Judges 7 Summary - 5 Minute Bible Study

Judges 7 Summary - A Quick Overview

WHEN:

• Most scholars place the period of the Judges between 1450 B.C. and 1000 B.C.

• The precise dates are still debated.

• Gideon appears in Israel’s history approximately 40 years after Deborah and Barak (5:31).

CHARACTERS:

• The Midianites – They oppressed the Israelites for 7 years.

• Gideon – The 5th Judge of Israel. God used him to free Israel from the oppression of the Midianites. He was given the name “Jerubbaal” which means “Let Baal contend against him” (6:32).

WHERE:

• Gideon lived near Ophrah (not on the map), which was in the territory of Manasseh.

• Israel attacked Midian near the hill of Moreh which was just to the north of Mt. Gilboa (6:33; 7:1).

• The Midianites fled south to Abel-meholah after they were routed by Gideon’s army.

OUTLINE:

• GOD REDUCES GIDEON’S ARMY (7:1-8):

  • Gideon took his fighting men and camped south of the Midianite army, which was camped in the Valley of Jezreel.

  • When they arrived, God told Gideon he had too many men. God wanted to reduce the number of Israelites so they wouldn’t foolishly believe they won the battle by their own strength. God wanted it to be undeniable that it was His power that gave them victory.

  • Gideon was told to allow all the men who were scared to return home. This reduced Gideon’s army from 32,000 to 10,000.

  • Next God told Gideon to take the army to the stream to get a drink.  

  • Based on the way each man drank, he was to be separated into one of two groups.

  • If the man kneeled and drank directly from the stream, he was put into one group.

  • If the man took a handful of water and brought it to his mouth, he was put into the other group.

  • God told Gideon to dismiss all the soldiers who drank directly from the stream (the 1st group).

  • After doing so, Gideon was left with only 300 men.

• GOD REASSURES GIDEON WITH THE MIDIANITE’S DREAM (7:9-15):

  • God reassured Gideon He would overcome the entire Midianite force with his small band of 300 men.

  • He told Gideon, if he still had doubts, he could sneak into the Midianite camp that night and he would find the strength he needed.

  • So, that night, Gideon took a servant to a Midianite outpost.

  • While there, he overheard a man telling another man about a dream he had.

  • “Behold, I dreamed a dream, and behold, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the camp of Midian and came to the tent and struck it so that it fell and turned it upside down, so that the tent lay flat.” 

  • His comrade interpreted the dream by saying, “This is no other than the sword of Gideon, the son of Joash, a man of Israel; God has given into his hand Midian and all the camp.”

• ISRAEL DEFEATS THE MIDIANITES (7:16-25):

  • As soon as Gideon heard the dream and its interpretation, he worshiped God, returned to his army, and rallied them for battle.

  • He divided them into 3 groups, gave each man a trumpet and a torch, and had them spread out around the outskirts of the enemy camp.

  • Simultaneously the 300 soldiers revealed their torches, blew their trumpets, and cried “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!”

  • The Midianites and their allies panicked and ran.

  • God caused them to become confused and they started fighting one another.

  • Gideon’s men pursued them and sent messengers to the men of Ephraim for help.

  • They captured and killed 2 Midianite princes, Oreb and Zeeb.

APPLICATION:

• Set goals that bring glory to God.

• Set those goals higher than what you think you can personally achieve!

• If the ceiling of your goals is capped at the limit of your personal capability, you aren’t leaving any room for God to receive the glory.