Burunche’s Blog

Isaiah 6:1-8 It was in the year King Uzziah died that I saw the Lord. He was sitting on a lofty throne, and the train of his robe filled the Temple. Attending him were mighty seraphim, each having six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. They were calling out to each other,

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies!
    The whole earth is filled with his glory!”

Their voices shook the Temple to its foundations, and the entire building was filled with smoke.

Then I said, “It’s all over! I am doomed, for I am a sinful man. I have filthy lips, and I live among a people with filthy lips. Yet I have seen the King, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.”

Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal he had taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. He touched my lips with it and said, “See, this coal has touched your lips. Now your guilt is removed, and your sins are forgiven.”

Then I heard the Lord asking, “Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?”

I said, “Here I am. Send me.”

Solomon’s temple was quiet that morning. Even though the place was thronged with worshipers, there seemed to be a holy hush. Isaiah, the son of Amoz, had come to the temple that morning, drawn by a compulsion to be there. It was almost as if an unseen hand had pulled him out of bed early, impelling him to dress as quickly as possible, as if he was almost late for an unknown appointment. All Isaiah knew was that he had to get to the temple as swiftly as possible. Now Isaiah was standing as close as it was possible for someone of his class to get to the altar. Around him, the noise of the crowd seemed to disappear, and then…then Isaiah saw the Lord, and nothing would ever be the same again.

Few people have ever had as dramatic a call as Isaiah. The Lord appeared to Isaiah, with His train filling the temple. Mighty seraphim were praising the Lord, the temple was filled with smoke, and the temple seemed to be shaking to its foundations. There was the sound of a mighty rushing wind as the seraphim proclaimed God’s glory. Did any of the other people in the temple hear or see the same things Isaiah did? Likely, no. Isaiah was in a “thin place,” a place where the veil between earthly things and heavenly things had parted, allowing Isaiah a glimpse of eternal truths. For the others attending temple that morning, they might have felt particularly moved but they might have attributed those feelings to themselves and not to God.

As soon as Isaiah was in God’s presence, he realized his sinfulness. “Then I said, “It’s all over! I am doomed, for I am a sinful man. I have filthy lips, and I live among a people with filthy lips. Yet I have seen the King, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.”  Isaiah fully recognized his unworthiness to be in the presence of God; however, seraphim brought coals from the altar, touching his lips with the coals, and sanctifying him. Why the coals? Fire purifies, destroying impurities and anything ephemeral. But these coals came from the altar of sacrifice, symbolizing Isaiah’s future sufferings and the death he would eventually incur at the hands of wicked King Manasseh.

God made Isaiah’s calling clear:

9-13 And he said, “Yes, go, and say to this people, listen carefully, but do not understand. Watch closely but learn nothing.’ Harden the hearts of these people. Plug their ears and shut their eyes. That way, they will not see with their eyes, nor hear with their ears, nor understand with their hearts and turn to me for healing.”

Then I said, “Lord, how long will this go on?”

And he replied, “Until their towns are empty, their houses are deserted, and the whole country is a wasteland; until the Lord has sent everyone away, and the entire land of Israel lies deserted. If even a tenth—a remnant—survive, it will be invaded again and burned. But as a terebinth or oak tree leaves a stump when it is cut down, so Israel’s stump will be a holy seed.”

When we think of a holy calling, we envision bright futures filled with people welcoming our ministries. But look what God is promising Isaiah. God is warning Isaiah that He is sending Isaiah to warn the Israelites of impending doom. The Israelites have certain expectations from their prophets, and gloomy messages are not included in those expectations. The Israelites have embraced the form of religion but are not practicing the substance. God is warning the Israelites to repent, or Jerusalem and the temple will be destroyed, many people slaughtered, and the remainder carried off. Although the Assyrians are threatening Jerusalem, eventually, it’s the Babylonians who will carry people off from the Southern Kingdom. Countless generations have taken encouragement from those prophecies, and Jesus himself will quote Isaiah.

Why is Isaiah’s calling so much more dramatic than that of many others? Isaiah is being called to a tremendous ministry, but one that will eventually lead to his death. God anoints Isaiah with fire because Isaiah’s ministry will be one of fire, refining, purifying, and graphically demonstrating the sins of Israel.

Be careful what you wish for! Isaiah’s calling is very dramatic because his ministry will be equally dramatic, ultimately resulting in Isaiah being beaten and then sawed in two. But why did God select Isaiah in the first place?

When Isaiah went to the temple that morning, it was his normal habit; Isaiah habitually worshiped the Lord. We don’t know the details of Isaiah’s family background; however, his command of prophetic language indicates that he enjoyed an excellent education and that he was a serious student of the Scriptures. We also know that Isaiah was sensitive to the Presence of the Lord while others were not. Even so, Isaiah was conscious of his sinfulness and his failings, practically begging God to purify him.

Throughout history, very few people have had as dramatic a calling as Isaiah; yet God tailors our calls to fit our circumstances and our natures. Faced with the Lord and His seraphim, Isaiah worships but does not collapse in fear or heart failure. But notice that once God calls Isaiah, He also changes him, purifying him and establishing him to become God’s mouthpiece. When God calls, God also will purify if we let Him. And when God calls, He will set us apart, if we will let Him.

What can we learn from Isaiah’s call? God demands purity. God will call us as we are but then God will begin changing us into His image. None of us is good enough without the transforming power of God working in our lives. Most of us will never experience the ecstasies and agonies that Isaiah did; however, God will speak to each one of us, if we will only tune our ears to listen for His still small voice. But notice something: God will never force Himself on you. You must choose to accept a call, for God always respects our free will.

