that He knows what He is doing at all times; and He is doing that which is best for us and for those around us.
1King 17:17-24 And it came to pass after these things, that the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, fell sick; and his sickness was so sore, that there was no breath left in him. And she said unto Elijah, What have I to do with thee, O thou man of God? art thou come unto me to call my sin to remembrance, and to slay my son? And he said unto her, Give me thy son. And he took him out of her bosom, and carried him up into a loft, where he abode, and laid him upon his own bed. And he cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, hast thou also brought evil upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by slaying her son? And he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, I pray thee, let this child's soul come into him again. And the LORD heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived. And Elijah took the child, and brought him down out of the chamber into the house, and delivered him unto his mother: and Elijah said, See, thy son liveth. And the woman said to Elijah, Now by this I know that thou art a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in thy mouth is truth.
The woman may have had some doubts about Elijah being a true man of God, and the Lord wanted her to know that all that Elijah had been teaching her about Him was true. Therefore, the Lord allowed the woman’s son to become sick and die, so that He could give her faith to believe. Furthermore, while the woman was experiencing a great trial, Elijah was growing in faith, he was learning that he could trust the Lord even to raise the dead in response to his prayer. We must not forget that Elijah was not perfect, he was a descendant of Adam just like all of us, and he had a sin nature just like all of us. 1 Pet 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Apart from the Lord’s working in Elijah’s life, he would not have been able to represent God in the battle against evil. We can expect that the Lord will work in our lives through trying circumstances just as He did in Elijah’s life, and that in the end we will be useable by God, to bring other people to faith in the Lord.
IKing 18:1+17-46
1King 18:1 And it came to pass after many days, that the word of the LORD came to Elijah in the third year, saying, Go, shew thyself unto Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth.
Here we see that the Lord is telling Elijah that He will again send rain upon the earth. It was the will of the Lord for Elijah to pray that the rain would stop; and it was the will of the Lord that Elijah would pray that the rain would return. Because Elijah was in close fellowship with the Lord, he was aware of the will of the Lord; therefore, he was able to pray according to the will of the Lord and his prayers were answered. The same is true for us. If we will stay in close fellowship with the Lord, we will know His will, and we will be able to pray effectively; and as a result, we will see the Lord do great things in answer to our prayers.
1King 18:17-18 And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel? And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father's house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the LORD, and thou hast followed Baalim.
Ahab blamed Elijah for the drought, but Ahab was responsible for the drought. Elijah was the person who prayed that it would not rain upon the earth, but Ahab is the person who was responsible for the drought because he brought the judgement of God upon the land, by his worship of Baal. The wicked are all the same, they always bring judgement upon themselves and upon the world around them, as a result of their wickedness. They always refuse to accept responsibility for the consequences of their action and try to lay the blame on others. When the righteous confront evil, the wicked always accuse the righteous of evil. We must remember that the Lord is the Judge and the wicked will not escape His judgement.
1King 18:19-22 Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves four hundred, which eat at Jezebel's table. 20 So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together unto mount Carmel. 21 And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word. 22 Then said Elijah unto the people, I, even I only, remain a prophet of the LORD; but Baal's prophets are four hundred and fifty men.
For the previous 3½ years the Lord was preparing Elijah to stand alone before the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah, a goddess associated with Baal worship. Elijah was outnumbered 850 to 1, but he had the Lord on his side because he had faith in the Lord. In great boldness, Elijah commanded king Ahab to bring all the prophets of Baal, all the prophets of the Asherah, and all the people of Israel to mount Carmel, and Ahab the king obeyed his command. Nothing is impossible when we are doing the will of God.
1King 18:23-24 Let them therefore give us two bullocks; and let them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: and I will dress the other bullock, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the LORD: and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken.
Elijah had great confidence because he knew the Lord and because the Lord had prepared him for this moment of confrontation. The Lord also prepares us to do His will, just as He did for Elijah; the circumstances may be different, but the result is always the same. We also experience trials and circumstances that are designed to increase our faith and to give us confidence to do the will of the Lord. As was the case with Elijah, we can face overwhelming odds, when we are doing the will of God.
