WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.800 --> 00:00:03.680 You're listening to The Bible Guys, a podcast where a 2 00:00:03.720 --> 00:00:06.440 couple of friends talk about the Bible in fun, in 3 00:00:06.559 --> 00:00:14.160 practical ways. Hey, everybody, welcome to the Bible Guys. I'm 4 00:00:14.240 --> 00:00:15.080 Chris and I'm. 5 00:00:15.000 --> 00:00:19.320 Jeff and so you are you whatever your name is. Oh, 6 00:00:19.679 --> 00:00:20.239 that was terrible. 7 00:00:20.359 --> 00:00:21.640 That was rough. 8 00:00:21.800 --> 00:00:24.000 Okay, let's let's go try it. Let's let's go on 9 00:00:24.719 --> 00:00:29.160 better things. Because Desiree has encouraged us to kick off 10 00:00:29.199 --> 00:00:31.800 this segment with a thing called guess the word. 11 00:00:31.839 --> 00:00:33.119 It's kind of like taboo ooh. 12 00:00:33.320 --> 00:00:35.799 And our listeners have an opportunity, yes, to make some 13 00:00:36.000 --> 00:00:36.759 huge points. 14 00:00:36.920 --> 00:00:37.200 Yes. 15 00:00:37.359 --> 00:00:39.240 So those of you that are longtime listeners and you've 16 00:00:39.280 --> 00:00:41.520 been collecting points, here's an opportunity to take a big 17 00:00:41.600 --> 00:00:42.200 jump forward. 18 00:00:42.399 --> 00:00:44.759 Yes. And so here's what's going to happen. 19 00:00:44.759 --> 00:00:47.679 Hopefully, if you're watching, we will put the words that 20 00:00:47.759 --> 00:00:50.359 I cannot say on the bottom of the screen. Uh. 21 00:00:50.399 --> 00:00:53.359 And it's my goal to get Jeff to say the words. 22 00:00:53.359 --> 00:00:56.039 We have five words and I'm not allowed to say 23 00:00:56.039 --> 00:00:57.000 any of the uh. 24 00:00:57.280 --> 00:00:58.159 But what keywords? 25 00:00:58.200 --> 00:00:58.320 Right? 26 00:00:58.320 --> 00:01:00.600 And if you accidentally say one of those words, our 27 00:01:00.640 --> 00:01:03.560 listeners get a thousand points. Yeah, yeah, which is which 28 00:01:03.600 --> 00:01:08.200 is huge incredibly generous. Yes, although I'm on record saying, 29 00:01:08.200 --> 00:01:09.719 why are we getting weigh a thousand points at a time? 30 00:01:09.760 --> 00:01:11.000 Should be like ten thousand. 31 00:01:11.799 --> 00:01:17.200 Dude, the good things are worth a thousand a thousand, 32 00:01:17.200 --> 00:01:19.400 you know. Sure, you got to teach, you got to 33 00:01:19.439 --> 00:01:20.799 teach the value of points. 34 00:01:21.760 --> 00:01:24.560 Okay, all right, so. 35 00:01:24.760 --> 00:01:25.840 Here we got ready. 36 00:01:29.680 --> 00:01:34.799 What being set fire to Gideon's offering an angel? 37 00:01:35.200 --> 00:01:36.799 Boom? Wow? 38 00:01:37.319 --> 00:01:39.879 That was easy, right, because, yes, right, yes, to your story. 39 00:01:40.040 --> 00:01:43.480 I wasn't allowed to say wings, devil, heaven, halo. 40 00:01:43.319 --> 00:01:46.680 Or white. Oh wow, so so isn't that isn't that easy? 41 00:01:46.879 --> 00:01:48.439 That was great? Good job? 42 00:01:48.519 --> 00:01:48.799 Right now. 43 00:01:48.959 --> 00:01:49.920 I don't know the rules. 44 00:01:50.359 --> 00:01:52.480 I don't know the rules of this, but I'm but 45 00:01:52.519 --> 00:01:54.079 I'm going to do what I think and you can 46 00:01:54.120 --> 00:01:55.480 tell me whether I violated the rules. 47 00:01:55.480 --> 00:01:56.719 Ready, okay, okay? 48 00:01:57.359 --> 00:01:57.480 Uh? 49 00:01:58.239 --> 00:01:58.920 What makes this. 50 00:01:58.920 --> 00:02:00.680 Sound a baby? 51 00:02:00.959 --> 00:02:01.519 But done? 52 00:02:01.879 --> 00:02:02.640 Yeah? 53 00:02:02.719 --> 00:02:03.000 Okay. 54 00:02:03.120 --> 00:02:07.079 I wasn't allowed to say infants, cry, child, boy, or diaper. 55 00:02:07.560 --> 00:02:11.439 Yeah. I don't know if you're allowed to do sound effects. Huh, 56 00:02:11.560 --> 00:02:12.000 I don't know. 57 00:02:12.280 --> 00:02:14.280 Well that's what she didn't say. It doesn't say it 58 00:02:14.280 --> 00:02:16.400 in the rules, that's right. The rules just say if 59 00:02:16.400 --> 00:02:20.840 you accidentally say, if you say any of the italicized words, 60 00:02:20.919 --> 00:02:22.240 our listeners get a thousand. 