Are you frustrated, feeling that God has not called you to do anything? Perhaps your calling is right in front of you, but because it isn’t grand or dramatic, you have ignored it. There’s a lot to be said for doing small things with great love, as Mother Teresa was fond of saying. If you will begin to do things you know would please God, He will guide you. Remember, God cannot guide you if you’re sitting still, but only when you are in motion. Get up! Get going! But listen for God as you are doing so. And always remember that there will be unlimited need for continual repentance, for you are serving a Holy God.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, please help all those reading these words to understand that You have a special calling just for them and that You love them just as much as You did Isaiah. Cause them to say “Yes” to Your call and to allow You to cleanse them. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

1 Kings 3:3-14 Solomon loved the Lord and followed all the decrees of his father, David, except that Solomon, too, offered sacrifices and burned incense at the local places of worship. The most important of these places of worship was at Gibeon, so the king went there and sacrificed 1,000 burnt offerings. That night the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream, and God said, “What do you want? Ask, and I will give it to you!”

Solomon replied, “You showed great and faithful love to your servant my father, David, because he was honest and true and faithful to you. And you have continued to show this great and faithful love to him today by giving him a son to sit on his throne.

Now, O Lord my God, you have made me king instead of my father, David, but I am like a little child who doesn’t know his way around. And here I am in the midst of your own chosen people, a nation so great and numerous they cannot be counted! Give me an understanding heart so that I can govern your people well and know the difference between right and wrong. For who by himself is able to govern this great people of yours?”

The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for wisdom. So God replied, “Because you have asked for wisdom in governing my people with justice and have not asked for a long life or wealth or the death of your enemies— I will give you what you asked for! I will give you a wise and understanding heart such as no one else has had or ever will have! And I will also give you what you did not ask for—riches and fame! No other king in all the world will be compared to you for the rest of your life! And if you follow me and obey my decrees and my commands as your father, David, did, I will give you a long life.”

Solomon makes a magnificent beginning as king, humbling himself and begging for God’s guidance. God is pleased and promises wisdom, wealth, and fame. All Solomon has to do is to follow God and obey His decrees and commands. But problems soon arise. God has given commandments regarding the behavior of kings; yet, Solomon fails to follow them.

Deuteronomy 17:16-20 “The king must not build up a large stable of horses for himself or send his people to Egypt to buy horses, for the Lord has told you, ‘You must never return to Egypt.’ The king must not take many wives for himself, because they will turn his heart away from the Lord. And he must not accumulate large amounts of wealth in silver and gold for himself.

“When he sits on the throne as king, he must copy for himself this body of instruction on a scroll in the presence of the Levitical priests. He must always keep that copy with him and read it daily as long as he lives. That way he will learn to fear the Lord his God by obeying all the terms of these instructions and decrees. This regular reading will prevent him from becoming proud and acting as if he is above his fellow citizens. It will also prevent him from turning away from these commands in the smallest way. And it will ensure that he and his descendants will reign for many generations in Israel.

Solomon does not make a copy of the Torah in the presence of the Levitical priests, nor does he keep the copy with him or study it daily. Throughout the entire history of Israel, there is never a single king who follows this command. The king is not to become a big horse trader or establish a large harem. And the king must not seek wealth. Solomon fails all these tests miserably 2 Chronicles 1:16 Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and from Cilicia; the king’s traders acquired them from Cilicia at the standard price.

As if horse trading weren’t bad enough, Solomon amasses the largest harem ever assembled. These pagan women become Solomon’s downfall.

1 Kings 11:1-13 Now King Solomon loved many foreign women. Besides Pharaoh’s daughter, he married women from Moab, Ammon, Edom, Sidon, and from among the Hittites. 2 The Lord had clearly instructed the people of Israel, “You must not marry them, because they will turn your hearts to their gods.” Yet Solomon insisted on loving them anyway. He had 700 wives of royal birth and 300 concubines. And in fact, they did turn his heart away from the Lord.

In Solomon’s old age, they turned his heart to worship other gods instead of being completely faithful to the Lord his God, as his father, David, had been. Solomon worshiped Ashtoreth, the goddess of the Sidonians, and Molech, the detestable god of the Ammonites. 6 In this way, Solomon did what was evil in the Lord’s sight; he refused to follow the Lord completely, as his father, David, had done.

On the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, he even built a pagan shrine for Chemosh, the detestable god of Moab, and another for Molech, the detestable god of the Ammonites. Solomon built such shrines for all his foreign wives to use for burning incense and sacrificing to their gods.

The Lord was very angry with Solomon, for his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice. He had warned Solomon specifically about worshiping other gods, but Solomon did not listen to the Lord’s command. So now the Lord said to him, “Since you have not kept my covenant and have disobeyed my decrees, I will surely tear the kingdom away from you and give it to one of your servants. But for the sake of your father, David, I will not do this while you are still alive. I will take the kingdom away from your son. And even so, I will not take away the entire kingdom; I will let him be king of one tribe, for the sake of my servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, my chosen city.”

Solomon has it all and he blows it! How can this happen? For all Solomon’s wisdom, he trusts in himself rather than continuing to seek God’s face and His guidance. And while Solomon may have prospered, many of his subjects have not. After Solomon’s death, the Israelites come to Solomon’s son Rehoboam, begging for relief from the onerous taxes Solomon has imposed. All those buildings have come at a high cost. Rehoboam gives an arrogant answer, and ten tribes split away, leaving only Judah and Benjamin.

The story of Solomon is a tragic one, for he is gifted beyond belief and yet fails because he becomes dazzled by his own wisdom and his own wealth. Rather than behaving in a godly fashion, Solomon apes the pagan kings around him, gathering 700 wives and 300 concubines. Solomon fails to realize that when he has sex with demon worshipers, the demons will transfer to him. The call that was so brilliant in the beginning turns into a snare because Solomon fails to obey God.

