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JEREMIAH’S CALL AND COMMISSION

(GOD challenges us with HIS calling)

(Jeremiah 1)

   The prophet Jeremiah was born in the tiny town of Anathoth, which was located about three miles northeast of Jerusalem, in the territory belonging to the tribe of Benjamin. His father was a man named Hilkiah, who was a priest, but is not believed to be the high priest Hilkiah, who discovered a copy of the Law during the reign of King Josiah (2 Kings 22:2-14). This Hilkiah was one of the several Levite priests that were assigned to that area of the southern kingdom of Israel known as “Judah”.

    Jeremiah’s call to ministry begins forty years before the final destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar and his Babylonian forces in 586 B.C., and so his career covers the last years of Judah’s existence as a nation. He lived through the entire Babylonian invasion and conquest, including the shameful destruction of the temple in the end. Throughout all those years he constantly pleaded with the people of Judah to turn from their wicked ways ahead of GOD’s judgment, but instead of heeding his warnings, they mocked, persecuted, and ridiculed him the whole time.

   The book of Jeremiah is a collection of sermons that were preached by him over a twenty-year span of his ministry. These sermons are a mixture of poems and oracles, and they also contain Jeremiah’s own personal reactions to the negative responses from his people to his warnings. And even though the name “Jeremiah” means “Jehovah lifts up”, it seemed that most of the time, Jeremiah found himself saddened and depressed by the relative ineffectiveness of his warnings to southern Israel. In fact, Jeremiah found himself crying so much for his people that he became known around Israel as “the weeping prophet”.

    Here in Jeremiah 1, verse 5, Jeremiah says that the LORD gave him a message. In that message, GOD starts out by telling him that “I knew you” (“yada”) before you were formed in your mother’s womb. GOD tells him that, before he was born, HE had already “set him apart” (“qadas”) and “appointed him” as HIS spokesman.

    Interestingly, the word used here in verse 5 for “I knew you” in the Hebrew is “yada”, and it goes far beyond “intellectual knowledge” and actually conveys a sense of an experiential, personal, protective relationship, not unlike the kind of relationship that should be between a father and a son, or a husband and a wife.

    GOD also tells Jeremiah that he had been “set apart” or “appointed” by HIM. Here the word used for “set apart”, “qadas”, means that GOD had “sanctified and made him holy” for “a special use” or “special task” in HIS (in this case) immediate plans. Here Jeremiah is being told that he had been chosen as GOD’s spokesman to a doomed and unsaved Judah, who had chosen to go the same route (toward destruction) as their predecessors in northern Israel in 722 B.C.

    Then Jeremiah tells GOD first that, he was not a good enough speaker to represent him publically, and secondly, he was too young (meaning he was too young to serve in the Temple at that time). Though Jeremiah was a priest from birth, he was, at that time, only in his early to mid-twenties, and wasn’t eligible to actually serve formally in the temple until he reached the required age of thirty years old (Numbers 4). However, GOD’s plan for him, for now, was for work that was largely to be done outside the walls of temple, preaching among the populace of southern Israel, delivering specific messages directly from HIM.

    In verses 9-10 the LORD placed HIS thoughts in Jeremiah’s mind (put the words in his mouth) and then spoke this communication aloud to him, saying; “See, I have put MY words in your mouth! Today I appoint you to stand up against the nations and kingdoms. You are to uproot some and tear them down, to destroy and overthrow them (announce judgment to some). You are to build others up and plant them (bless some)” (NLT).   

    Then the LORD shows Jeremiah two visions (Vs.11-15), one of “a branch of an almond tree”, and the other of “a pot of boiling water that was tipping to the north”. In the first vision, the “almond tree” branch, in the Hebrew “shaqed” (shaw-kade) is actually from the word “shaqad” (shaw-kad) which means “to watch”, or “to be on the lookout for”. The almond tree in ancient Palestine was called “the awake tree” because it was the first tree in the year to bud and bear fruit (in late January). Here it symbolizes GOD being awake and watching to see that HIS word is fulfilled.

    The second vision, the vision of “the boiling pot tipping toward the north” foretold the coming of Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, who, would “boil out on all the peoples of Palestine” who worshipped idols that were made with their own hands. Nebuchadnezzar would be used by GOD to exact HIS punishment on Israel, capturing and holding them prisoner, keeping them out of their homeland from seventy years, or, “until their sins ran its course”.

    GOD, however, based HIS 70-year term of punishment on the way the Israelites had violated HIS “Sabbath Year Rest”, which was to be observed once every seven years (Leviticus 25:1-7), the previous 490 years, exactly 70 times in all. HE thereby was sentencing Israel to one year in captivity in Babylon for every one of those Sabbath Year Rests that they violated, or, failed to observe, over that 490-year span.

