 Hey man, all right, Judges chapter six. So we have a new judge coming on the scene here. So where are we at in the book of Judges? So far we've had the first judge, Othniel, and then we had Ehud, and then we had Shamgar after that. And of course we talked about Deborah for a couple of weeks in Judges chapter four and Judges chapter five, Deborah's song. And now we're in Judges chapter six and we see a new judge being called by God, the judge, Gideon, Gideon. And this is the calling of Gideon in Judges chapter six. So let's go ahead and just step through it. There's a lot in Judges chapter six and I'm gonna kind of skip over some things in Judges chapter six because I wanna go back and talk about it and apply it to what happens. We're gonna hear the story of Gideon in Judges chapter six and also in Judges chapter seven. So I wanna tie some things in to Judges chapter seven next week. So let's see what we can find out from the calling and the introduction to Gideon in the Bible. Look at Judges chapter six and verse number one. The Bible says in 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 dens which are in the mountains and caves and strongholds. So of course this is very similar to the time of Shamgar and the time of Deborah. We see that it's very dangerous and how unsafe it is that the people just didn't, they didn't live in the valley. They moved up to the mountains. They lived in the caves. They lived among the rocks. You know, so the Bible is showing us over and over again here that the judgment is them being taken over by these other people and it was a very brutal. It was a very just a rough living and we'll see that even more in the details that we get here in Judges chapter six. But basically we see again how unsafe it is. Look, I mean the reason we live in the valley here is because you can grow things and there's produce here. I mean, look at all the fruit and food factories here. You're not growing food in the mountains. I mean, the mountains are cool to hike in but as far as producing things to help you live it's really worthless. It's worthless land to somebody who's a farmer or rancher. You would never wanna deal with the mountains. You can't grow anything there, raise anything there. I see cattle, I don't wanna go off on this but I mean I drive up in the mountains and I see people running cattle up in the mountains and I'm like these people are crazy. I mean, can you imagine trying to round up cattle in gullies and canyons and I'm sure things are getting killed by bears and mountain lions and falling off of things and getting injured. I mean, it's a terrible situation. So I'm a flat lander and the reason that there's so many ranches in North Dakota is because it's nice rolling hills, flat lands, good for raising food and cattle. Okay, so look, they're up in the hills, they're up in the mountains living in caves. It's not because they wanna be, it's because they're hiding from these people that are oppressing them. Look at verse number three. The Bible says, And so it was when Israel had sown that that means when they planted, when they had sown that the Medianites came up and the Amicholites 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. So basically it says that they planted their crops and they destroyed all the crops. They destroyed everything in the entire country and even all the cattle and the livestock as well. 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. Go to Numbers chapter 33. Let's just, a couple interesting, let's look at grasshoppers in the Bible for two minutes. So grasshoppers, it says they came up as grasshoppers for multitudes. So basically grasshoppers are used as an analogy for two things in the Bible. Okay and look at Numbers chapter 13 and verse number 33. Now when the spies went in it says that and there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak which came of the giants and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers and so we were in their sight. So this is using the grasshoppers to show how big people were. So they were comparing themselves to grasshoppers to these giants and then in Jeremiah 46 you don't have to turn there, I'll just read it for you. Verse number 23 it says, they shall cut down her forest, say at the Lord thou it cannot be searched because they are more than the grasshoppers and are innumerable. So grasshoppers in the Bible are used to show either how big people are, how small people are or how many people there are. So in this case it's talking about you know how many of these enemies came in. It's like they were grasshoppers. You remember the plague of the locusts, right? I mean look we still, we had a plague of locusts I think this year in Africa. There was this huge plague of locusts that was this year, right? It came across Africa and there was so many of them. I mean what are locusts? They're flying grasshoppers, that's what they are. So locusts they came across and they were just eating entire regions of crops. So it's a good example of just a number that just can't be counted. So it gives us an idea of how many enemies there were and it paints a picture of why they actually had to flee into the caves and live in the mountains and there was nothing for them left to eat. Okay, look at verse number six. And of course because of all this and Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites and the children of Israel cried unto the Lord. 