61 00:02:21.960 --> 00:02:24.479 Point Well, Jeff, that's what I'm about. I'm about the rules. 62 00:02:24.680 --> 00:02:26.879 I'm about going as far as I can, Okay with 63 00:02:26.919 --> 00:02:27.240 the rules. 64 00:02:27.280 --> 00:02:28.039 Okay, very good? 65 00:02:28.080 --> 00:02:32.159 All right, all right, here we go. Ready, Christmas is 66 00:02:32.199 --> 00:02:37.199 about Jesus' there it is. I wasn't allowed to say death, woman, 67 00:02:37.520 --> 00:02:39.360 baby day, or date. 68 00:02:39.759 --> 00:02:41.680 Wow, So I just used an example. 69 00:02:41.759 --> 00:02:42.400 Okay, right? 70 00:02:42.479 --> 00:02:42.680 Right? 71 00:02:43.120 --> 00:02:44.759 So so how about that? 72 00:02:46.719 --> 00:02:47.000 Uh? 73 00:02:47.120 --> 00:02:49.960 These generally start with the words hear ye, hear ye. 74 00:02:49.960 --> 00:02:51.240 That's called a proclamation. 75 00:02:51.360 --> 00:02:52.879 Oh, that's a good one. What's another one? 76 00:02:53.520 --> 00:02:54.199 An announcement? 77 00:02:54.360 --> 00:02:55.319 Yes, an announcement? 78 00:02:55.560 --> 00:02:55.879 Very good? 79 00:02:55.960 --> 00:02:58.280 Yeah, proclamation was a much better word for hear ye. 80 00:02:59.680 --> 00:03:03.879 But I wasn't allowed to say wedding, or the word announcement, 81 00:03:04.039 --> 00:03:07.680 of course, birth, broadcast, or engagement. 82 00:03:08.039 --> 00:03:09.919 Okay, I was allowed to say any those things. 83 00:03:10.159 --> 00:03:12.199 Very good, Chris, all right, but hey, we got a 84 00:03:12.199 --> 00:03:15.479 pretty quickly gifted You are gifted at this, all right? 85 00:03:15.680 --> 00:03:18.520 And so if if the mystery doesn't work out for you, 86 00:03:18.560 --> 00:03:20.599 that could be another job for you? Is that game 87 00:03:20.599 --> 00:03:27.199 show hosts or or perennial game game show contestant? 88 00:03:27.919 --> 00:03:30.400 Hey, so I have a really I have this next one. 89 00:03:30.439 --> 00:03:32.159 I have a way to quickly get you to say 90 00:03:32.159 --> 00:03:35.360 the word yes. But instead of that, I'm going to 91 00:03:36.520 --> 00:03:38.360 do a longer version to see. 92 00:03:38.159 --> 00:03:40.960 If you know it. Okay, just for fun. Okay, if not, 93 00:03:41.000 --> 00:03:43.840 I'll build to the quick way. Okay, just for fun. Okay, 94 00:03:43.879 --> 00:03:45.520 just for fun, because I've already nailed. 95 00:03:45.319 --> 00:03:47.680 For This is going to be deliriously fun. 96 00:03:48.520 --> 00:03:50.840 Okay, let me see if anybody of any of our 97 00:03:50.879 --> 00:03:52.800 listeners who grew up in church know what I'm about 98 00:03:52.800 --> 00:03:53.000 to do. 99 00:03:53.120 --> 00:04:02.000 Ready, Oh, where is my hair brush? Yes? I had 100 00:04:02.039 --> 00:04:05.639 to get you to say hair hair. Yeah, yeah, they're. 101 00:04:05.479 --> 00:04:06.639 Great, Okay, very good. 102 00:04:06.879 --> 00:04:08.560 By the way, it's from veggietails. 103 00:04:08.800 --> 00:04:10.280 By the way, I thought I was gonna have to 104 00:04:10.319 --> 00:04:11.639 the early two thousands right there. 105 00:04:11.680 --> 00:04:12.680 I thought I was gonna have to get to that. 106 00:04:13.000 --> 00:04:16.279 Oh where, oh where where where? I thought I was 107 00:04:16.319 --> 00:04:18.399 going to do that. No, But as soon as I 108 00:04:18.439 --> 00:04:19.319 said where. 109 00:04:19.079 --> 00:04:23.519 You know, you said I have veggietails officionado. So that's funny. 