    With that said, GOD instructed Jeremiah to get up and get dressed, and go out and tell the people of Judah, whatever HE instructs him to say, and whatever HE instructs him to demonstrate. And GOD strengthened Jeremiah for task, and also “warned him to not be afraid of the people”, or else, HE would make him look foolish in front of them.

    However, GOD also tells Jeremiah that, if he would bravely and confidently go forward to the people, HE would make him as strong as “a fortified city” that cannot be captured. GOD promised Jeremiah that no king, officials, priests, or anyone else in Judah, would be able to stand against him, and even though they will try mightily, GOD says, “I will protect you, and they won’t be successful”.

    Unlike most prophets of GOD, both pre-exilic and post-exilic, Jeremiah actually lived to see his prophesy regarding Judah’s demise, fulfilled in 586 B.C. Here in this, the twenty-first century, GOD still calls on men and women to stand up for HIM in difficult situations. And when we obey HIM, no matter what we become faced with, HE will protect us, and cause us to prevail against “the antichrist spirit” that we know, is already in the world.

A Sunday school lesson by,

Larry D. Alexander

Larry Dell Alexander (1953–) - Encyclopedia of Arkansas

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ISAIAH IN THE TEMPLE

(Responding to a holy GOD with confession and obedience)

(Isaiah 6)

   The Prophet Isaiah was born in Jerusalem, into the family of Amoz, who was related to the royal house of Judah. He spent his early years as an official of King Uzziah (Azariah), who reigned over Judah for 52 years (2 Chronicles 26:3). In the year that Uzziah died of leprosy, around 740 B.C. (2 Kings 15:5), Isaiah received his calling from GOD one day in a stirring vision in the Temple at Jerusalem.

    Isaiah was married to a woman, who Scripture only describes as the “Prophetess” (Isaiah 8:3), and he was the father of two sons, who bore highly symbolical names. “Shear-jashub” (Isaiah 7:3), his first son, whose name means “a remnant shall return”, prophesies the return of the Jews to Judah, after their deportation and captivity had ended in Assyria.

    The second son, “Maher-shalal-hash-baz”, (the longest word in the Bible), whose name means “swift spoil, speedy prey”, prophesies the doom of Damascus and Samaria, and the destruction of Syria and Israel, who had formed an alliance against Jerusalem. 

    Isaiah’s connection with the royal family may explain why he was always able to enter into the presence of the king, seemingly at will. His active career spanned from around 738 B.C. until, at least, 701 B.C., and probably, even up until 690 B.C. He lived through a succession of political crises, including “the intervention of Assyria” (2 kings 16:5), “the Syro-Ephraimitish War” which began in 734 B.C. (2 kings 15:37-16:9), “the fall of Samaria” in 722 B.C. (2 Kings 17:5-6), “the siege of Ashdod by king Sargon” in 711 B.C. (Isaiah 20:1), and “the attempted invasion of Sennacherib” in 701 B.C (2 Kings 19).

    Isaiah has well been called “the Prince of Prophets” and “the Prophet of Faith”, and he went on to become a sublime figure of Faith in the supremacy of the “Spiritual” over the “Earthly”, and GODLY ideals from on High, over the brute force and physical power of men on earth.

    For Isaiah to have combined such lofty faith with his practical statesmanship, shows that he is essentially a man of action, and is worthy of being called one of the greatest men of any age. To Isaiah, GOD was first and foremost, a holy GOD. In fact, the holiness of GOD was the first thing that impressed Isaiah when he saw GOD in all HIS glory in the temple at Jerusalem here in Isaiah 6:1-8.

    However, GOD’s holiness also reminded Isaiah of his own sin and weaknesses, an effect that the knowledge of GOD should have on us all. Isaiah’s humble cry shows no resemblance to mere surface humility, but rather, it manifests a deep realization by the prophet, of the overwhelming superiority of GOD’s holiness.

    After confessing his imperfections before the presence of the LORD, and being cleansed of his sins by GOD through the placement of the hot coal upon his lips (symbolic of a burnt offering on the altar), Isaiah now stands ready to, both, worship, and serve the LORD completely.

    This account of Isaiah’s call to service, by GOD, is perhaps the classic prophetic summons of the Old Testament. Isaiah’s answer to GOD’s request of “Who shall we send?” is one of the most well-known statements of the Old Testament prophets. His utterance of “Here I am, send me” shows a courageous willingness by Isaiah to step into the unknown, armed only with faith.