1King 18:25-29 And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal, Choose you one bullock for yourselves, and dress it first; for ye are many; and call on the name of your gods, but put no fire under. And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made. And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked. And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them. And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded.
Elijah gave the prophets of Baal first choice of bulls, and also gave them from morning until evening to invoke Baal, to send down fire to consume their offering. At noon Elijah boldly began to mock them and they became so desperate that they began to cut themselves and shout loudly in an effort to get the attention of Baal. After all their carrying on, the people of Israel could plainly see that Baal was not a god at all and that these prophets were false.
1King 18:30-39 And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD that was broken down. And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the LORD came, saying, Israel shall be thy name: And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD: and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed. And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid him on the wood, and said, Fill four barrels with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood. And he said, Do it the second time. And they did it the second time. And he said, Do it the third time. And they did it the third time. And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water. And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word. Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again. Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God.
Now it was Elijah’s turn to present his offering to the true God of Israel. After preparing the offering, he commanded that the altar and everything on it be drenched with water so that it would be impossible to burn. Elijah then prayed a simple prayer, about fifteen seconds in duration, and immediately the Lord answered with fire. The fire of the Lord consumed everything including the water and the stones of the altar. The event made it very clear to the people of Israel that Elijah’s God was the true God, and they said, “The LORD, he is the God”.
1King 18:40 And Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there.
The people obeyed the command of Elijah because the people no longer had any doubt; they believed that the Lord is the God of Israel. The prophets of Baal deserved to die without mercy; therefore, with great boldness, Elijah slew the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal. Chapter 19:1 tells us that he slew all the prophets; therefore, we know that he also slew the four hundred prophets of the Asherah as well.
1King 18:41-45 And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain. So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees, And said to his servant, Go up now, look toward the sea. And he went up, and looked, and said, There is nothing. And he said, Go again seven times. And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not. And it came to pass in the mean while, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel.
Elijah knew that it was time to pray for the rain to return to the earth, because the drought had served its purpose in getting the attention of all the people of Israel. Elijah was able to pray in faith because he knew that it was the will of the Lord for the rain to return. When we pray for those things that we know to be will of the Lord, we can be sure, we will receive that for which we pray.
1King 18:46 And the hand of the LORD was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.
With the hand of the Lord on Elijah he ran ahead of Ahab’s chariot to the entrance of Jezreel. Elijah displayed great strength because the Lord strengthened him. The Lord also strengthens us in times of need.
IKing 19:1-14
1King 19:1-4 And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time. And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beersheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there. But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.
After confronting all the 850 false prophets, suddenly Elijah became frightened of one woman. He ran for his life because of her threat against him. After having experienced the power and faithfulness of God for 3½ years, Elijah’s faith failed. Elijah was truly a man of like nature; he was like us, he had doubts and weaknesses. He was not perfect; nevertheless, the Lord was able to use him to bring the hearts of the people back to Himself. The Lord can also use us, even though we are not perfect.
When Elijah recognized his sin of unbelief, he became so depressed and discouraged that he requested that he might die. Elijah recognized that he was not any better than anyone else because of his unbelief. The Lord did not want Elijah to become puffed up because of his great success; therefore, He allowed his faith fail for a time. The Lord also wants all of us to know that we are not perfect, we all need a savior.
1King 19:5-8 And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat. And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again. And the angel of the LORD came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee. And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.
After having acknowledged his sin of unbelief, Elijah fell asleep. The angel of the Lord woke him up and fed him twice. He then went forty days and nights without eating. The Lord did not reject Elijah for his sin of unbelief; but instead, He helped him and strengthened him. The Lord does not reject us when we fail to trust Him, He is faithful even when we are not. 2 Tim 2:13 If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.
1King 19:9-14 And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah? And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away. And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah? And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.
The Lord did not come to Elijah in the great wind, in the earthquake, or in the fire; the Lord came to Elijah in a still small voice. The Lord does not deal harshly with us, even when we fail to trust in Him as we should. By this time Elijah was physically tired and wanted to be relieved of his responsibilities. Elijah had an intimate relationship with the Lord; and as a result, he could express his true feeling to the Lord. No one can hide anything from the Lord, He knows us and everything about us, He even knows what we think. Ps 139:2 Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. We should always be honest with the Lord; we should make our true feelings and desires known to the Lord. He loves us and desires our fellowship, and He wants us to be intimate with Him.
