Judges 7

Order of Service

• Call to Worship — Psalm 103
• Hymn — Praise to the Lord, the Almighty (#216)
• Prayer of Invocation
• Heidelberg Catechism Reading — Lord's Day 2 (Questions 3–5), including Matthew 22:37–40
• Hymn of the Month — The Grieved Soul (verses 1–5)
• Pastoral Prayer
• Scripture Reading — Judges 7:1–8:3
• Sermon
• Hymn — Jesus Paid It All (#276)
• Benediction — Numbers 6:24–26

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Sermon Title: Spiritual Lessons in Weakness

Scripture: Judges 7:1–8:3

I. The Spiritual Problem of Hidden Weakness

A. Gideon amasses an army of 32,000 against the vast Midianite host, described as locusts in abundance B. The Lord identifies the spiritual problem: Israel would boast in their own strength

• Judges 7:2 — "Lest Israel boast over me, saying, 'My own hand has saved me'"
• The Lord strips away the veneer of self-confident strength to reveal true hidden weakness

C. The army is reduced to 300 men through two tests

1. First test: those who are fearful are sent home — 22,000 depart, 10,000 remain
2. Second test: the manner of drinking water reduces the army further to 300
3. The Hebrew word for "test" means to refine, as metal in fire — the Lord refines the army to the number he needs

D. This hidden weakness is pervasive since the Fall

• Deuteronomy 8:17 — "Beware lest you say in your heart, 'My power and the might of my hand has gotten me this wealth'"
• It is the problem of pride and self-assurance — the central heart problem fueling the first sin
• Summarized in William Ernest Henley's Invictus: "I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul"

E. The Lord uses hard seasons to expose our hidden weakness and draw us back to himself

II. The Spiritual Provision for Exposed Weakness

A. The Lord does not merely expose weakness — he provides for it (Judges 7:9–15)

1. The Lord preemptively meets Gideon with his word: "I have given it into your hand"
2. In grace, he adds: "If you are afraid, go down to the camp with Purah your servant"

B. The Lord confirms his word through a surprising source

1. Gideon and Purah overhear a Midianite soldier interpreting a dream: "God has given Midian into Gideon's hand"
2. The Lord uses even a pagan enemy soldier to confirm his word — as he can make a donkey speak
3. Gideon responds with worship (Judges 7:15)

C. The lesson is not to seek confirming words from unbelievers, but to recognize that God provides his people with his Word

• Common grace means even unbelievers can speak true words or perform heroic deeds, but God's people already have the sufficient provision of Scripture
• God's Word holds out the ministry of Christ to his weak people

D. Paul's thorn in the flesh illustrates the same principle

• 2 Corinthians 12:9–10 — "My grace is sufficient for you, my power is made perfect in weakness… when I am weak, then I am strong"
• In weakness, Paul is met with the word of Christ's grace and the power of Christ's victory over sin and death

III. The Spiritual Program in Surprising Weakness

A. The 300 defeat the Midianite army through trumpets and torches (Judges 7:16–22)

1. The Midianites fall into confusion and turn their swords on one another
2. Fleeing soldiers are pursued by Gideon's men and reinforcements from surrounding tribes

B. The tribe of Ephraim joins late, captures the waters of the Jordan, and kills the two princes Oreb and Zeeb (Judges 7:24–25)

C. Weakness reappears in a surprising form: tribal pride and jealousy (Judges 8:1–3)

1. Ephraim rebukes Gideon fiercely for not calling them to battle sooner
2. This marks the beginning of fracture and rivalry among Israel's tribes — a theme that unravels across the whole Book of Judges

D. Gideon's humble response illustrates the spiritual program needed among God's people

1. He deflects all glory to Ephraim — a living example of Proverbs 15:1
2. His humility extinguishes their anger, embodying the Beatitudes in practice

E. The church today faces the same weakness of pride and disunity

• Romans 12:3, 5 — "Not to think of himself more highly than he ought… we, though many, are one body in Christ"
• 1 Corinthians 13:4–5 — "Love does not envy or boast, it is not arrogant or rude"

F. Christ is the perfect example and foundation of the spiritual program of humility

• Philippians 2:6–8 — Though equal with God, Christ emptied himself, took the form of a servant, and humbled himself to death on a cross
• Gideon lays aside his right to boast to quell the wrath of man; Christ lays aside his life to satisfy the wrath of God
• When reviled, Christ did not revile in return — he returned humility for human hubris
• Believers have in Christ both the sufficient provision for exposed weakness and the perfect example of humility