110 00:04:23.519 --> 00:04:27.360 So I wasn't allowed to say brush, of course, comb, blonde, 111 00:04:28.040 --> 00:04:30.800 face or head. So I was just going to say, 112 00:04:31.639 --> 00:04:35.079 when you call somebody a brunette, it refers to their hair. Yeah, 113 00:04:35.199 --> 00:04:37.040 that's what I was gonna say, which is, you know, 114 00:04:37.040 --> 00:04:38.120 obviously a quick way to do it. 115 00:04:38.360 --> 00:04:39.399 Yours was more fun. 116 00:04:39.839 --> 00:04:41.920 Oh yeah, way, way more, way more fun. And I 117 00:04:41.959 --> 00:04:44.160 wonder how many of our listeners no vegetails. 118 00:04:44.360 --> 00:04:46.480 So I don't think our listeners got any points today. 119 00:04:47.279 --> 00:04:48.000 No they didn't. 120 00:04:48.759 --> 00:04:49.560 That's right, they did not. 121 00:04:50.279 --> 00:04:52.720 Should we give them points if they beat me on 122 00:04:52.759 --> 00:04:56.439 an answer? No, no, because because said. 123 00:04:56.519 --> 00:04:58.560 Everybody has to know the value of losing. 124 00:04:58.360 --> 00:05:03.120 Jeff, no participation trophies. 125 00:05:04.079 --> 00:05:13.120 That's right, good losers. Good day, sir, you lose, you 126 00:05:13.160 --> 00:05:14.600 get nothing, Good day, sir. 127 00:05:14.680 --> 00:05:15.160 I don't remember. 128 00:05:15.240 --> 00:05:16.000 It's Willy Wonka. 129 00:05:16.240 --> 00:05:20.120 Oh, yes, you stolet Phizzy lifting Drakes. 130 00:05:20.480 --> 00:05:24.920 Right, Yes, that's right, Yeah, all that stuff, wow, Willy Wonka. 131 00:05:25.360 --> 00:05:26.920 Yeah, well you're pulling them out today. 132 00:05:27.639 --> 00:05:30.879 Well you know, okay, So yesterday we talked about if 133 00:05:30.879 --> 00:05:32.959 you didn't have an opportunity to hear the previous episode, 134 00:05:33.639 --> 00:05:39.399 Gideon was hiding, probably feeling like he wasn't a very 135 00:05:39.399 --> 00:05:43.560 courageous person, and from the Midi Knights and the angel 136 00:05:43.560 --> 00:05:45.879 Lord shows up and says, hey, mighty warrior, God's gonna 137 00:05:45.959 --> 00:05:48.120 use you in a great way. And then he kept doubting. 138 00:05:48.160 --> 00:05:50.720 God lays out a fleece all these kinds of things. 139 00:05:51.519 --> 00:05:54.560 Finally we get to chapter seven, so that's in Judges 140 00:05:54.639 --> 00:06:00.720 chapter six. In chapter seven, jerebel right, which is, Gideon 141 00:06:01.160 --> 00:06:03.639 and his army got up early and went as far 142 00:06:03.639 --> 00:06:07.120 as the Spring of Herod or Harad whatever. The armies 143 00:06:07.120 --> 00:06:09.399 a Midian were camped north of them, in the valley 144 00:06:09.439 --> 00:06:12.480 near the hill of Mora. The Lord said to Gideon, 145 00:06:12.800 --> 00:06:16.319 you have too many warriors with you. If I let 146 00:06:16.360 --> 00:06:18.279 all of you fight the Midian, I say, Israelites will 147 00:06:18.279 --> 00:06:21.720 boast to me that they've saved themselves by their own strength. Therefore, 148 00:06:22.120 --> 00:06:25.399 tell the people, whoever is timid or afraid, may leave 149 00:06:25.439 --> 00:06:28.360 this mountain and go home. So twenty two thousand of 150 00:06:28.399 --> 00:06:31.680 them went home, leave me only ten thousand who were 151 00:06:31.680 --> 00:06:34.199 willing to fight. Hey, if you're feeling a little nervous, 152 00:06:34.399 --> 00:06:36.519 you can go home if you want to. In twenty 153 00:06:36.519 --> 00:06:40.240 two thousand leave there's ten thousand left. But the Lord 154 00:06:40.319 --> 00:06:43.240 told Gideon there are still too many. Bring them down 155 00:06:43.240 --> 00:06:45.199 to the spring, and I will test them to determine 156 00:06:45.199 --> 00:06:47.279 who will go with you and who will not. When 157 00:06:47.319 --> 00:06:49.519 Gideon took his warriors down to the water, the Lord 158 00:06:49.519 --> 00:06:52.439 told him divide the men into two groups. In one 159 00:06:52.439 --> 00:06:54.920 group put all those who cup water into their hands 160 00:06:55.399 --> 00:06:58.000 and lap it up with their tongues like dogs. In 161 00:06:58.079 --> 00:07:00.800 the other group put all those who down and drink 162 00:07:00.839 --> 00:07:03.560 with their mouths in the stream. Only three hundred the 163 00:07:03.600 --> 00:07:05.600 men drank from their hands. All the others got down 164 00:07:05.639 --> 00:07:07.720 on their knees and drank with their mouths in the stream. 