Joshua 6:1-6 – We Need A Hero – Bible study

Judges 6:1-6, 11-14 We Need A Hero To be honest, I am very hesitant to use the word "hero." When we use that word, I believe some imagine that heroes are like pearlsvery, very rare and then they imagine that they could never be one. However, the word "hero" is defined as one who has courage, achievements, or qualities to be admired. That definition is not so hard to live up toat least it should not be among believers of God. A hero is not someone in a cape but someone with courage. It may not Be someone who does feats but one who has faith. It may not be someone has a super power but one who walks with a super powerful God. Gideon fit that bill. He was not perfect but he arose to the occasion. He did not have a super faith, but he believed God. He had no super powers, but he relied on God. Friend, we need someone like Gideon today. We need a hero. Lets consider some things we have in common with Gideon and see how it might benefit us. I. \#1-6\ Gideon lived under sins scourges. A. The Bible says that the wages of sin is death. 1. That means sin is always bad. It is bad for you and it is bad for those around you. 2. The more sin there is, the worse things will get for you and for those around you. 3. When it comes to this world, I have never understand whether God Himself instigates the problems that sin brings or whether they are just built into the fabric of creation. 4. Either way, sin brings bad times. B. Notice the conditions of Gideons day. 1. \#1\ There was great evil being done. a. "Evil" is the word that God used in this text. b. Evil is sin in that it is a behavior which God forbids but is a step beyond sin in that it is the worst of the behaviors which God forbids. c. It would be things like murder, false worship, betrayal, and homosexualitythe kind of behaviors where one would instinctively know are wrong but are done anyway. Romans 8:32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. d. All days of human existence have some sin in them. e. Most days of human existence have had an abundance of sin in them. f. But these are days with plain evil in them. 2. \#1-6\ There was oppression. a. In Gideons day, an enemy ruled over Israel. b. An enemy is one who hates you, wants to hurt you, wants to inflict painperhaps even deathupon you. c. In Gideons day, this meant that the enemy stole and destroyed their possessions, leaving the people in fear and in poverty \#6\. d. In our country, that is just beginning and to this point in our country. As yet, we know nothing of. 3. \#4\ The people were hurting. Judges 6:4 and left no sustenance." a. That means without the things needed to sustain themselves. b. They lacked food, proper clothing, perhaps water. c. Their homes were not secure or private. Many of them had been confiscated. Judges 6:2 and because of the Midianites the children of Israel made them the dens which are in the mountains, and caves, and strong holds. C. I am a believer that Jesus could come at any moment, that is the imminent return of Jesus. However, we have seen only the first of three of Gods scourges. 1. Just because the times are evil does not mean Jesus is coming tomorrow. 2. Things could get much worse before Jesus comes and if there is no revival, they definitely will. D. The conditions are right for a hero. II. \#6:11-14\ The Lord called Gideon. A. I notice a series of words that describe God initiating a relationship with Gideon. 1. \#12\ An angel "appeared" and "the Lord is with thee." 2. \#14\ "The Lord looked upon him" and "sent him." 3. Now, all of this was done with an angel and in the physical world. 4. It does not seem that God does it that way much anymore, but God still does to men, women, and even children, the same thing that He did to Gideon on that day. 5. God calls them to serve Him. a. That is what God was doing to Gideon, calling Him. b. Whether God chooses to issue His call with a physical angel or with a spiritual word to your heart, it is still God and it is still God calling. c. In my own case, God sent no angel. In fact, I do not that I have ever met a preacher, missionary, evangelist, or servant of God in any field that had a physical calling, but I have known a lot of heroes that God has called. B. God sees you too. And to be frank, I believe has called many if not all of you to serve Him. 1. You say, "But, preacher, I am sinner." All of us are. 2. You say, "But, preacher, I am not gifted." God never calls a person because of what that person can do but because of what God can do. 3. You say, "But, preacher, I have never heard God call." a. Have you ever listened? (1) \#1Kings 19:12\ Elijah, a great prophet of God, had to be reminded that God most often speaks directly to the heart using a "still small voice" that must be listened for. (2) However, in \#Numbers 22:28\ God used the mouth of another, of a donkey to give direction. (a) That is very similar to God using a preacher. (b) A preacher is nothing but a voice to tell you what God wants you to hear. b. However, in both cases, you must be listening for God. 2Chronicles 16:9 For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of [them] those heart is perfect toward him. c. I do not believe God has left us to the evil of this day without calling some men and women to stand up for Him. (1) You can call them fools or fanatics. (2) You can call them spiritual or radicals. (3) You can call them old-fashioned or alt-right. (4) I think they are heroes, Christians who have heard God and display courage to stand a stand for God and against sin in world that is evil and getting worse every day. III. \#6:13-14\ Gideon had questions. A. Here is where we get confused concerning heroes. 