    However, it was this faith that would allow him to overcome the perils and rigors of this world, as he pressed on for decades, delivering GOD’s message to those, who, for the most part, weren’t even willing to listen. It prompts one to recall the Apostle John, as he wrapped up his colorful career and vivid account of JESUS’ ministry, during the final weeks of HIS divine life here on earth.

    The “disciple whom JESUS loved” cited the eighth century prophet, Isaiah’s written words in Isaiah 6:10, which had resonated in his own heart and mind, down through the years of his life. There the LORD tells Isaiah, “Harden the hearts of these people. Close their ears, and shut their eyes. That way, they will not see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn to ME for healing” (NLT).

    It was the classic statement that would seem to explain why so few Jews had responded favorably to Isaiah’s message in the eighth century B.C., or the MESSIAH’s message in the first century A.D. In fact, it is indeed no different from “the attitude of indifference” and unresponsive way that we are now responding to GOD’s messengers here in this, the twenty-first century. Our GOD is a Holy GOD, and in the hearts of those who love and fear HIM, HE still moves and inspires to worship and service, all the day long.

A Sunday school lesson by,

Larry D. Alexander

Larry Dell Alexander (1953–) - Encyclopedia of Arkansas

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MOSES AND THE BURNING BUSH

(Every calling by GOD is unique)

(Exodus 3)

   As GOD’s special agent, Moses delivered Israel out of bondage in Egypt (after much protesting), and delivered to them, a special code of laws (the Ten Commandments) from GOD. They were, and are, a special set of precepts, that man could never come up with on his own, and nor, could he ever equal, in moral and spiritual quality, or tone.

    The life of Moses can be divided into three separate and very distinct stages that are eerily equal in length. In his first 40 years “he lived as a prince in Egypt”, greatly honing his “leadership skills” for a task he did not yet know he would be called by GOD to do. During his second 40 years, he lived in total humility, as an outcast in exile from Egypt, and, as a shepherd of his father-in-law’s flocks, in the land of Midian. It was there that he acquired all the “humbleness” that a leader under GOD must have to succeed.

    However, it was not until he had reached the ripe old age of 80, and was entering into his third and final stage of life, that the LORD deemed him ready to receive the charge to move forward, and deliver HIS oppressed and stubborn Israelite nation out of spiritual, physical, and psychological bondage in Egypt.   

    And so, here in Genesis 3, some forty years after Moses had fled into exile from Egypt to Midian, and had just about finished up his “training in humility”, laboring as a shepherd over Jethro’s flocks, “the ANGEL of the LORD” (which is “a theophany of CHRIST” in the Old Testament) appeared to him as “a burning bush”, deep in the wilderness, near Mount Sinai. Moses was amazed because the bush, although it was engulfed in flames, did not burn up.  

    When the LORD saw that HE had captured Moses’ attention, HE called out to him from the flaming bush, and HE first, instructed Moses not to come any closer. The LORD also instructed Moses to remove his sandals because he was standing on “Holy Ground” (Moses was standing, quite literally, in the company of divine holiness itself). The LORD then explained to Moses, that, HE was the GOD of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and when Moses heard this, he hid his face in his hands, so as not to see the face of GOD (something that the Hebrews believed would mean certain and instant death).

    Then, the GOD WHO sees all, hears all, and knows all that we do, told HIS servant Moses that HE was keenly aware of everything that was happening to HIS people in Egypt. GOD also told Moses that that is why HE had, literally, come down to rescue them through divine intervention, and that, HE would use “him” to lead Israel out of bondage, and back into “the promised land” of Canaan, “a land flowing with milk and honey”.

    Here in this passage we see Scripture’s first use of the term “a land flowing with milk and honey” (v.8). It is a term that suggests “a natural and somewhat automatic, agricultural prosperity”. The milk producing animals such as cows, goats, and sheep, would always be full of milk, and the bees would continually produce plenty of honey for pleasurable consumption with their foods.

    Sadly, taking up at verse 11, Moses would spend the remainder of this chapter of Genesis (and half of chapter 4), trying to explain to GOD why he could not answer HIS charge to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. And even though GOD assures him that “HE would be with him” (v.12), Moses continued to offer up excuses to the LORD, over and over again (Vs.13-4:17).

     When calls us to task, HE is not requesting or commanding that we act alone, nor under “our own inept human strength”, but rather, HE is requesting the use of our faith, mind, and “human spirit”, so that HE can empower us with HIS HOLY SPIRIT, and allow HIM to actually complete the work that HE calls us to do (in other words, GOD wants to use our bodies only as a earthly vehicle).