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 delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of all that oppressed you and draped 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. And there came an angel of the Lord and sat under an oak, which was in Ophrah that pertained to Joash the Abazurite and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the wine press to hide it from the Midianites. So here comes this prophet and he says all these things. The prophet basically repeats what God has told him again and again and again and again in the Bible over and over. He's like, I brought you out of bondage and I gave you the land of all these people and I told you about how wicked these people are and then you just like became just like them basically. So you see this prophet comes in and says this but then in verse number 11, another person comes on the scene or not a person another being comes on the scene and it says then there came an angel of the Lord and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah. So once we get again, you know, we see here look at the end of verse number 11 and the Bible says and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the wine press, why? He's threshing wheat by this building or this piece of equipment to hide it from the Midianites. So he's secretly farming here. He's raising a little crop to hide it from these people that have taken and destroyed everything. Turn to Leviticus chapter 26. So look, he's hiding food from his oppressors and by the way, you know, this is common throughout history. Famines are terrible. It's hard for us to even imagine famines in the United States today but turn to Leviticus chapter 26. I mean, there's been plenty of famines. I'll give you an example of some in recent history. But look, I mean, famines are terrible and they always produce the same things because we're the same type of people as these, you know, we're human beings. Okay, so look, look at Leviticus chapter 26 in verse number 12. Not only did this terrible thing happen to the children of Israel, but God gave specific prophecy slash direction that this exact same thing was gonna happen. I mean, God got so specific with the warnings for the children of Israel that, you know, I mean, he was very specific about it. And Leviticus chapter 26, he's telling, you know, we're not gonna read the whole chapter but he's basically telling at the beginning of Leviticus 26, you know, how I'm gonna bless you and all the blessings that are there for you if you just follow me and just obey my commandments and all these things in verse number 12 is an example of this. It says, and I will walk among you and I will be your God and you shall be my people. So he's like, hey, we'll be in synergy together. You know, I will be your God, you will be my people and there's all these blessings that will come with this if you just obey my statutes and my commandments. But then jump down to verse 26 and he starts giving the direction of what's gonna happen if they choose to not do that. Okay, look at verse 26. He says, when I have broken the staff of your bread, 10 women shall bake your bread in one oven and they shall deliver you your bread again by weight and you shall eat and not be satisfied. He's saying, look, there's not gonna be enough to eat. He's like, 10 women are gonna be trying to use one oven. There's not gonna be enough to eat. Verse 27, and if you will not for all this hearken unto me, but walk contrary unto me, so you don't have enough to eat, you're already hungry. He says, and if you still don't walk, you know, if you walk contrary to me, then I will walk contrary unto you, also in theory. And I, even I will chastise you seven times for your sins and you shall eat the flesh of your sons and the flesh of your daughters shall you eat. I mean, what in the world? So what that's saying is, you know, I mean, that is a literal statement in verse 29. That is a literal statement in verse 29. It's hard for us to even imagine that, okay? But there's points in the Bible during the time of Isaiah when that actual thing, that very thing happened. It happens in famines, even in modern history. I think of when I read this, I think of the Ukrainian famine of the 30s, of 32 and 33. Basically, they were oppressed by the Soviet Union. They came in and they confiscated all the crops and they took everything from the Ukrainian people. And I mean, people were doing what Gideon was doing and they were secretly, you know, hiding food and they were, you would hear stories about, you know, boys that would go out and they would cut every 20th head of wheat and hide it somewhere. And then they would get caught doing that and they would be beaten to death and killed and all these types of things. But look, survival was a, I mean, let me just quote for you. Survival was a moral as well as a physical struggle. A woman doctor wrote to a friend in June 1933 that she had not yet become a cannibal but was not sure that I shall not be the B1 by the time my letter reaches you. The good people died first in situations like this. The people that wouldn't do things like eat the, you know, the dead or eat people, you know, were the ones that died first. You know, so look, these are terrible, you know, situations. The Soviet regime printed posters in 1933 in Ukraine declaring to each your own children is a barbarian act. That's what the posters said. So, I mean, look, this is something that's common during famines, especially during oppression. I remember the Donner party, have you ever heard of that? We went and we toured the museum north of Sacramento. They, these people, they got stuck up in the mountains in, you know, when they were immigrating to, or migrating, I guess, to California from the east and they ended up, you know, eating the dead bodies because there was nothing else to eat. And it was a, you know, a terrible story. Many people starved to death and froze to death. So look, you know, it just goes to show that during famines, you know, terrible things happen and God predicted that. God said that would happen if the people turned against him. Okay, and that's what they did and these literal things happen. So look, it's bad when there's no food. So it's not that they're just living in caves and they're afraid for their lives. There's nothing to eat and, you know, they're in famine. You know, I mean, it would be bad if it got there in this country. I know we can't even imagine something like that today because even, you know, the worst people of us have plenty to eat. Okay, but look, hopefully we don't see that type of thing in our lifetime. By the way, you know, part of your savings, part of your savings was we're talking about finances and, you know, biblical, you know, it should be food. You should have more than five minutes of food in your house. Okay, I'm not saying don't go move up to the mountains and become doomsday prepper and live in a hole. Okay, but you should have a couple weeks of food in