The Total War of Midian
Judges 6:2-12
Synopsis Judges 6:2-12 6/13/2018
Peace reigned for forty years after Deborah and Barak’s defeat of the Canaanites. However, Israel once again relapsed into idol worship. As a result, the Israelites gained a new enemy. This time Midian, Amalek and the Kedemites made an alliance to destroy Israel. Their plan was to come up into the mountains each summer in force and attack Israel after the planting. They systematically destroyed the crops. So, the Israelites were stuck in a cycle of crushing poverty. Their oppression extended from northern Israel all the way south to Gaza.
Israel cried out to the Lord God.
In the midst of this misery, God sent an angel to call Gideon, a man from the tribe of Manasseh, to save Israel. The angel spoke to Gideon assuring him that God was with him. The angel called Gideon a “mighty warrior” even though he was hiding in a winepress.
The Total War of Midian
The Midianites weren’t interested in tribute. And unlike previous oppressors, they weren’t interested in co-existence. The Midianites and their allies had woken up and rightly recognized that Israel was an existential threat. Israel’s presence in the Promised Land combined with God’s mandate that they drive out all other peoples and cultures and especially false gods, meant a fight to the death.
This Is a Fight to the Death
So, I want to enter into the possibility of my life. But I don’t want to die – I don’t want anything to change. I want it both ways. On the one hand, I want to do whatever I will. And on the other hand, I want to explode onto the scene in God’s purpose and power for my life.
The Israelites wanted to get along with their neighbors because fighting is hard and dangerous. But avoiding death never really works out. The apostle said, “Consequently, you too must think of yourselves as [being] dead to sin and living for God in Christ Jesus.” (Rom 6:11)
It takes courage and commitment and absolute faith to be willing to die – and then to rise again. To live a resurrected life. To live an eternal life. To flow in the Holy Spirit of God.
“The Lord is with you, you might warrior!” Judges 6:12