At a time when newspapers were still printed on paper, it was common for athletes or politicians who had achieved something to cut out articles about themselves. Unfortunately, if the articles were very flattering, the person involved would become unduly proud, causing others to observe that “they were reading their own press clippings.” We might say the same thing about Solomon. The richer Solomon got and the more adulation he received from other rulers, the prouder he became. Then there are all those ladies in the harem, contesting for Solomon’s favor. God would keep Solomon humble if Solomon would let him; however, Solomon is on an ego trip and nothing and nobody can stop him.

If the wisest man in the world can mess up, all the rest of us can mess up as well. Success is seductive and few people can handle wealth and remain dedicated to God. Proverbs 30:7-9 tells us, “O God, I beg two favors from you; let me have them before I die. First, help me never to tell a lie. Second, give me neither poverty nor riches! Give me just enough to satisfy my needs. For if I grow rich, I may deny you and say, “Who is the Lord?” And if I am too poor, I may steal and thus insult God’s holy name.”

No matter how strong your call is, remember that God is the One who calls you and He can change that call or redirect you at any moment. A wise Christian has advised that we should hold our callings lightly, ready to go in a different direction when God orders us to do so. May God help us so that we will always follow Him and not treasure our calling above His Holy Will!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, help us to focus on You rather than our calling, realizing that we are Your tools and that You can change our direction whenever You wish. Help us to remain humble, obedient, and sensitive to Your Holy Spirit. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

1 Samuel 16:1-13Now the Lord said to Samuel, “You have mourned long enough for Saul. I have rejected him as king of Israel, so fill your flask with olive oil and go to Bethlehem. Find a man named Jesse who lives there, for I have selected one of his sons to be my king.”

But Samuel asked, “How can I do that? If Saul hears about it, he will kill me.”

“Take a heifer with you,” the Lord replied, “and say that you have come to make a sacrifice to the Lord. Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you which of his sons to anoint for me.”

So Samuel did as the Lord instructed. When he arrived at Bethlehem, the elders of the town came trembling to meet him. “What’s wrong?” they asked. “Do you come in peace?”

“Yes,” Samuel replied. “I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Purify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.” Then Samuel performed the purification rite for Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice, too.

When they arrived, Samuel took one look at Eliab and thought, “Surely this is the Lord’s anointed!”

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

Then Jesse told his son Abinadab to step forward and walk in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, “This is not the one the Lord has chosen.” Next Jesse summoned Shimea, but Samuel said, “Neither is this the one the Lord has chosen.” In the same way all seven of Jesse’s sons were presented to Samuel. But Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen any of these.” Then Samuel asked, “Are these all the sons you have?”

“There is still the youngest,” Jesse replied. “But he’s out in the fields watching the sheep and goats.”

“Send for him at once,” Samuel said. “We will not sit down to eat until he arrives.”

So Jesse sent for him. He was dark and handsome, with beautiful eyes.

And the Lord said, “This is the one; anoint him.”

So as David stood there among his brothers, Samuel took the flask of olive oil he had brought and anointed David with the oil. And the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David from that day on. Then Samuel returned to Ramah.

The elders of Bethlehem are terrified! Samuel the prophet has suddenly appeared, leading a heifer and announcing that he will sacrifice to the Lord in their town. While acts of worship are always welcome, you never know what a prophet might do, and Samuel is a very powerful prophet. God has already instructed Samuel to invite Jesse and all his sons to the sacrifices. Jesse is proud of his seven tall handsome older sons, but somebody has to watch the sheep, and David is the youngest. Besides, Dvid doesn’t really matter, for he’s only a teen-ager.

But God knows something Samuel doesn’t. Through David’s work with the sheep, he has been communing with God and trusting God to help him kill the wild animals attacking the sheep. David’s seven older brothers have remained back at the house, going through the motions of being religious, but never developing an active relationship with God. Frankly, none of these young men know God at all, and each of them has the potential to become just as big a disappointment as Saul if he were to become king.

God also knows another secret about David: David is a dead shot with a sling as well as being a gifted musician. After all, David has plenty of time to practice while he’s out there in the wilderness with the sheep, and there are lots of small stones of the right size. David probably prays and practices his harp playing and his marksmanship several hours a day. Anybody watching David would assume that he’s just killing time; however, God knows the skills David has developed while his brothers have been sitting in the house. Not only is David skilled but he’s also brave, diligent, and resourceful. The very trials that David has endured are the things that are preparing him to become a warrior and later a king.

When J. Hudson Taylor first went to China as a missionary, he felt he was a failure. There were major restrictions on where British subjects could travel, the group sponsoring Taylor sent inadequate funds and expected him to find housing for another missionary family that was coming later. But Taylor had developed his faith during days as a poverty-stricken medical student, and God put him in touch with a more experienced missionary who had adapted Chinese dress and who had become fluent in one of the major Chinese dialects. This new friendship was to shape the course of Taylor’s future ministry as he first began on his own and then founded the China Inland Mission.

What can we learn from David’s call? God is the One who chooses, and He is the One who must empower us. Our job is to remain in contact with God while His job is to equip us, to guide us, and to create opportunities for His work. David’s own father saw him as a nothing, a nobody, someone only fit to herd sheep. But God saw David as a king in apprenticeship. Don’t look at your shortcomings. Don’t look at your failures. Remember that God is the One who calls and He is responsible for equipping you and sustaining you. And God can redeem every difficult experience you have endured. Little did David realize that when he was killing lions and bears, he was preparing for the day he would face a giant.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, help us to follow hard after You all the days of our lives. Help us to remember that our hopes are in You, our strength comes from You, and that You are the Source of our provision. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

1 Samuel 9:1-21There was a wealthy, influential man named Kish from the tribe of Benjamin. He was the son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Becorath, son of Aphiah, of the tribe of Benjamin. His son Saul was the most handsome man in Israel—head and shoulders taller than anyone else in the land.