your house. Just because, you know, here's the thing about the coronavirus thing that happened. Everybody goes out and starts buying toilet paper. What, I still don't understand that. I mean, look, I mean, I still don't understand that. What you need when everything goes bad is you're gonna need food. Okay, because look, I mean, even the Bible says this, you're gonna need foods. You should have, you know, you should have a couple of weeks worth of food in your house. Look, I mean, as long as you have running water, you know, you're fine. You know, everyone's going out buying toilet paper like crazy, you know, I mean, what in the world? I mean, look, I mean, when the running water shuts off, not to go, you know, engineer on you, but if the running water stops in the city, you don't need toilet paper, you need a rifle at that point because things have gotten really, really bad, okay? So look, have some food in your house. Not the point of the sermon, but have some food in your house. Back to the story. Judges chapter six and verse number 12. You're just gonna get some practical advice every now and then, okay? All right, look at verse number 12. And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him and said unto him, the Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valor. And Gideon said, oh my Lord, if the Lord be with us, then why has 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? So he's remembering what this prophet has just said, but now the Lord has forsaken us and deliver us into the hand of the Midianites. And the Lord looked upon him and said, go in this, go in this thy might and thou shalt save Israel from the land of the Midianites, have not I sent thee. So he's telling him, I'm sending you to go and save the nation from the Midianites. But it's interesting to say, to show that Gideon has doubt right away. Okay, and I want you to not miss this where Gideon has doubt right away. And he says, look, isn't this the Lord that brought us up from Egypt? He's like, why has this all happened to us? So think of this for a minute, especially as we read the next few verses. I mean, think of how blinded Gideon is right now. I mean, he's sitting here and he's asking the angel talking to him. He's asking him, why has this happened to us? He's like, isn't this the God that saved us from Egypt? Why is he letting all this happen to us? Okay, and look what he goes and he destroys just a few minutes later here, or not a few minutes, but I mean, a few verses later here. Look, and the Bible says in verse 14, verse 15. And he said to him, oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? Behold, my family is poor in Manasseh and I'm the least in my father's house. So, Gideon has some doubt. He's like, you know, the angel says to him, he's a mighty man of valor. And Gideon's like, I'm just a poor farmer, is what he says. He's like, he's doubting this. He's like, you want me to save you, be some military leader? I'm a poor farmer. What are you talking about? He's like, he's doubting. He's doubting what this guy is saying. Look, an angel of the Lord sits next to you and if you have great faith in everything that the Lord has for you and says, hey, you're gonna save Israel. You're like, what do I need to do? If you were just this great man of faith who just had no doubt in God, but Gideon was a man and he was just a farmer and he was a poor farmer and he was a hungry farmer. And this guy says, you're gonna save Israel. And he's like, what, me? I'm gonna save Israel. He's like, why does this even happen to us? He doesn't even realize why they're in the situation that they're in. Okay, now look, now, so this is an angel sitting next to him. Let's talk about it. I'm gonna preach a whole sermon on angels soon. Okay, it's been on my list of things to do. I wanna study a few things out first to make sure, just to make sure I get really detailed with it. But look, this is an angel sitting next to him. What are angels? What are angels? Angels turn to Genesis chapter 19. Angels are God's servants, okay? Angels are God's servants. And they do different things in the Bible. I mean, it's mainly two things that they do, but go to Genesis chapter 19. Genesis chapter 19. So what does this angel look like? I mean, obviously, Gideon isn't sure who's talking to him or what's going on here. Okay, so look, this angel looked like a man. Okay, so this angel, you know, wasn't like the cartoons that you see or your Sunday school class that you went to. I mean, the Sunday school classes that I went to, the big wings and the halo and the long flowing hair. I mean, it's like, you know, it's not like that. This looked like a man. He was sitting next to a man. I mean, the Bible says, you know, we entertain, what did we talk about? Just a couple of weeks ago, we were talking about hospitality. We entertain angels unawares. Or some have, the Bible said. I'm not saying you have, it says some have. Entertain angels unawares. That means that angels can look like men. Look at Genesis chapter 19. And look at verse, look at verse one. And there came two angels to Sodom at even at night. So we know they're angels, but then look at verse number five. And they called unto Lot and said unto him, these are the people, the wicked, you know, homosexuals in the city. And they called unto Lot and said unto him, where are the men which came in to thee this night? Bring them out unto us that we may know them. So, I mean, not to get into this story, but basically they're saying, where are the men? They looked like men. They looked like human beings, like men, okay? So look, I mean, they looked like men. Turn to 2 Kings chapter six. Sometimes angels in the Bible are seen. Like, I mean, this man was sitting next to Gideon. Sometimes angels are seen. Sometimes they're not seen in the Bible. Look at verse number six of 2 Kings chapter, I'm sorry, verse number 17 of 2 Kings chapter six. And go to 15. Go to verse 15. The Bible says, when the servant of the man of God was risen early and gone forth, behold, a host compassed the city with both horses and chariots. A big army was surrounding them. And his servant said unto him, alas, my master, how shall we do? And he answered, fear