1. Most believe that heroes were born heroes. a. That they have all the answers. b. That they have no doubts. c. If that is what you believe a hero to be, then Gideon was no hero. 2. \#13\ a. "If the Lord be with us. b. "why then is all this befallen us c. "where be all his miracles.? 3. Those are words and questions that we understand and associate with! a. We are a race of problem-filled, unknowing people. b. The strange thing is that we seldom get around to asking those kinds of questions until our world has caved in on us and even when we do, we do not ask them of God in a way that suggests we really want answers but rather in a way that suggests we believe God has failed us. B. A few thoughts: 1. God knows all about us. Psalm 104:14 For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust. a. God knows what we are, what we want, and what we can do. b. Gideon was accusing God of failing him when actually it was IsraelGideon includedthat had failed God. c. God wanted Gideon anyway. d. God wants you. (1) \#1Cor 1:19-28\ (2) God uses the foolish. God is the simple, God uses the inferior. God uses the common. 2. There is nothing wrong with asking God questions. a. God does not mind us wanting to know more about Him, His ways, and His works. b. Asking God why is a legitimate condition as long as. (1) You dont accuse God when asking it. (a) I think Gideon might have been accusing God of failing Israel. (b) Such accusations are always false and show our arrogance and ignorance. (2) You are open to receive Gods answer. (a) It does no good to ask God something and then plug up your ears. (b) Remember 2Chron 16:9. i. God wants to talk to you. ii. Get ready to hear. (3) You dont quit when God does answer. (a) When you ask God why He did or allowed something, you might not like what you hear. (b) Determine beforehand that you are going to do right no matter what Gods reasons are. 3. Side note – God did NOT answer Gideon. a. Gideon asked God why He was allowing all the bad things to happen, but God did not answer him. b. Why? Because God had already given the answermany timesin His Word. Judges 2:19 And it came to pass, when the judge was dead, that they returned, and corrupted themselves more than their fathers, in following other gods to serve them, and to bow down unto them; they ceased not from their own doings, nor from their stubborn way. 20 And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel; and he said, Because that this people hath transgressed my covenant which I commanded their fathers, and have not hearkened unto my voice; 21 I also will not henceforth drive out any from before them of the nations which Joshua left when he died: c. If you are asking God a question because you want to know, start by looking in the Bible. d. If you are asking God a question because you want Him to change His mind, forget it. C. All of Gideons questions indicate that Gideon did not "get it." 1. He did not understand why things were as they were. 2. He did not understand what God wanted of Israel. 3. He did not understand what God wanted of Him. 4. He did not even understand who it was that stood before him (an angel). 5. You simply could not have a more clueless hero than Gideon, but he was still going to be one. IV. \#6:18-23\ God got it before it was too late. A. Gideon really does not know that he is speaking to an angel. 1. He thinks he is carrying on a conversation about religion with someone. 2. He is clueless until the angel takes the food that was offered to him and causes fire to come up out of a rock to consume it. Judges 2:21 Then the angel of the LORD put forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and there rose up fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes. Then the angel of the LORD departed out of his sight. 22 And when Gideon perceived that he was an angel of the LORD, Gideon said, Alas, O Lord GOD! for because I have seen an angel of the LORD face to face. B. The thing is that the angel was about to leave when Gideon offered him something to eat. 1. Suppose Gideon hadnt asked the angel to eat? 2. Suppose the angel had left and no miracle was performed? 3. Perhaps Gideon would have never realized what God was directing him to do. Perhaps Gideon would never have gotten it. C. Get this – Gods heroes are not giants of the faith. 1. They are Christians who will listen and obey despite the consequences. 2. There is no doubt that God has called someif not all of you, but as Jesus said in the New Testament, you must "have ears to hear." 3. Are you listening to Him this morning? I believe one of the reasons I liked westerns so much growing up is because they were filled with ordinary people doing good. God, give us some heroes today.