One day Kish’s donkeys strayed away, and he told Saul, “Take a servant with you, and go look for the donkeys.” So Saul took one of the servants and traveled through the hill country of Ephraim, the land of Shalishah, the Shaalim area, and the entire land of Benjamin, but they couldn’t find the donkeys anywhere.

Finally, they entered the region of Zuph, and Saul said to his servant, “Let’s go home. By now my father will be more worried about us than about the donkeys!”

But the servant said, “I’ve just thought of something! There is a man of God who lives here in this town. He is held in high honor by all the people because everything he says comes true. Let’s go find him. Perhaps he can tell us which way to go.”

“But we don’t have anything to offer him,” Saul replied. “Even our food is gone, and we don’t have a thing to give him.”

“Well,” the servant said, “I have one small silver piece. We can at least offer it to the man of God and see what happens!” (In those days if people wanted a message from God, they would say, “Let’s go and ask the seer,” for prophets used to be called seers.)

“All right,” Saul agreed, “let’s try it!” So they started into the town where the man of God lived.

As they were climbing the hill to the town, they met some young women coming out to draw water. So Saul and his servant asked, “Is the seer here today?”

“Yes,” they replied. “Stay right on this road. He is at the town gates. He has just arrived to take part in a public sacrifice up at the place of worship. 13 Hurry and catch him before he goes up there to eat. The guests won’t begin eating until he arrives to bless the food.”

So they entered the town, and as they passed through the gates, Samuel was coming out toward them to go up to the place of worship.

Now the Lord had told Samuel the previous day, “About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin. Anoint him to be the leader of my people, Israel. He will rescue them from the Philistines, for I have looked down on my people in mercy and have heard their cry.”

When Samuel saw Saul, the Lord said, “That’s the man I told you about! He will rule my people.”

Just then Saul approached Samuel at the gateway and asked, “Can you please tell me where the seer’s house is?”

“I am the seer!” Samuel replied. “Go up to the place of worship ahead of me. We will eat there together, and in the morning, I’ll tell you what you want to know and send you on your way. And don’t worry about those donkeys that were lost three days ago, for they have been found. And I am here to tell you that you and your family are the focus of all Israel’s hopes.”

Saul replied, “But I’m only from the tribe of Benjamin, the smallest tribe in Israel, and my family is the least important of all the families of that tribe! Why are you talking like this to me?”

Despite all Samuel’s warnings and admonitions that God is their king, the Israelites are clamoring for a human king. God tells Samuel that He has chosen someone and then brings Saul to Samuel. Saul looks like a king; however, he is realistic, for his tribe is the smallest and his family the least important within the tribe. But God has chosen Saul because He knows Saul has the potential for military leadership. Samuel assures Saul and predicts a number of incidents that will happen to convince Saul that God has chosen him.

Why does Saul reject the very idea of a call at the beginning? Saul is looking at his social situation and his own resources while God has different plans altogether. Many times, we look at how weak/unimportant/unprepared we are as if God isn’t in the equation at all; meanwhile, God is the One who must empower us in the first place. And when we are only looking at ourselves, we can easily become discouraged. Look what Saul does next.

1 Samuel 10:20-24 So Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel before the Lord, and the tribe of Benjamin was chosen by lot. Then he brought each family of the tribe of Benjamin before the Lord, and the family of the Matrites was chosen. And finally Saul son of Kish was chosen from among them. But when they looked for him, he had disappeared! So they asked the Lord, “Where is he?”

And the Lord replied, “He is hiding among the baggage.” So they found him and brought him out, and he stood head and shoulders above anyone else.

Then Samuel said to all the people, “This is the man the Lord has chosen as your king. No one in all Israel is like him!”

And all the people shouted, “Long live the king!”

Saul already knows God has chosen him to be king, and Samuel has even anointed him privately. But Saul is terrified; what if he makes mistakes? What if he fails? Perhaps if Saul hides, they will choose someone else and he can continue to enjoy a nice private life. Sorry, Saul! God sees everything and you can’t hide from God. There’s a wonderful book title I saw years ago: Here Am I Lord, Send Aaron.  We are thrilled at the calling of God…as long as it’s for someone else. And we really hope that if we just continue in our staid little paths that God will find someone else who is braver/smarter/more highly qualified.

Saul knows that the Israelites are clamoring for a king because they are fed up with the Philistines attacking them and carrying off everything they’ve got. Saul knows that when he becomes king, he must wage war against the Philistines, and the Philistines have taken all the weapons from Israel so very few people have any weapons at all, apart from agricultural implements. It’s no mistake that some swords at this time resemble sickles; they ARE sickles. And Saul also knows that he must organize an army for no Israelite army exists. What Saul is not considering is the fact that God has chosen him and therefore God is bound to help him.

Perhaps you feel like Saul. You know God is calling you to do something grand, but you are looking only at yourself and your own resources. Under such circumstances, any of us might be tempted to hide somewhere. But we must remember that when God guides, God provides. Saul’s biggest problem throughout his career is a lack of faith. Saul depends on Samuel as long as he can and also depends on David playing his harp and singing to drive away demons. But Saul has little or no faith of his own, and in the end, that will prove to be his downfall.

When Amy Wilson Carmichael first went to India, the missionaries were complaining that they were not making converts. Amy began praying and eventually God brought people to her who accepted Jesus and became her helpers. This brave band would eventually rescue hundreds of children out of temple prostitution and slavery. But the whole thing began because Amy was a woman of great faith and she had people praying for her. Sadly, Saul was not a man of faith and depended on others. Second-hand faith is useless.

If God is calling you to do something, first settle things with God. Ask God to give you faith and then to increase it. But remember that is a dangerous prayer, for as soon as you ask, God will begin placing you in situations that will test what little faith you already have. There is only one way to gain more faith; you must exercise the faith you have, and as you do so, it will grow.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, many of us have heard Your call, but we are terrified. Help us to remember that where You guide, You provide, and You will never leave us or forsake us. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Judges 7:9-22 The Midianite camp was in the valley just below Gideon. That night the Lord said, “Get up! Go down into the Midianite camp, for I have given you victory over them! But if you are afraid to attack, go down to the camp with your servant Purah. Listen to what the Midianites are saying, and you will be greatly encouraged. Then you will be eager to attack.”