not, for they that be with us are more than they that be with them. And Elisha prayed and said, Lord, I pray that he opened his eyes that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha. So look, I mean, who was driving the chariots and the horses? I mean, these were God's angels. Okay, so look, I mean, they weren't seen. So Elisha could see them, but he opened up the eyes of Elisha's servant and that he could see them as well. I mean, in Luke 24, verse number four, when it talks about the angels that they saw it, that the ladies saw it, the tomb, it said in Luke chapter 24, verse four, it says two men. You see, they look like men. Okay, so look, this person was number one, sitting next to Gideon, and he looked like a man, is what I'm trying to get you to understand. I'm not trying to do an exhaustive study on angels, but this angel looked like a man to Gideon. Look at verse number 16 of Judges chapter six. And Gideon's doubting what the angel is saying to him. Okay, and the Lord said unto him, surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man. So first of all, angels in the Bible generally, you know, this is the last, we'll get off angels here for in a minute, but angels generally do two things in the Bible. Number one, they're messengers for the Lord. Okay, they're delivering a message. They deliver messages in dreams. They deliver messages in person. They deliver messages. They're God's messengers. They're God's, they're delivering the word of the Lord to people on earth. Okay, and that's what's happening here. That's why it says, the Lord said unto him, because these are the words of the Lord coming out of this angel's mouth. Okay, this angel is delivering God's message to Gideon. Okay, he says, surely I will be with thee. Well, and the second thing that angels do in the Bible is what we saw with Elisha, angels fight. Angels fight. They're God's servants and they will fight. I mean, what does the Bible say? It says, Michael is the one that will fight with Satan. He will fight with Satan and he will throw him out of heaven. Okay, so angels fight for the Lord and they're messengers for the Lord. Now, look at verse number 17. And he said unto him, if now I have found grace in nine sight, then show me a sign that thou talkest with me. So, he's saying, now he asked for a sign. So, he's doubting everything that this angel is saying to him. He asked for a sign now. Look at Judges chapter six, verse 18. 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 coming in. So, he's like, wait here. I'm gonna get you a present. And Gideon went in and made ready a kid and unleavened cakes of an ephah, a flower and flesh he put in a basket and he put the broth in a pot and brought it out unto him under the oak and he presented it. And the angel of God said unto him, take the flesh and the unleavened cakes and lay them upon this rock and pour out the broth. And he did so. And the angel of the Lord put forth the end of the staff that was in his hand and touched the flesh of the unleavened cakes and then rose up a fire out of the rock and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes. And the angel of the Lord departed out of his sight. So, he shows him the sign. So, Gideon asked for a sign and then he says, wait here. He waits for him as he goes and he dresses a goat. I mean, he's gone for a while, okay? And then he waits for him, he comes back and then not only does Gideon ask for the sign, he waits and then he shows him a sign to show him that, hey, this is the Lord speaking to you through an angel. And then, and Gideon perceived, look at verse 22. And Gideon perceived, turn to Exodus 33 very quickly. And when Gideon perceived that he was an angel of the Lord, Gideon said, alas, oh Lord God, for because I have seen an angel of the Lord face to face. Okay, so alas, we don't really say that today, okay? You don't really say alas. But here's how you say alas, okay? You say, alas, alas means like I'm concerned. Like I'm in grief over something. Like your dog gets hit by a car. It's like alas, my dog is hit by a car, right? I mean, it's grief, it's concern. It's something that's serious. So he's saying alas, oh Lord God, so I mean, why is he concerned? I mean, now he knows it's God speaking to him through an angel. You would think he would be excited about that. But Gideon, see, he knows what the Bible says. He knows the history of the Bible. Look at Exodus chapter 33 in verse number 20. This is where God shows himself to Moses, okay? In Exodus 33, look at verse 20. And the Bible says, and he said, thou canst, this is God speaking to Moses. And he said, thou canst not see my face, for there shall no man see me and live. Everybody knew that no one could see God and live, okay? And the Lord said, behold, there is a place by me and thou shalt stand upon a rock, and it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a cliff of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by. And I will take away my hand and thou shalt see my back parts, but my face shall not be seen. So look, God is saying here to Moses, he's like, if you see my face, you'll die. And so God puts him in like a crack of a rock, and he says, I'm gonna walk by you, I'm gonna put my hand over your face, and you're gonna be able to look at my back as I walk away. So you don't die. So Gideon knows this. He now knows that he's seen this sign. He had all this doubt, and he's like, I've just seen God, I'm gonna die. That's why he's concerned. Okay, but look, the difference here, so why didn't he die, is the question. Well, first of all, it wasn't God, it was an angel. Second of all, this is God the Father. You remember in Genesis 18, when God, the Lord appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre, the Bible says. The Lord appeared, and he sat in the tent in the heat of the day. So the Bible says that the Lord and two angels, the two angels that we just read about went to Sodom in Genesis 19, the Lord was there talking to Abram. But here's the difference. The difference is that it was God in his glorified state. It was God the Father in his glorified body, whatever that looks like, okay? So that's the difference. No one could see God in his glorified state. A