GREAT VICTORY: GIDEON’S TRIUMPH

Week 2: I MUST DECREASE, HE MUST INCREASE

During this study, we will be doing a ‘deep dive’ into a scriptural passage. It is strongly encouraged that you study the passage and entire chapter ahead of the study. Also be prepared with your research tools, for example Google or your study Bible, as you will need to reference it during the study. Spend time answering and discussing each question with the intention to gain sufficient understanding to help your own private Bible study as you further explore these topics.

Study Chapters: Judges 6-8

Pilot text

Judges 7:2-8 2 And the Lord said to Gideon, “The people who are with you are too many for Me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel claim glory for itself against Me, saying, ‘My own hand has saved me.’ 3 Now therefore, proclaim in the hearing of the people, saying, ‘Whoever is fearful and afraid, let him turn and depart at once from Mount Gilead.’ ” And twenty-two thousand of the people returned, and ten thousand remained.
4 But the Lord said to Gideon, “The people are still too many; bring them down to the water, and I will test them for you there. Then it will be, that of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall go with you,’ the same shall go with you; and of whomever I say to you, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ the same shall not go.” 5 So he brought the people down to the water. And the Lord said to Gideon, “Everyone who laps from the water with his tongue, as a dog laps, you shall set apart by himself; likewise everyone who gets down on his knees to drink.” 6 And the number of those who lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, was three hundred men; but all the rest of the people got down on their knees to drink water. 7 Then the Lord said to Gideon, “By the three hundred men who lapped I will save you, and deliver the Midianites into your hand. Let all the other people go, every man to his place.” 8 So the people took provisions and their trumpets in their hands. And he sent away all the rest of Israel, every man to his tent, and retained those three hundred men. Now the camp of Midian was below him in the valley.

Looking beyond just the content of the chapter, what can we infer about the intention behind this narration?

Discussion Points

1. Consider the story of another judge, Barak, in Judges chapter 4. What differences can you see in his military strategy compared to Gideon’s?
2. Why do you think it was important that Gideon’s men were few, in contrast to Barak’s army?
3. Clearly, God (being omniscient) already knew who would end up going into battle with Gideon. What do you think He was trying to teach Gideon by asking him to pay attention to how the men drank water?

Closing thoughts: There’s a common saying that ‘a ship can only have captain’. A ship’s captain is responsible, and ultimately accountable, for safely transporting everyone onboard to the advertised destination of the ship. The captain has the authority to make all final decisions, sometimes without consulting anyone else. So what happens when there are two captains on a ship? One must decrease to cede command; and the other must increase to take command. Gideon started off thinking he was in charge of the battle strategy, but soon realised that if he was going to be victorious, he needed to decrease, so that God would ‘increase’. Physically, it meant that he had to dismiss 99% of his army and rely on only 1%. Mentally, this meant that he had to let go of his reliance on tried and tested methods – tradition – in order to embrace a new way, God’s way, of doing things.
The main thing Gideon needed to learn here was that, in decreasing, he was not losing anything; but was in fact gaining much. He was decreasing his reliance on men, so that he could rely on God instead.

Application Questions (use scriptures to support your position):

1. A friend’s sister – who is African – is planning her wedding, and decides that there will be no traditional wedding, as this is idolatry. To justify her position, she uses the example of Gideon needing to give up tradition in order to embrace God’s way. She views the ‘persecution’ she is facing regarding this decision as confirmation that she is on the right path. Your friend asks you to advise her sister. What would you say to the bride-to-be?
2. “For me to decrease, and for God to increase in my life, I must give up all personal desire”. Agree / disagree with reasons.