165 00:07:08.000 --> 00:07:10.759 The Lord told Gideon, with these three hundred men, I 166 00:07:10.800 --> 00:07:13.319 will rescue you and give you victory over the Midianites. 167 00:07:13.600 --> 00:07:16.879 Send all the others home. So Gideon collected the provisions 168 00:07:16.879 --> 00:07:19.560 and rams horns of the other warriors and sent them home, 169 00:07:19.600 --> 00:07:21.839 but he kept the three hundred men with him. The 170 00:07:21.839 --> 00:07:24.040 Midi night camp was in the valley just below Gideon, 171 00:07:24.079 --> 00:07:26.560 and that night the Lord said, get up, go down 172 00:07:26.560 --> 00:07:28.279 into the midy night camp, for I have given you 173 00:07:28.399 --> 00:07:31.160 victory over them. But if you're afraid the attack, go 174 00:07:31.279 --> 00:07:34.439 down to the camp with your servant Pourah. Listen to 175 00:07:34.439 --> 00:07:36.199 what the Midi knights are saying, and you will be 176 00:07:36.279 --> 00:07:37.720 greatly encouraged, and then you'll be. 177 00:07:37.879 --> 00:07:38.639 Eager to attack. 178 00:07:39.199 --> 00:07:41.519 So Gideon took Pourah and went down to the edge 179 00:07:41.560 --> 00:07:44.079 of the enemy camp, and the armies of Midian Amelek 180 00:07:44.160 --> 00:07:46.079 and the people of the East had settled in the 181 00:07:46.160 --> 00:07:49.639 valley like a swarm of locusts, their camels that were 182 00:07:49.680 --> 00:07:52.360 like grains of sand on the seashore, too many to count. 183 00:07:52.600 --> 00:07:54.680 Gideon crept up just as a man was telling his 184 00:07:54.759 --> 00:07:57.360 companion about a dream. The man said, I had this dream, 185 00:07:57.399 --> 00:07:59.399 and in my dream a loaf of barley bread came 186 00:07:59.480 --> 00:08:02.160 tumbling down into the Midnight camp. It hit a tent, 187 00:08:02.480 --> 00:08:06.519 turned it over, knocked it flat. His companion answered, your 188 00:08:06.600 --> 00:08:09.240 dream can mean only one thing. God has given Gideon, 189 00:08:09.319 --> 00:08:11.639 son of Joe Ash the Israelite victory over Midian and 190 00:08:11.680 --> 00:08:15.279 all its allies. When Gideon heard the dream and its interpretation, 191 00:08:15.360 --> 00:08:17.759 he bowed and worshiped before the Lord. Then he returned 192 00:08:17.800 --> 00:08:19.720 to the Israelite camp and shouted, get up, for the 193 00:08:19.720 --> 00:08:22.399 Lord has given you victory over the midy Night Hords. 194 00:08:22.759 --> 00:08:25.040 He divided the three hundred men into three groups and 195 00:08:25.439 --> 00:08:27.560 gave each man a ram's horn in a clay jar 196 00:08:27.639 --> 00:08:29.839 with a torch lit in it. And then he said 197 00:08:29.879 --> 00:08:32.639 to them keep your eyes on me. When I come 198 00:08:32.679 --> 00:08:34.480 to the edge of the camp, just do as I do. 199 00:08:34.759 --> 00:08:37.399 Blow your horns too all around the entire camp, and 200 00:08:37.440 --> 00:08:40.320 shout for the Lord and for Gideon. It was just 201 00:08:40.399 --> 00:08:43.720 after midnight, after the changing of the guard, when Gideon 202 00:08:43.720 --> 00:08:45.399 and the one hundred men with him reached the edge 203 00:08:45.440 --> 00:08:47.519 of the mid night camp. Suddenly they blew the rams 204 00:08:47.519 --> 00:08:49.919 horns and broke their clay jars. And then all three 205 00:08:49.919 --> 00:08:53.240 groups blew their horns and broke their jars. They held 206 00:08:53.240 --> 00:08:55.559 the blazing torches in their left hands and the horns 207 00:08:55.600 --> 00:08:57.639 in their right hands, and then they all shouted a 208 00:08:57.720 --> 00:09:01.200 sword for the Lord and for Gideon. Each man stood 209 00:09:01.240 --> 00:09:03.320 at his position around the camp and watched as all 210 00:09:03.360 --> 00:09:05.759 the Midi Knites rushed around in a panic, shouting as 211 00:09:05.759 --> 00:09:07.919 they ran to escape. When the three hundred Israelites blew 212 00:09:08.000 --> 00:09:10.320 the rams horns, the Lord caused the warriors in the 213 00:09:10.320 --> 00:09:14.240 camp to fight each other with their own swords. Those 214 00:09:14.320 --> 00:09:16.759 were not Those who were not killed fled to places 215 00:09:16.799 --> 00:09:20.720 as far away as Bethshita near Zara, and to the 216 00:09:20.759 --> 00:09:25.039 border of abel Abel Mahola near Tabath. 217 00:09:25.519 --> 00:09:25.960 I don't know. 218 00:09:26.440 --> 00:09:29.679 Then Gideon sent for the warriors of Naphtali, Asher and Manassa, 219 00:09:29.720 --> 00:09:32.480 who joined in chasing the army of Midian. Gideon also 220 00:09:32.480 --> 00:09:35.159 sent messengers throughout the hill country of Ephraim saying go 221 00:09:35.279 --> 00:09:37.080 down to attack the Midi Knights cut them off at 222 00:09:37.080 --> 00:09:39.799 the shallow crossings of the Jordan River at Beth Barra. 223 00:09:40.399 --> 00:09:42.799 So all the men of Ephraim did as they were told. 224 00:09:43.360 --> 00:09:46.679 They captured Oreb and Zeb, the two Midi Knight commanders, 225 00:09:46.879 --> 00:09:49.559 killing Orb at the Rock of Orb and Zeb at 226 00:09:49.600 --> 00:09:52.159 the wine press of Zeb, and they continued to chase 227 00:09:52.159 --> 00:09:54.879 the Midi Knights. Afterwards, the Israelites brought the heads of 228 00:09:54.919 --> 00:09:57.480 Oreb and Zebe to Gideon, who was by the Jordan River. 229 00:09:58.440 --> 00:10:03.799 Wow, ending was heads there, you go, yikes, But what 230 00:10:03.919 --> 00:10:04.519 an uno. 231 00:10:04.559 --> 00:10:06.159 There's a lot of cut off heads in the Bible, 232 00:10:06.159 --> 00:10:08.039 by the way, just case you're wondering. 233 00:10:07.799 --> 00:10:10.360 For sure for sure, Well, I mean to your point. 234 00:10:10.399 --> 00:10:12.679 You know, you've made sort of this statement a long 235 00:10:12.720 --> 00:10:17.559 time ago and said, you know, this was all about war, right, 236 00:10:18.039 --> 00:10:21.519 And so war was God using the children of Israel 237 00:10:21.600 --> 00:10:25.000 to wipe out all the people that you know, blasphemed 238 00:10:25.000 --> 00:10:28.279 God and worshiped other gods, and and you know God 239 00:10:28.399 --> 00:10:30.080 was just taking them out. 240 00:10:30.360 --> 00:10:31.840 Yeah, it really was. 241 00:10:32.039 --> 00:10:34.120 And so you know the Bible looks at these things 242 00:10:34.559 --> 00:10:38.159 unblinkingly yep. And God had told Gideon I'm going to 243 00:10:38.240 --> 00:10:42.000 give you this victory and then just doesn't blink as 244 00:10:42.039 --> 00:10:44.440 it happens. Right, it's just really really blunt. 245 00:10:44.799 --> 00:10:48.840 So what's amazing about this is how it starts. I mean, 246 00:10:49.240 --> 00:10:51.960 the reason why this story is just so unbelievable is 247 00:10:52.000 --> 00:10:58.679 because he he doesn't exactly lay out his plan to 248 00:10:58.720 --> 00:11:03.240 Gideon as he's meating his army, right, right, So he says, 249 00:11:03.360 --> 00:11:07.639 he says, I know you're against unbelievable odds, right, but 250 00:11:07.759 --> 00:11:13.639 you still have thirty two thousand troops and that's too many, 251 00:11:14.159 --> 00:11:17.080 because that's just enough to say, oh, my goodness, the 252 00:11:17.120 --> 00:11:18.039 odds were so great. 253 00:11:18.159 --> 00:11:19.320 Look at us, we're so great. 