lot of people think that because of the fact that no one could see God the Father and live, that every appearance of the Lord in the Old Testament is Jesus. And I don't know that that's the case. The Bible doesn't give us that much information, okay? God appeared to Abram as a man, whether that was God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit, we don't know. It was the Lord, meaning I would probably think it was God the Father visiting Abram, but he was not in his glorified state. He just took the appearance of a man. Okay, he wasn't in his glorified state. So if you see God in his glorified state, God the Father, you're gonna die. And that's what Gideon knew, okay? So look, either God appeared to Abram in a man's body, not in his glorified state, or it was Jesus, that's possible too. But even Jesus has a glorified state, by the way. Even Jesus has a glorified state. Turn to John chapter seven. I mean, Jesus had an earthly body. Do you know, hey, guess what? No matter what you think of yourself when you look in the mirror, you know you're not in your glorified state right now. Okay, maybe you think I'm pretty great. Just look at me, you know? But you're not in your glorified state, okay? Look at John chapter seven, look at verse 38. The Bible says this. Jesus says, he that believeth on me is the scripture has said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. But this spake he of the spirit, which they that believe on him should receive for the Holy Ghost was not yet given because that Jesus was not yet glorified. See, Jesus had not been glorified. Turn to Matthew chapter 17. Well, you don't have to turn there, but I mean, just Matthew 17 is talking about, well, go ahead and turn there. I'll turn there as well. Matthew 17 is the transfiguration of Christ. I mean, that is, he's showing his glorified state. He's giving a preview of his glorified state to the disciples. And the Bible says in Matthew 17, and after six days, Jesus take at Peter, James, and John his brother and bring them up into a high mountain apart. And was transfigured before them. And his face did shine as the sun. And his raiment was white as the light. I mean, does that sound like a normal looking person? I mean, his face shown like the sun. His raiment was white as a light. Turn to Revelation chapter one. I mean, we get more detail about what Jesus looks like in his glorified state. Look at Revelation chapter one. And look at verse 14. This is Jesus in his glorified state. This is not the earthly Jesus. The Bible says his head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were as flame of fire. And his feet like undefined brasses that they burned in a furnace. Meaning that it was just bright. And his voice was the sound of many waters. Just had a roaring voice. Like, I mean, you ever been at the ocean? It's just, it's so loud. And it's all around you. That's what his voice was like. So it was just this white, this brightness. And you know, his feet were like brass. But look, that's Jesus in his glorified state. Okay, look at Philippians chapter three. Look at verse number 20. Do you know that, you know, you will have a glorified state one day. You're not there yet, but you will have that. You know, when you are resurrected, the Bible says in Philippians three and verse 20, for our conversation is in heaven. From whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our vile bodies. So your body right now is actually vile. You know, this flesh that we have, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things unto himself. All that to say this, we are not in our glorified state today, okay? God took the form of a man with Abram, and the angels did the same. And the angels doing the same with Gideon, okay? Go back to Judges chapter six. Judges chapter six and look at verse 24. So Gideon had a lot of doubts. Gideon had a lot of doubts, what's going on? Why is this happening to us? You know, I'm just poor. What do you mean I'm a mighty man of valor and I'm gonna free the nation? He's like, I don't understand. Then Gideon built an altar there unto the Lord and called it Joseph Shalom. And unto this day is yet an ophra of the Ebersorites. And it came to pass that same night that the Lord said unto him, take thy father's young bullet, even the second bullet of seven years old, and throw it down the altar, throw down the altar of Baal that thy father hath, and cut down the grove that is by it. So here, so here he's farming and he's secretly like trying to solve the famine for his family. He's hiding this wheat and this angel comes and he's like, why is this happening to us? And his dad has his own altar of Baal. I mean, their family has their own false God altar. I mean, doesn't this go to show that like, some people just, they're just like clueless on why God is chastising them? Not really the point, but I mean, they has no clue. He's like, why is this happening to us? I don't know, maybe because you're worshiping Satan. It's like, what? You know, I mean, hindsight for us is 2020, you can get in states like this, okay? So look, the angel tells him, tear down this altar and build an altar of the Lord of God on top of this rock in the ordered place and take the second bullock and offer a burnt sacrifice with the wood of the grove which thou hath cut down. Then Gideon took 10 men of his servants and did as the Lord said unto him. And so it was because he feared his father's household and the men of the city that he could not do it by day and he did it by night. So at night he goes and he does all this. And when the many of the city arose early in the morning, they hold the altar of the bale, a bale was cast down and the grove was cut down that was by it. And the second bullock was offered upon the altar that was built. And they said unto one another, who hath done this thing? And when they had inquired and they said, Gideon the son of Joash hath done this thing. The men of the city said unto Joash, bring out thy son that he may die. Because he hath cast down the altar of bale because he hath cut down the grove that was by it. So he destroys the altar. I mean, amongst these people are starving and not only are they starving and they're in the