Bible Reading
Judges 7:1-8 “Then Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) and all the people who were with him rose early and encamped beside the spring of Harod. And the camp of Midian was north of them, by the hill of Moreh, in the valley. The LORD said to Gideon, 'The people with you are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand, lest Israel boast over me, saying, "My own hand has saved me." Now therefore proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, "Whoever is fearful and trembling, let him return home and hurry away from Mount Gilead."' Then 22,000 of the people returned, and 10,000 remained. And the LORD said to Gideon, 'The people are still too many. Take them down to the water, and I will test them for you there, and anyone of whom I say to you, "This one shall go with you," shall go with you, and anyone of whom I say to you, "This one shall not go with you," shall not go.' So he brought the people down to the water. And the LORD said to Gideon, 'Every one who laps the water with his tongue, as a dog laps, you shall set by himself. Likewise, every one who kneels down to drink.' And the number of those who lapped, putting their hands to their mouths, was 300 men, but all the rest of the people knelt down to drink water. Then the LORD said to Gideon, 'With the 300 men who lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hand, and let all the others go every man to his home.”
[17:30]Judges 6:11-16 “Now the angel of the LORD came and sat under the terebinth at Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, while his son Gideon was beating out wheat in the winepress to hide it from the Midianites. And the angel of the LORD appeared to him and said to him, 'The LORD is with you, O mighty man of valor.' And Gideon said to him, 'Please, sir, if the LORD is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all his wonderful deeds that our fathers recounted to us, saying, "Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt?" But now the LORD has forsaken us and given us into the hand of Midian.' And the LORD turned to him and said, 'Go in this might of yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian; do not I send you?' And he said to him, 'Please, Lord, how can I save Israel? Behold, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.' And the LORD said to him, 'But I will be with you, and you shall strike the Midianites as one man.”
[12:24]Philippians 2:1-5 “So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,”
[40:20]Observation questions
- What reasons does Gideon give for believing he is not able to deliver Israel, and what promise does God give him in response? [12:34]
- In Judges 7, why does God say Gideon’s original army is too large, even though Israel is already greatly outnumbered? [15:24]
- What happens to the size of Gideon’s army after the fearful men leave, and then after the test at the water? [17:11]
- What words and actions in Philippians 2 describe believers living with “one mind” and looking after one another’s interests? [41:05]
Interpretation questions
- Why is God’s promise to be with Gideon more important than Gideon’s background, ability, or military resources? How does that change the way weakness should be viewed? [17:42]
- God reduces the army so Israel will not claim credit for its own victory. What kinds of “my own hand has saved me” attitudes can appear in a believer’s life or in a church?
- The fearful soldiers are sent home, and fear is described as contagious. How can fear spread through a group of believers, and how can shared faith help replace it with courage? [22:51]
- Philippians 2 connects one-mindedness with humility and the mind of Christ. Why is humility necessary for believers to pursue God’s mission together rather than competing, dividing, or seeking attention? [43:08]
Application questions
- Where do you most relate to Gideon’s response: feeling too weak, too inexperienced, too unqualified, or too afraid? What would it look like to take one faithful step while trusting that God is with you? [19:39]
- Is there a place where fear has caused you to stay quiet, hide, or avoid a needed conversation—at work, in your family, with a friend, or in sharing your faith? What kind of courage would faithfulness require there? [18:49]
- What brokenness have you begun to treat as normal—whether in your own habits, media intake, workplace, relationships, or community? What is one practical way to stop being indifferent and respond with truth, compassion, or help? [27:01]
- Good gifts like work, family, rest, education, and entertainment can become distractions when they replace God’s mission. Which good gift is most likely to pull your attention downward, and what could help you remain fully surrendered and fully alert? [36:14]
- When you do not know how to answer someone’s hard question about faith or suffering, what is your usual response? How could honest humility and a willingness to seek Scripture together become an act of courage rather than a reason to withdraw? [25:22]
- Christ has already won the decisive victory over sin, death, and the devil. How does that truth give courage for a current struggle, a broken relationship, or an opportunity to serve someone in need? [48:18]