IKing 19:15-21
1King 19:15-17 And the LORD said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria: And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room. And it shall come to pass, that him that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay: and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay.
The Lord was going to give Elijah his desire to be relieved of his responsibilities as prophet; therefore, He instructed him to anoint Elisha to be prophet in his place. We are always eventually replaced by someone else; it is not necessarily a bad thing.
1King 19:18 Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.
The Lord wanted Elijah to know that he was not the only person in Israel who was faithful to Him. We should never think that we are alone; there are many who believe in the Lord.
1King 19:19-21 So he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth: and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him. And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee. And he said unto him, Go back again: for what have I done to thee? And he returned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen, and slew them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave unto the people, and they did eat. Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him.
Elijah anointed Elisha, a simple farmer, to be prophet in his place. Elisha followed after Elijah, the relationship was somewhat like an apprenticeship for Elisha. Elisha learned about the Lord and about the work of a prophet from Elijah, by accompanying him.
II Ki 2:9-12 And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me. And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so. And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces.
Elijah was taken into heaven and a double portion of the spirit of Elijah was given to Elisha. The Lord took Elijah away, but He did not leave His people without a prophet. Elijah was greatly used by the Lord and he was a great prophet, but he was not perfect. We can also be greatly used by the Lord, even though we are not perfect. We can all be replaced, the Lord does not need any of us, but He does desire to use us so that we may be glorified with Him. If we have faith and if we will pray according to the will of the Lord, He will do mighty things in and through our lives, and we will experience great joy in knowing and serving Him.

Let us, as Gideon, be Great Men of Valour.

Gideon Man of Valour and Zeal

THERE wouldn’t be too many people who have not heard of the man Gideon. From as far back as our Sunday School days, his exploits have been a constant source of wonder, as were the tests he submitted before the Lord in order to establish the authenticity of what was happening.
The account of these exploits are recorded in the 6th and 7th chapters of the book of Judges. They are obviously too long to reprint in full here, so the reader is encouraged to get out their Bible and read these two chapters before continuing with this study, so as to have the overall picture in mind.
We read of his inclusion in the “Hall of Fame” in Hebrews 11:30-34:
“By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days. By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace. And what shall I more say? For the time would fall me to tell of Gideon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets: Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.”
Without any doubt, he is among a very exclusive company of saints. We will be studying each of these in turn in subsequent issues. As we pointed out in our previous study, these nine people, or groups of people, all illustrated three most important attributes which we all, personally, must evidence in order to properly serve our Lord and Master.
1) The faithfulness of God.
2) The reward for obedience to God’s commands.
3) The absolute necessity to BELIEVE GOD!
As in any Bible study, it is important to understand the background of what is to transpire. We read this in Judges 6:1-6:
“And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years. And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel: and because of the Midianites the children of Israel made them the dens which are in the mountains, and caves, and strong holds. And so it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites came up, and the Amalekites, and the children of the east, even they came up against them; And they encamped against them, and destroyed the increase of the earth, till thou come unto Gaza, and left no sustenance for Israel, neither sheep, nor ox, nor ass. For they came up with their cattle and their tents, and they came as grasshoppers for multitude; for both they and their camels were without number: and they entered into the land to destroy it. And Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites; and the children of Israel cried unto the LORD.”
Now if anyone ever tries to tell you that the Bible is an outdated book, just refer them to this passage. The basic fact is that God allowed the foreigners and aliens to take over every aspect of Israel’s national life. They overran the entire country; they destroyed their increase, or profits; they introduced their own life styles; and left Israel so destitute that they were finally driven to appeal to God for help.