caves, but they literally have taken, I mean, it's just, they literally have taken the altars of the false gods with them in hiding. And I mean, just think of the mercy of God. Think of the mercy of God. He sends, I mean, these people that are so turned against him and are under the chastisement of God, he sends an angel to save them. He sends an angel to raise up a judge. Look back at verse number six. But I want you to notice what always has to happen first before God sends somebody to save them. Look at verse number six. In Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites and the children of Israel cried unto the Lord. Just underline that in your Bible. The children of Israel cried unto the Lord. Go back to Judges three, verse nine. Before Othniel came on the scene, we saw all the different judges that have come so far. Before Othniel in Judges three, nine the Bible says, and when the children of Israel cried unto the Lord, the Lord raised up a deliverer. Look at verse 15 of chapter three. But when the children of Israel, before Ehud, before when the children of Israel cried unto the Lord. Look at Judges four and verse three, before Deborah. The Bible says in verse three of Judges four and the children of Israel cried unto the Lord. So in the midst of all this sin, they were ready to get right when God sent a judge. You see what I'm saying? They were ready to get right at that point. And that is really the key of this pattern. You know, we focused on this pattern. You know, the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord. They did it again. They did it again. They did it again. But the pattern of deliverance is this. They cried unto the Lord. They cried unto the Lord. That is the key. Go back to Judges six in verse number 31. The Bible says, and Joash said unto all that stood against him, will ye plead for Baal? So he's ripped down the altar and now he's defending his son here. Will ye save him? He that will plead for him, let him be put to death. While it is yet morning. And if he be a God, let him plead for himself. Because one have cast down his altar. Turn to Habakkuk chapter two. Habakkuk is one of the minor prophets towards the end of the Old Testament. Habakkuk chapter two. So he's saying, look, if he be a God, he's like, don't cry for Baal. He's like, if he's a God, let him defend himself. Let him defend himself. Look at Habakkuk chapter two in verse 18. Look what the Bible says. It says, what profiteth the graven image that the maker thereof hath graven it? The molten image and a teacher of lies that the maker of his work trusteth therein to make dumb idols. Look, he's saying here, there's no profit in a graven image other than the person that made it and sold it to you. He's like, there's no profit other than the person that made it. It's just a dumb idol, meaning it's nothing. I'll read for you Jeremiah 2 in verse 11. Hath a nation changed their gods which are yet to know gods? But my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit. There's no profit in these idols. Isaiah 37 verse 19 says, And they have cast their gods into the fire for they were no gods, but the work of men's hands, wood and stone, therefore they have destroyed him. Look, I mean, the whole thing is stupid on its face, right? I mean, what the Bible is saying here is that these are not gods. They're dumb idols, they're nothing. They're nothing, they're not gods. I mean, think of it, think of how stupid people are as God watches this. I mean, we literally will just cut shapes into a piece of wood and start worshiping it. You're like, what? People do it today in Fresno. I mean, idolatry is huge. I mean, men will do the dumbest things when they turn from God. I mean, you talk about all the verses in the Bible that says, you know, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge and all of these things. And like, you can't even begin to have wisdom or knowledge unless, you know, you fear God. I mean, isn't this proof? I mean, isn't this proof that one of the first things that people do when they turn away from God is they start worshiping like a chair? Let's worship a chair. It sounds dumb, doesn't it? Hey, let's pick something. Let's pick something. Let's worship a water bottle. It's funny, but it happens. People carve stupid things out of wood and they're not gods. It's just, it's not like they're other gods and God is the best one. They're nothing. They're nothing. So you say, what's the big deal? The big deal is not that it's a false God, capital G, the big deal is that by worshiping a stupid piece of wood you've turned on the actual God, the one God. And it was the turning away from God that got them in trouble. I mean, God's telling you in the Bible again and again and again, these are just stupid pieces of wood. I mean, it's just dumb. There's no profit in them. It's not like you're going to, you know, another company. It's not like I quit my company because I'm going to a better company or God's not saying like, hey, stay at my company because that company's not as good. I was like, no, that's not a company. It's a stupid piece of wood. You say, it's nothing. It's not real. Turn to Judges chapter six and look at verse 32. It was turning away from God. It was turning away from their glory. Who is their glory? Their glory is God. Verse 32, therefore on that day he called them Jerubbables saying, let Baal plead against him because he had thrown down his altar. Then all the Midianites and the Amicholites and the children of the east were gathered together and went over and pitched in the Valerie of Jezreel. And the spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon and he blew a trumpet and Abbe Ezra was gathered after him. And he sent messengers through all Manasseh who also gathered after him and he sent messengers unto Asher and unto Zebulun and unto Naftali. He's gathering all the tribes and they came up to meet him. And Gideon said unto God, if thou would save Israel by mine hand as thou has said, behold, I will put a fleece of wool on the floor and it do be on the fleece only and it be dry upon the earth beside then I shall know that thou will save Israel by my hand as thou has said. He's like, show me another