    GOD went on to explain and expose to Moses the details and end result of the entire mission that he was being charged with (Vs.16-22). However, before that, GOD told Moses HIS OWN personal and redemptive name, “YAHWEH”, that HE would be called by (but not in vain), and HE promised him success in his mission to and from Egypt. The rescue mission that GOD was about to work, would establish for all time, the redemptive meaning of his name, the name by which HE prefers to be remembered, from generation to generation.

A Sunday school lesson by,

Larry D. Alexander

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SAMSON’S CALL

(GOD can do miraculous things through us)

 (Judges 13)

   Of the 340 years of Israel’s history that is recorded in the book of Judges, this 40-year stint of oppression, that the Israelites suffered at the hands of the Philistines in chapters 13-16, is the longest period of servitude that “GOD’s chosen people” had to endure at one time. Here in these chapters, we find chronicled, the now famous account of the life of Samson, who ruled over Israel for the final 20 of those years.

    Samson, whose name means “distinguished”, was a man, whose great “physical strength”, and equally great “moral weaknesses”, made him famous throughout the land in his day. He is the last judge mentioned in the book of Judges, and even though his parents (Manoah and his unnamed wife) showed evidence of their great faith in GOD, Samson can quite clearly be characterized as a man who became just a product of his era (worldly).

    Here in this passage (Judges 13), “The ANGEL of the LORD” (a manifestation of CHRIST in the Old Testament) instructs Samson’s parents before his birth, regarding the manner of lifestyle which he was to lead. Samson was to be raised as a “Nazarite”. He would become the first of only three men in Scripture to be born under a “lifetime Nazarite Vow” (the others are Samuel and John the Baptist). This meant that he would be dedicated to GOD from birth, and would serve as an example to Israel, personifying a commitment to the LORD forever (Vs.3-5).

    However, Samson fell far short of this mark throughout most of his life, as his passion for pagan women and the pleasures of this world led to, first, his physical blindness and enslavement (the Philistines gorged his eyes out – Judges 16:21), and then ultimately, his dramatic demise during a festive pagan celebration of his capture, in the temple of the idol god Dagon, which he himself, ultimately destroyed (Judges 16:23-31).

    Chapter 13 starts out as most of the chapters in this book do, with the familiar words “Again the Israelites did what was evil in the LORD’s sight”. And so, as is equally familiar, the LORD placed HIS people into servitude, this time, into the hands of the dreaded Philistines, who, as I said earlier, oppressed them for 40 years.

    Samson’s parents, a man named Manoah, and, his wife (who is not named), were members of the Israelite tribe of Dan. They resided in the town of Zorah, which originally belonged to the tribe of Judah (Joshua 15:20 and 33), but was later allotted to their tribe by Joshua. Manoah’s wife was unable to bear children, and so, when “The ANGEL of the LORD” first appeared to her to tell her that she would bear a child, she was ecstatic, and she couldn’t wait to run and tell her husband the good news.

    However, first she had to patiently wait and receive the instructions that the LORD had for her and Manoah. The LORD told her that she would give birth to a son, and, that she must not drink any wine or alcoholic beverages, nor eat anything that is forbidden in their diet by GOD, while she was pregnant. HE also told her that her son’s hair must never be cut, and that, he would be dedicated as a Nazarite from birth. And finally, the LORD tells her that her son would one day rescue Israel from the Philistines (Vs.3-5).  

    After receiving their instructions from “The ANGEL of the LORD”, the woman ran home to tell Manoah, and upon hearing this news, he immediately prayed to GOD asking HIM to re-send the ANGEL to them for the sake of his own hearing, and the LORD did. However, again the LORD appeared first to his wife, and his wife ran and got him and brought him to the place where the ANGEL of the LORD awaited them.

    When the LORD told Manoah WHO HE was (v.11), Manoah believed HIM, and then he asked the LORD, “In what manner he was to raise the child?”. Here (v.12) we see the faith of Manoah, as he didn’t ask, “IF” YOUR words come true?”, but rather he states emphatically that “WHEN” YOUR words come true, what kind of rules should govern the boy’s life and work?” And the ANGEL of the LORD replied, “Be sure your wife follows the instructions that I gave her” (NLT).

    When Manoah asked the ANGEL what was HIS name, the ANGEL simple responded, “Why do you ask MY name? You wouldn’t understand if I told you”. Not pressing any farther, Manoah asked The ANGEL of the LORD to stay and eat a meal with them.  The ANGEL accepted Manoah’s invitation to stay, but HE declined to eat anything, telling Manoah to instead, offer up a burnt offering sacrifice to the LORD. After the sacrifice was prepared and underway, the ANGEL of the LORD ascended back up into Heaven upon the flames of that sacrificial offering, never to appear again to Manoah and his wife.