So Gideon took Purah and went down to the edge of the enemy camp. The armies of Midian, Amalek, and the people of the east had settled in the valley like a swarm of locusts. Their camels were like grains of sand on the seashore—too many to count! Gideon crept up just as a man was telling his companion about a dream. The man said, “I had this dream, and in my dream a loaf of barley bread came tumbling down into the Midianite camp. It hit a tent, turned it over, and knocked it flat!”

His companion answered, “Your dream can mean only one thing—God has given Gideon son of Joash, the Israelite, victory over Midian and all its allies!

Now this HAS to be God putting words in someone’s mouth! First, God sends a dream to a Midianite soldier that a loaf of barley bread knocks a Midianite tent flat. Then there’s the interpretation by a second Midianite soldier. Notice that the second enemy soldier names Gideon, including his father’s name as well. God must be speaking through these two men for how else would an enemy soldier learn Gideon’s full name? And how do Gideon and his servant sneak into the enemy camp undetected if God is not hiding them supernaturally?

15-22 When Gideon heard the dream and its interpretation, he bowed in worship before the Lord. Then he returned to the Israelite camp and shouted, “Get up! For the Lord has given you victory over the Midianite hordes!” He divided the 300 men into three groups and gave each man a ram’s horn and a clay jar with a torch in it.

Then he said to them, “Keep your eyes on me. When I come to the edge of the camp, do just as I do. As soon as I and those with me blow the rams’ horns, blow your horns, too, all around the entire camp, and shout, ‘For the Lord and for Gideon!’”

It was just after midnight, after the changing of the guard, when Gideon and the 100 men with him reached the edge of the Midianite camp. Suddenly, they blew the rams’ horns and broke their clay jars. Then all three groups blew their horns and broke their jars. They held the blazing torches in their left hands and the horns in their right hands, and they all shouted, “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!”

Each man stood at his position around the camp and watched as all the Midianites rushed around in a panic, shouting as they ran to escape. When the 300 Israelites blew their rams’ horns, the Lord caused the warriors in the camp to fight against each other with their swords. Those who were not killed fled to places as far away as Beth-shittah near Zererah and to the border of Abel-meholah near Tabbath.

Notice something: Gideon and his soldiers NEVER fight the enemy themselves but cause the enemy to panic so that they kill one another and the stragglers flee in panic. What Gideon’s soldiers shout is one thing, but what do the enemy soldiers hear? Perhaps the enemy soldiers hear the noise of angelic armies and perhaps they see things far more frightening than Israelite soldiers blowing on ram’s horns and waving torches. At any rate, God soundly and completely defeats the Midianites.

What must Gideon’s soldiers have thought when Gideon handed them each a ram’s horn and a torch in a jar? You can imagine some of these battle-hardened men looking at one another and shrugging their shoulders as they think, “Oh well, we’re likely to die anyway. Might as well follow these weird orders.”

God knows His Israelites and He knows that it will take enormous miracles for the Israelites to totally change and return to worshiping Him. So God creates an enormous miracle.

This story points out several things:

1. If you want results, you must obey God even when His Will appears foolish. God knows what He’s doing.
2. God will confirm His Word when necessary. Look at the dream and its interpretation.
3. God can do far more than we can possibly imagine, and the results will be far more lasting. We are limited. God is not.

Today, God might be calling you to something that looks impossible. Trust God. If God could rout an enormous army using 300 men with torches and ram’s horns, He can handle your situation.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, help us to trust where we cannot see. Help us to remember that You can take a nobody like Gideon and use him and a handful of soldiers to rout an entire army. Help us to remember that nothing is too difficult for You. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

 Judges 7:25-32 That night the Lord said to Gideon, “Take the second bull from your father’s herd, the one that is seven years old. Pull down your father’s altar to Baal, and cut down the Asherah pole standing beside it. Then build an altar to the Lord your God here on this hilltop sanctuary, laying the stones carefully. Sacrifice the bull as a burnt offering on the altar, using as fuel the wood of the Asherah pole you cut down.”

So Gideon took ten of his servants and did as the Lord had commanded. But he did it at night because he was afraid of the other members of his father’s household and the people of the town.

Early the next morning, as the people of the town began to stir, someone discovered that the altar of Baal had been broken down and that the Asherah pole beside it had been cut down. In their place a new altar had been built, and on it were the remains of the bull that had been sacrificed. The people said to each other, “Who did this?” And after asking around and making a careful search, they learned that it was Gideon, the son of Joash.

“Bring out your son,” the men of the town demanded of Joash. “He must die for destroying the altar of Baal and for cutting down the Asherah pole.”

But Joash shouted to the mob that confronted him, “Why are you defending Baal? Will you argue his case? Whoever pleads his case will be put to death by morning! If Baal truly is a god, let him defend himself and destroy the one who broke down his altar!” From then on Gideon was called Jerub-baal, which means “Let Baal defend himself,” because he broke down Baal’s altar.

Well! Now we learn that Gideon’s father owns the local Asherah pole and the altar of Baal. No wonder God isn’t helping Israel! Sounds as if Gideon’s father is the local fetish priest. And now God is testing Gideon, ordering Gideon to tear down the Asherah pole, destroy the altar of Baal, and use the stones from the altar to build an altar to the Lord, sacrificing the bull on it and using the wood from the Asherah pole as fuel. Shaking in his sandals, Gideon waits until the middle of the night and takes ten of the household servants to help him carry out God’s commands.

