Gideon

Chapter 69

FOR MANY ARE CALLED, BUT FEW ARE CHOSEN (Mat 22:14)

07-14-13

Dear brothers and sisters, God bless you. Please regard this personal message to you as if you were one of those Israelites (and in type and shadow you actually are) who received Gideon’s message under the Spirit of the Lord (Judg 6:34,35). In that same Spirit, this present message to you shall be a deep ringing echo, a perpetual repetition validated by God, for many are called throughout the ages, ad infinitum, to assemble for battle, to come to church, for victory over the evil is ours, so saith the Lord. However, this message is also conditional, for although “many are called” only “few are chosen.” Even at this very moment, the “few” that have responded to the call of God like you and I are being tested, supernaturally “proven” by being cast repeatedly into the hot consuming fire (“Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD” Jer 23:29, i.e., the Bible), and thereafter being cast repeatedly into the cool sealing water of the Holy Spirit (2 Cor 1:22; Eph 1:13; 4:30). Through the latter “transformation” process (Rom 12:2), we are being precisely formed, blessed beyond comprehension, into a great and mighty and holy sword for the Lord, a very sharp sword. J But the victory is ours only if we are willing, and deemed by God to be capable, of participating in the battle, i.e., capable of participating in the hand-to-hand combat of spiritual warfare. May we note in the text to follow, an Old Testament physical example of the latter thesis written for our admonition (syn: caution, warning, reprimand, reproach, scolding), and the New Testament spiritual affirmation of that thesis, namely, “Faith without works is dead” (James 2:20,26)? How dead? Keep on reading and we shall see.

And may I further preface the following interpretation of the tongue of the Lord (1 Cor 12:10) by saying that the book of Judges chapters 6 through 8 presents a prophetic, completely perfect, but symbolic picture of our present church during the seven year tribulation, a tribulation period that is vividly identified, the scene set, in Judges 6:1-6. Briefly summarized and prophetically speaking, the situational biblical circumstance occurred during the closing days of the seven year tribulation wherein, out of the four tribes of Israel who were “called,” a relative minority of 32,000 Israelite warriors responded to the call of Gideon, a call that was accompanied by God’s assurance of victory, a call to assemble for a battle against an opposing hostile invading force of 135,000 Midianite (Heb: brawling, contentious, discord, strife) heathen warriors who obviously symbolize unsaved mankind. Within the continuing biblical context, this summons was and is a clear prophetic and present “call” for you to assemble in church, preparatory for battle. Also, may we herein note that the Holy Ghost parenthetically specified the invading Midianites to be “Ishmaelites” (Judg 8:24), and according to Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary “Mohammed claimed Ishmael as his ancestor, as do most Arabs.” And most Arabs are Muslims. Is there any prophetic significance in that assessment?

Only 32,000 Israelite warriors responded to the call of “the Spirit of the Lord” (Judg 6:34) effected through Gideon and were assembled on the battlefield (yes, these are those who came to church). They were aware that God had said that they would have the victory over the Midianite army, but when they actually saw (“we walk by faith, not by sight” 2 Cor 5:7) the 135,000 hostile Midianite warriors standing in battle array before them, their immediate realization, thinking of their own safety first (defeat), rather than thinking of God’s Word (of victory), was that they themselves were very seriously outnumbered. The Lord God then commanded Gideon to announce the following proclamation to the 32,000 Israelites which was (for them, and you, and I) the vitally important

TESTING FOR SEPARATION

(Judg 7:3) Now therefore go to, proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, Whosoever is fearful and afraid [i.e., whosoever doesn’t believe God], let him return [to his home] and depart early from mount Gilead [Heb: mass of testimony, heap of witness] [a symbol of the cross, thus intimating the unbelief of the departing]. And there returned [to their homes] of the people twenty and two thousand [22,000 unsaved men]; and there remained ten thousand [10,000 saved men]. [Why “unsaved men”? Because if you don’t believe God, you cannot be saved]

The Lord God, presenting an excellent practical lesson and a significant warning to us all, “called” the “many” Israelite warriors of four tribes to assemble, symbolically in church, for participation in warfare (then physical, now spiritual) and gave them the victory thereof, against the invading Midianite (unsaved) host. Of the “many” Israelite warriors who heard the call, 32,000 obediently responded, and God tested and separated out of the responding 32,000 warriors, 22,000 unbelieving warriors who did indeed obediently assemble to church, but who did not believe God, who did not trust in God for the victory. These 22,000 now exposed pseudo-warriors, who symbolize all nominal/professing Christians, are really part of the secular “many” group along with “many” other persons of those four tribes who heard the call of God but did not respond, and shall be separated eternally from the “few” that are “chosen” 10,000 Israelite warriors who did believe God for the victory, i.e., true Christians. “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you” (John 15:16).

TESTING FOR PARTICIPATION

Having separated the wheat from the tares, God next tested the wheat, the 10,000 “few” saved “chosen” warriors who believed Him for participation (application, function) in the eternal Kingdom of God. These warriors believed His Word of victory then, and they believe the Bible (His Word of victory) now. The results of this test extend, like a great supernatural tree, upward from the earthly Kingdom of God then, through now, and on into the future Heavenly Kingdom of God.

(Judg 7:4) And the LORD said unto Gideon [Heb: feller (i.e. warrior) /// to fell a tree: cut asunder, hew down] [a clear type and shadow of Jesus Christ], The people [the 10,000 chosen (symbolic of you and I)] are yet too many; bring them down unto the water [a symbol of the Holy Spirit], and I will try them [Heb: to fuse (metal), i.e. refine: melt, purify, purge away] [i.e., to test them] for thee there: and it shall be, that of whom I say unto thee, This shall go with thee [on the mission], the same shall go with thee; and of whomsoever I say unto thee, This shall not go with thee [on the mission], the same shall not go.