This process has become a national habit, right up to our present day. Do what you like, and then when everything that could go wrong has gone wrong, rush to God for help. Israel had been doing that which was evil in God’s sight. In other words, they were deliberately breaking and abusing God’s righteous laws, statutes and judgments. We are still doing the same thing, with the same results. The amazing aspect of this is that when the people really cried to Him, He always delivered them. We look forward to that day which is very quickly approaching when, in accordance with Ezekiel 36:37, we will finally implore the Lord to save us from the hands of our present enemies.
“Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will yet for this be inquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them; I will increase them with men like a flock.”
But there is a very interesting aspect to this in regard to the identity of the enemies involved. The Midians were descendant from Abraham through Keturah.
We read in Genesis 25:1-2:
“Then again Abraham took a wife, and her name was Keturah. And she bare him Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah.”
On the other hand, the Amalekites were descendant from Esau, who was also descendant from Abraham. We read in Genesis 36:12, and Exodus 17:8, and 14-16:
“And Timna was concubine to Eliphaz Esau’s son; and she bare to Eliphaz Amalek: these were the sons of Adah Esau ‘s wife.”
“Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim.”
“And the LORD said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven. And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovah-nissi: For he said, Because the LORD hath sworn that the LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.”
These enemies were Adamites, of the seed of Abraham, but they were not Israelites. They were not of the chosen line through Isaac. So once again there arose an urgent need for another Judge/Deliverer. We read in Judges 6:7-10:
“And it came to pass, when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD because of the Midianites, That the LORD sent a prophet unto the children of Israel, which said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I brought you up from Egypt, and brought you forth out of the house of bondage; And I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all that oppressed you, and drave them out from before you, and gave you their land; And I said unto you, I am the LORD your God; fear not the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but ye have not obeyed my voice.”
It is interesting to note the seven things which God had done for Israel, as underlined in the passage above, and yet Israel still insisted in doing things their way. One can only wonder what it will take for His wayward people to wake up to themselves as to the ONLY remedy for our parlous position. One thing though is for certain. This will not happen until we cast aside the God-dishonouring beliefs that the present anti-Christs are God’s Chosen People, or that God has changed His mind and transferred all the promises made to the fathers, to what is euphemistically called “The Church”. I must have missed something along the line. I seem to remember a verse in Malachi 3:6 which says quite the opposite:
“For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.”
But I forgot. That’s in the Old Testament isn’t it, and that doesn’t count any more.
So we find, as we will always find, God appointed another Judge to rule over Israel. He has promised that He will never leave us nor forsake us. We read in Judges 6:11-16:
“And there came an angel of the LORD, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites. And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour. And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the LORD be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt? but now the LORD hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites. And the LORD looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee? And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house. And the LORD said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man.”
Thus Gideon comes upon the scene. And we note four aspects of his character which ably qualified him for selection.
a) His name means, “He that bruises - Great Warrior”
b) He bewailed Israel’s plight. (v13). In this he had the same mind as Lot, of whom we read in II Peter 2:7-8;
“And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds).”
c) He had the Lord’s assurance. (vvl4 and 16), and
d) He had a truly humble spirit. He was not too proud to admit his lowly birth and position.
God does not always choose the mighty and those of noble birth to serve Him. Paul reminds us of this principle in his letter to the Corinthians - I Corinthians 1:25-29:
“Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence.”
Then comes a very important incident, one which most Christians seem to shy away from. There is one absolutely important principle which we dare not overlook. It doesn’t matter how certain we are as to accepting that the Lord has spoken to us, we are enjoined to “Try (Test) the spirits”. Satan is a great deceiver, and he has no trouble at all in deceiving people into believing that it is the Lord speaking, when in fact it is he, Satan, who is deceiving us.
This principle of testing what is said is clearly shown in I John 4:1:
“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.”
Gideon did the correct thing. He asked the Lord for a sign as to the authenticity of what he had heard. God was not one bit put out by this. In fact it was just what He would have expected. The test is recorded Judges 6:17-24, and commences with verses 17-18:
“And he said unto him, if now I have found grace in thy sight, then show me a sign that thou talkest with me. Depart not hence, I pray thee, until I come unto thee, and bring forth my present, and set it before thee. And he said, I will tarry until thou come again.”