When morning comes, Gideon finds an angry mob is screaming for his blood because of his actions. But amazingly, Gideon’s father, the owner of the Asherah pole and the altar of Baal, defends Gideon. Gideon’s father Joash threatens that anyone defending Baal will die by morning. Besides, if Baal is really a god, he should be able to defend himself and destroy Gideon. Somehow, nobody in the mob wants to die quickly, so they leave. But Gideon is still worried and wants more assurance. A panting messenger has just delivered the word that enemy armies have crossed the Jordan and are camping in the valley of Jezreel. 

33-40 Soon afterward the armies of Midian, Amalek, and the people of the east formed an alliance against Israel and crossed the Jordan, camping in the valley of Jezreel. Then the Spirit of the Lord clothed Gideon with power. He blew a ram’s horn as a call to arms, and the men of the clan of Abiezer came to him. He also sent messengers throughout Manasseh, Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali, summoning their warriors, and all of them responded.

Then Gideon said to God, “If you are truly going to use me to rescue Israel as you promised, prove it to me in this way. I will put a wool fleece on the threshing floor tonight. If the fleece is wet with dew in the morning but the ground is dry, then I will know that you are going to help me rescue Israel as you promised.” And that is just what happened. Then Gideon said to God, “Please don’t be angry with me, but let me make one more request. Let me use the fleece for one more test. This time let the fleece remain dry while the ground around it is wet with dew.” So that night God did as Gideon asked. The fleece was dry in the morning, but the ground was covered with dew.

First, God tests Gideon, then God empowers Gideon. But then Gideon tests God. Notice that God does not become angry when Gideon asks for a double miracle. God knows that Gideon needs reassurance and He’s willing to do that.

There are all kinds of calls from God, some smaller and some larger. When God is calling someone to do something huge and magnificent, He may give reassurance as He has for Gideon. In 1981, my husband Bob was living and working in a town in western New York; however, he began feeling that God was calling him to move to the Charleston, SC, area to marry a lady from his church who had recently moved there. Bob had a whole list of things he wanted God to supply before he felt he could leave. Although Bob had been praying about the decision, nothing was happening. But as soon as Bob chose a departure date, God began to move. First, Bob got new tires for his van. Then Bob was able to settle matters in his hometown. Finally, someone told Bob about a young man willing to share driving duties to the Charleston area. Bob moved to Charleston in mid-June and almost immediately found a job as a fire fighter in Mount Pleasant, SC. Eventually, the relationship that brought Bob to South Carolina ended, and a few days later, I showed up at the little church Bob had been attending. And the rest is history.

When God is calling you, He might test you, but you can also “put out fleeces,” just as Gideon did. God will neither be offended nor angry. Just keep searching for His perfect will, and He will lead you.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, many of us feel you calling us, but we’re scared! Please help us to trust You and give us Your reassurance. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

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Judges 6:1-10 The Israelites did evil in the Lord’s sight. So the Lord handed them over to the Midianites for seven years. The Midianites were so cruel that the Israelites made hiding places for themselves in the mountains, caves, and strongholds. Whenever the Israelites planted their crops, marauders from Midian, Amalek, and the people of the east would attack Israel, camping in the land and destroying crops as far away as Gaza. They left the Israelites with nothing to eat, taking all the sheep, goats, cattle, and donkeys. These enemy hordes, coming with their livestock and tents, were as thick as locusts; they arrived on droves of camels too numerous to count. And they stayed until the land was stripped bare. So Israel was reduced to starvation by the Midianites. Then the Israelites cried out to the Lord for help.

When they cried out to the Lord because of Midian, the Lord sent a prophet to the Israelites. He said, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I brought you up out of slavery in Egypt. I rescued you from the Egyptians and from all who oppressed you. I drove out your enemies and gave you their land.  I told you, ‘I am the Lord your God. You must not worship the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you now live.’ But you have not listened to me.”

You have to hand it to the Israelites! When it comes to ignoring God, these guys are tops. Repeatedly, God has begged, cajoled, promised, and ordered the Israelites to worship Him and Him alone, warning them of the dire consequences if they refuse; yet, the Israelites remain enticed by fertility cults and fancy idols that demand little and promise everything. Too bad these decisions are totally disastrous. Throughout the Mosaic Laws, God has warned the Israelites of the consequences of sinning against God, but the Israelites have evidently thought God was kidding. WRONG! Now the Israelites are fugitives in their own land, starving because the Midianites, Amalekites, and other marauders form the east are perpetually raiding, stealing all the livestock and crops. The idols have failed and fertility gods are worthless-after all, what good is fertility when marauders will steal everything anyway?

11-12 Then the angel of the Lord came and sat beneath the great tree at Ophrah, which belonged to Joash of the clan of Abiezer. Gideon son of Joash was threshing wheat at the bottom of a winepress to hide the grain from the Midianites. The angel of the Lord appeared to him and said, “Mighty hero, the Lord is with you!”

Gideon is hiding from the Midianites, threshing wheat in the bottom of a winepress in hopes of hiding the grain from robbers. When the angel of the Lord appears , hailing Gideon as “Mighty hero,” Gideon is looking around, thinking, “Who? Me?”

13 “Sir,” Gideon replied, “if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? And where are all the miracles our ancestors told us about? Didn’t they say, ‘The Lord brought us up out of Egypt’? But now the Lord has abandoned us and handed us over to the Midianites.”

This angel is one patient guy! A lesser being would be smacking himself on the forehead and groaning, “Don’t you people ever learn ANYTHING?” And you can tell that the Israelites still don’t understand what’s going on because they are blaming God for all their problems. God is only carrying out His promises, but the Israelites have ignored His Word, refusing to honor God or to take responsibility for their own sins.

14 Then the Lord turned to him and said, “Go with the strength you have, and rescue Israel from the Midianites. I am sending you!”

