Transcript

Today's Bible Translation

Bible translation used in today's episode: Ch. 7 ERV, Ch. 8-9 NASB, Ch. 10-11 GNT

Podcast Introduction

This is History Tuesday. We’ll read Judges 7-11. I’m calling today’s episode “The First Is Not Always the Best” 

Design: Steve Webb | Photo: Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash

Comments on Judges 7, 9 and 11

Thoughts on Judges 7

As I read this chapter today, I wondered about the interpretation of the Midianite’s dream by his friend. 

Here are those verses again: 13Gideon came to the enemy camp, and he heard a man talking. That man was telling his friend about a dream that he had. He was saying, “I dreamed that a round loaf of bread came rolling into the camp of the Midianites. That loaf of bread hit the tent so hard that the tent turned over and fell flat.” 14The man’s friend knew the meaning of the dream. He said, “Your dream can only have one meaning. Your dream is about that man from Israel. It is about Gideon son of Joash. It means that God will let Gideon defeat the whole army of Midian.”

What explanation was there for a round loaf of bread knocking down a tent being representative of the defeat of the Midianite’s army by Israel? So I did some further reading. 

It turns out that in the original language, the round loaf of bread is a barley cake that hit the tent so hard that it turned it upside down and lay flat.

What’s the difference? It’s subtle, but I think it matters. 

Barley was thought of as the food of poor people and animals. The Midianites had long terrorized the Israelites and had most likely destroyed any of the crops that Gideon had been known to tend. So they had been reduced to having to eat barley. Also, the way in which a barley cake was probably prepared was that just a little of the barley flour was mixed with water to make the batter, and then thrown on the coals, producing a not very desirable, very humble meal. And the thought that such a humble little cake could tumble down a hill and hit a Midianite tent with such force that it could overturn and flatten it would seem unlikely and miraculous.

Makes a little more sense now, doesn’t it? 

And we know that God prefers to use the humble and unlikely to accomplish His goals. Knowing what you now know about the humble barley cake, take heart if you, dear listener, feel less than qualified to be used by God. In fact, that is right where He wants you. When He calls you, He will enable you, just as He did this tiny group of 300 men willing to follow God. 

Don’t you just love hearing the Word of God and digging just a little deeper? I know I do.  

Thoughts on Judges 9

Not a great first king for Israel, this Abimelech fellow. 

Notice that there had not been a great outcry from Israel to have a king, but Abimelech steps up and pretty much insinuates himself into the position. And remember, he is one of seventy-two sons of Gideon, otherwise known as Jerubbaal, and after taking the throne, he has seventy of his brothers murdered, with only one remaining because he hid himself. 

God had not been consulted as to whether Israel should have any other king but God, and this Abimelech fellow just steps in.

You knew this couldn’t end well, and it doesn’t. When a nation turns against God, they are in for harsh judgement. It was true for the sons of Gideon, and it is true today.