254 00:11:19.799 --> 00:11:22.600 He says, I want to make it to where absolutely 255 00:11:23.039 --> 00:11:27.399 you will have absolutely no way, right, I mean, it's 256 00:11:27.480 --> 00:11:32.559 just an incredible thing to say, Hey, go home if 257 00:11:32.559 --> 00:11:34.759 you want to. In twenty two thousand went home leading 258 00:11:34.759 --> 00:11:38.840 only ten thousand who were willing to fight, right, and 259 00:11:38.840 --> 00:11:41.000 then you're thinking only ten thousand, and then it goes 260 00:11:41.000 --> 00:11:43.480 down to three hundred Are you kidding me? 261 00:11:44.279 --> 00:11:46.679 And they're going up against How big was the army 262 00:11:46.720 --> 00:11:47.639 they were going against? 263 00:11:47.799 --> 00:11:49.440 Did the Bible say? Do you remember seeing that? 264 00:11:49.600 --> 00:11:49.759 Yeah? 265 00:11:49.799 --> 00:11:52.840 I think it's I think it was like one hundred thousand, 266 00:11:52.879 --> 00:11:54.840 like a goajillion. Yeah, it was like one hundred thousand, 267 00:11:54.879 --> 00:11:55.120 wasn't that? 268 00:11:55.279 --> 00:11:57.399 I don't know. I remember seeing it. 269 00:11:57.759 --> 00:12:01.279 Yeah, I remember doing a study when I, oh, Gideon's 270 00:12:01.360 --> 00:12:03.320 army of three hundred men chasing. Oh no, it says 271 00:12:03.919 --> 00:12:07.159 fifteen thousand. We're chasing fifteen thousand. 272 00:12:07.960 --> 00:12:09.639 You know what. We should have probably looked that up 273 00:12:09.639 --> 00:12:11.559 before we jumped into this story. 274 00:12:12.039 --> 00:12:14.639 So the I don't see it anywhere. 275 00:12:14.679 --> 00:12:16.240 You know what I'm gonna do. Go ahead, keep talking, 276 00:12:16.279 --> 00:12:17.519 I'm going to google it. 277 00:12:17.759 --> 00:12:18.120 Okay. 278 00:12:18.879 --> 00:12:21.879 So the reason why I was asking about that is 279 00:12:23.000 --> 00:12:27.000 thirty two thousand probably felt small, is what I was 280 00:12:27.039 --> 00:12:30.240 getting at, right, And sometimes God asks us, he says, 281 00:12:30.639 --> 00:12:33.639 he tells us to, you know, go make a difference, 282 00:12:33.720 --> 00:12:37.360 whether that's speaking up at your kids' school, or sharing 283 00:12:37.399 --> 00:12:40.440 the gospel with your neighbor, or you know, having courage 284 00:12:40.440 --> 00:12:43.759 at Thanksgiving dinner with your family whatever. And it feels 285 00:12:43.799 --> 00:12:46.240 like we are outnumbered or like we don't have any chance. 286 00:12:46.600 --> 00:12:49.759 And then God for Gideon goes, Nope, that's still too many. 287 00:12:49.840 --> 00:12:50.559 That's still too many. 288 00:12:50.679 --> 00:12:53.639 Right, So I was my instincts were correct. It was 289 00:12:53.679 --> 00:12:55.279 one hundred and thirty five thousand men. 290 00:12:55.639 --> 00:12:57.559 Yeah, it was the median that army. 291 00:12:57.360 --> 00:13:00.759 So only having thirty two thousand right, was already one 292 00:13:00.840 --> 00:13:07.279 hundred and three thousand short, right, right, right. 293 00:13:06.919 --> 00:13:08.799 And yet God says, no, we're gonna, We're gonna take 294 00:13:08.840 --> 00:13:10.720 it down. He takes it down to ten thousand, right, 295 00:13:10.919 --> 00:13:13.039 And then then you're thinking to yourself, what's God going 296 00:13:13.120 --> 00:13:14.799 to do? And see, that's the big thing about this 297 00:13:14.879 --> 00:13:18.039 story for me is God doesn't say, don't worry, I 298 00:13:18.080 --> 00:13:18.639 got a plan. 299 00:13:19.080 --> 00:13:22.399 He doesn't say calm down. He just says, let me 300 00:13:22.440 --> 00:13:23.399 tell you what's gonna happen. 