15 “But Lord,” Gideon replied, “how can I rescue Israel? My clan is the weakest in the whole tribe of Manasseh, and I am the least in my entire family!” God is calling but Gideon has his fingers in his ears spiritually. It’s frightening to be called by God, and Gideon is vainly hoping that if he gives sufficiently valid excuses, God will simply go call someone else. But God is not giving up. God already knows Gideon’s entire situation; however, God knows He can work through Gideon.

16-19 The Lord said to him, “I will be with you. And you will destroy the Midianites as if you were fighting against one man.”

Gideon replied, “If you are truly going to help me, show me a sign to prove that it is really the Lord speaking to me. Don’t go away until I come back and bring my offering to you.”

He answered, “I will stay here until you return.”

Gideon hurried home. He cooked a young goat, and with a basket of flour he baked some bread without yeast. Then, carrying the meat in a basket and the broth in a pot, he brought them out and presented them to the angel, who was under the great tree.

20-24 The angel of God said to him, “Place the meat and the unleavened bread on this rock, and pour the broth over it.” And Gideon did as he was told. Then the angel of the Lord touched the meat and bread with the tip of the staff in his hand, and fire flamed up from the rock and consumed all he had brought. And the angel of the Lord disappeared.

When Gideon realized that it was the angel of the Lord, he cried out, “Oh, Sovereign Lord, I’m doomed! I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face!”

Until now, Gideon been trying to argue with himself that he is not meeting a messenger from the One True Living God. Never mind that this heavenly being has suddenly appeared in the secret place where Gideon has been working. Never mind that this being obviously is bearing messages from God. Mentally, Gideon has been arguing that he is suffering from hallucinations and that his morning porridge hasn’t set well. Now Gideon finally must face the fact that God IS calling him.

“It is all right,” the Lord replied. “Do not be afraid. You will not die.” And Gideon built an altar to the Lord there and named it Yahweh-Shalom (which means “the Lord is peace”). The altar remains in Ophrah in the land of the clan of Abiezer to this day.

At least Gideon responds appropriately once he faces the fact that God is calling him and is refusing to take no for an answer.

What can we learn from this part of Gideon’s story?

1. God knows our situations better than we do. At first, Gideon doesn’t appear to be very courageous or resourceful; however, God knows Gideon’s potential.
2. Humility is a good thing. Gideon has no illusions about his own strength or influence. This means that Gideon’s ego is less likely to get in the way of fulfilling God’s plans.
3. When God calls us, God doesn’t give up. Notice that each time Gideon comes up with an excuse, God simply ignores the excuses.
4. God is looking for people whom He can use, not for those full of their own importance. 1 Corinthians 1:26-29 tells us, “Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you. Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God.”
5. God is looking for those who will worship Him. After all his excuses fail, Gideon worships the Lord as a sign of contrition and agreement with God’s plans.

Perhaps you feel like Gideon. You look at yourself and see someone with few resources and little influence. But consider the story of Katie Stagliono, a nine-year-old girl who brought home a cabbage plant in a small paper cup as a school project. Other students let their plants die, but this little girl nurtured that plant until it grew into a 40-pound cabbage. Then Katie donated that cabbage to a local shelter, where it helped feed 275 people. That single cabbage was the start of Katie’s Krops, an NGO encouraging students to raise vegetables and donate them to the hungry in their communities. Fourteen years later, the organization could count more than 100 student groups in 32 states, with donations of food amounting to hundreds of thousands of pounds of free produce each year.

https://charlestonmag.com/features/how_the_seed_katie_stagliano_planted_when_she_was_in_third_grade_has_grown_to_help_feed

God can take a nobody from the weakest family in a tribe in Israel to save His people.  The same God can take a nine-year-old girl with a single cabbage seed to raise a giant cabbage inspiring a home gardening movement among students throughout America. Now, what can God do with you, if you say “Yes” to His call?

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, please help us to remember that You are the One who calls and You are the One who empowers. Help us to trust that You will also give us the strength and the courage to follow Your call. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Judges 4:1-3 After Ehud’s death, the Israelites again did evil in the Lord’s sight. So the Lord turned them over to King Jabin of Hazor, a Canaanite king. The commander of his army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth-haggoyim. Sisera, who had 900 iron chariots, ruthlessly oppressed the Israelites for twenty years. Then the people of Israel cried out to the Lord for help.

4-8 Deborah, the wife of Lappidoth, was a prophet who was judging Israel at that time. She would sit under the Palm of Deborah, between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites would go to her for judgment. One day she sent for Barak son of Abinoam, who lived in Kedesh in the land of Naphtali. She said to him, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, commands you: Call out 10,000 warriors from the tribes of Naphtali and Zebulun at Mount Tabor. And I will call out Sisera, commander of Jabin’s army, along with his chariots and warriors, to the Kishon River. There I will give you victory over him.”

Barak told her, “I will go, but only if you go with me.”

Everybody knows Deborah. Deborah’s reputation as a wise woman led of God has resonated throughout all Israel, and people flock to her for godly advice. Now God is speaking through Deborah to Barak, that Barak should gather 10,000 warriors together to deliver Israel from the Canaanite king Jabin. God knows what He can do through Barak; however, Barak doesn’t know God. Barak has more faith in Deborah than he does in God, and he will lose the credit for victory as a consequence.

9-11 “Very well,” she replied, “I will go with you. But you will receive no honor in this venture, for the Lord’s victory over Sisera will be at the hands of a woman.” So Deborah went with Barak to Kedesh. At Kedesh, Barak called together the tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali, and 10,000 warriors went up with him. Deborah also went with him.

Now Heber the Kenite, a descendant of Moses’ brother-in-law Hobab, had moved away from the other members of his tribe and pitched his tent by the oak of Zaanannim near Kedesh.

