Sat.’s Devo - God’s Choice

Read: Judges 7:1-8:17; Luke 23:13-43; Psalm 97:1-98:9; Provers 14:7-8 Gideon took his army to the valley near the hill of Moreh and told him that he had too many warriors. If they won they would think it was their own strength that did it. God wanted the glory. God told him to send all who were afraid home. So 22,000 volunteered to go home leaving 10,000 left to fight. *** God told Gideon it was still too many men, so he told Gideon to take his army to a stream and to separate those who lay on their bellies and lapped like a dog with those who kneeled and brought the water to their mouth. Those that lay on their bellies, God had chosen to fight. There were 300 of them. Gideon collected ram’s horns of the men he didn’t choose and sent them home. ***The night before they were going to attack, got told Gideon if he was still afraid he could go down and listed to what the Midianites were talking about. Then he would be encouraged. *** Gideon took Purdah and they snuck down to the Midianite camp. They heard a man talking about the dream he had had. In the dream he saw a loaf of barley bread tumbling down into their camp. It hit a tent, turned it over and knocked it flat. His companion told him that it could only mean that God had given the victory over the Midianites to Gideon. *** When Gideon heard this he bowed and worshiped the Lord. Then he was empowered to attack. He returned back to his camp and told everyone to get up because God had given them victory over the Midianite hordes. He divided his men into three equal groups. He gave each a ram’s horn and a clay jar with a torch in it. *** Gideon told them to watch him and do just as he did. He would blow his horn and then would then blow theirs. Then they were all to shout, “For the Lord and for Gideon!” *** It was almost midnight when the Midianites were changing guards. Gideon’s army surrounded the camp. They blew their horns, broke their jars and their torches were burning. This threw the camp of the Midianites into such a confusion, they began fighting one another. The ones who fled were chased by Gideon’s armies. Gideon called upon the warriors of Naphtali, Asher and Manasseh who had gone home to come out and fight. The men of Ephraim came out and they cutting the Midianites off at the Jordan capturing Oreb and Zeeb, the two Midianite commanders. They were really upset with Gideon that they hadn’t been invited to join his army. Gideon told them that what they did was better than fighting. When they heard this they were calmed down. *** Gideon continued chasing the Midianites till they came to Succoth tired and hungry. They asked the officials of the town for food for his army but they told him that they wouldn’t feed them till they had captured the two Midianite kings, Zalmunna and Zebah. Gideon told them they would kill the two kings then come back and whip them with thorns and briers. *** Gideon took his army to the next town of Peniel in search of food. They told him the same thing. Gideon told them when they came back they would tear down their tower. *** Gideon did take capture the two Midianite kings. On his way home, he met a man from Succoth and made him write down all the names of the 77 officials of Succoth that had decided not to feed his army. He returned to Succoth and punished them with the thorns and briers from the wilderness and tore down the tower at Peniel. and killed all the men there. *** In Luke, Pilate called all the religious leaders and the people and declared that he found Jesus innocent and not worthy of death. He told them he would flog Jesus then release him. But the crowd went wild yelling for him to crucify Jesus. *** Pilate tried to offer to release him instead of Barrabas but that didn’t work either. So finally, Pilate ordered that Jesus die as they had requested and released Barabbas. He gave Jesus to them to do as they wanted. *** As they were going to the place where they were going to crucify Jesus, the soldiers grabbed Simon to carry Jesus’ cross. A crowd of people followed and many grieving women. Jesus turned to the women and told them not to weep for him but for their children. He warned them of the persecution that was coming. *** Two other criminals were to be crucified that day. Jesus was put between them. Jesus prayed that God would forgive those who were crucifying him. The soldiers gambled for his clothes. The leaders mocked him telling him to save himself. They offered Jesus sour wine to take the pain away, but he refused it. *** One of the men crucified with him told him to prove he was the Messiah and save them and himself. The other one rebuked him saying that they were dying for their crime but Jesus had done no crime. He asked Jesus to remember him when he came into his Kingdom. Jesus told him he would be with him in paradise. *** That man on the cross understood the resurrection and the fact that Jesus was the son of God and would go to a kingdom in heaven. That was more than so many of the people understood. It is a mystery who God reveals himself to and who he chooses. *** Lord, may you see our hearts and choose us for service. May we do the service you have put before us in wisdom and power.