sign. He's like, all these things that have happened. He realized he was talking to an angel. The angel said all these things to him. He's like, all right, but just give me one more sign. And what does the angel do? Look at verse 38. And it was so, he showed him. It was so for he rose up early in the morrow and thrust the fleece together. Well, the angel didn't show him. The God showed him this sign. And he ringed out the dew out of the fleece and a bowl full of water. And then Gideon said unto God, let not that anger be hot against me but I would like another sign. Just one more. And I will speak but this once, let me prove I pray thee, but this once with the fleece, let it now be dry upon the fleece and upon the ground, let there be dew. So he had a little ball of cotton and he put it on the ground. And he's like, hey, you know, if you're, you know, he's like, make it wet. And he's like, all right, now do the opposite thing and make the ground wet and this thing dry. He's like, then I'll know, then I'll go. Okay, then I'll go. All right, now look. In verse number 40, show me another sign and God did it. And God did so that night for it was dry upon the fleece only and there was dew all over the ground. So this, I mean, I'm gonna really dig into this next week on these signs and the things that Gideon was asking the Lord for and how God responded to Gideon for asking for all these signs. But I mean, look, God showed him the signs and he's like, you're gonna go and you're gonna defeat, you're gonna free Israel. So in application this evening, I just wanna look at this idea that Israel cried unto the Lord because this is huge. We can't miss this pattern that happens before God raises up a judge. Look, we have a trend now, right? We have several judges that we've seen. Now we have a trend. We've got some points. We can see a pattern. We can learn from a pattern. Okay, we can see this. Israel cried unto the Lord every single time and then God raised up a judge. Notice, you know, look, first of all, lessons from the Old Testament, from the nation of Israel, you can apply directly to yourself. Okay, so when you think about the Old Testament and you read about the nation of Israel and you read about all the stupid things that they did. And look, I know because I still kind of think this sometimes when I'm reading the Bible, when you sit there and you read a paragraph and like in one paragraph, first of all, like one paragraph could be 40 years or 80 years, which is, he kind of explains it. But I mean, the point is that you can apply that directly to yourself. If you actually think about what's happening, you can apply these lessons directly to yourself personally. So look, God's reaction to the nation of Israel can be very similar to his reaction to us. Turn to Romans chapter six. I'll give you an example of this. So we see that they cried unto the Lord and the Lord sent a judge to free them. Right, why did they need to be freed? Because they went into oppression because every single time that they turned from the Lord, they went into slavery, into bondage, into horrible situations where they're having violence committing against them. There's nothing to eat, they're in terrible straits. Look at Romans six and verse 17. The Bible says this, but God be thanked that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. You know that when you got saved, you became free from sin. Like sin no longer has power over you. I mean, what's the ultimate power over you? The ultimate power is to destroy you in hell. It's to destroy you eternally in that second death. The minute you got saved and you believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, you became freed from that. And you became servants to righteousness. And I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh, but there's a problem because we still have this flesh. We still have this infirmity. For as, I mean, we're vile, right? I mean, our bodies are still here and this is not our glorified body, we're vile. If for as ye have yielded your members' servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity, even so now yield your members' servants to righteousness unto holiness. So look, you still have this choice on whether or not you're gonna yield your members to righteousness or to iniquity. That choice is still with you as long as you have this vile body. You still have that choice. Okay, look, I mean, sin no longer can send you to hell, but you can still put yourself back in slavery. What did the nation of Israel do? They put themselves in slavery by turning away from the Lord. So look, I mean, it's the same thing. As the nation of Israel went into slavery and they endured chastisement from God, the same thing can happen to you. You're free in Christ, but you could fall back into slavery. You could fall back into slavery. So look, let's look at this crying out to the Lord because just like with the nation of Israel, that's what it takes for you too. That's what it takes. Like the other, I mean, let's look at the unsaved people. It applies there too. Why do you think that when we go out soul winning, we're not just gonna get like everyone saved? I mean, don't we have the best message? Don't we have the answer? Don't we have everything? Why, why aren't we gonna get everybody saved? As a matter of fact, why aren't most people gonna get saved? Look, because there's no famine here. There's no famine here. There's no trouble here. There's no need here. And that's what it took. It took them being pushed down to the point where they did what? They cried out to the Lord. There's none of that here. When you walk up to somebody who's unsaved and they're living in a million dollar house and they got out of Porsche in the driveway and they're like, I'm good. You don't have fun walking down the street in 108 degrees, I'm good. I mean, look, no famine here. That's why. Because they haven't got to that point where they're ready to cry out to the Lord. I mean, that's what it took. That's what it took for the nation. And that's why you see this pattern again and again and again and again. How about you? How about you? You wonder why? You wonder why people can't change. Think about that. You wonder