    And when their son was born, they called his name Samson, and the LORD blessed him as he grew up. One day while in Mahaneh-dan, which was located between the towns of Zorah and Eshtaol, the SPIRIT of the LORD began to take hold of Samson, and ironically, as the LORD would have it, this would be the same place where Samson would later be buried following his demise, which resulted by way of his own request to the LORD, that he die with his enemies, in Philistine (v.30).

A Sunday school lesson by,

Larry D. Alexander

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JEPHTHAH’S CALLING

(GOD calls on the unlikely)

(Judges 11)

   Jephthah was the illegitimate son of a man whose legitimate family resided in Gilead. His father conceived him through a sexual encounter with a prostitute. His many half-brothers, by the man’s legitimate wife, grew up hating Jephthah, and eventually, they were able to chase him off their land, vowing that he would never be allowed to share in their father’s inheritance.

    Jephthah, fearing for his life, fled from Gilead, and settled in the land of Tob. Tob was a place located between Ammon, and Mannasseh, and it was there that Jephthah was able to pull together, a loose band of brigands, who would serve as his new family. The group became confident in his leadership, and, over time, they were willing to follow him anywhere.

    Jephthah and his group quickly gained a reputation as great warriors and the stories of his exploits began to spread back to his former home in Gilead. It was about this time that the Ammonites had begun to wage war against Israel, and the elders of Gilead (some of them were his half-brothers), who had all by now, caught wind of Jephthah’s notorious reputation as a great warrior, decided to swallow their pride, and shamelessly send word to him, begging for his help.

    After some mild rebuke from Jephthah (V.7), reminding them of how they had treated him earlier, the leaders of Gilead humbly conceded that they needed him and would make him their new ruler, if he would lead their army against the Ammonites (v.8). However, not trusting them, Jephthah made them swear an oath before the LORD that they would keep their promise to him (Vs.9-10). He then went with them to Mizpah, where they had a formal “swearing in” ceremony for him.

    Unlike Gideon before him, Jephthah was initially called to his position by men, not GOD. However, GOD was called on to witness this event, and HE later placed HIS HOLY SPIRIT upon Jephthah (v.29), and the SPIRIT enabled him to be victorious in his military campaign against the Ammonites.  

    However, Jephthah’s first move as Gilead’s leader was a diplomatic one, as he immediately sent messengers to the king of Ammon demanding to know why Israel was being attacked by them. The king responded by accusing the Israelites of stealing their land 300 years ago, when they first came out of Egypt, and crossed the Red Sea. He told Jephthah that he would leave them in peace if they returned all of the land to them (even that part that was not originally theirs). This included all of the land situated between the Arnon, Jabbok, and Jordan rivers.

    Jephthah refuted the king of Ammon’s claims, and presented his own case as to why his accusations were unfounded, and he relied on sacred history to back Israel’s right to ownership of the land which they now resided on. In verses 15-22 he lays out a detailed account of how Israel really came into possession of the land that was now in dispute, over 300 years earlier. He then tells the king that it was the LORD GOD of Israel who took the land from the Ammonites, the Moabites, and, the Amorites, and gave it to them.

    However, Jephthah’s attempt at diplomacy failed as the king of the Ammonites paid no attention to his message. And so the SPIRIT of the LORD came upon Jephthah, and he went throughout the land of Gilead and Manasseh, leading an army against the Ammonites that devastated 20 of their cities, towns, and villages.

    Jephthah made an “unnecessary vow” to the LORD (because GOD had already assured him victory), stating that, “if GOD gave him victory over the Ammonites, that, he would, in return, dedicate the first thing coming out of his house to greet him upon his return, to the LORD, as a sacrificial burnt offering”.

    And even though the vow that Jephthah made to the LORD was not at all unusual, as far as Mosaic dispensation goes, it was, as I said, unnecessary. He was legitimately seeking to bless the LORD with thanksgiving in anticipation of HIS divinely promised victory over the Ammonites. However, his “rash vow” would later come back to haunt him, as it was his daughter, his only child, who was “the first to come out of his house” (“his first born”).

    GOD takes our vows to HIM, seriously, and, literally, and so we should put more thought into it, before making a vow, and then, don’t do it. This is eternally great advice that comes, not from me, but rather, from JESUS CHRIST our LORD and SAVIOR (Matthew 5:33-37).

