{day 7} When the Smallest of the Small is Mighty

If anyone had the right to feel insignificant it’s Gideon.

The youngest in his family,

from the weakest tribe of Manasseh,

of the smallest tribe in Israel

living under the oppression of the Midianites.

And he was hiding.

We find him threshing wheat in a winepress for fear of the Midianites plundering. The youngest, the smallest, the weakest and living in fear. Gideon was, quite literally, the least influential man in Israel. Until,

{Isn’t it lovely there’s always an “until…” with God?}

God met him under an oak tree,

When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.”

Gideon’s immediate reaction is to look at his physical circumstances and ask, “If the Lord is with us, then why is all of this happening?”

And when the Lord tells him to go, “go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?

God tells Gideon to go and deliver the people, to walk in His strength and Gideon replies, “But Lord–

I am the weakest.”

I will be with you.

Then Gideon asks for a sign and wants to bring an offering. The Lord waits patiently while Gideon prepares the offering. When he returns fire flares from the rock and consumes the the meat and unleavened bread, then the angel of the Lord disappears (Judges 6:20-22).

It is then that Gideon realizes he met with the Lord God of Israel.

Fear rose in him, “Ah, Sovereign Lord! I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face!” He fears death, but God brings him peace.

The Lord continues to speak to Gideon telling him to tear down the altars to Baal and build a proper altar (Judges 6:25-26). Gideon does so, but because he fears the people he obeys under the cloak of night.

When the men of the town discovered Gideon had destroyed the altar, they demanded his life. Israel’s enemies were quick to surround. The Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon and he called the men to arms.

Then, fear returned.

Gideon met God in the night asking for a sign, “If you will save Israel by my hand as you promised…”

God meets Gideon in his weakness and gives him a sign. And when he asks again, God gives another sign.

And to know that it was the Lord who would deliver Israel, God tells Gideon to scale his army from 32,000 to 300.

The youngest of the weakest of the smallest under oppression was to lead a nation to victory with 300 men.

God gives Gideon one more sign. When he goes to stake out the Midian camp he over hears a dream and its interpretation, “God has given the Midianites and the whole camp into his hands.”

He returned worshiping God and called the men to arms. They stood at the edge of their enemies camp and let out a rallying cry, blowing trumpets and breaking jars, “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!”

“The Lord caused the men throughout the camp to turn on each other with their swords. The army fled…” (Judges 7:19-25).

God didn’t need Gideon to accomplish his plan. It was the Lord who caused their enemies to turn and kill each other.

But God choose Gideon–young, weak, small, oppressed Gideon–to display His power and His faithfulness to Israel.

How does this speak to us of significance?

“God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God” (1 Corinthians 1:26-29).

It’s not about us, but God.

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