301 00:13:24.039 --> 00:13:25.879 You know, I want to get the glory, so therefore 302 00:13:26.720 --> 00:13:28.440 do this, And so Gideon does it, and all of 303 00:13:28.440 --> 00:13:31.120 a sudden, twenty two thousand leaves and then they're left. 304 00:13:31.279 --> 00:13:33.919 At least we're not told that that God comforts them 305 00:13:33.960 --> 00:13:36.519 in any way. So can you imagine like all the 306 00:13:36.600 --> 00:13:39.399 all the leaders getting together, the ones who didn't hear 307 00:13:39.440 --> 00:13:41.559 the voice of God, right, and they get together with Gideon, 308 00:13:41.639 --> 00:13:43.799 they go, what are you doing? Like? 309 00:13:43.919 --> 00:13:46.600 What is happening? And how is this possibly good idea? 310 00:13:46.720 --> 00:13:48.039 Have you lost your mind? 311 00:13:48.080 --> 00:13:51.399 Have you lost your ever loving mind? And then with 312 00:13:51.399 --> 00:13:53.960 with the with the with the with the drinking thing. 313 00:13:54.759 --> 00:13:57.360 You know, God isn't it interesting how God chose the 314 00:13:57.399 --> 00:14:00.799 ones who who reached down and grab the water and 315 00:14:00.840 --> 00:14:03.399 brought them up to their hand, Because you know, there's 316 00:14:03.440 --> 00:14:04.679 a there's a practical. 317 00:14:04.320 --> 00:14:06.440 Part to that. Right when you when you just. 318 00:14:06.519 --> 00:14:10.200 Throw your face in the river, you leave yourself, you know, 319 00:14:10.320 --> 00:14:12.639 available to be attacked from. 320 00:14:12.519 --> 00:14:14.679 Behind, right right, you're not being alert. 321 00:14:14.720 --> 00:14:15.480 You're not being alert. 322 00:14:15.679 --> 00:14:17.320 But if you cup the water with your hand and 323 00:14:17.360 --> 00:14:19.240 you bring it up to your mouth, that means that 324 00:14:19.399 --> 00:14:23.120 you're a person who is constantly looking around. Did you 325 00:14:23.120 --> 00:14:25.639 ever see like a like an antelope or a deer 326 00:14:26.279 --> 00:14:28.840 drink from the water, And how how skittish it is, 327 00:14:29.480 --> 00:14:32.159 right Like, it waits like ten minutes before it even 328 00:14:32.159 --> 00:14:34.440 takes a drink, you know, because it doesn't want to 329 00:14:34.480 --> 00:14:38.159 leave itself vulnerable. It's like, that's that's what these warriors 330 00:14:38.159 --> 00:14:41.840 were doing. And so he sends home another nine thousand, 331 00:14:42.120 --> 00:14:45.279 seven hundred people. By the way, those are the ten 332 00:14:45.320 --> 00:14:47.600 thousand that were willing to stay the first time, right, 333 00:14:47.879 --> 00:14:51.120 And then he tells them, oh, you you you put 334 00:14:51.120 --> 00:14:54.279 your face down to the water, go home, And they're 335 00:14:54.320 --> 00:14:57.519 like what And then they all go home? And then 336 00:14:57.600 --> 00:14:59.720 and then God, and by the way, do you know 337 00:14:59.759 --> 00:15:03.679 why the one hundred and thirty five thousand were fearful 338 00:15:03.840 --> 00:15:04.919 just from the lanterns. 339 00:15:05.559 --> 00:15:07.200 Well, they would have thought that they had three hundred 340 00:15:07.200 --> 00:15:10.240 thousand coming into attack, yes, because it was three hundred 341 00:15:10.279 --> 00:15:14.000 warriors with lights and blowing horns, and they would have 342 00:15:14.000 --> 00:15:16.200 assumed that that was the leader of a thousand men. 343 00:15:16.440 --> 00:15:21.360 Yes, yes, yeah, so the leader of a legion traditionally 344 00:15:22.759 --> 00:15:26.480 held a lantern, blew a horn, you know when they 345 00:15:26.480 --> 00:15:29.840 were saying charge, right, and they did it at nighttime, right, 346 00:15:29.879 --> 00:15:32.039 And so they did at nighttime for several reasons. Number one, 347 00:15:32.600 --> 00:15:36.519 so that everybody who was encamped in the Median Army 348 00:15:36.759 --> 00:15:41.039 can see the lanterns obviously. And then also when they 349 00:15:41.080 --> 00:15:43.080 got up, and it says that they were in such 350 00:15:43.080 --> 00:15:45.799 a panic, I would imagine that it would have been 351 00:15:45.879 --> 00:15:48.519 so dark they would have just started killing themselves. 352 00:15:48.639 --> 00:15:50.639 Yeah, well that's what Bob says. They started fighting each other. 