A Sunday school lesson by,

Larry D. Alexander

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GIDEON’S CALL

(GOD equips us with HIS strength)

Judges 6

   Judges chapter 6 opens pretty much the same way most chapters in this book does, with Israel’s, now familiar continuing “Five-cycle pattern” which consisted of “sin”, “servitude”, “supplication”, “salvation”, and then finally “peace”. Over and over again “GOD’s chosen people” would choose to continue to simmer in this physically and spiritually taxing, habitual pattern, from generation to generation.

    In Judges, chapters 6-8, the author of GOD uses 100 verses to relate the story of Gideon’s HOLY SPIRIT-possessed exploits, and his 40-year reign as judge over Israel. As I said earlier, chapter 6 opens just as most of the other chapters in this book does, as the deadly cycle of Israel’s disobedience to GOD, followed by repent, GOD’s judgment and mercy, and finally, peace, continues on in perpetual motion.

    First of all, the Israelites would “sin” against GOD. Then GOD would place them into “servitude” to one of the many pagan nations that surrounded them. This would later be followed by repentance and “supplication” by the Israelites to GOD, which would lead to GOD extending mercy to Israel by sending them “salvation” through one of the many judges mentioned in this book.

    After the judge releases them from their oppression, they would remain in “peace” throughout that judge’s life and reign, before starting the cycle all over again, after that judge’s death. It is a pattern that would persist throughout the 340 years (1390 to 1050 B.C.) of Israel’s history that is chronicled in the book of Judges. In verse 1a we see that, once again, following the death of Deborah, the Israelites have fallen into sin. We also see in verses 1b-6a that GOD allows them to keep on falling, right into the hands of their enemies, the Midianites.

    The Midianites were a powerful, nomadic group of people who came from south of the land of Edom. Their strength was accredited to their unique incorporation of the camel into their army’s military strategy. In fact, this documentation of the use of camels in warfare, here in the book of judges, is the earliest known case of such, in world history.

    In order to understand the Midianites military capabilities more thoroughly, one would have to understand the durability and stamina of the camel. A camel could carry 400 pounds, plus a rider, for a week without drinking water, and could travel up to 100 miles per day. This made the Midianite’s military a very formidable, superior force in those days. Here in this passage, we are told that the Midianites would attack the Israelites at harvest time every year, destroying all of their crops, and eventually driving them to the brink of starvation.

    In verse 6 we see the Israelites repent and cry out to GOD for help, and GOD, as HE always does, answer their call, by first, sending in a prophet, and then, subsequently, HE calls up Gideon, and uses him to rescue HIS fallen people from their oppression.

    “The ANGEL of the LORD”, which is, in Scripture, “a theophany of CHRIST”, or “a manifestation of GOD’s OWN presence”, first appeared to Gideon while he was hiding out at the bottom of a winepress, shielding himself from the Midianites while he continued his work, threshing wheat. He feared that the Midianites would kill him, just as they had slain his brothers earlier (Judges 8:19), if he is ever seen by them.

    The ANGEL tells Gideon that the LORD is with him, but Gideon, being puzzled by the remark, asks, “Why then has the LORD abandoned us?” (v.13). For some strange reason man seems to always expects GOD to be with us while we’re sinning against HIM. We foolishly seem to expect HIS help while we’re doing the work of satan.

    The ANGEL tells Gideon to “go with the strength you have, and rescue Israel from the Midianites. I AM sending you”.  In other words, the LORD seems to be telling Gideon to proceed with the same boldness by which Israel has sinned before HIM, while they were “without HIS help”. This time, however, GOD says, “I AM sending you” to do MY Will, and unlike when you were living outside of MY Will, this time “you have MY help”, and you will not fail. When we stay within the Will of GOD in life, GOD is always with us, rendering us HIS help.

    Gideon then responds, by telling GOD how weak and helpless he is (vs.15). We often have a “can’t do” attitude when it comes to obeying GOD, but when we want to do what we want to do, we can muster up all the power and energy that we need to carry out our own plans, which more often than not, will get us into more hot water.

    After the LORD tells Gideon again, that, HE is with him, Gideon, in the true tradition of the Israelites, asks GOD to show him “a sign”, that will convince him that it is truly the LORD that he is speaking with (Vs.17-21). When Gideon realizes that it was truly the LORD, great fear and reverence came over him. He feared too, that, since he had seen GOD face to face, he would die. However, the ANGEL assured him that it was OK. Gideon then built an altar there to the LORD, and he named it, “The LORD is peace”.

