And the men of Ephraim said to Gideon, Why have you treated us like this, not calling us when you went to fight with Midian? And they quarrelled with him furiously. 2 And he said to them, What have I done now in comparison with you? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of [your big tribe of] Ephraim better than the vintage of [my little clan of] Abiezer? 3 God has given into your hands the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb, and what was I able to do in comparison with you? Then their anger toward him was abated when he had said that. (Judges 8:1-3)
These verses reveal the humility of Gideon versus the arrogance and pride of the men of Ephraim. Humility is the surest way of ending strife (M. Henry). Gideon was only obeying orders from the LORD. This tells us that even when you obey the Lord. not everyone will be happy.
Philippians 2:3 tells us, “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.” The fastest way to eliminate strife is to esteem others better than yourself, and this is exactly what Gideon did.
And Gideon went up by the route of those who dwelt in tents east of Nobah and Jogbehah and smote their camp [unexpectedly], for the army thought itself secure. (Judges 8:11)
Notice Gideon attacked when they least expected.
The Old Testament’s events that are recorded in the Book of Judges, specifically in chapters 6 through 8, clearly are divinely designed to be a forewarning about the end-times conflict that Israel will have with her arab enemies, as well as a forewarning about the One who will be Israel’s end-times Deliverer/Savior. Psalm 83 is a second biblical source in which can be found proof that Gideon’s Midianite onslaught is a type of end-times arab invasion and proof that Gideon is a type of Christ.
Numerous biblical prophecy scholars agree that the Arab attack mentioned in Psalm 83 is a final war that will take place during the end-times Tribulation Period. So then, when the psalmist states in Psalm 83:4 that the purpose of this final Arab invasion is so that these enemies of God and Israel can wipe Israel off of all maps so that Israel’s name will be forgotten, it stands to reason that the psalmist then would utter the following curse:
9 Deal with them as with Midian,
As with Sisera,
As with Jabin at the Brook Kishon,
10 Who perished at En Dor,
Who became as refuse on the earth.
11 Make their nobles like Oreb and like Zeeb,
Yes, all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna,
12 Who said, “Let us take for ourselves
The pastures of God for a possession.”
13 O my God, make them like the whirling dust,
Like the chaff before the wind! (Psalm 83:9-13)
Then Gideon made it into an ephod and set it up in his city, Ophrah. And all Israel played the harlot with it there. It became a snare to Gideon and to his house. (Judges 8:27)
Fresh from his victory on the battlefield, Gideon fashioned an idol, which "became a snare to him and to his house." (Judges 8:22-28). It wasn't in the beginning that these people stumbled. It was when they had the victory; they were prospering and gaining confidence. It is at such times we still need to pay close attention to the word of the Lord.
These verses reveal the humility of Gideon versus the arrogance and pride of the men of Ephraim. Humility is the surest way of ending strife (M. Henry). Gideon was only obeying orders from the LORD. This tells us that even when you obey the Lord. not everyone will be happy.
Philippians 2:3 tells us, “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.” The fastest way to eliminate strife is to esteem others better than yourself, and this is exactly what Gideon did.
And Gideon went up by the route of those who dwelt in tents east of Nobah and Jogbehah and smote their camp [unexpectedly], for the army thought itself secure. (Judges 8:11)
Notice Gideon attacked when they least expected.
The Old Testament’s events that are recorded in the Book of Judges, specifically in chapters 6 through 8, clearly are divinely designed to be a forewarning about the end-times conflict that Israel will have with her arab enemies, as well as a forewarning about the One who will be Israel’s end-times Deliverer/Savior. Psalm 83 is a second biblical source in which can be found proof that Gideon’s Midianite onslaught is a type of end-times arab invasion and proof that Gideon is a type of Christ.
Numerous biblical prophecy scholars agree that the Arab attack mentioned in Psalm 83 is a final war that will take place during the end-times Tribulation Period. So then, when the psalmist states in Psalm 83:4 that the purpose of this final Arab invasion is so that these enemies of God and Israel can wipe Israel off of all maps so that Israel’s name will be forgotten, it stands to reason that the psalmist then would utter the following curse:
9 Deal with them as with Midian,
As with Sisera,
As with Jabin at the Brook Kishon,
10 Who perished at En Dor,
Who became as refuse on the earth.
11 Make their nobles like Oreb and like Zeeb,
Yes, all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna,
12 Who said, “Let us take for ourselves
The pastures of God for a possession.”
13 O my God, make them like the whirling dust,
Like the chaff before the wind! (Psalm 83:9-13)
Then Gideon made it into an ephod and set it up in his city, Ophrah. And all Israel played the harlot with it there. It became a snare to Gideon and to his house. (Judges 8:27)
Fresh from his victory on the battlefield, Gideon fashioned an idol, which "became a snare to him and to his house." (Judges 8:22-28). It wasn't in the beginning that these people stumbled. It was when they had the victory; they were prospering and gaining confidence. It is at such times we still need to pay close attention to the word of the Lord.
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