353 00:15:50.799 --> 00:15:51.039 Yeah. 354 00:15:51.120 --> 00:15:54.399 And the reason probably is if you're assuming that three 355 00:15:54.480 --> 00:15:58.919 hundred thousand people are among you, you're assuming everybody's an enemy. 356 00:15:58.720 --> 00:16:02.519 Any sword among you an enemy. You're just screaming and panic, 357 00:16:02.639 --> 00:16:03.879 just trying to fight for your life. 358 00:16:04.200 --> 00:16:05.960 It's such a cool story. 359 00:16:06.039 --> 00:16:07.919 It's brilliant. Yep, it's really brilliant. 360 00:16:08.039 --> 00:16:10.879 So there's a practicality to it that is just unbelievable, 361 00:16:10.879 --> 00:16:12.879 Like who would have ever thought that God would have 362 00:16:12.919 --> 00:16:16.080 been so clever to have had that plan, you know. 363 00:16:16.120 --> 00:16:17.200 And by the way, what a bluff? 364 00:16:18.240 --> 00:16:22.840 Yeah yeah, no, lie no, lie. Well even before that happened, though, 365 00:16:23.200 --> 00:16:27.080 we kind of we passed over this again. God is 366 00:16:27.120 --> 00:16:30.399 confirming for Gideon over and over. God doesn't do this 367 00:16:30.440 --> 00:16:33.759 for everybody. Gideon is I think the only person in 368 00:16:33.799 --> 00:16:38.919 the Bible I can remember where God regularly keeps reaffirming 369 00:16:38.960 --> 00:16:42.000 for him. Hey, I'm on your side. So he says 370 00:16:42.039 --> 00:16:44.399 to Gideon, Hey, I want you to sneak down in 371 00:16:44.440 --> 00:16:48.000 the camp and just listen to what they're talking about. 372 00:16:48.080 --> 00:16:49.879 Because you know, the camp, if you got one hundred 373 00:16:49.919 --> 00:16:52.679 and thirty thousand people, it's like a city, right, So 374 00:16:52.840 --> 00:16:55.159 one guy, if he's dressed right, he'd be able to 375 00:16:55.159 --> 00:16:58.440 sneak into town and nobody. It's not like he's sneaking 376 00:16:58.440 --> 00:17:01.840 into a fortress or onto a military base, right that. 377 00:17:02.000 --> 00:17:05.039 It's just tense. So they're set up in an area 378 00:17:05.039 --> 00:17:06.960 where they feel like nobody's gonna sneak up to them, 379 00:17:07.279 --> 00:17:09.440 and they're getting ready to go to war, but they're out, 380 00:17:09.680 --> 00:17:13.039 and so Gideon sneaks into the camp and God says, hey, 381 00:17:13.279 --> 00:17:15.839 you're going to hear some conversations. These conversations are going 382 00:17:15.920 --> 00:17:18.359 to encourage you. But then he says, but if you're 383 00:17:18.400 --> 00:17:20.880 still scared, even though I'm telling you do this, just 384 00:17:20.920 --> 00:17:23.559 take your servant Poro with you. And so the next 385 00:17:23.640 --> 00:17:25.640 verse says, and so Gideon and Pero go down to 386 00:17:25.680 --> 00:17:28.279 the right, right, right. 387 00:17:28.920 --> 00:17:30.279 It's such a funny thing. 388 00:17:30.440 --> 00:17:30.680 Right. 389 00:17:31.799 --> 00:17:35.240 So this is the same voice. Remember I talked about 390 00:17:35.240 --> 00:17:39.039 it yesterday. So the angel tells him he makes food 391 00:17:39.039 --> 00:17:41.559 for the angel. The angel burns it on a rock 392 00:17:41.599 --> 00:17:45.599 and then disappears, and then God's voice says, don't worry. 393 00:17:45.640 --> 00:17:48.119 I'm not gonna hurt you. I'm gonna do something great 394 00:17:48.119 --> 00:17:50.160 with you. And then God's voice says, okay, now I 395 00:17:50.160 --> 00:17:52.079 want you to go and defeat the Midianites put together 396 00:17:52.119 --> 00:17:54.880 an army. And he goes, well, I'm not really sure. 397 00:17:55.359 --> 00:17:57.440 How about this fleece thing, you know, make it wet, 398 00:17:57.799 --> 00:18:02.240 dry ground. Okay, Thanks God. Same voice comes back to him, 399 00:18:02.279 --> 00:18:05.079 speaks again, and he goes, thanks God, and this time, 400 00:18:05.799 --> 00:18:08.359 make the fleece dry and the ground wet, and God 401 00:18:08.400 --> 00:18:11.119