    GOD’s first assignment to Gideon was to destroy his own father Joash’s “altar to Baal”, along with the “Asherah pole” which stood beside that altar. HE instructed Gideon to choose the “second best bull” (the bull was the sacred animal of the Canaanites) in his father’s herd, a seven-year old animal, and prepare it for sacrifice on the new altar that he would build for HIM. GOD also instructed Gideon to use the Asherah pole as firewood for the sacrifice. Here GOD wants to exhibit “a symbolic rejection” of false god worship among HIS chosen people.

    That night Gideon carried out the LORD’s instructions, and the following morning, as the people began to awake and stir around, they noticed that the altar of Baal had been knocked down, and the Asherah pole was nowhere in sight. They also noticed that a new altar had been built to replace it, and there were remains from the bull sacrifice upon it.

    The people were incensed and began to search out the person responsible for destroying their god (is that silly, or what). After finding out that the culprit was Gideon, they went to his father’s house to take him and kill him. However, a now converted Joash, defends his son saying, “Why are you defending Baal? Will you argue his case? Whoever pleads his case will be put to death by morning! If Baal is truly god, let him defend himself and destroy the one who knocked down his altar!” (NLT). From that day forward, Gideon became known as “Jerubbaal”, which means “Let Baal defend himself”, because he knocked down the altar of Baal.

    Soon after this, the armies of Midian, Amelek, and the people of the east, all formed an alliance against Israel and crossed over the Jordan and camped in the valley of Jezreel. It was at that time that the SPIRIT of the LORD came over Gideon and took possession of him, and he began to assemble an army of his own from the tribes of Israel.

    Gideon then inquired of the LORD to give him “more signs” to reassure him of HIS plan to “use him” to rescue Israel, and if so, to give them victory in the coming battle with the Midianites. The LORD responded positively to Gideon, because of newly found faith in HIM, and, because of “his passing of the obedience tests” that GOD presented to him (Vs.36-40).  

    There will be times when many of us will feel just as weak as Gideon obviously felt at that time in his life. However, the lesson here is that, “if we are operating within the Will of GOD”, the LORD is always with us, willing to lend HIS hand, and thereby, we will always have the strength to overcome, even our greatest problems. GOD will never give us a task to do, without also giving us the power we need to accomplish it. And GOD never puts trials and tests before us to make us fail, but rather, HE employs those trials and tests to make us stronger than we would otherwise be, on our own.  

A Sunday school lesson by,

Larry D. Alexander      

      

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          WEEKLY SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON

An international Sunday school lesson commentary

For Sunday June 4, 2017

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DEBORAH AND BARAK

(Real men don’t hesitate when GOD calls)

(Judges 4)

   After the death of the Israelite judge, Ehud, the people, once again, returned to their evil ways and practices. And so the LORD handed them over to King Jabin of Hazor, one of the more powerful Canaanite nations in that day. His army was headed by a general named Sisera, who lived in Harosheth-haggoyim, a town in Galilee, on the north bank of the Kishon River near Megiddo. Sisera was a ruthless general who commanded a force of about 900 chariots, and he had taken pleasure in oppressing the Israelite people for about 20 years.

    Here in Judges 4, verses 8-9, and also in Judges 5, verses 8-9, it is strongly suggested that there had been a total breakdown, and indeed, an absolute void in male leadership and responsibility in Israel during this era of the Judges. Even in the homes in Israel, men were scarce, and some men had even abandoned their homes altogether (Judges 4:11). Deborah was the wife of Lappidoth, but the Scriptures here make no mention of where he is.

    The Old Testament account of the life of Deborah serves to illustrate the important truth, that, what qualifies an individual for leadership in the eyes of GOD, is not always sexual gender, but rather, it is one’s personal, experiential relationship with HIM that makes one the most worthy to lead HIS people. It is whoever is willing to make themselves available for service to GOD, that HE uses. In fact, it doesn’t even have to be a “human being” at all. GOD can and will use anything, and everything in HIS creation to get HIS Will done. HE has everything in existence at HIS disposal.

    Even in a male-oriented society, women with exceptional personal and spiritual qualities have often risen to leadership roles, and in Deborah’s case, her impact is only partly explained by her call as a prophetess. Here GOD also uses her life and leadership to repair “the male leadership breakdown in Israel”, as she was given the ability to instill male self-worth and confidence back into Barak and the men of that generation during her 40-year stint as judge over GOD’s chosen people.

    In Judges 4:8-9 we get a vivid picture of the esteem in which Deborah was held by her community. There we see Barak literally refusing to go to battle and face Israel’s enemies unless Deborah personally went with him. This type of reaction by Barak demonstrates the dominant role that Deborah had achieved in Israel’s previously male dominated society.