At least Barak can follow instructions. But as battle looms, he’s still trusting more in Deborah than in God. Perhaps Barak thinks Deborah is some kind of miracle worker. Anyway, battle is about to start.

12-16 When Sisera was told that Barak son of Abinoam had gone up to Mount Tabor, he called for all 900 of his iron chariots and all of his warriors, and they marched from Harosheth-haggoyim to the Kishon River.

Then Deborah said to Barak, “Get ready! This is the day the Lord will give you victory over Sisera, for the Lord is marching ahead of you.” So Barak led his 10,000 warriors down the slopes of Mount Tabor into battle. When Barak attacked, the Lord threw Sisera and all his chariots and warriors into a panic. Sisera leaped down from his chariot and escaped on foot. Then Barak chased the chariots and the enemy army all the way to Harosheth-haggoyim, killing all of Sisera’s warriors. Not a single one was left alive.

WOW! What an incredible victory. God throws the enemy warriors and the horses of the 900 chariots into a panic. Once those chariot horses begin rearing and snorting, they run helter-skelter through the battlefield, mowing down many of their own troops. If the Canaanites have mounted sickle blades on the chariot wheels, the carnage might be even worse. As the Canaanite warriors flee, Barak’s soldiers begin picking them off with carefully aimed shots.

How accurate are these ancient slings and at what range? Online investigations reveal the following: Ancient slings (often mistakenly referred to as slingshots, which require 19th-century rubber) were considered highly accurate by contemporary standards, with an effective combat range often exceeding 200–400 meters for area targets and 20–50 yards for precision shots. 

Key findings on the accuracy and range of ancient slings include:

• Effective Combat Range: While maximum distance could exceed 400 meters, effective accuracy for hitting groups of soldiers was generally considered to be in the 100-meter range, often matching or exceeding the effective range of bows.
• Precision Accuracy: Highly trained, expert slingers (such as those from the Balearic Islands) could hit small targets at distances of roughly 20 yards or more.
• Ammo Impact: Using specially crafted lead bullets, Roman-era slingers could achieve lethal accuracy and force similar to a modern .44 magnum handgun.
• Accuracy Factors: Accuracy depended heavily on the user’s skill, which required years of practice, and the use of consistent, molded ammunition (clay or lead) rather than random, irregularly shaped stones. 

In summary, for accurate “sniper-like” shots, they were effective within 20–50 yards, while for military, battlefield-level accuracy (hitting large groups of men), they were effective at distances exceeding 100 meters. 

In other words, if Barak has soldiers who are proficient with slings, they can pick off the enemy without risking themselves. It’s even possible that some of the enemy soldiers might die simply from sudden heart arrythmias brought on by panic. But the enemy commander remains at large.

17-24 Meanwhile, Sisera ran to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, because Heber’s family was on friendly terms with King Jabin of Hazor. Jael went out to meet Sisera and said to him, “Come into my tent, sir. Come in. Don’t be afraid.” So he went into her tent, and she covered him with a blanket.

“Please give me some water,” he said. “I’m thirsty.” So she gave him some milk from a leather bag and covered him again.

“Stand at the door of the tent,” he told her. “If anybody comes and asks you if there is anyone here, say no.”

But when Sisera fell asleep from exhaustion, Jael quietly crept up to him with a hammer and tent peg in her hand. Then she drove the tent peg through his temple and into the ground, and so he died.

When Barak came looking for Sisera, Jael went out to meet him. She said, “Come, and I will show you the man you are looking for.” So he followed her into the tent and found Sisera lying there dead, with the tent peg through his temple.

So on that day Israel saw God defeat Jabin, the Canaanite king. And from that time on Israel became stronger and stronger against King Jabin until they finally destroyed him.

When Sisera finds Jael in Heber’s camp, he thinks he’s safe. After all, Heber is an ally of sorts, and as a mere woman, Jael must follow Sisera’s orders. But Jael has observed Sisera for a long time and she knows how dangerous he can be. Perhaps Sisera’s men have abducted and raped some of the girls from Heber’s camp. At any rate, Jael knows Sisera must not leave her tent alive. Fueled by the strength of desperation, Jael waits until Sisera is sleeping and then drives a tent peg through his temple, pinning his head to the ground and killing him. Deborah’s prediction has come true; God has given the ultimate victory to a woman, rather than to Barak.

While Romans 11:29 remains true- “The gifts and the calling of God are without repentance,” it’s also true that when God needs a job done, He will look for those available rather than those who are qualified. Jael is probably a sweet, gentle, peaceful lady known for her outstanding hospitality; violence is the last thing anyone would anticipate from Jael. But when God moves Jael, she acts rather than dithering. Barak is a ditherer, so although he does lead 10,000 troops into battle, he demands Deborah accompany him, and he loses credit for Sisera’s death to Jael.

God’s purposes will not be frustrated. If God is calling you to a work, rest assured that He will also empower you and provide everything you need to complete that work. But if you dither and refuse God’s call, He will find someone else. You might receive some credit, but the major credit will go to the one who allows himself/herself to be used without hesitation.

Does Barak lose out entirely? No, he does not. In Hebrews 11:32, Barak is listed along with “Gideon, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and all the prophets.” Barak does have some faith, and it undoubtedly expands exponentially as he watches his troops slaughter the Canaanites.

What can we learn from Barak?

1. If God calls you, God will equip you. Don’t look at your own weaknesses but remember that you are serving an Almighty God.
2. When God calls you, God will provide someone to stand with you. Deborah accompanies Barak throughout the battle and God raises up Jael to strike the final blow.
3. TRUST GOD!!! First and last, trust that the God who called you is able to do great things through you.
4. Remember Romans 15:13 I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. We can overflow with confident hope, not because of our own strength but because of the power of the Holy Spirit.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, may all who read these words swiftly say “yes” to Your calling, knowing that You will send Your Holy Spirit to empower them. And may they overflow with joy. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.