why people in their life, I mean, look, I mean, a city up here and I can preach the Bible to some people, Tom, blue in the face and some people are not going to change. Say why, they're saved. Well, what does saved have to do with works? Nothing. So you say, why can't people change? You know, I mean, because they need a famine. That's why. Because, I mean, did God waste his time sending the judges to a bunch of people? They were just like, now we don't need a judge. No, these people wanted a judge. They were ready for a judge. Why? Because they were crying out to the Lord. They were crying out to the Lord. They were ready to get right. And that's why people, I mean, especially in this country, that's why you go to poor countries and there's all kinds of people ready to cry out to the Lord. But here, not so much. Because there's no famine. Here, there's no trouble here. And it's when they cried out that God had mercy. It's when they cried out that God delivered them. It's the same for you. Whether you're in sin, whether you need to change things in your life, if you cry out, God's gonna deliver you. I mean, God didn't just decide. God didn't just look down. I mean, look, imagine the wicked things that were happening. I mean, by the time, I mean, think about Fresno in the valley. Think about some army coming in here. And think about Fresno being empty. And nobody being in Fresno. And everybody, a million people in Fresno had fled to the mountains and living in caves and rocks. Think about the horrible things that must have happened at that point. God's watching that. God didn't say, that's enough now. That's too brutal. Not until they cried out to the Lord. Is when he sent, I mean, can you not see the pattern? They cried out to the Lord. Then God said, I'm gonna raise up a judge. And I'm gonna deliver them. I mean, it's not like God just said, that's enough, that's too much judgment. No, it's when they cried out. It's when they were ready to get right. Because God's not gonna waste his time raising up some judge for a bunch of people that don't wanna get right. So when will people be ready to cry out to the Lord? That's why, look, to admit that they've abandoned him. To admit that they've turned their back on God. To admit, I mean, personally, to admit that, you know, you've abandoned God. That's what it will take for you to get right. That's what it will take to get sin out of your life. You admit, you know what? I've abandoned God here. I've turned on God here. I know, and look, you know, everybody here knows. I know you know. If there's some sin that you just can't get away from, you put yourself in slavery somewhere, you know. You just have to get yourself to the point where you're like, you know what? I've turned my back on God. You need to cry out to the Lord to admit that fault. You know, there's too much attitude today that everybody else is keeping me down. All my problems are somebody else's fault. Your problems are your fault. Your sin is your fault. Like all these other people, you know, did this and all this and that, you know, I grew up this way and this way and that way. Look, it's your fault. It's your fault. If you're an adult and, you know, you are in a relation, I mean, you're saved. I mean, face it. Admit fault and God will deliver you. It's that simple. Take responsibility. That's what they did. That's what crying out to the Lord was. It was taking responsibility for what they had done as a nation and then God sent them to be delivered. I mean, look, that's, look, not to go off on this, but this is why all these government programs are so wicked because look, people that aren't doing right, they should be put into famine. And then you know what? When people go into famine, maybe they'll cry out to the Lord. All these government programs, look, you personally, if you're aiding people in sin, I mean, how many times have I said this? You know what you're doing if you're aiding someone in sin? You know what you're doing? You are interfering with God's plan. You are interfering with God's plan because you know what? God needs people, whether they're saved or unsaved. Look, if they're unsaved, you know, they need to be put in famine and then when somebody knocks on their door with answers, they'll listen. But if they're saved and they're in sin and you're helping them in sin and you're making them comfortable in that sin, they're never gonna get to the point where they're like, you know what? I'm in famine and they're never gonna cry out to the Lord. You're intervening. You're intervening with God's plan because they'll cry out to the Lord and then God will have mercy on them. And then God will take care of that situation. Like, I mean, it's all about, you know, you're blocking God's plan in people's lives. If the problem is sin, let God deal with it His way. That's how you know. If the problem is sin, in my life, in your life, if your problem is sin, admit it. If you see somebody else and their problem is sin, they need to realize that, they need to cry out and God will deliver them once that happens. Don't just intervene and get in the middle of God's plan. God knows what He's doing here. God invented the, you know, God knows how to deliver people out of bondage. And if you put yourself in bondage, God knows how to deliver you out of that. He's been doing it since the beginning of mankind. All you have to do is just cry out to the Lord. Just like the children of Israel did. So just remember that when we read through all these stories in the Old Testament, just remember, this applies directly to us. I mean, isn't it a perfect match to our lives? And God deals with us the same way. God, you know, I am the Lord. I change not. God is the same God as He is in the Old Testament. It's the same thing. Look, and if you read the book, if you read the book, it's the same personality throughout the whole thing. Period. People need to cry out to the Lord and He will deliver them. So we'll look at the rest of the story of Gideon next week, and we'll look at some of the signs that Gideon asked for. And we'll see how God dealt with that. So it's a great story and we'll continue it next week. Let's bow our heads and have a word of prayer.