    Deborah’s acceptance as leader in ancient Israel came at a time when such roles were not extended to women at all. However, her example in this space and time in Israel’s history shows that GOD uses those individuals who are pleasing to HIM, regardless of race, gender, economic status, or even national origin. This account of events in Israel at that time serves to remind us men that, if we don’t step into, and accept our GOD-appointed creation role in society, then GOD, can and will, replace us with our female counterparts, on any occasion.

    The events of chapter 4 takes place in the hill country of Ephraim, between Ramah and Bethel. Taking up at verse 4, Deborah, summons Barak from his home in Kedesh of Naphtali and informs him that GOD had commanded that he assemble 10,000 men from the tribes Naphtali and Zebulun to go to war. And even though GOD promises him victory over King Jabin and Sisera, he refuses to go to war unless Deborah goes with him. Deborah agrees to go with him, but tells him that, because of his wimpy response to not go to war without her, GOD would ultimately give the honor for the victory to a woman.

    The Israelites, however, went on to defeat King Jabin’s army of 900 chariots, killing all of his soldiers in the process. GOD, confounded Israel’s enemies that day with earthquakes and rain storms, causing their chariots to get stuck in the mud, and some, maybe, to fall through the cracks in the earth.

    Sisera, however, was able to escape, and he ran to the tent of Jael, who was the wife of Heber the Kenite, who was a friend of King Jabin, to seek refuse there. Jael was alone at the time, because Heber had moved away from his family, and pitched a tent by the oaks of Zaanannim, near Kedesh (v.11). She invited Sisera in and pretended she wanted to be his ally, but, little did Sisera know, that Jael had something else in mind. She, in fact, was setting him up to take his life.

    Jael accommodated the exhausted Sisera with water, warm milk, and a blanket, and he quickly fell asleep, being set at ease by her refreshments and polite and gracious hospitality. However, soon after he fell asleep, it gave Jael opportunity she needed to fulfill her plan. She quietly crept upon him with a hammer and a tent peg, and she drove the tent peg through his temple, and into the ground, killing the general instantly.

    And so Deborah’s prophesy rang true as she had spoken it earlier to Barak, when she said, “the LORD’s victory over Sisera will be at the hands of a woman”, because he refused to go to war without her being at his side holding his hand (Vs.8-9). And so, on that day, the LORD released the Israelites from 20 years of oppression at the hands of King Jabin and Sisera, through the craftiness of the woman, Jael.

    Barak learned that, when GOD is your ally, you don’t need to, on your own, choose anyone else to help you fight, and win your battles. When you listen to GOD, and HE gives you instructions, HE already has put into place, everyone, and everything, that you need to succeed. You don’t need to add your two cents, or try to change or tweak HIS instructions in any way. In fact, you don’t even need to completely understand them at the time that HE presents those instructions to you, but rather, you just need to respond positively on faith.

    The reason GOD allows us to go through seemingly hopeless situations is that HE is trying to train us to rely on HIS power to deliver us, and not on our own impotent “human ingenuity”. From that day forward, Israel grew stronger and stronger, and Barak went on to become a man who had great faith in GOD (Hebrews 11:32), not Deborah.

    Ironically, this story in the lives of Barak and Deborah begins and ends with men hiding behind the skirt tails of women. It begins with Barak hiding behind Deborah, and it ends with Sisera hiding behind Jael. Judges chapter 4 is clearly an account in biblical history where women are forced to take the lead because men had taken themselves out of the “creation roles” that GOD had placed them in.

     Here Israel found itself under oppression because no man was willing to step up and follow GOD completely, nor, were they even willing to stand up for their own country and families (Judges 5:7-9). It is often said, that, “some things we bring upon ourselves” because of our “fear”, “neglect”, or “ignorance”. Israel’s men had grown so far away GOD spiritually, that, HIS natural order and intentions for them had actually taken a “satanic flip-flop” (the opposite of GOD) in society, pretty much the way it is now, here in this 21^st century America. Too many men no longer want to fulfill their role as family, civic, and Church leaders, and so women have to, in order to survive.

A Sunday school lesson by,

Larry D. Alexander

    Larry D. Alexander - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Larry D. Alexander's Books and Publications Spotlight

Legendary Locals of Grand Prairie - Google Books Result

Larry Dell Alexander (1953–) - Encyclopedia of Arkansas

LARRY D. ALEXANDER'S BOOK BY BOOK BIBLE STUDY

larrydalexanderbiblestudies.blogspot.com