The account goes on to record how Gideon prepared an offering for the Angel of the Lord, and the following actions of the Angel made Gideon realise to whom he had been speaking. Verses 22 to 24 record his reaction:
“And when Gideon perceived that he was an angel of the LORD, Gideon said, Alas, 0 Lord GOD! for because I have seen an angel of the LORD face to face. And the LORD said unto him, Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou shalt not die.Then Gideon built an altar there unto the LORD, and called it Jehovah-shalom:” (Jehovah brings peace).
The first requirement for victory is recorded in verses 25 to 32, where Gideon was required to remove all forms of idolatry from among the people. He started at the correct place - with his own family. His father’s altars of Baal were destroyed, and an altar to God was erected in a selected position, as stated in verses 25 and 26.
Then he turned his attention to the general populace. When night came, he took a party of ten men and under cover of darkness, destroyed the altars to Baal with its grove. The people got real mad about this and threatened to kill Gideon for what he had done. But his father, Joash, intervened in the words recorded in verse 31:
“And Joash said unto all that stood against him, Will ye plead for Baal? will ye save him? he that will plead for him, let him be put to death whilst it is yet morning: if he be a god, let him plead for himself, because one hath cast down his altar.”
Shades of Elijah and the prophets of Baal, isn’t it. In both cases, the people were told to allow their false gods to protect themselves, seeing they were supposed to be so powerful. But of course, they couldn’t defend themselves, despite which the people still continued to support them. What a stupid race of people we are.
It was only at this point, when Gideon had proved his worthiness, that the Spirit of the Lord descended upon him; v34:
“But the spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet; and Abiezer was gathered after him.”
But Gideon was taking no risks. Having determined that the call of the Lord was genuine, he now asked for assurance as to the promise of victory. This is recorded in Judges 6:36-40:
“And Gideon said unto God, if thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said, Behold, I will put a fleece of wool in the floor; and if the dew be on the fleece only, and it be dry upon all the earth beside, then shall I know that thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said. And it was so: for he rose up early on the morrow, and thrust the fleece together, and wringed the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water. And Gideon said unto God, Let not thine anger be hot against me, and I will speak but this once: let me prove, I pray thee, but this once with the fleece; let it now be dry only upon the fleece, and upon all the ground let there be dew. And God did so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.”
The two main lessons to be learned from this is firstly, that we should never use an insignificant test to prove God. By that I mean, never use a test that can fairly be duplicated by man. Make it reasonably impossible. The test should be of such a nature that it glorifies God, not man.
Secondly, we should recognise the difference between testing God and tempting God. Sadly, many Christians fall into the latter category.
I well remember two incidents which really shocked me. Many years ago, before we started this Mission, we attended the Wednesday night prayer meeting of the church we then attended. One of the ladies there made a great show of praying for God to fix her washing machine which had broken down. All she had to do was to call a technician and make use of the gift that God had given him - whether he realised it or not.
The second incident involved a young man who got into his car, which was parked next to ours. It wouldn’t start, and I actually witnessed him as he got out of his car, gave it a good kick, at the same time saying, “In Jesus Name, start.” Such actions are a disgrace to Almighty God, and fall under the classification of “tempting” God. Pounding the table and demanding God to do what we want is a sin of the highest order. But we have every right to test the spirits to make sure it IS God speaking and directing us.
The next lesson we learn from Gideon’s experience is that “Big Is not always best”. In Judges 7:1-2 we read:
“Then Jerubbaal, who is Gideon, and all the people that were with him, rose up early, and pitched beside the well of Harod: so that the host of the Midianites were on the north side of them, by the hill of Moreh, in the valley. And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me.”
So God introduced what we would today refer to as a culling procedure. In verse three of chapter seven he told Gideon to reduce the overall number by eliminating those who were ‘fearful and afraid’:
“Now therefore come, proclaim in the hearing of the people, saying, ‘Whoever is afraid and trembling, let him return and depart from Mount Gilead.’ So 22,000 people returned, but 10,000 remained.”
This was one of God’s Laws in respect to warfare as recorded in Deuteronomy 20:8:
“And the officers shall speak further unto the people, and they shall say, What man is there that is fearful and fainthearted? let him go and return unto his house, lest his brethren’s heart faint as well as his heart.”