1. Commentary: “and I will try them” = that is, I (God) will test them, but please note the Hebrew word definitions “refine” and “purify” and “purge away” which in this case, indicate not a complete parting, as the 22,000 experienced, but rather a division still within the Body of Christ (the saved 10,000), a division into two groups, purposed for participation, application, or function in the Kingdom of God. This division can perhaps be exemplified by the employed symbolism of the metals (to fuse, melt) of silver and gold that define the Body of Christ. The silver (sheep) symbolizes redeemed salvation, the Thummim of God (1 Cor 12:7-11) that we all experience. The gold (shepherds) symbolizes the purity of God, the Urim of God (1 Cor 12:7-11) of God that some saints experience more so than others.

a. For an exhaustive explanation of the Urim and Thummim, please see the notes and hear the archived message dated 06-09-13 located on our website www.tabernacleofmoses.org entitled “EVIDENCES OF THE URIM AND THUMMIM MANIFESTED AS THE NINE GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT.”

(Judg 7:5,6) So he brought down the people unto the water [of the Holy Spirit]: and the LORD said unto Gideon, Every one that lappeth [Heb: licks] of the water with his tongue, as a dog lappeth, him shalt thou set by himself; likewise every one that boweth down upon his knees to drink [shalt thou “likewise” set by himself in another group]. And the number of them that lapped, putting their hand to their mouth [i.e., kneeling down to scoop up water in their hand, comparatively speaking, rather like a mature Christian ingesting the meat of the Word, with his “hand” (ref. the “Hand Ministry” of Eph 4:11,12)], were three hundred men [300 men]: but all the rest of the people [9,700 men] bowed down [prostrated themselves (subjectively in deference - submission)] upon their [hands and] knees to drink water [by putting the mouth of their face into the water to suck it up, rather like a babe at the breast of the milk of the Word].

1. Commentary: Dogs are generally a negative biblical reference; however, this particular reference is not meant to be negative, but to indicate the commonly seen style, procedure, or activity of lapping. We may also note that a dog laps up a little water at a time (“here a little, and there a little” Isa 28:13), repeatedly, and thus might be considered to be “more discriminating” (more meditative of the Word) than an animal that just sucks in, “much more indiscriminately,” larger quantities of water at a time. An interested observer at the scene of this circumstance might also have noted that the water was undoubtedly a stream running throughout the valley, and that the 10,000 Israelites were facing 135,000 quite angry Midianite warriors standing on the other side of the stream. Well, gee, when a dog laps water, where are his eyes? They are vertical to the water and carefully defensively watching out for anybody or anything that is in front of him or peripherally to either side, much like a “vigilant” (1 Pet 5:8) man that might lap water by putting his hand to his mouth. Whereas, the eyes of a man sucking up water are horizontal to the water, and he is quite blind to any body or any thing that may be across from him or be peripheral to him. As we continue this exegesis, please remember that we are all presently experiencing this test at/of the water of the Holy Spirit for our eternal participation in the Kingdom of God.

(Judg 7:7,8) And the LORD said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped [i.e., who were vigilant and discriminating = discerning] will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand [Eph 4:11,12]: and let all the other people [the 9,700 saved warriors] go every man unto his place. So the [300] people took [Heb: accepted] victuals [Heb: food] in their hand, and their trumpets [voices of encouragement (prayers)] [i.e., it was a time of great famine, but the 9,700, unlike the men of Succoth and Penuel, still sacrificially supported the 300 with gifts of food and encouragement]: and he sent all the rest of Israel [the 9,700 saved warriors] every man unto his tent, and retained [Heb: to fasten upon; hence to seize] those three hundred men: and the host of Midian was beneath him in the valley.

1. Commentary: several wonderful points of personal interest to every reader may be found in these verses. May we note that the attributes of vigilance and discrimination are both integral components or subcategories under the heading of discernment, in our case, spiritual discernment which attribute may be applied to and characterizes the 300 saved men that carefully lapped the water. The 9,700 saved warriors were each then sent “unto his place” and “unto his tent” (this sending repeated for emphasis) which were locations still on the battlefield rather than being sent to their “homes” off the battlefield as were the 22,000 unsaved warriors. That is because the 9,700 saved men who indiscriminately sucked up the water of the Holy Spirit and the 300 saved men who carefully lapped the water of the Holy Spirit out of their hand, together compositely form the Army of God. The 9,700 saved men were/are destined to participate in the Kingdom of God as the “support troops” (sheep), the silver of the army (enlisted), and were/are sensibly located in the rear area of the battlefield from which they support the 300 saved men with their “victuals” and “trumpets.” Whereas, the 300 saved men who lapped were/are destined to participate in the Kingdom of God as the “combat troops” (shepherds), the gold of the army (commissioned) because they passed the discernment test, showing themselves to be trained up and qualified to do the actual fighting. To which group do you belong?

2. Commentary: “retained” = has the Hebrew meaning of “to fasten upon; hence, to seize,” which has a fascinating similarity in text and meaning to the English “caught up” (2 Cor 12:2,4; 1 Thes 4:17; Rev 12:5) rendered in the Greek as “to take for oneself /// to take up or away; fig. to raise: lift up, take away, take up.” The question then becomes, are we seeing in Judges 7:8 a type and shadow, a prophecy, of what is commonly called “the rapture” (1 Thes 4:17)? In addition to the provocative definition similarities, and somewhat in substantiation of the latter conclusion, the scene of the Old Testament text positions those 300 saved men to be above “the host of Midian” who were “beneath him in the valley”? What do you think?

Amen

A Man of God