But the number was still too many, so in verses four to seven we read:
“Then 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. Therefore it shall be that he of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall go with you, ‘he shall go with you; but everyone of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall not go with you, ‘he shall not go.” So he brought the people down to the water. And the LORD said to Gideon, “You shall separate everyone who laps the water with his tongue, as a dog laps, as well as everyone who kneels to drink. Now the number of those who lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, was 300 men; but all the rest of the people kneeled to drink water. And the LORD said to Gideon, “I will deliver you with the 300 men who lapped and will give the Midianites into your hands; so let all the other people go, each man to his home.”
Thus their suitability was tested. Those who were chosen were they who placed their hands in the water, thus disturbing the surface of any pollution, and lapping the water out of their hands. This also meant that they were able to keep their weapon in the other hand, ready for instant use, whereas those who kneeled down to drink would have to have laid down their weapon.
In the final battle against the enemy, God requires only those who are ever watchful, alert, and dedicated. God does not want those who are “people followers”, only desiring to go along with what the majority do. Most Christians today can’t accept being a member of a small group. They feel too vulnerable. But God’s Word constantly refers to His use of “a remnant”. We read in Isaiah 1:9; Matthew 7:14; and 20:16;
“Except the LORD of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah.”
“Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.”
“So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.”
The third test is recorded in Judges 7:9-14, where God gave Gideon assurance as a result of his obedience in the face of such superior odds:
“And it came to pass the same night, that the LORD said unto him, Arise, get thee down unto the host; for I have delivered it into thine hand. But if thou fear to go down, go thou with Phurah thy servant down to the host: And thou shalt hear what they say; and afterward shall thine hands be strengthened to go down unto the host. Then went he down with Phurah his servant unto the outside of the armed men that were in the host. And the Midianites and the Arnalekites and all the children of the east lay along in the valley like grasshoppers for multitude; and their camels were without number, as the sand by the sea side for multitude. And when Gideon was come, behold, there was a man that told a dream unto his fellow, and said, Behold, 1 dreamed a dream, and, lo, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the host of Midian, and came unto a tent, and smote it that it fell, and overturned it, that the tent lay along. And his fellow answered and said, This is nothing else save the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel: for into his hand hath God delivered Midian, and all the host.”
God never intends us to exhibit what we call ‘blind faith’. We are repeatedly exhorted to constantly ‘check the spirits’, so that we may determine that it is really God speaking, and not Satan pretending to be God with the intent of leading us into error and danger. Every step we take must be checked in accordance with God’s Will. God knows our human weaknesses, so He expects us to check with Him.
When all these considerations have been double checked and confirmed as being the will of God, we put our faith into action with complete confidence of success.
And from this we learn that success comes only by Total Obedience. We read in Judges 7;16-22:
“And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put a trumpet in every man’s hand, with emply pitchers, and lamps within the pitchers. And he said unto them, Look on me, and do likewise: and, behold, when I come to the outside of the camp, it shall be that, as I do, so shall ye do. When I blow with a trumpet, I and all that are with me, then blow ye the trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and say, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon. So Gideon, and the hundred men that were with him, came unto the outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch; and they had but newly set the watch: and they blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers that were in their hands. And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow withal: and they cried, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon. And they stood every man in his place round about the camp: and all the host ran, and cried, and fled. And the three hundred blew the trumpets, and the LORD set every man’s sword against his fellow, even throughout all the host: and the host fled to Bethshittah in Zererath, and to the border of Abelmeholah, unto Tabbath.”
When God’s servants stand united and obedient, they are invincible.
If we let down our guard, the enemy will pour in through the chinks and play havoc with us. But when we stand firm in obedience, and in the strength of the Lord, the Lord fights for us. The enemy will self-destruct, and flee.
Gideon rightly deserved his place in the “Gallery of Faith”.
In these final eventful days, the Lord requires Gideons - those who will serve with an unflinching dedication, patience, reverence, and FAITH, constantly testing all things so that we shall be worthy of the High Calling which the Lord has placed upon us.
Let us, as Gideon, be Great Men of Valour.